Crypto

“They're Still Sitting on the Same Old Rails”: Ripple's Jazzi Cooper

Published

2 years ago

June 13, 2024

“They're Still Sitting on the Same Old Rails”: Ripple's Jazzi Cooper

On the ground for XRP Ledger Apex 2024, we caught up with
Jazzi Cooper, Lead Product Manager at Ripple X and a major driving force behind its ambitious mission. In an
exclusive interview, Jazzi shared insights into Ripple X’s role in reshaping
the financial landscape and paving the way for a future powered by blockchain
technology.

XRP Ledger Apex 2024

Why Traditional Finance Needs a Disruption

“Traditional finance rails today, as we know, are
insufficient. Payments take multiple days if not weeks (…) and settlement is slow,” Jazzi remarked,
setting the stage for a discussion on the urgent need for disruptive solutions
in the financial sector.

The bold promise of blockchain technology lies in its
potential to revolutionize financial systems, a vision embodied by Ripple X and
its dedication to the XRP Ledger. As traditional financial infrastructures
strain under the weight of inefficiencies, Ripple X champions a future where
transactions are swift, transparent, and decentralized. This ambition is not
merely a theoretical exercise but a concerted effort to redefine how value is
transferred and recorded.

One of the main drivers for this charge is Jasmine Cooper,
affectionately known as Jazzi, who heads the Institutional DeFi Products group.
Her team’s mission is to cultivate a suite of products that capitalize on the
unique strengths of the XRP Ledger, thus offering a robust alternative to the
entrenched financial systems that dominate today’s markets.

On Redefining Value Transfer

“The XRP Ledger is purpose-built for value transfer.
We think it’s a very ideal blockchain environment for the issuance, the
movement, the trading of tokens,” Jasmine emphasizes, underscoring the
platform’s suitability for disrupting traditional finance.

Central to Ripple X’s strategy are three key product
verticals: tokenization, financial protocols, and infrastructure. Tokenization
involves the creation of digital tokens that represent real-world assets,
offering a new avenue for asset management and investment. Financial protocols
cover on-chain trading and lending, leveraging blockchain’s transparency and
efficiency. The infrastructure vertical focuses on building the essential
components, such as oracles and cross-chain bridges, which support the seamless
operation of these systems.

Out with the Old?

“Most of fintech today, all of your neobanks, all of
your digital wealth advisors, these have moved a little bit forward by offering
nice UIs… But they’re still sitting on the same old rails.”

As a stark contrast, one of the most exciting developments at Ripple X is the
introduction of multipurpose tokens, a new standard designed for the
tokenization of real-world assets.

“We’ve introduced a new token standard called
multipurpose tokens that’s purpose-built for tokenization of real-world
assets,” explains Jasmine, shedding light on Ripple X’s commitment to
innovation.

This innovation allows metadata to be
directly attached to the blockchain asset, ensuring a higher degree of
reliability and utility. Such advancements pave the way for more sophisticated
use cases, such as bond and equity tokenization, and open up new possibilities
for asset management and investment.

Accessible Blockchain for All: User-Centric Design & Financial Inclusion

Shifting gears, Jasmine’s perspective on the interplay between technology
and society underscores a fundamental truth: technology must align with user
needs and expectations to achieve widespread adoption.

“We ultimately have to meet people where they are in terms
of their tolerance for usability, for risk, for trust, user experience that they
demand across the board,” Jazzi added.

This principle guides
Ripple X’s development efforts. Instead of imposing complex, crypto-native
solutions that might alienate everyday users, Ripple X aims to meet users where
they are, providing intuitive and accessible products that leverage
blockchain’s advantages without overwhelming complexity, thus emphasizing the
importance of user-centric design.

Financial inclusion is another cornerstone of Ripple X’s
vision. By democratizing access to financial services, blockchain
technology can empower individuals in regions where traditional banking
infrastructure is inadequate or nonexistent. Decentralized lending protocols,
for example, can offer capital to those who lack access to conventional
financial institutions, thus fostering economic opportunities and growth in
underserved communities.

Looking ahead, Ripple X is poised to make significant
strides in the realm of real-world asset tokenization. Upcoming announcements
and projects promise to further integrate blockchain technology into various
sectors, enhancing the liquidity and utility of digital assets. Additionally,
the EVM side chain initiative aims to bridge Ethereum’s extensive developer
community with Ripple’s robust infrastructure, creating synergies that could
drive further innovation and adoption.

Wrapping up

In the face of skepticism and the noise surrounding
cryptocurrencies, Ripple X’s commitment to practical, impactful solutions
stands out. By focusing on real-world problems and developing technology that
enhances user experiences, Ripple X is not only pushing the boundaries of what
blockchain can achieve but also ensuring that these advancements are accessible
and beneficial to a broad audience. The future of finance, as envisioned by
Ripple X, is one where blockchain technology seamlessly integrates into our
daily lives, enhancing efficiency, transparency, and inclusion in ways that
traditional systems have long struggled to deliver.

XRP Ledger Apex 2024

Why Traditional Finance Needs a Disruption

On Redefining Value Transfer

Out with the Old?

As a stark contrast, one of the most exciting developments at Ripple X is the
introduction of multipurpose tokens, a new standard designed for the
tokenization of real-world assets.

Accessible Blockchain for All: User-Centric Design & Financial Inclusion

“We ultimately have to meet people where they are in terms
of their tolerance for usability, for risk, for trust, user experience that they
demand across the board,” Jazzi added.

Wrapping up

Crypto

Certik Unveils ‘Anti-Virus for AI Agents’ as Skill Marketplaces Face Hidden Threats

Published

11 hours ago

May 29, 2026

Press Room

Certik Unveils ‘Anti-Virus for AI Agents’ as Skill Marketplaces Face Hidden Threats

Key Takeaways

The Security Challenge

Blockchain and AI security firm Certik, on May 27, unveiled a new security platform designed to evaluate risks in third-party artificial intelligence (AI) skills. Dubbed the “anti-virus for AI agents,” the release comes amid growing industry concern over the security of AI skill marketplaces.

Security researchers have warned that many of these skills are unvetted, can execute system-level actions and may contain hidden malicious behavior, creating a new software supply chain risk for the AI era. Security audits across the sector have identified risks ranging from credential harvesting and data exfiltration to fund-transfer manipulation and prompt-based override attacks.

Despite these concerns, AI skill marketplaces have expanded rapidly as agent ecosystems mature. However, unlike traditional app stores, most skills are sourced from public repositories with little or no review. Analysts say this creates opportunities for attackers to embed harmful instructions, trigger unauthorized data access or manipulate autonomous execution flows.

In a recent blog post, Certik said its skill scanner platform is designed specifically to evaluate risks that emerge during execution, including scenarios involving financial transactions or fund calls. The scanner produces a numerical score from 0 to 100, along with “pass,” “warn” or “fail” verdicts and categorized findings. According to the company, the system achieves up to 90.5% precision in identifying security risks.

“As AI agents become more deeply integrated into financial systems, enterprise workflows and everyday digital interactions, the security model around third-party skills becomes critically important,” said Ronghui Gu, Certik’s CEO and co-founder. “CertiK Skill Scanner was built to establish a standardized trust layer before execution, helping users and platforms identify hidden risks before sensitive data, assets or systems are exposed.”

Certik said AI skill marketplaces can integrate the scanner directly into publishing pipelines, automatically reviewing skills before they go live and displaying security verdicts to users. Enterprises can deploy the tool as part of internal compliance and risk-management workflows, while independent developers can use it to self-audit skills before publishing.

The company said future updates will allow everyday users to scan skills themselves before installation. The scanner has already been deployed in select Web3 AI agent infrastructure environments. Certik is also expanding integrations with additional platforms, including Finchip.ai.

“Trust is the prerequisite for any skill economy to function at scale,” said Gary Yang, incubation investor at Finchip.ai. “CertiK’s work on skill security verification is exactly what this ecosystem needs. It’s what makes Finchip’s mission of programmable skill ownership and distribution worth building.”

The launch follows Certik’s expansion into AI-focused security infrastructure. Earlier this year, the company introduced its AI Auditor initiative to address risks tied to autonomous systems and AI-driven execution environments.

“AI applications are moving toward increasingly autonomous execution, which creates a new category of security and trust challenges,” Gu said. “We believe security infrastructure for the AI era must function proactively, not reactively.”

Crypto

FBI Seizes Over $8 Billion In Cryptocurrency As Part Of The Largest Forfeiture In US Government History

Published

23 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Press Room

FBI Seizes Over Billion In Cryptocurrency As Part Of The Largest Forfeiture In US Government History

iStockphoto composite

The FBI seized over $8 billion in cryptocurrency, freed nearly 2,000 trafficked workers, and arrested nearly 300 people in a recent international operation.

As part of the operation, authorities shut down several “scam compounds” and crime organizations, including groups known as the Prince Group in Cambodia, Operation Sand Dollar in Dubai, and the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army in Myanmar.

“Scam compounds are modern-day criminal enterprises built to steal from Americans, launder money, and exploit trafficked workers,” FBI director Kash Patel wrote on X announcing the results of the operation.

Fox News reports that the U.S. The Democratic Karen Benevolent Army, an armed militia named after a region in Myanmar that is allegedly connected to the Chinese mob, faces sanctions imposed by the U.S. Treasury. The government has classified it as a transnational criminal organization.

Images from an operation in Thailand reveal that the FBI confiscated office supplies and thousands of smartphones.

seized-devices-from-an-FBI-anti-scam-operation-in-Thailand — FBI

The FBI in Dubai will extradite six of the 275 individuals they and local police detained there to the United States to face federal charges, according to the FBI. The authorities raided nine “scam compounds” in Dubai, each allegedly generating $6 million in fraud proceeds annually.

Cryptocurrency scams in the US reached a record high in 2025

In April, an FBI report revealed that cryptocurrency scams in the U.S. reached a record high in 2025, with reported losses of almost $11.4 billion. According to the FBI, cyber-enabled crimes defrauded Americans of almost $21 billion in 2025, with the costliest complaints involving cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence (AI).

“The FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Complaint Report highlights the ever-evolving tactics of internet scammers,” the FBI’s Baltimore office wrote on X. “From fake social media profiles to voice cloning and AI-generated content, cyber criminals are evolving.”

The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received over one million complaints in 2025, up from 859,532 in 2024. The most common complaints were about investment schemes, extortion, and phishing/spoofing.

Crypto

US-Iran Escalation Pushes Bitcoin to $72,622 as $870M Long Bets Collapse

Published

1 day ago

May 28, 2026

Press Room

US-Iran Escalation Pushes Bitcoin to ,622 as 0M Long Bets Collapse

Key Takeaways

Geopolitical Escalation Triggers Crypto Sell-off

Bitcoin plunged below $73,000 early Thursday following reports of fresh U.S. military strikes inside Iran. Market data shows bitcoin tumbled to a multi-week low of $72,622—its lowest level since April 13—before staging a modest recovery back to $73,000. This downturn continues a weekly bearish trend, contrasting sharply with broader global markets that had previously rallied on optimism for a permanent peace agreement between the U.S. and Iran.

The sharp decline pushed bitcoin’s daily losses to 3.6%, dragging its market capitalization down to $1.46 trillion and pulling the aggregate crypto market cap below the $2.6 trillion threshold. Since May 25, when bitcoin last attempted to test the $78,000 resistance level, the asset has shed over 6% of its value. Despite kicking off May on an upward trajectory, this latest price action positions the cryptocurrency to close the month in the red.

Retaliatory Strikes Threaten Peace Talks

According to reports, the latest U.S. military strikes targeted a strategic site in the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas. In retaliation, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reportedly launched strikes against a U.S. military base in Kuwait, where local authorities confirmed that air defense systems engaged incoming missiles and drones.

This escalation comes just days after the U.S. military struck Iranian naval vessels and an alleged missile launch site in Bandar Abbas, citing self-defense. Iranian forces responded at the time by downing U.S. drones. Notably, these hostilities unfolded while U.S. and Iranian negotiators were actively convening in Qatar to finalize a peace agreement. While the Trump administration initially downplayed the earlier friction to keep diplomatic channels open, this latest exchange will likely torpedo the talks and embolden hardliners on both sides who oppose a negotiated settlement.

Meanwhile, the decline in bitcoin and the broader cryptocurrency market resulted in the liquidation of more than $930 million in leveraged positions. Coinglass data showed that liquidations on bitcoin alone topped $366 million, with wiped-out long bets accounting for $348 million of that total. Overall, the market saw $870 million in long positions wiped out over 24 hours.