Crypto
UAE-based Crypto Firm CLS Global Fined $428,000 for Wash Trading Scheme in U.S. Markets
CLS Global, a UAE-based financial services firm, has been fined $428,059 after admitting to wash trading in U.S. cryptocurrency markets. The firm pleaded guilty to market manipulation and wire fraud charges after a sting operation led by the FBI. The charges relate to CLS Global’s role in manipulating cryptocurrency trading volumes to attract investors.
CLS Global was sentenced in federal court in Boston on April 2, 2025, and was ordered to pay the fine, which includes both seized cryptocurrency and monetary penalties. Additionally, the company was sentenced to three years of probation, during which it is banned from participating in cryptocurrency markets accessible to U.S. investors. The company’s actions were revealed during an undercover operation aimed at detecting fraudulent activities like wash trading.
The case stems from CLS Global’s involvement with NexFundAI, a cryptocurrency company and Ethereum-based token created by the FBI as part of an operation targeting market manipulation. CLS Global agreed to provide market-making services for NexFundAI, which involved artificially inflating trading volumes on Uniswap, a decentralized exchange. CLS Global used an algorithm that allowed for self-trading across multiple wallets to mimic natural buying and selling, making it appear as though there was legitimate market activity. The firm’s goal was to help NexFundAI meet exchange listing requirements and create a false impression of market demand.
In video conferences with law enforcement in 2024, a CLS Global employee admitted to using the algorithm to engage in wash trading and acknowledged that the practice was deceptive. “I know that it’s wash trading and I know people might not be happy about it,” the employee said. The company’s manipulation of the market led to fraudulent trading activity designed to lure in investors.
As part of the plea agreement, CLS Global is also facing a civil enforcement action from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which alleges violations of securities laws. Any funds seized from CLS Global will be credited in both the criminal and civil resolutions. The company is prohibited from providing services to U.S.-based clients or participating in U.S. cryptocurrency markets during its probation period.
CLS Global, which employs over 50 people in the UAE, now faces significant legal and financial consequences for its actions. The case underscores growing concerns around cryptocurrency market manipulation and highlights the U.S. authorities’ ongoing efforts to clamp down on fraudulent practices in the crypto space. The FBI’s operation, which targeted wash trading and other deceptive activities, serves as a reminder of the scrutiny that cryptocurrency firms now face as regulators take action to protect investors.

Crypto
“Cryptocurrency Bill of Rights” introduced in Michigan House

Michigan could see the creation of a “Cryptocurrency Bill of Rights” under legislation recently introduced in the state House of Representatives.
One of the bills would keep the state and local governments from banning or restricting the ownership of cryptocurrencies, or taxing them any differently from regular currencies.
State Representative Bryan Posthumus (R-Rockford) said that bill and others would help Michigan attract the crypto industry to the state.
“Cryptocurrency is here to stay. I believe that 20 years from now, it’ll be the foundation of our entire financial industry. And Michigan can be a national leader in that effort,” Posthumus said.
Another part of the four-bill bipartisan package would create rules for investing state funds in cryptocurrencies.
Michigan has already invested in some crypto market-tied funds. That includes ones related to Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Posthumus said the bills would add guardrails by requiring currencies to have a market capitalization of at least $250 billion to be considered for investment. He said current law has few safeguards.
“We wanted to make sure that we passed legislation to make sure legally that the treasurer had the authority to do this. But also, that would protect taxpayers and pensioners,” Posthumus said.
Crypto markets have gained a reputation for being both potentially lucrative and volatile. That’s especially with the rise of so-called “meme coins” often based around internet jokes or trends. President Trump recently launched his own meme coin right before he was sworn back into office.
A final piece of the package would give Bitcoin miners the chance to use abandoned state-owned oil and natural gas wells. The process called “mining” for Bitcoin — solving what’s essentially a math problem that underlies the creation of a new coin — is extremely time consuming and energy intensive.
The bill would create a new program to let selected miners access those abandoned wells, as long as they cap and clean up the site when they’re done. Participants in the program could also get a tax break.
Posthumus said it would provide a new use for those abandoned mines that could otherwise leak methane, a potent greenhouse gas, into the environment.
“Our thought process was well why don’t we give the opportunity to bitcoin miners to bid on these abandoned oil wells with the expectation that, assuming they win the bid, they can … also be required to fund the remediation,” Posthumus said.
Crypto
6 Must-Read Cryptocurrency Predictions For 2025

2025 is shaping up to be a make-or-break year for crypto, and analysts have made some pretty bold predictions for Bitcoin and top altcoins.
There is a growing consensus among analysts and investors that 2025 will be mostly bullish. With this in mind, these industry players have made bold predictions of where they believe Bitcoin and altcoins will be worth before year-end.
Below, we break down six must-read crypto forecasts from analysts from top crypto analysis platforms like VanEck, Ark Invest, Forbes, and Investing.com.
What to Expect From Bitcoin and Crypto Markets in 2025 – Investopedia
In this post, experts from Investopedia provide insights on what they believe Bitcoin will be worth before the end of the upcoming bull cycle.
It then explores the impact that a Trump presidency will have on the price of the legacy crypto. These analysts also explore the factors that will have the biggest impact on Bitcoin prices.
They conclude by discussing the possibility of a Bitcoin rally spilling over to altcoins.
VanEck’s 10 Crypto Predictions for 2025 – VanEck
In this long post, VanEck’s Head of Digital Asset Research, Mathew Sigel, and Senior Investment Analyst for Digital Assets, Patrick Bush, take a dig at the expected performance of the larger crypto market.
They talk about the crypto market bull run peaking in Q4 2025. They also discuss the expected performance of stablecoins, tokenized securities, Bitcoin Layer-2s, Ethereum, dApp tokens, DeFi coins, and the NFT market.
10 Best Cryptocurrencies To Invest In May 2025 – Forbes
This post discusses what Forbes’ editors Nikita Tambe and Aashika Jain believe to be the best digital currencies to buy in May 2025. Some of the coins discussed here include Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Solana, and Binance Coin.
15 Cryptocurrency Forecasts For 2025 – InvestingHaven
You should also take a peek at our predictions of what we believe to be the 15 best cryptos worth buying in 2025.
This in-depth forecast uses the help of crypto charts to indicate the most likely price direction of Bitcoin and top altcoins. Our predictions are guided by a closer look at both technical indicators and each coin’s fundamentals.
ARK’s Price Target For Bitcoin In 2030 – Ark Invest
Ark Invest has made one of the boldest predictions for Bitcoin. They expect to peak between $300,000 and $710,000 by year-end before rallying to $1.5 Million by 2030.
In this post, Ark Invest’s David Puel unpacks the “modeling methodology and assumptions supporting those price targets.”
Bernstein makes 10 predictions for 2025 as crypto enters its ‘Infinity Age’ – The Block
Earlier in the year, analysts at Bernstein Research brokerage firm made 10 crypto predictions for 2025.
In here, they reiterate the conviction that Bitcoin will break above $200,000. In the note to clients, they argue that 2025 will kick off what they describe as the infinity age for the crypto industry.
They also explain some of the factors that they believe will fuel the market’s uptrend.
Conclusion
The key takeaway from these crypto forecasts is that 2025 will be a pivotal year for the crypto industry. It, however, is important to note that no one can predict the future with absolute certainty.
That said, staying informed about expert forecasts can keep you informed and give you a strategic edge over other investors. But as always, do your own research before investing in any digital currency.
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Crypto
French police detain twenty suspects over cryptocurrency kidnappings

French police have arrested around 20 people alleged to have been involved in a recent spate of kidnappings and kidnapping attempts against cryptocurrency bosses and their families.
The arrests took place on Monday and Tuesday, according to media outlet Franceinfo.
French media reported that half a dozen suspects were taken into custody on Tuesday in connection with the attempted kidnapping of the daughter of cryptocurrency boss Pierre Noizat earlier this month.
The attack, which took place in broad daylight on 13 May, shocked France. Assailants were filmed trying to kidnap Noizat’s pregnant daughter, who was out for a walk with her partner and their child.
Tuesday’s arrests came after a dozen other people were detained in the commune of Couëron, near the western French city of Nantes, on Monday.
In response to the increasing number of violent attacks against cryptocurrency professionals and their families, French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau convened an emergency meeting with industry leaders in mid-May.
During the meeting, Retailleau outlined ways of ensuring their security, including a plan to give them access to special emergency contact numbers.
“These serial kidnappings will be combated with specific tools, both immediate and short-term, to prevent, deter and hinder in order to protect the industry,” Retailleau said after the meeting.
“The entire state apparatus is fully mobilised to track down the perpetrators and instigators of this violence and put them out of action”, he added.
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