News linked to both this project and an event.
Odaily News: Roman Storm posted on X platform stating that the U.S. Treasury Department recently acknowledged in a document that there were problems with previous rules targeting mixers, and noted that the policy may have a "chilling effect" on legitimate activities. Storm stated that although the relevant department of the U.S. Treasury Department now believes the policy has issues, the U.S. Department of Justice in his case still insists that even legitimate transactions conducted through Tornado Cash constitute illegal acts because they could be used for money laundering, sanctions evasion, and other criminal purposes. Storm said that the non-criminal division of the U.S. government believes the policy is improper, while the criminal justice division believes all related transactions constitute crimes; he has been detained and prosecuted for over 1,139 days, and claims his case stems from developing open-source code. Storm also stated that the Southern District of New York (SDNY) federal court submitted a new document today, and the U.S. Department of Justice is still pushing for his conviction.
Odaily News: The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) filed a lawsuit on Friday against the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, challenging its authority to grant national trust bank charters to crypto firms and asking the court to vacate the final rule dated March 2, 2026, and Interpretive Letter No. 1176.ICBA President and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey said the charters give crypto firms the credibility of a federal bank charter without requiring compliance with federal deposit insurance, capital and liquidity standards, and the Community Reinvestment Act. The ICBA also seeks to revoke Protego Holdings' conditional charter, citing deficiencies in its governance and risk controls.The lawsuit involves digital asset firms that have applied for or obtained OCC charters, including Circle, Ripple, Paxos, Fidelity, BitGo, Kraken parent company Payward, Block, and World Liberty Financial. Senator Elizabeth Warren separately accused the approvals of being unlawful, drawing pushback from the industry; the OCC plans to complete stablecoin rules under the GENIUS Act by November. (Decrypt)
Odaily News: A 60-year-old woman in Hong Kong reported that she had earlier met a fraudster claiming to be an investment expert on an online platform, and was subsequently induced to invest in cryptocurrency on a fraudulent website.Between April 14 and September 22, the woman made multiple transfers totaling approximately HK$21.5 million to designated investment accounts. The platform later demanded that she pay a deposit to prove that the investment account was not being used for money laundering.Police initially classified the case as obtaining property by deception, and it is being followed up by the Fourth Team of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Sau Mau Ping Police District. No arrests have been made so far. (HK01 NFT)
According to Ariel Givner, Judge Pacold of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois issued a ruling supporting a partial preliminary injunction in a lawsuit involving Coinbase, Kalshi, and the U.S. federal government/U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) against Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, thwarting Illinois' attempt to classify sports event contracts on the prediction market platform Kalshi under the state's gambling regulations in its initial legal push.
Odaily News: The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts filed a civil forfeiture lawsuit on September 28, seeking the forfeiture of 110,300 USDT seized from a Binance account. The case involves phishing text messages impersonating Coinbase, which led to the theft of 33.7 bitcoins, worth approximately $900,000 at the time, from a beneficiary and their family trust held in the same Coinbase account.Investigators said that between June 5 and June 15, 2023, 11.2 of the stolen bitcoins were traced to the Binance account and were quickly converted into Monero. When the FBI requested the account be frozen, it held approximately 758.55 Monero; Binance transferred 110,300 USDT to a government-controlled wallet on August 3, 2026. (Bitcoin.com News)
According to the official website of the New York State Attorney General’s Office, New York Attorney General Letitia James, joining attorneys general from 17 states including Arizona and California as well as the District of Columbia, formally opposed the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (Clarity Act) in a September 14 letter to Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott and Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren. The coalition warned that the bill would undermine states’ law enforcement authority to combat cryptocurrency fraud, grant the SEC unilateral power superseding state registration authorities, and potentially destabilize the existing state securities regulatory framework. FBI data shows that losses from cryptocurrency-related complaints reached $11.4 billion in 2025, a 22% year-over-year increase; New York reported nearly $500 million in crypto fraud losses over the past five years. The attorneys general urged Congress to amend the legislation to explicitly preserve states’ law enforcement and registration regulatory authority over digital assets, and to strengthen law enforcement cooperation mechanisms between federal and state governments.
Odaily News: The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has previously secretly approved 3 insider trading investigations into Polymarket trading, involving Biden pardon, Iran war, and Google-related event contracts. CFTC Chairman Michael Selig approved an investigation in May into contracts related to the Biden pardon, after a trader had profited over $300,000 from the related market; in the same month, the CFTC also approved an investigation into Iran war contracts, after a group of suspicious accounts was exposed for profiting $2.4 million with a win rate of approximately 98%. In July, the CFTC further launched an investigation into Google-related Polymarket contracts, focusing on individuals who may have used non-public information about Google's 2025 search rankings to trade. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York is also conducting a parallel investigation, and Polymarket stated that it has referred the relevant matters to law enforcement and is cooperating with the investigation.
According to Hyperliquid News, the Hyperliquid Policy Center has filed an amicus brief with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, seeking to dismiss the lawsuit brought by the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) against the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The lawsuit concerns the CFTC's prior approval of regulated cryptocurrency perpetual contracts through Kalshi in the United States. CME had previously challenged that regulatory decision in court, and the Hyperliquid Policy Center now supports the CFTC, arguing that the court should dismiss CME's lawsuit.
Odaily News – Crypto journalist Eleanor Terrett stated that the National Sheriffs' Association (NSA) has adjusted its position on the CLARITY Act from opposition to neutral, becoming the last major police organization to change its stance among those that previously opposed the bill. Terrett noted that as recently as July 31, the NSA had called the bill "harmful" and strongly criticized the BRCA's provisions protecting non-custodial software developers. This shift likely reflects extensive behind-the-scenes communication between the White House and the organization over the past few months. While the NSA's move to neutral does not constitute formal support for the bill, it is widely seen as clearing yet another hurdle on its path to the Senate procedural vote on September 15.Terrett added that the National District Attorneys Association and the National Association of Assistant United States Attorneys are still expected to hold their positions, with both demanding a significant narrowing of the BRCA's protections for non-custodial software developers. However, the White House, the Treasury Department, some members of Congress, and the crypto industry are all unwilling to accept such changes. Additionally, Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, who previously supported the prosecutors' proposed amendments, has not yet publicly changed her stance.
According to Odaily, two Thai businessmen, Nutthawat Rukthammachalern and Natthawat Kasamvilas, have filed a lawsuit against stablecoin issuer Tether in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleging that Tether blacklisted 42.4178 million USDT. The lawsuit was filed on August 31 and refiled the following day. On-chain records show that 10 Ethereum addresses were batch-frozen on October 30, 2025, within a span of two and a half minutes, while the seizure order cited in the lawsuit is dated February 19, 2026—a gap of more than three months. The plaintiffs claim they purchased USDT on the secondary market and had no contractual relationship with Tether. The complaint alleges that Tether acted at the informal request of the U.S. government, conveyed through Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents, before the seizure order was issued. On November 2, 2025, Tether informed Natthawat Kasamvilas that it had "no further information," without disclosing that it had already frozen the funds on its own initiative. The lawsuit asserts five causes of action, including conversion, trover, and unjust enrichment. The defendants are four Tether entities: Tether Holdings, Tether International, Tether Operations, and Tether Investments. The case is presided over by Judge Lewis J. Liman. Tether has previously stated that its cooperation with law enforcement has resulted in the cumulative freezing of over $4.4 billion in assets, with more than $2.1 billion of that total linked to U.S. authorities.
Odaily Odaily News The prediction market exchange Kalshi has suspended North Carolina Republican House candidate Laurie Buckhout from trading for three years due to her trading of contracts related to her own congressional election. The settlement took effect on Friday, and she is also required to pay a fine of $2,589.96.During her campaign against Democratic Rep. Don Davis for North Carolina's 1st Congressional District, Buckhout purchased related contracts worth less than $1,000. Under Kalshi's rules, candidates are considered persons with direct decision-making influence over outcomes and are prohibited from trading related contracts.Kalshi has previously suspended Minnesota Senator Matt Klein, former Texas congressional candidate Ezekiel Enriquez, and Virginia Senate candidate Mark Moran for five years each over candidates betting on their own elections. Former Rep. George Santos was permanently banned for trading contracts related to his own attendance at the State of the Union address and was fined $71,356.Buckhout won the Republican primary in March of this year and will face Don Davis again in the election; she previously lost by less than two percentage points in 2024. Kalshi is regulated by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and has processed tens of billions of dollars in trading volume over the past year. (Decrypt)
Odaily News – Gannon Ken Van Dyke, a U.S. soldier, has been accused of using non-public information to trade event contracts on the prediction market platform Polymarket related to the removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January, earning over $400,000 in profits. U.S. authorities filed fraud charges against him in April.The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) previously filed a civil lawsuit against Van Dyke, but a federal judge has ruled to stay the proceedings pending the outcome of the criminal case. The CFTC has filed a motion to submit an amicus brief, seeking to express its views on defense arguments such as whether event contracts qualify as "swaps" under its regulatory purview.Van Dyke's attorneys filed documents with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on Monday opposing the CFTC's intervention in the criminal case, arguing that the agency should directly confront its own case. Van Dyke has pleaded not guilty to all charges, and the criminal trial could begin as early as late 2026 or early 2027. (Cointelegraph)
According to a report by Caixin, the Hong Kong High Court of Appeal rejected the sentence reduction application of Ma Zhihao, the ringleader of an online fraud and human trafficking syndicate, yesterday, upholding the original 56-month imprisonment term. During the investigation, Hong Kong police traced the criminal funds through blockchain and cryptocurrency transaction records, pinpointing key transactions involving his receipt of ransoms and illicit proceeds. It is reported that the family members of a victim paid approximately 9,527 Tether (USDT) to a cryptocurrency wallet designated by the perpetrators. Blockchain tracking records conclusively proved that 8,127 USDT flowed into an exchange account registered under Ma Zhihao’s real name and Hong Kong identity card. The assets were subsequently converted into approximately HK$63,000 and transferred to his personal HSBC bank account, serving as crucial evidence of his participation in the crimes and his financial gains. The Court of Appeal noted that, were it not constrained by the seven-year maximum sentencing limit prescribed for the District Court, the penalties faced by the defendant would have been significantly more severe.
Odaily News – The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced that the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York has entered supplemental consent orders against Caroline Ellison, former CEO of Alameda Research, and Gary Wang, co-founder of FTX.Under the court orders, Ellison and Wang are required to continue cooperating with the CFTC's investigation, while also facing trading and registration restrictions. Specifically, Ellison received a 5-year trading ban and a 10-year registration ban; Wang received a 5-year trading ban and an 8-year registration ban. The relevant restriction periods begin from the date of the initial consent order, which was signed on December 23, 2022.Previously, on December 23, 2022, the court found Ellison liable for two counts of fraud alleged by the CFTC, and found Wang liable for one count of fraud. Their initial consent orders permanently prohibited them from violating the Commodity Exchange Act and the CFTC's related anti-fraud regulations.The head of the CFTC's Division of Enforcement, David I. Miller, stated that this ruling reflects the regulator's emphasis on "effective cooperation." Although Ellison and Wang, as executives of Alameda and FTX, were involved in the relevant fraudulent conduct and were held liable, the regulator granted leniency in light of their significant assistance in the FTX-related investigations.The CFTC stated that it will not currently require Ellison and Wang to pay restitution, disgorgement, or civil monetary penalties, primarily considering the extent of their cooperation in the investigations and related criminal cases, as well as the $11.02 billion asset forfeiture order involved in the U.S. criminal case. Both individuals have previously pleaded guilty in their criminal cases, including admitting to conspiracy to commit commodities fraud and multiple other charges.
Odaily News: Connecticut Federal District Court Judge Vernon D. Oliver denied Kalshi's motion for a preliminary injunction, ruling that its sports event contracts do not constitute swaps under the Commodity Exchange Act. The CFTC therefore does not hold exclusive jurisdiction. The ruling noted that sports event contracts account for 80% to 90% of Kalshi's listed contracts and revenue, and the CFTC has never reviewed any of these contracts under relevant special rules. Oliver held that event outcomes fall under the category of event results, not separate events. Coinbase Financial Markets suffered a similar defeat on the same grounds, having offered Kalshi contracts through its platform since January as a futures commission merchant rather than a designated contract market, and Connecticut had not previously issued a cease-and-desist order against it. Kalshi was valued at approximately $11 billion at the time of its February hearing, with around 24,000 users in the state. (Bitcoin.com News)
Odaily News, Bybit announced today that it has officially filed a civil lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against North Korea (DPRK), its Reconnaissance General Bureau (RGB), and the Lazarus Group, holding the organization legally accountable for the大规模 cyberattack launched against Bybit in February 2025.It is reported that Bybit has successfully obtained a preliminary injunction from the court, freezing identified stolen digital assets held or transferred by unidentified individuals and entities (i.e., "John Doe" defendants). In approving the preliminary temporary restraining order, the court described the incident as "one of the largest cryptocurrency thefts in history" and determined that Bybit has a "likelihood of success on the merits" of the case. This civil lawsuit is independent of criminal investigations by U.S. law enforcement and aims to provide an additional legal avenue for asset recovery.In terms of asset recovery and global collaboration, Bybit has achieved notable results in partnership with blockchain analytics firms, multiple exchanges, custodial institutions, and international law enforcement agencies. To date:Approximately $48.4 million in stolen assets have been successfully recovered;Approximately $30.5 million in involved assets have been successfully frozen (distributed across more than 28 exchanges and custodial institutions).These efforts have also supported broader law enforcement actions targeting key infrastructure allegedly used to launder stolen funds: German authorities have dismantled cryptocurrency exchange eXch; German and Swiss authorities subsequently jointly shut down mixing platform Cryptomixer.io, cutting off critical channels for transferring illicit proceeds. These actions collectively demonstrate the effectiveness of collaboration between the private sector and law enforcement agencies in combating transnational cybercrime.Ben Zhou, co-founder and CEO of Bybit, stated: "Our core goal has never changed: prioritizing user protection, making every effort to recover assets, and ensuring those behind this are held accountable under the law. The Lazarus attack was not only directed at Bybit, but also a challenge to the trust foundation of the entire crypto industry. We will continue to deepen cooperation with law enforcement agencies, regulatory authorities, and courts to make the crypto world a place where criminals find it difficult to hide."Bybit emphasized that it will continue to invest in advanced blockchain tracking technology, utilize all available legal means to combat state-sponsored hacker groups, and drive the establishment of a more resilient digital asset ecosystem. The civil lawsuit is currently ongoing.
Odaily News A U.S. District Court Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan, Shalina Kumar, on Thursday denied Coinbase's preliminary injunction request to block the state government from enforcing regulations on sports event contracts. The ruling stated that Coinbase failed to demonstrate that its claim of federal law preempting Michigan's jurisdiction was likely to succeed on the merits of the case. Coinbase sued Michigan in December 2025, arguing that prediction markets fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) under the federal Commodity Exchange Act (CEA), rather than state-level regulators. Coinbase sought to provide its platform customers, including those in Michigan, with access to event contracts issued by Kalshi, and stated in its complaint that Michigan law constitutes "conflict preemption" because it obstructs Congress's establishment of a unified federal regulatory framework.
: U.S. Federal District Judge Robert J. Shelby ruled that the Commodity Exchange Act does not prevent Utah from applying its anti-gambling laws to Kalshi's sports event contracts, granting Utah's motion for summary judgment and denying Kalshi's motion for a preliminary injunction. Shelby stated that the jurisdictional provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act are subject to multiple reasonable interpretations, and in such cases, courts generally do not support federal law preemption. He also rejected Kalshi's argument that amendments under the Dodd-Frank Act established federal preemption for derivatives trading. Kalshi spokesperson Jacki McGavick said the company disagrees with the ruling and will appeal to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. Currently, Utah users can still use sports event contracts, and the state has not yet initiated enforcement action. The New York Attorney General has already cited the ruling as supplementary grounds in opposing the CFTC's motion for a preliminary injunction against New York state. Earlier, New York sued Kalshi last week, alleging that it operates as an unlicensed gambling operator.
Odaily News: Michigan State Representative Donavan McKinney defeated incumbent U.S. Representative Shri Thanedar in the Democratic primary for Michigan's 13th Congressional District. As of Wednesday, McKinney held 51.9% of the vote, compared to Thanedar's 48.1%. In this primary, Protect Progress, a crypto-backed political action committee, spent over $2 million on media expenditures to support Thanedar's re-election and oppose McKinney. Protect Progress is affiliated with Fairshake, which is primarily backed by crypto companies Coinbase and Ripple. Thanedar previously voted in the House in favor of bills such as the GENIUS Act and the CLARITY Act. McKinney will face Republican candidate Taras Nykoriak in the November election.
According to CoinDesk, U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Minnesota Katherine Menendez ruled on July 28 local time that the Minnesota state law criminalizing the operation of prediction markets likely violates the federal Commodity Exchange Act (CEA), and granted a preliminary injunction to Kalshi, Polymarket, and the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to suspend the enforcement of the state law. The judge held that prediction market contracts structurally fall under 'swap' products within the CFTC's regulatory scope, federal law takes precedence over state law, and the three plaintiffs are 'likely to prevail in the formal trial'. Additionally, the judge noted that failing to suspend the enforcement of the law would cause 'irreparable harm' to Kalshi and Polymarket. The preliminary injunction will remain in effect until the final judgment of the case is issued.