Crypto

How the shocking kidnapping attempt on crypto CEO's daughter in broad daylight in Paris shows the BIG Crypto problem in Europe – The Times of India

Published

4 weeks ago

May 16, 2025

France summons cryptocurrency businesses after kidnappings (Photo: AP)

A disturbing trend of kidnappings and extortion attempts targeting cryptocurrency firms and their owners is sweeping across France and other European Union nations, prompting urgent calls for increased governmental protection for individuals within the burgeoning digital asset industry. Authorities are increasingly convinced that these brazen attacks are orchestrated by organized criminal groups employing a chilling new tactic: targeting the families of wealthy cryptocurrency investors and business executives.The core tenet of cryptocurrency ownership, “not your keys, not your coins,” which emphasizes individual control over digital assets as a security measure against online theft, has inadvertently created a new vulnerability in the physical world. While storing cryptocurrency in “cold wallets” (offline storage) can safeguard against remote hacking, it exposes holders to the “$$$5 wrench problem” – the threat of physical coercion to surrender private keys and, consequently, their digital fortunes. Now, cryptocurrency industrialists and their families are finding themselves alarmingly susceptible to this very scenario.

Disturbing trend of family kidnappings

The latest incident unfolded in broad daylight in Paris, where a masked gang attempted to abduct the daughter of Pierre Noizat, the CEO of prominent French cryptocurrency firm Paymium, from a public street. This terrifying event marks at least the third such attack in France in recent months, signaling a dangerous escalation. In January, the co-founder of another leading French crypto company, Ledger, and his wife were brutally kidnapped. Then, in May, the father of a crypto company head was snatched. While all victims in these prior incidents were eventually rescued, both kidnapped fathers tragically suffered the amputation of a finger.In the most recent attack, the husband of Pierre Noizat’s daughter bravely fought off the assailants, sustaining a fractured skull in the process, before managing to flee after a quick-thinking shop owner intervened, chasing the attackers away with a fire extinguisher. Reports from Ars Technica indicate that similar attacks have occurred in Belgium and Spain in recent months, suggesting a coordinated effort across multiple European nations. Law enforcement agencies across the continent are actively investigating several of these cases, with growing suspicion that they are linked to sophisticated organized crime networks.In a bid to deter further attacks, investors within the cryptocurrency industry are actively working to raise awareness among criminals about the inherent traceability of most cryptocurrency transactions. While attackers may operate under the misconception that they can coerce victims’ families into transferring digital assets to untraceable wallets, the reality is more complex. Cryptocurrency transactions, even those involving privacy-focused coins, leave a digital trail that can be followed by skilled investigators. Indeed, police forces have successfully tracked and apprehended numerous individuals involved in these recent kidnapping and extortion attempts, demonstrating the limitations of anonymity in the blockchain ecosystem. The industry hopes that highlighting these successful arrests and the inherent risks of cryptocurrency-based extortion will serve as a deterrent.French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau addressed the growing concerns this week, stating his intention to meet with French cryptocurrency entrepreneurs to discuss and encourage enhanced personal security measures. However, as of yet, there has been no concrete indication of broader governmental action or the provision of dedicated protection beyond these verbal assurances.For individuals holding their own cryptocurrency investments, these events serve as a stark reminder that while safeguarding digital assets offline can mitigate the risk of hacking, it does not eliminate the threat of real-world exploitation. In this evolving landscape of crypto-related crime, discretion and privacy regarding one’s holdings are proving to be increasingly vital. The most prudent strategy, security experts advise, is to maintain a low profile about one’s wealth and potential cryptocurrency holdings, as those unaware of your financial status are less likely to target you for extortion.

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Crypto

Donald Trump Reports Nearly $60 Million Income from Cryptocurrency Venture

Published

8 hours ago

June 15, 2025

Press Room

Donald Trump Reports Nearly Million Income from Cryptocurrency Venture

Former US President Donald Trump has disclosed nearly $60 million in income from his involvement in a cryptocurrency venture, shedding light on how he and his family continue to benefit from the digital asset industry. The Financial Times reported on Friday that Trump’s annual financial disclosure reveals $57.4 million earned through World Liberty Financial (WLF), a cryptocurrency enterprise backed by Trump alongside his sons Donald Jr. and Eric.

The detailed filing, exceeding 200 pages and published by the US Office of Government Ethics, shows Trump holds 15.75 billion governance tokens in WLF, granting him substantial voting rights in the operation. The cryptocurrency venture stands as one of Trump’s largest income sources, alongside revenues from books and real estate investments.

Trump’s financial ties to the crypto sector have drawn increasing scrutiny amid ongoing concerns about potential conflicts of interest. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the disclosures.

World Liberty Financial revealed in January that it had successfully sold 21 billion tokens during a public sale, reaching its target of raising $1 billion. Notably, a 2024 filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission identified Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, as a “promoter” of the WLF project.

Trump’s vocal support for cryptocurrencies has helped drive market enthusiasm, pushing bitcoin prices above $100,000 per coin. Under SEC Chair Paul Atkins, several high-profile crypto-related legal cases have been dropped, further easing regulatory pressure on the industry.

Additionally, Trump has actively promoted his own $TRUMP memecoin via social media and hosted a gala last month honoring its major holders. The Trump family media company recently announced plans to launch an exchange-traded fund (ETF) directly holding bitcoin and revealed intentions to raise $2.5 billion to establish a “bitcoin treasury.”

At a bitcoin conference in Las Vegas last May, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. praised cryptocurrencies as “cheaper,” “faster,” “safer,” and “more transparent” than traditional fiat currencies, signaling the family’s continued commitment to expanding their digital asset footprint.

Crypto

Trump Declared Over $600 Million in Income From Cryptocurrency and Business – Reuters

Published

1 day ago

June 14, 2025

Press Room

Trump Declared Over 0 Million in Income From Cryptocurrency and Business – Reuters

US President Donald Trump has released his financial statement. According to the document, he received over $600 million in income from cryptocurrencies, golf clubs, licensing and other businesses. This was reported by Reuters, writes UNN.

Details

The financial declaration was signed on June 13 and did not contain information about the period it covers. At the same time, some data in the declaration suggest that it was until the end of December 2024, which excludes most of the money raised by the Trump family’s cryptocurrency ventures.

According to the publication’s calculations, Trump declared assets worth at least $1.6 billion in total.

He previously stated that he had transferred his businesses to a trust managed by his children, but the published data indicate that income from these sources still goes to the president, which has led to accusations of conflicts of interest.

Some of Trump’s businesses in areas such as cryptocurrency are benefiting from changes in US policy under his leadership and have become a source of criticism, Reuters writes.

One meme coin issued by the president earlier this year – $TRUMP brought in approximately $320 million in commissions, although it is not publicly known how this amount was distributed between the Trump-controlled organization and its partners.

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In addition to the meme coin commissions, the Trump family earned more than $400 million from World Liberty Financial, a decentralized financial company. In his declarations, Trump indicated $57.35 million from the sale of World Liberty tokens.

The American president’s fortune also includes a significant stake in Trump Media&Technology Group (DJT.O), which owns the Truth Social social network, the report said.

In addition to assets and income from his business projects, Trump declared at least $12 million in income in the form of interest and dividends from passive investments totaling at least $211 million, according to Reuters calculations.

Trump’s three golf resorts in Jupiter, Doral and West Palm Beach, and a private members’ club in Mar-a-Lago, brought Trump at least another $217.7 million in income. Trump National Doral, a large golf center in the Miami area, was the Trump family’s largest source of income – $110.4 million.

Trump also received royalties from various deals – $1.3 million from Greenwood Bible, the “only Bible officially endorsed by Lee Greenwood and President Trump”, and $2.8 million from Trump Watches, $2.5 million from Trump Sneakers and Fragrances.

According to Reuters, the declaration often only indicates ranges of asset and income values, and the lower limit was used for calculations, so the real value of Trump’s assets and income is most likely even higher.

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Crypto

Kevin O’Leary Explains Which Cryptocurrency Is a Smarter Bet: Bitcoin or Ethereum

Published

2 days ago

June 13, 2025

Press Room

Kevin O’Leary Explains Which Cryptocurrency Is a Smarter Bet: Bitcoin or Ethereum

The cryptocurrency market offers hundreds of different investment options, but two of them control most of the action: bitcoin and ethereum. As recently as last year, the combined market cap of both platforms made up more than 70% of the global crypto market, according to U.S. News & World Report.

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So which is a better bet for investors? During a recent interview with CoinDesk, businessman and “Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary suggested his preference.

Also see five reasons you need at least one bitcoin.

O’Leary shared during the interview that his preference is bitcoin. “If you want exposure to crypto volatility, it’s bitcoin,” O’Leary said. “There’s a lot of people that say, ‘I don’t need anything else … I’ll just buy bitcoin.’ And they haven’t been wrong … I think it’ll be very hard to dethrone it.”

As for ethereum, O’Leary spent much of his time bemoaning its lack of speed and efficiency.

“Goodness, ETH is slow,” he said. “I’m sorry, but it’s slow, and I think a lot of people know that. And the more transactions get piled on it, it doesn’t get any better.”

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O’Leary has plenty of company in backing bitcoin over ethereum.

Part of bitcoin’s allure is that it has become a dominant crypto force in both size and name recognition. It has grown so big that it recently leapfrogged Google parent Alphabet to rank as world’s sixth-largest asset by market cap, The Market Periodical reported.

From a pure investment standpoint, bitcoin has definitely been the better bet recently. Its price is up about 12% in 2025 as of June 13 and has gained about 56% over the past year. In contrast, ethereum’s price is down about 23% in 2025 and has lost more than 27% over the past year.

If you’re new to crypto, it’s important to understand the differences between bitcoin and ethereum, because it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison.

As U.S. News reported, bitcoin’s network uses a proof-of-work verification system. Ethereum, on the other hand, uses a proof-of-stake system, which U.S. News called “less energy-intensive.” Additionally, the main purpose of bitcoin is to serve as a digital currency that’s an alternative to other currencies, while ethereum is a platform that runs smart contracts, U.S. News explained.

According to VanEck, a New York-based investment management firm, both bitcoin and ethereum have seen their prices fluctuate significantly over the years. Despite that, VanEck noted that bitcoin has been the outperformer, remaining more stable than ethereum.