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The acquisition comes at a time the crypto industry is optimistic about more relaxed regulation under U.S. President Donald Trump, who courted crypto donors during the election and promised to support the sector.

Trust Company — a regulated digital asset custodian and infrastructure provider — to improve security of funds on its platform and rebuild user trust. In July 2024, WazirX parent firm Zettai Pte suffered a theft in which over USD 230 million was stolen from its platform. This incident left many users, known as creditors, with substantial financial losses. The collaboration aims to highlight the measures being taken to restore user trust, a company statement said.

USD 230 million crypto heist last year, WazirX is «hopeful» of securing adequate votes from users in favour of its upcoming scheme of arrangement, with founder Nischal Shetty asserting that while being legally binding, the scheme will allow the company a fighting chance to re-build value in «golden era of crypto» market. Shetty told PTI that the company's promise of returning 85 per cent to users «immediately» is a result of nearly USD 450 million reserves it has — the appreciated value of leftover tokens post July 2024, when the hackers stole USD 230 million of digital assets. "...if I can push this (scheme of arrangement) through, I will not rejoice. I and my team are going to work the next three years to bring back value," Shetty said.

market capitalization soaring to $140 billion. The rally comes after Ripple Labs secured regulatory approval from the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) for its RLUSD stablecoin, marking a significant milestone in its cryptocurrency expansion. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse announced the approval on X (formerly Twitter), saying, «We have final approval from @NYDFS for $RLUSD! Exchange and partner listings will be live soon – and reminder: when RLUSD is live, you’ll hear it from @Ripple first.»

VDA regulations in India VDA encompasses various kinds of digital assets. In India, VDA was formally recognised in March 2023, after the Ministry of Finance brought VDA under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). It mandates that all the VDA service providers operating in India should register with the Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.

shares jumped before the open on Thursday after a half-percentage point interest rate cut sparked a flight into risky assets, adding to the momentum of an industry that has already secured some big wins this year. The move could revive interest in bitcoin, the most popular cryptocurrency, which often sways the entire sector as investors chase higher returns and dump safe-havens.

Bitcoin enthusiasts had eagerly waited for the «halving» — a change to the cryptocurrency's underlying technology that happened around 0014 GMT on Saturday and is designed to cut the rate at which new bitcoins are created.

will now permit recognised investment exchanges to launch crypto-backed exchange-traded notes, the latest regulator to pave the way for digital asset trading products. Theses products would be only available for professional investors such as investment firms and credit institutions authorised to operate in financial markets, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said in a statement.

Bitcoin is down about 1.8% for the week as of 2:15 p.m. in New York on Friday. If the trend continues, it will be the first negative week for Bitcoin since its current rally began in late January. Retail investors enthusiastic about the recent approval of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds and the next halving event — which will cut the supply of newly minted Bitcoin in half — have driven up the price of the asset by 25% in recent weeks.

Scammers targeting institutions such as hospitals, schools and government offices for ransom pocketed $1.1 billion last year, compared with $567 million in 2022.

markets like Nasdaq (45%), BSE Sensex (18%), and Gold (12%). Amidst the continuous evolution of blockchain technology and its burgeoning acceptance worldwide, a cohort of digital assets has emerged as frontrunners, poised for significant growth and transformation in 2024. We list the ones that have caught our eye. From layer 2 solutions to decentralized protocols facilitating cross-chain compatibility and gaming ecosystems, these assets showcase diverse opportunities for investors. While we do the crystal gazing, we encourage investors to understand the risks and growth potential associated with each asset and do their independent analysis.

markets from Ankur Banerjee After the fake post comes the real thing. The long-mooted and eagerly anticipated exchange traded funds (ETFs) to track bitcoin got the official go-ahead at last, sending the crypto world into a celebratory mood at what it sees as a game-changer. The 11 applications, including from BlackRock, Ark Investments/21Shares, Fidelity and Invesco, were approved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, with most of the products expected to start trading on Thursday. Estimates of first-year inflows vary widely, from $5 billion to $100 billion. These ETFs grant wider access but whether the famously volatile cryptocurrency is accepted by a bigger investor base remains to be seen.

bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) despite heightened U.S. regulatory scrutiny on the digital asset sector. BlackRock, the world's biggest asset manager, filed last week to launch iShares Bitcoin Trust, an ETF that would have Coinbase Custody as its custodian as well as offer institutional investors exposure to the cyptocurrency. Crypto exchange EDX Markets, backed by investment firms Charles Schwab, Fidelity and Citadel Securities, also announced earlier this week that it will allow trading on some cryptocurrencies. The moves have revived investor interest in cyptocurrencies, which have been in the doldrums after a series of crypto company meltdowns including the sudden collapse of exchange FTX late last year.

Terraform Labs, and one of his aides to four months in prison on charges of using fake passports. Kwon, 32, who was behind cryptocurrencies that suffered a multi-billion dollar crash last year, and his chief financial officer, identified only by his surname Han, were arrested at Podgorica Airport on March 23 after attempting to travel to Dubai with forged passports, reports Yonhap News Agency. The Basic Court in Podgorica announced on its website, it handed four-month prison terms to both. They denied the charges during previous hearings. Earlier this month, the court granted bail to both on the condition that they each pay 400,000 euros ($428,241) in bail money and are placed in confinement under police surveillance.

The Chinese finance hub is racing regulators around the world to lay down ground rules for crypto after high-profile failures like trading platform FTX, which led the United States to crack down on a sector worth more than $1 trillion. China has had a strict crypto ban since 2021, but in Hong Kong — which operates on a separate legal framework — trading has been allowed though unregulated, meaning individual investors resort to unlicensed platforms. The regulatory regime launched Thursday means that after a one-year transition period, all crypto exchanges in Hong Kong must be licensed, and will be able to take on retail clients.

product manager for Coinbase Global Inc and his brother have agreed to settle U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charges related to insider trading of crypto asset securities. The SEC said Ishan Wahi and his brother, Nikhil Wahi, agreed to settle civil charges that they engaged in a scheme to trade ahead of multiple announcements regarding at least nine crypto asset securities that would be made available on Coinbase's platform, the regulator said in a statement. «While the technologies at issue in this case may be new, the conduct is not,» said SEC's enforcement director Gurbir Grewal. A lawyer for Ishan Wahi declined to comment on the settlement. He previously pleaded guilty to related criminal charges that he tipped off his brother Nikhil and a friend with confidential information about digital assets that would be listed on Coinbase, one of the world's largest crypto exchanges.

Binance, the world's largest crypto-currency exchange, were almost A$9,000 lower than prices on rival exchanges on Tuesday, in a sign customers were seeking to exit their positions quickly. The price of the world's biggest cryptocurrency, bitcoin, was at around A$34,000($23,062.20) on Binance Australia, compared with A$43,000 on BTC Markets, an Australia-based cryptocurrency exchange. Bitcoin was quoted at $27,790 outside Australia. Binance did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment.

money laundering laws will apply to trade in cryptocurrencies, the federal government said in a notification dated March 7. The exchange between virtual digital assets and fiat currencies, the exchange between one or more forms of virtual digital assets and the transfer of digital assets will be covered under money laundering laws, the notification said. The safekeeping or administration of virtual digital assets and the participation in financial services related to the offer and sale of virtual digital assets will also be covered, the notification added. India is yet to finalise legislation and regulations surrounding cryptocurrencies even as the country's central bank has cautioned against their use multiple times.