Australia’s eSafety Commissioner began civil penalty proceedings against Telegram in the Federal Court on Thursday. The regulator alleges the messaging platform, used by more than one billion people worldwide, breached obligations under the Online Safety Act by failing to address pro-terror content after receiving multiple user complaints.<\/p>\n
A year-long investigation found that Telegram did not remove certain unlawful material after becoming aware of it. Some reported items remained accessible for as long as three weeks. The authority further alleged that the platform took insufficient measures to stop repeated violations, including the removal of accounts, channels and groups used to share the material.<\/p>\n
eSafety also claimed Telegram failed to detect known extremist content, including footage linked to the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks and the 2022 Buffalo shooting, before the items were later taken down. The regulator is seeking financial penalties. Breaches of Australia’s online safety rules can attract fines of up to 54.6 million Australian dollars, or about 35.8 million US dollars.<\/p>\n
The Australian action follows heightened legal scrutiny of the platform in other jurisdictions. Russia’s Federal Security Service charged Telegram chief executive Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorist activity and initiated steps to place him on an international wanted list. Authorities there alleged the service failed to remove channels, chats and bots used by various groups for coordination and related activities.<\/p>\n
Durov remains under investigation in France after his arrest in August 2024 at Le Bourget Airport. French prosecutors charged him with offenses that include complicity in the distribution of illegal content connected to organized crime through the platform.<\/p>\n
Telegram has issued no formal response to the Australian proceedings. Its official account on X posted a video captioned with a reference to freedom of expression. The company has also not commented officially on the Russian developments, though it shared an image of Durov. Durov has previously argued that governments are increasing controls over online platforms and reducing protections for free information exchange.<\/p>\n", "summary": "Australia’s eSafety Commissioner began civil penalty proceedings against Telegram in the Federal Court on Thursday", "date_published": "2026-07-30T13:19:40+03:00", "date_modified": "2026-07-30T13:19:37+03:00", "tags": [], "_date_published_rfc2822": "Thu, 30 Jul 2026 13:19:40 +0300", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "129", "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": false, "links_required": [], "og_images": [] } }, { "id": "128", "url": "https:\/\/karelia.business\/all\/us-arbitration-body-forms-specialist-panel-for-crypto-disputes\/", "title": "US Arbitration Body Forms Specialist Panel for Crypto Disputes", "content_html": "
The American Arbitration Association, one of the world’s largest providers of private dispute-resolution services, has created a specialist panel to handle blockchain and digital-asset cases. The move, announced on Wednesday, gives companies access to arbitrators experienced in the technical and legal issues of crypto disputes.<\/p>\n
The new Web3 Panel gathers specialists from law, technology, academia, litigation and digital-asset businesses. It is structured to resolve disagreements that arise from automated and decentralized commercial systems. These include questions of contract interpretation, governance, asset control, cybersecurity, transaction records and cross-border enforcement.<\/p>\n
The panel also addresses disputes involving agentic commerce and autonomous transactions, in which software or artificial intelligence systems may start or complete agreements with limited human input.<\/p>\n
Initial members include lawyers focused on digital-asset and technology disputes, University of Pennsylvania law professor David Hoffman and Rich Widmann, global head of Web3 strategy at Google Cloud.<\/p>\n
Eric Dill, the association’s senior vice president and head of panel relations, noted that Web3 disputes present familiar commercial issues within a highly technical setting.<\/p>\n
The panel does not confer any regulatory authority on the association over the cryptocurrency sector. Arbitration remains available only when the parties agree to submit their dispute to a private arbitrator.<\/p>\n", "summary": "The American Arbitration Association, one of the world’s largest providers of private dispute-resolution services, has created a specialist panel to handle blockchain and digital-asset cases", "date_published": "2026-07-30T12:00:30+03:00", "date_modified": "2026-07-30T12:00:29+03:00", "tags": [], "_date_published_rfc2822": "Thu, 30 Jul 2026 12:00:30 +0300", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "128", "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": false, "links_required": [], "og_images": [] } }, { "id": "127", "url": "https:\/\/karelia.business\/all\/ethereum-foundation-appoints-seal-911-co-founder-to-board\/", "title": "Ethereum Foundation Appoints SEAL 911 Co-Founder to Board", "content_html": "
The Ethereum Foundation has appointed Pascal Caversaccio, co-founder and lead of the crypto security response group SEAL 911, to its board. The addition, announced on Wednesday, expands the body’s focus on privacy and security within its protocol strategy.<\/p>\n
Caversaccio joins for an initial voluntary one-year term. He takes a seat alongside president Aya Miyaguchi, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin and Swiss counsel Patrick Storchenegger on the four-member board.<\/p>\n
A longtime Ethereum contributor, Caversaccio belongs to the Foundation’s Silviculture Society, an informal advisory group addressing censorship resistance, open-source development, privacy and security. He wrote The Ethereum Cypherpunk Manifesto in 2024 and Ethereum Privacy: The Road to Self-Sovereignty in 2025.<\/p>\n
The board determines the Foundation’s overall vision. It also reviews whether management strategies and decisions remain consistent with the organization’s values. The Foundation characterizes the board as a security council charged with safeguarding its mission and ensuring compliance as a Swiss foundation.<\/p>\n
The appointment coincides with a heightened emphasis on privacy and security in the Foundation’s organizational approach. In June the group identified both areas as non-negotiable protocol guarantees. Its protocol team is tasked with converting research on layer-1 privacy and post-quantum security into practical changes that maintain Ethereum’s self-sovereignty.<\/p>\n", "summary": "The Ethereum Foundation has appointed Pascal Caversaccio, co-founder and lead of the crypto security response group SEAL 911, to its board...", "date_published": "2026-07-30T11:59:40+03:00", "date_modified": "2026-07-30T11:59:37+03:00", "tags": [], "_date_published_rfc2822": "Thu, 30 Jul 2026 11:59:40 +0300", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "127", "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": false, "links_required": [], "og_images": [] } }, { "id": "126", "url": "https:\/\/karelia.business\/all\/japanese-game-developer-gumi-starts-crypto-fund-with-sbi\/", "title": "Japanese Game Developer Gumi Starts Crypto Fund With SBI", "content_html": "
Japanese game developer Gumi will begin operating a 3 billion yen crypto asset fund on Saturday in partnership with SBI Financial Services. The vehicle has additional backing from Daiwa Securities Group and other investors and is valued at about $18.3 million.<\/p>\n
The fund is managed by SBI Crypto Fund, a joint venture in which SBI Financial Services holds a 51 percent stake and Gumi subsidiary gC Labs holds 49 percent. It will focus primarily on Bitcoin and major alternative cryptocurrencies. Investment approaches include staking, portfolio rebalancing and hedging strategies.<\/p>\n
Gumi aims to connect Japan’s corporate sector with the cryptocurrency market through the fund. The company also seeks to establish an operational record ahead of any potential removal of Japan’s ban on crypto exchange-traded funds.<\/p>\n
The initiative expands Gumi’s existing cryptocurrency activities. These include management of its own holdings, which are centered on XRP, portfolio services offered through Hinode Technologies and other crypto investment funds.<\/p>\n
Crypto assets have grown into a substantial portion of Gumi’s balance sheet. As of April 30 the company held 14.13 billion yen in such assets, nearly double the 7.58 billion yen recorded a year earlier.<\/p>\n", "summary": "Japanese game developer Gumi will begin operating a 3 billion yen crypto asset fund on Saturday in partnership with SBI Financial Services", "date_published": "2026-07-30T11:58:44+03:00", "date_modified": "2026-07-30T11:58:42+03:00", "tags": [], "_date_published_rfc2822": "Thu, 30 Jul 2026 11:58:44 +0300", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "126", "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": false, "links_required": [], "og_images": [] } }, { "id": "125", "url": "https:\/\/karelia.business\/all\/luno-cuts-20-percent-of-global-staff-as-crypto-job-reductions-widen\/", "title": "Luno Cuts 20 Percent of Global Staff as Crypto Job Reductions Widen", "content_html": "
Crypto exchange Luno is reducing its global workforce by about 20 percent as it restructures operations and directs more resources toward institutional clients, financial infrastructure and business-to-business services. The move forms part of a broader series of job cuts across the sector in July.<\/p>\n
Chief executive James Lanigan said the company had invested in automation and operational improvements that altered the resources required to run the business. Luno will lower costs in response to market conditions while continuing to fund compliance, core infrastructure and retail products.<\/p>\n
The exchange previously reduced its headcount by 35 percent in January 2023, affecting nearly 330 employees amid sector-wide turbulence. Founded in South Africa and owned by Digital Currency Group, Luno serves roughly 16 million users across Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. It has expanded beyond retail trading into infrastructure services for banks and fintech firms.<\/p>\n
At least 12 crypto and crypto-adjacent companies reported layoffs or restructurings in July, with disclosed figures totaling 894 jobs. Across 2026 more than 7,254 positions have been cut at 47 companies, with market conditions the reason most frequently given. The totals include adjacent financial technology firms and are heavily influenced by a single large reduction of 4,000 roles at Block earlier in the year.<\/p>\n
Earlier in July, wallet provider Exodus said it would cut 25 percent of its staff and reorganize around a full-stack card-issuance and stablecoin-payments platform. The company projected annual operating savings of between $10 million and $13 million.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, blockchain infrastructure firm Gnosis invited potential employers in engineering, product, design, marketing, developer relations and customer relations to contact it about staff affected by a recent restructuring. Gnosis announced the workforce reduction on July 17 after reviewing its consumer-facing application.<\/p>\n", "summary": "Crypto exchange Luno is reducing its global workforce by about 20 percent as it restructures operations and directs more resources toward institutional clients", "date_published": "2026-07-30T11:57:53+03:00", "date_modified": "2026-07-30T11:57:52+03:00", "tags": [], "_date_published_rfc2822": "Thu, 30 Jul 2026 11:57:53 +0300", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "125", "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": false, "links_required": [], "og_images": [] } }, { "id": "124", "url": "https:\/\/karelia.business\/all\/us-sanctions-iranian-maritime-firms-over-alleged-bitcoin-sanctions-evasion\/", "title": "US Sanctions Iranian Maritime Firms Over Alleged Bitcoin Sanctions Evasion", "content_html": "
The US Treasury on Wednesday sanctioned two Iranian maritime companies it said formed part of an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-backed insurance network and accepted Bitcoin along with other digital assets to circumvent restrictions. The Office of Foreign Assets Control designated Persian Gulf Marine Insurance Company and HormuzSafe Marine Services Authority for operating in Iran’s financial sector.<\/p>\n
Authorities stated the firms required commercial vessels to purchase approved coverage before transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The network allegedly generated revenue for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps while expanding Iranian control over shipping in the waterway. HormuzSafe was specifically cited for taking Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as payment in efforts to evade sanctions.<\/p>\n
The Treasury also targeted eight companies connected to Iran’s shadow fleet and identified eight vessels as blocked property. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the United States would not permit Iran to hold global commerce hostage and accused the government of using international shipping to fund the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.<\/p>\n
Screenshots from May 18 had shown a HormuzSafe website offering digital maritime cargo insurance with policies payable in Bitcoin. Iranian state-linked media reported that the proposed platform could issue marine policies and certificates of financial responsibility and might generate more than $10 billion in revenue. The site later became inaccessible.<\/p>\n
The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly one-fifth of global oil trade. Earlier accounts indicated Iran had accepted oil transit payments in Chinese yuan, the stablecoin USDt and Bitcoin, though no on-chain evidence of Bitcoin transfers had been confirmed. In April, US authorities froze $344 million in USDt linked to Iran.<\/p>\n", "summary": "The US Treasury on Wednesday sanctioned two Iranian maritime companies it said formed part of an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-backed insurance network and accepted Bitcoin along with other digital", "date_published": "2026-07-30T11:57:03+03:00", "date_modified": "2026-07-30T11:57:01+03:00", "tags": [], "_date_published_rfc2822": "Thu, 30 Jul 2026 11:57:03 +0300", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "124", "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": false, "links_required": [], "og_images": [] } }, { "id": "123", "url": "https:\/\/karelia.business\/all\/south-korea-report-urges-stablecoin-rules-ahead-of-digital-asset-law\/", "title": "South Korea Report Urges Stablecoin Rules Ahead of Digital Asset Law", "content_html": "
A policy report released Wednesday recommends that South Korea introduce interim licensing guidance, grant greater flexibility to stablecoin issuers and phase in stablecoin regulation before finalizing its Digital Asset Basic Act. The document was prepared by Hashed Open Research and the Solana Policy Institute.<\/p>\n
The recommendations stem from a June 23 symposium that brought together lawmakers, legal specialists and industry representatives. The Digital Asset Basic Act is intended to create the country’s first comprehensive framework for digital assets. It would address stablecoin issuance, disclosure requirements and broader market rules.<\/p>\n
Multiple legislative proposals remain unreconciled. Disagreements over stablecoin issuance have delayed progress on the measure.<\/p>\n
Democratic Party lawmaker Ahn Dogeol indicated that policymakers are examining a possible compromise. Under the approach, banks would keep majority ownership while fintech firms and other non-bank entities handle day-to-day operations.<\/p>\n
Kim Hyobong, a partner at Bae, Kim & Lee, called for clearer rules on the crypto activities permitted for financial institutions. He also pressed for resolution of licensing uncertainty surrounding stablecoin payments and the establishment of standards for foreign-issued stablecoins.<\/p>\n
Kim further recommended that South Korea adopt a phased approach similar to the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation. Stablecoin issuance rules, he said, should be put in place ahead of the full Digital Asset Basic Act.<\/p>\n", "summary": "A policy report released Wednesday recommends that South Korea introduce interim licensing guidance, grant greater flexibility to stablecoin issuers and phase in stablecoin regulation before finalizing", "date_published": "2026-07-30T11:56:09+03:00", "date_modified": "2026-07-30T11:56:07+03:00", "tags": [], "_date_published_rfc2822": "Thu, 30 Jul 2026 11:56:09 +0300", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "123", "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": false, "links_required": [], "og_images": [] } }, { "id": "122", "url": "https:\/\/karelia.business\/all\/us-spot-bitcoin-etfs-post-inflows-after-four-day-outflow-run\/", "title": "US Spot Bitcoin ETFs Post Inflows After Four-Day Outflow Run", "content_html": "
US-listed spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds recorded $32.1 million in net inflows on Wednesday. The figure ended a four-session streak of outflows and arrived even as Bitcoin briefly traded near $63,300 during US hours.<\/p>\n
The funds had registered more than $500 million in combined outflows across the prior four trading days. Net flows for the week to date stand at a $29.29 million outflow. Monthly net inflows have reached $204.7 million. Cumulative net inflows across the products total $51.36 billion.<\/p>\n
US-listed spot Ether exchange-traded funds moved in the opposite direction, posting $18.65 million in net outflows on the same day. Ether funds have still attracted $342.9 million in net inflows so far this month, exceeding the monthly total for Bitcoin products.<\/p>\n
Bitcoin traded at $63,990 at the time of publication, down 0.2 percent over the past 24 hours and 2.5 percent over the past seven days. Ether stood at $1,902, down 1.1 percent over the previous week.<\/p>\n
The Crypto Fear and Greed Index registered a reading of 28 on Thursday, placing sentiment in fear territory and one point lower than the prior day. The score has risen from extreme fear levels recorded a month earlier.<\/p>\n", "summary": "US-listed spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds recorded $32.1 million in net inflows on Wednesday. The figure ended a four-session streak of outflows and arrived even as Bitcoin briefly traded near $63", "date_published": "2026-07-30T11:55:05+03:00", "date_modified": "2026-07-30T11:55:01+03:00", "tags": [], "_date_published_rfc2822": "Thu, 30 Jul 2026 11:55:05 +0300", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "122", "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": false, "links_required": [], "og_images": [] } }, { "id": "121", "url": "https:\/\/karelia.business\/all\/china-business-journal-warns-of-bitcoin-extortion-scheme-impersonating-newspaper\/", "title": "China Business Journal Warns of Bitcoin Extortion Scheme Impersonating Newspaper", "content_html": "
China Business Journal, a state-affiliated business newspaper, issued a formal warning on Thursday that fraudsters are impersonating the publication to extort companies through demands for Bitcoin payments. The scheme involves contacting firms with false claims of damaging investigative findings and threats to publish the material unless cryptocurrency is transferred to suppress the reports.<\/p>\n
Scammers have used a Proton Mail address to approach businesses. They assert that undercover inquiries have uncovered negative information about the targeted companies and demand Bitcoin as the price for withholding publication. The newspaper stated that the emails lack any authorization and that the activity appears to constitute fraud.<\/p>\n
The publication is gathering evidence in the matter and has reserved the right to initiate both civil and criminal proceedings against those responsible.<\/p>\n
China Business Journal was established in 1985 and is issued by the Institute of Industrial Economics under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, a government academic body. The newspaper maintains a market-oriented approach to coverage while operating under state supervision.<\/p>\n", "summary": "China Business Journal, a state-affiliated business newspaper, issued a formal warning on Thursday that fraudsters are impersonating the publication to extort companies through demands for Bitcoin payments", "date_published": "2026-07-30T11:54:46+03:00", "date_modified": "2026-07-30T11:54:44+03:00", "tags": [], "_date_published_rfc2822": "Thu, 30 Jul 2026 11:54:46 +0300", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "121", "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": false, "links_required": [], "og_images": [] } }, { "id": "120", "url": "https:\/\/karelia.business\/all\/federal-judge-temporarily-blocks-minnesota-ban-on-prediction-markets\/", "title": "Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Minnesota Ban on Prediction Markets", "content_html": "
A United States federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction preventing Minnesota from enforcing its forthcoming ban on prediction markets against the CFTC-regulated platforms Kalshi and Polymarket US. The order allows the companies to continue operating in the state while the legal challenge proceeds.<\/p>\n
US District Judge Katherine Menendez granted the plaintiffs’ motions on Monday. She determined that the platforms were likely to succeed, at least in part, on arguments that the Commodity Exchange Act preempts the Minnesota statute. Several event contracts offered by the platforms appear to meet the definition of swaps, placing transactions involving those contracts on designated contract markets under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.<\/p>\n
The Minnesota law, scheduled to take effect on Saturday, would prohibit the creation, operation and advertising of prediction markets and impose criminal penalties for providing support to them. The preliminary injunction preserves the existing operating environment until the case can be decided on its merits.<\/p>\n
The judge noted that the injunction may later be narrowed. The plaintiffs have not demonstrated that every event contract listed by the two platforms satisfies the legal definition of a swap.<\/p>\n", "summary": "A United States federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction preventing Minnesota from enforcing its forthcoming ban on prediction markets against the CFTC-regulated platforms Kalshi and Polymarket", "date_published": "2026-07-29T11:57:10+03:00", "date_modified": "2026-07-29T11:57:08+03:00", "tags": [], "_date_published_rfc2822": "Wed, 29 Jul 2026 11:57:10 +0300", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "120", "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": false, "links_required": [], "og_images": [] } }, { "id": "119", "url": "https:\/\/karelia.business\/all\/binance-co-founder-supports-cross-border-crypto-licensing-framework-for-asean\/", "title": "Binance Co-Founder Supports Cross-Border Crypto Licensing Framework for ASEAN", "content_html": "
Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao has endorsed a system of regulatory passporting for cryptocurrency licenses across ASEAN, under which firms approved in one member state could enter others through a simplified process rather than submitting full new applications. He spoke on Tuesday during a fireside discussion at the ASEAN Tech Summit in Manila.<\/p>\n
Zhao supported a proposal for license portability raised by the founding chair of FinTech Alliance PH. Under such an arrangement regulators would retain the ability to examine applicants but would not demand an entirely new licensing procedure. A regional framework could lower compliance expenses, promote competition and ease the operation of crypto and stablecoin services across markets that currently regulate digital assets independently.<\/p>\n
Cross-border coordination was described as primarily a political challenge rather than a technical one. Greater competition among licensed platforms could improve service quality and reduce costs for users.<\/p>\n
ASEAN already operates limited mutual-recognition arrangements in other areas of finance. The ASEAN Capital Markets Forum’s Collective Investment Schemes Framework permits a fund authorized in its home jurisdiction to be offered in participating host markets through a streamlined authorization process. The arrangement began in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand in 2014, with the Philippines joining in 2021. A separate Professional Mobility Framework allows eligible investment advisers licensed in one jurisdiction to obtain fast-track registration in another without securing a fresh license.<\/p>\n
These mechanisms are narrower in scope than a full crypto passport and remain subject to host-market conditions. They demonstrate prior use of mutual recognition to advance regional integration. In the European Union, the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation grants authorized crypto-asset service providers the right to operate across member states after notifying their home regulator of the intended countries and services.<\/p>\n
Differences in national policies and regulatory approaches complicate alignment more than the construction of shared technical infrastructure. Firms already licensed in one ASEAN market should nevertheless face a lighter application process when expanding into another.<\/p>\n", "summary": "Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao has endorsed a system of regulatory passporting for cryptocurrency licenses across ASEAN, under which firms approved in one member state could enter others through a simplified", "date_published": "2026-07-29T11:56:07+03:00", "date_modified": "2026-07-29T11:56:05+03:00", "tags": [], "_date_published_rfc2822": "Wed, 29 Jul 2026 11:56:07 +0300", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "119", "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": false, "links_required": [], "og_images": [] } }, { "id": "118", "url": "https:\/\/karelia.business\/all\/apple-sued-by-users-claiming-1-8-million-in-bitcoin-losses-from-fraudulent-wallet-app\/", "title": "Apple Sued by Users Claiming $1.8 Million in Bitcoin Losses from Fraudulent Wallet App", "content_html": "
Apple faces a lawsuit from three customers who allege they lost a combined $1.8 million after downloading a counterfeit Bitcoin wallet application from the App Store. The complaint was filed on Friday in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.<\/p>\n
The plaintiffs, James Ramirez, Christopher Ellis and Jalen Delgado, contend that Apple failed to conduct sufficient review and ongoing monitoring of applications despite marketing the App Store as a secure marketplace. They state that they entered their seed phrases into the fraudulent application, enabling scammers to transfer their Bitcoin holdings. The individual losses are reported as approximately $875,000, $840,000 and $120,000, respectively, and occurred during 2025.<\/p>\n
The legitimate Sparrow Wallet is available only for Windows, macOS and Linux platforms and has no official iOS version. Its developer has previously raised concerns about counterfeit versions appearing in the App Store.<\/p>\n
Apple has removed applications impersonating Sparrow Wallet and terminated the associated developer accounts. The company maintains that developers and users may report applications that breach its guidelines and that it acts against those that fail to comply with App Store rules.<\/p>\n", "summary": "Apple faces a lawsuit from three customers who allege they lost a combined $1.8 million after downloading a counterfeit Bitcoin wallet application from the App Store...", "date_published": "2026-07-29T11:53:47+03:00", "date_modified": "2026-07-30T12:20:56+03:00", "tags": [], "_date_published_rfc2822": "Wed, 29 Jul 2026 11:53:47 +0300", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "118", "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": false, "links_required": [], "og_images": [] } }, { "id": "117", "url": "https:\/\/karelia.business\/all\/ondo-finance-launches-off-chain-execution-network-for-tokenized-asset-trading\/", "title": "Ondo Finance Launches Off-Chain Execution Network for Tokenized Asset Trading", "content_html": "
Real-world asset tokenization platform Ondo Finance has introduced an off-chain execution network that processes trades outside public blockchains, marking a shift from the institution-oriented layer-1 blockchain it outlined in 2025. The system, known as Ondo Network, is already operational for the company’s perpetual futures platform.<\/p>\n
Conventional blockchains depend on distributed computers to validate transactions and maintain a shared state. Ondo Network instead executes its trading software inside protected computing environments referred to as enclaves. A set of operators verifies that the software remains unaltered, and each operator holds a portion of the digital key required to authorize asset transfers.<\/p>\n
Transfers are ultimately settled on public blockchains. The company has not disclosed the identity or number of the operators involved. It characterized the arrangement as a continuation of Ondo Chain, the project announced in February 2025 to bring traditional financial assets on-chain. The current system is not itself a blockchain. Future steps may include additional operators, greater recording of activity on public chains and a mechanism that requires participants to post tokens as security, although no schedule has been provided.<\/p>\n
Ondo Chain entered testnet in 2025. Its first transaction, a settlement of tokenized US Treasuries, was completed by JPMorgan’s Kinexys unit and Chainlink.<\/p>\n", "summary": "Real-world asset tokenization platform Ondo Finance has introduced an off-chain execution network that processes trades outside public blockchains, marking a shift from the institution-oriented layer-1", "date_published": "2026-07-29T11:53:01+03:00", "date_modified": "2026-07-29T11:53:00+03:00", "tags": [], "_date_published_rfc2822": "Wed, 29 Jul 2026 11:53:01 +0300", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "117", "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": false, "links_required": [], "og_images": [] } }, { "id": "116", "url": "https:\/\/karelia.business\/all\/lido-introduces-upgrade-projected-to-reduce-ethereum-validator-count-by-one-third\/", "title": "Lido Introduces Upgrade Projected to Reduce Ethereum Validator Count by One-Third", "content_html": "
Liquid staking protocol Lido has launched Curated Module v2, an infrastructure upgrade that could lower Ethereum’s validator count by approximately one-third through higher effective balances and revised operator rules. The change is intended to improve validator efficiency and network decentralization.<\/p>\n
The module adds support for Ethereum’s 0x02 withdrawal credentials. Validators may raise their effective balance from 32 ETH to a maximum of 2,048 ETH. Lido projects that the migration could reduce the total number of validators from 880,000 to about 628,000. The process has not yet begun and the estimates remain provisional.<\/p>\n
Fewer validators and associated messages are expected to lighten the load on the consensus layer. Execution-layer activity that governs transaction fees and gas costs will remain unaffected. The upgrade also establishes bonding and penalty mechanisms to increase accountability among node operators. Future allocation of stake may give greater consideration to operator performance, fee structures and contributions to the Ethereum ecosystem.<\/p>\n
Stakers are not required to take any action, as the adjustments will be implemented at the protocol level.<\/p>\n", "summary": "Liquid staking protocol Lido has launched Curated Module v2, an infrastructure upgrade that could lower Ethereum’s validator count by approximately one-third through higher effective balances and revised", "date_published": "2026-07-29T11:52:20+03:00", "date_modified": "2026-07-29T11:52:18+03:00", "tags": [], "_date_published_rfc2822": "Wed, 29 Jul 2026 11:52:20 +0300", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "116", "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": false, "links_required": [], "og_images": [] } }, { "id": "115", "url": "https:\/\/karelia.business\/all\/imf-flags-rapid-growth-of-brazils-stablecoin-market-relative-to-traditional-capital-flows\/", "title": "IMF Flags Rapid Growth of Brazil’s Stablecoin Market Relative to Traditional Capital Flows", "content_html": "
The International Monetary Fund has cautioned that Brazil’s cryptocurrency market, led by US dollar-pegged stablecoins, has expanded rapidly since 2017. Cross-border crypto flows have increased faster than conventional capital movements and display greater sensitivity to global shocks.<\/p>\n
Stablecoin purchases are two to three times more responsive to global disturbances than traditional portfolio investment or foreign direct investment. The Fund described the domestic crypto-asset market as large, fast-growing and increasingly linked to the traditional financial system.<\/p>\n
Banco Central do Brasil has introduced regulation for crypto-asset service providers. Remaining gaps include customer asset protection, rules governing stablecoin issuance and compliance with anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist-financing standards.<\/p>\n
In April the central bank issued Resolution BCB No. 561, which revises requirements for electronic foreign-exchange providers and bars the use of digital assets for certain international payment and transfer services. Under the revised framework, payments and receipts between such providers and foreign counterparties must occur through foreign-exchange transactions or movements in non-resident Brazilian real accounts.<\/p>\n", "summary": "The International Monetary Fund has cautioned that Brazil’s cryptocurrency market, led by US dollar-pegged stablecoins, has expanded rapidly since 2017...", "date_published": "2026-07-29T11:51:03+03:00", "date_modified": "2026-07-29T11:51:02+03:00", "tags": [], "_date_published_rfc2822": "Wed, 29 Jul 2026 11:51:03 +0300", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "115", "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": false, "links_required": [], "og_images": [] } }, { "id": "114", "url": "https:\/\/karelia.business\/all\/1inch-launches-aqua-protocol-to-aggregate-liquidity-across-13-blockchains\/", "title": "1inch Launches Aqua Protocol to Aggregate Liquidity Across 13 Blockchains", "content_html": "
Decentralized exchange aggregator 1inch has launched Aqua, a protocol designed to enable liquidity providers to supply capital across multiple decentralized finance markets simultaneously while keeping assets in their own wallets until settlement. The system has been deployed on 13 blockchains, including Ethereum, Arbitrum, Base, Robinhood Chain and BNB Chain.<\/p>\n
Aqua allows providers to authorize several strategies against a single wallet inventory. Funds remain in the wallet rather than being deposited into individual liquidity pools and are transferred only when a trade settles. The protocol includes a generalized on-chain registry, wallet-backed automated market-making strategies, atomic settlement and tools for position management.<\/p>\n
Liquidity is not multiplied. A provider can advertise the same capital across multiple protocols, yet the assets may participate in only one operation at a time. For example, $10,000 can be advertised on three protocols for a combined $30,000 of advertised capacity, but only $10,000 of concurrent trades can execute against those funds. The design aims to raise capital utilization when simultaneous demand is low.<\/p>\n
Access is restricted to resolvers holding a 1inch-issued credential, and not every protocol is supported. Positions are continuously quoted against the market maker’s live wallet balance. Any proposed swap that would exceed the available balance reverts atomically.<\/p>\n
Subject to tokenholder approval, the protocol plans to allocate 500,000 USDC and 10 million 1INCH tokens, valued at approximately $830,000, as incentives to encourage liquidity growth and trading activity on supported pairs.<\/p>\n", "summary": "Decentralized exchange aggregator 1inch has launched Aqua, a protocol designed to enable liquidity providers to supply capital across multiple decentralized finance markets simultaneously while keeping", "date_published": "2026-07-29T11:49:46+03:00", "date_modified": "2026-07-29T11:49:44+03:00", "tags": [], "_date_published_rfc2822": "Wed, 29 Jul 2026 11:49:46 +0300", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "114", "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": false, "links_required": [], "og_images": [] } }, { "id": "113", "url": "https:\/\/karelia.business\/all\/paypal-reports-second-quarter-revenue-of-8-68-billion-and-advances-stablecoin-initiatives\/", "title": "PayPal Reports Second-Quarter Revenue of $8.68 Billion and Advances Stablecoin Initiatives", "content_html": "
PayPal Holdings reported second-quarter revenue of $8.68 billion, an increase from $8.29 billion a year earlier, and outlined expansion in stablecoins and artificial intelligence-driven payment tools. Earnings per share came to $1.26, compared with $1.30 in the prior-year period.<\/p>\n
The company recorded an $81 million non-GAAP adjustment for gains and losses on strategic investments and cryptocurrency assets held for investment. Those items are excluded from non-GAAP results because the firm does not actively trade the assets or depend on them to finance ongoing operations.<\/p>\n
PayPal is extending its capabilities into agentic payments, stablecoins, identity solutions and biometric technologies by drawing on its existing payments network, risk infrastructure and trust framework. Its PayPal World platform processed approximately $200 million in total payment volume between Venmo and PayPal during the period.<\/p>\n", "summary": "PayPal Holdings reported second-quarter revenue of $8.68 billion, an increase from $8.29 billion a year earlier, and outlined expansion in stablecoins and artificial intelligence-driven payment tools", "date_published": "2026-07-29T11:48:47+03:00", "date_modified": "2026-07-29T11:48:46+03:00", "tags": [], "_date_published_rfc2822": "Wed, 29 Jul 2026 11:48:47 +0300", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "113", "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": false, "links_required": [], "og_images": [] } }, { "id": "112", "url": "https:\/\/karelia.business\/all\/ethereum-and-solana-account-for-largest-share-of-cryptocurrency-losses-in-first-half-of-2026\/", "title": "Ethereum and Solana Account for Largest Share of Cryptocurrency Losses in First Half of 2026", "content_html": "
Cryptocurrency losses exceeded $1 billion in the first half of 2026, marking the highest number of security incidents recorded in any six-month period. Ethereum and Solana registered the greatest losses at roughly $332 million and $326 million respectively.<\/p>\n
Security researchers tracked 212 incidents during the period. The single largest exploit involved KelpDAO and totaled $292 million. The number of high-threshold exploits was 3.4 times higher than the figure recorded across the whole of 2025.<\/p>\n
On Ethereum, code exploits formed the majority of incidents by number. Additional losses arose from key compromises affecting Humanity Protocol and StablR. One significant case involving the decentralized exchange CoWSwap was classified as a user error. Common attack vectors included vulnerabilities in bridges and smart contracts, unauthorized access to privileged accounts and market manipulation techniques. The network continues to attract attackers because it hosts many of the industry’s highest-value applications, including restaking platforms, stablecoins and decentralized exchanges.<\/p>\n
Solana losses rose sharply from approximately $127 million in 2025. Compromised keys accounted for more than 98 percent of the total, largely from incidents involving Drift Protocol and Step Finance that were attributed to North Korea-linked groups. A smaller number of code exploits affected Raydium and Volo. In contrast to Ethereum’s concentration on protocol-code vulnerabilities, Solana incidents primarily targeted signer infrastructure and organizational security controls.<\/p>\n", "summary": "Cryptocurrency losses exceeded $1 billion in the first half of 2026, marking the highest number of security incidents recorded in any six-month period", "date_published": "2026-07-29T11:48:06+03:00", "date_modified": "2026-07-29T11:48:05+03:00", "tags": [], "_date_published_rfc2822": "Wed, 29 Jul 2026 11:48:06 +0300", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "112", "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": false, "links_required": [], "og_images": [] } }, { "id": "111", "url": "https:\/\/karelia.business\/all\/markets-focus-on-bank-of-japan-rate-decision-as-yen-nears-four-decade-low-against-dollar\/", "title": "Markets Focus on Bank of Japan Rate Decision as Yen Nears Four-Decade Low Against Dollar", "content_html": "
Global markets are monitoring the Bank of Japan’s interest-rate decision scheduled for July 31 as the yen approaches fresh 40-year lows against the US dollar. The exchange rate neared 164 on Tuesday, close to the multi-decade highs recorded last week.<\/p>\n
The central bank’s benchmark rate currently stands at 1 percent, its highest level since September 1995. Market pricing indicates a high probability that policymakers will leave the rate unchanged, following the increase enacted in June. At that time the bank indicated that further adjustments to the degree of monetary accommodation would be appropriate as underlying consumer price inflation approaches 2 percent and financial conditions remain accommodative.<\/p>\n
The yen has long functioned as a primary global funding currency because of Japan’s historically low interest rates, high market liquidity and earlier current-account surpluses. The rise in domestic inflation since 2022 has increased the risk of sudden reversals in positions that borrow in yen to invest elsewhere. The currency has remained above the 160 level against the dollar even after the June rate increase.<\/p>\n
Policymakers have previously noted that exchange-rate movements can influence domestic prices more readily than in the past, given firms’ greater willingness to raise wages and prices, and that such effects may feed into inflation expectations. A significant policy shift or intervention to support the yen could trigger rapid unwinding of leveraged carry trades. Such reversals have historically been abrupt rather than gradual and have previously transmitted volatility into broader risk assets, including cryptocurrency markets. The overall direction of policy, rather than the precise timing of any future rate change, remains the central consideration for global liquidity conditions.<\/p>\n", "summary": "Global markets are monitoring the Bank of Japan’s interest-rate decision scheduled for July 31 as the yen approaches fresh 40-year lows against the US dollar", "date_published": "2026-07-29T11:46:26+03:00", "date_modified": "2026-07-29T11:46:24+03:00", "tags": [], "_date_published_rfc2822": "Wed, 29 Jul 2026 11:46:26 +0300", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "111", "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": false, "links_required": [], "og_images": [] } }, { "id": "110", "url": "https:\/\/karelia.business\/all\/decentralized-finance-protocols-surviving-2022-disruptions-close-amid-capital-shifts\/", "title": "Decentralized Finance Protocols Surviving 2022 Disruptions Close Amid Capital Shifts", "content_html": "
Several decentralized finance projects that endured the 2022 market disruptions have ceased operations in 2026. Dashboard Zapper announced its shutdown after nearly seven years. Bitcoin-focused platform Botanix, Solana portfolio tracker Step Finance, analytics platform Parsec and decentralized exchange aggregator Odos Protocol have also wound down or are in the process of doing so. Overall, 101 cryptocurrency projects have been classified as inactive so far this year, with decentralized finance accounting for more than half.<\/p>\n
Concentration across tracked decentralized finance protocols has declined since 2024. Dominant platforms in major sectors, including decentralized exchanges, lending and perpetuals, each hold a smaller share of locked capital than two years earlier. On-chain activity has moved toward adjacent applications rather than exiting the ecosystem. Fee generation across on-chain activity has remained elevated even as viability for classic decentralized finance protocols has contracted.<\/p>\n
The number of decentralized finance applications generating at least $1 million in monthly fees rose to approximately 33 or 34 in mid-to-late 2025 before declining to roughly 25 or 26 in the first half of 2026. The count of those producing more than $10 million in monthly fees roughly halved over the same interval. Revenue and fees provide a clearer measure of economic activity than total value locked, which primarily tracks liquidity.<\/p>\n
Investor preferences have grown more selective. Capital now prioritizes sustainable yield, established track records and curation rather than short-term token incentives. Institutional capital in particular favors platforms with proven distribution over those relying primarily on incentives. Early projects once benefited from first-mover status in a smaller competitive field; thousands of protocols now compete for the same users and liquidity.<\/p>\n
Fewer development teams are attempting to replicate core infrastructure protocols. Investment has shifted toward embedding existing infrastructure into broader platforms. Lending protocol Morpho raised $175 million to advance institutional on-chain lending. Agentic decentralized finance startup Alpaca raised $135 million to develop infrastructure for artificial intelligence-powered financial applications. Future expansion is expected to center on distribution through fintechs, wallets, exchanges, banks and platforms that incorporate established decentralized finance systems without reconstructing them. New experimentation continues in tokenized assets, stablecoins and related areas.<\/p>\n", "summary": "Several decentralized finance projects that endured the 2022 market disruptions have ceased operations in 2026", "date_published": "2026-07-29T11:43:42+03:00", "date_modified": "2026-07-29T11:43:40+03:00", "tags": [], "_date_published_rfc2822": "Wed, 29 Jul 2026 11:43:42 +0300", "_rss_guid_is_permalink": "false", "_rss_guid": "110", "_e2_data": { "is_favourite": false, "links_required": [], "og_images": [] } } ], "_e2_version": 4199, "_e2_ua_string": "Aegea 11.5 (v4199)" }