Iranians were able to access more than 1,500 Binance accounts last year, and $1.7 billion was transferred from two of them to terrorist proxies, The New York Times reported Monday.
Crypto
New Opportunities for Businesses with Cryptocurrency Wallets | Fingerlakes1.com
Cryptocurrency wallets are no longer a niche tool for tech enthusiasts, they’re quickly becoming a must-have for businesses looking to adapt and grow.
These digital wallets allow companies to store, manage, and accept cryptocurrencies securely, offering a host of advantages for businesses worldwide.
With the rise of blockchain technology, tools like a crypto wallet for your business are helping organizations unlock new opportunities for speed, security, and global expansion.
In this article, we’ll break down how cryptocurrency wallets can transform businesses, highlighting their features, benefits, and real-world applications.
Key Features of Cryptocurrency Wallets for Businesses
Security:
Cryptocurrency wallets use advanced blockchain technology to protect against fraud, hacking, and data breaches.
Each transaction is recorded on an immutable ledger, ensuring transparency and minimizing the risk of manipulation.
For businesses, this translates to a higher level of trust and reduced exposure to fraud.
Efficiency:
Speed is everything in today’s business world.
With crypto wallets, transactions are processed much faster compared to traditional banking methods.
No waiting days for wire transfers, payments are completed in minutes, whether it’s across town or across the globe.
Global Access:
Unlike traditional payment methods, cryptocurrency wallets aren’t restricted by borders or currency conversions.
Businesses can seamlessly operate in international markets, offering customers an easy and affordable way to pay without dealing with exchange rates or high transaction fees.
Opportunities Provided by Crypto Wallets
The growing popularity of cryptocurrency isn’t just hype, it’s backed by numbers.
As of 2024, approximately 562 million people own some type of cryptocurrency, which represents about 6.8% of the global population, according to a recent survey by Triple A.
For businesses, these millions of crypto wallets unlock a wide range of opportunities:
Expanding Customer Base: Tech-savvy customers and international audiences are increasingly turning to cryptocurrencies for their purchases.
Businesses that accept crypto payments can attract a wider audience, including customers in regions with limited access to traditional banking systems.
Cost Savings: Traditional payment processors and credit card networks come with hefty transaction fees.
Cryptocurrency payments, on the other hand, have significantly lower fees, especially for international transactions.
Over time, these savings can make a real impact on a company’s bottom line.
Revenue Growth: By accepting cryptocurrencies, businesses can tap into a growing market segment and create new revenue streams.
Whether it’s Bitcoin, Ethereum, or stablecoins, crypto acceptance positions businesses as forward-thinking and innovative.
Financial Independence: Crypto wallets allow businesses to operate independently of banks and intermediaries.
Companies gain full control over their finances and can send or receive payments anytime, anywhere, without relying on third-party approval.
Use Cases for Businesses
Cryptocurrency wallets are already transforming industries, helping businesses reduce costs, improve efficiency, and attract new customers.
Here are a few specific examples:
- E-commerce and Online Services: Online retailers are increasingly adopting crypto wallets to reach global customers and reduce transaction fees. By accepting cryptocurrencies, e-commerce platforms eliminate middlemen and offer faster, cheaper payments.
- Gaming and Entertainment: The gaming industry has embraced cryptocurrency as a payment method for in-game purchases, subscriptions, and digital goods. Crypto wallets offer gamers a seamless way to pay while enabling businesses to attract a tech-savvy audience.
- Forex and Trading Platforms: Crypto wallets are a natural fit for forex and trading businesses, allowing them to accept and process digital assets quickly and securely. This improves liquidity and gives traders more flexibility with their investments.
Real-World Case Study:
In 2014, large ecommerce retail Overstock.com started accepting crypto payments and they then reported that 5.6% of all their sales for the following year were attributed to crypto.
By removing transaction barriers and offering a flexible payment option, they successfully expanded their global reach and boosted sales.
Conclusion
Cryptocurrency wallets are opening up new opportunities for businesses to grow, adapt, and thrive in a digital-first world.
From enhanced security and cost savings to faster transactions and global accessibility, the benefits are hard to ignore.
By adopting a reliable crypto wallet for your business, you’re not just staying ahead of the curve, you’re setting your company up for long-term success.
With crypto adoption on the rise, there’s never been a better time to explore the future of payments.
This content is brought to you by the FingerLakes1.com Team. Support our mission by visiting www.patreon.com/fl1 or learn how you send us your local content here.
Crypto
Debate Brews Over Crypto Kiosks As Lawmakers Consider Potential Ban
Lawmakers Consider Crypto ATM Ban as Scam Losses Rise — Including in Central Minnesota
Minnesota lawmakers are considering banning cryptocurrency kiosks as scam losses continue to rise across the state—including in Central Minnesota.
There are currently about 350 crypto kiosks operating statewide, located in places like gas stations, convenience stores, and grocery stores. These machines allow users to deposit cash and convert it into cryptocurrency, which can then be sent electronically.
Law enforcement officials say scammers are increasingly directing victims to use these kiosks because once the money is sent, it is extremely difficult—if not impossible—to recover.
Police say scams often begin with a phone call, text, or online message. In many cases, scammers pose as government officials, tech support workers, or even romantic partners. Victims are eventually told to withdraw cash and deposit it into a crypto kiosk to “protect” their money or resolve a supposed emergency.
Central Minnesota has seen similar cases. Because St. Cloud serves as a regional hub for shopping and services, crypto kiosks are available locally, giving scammers access points to target area residents.
Some say kiosks also serve legitimate users
Despite the concerns, crypto kiosks do offer legitimate benefits. They allow people to purchase cryptocurrency quickly using cash, without needing a traditional bank account, credit card, or online exchange. Supporters say this can make cryptocurrency more accessible, especially for people who prefer cash transactions or have limited access to banking services.
Crypto kiosks can also be used to send money quickly, including international transfers, without relying on traditional wire services. Some users view them as a convenient way to invest in cryptocurrency or move money electronically without going through a bank.
Companies that operate the machines say the vast majority of transactions are legitimate and that kiosks include warnings about scams. They argue the focus should be on stopping scammers, not banning the machines entirely.
Lawmakers weighing next steps
Supporters of the proposed ban say removing the kiosks could help prevent fraud and protect vulnerable residents, particularly older adults. Law enforcement officials told lawmakers that crypto kiosk scams have resulted in significant financial losses statewide.
Minnesota passed regulations in 2024 requiring some safeguards, including limits on deposits for new users and refund requirements in certain fraud cases. But officials say scammers have continued to adapt.
The bill remains under consideration at the Capitol.
In the meantime, authorities urge Central Minnesota residents to be cautious. Officials emphasize that legitimate government agencies, law enforcement, and businesses will never ask someone to deposit cash into a cryptocurrency kiosk.
As cryptocurrency becomes more common, lawmakers are now weighing whether the risks to consumers outweigh the convenience and accessibility these machines provide.
10 (More) Hilariously Bad Google Reviews of Central MN Landmarks
Crypto
Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud: Bizman loses Rs 2.6 cr to crypto, investment fraud | Hyderabad News – The Times of India
Hyderabad: A 69-year-old businessman from Somajiguda lost 2.65 crore allegedly in a cryptocurrency and stock investment fraud. Based on his complaint, Hyderabad Cyber Crime police have registered a case.The complainant was first contacted by a fraudster posing as Ramya Krishnan on Aug 30, 2025 through Facebook. She persuaded the victim to invest in a cryptocurrency and stock trading platform, Polyus Finance PFP Gold, hosted at the domain pfpgoldfx.vip, promising high returns to finance his proposed resort and apparel ventures.Fraudsters provided the victim a contact number for daily communication and sent screenshots showing notional profits credited in his wallet in USDT cryptocurrency. To build trust, the fraudster even allowed the victim a token withdrawal of 4,300 on Sept 12, 2025.Encouraged, the victim transferred over 2.65 crore in 10 transactions between Sept 10 and Dec 39, 2025 to various current accounts provided by the accused.When he attempted to withdraw his ‘earnings’, the accused demanded an additional 15% conversion commission. After he refused, the website became inaccessible and calls to the fraudsters went unanswered.Realising that he was duped, the victim filed an online report on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) before approaching the Cyber Crime police on Feb 25.Based on his complaint, a case was registered under Sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act and Sections 111(2)(b) (Organised crime), 318(4) (Cheating), 319(2) (Cheating by personation), 336(3) (Forgery for purpose of cheating), 338 (Forgery of valuable security, will, etc.) and 340(2) (Using as genuine a forged document or electronic record) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on Wednesday. Police were analysing financial transactions to identify and arrest the accused.
Crypto
Terror groups receive $1.7b. from Iran through Binance | The Jerusalem Post
That was a potential violation of global sanctions, the report said, citing company records and documents collected by internal investigators.
The cryptocurrency exchange site reportedly fired or suspended at least four employees cited in the internal investigation. The company blamed “violations of company protocol” relating to its clients’ data, the Times reported.
The report came days after The Jerusalem Post spoke with experts from blockchain intelligence platform NOMINIS.io about how the Iranian regime was evading Western sanctions through cryptocurrencies.
The regime maintains a steady income using cryptocurrency through oil sales to Russia and China, NOMINIS CEO Snir Levi said at the time.
Regarding the latest scandal, he told the Post this week: “The latest allegations about Binance come months after the lawsuit by the victims’ families of October 7 – the ongoing Balva [versus] Binance case.
The majority of the allegations can be easily confirmed by on-chain data. There are thousands of cases where money has been sent and received to and from wallets that have clear connections to Iran.”
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao is being sued by the families of American victims and hostages of the October 7 massacre. He has been accused of knowingly enabling Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to transfer more than $1b. through its platform, including more than $50 million after the October 7 massacre.
Zhao pleaded guilty to anti-money-laundering violations in connection with Binance in 2023. US President Donald Trump pardoned him last October.
“They say what he did was not even a crime,” Trump told reporters last October. “It wasn’t a crime. That he was persecuted by the Biden administration, and so I gave him a pardon at the request of a lot of very good people.”
Binance representative Rachel Conlan said the accounts linked to the $1.7b. in Iranian transactions have been removed and the relevant authorities were informed.
“Any suggestion that Binance knowingly allowed sanctionable activity to continue unchecked is incorrect and defamatory,” she said, despite Zhao’s earlier admission of anti-money-laundering violations.
More than half a dozen compliance officials have left Binance, including a sanctions manager and the leader of the enterprise compliance team, over the past few months, the Times reported.
“No investigator was dismissed for raising compliance concerns or for reporting potential sanctions issues,” Conlan said in a statement to The Guardian.
Democrat senator opens inquiry into cryptocurrency company
While Conlan insisted there was no wrongdoing, US Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) opened an inquiry into Binance on Tuesday, seeking records of the company’s dealings in Hong Kong , where funds have previously been transferred in a network against sanctions.
“Binance appears to have ignored warnings and recommendations to prevent Iranian money-laundering schemes on its cryptocurrency exchange,” Blumenthal wrote in a letter to Binance co-chief executive Richard Teng.
“According to documents obtained by the Times and the Journal, Binance was even warned that Hexa Whale was financing terrorist organizations such as the Yemeni Houthis, and internal investigators found cryptocurrency transfers to wallets associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and payments to crew members of Russia’s sanctions-evading shadow fleet of oil tankers,” he wrote.
“Instead of actually preventing illicit use, Binance has sought to evade accountability and influence the White House through lobbying and a financial partnership with World Liberty Financial (WLFI), the cryptocurrency firm owned by the sons of President Trump and his special envoy Steve Witkoff… This influence campaign has worked: In May 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced that it was dismissing a lawsuit against Binance for lying to regulators and mishandling funds, followed in October by the stunning Presidential pardon of founder Changpeng Zhao.”
“The scale of the newly revealed illicit transfers – uncaught until nearly $2 billion flowed to sanctioned entities – and the unexplained firing of internal investigators call into question Binance’s compliance with American sanctions and banking laws, and its 2023 agreement to resolve the previous federal investigation,” Blumenthal wrote.
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