Crypto World
Art on Tezos turns Cannes into a live testbed for digital culture
Art on Tezos is no longer a niche experiment; at TezDev 2026 in Cannes, it felt like a working model of where digital culture is going next.
Summary
- At TezDev 2026 in Cannes, “Art on Tezos” staged an immersive, projection-mapped environment that framed on-chain work as a living model for digital culture.
- Speakers highlighted how Tezos lowers costs and barriers so artists from Kurdistan, Africa and South America can build sustainable practices and even escape repression.
- Trilitech’s planned Tezos-powered exhibition at HEK Basel signals that on-chain art is moving deeper into museum ecosystems, compressing photography’s century-long legitimation curve.
TezDev 2026 in Cannes shows how Tezos art has evolved from NFTs into global, politically charged and increasingly institutional grade digital culture and infrastructure.
Hosted at the Hôtel Martinez on March 30, “Art on Tezos: The future of digital creativity” unfolded as an immersive environment rather than a standard panel. Projection‑mapped works wrapped the room in moving images while a conversation between artists, curators, and ecosystem builders traced how on‑chain art has evolved from early NFTs into complex generative systems and responsive installations.
For curator and art advisor Brian Beccafico, Tezos’ real innovation is who it brings into the conversation. Drawing on his work with marketplaces like Objkt, he stressed that on Tezos “you get to meet a lot of artists coming from places that usually just don’t have access to the broader art markets… artists from Africa… South East Asia, South America,” a sharp contrast with a global art economy where “pretty much 70 percent of global value auctioned… is auctioned in New York.” Lower costs and open tooling translate into economic reality: “even if you’re selling artwork for 100 bucks a piece… in a country where the average income is 300 bucks a month, that’s… sustainable for an artist.”
Aleksandra Art, Head of Arts at Trilitech, placed this shift in a longer media history that runs from early photography to Instagram and now blockchain. She reminded the audience that photography itself was once dismissed—“wait, photography is art? What? Like, no, it’s just a picture”—before fairs, critics, and collectors built a new ecosystem around it. The same dynamic is now playing out in digital art: “we had Instagram launch and all of a sudden there are Instagram artists… that don’t need gallery representation,” and blockchains plus marketplaces extend that logic by “creating these networks that congregate people who are passionate about it.” For her, the crucial break is that digital work “doesn’t have to be a confined gallery space… it can be a vertical screen, horizontal screen, HTML, site specific work,” accessible globally “at any point of time” with “similar experiences for different people.”
Beccafico pushed the political edge of this transformation. He recalled exhibitions where artists from Kurdistan “used crypto to flee terrorism, to flee ISIS during the war in Syria,” arguing that cypherpunk ideals still matter: “being able to free yourself from state‑owned currency, state‑owned control, and censorship is still very much a reality in today’s art world.” The result is a scene in which artists from Iraq, Turkey, South America, and beyond are no longer at the margins but, in his words, “the future of both crypto and the future of the art world.”
Alongside Aleksandra and Beccafico, the session’s participants—Vinciane Jones (Art Partner Manager, Trilitech), artists Patrick Tresset and Georg Eckmayr, and others—situated Tezos inside a broader genealogy of systems‑driven practices, from algorithmic drawing to AI‑assisted installations, now made verifiable and tradable on‑chain. Their discussion aligned with the wider TezDev 2026 program, which underscored how protocol upgrades like Tezos X and faster Etherlink confirmations are intended to support richer real‑time art and gaming experiences, not just finance.
Trilitech signaled that TezDev’s immersive exhibition is not a one‑off but part of a longer institutional arc. The team previously announced plans for a forthcoming Tezos‑powered show at HEK (Haus der Elektronischen Künste) in Basel, curated by the established duo Dr. Alfredo Cramerotti and Auronda Scalera, known for pioneering projects at Art Dubai Digital and other major venues that connect blockchain, NFTs, and critical media art. Their involvement points to a future in which on‑chain practices move even further into museum contexts, bringing Beccafico’s emerging‑market artists and Aleksandra’s “fluid,” screen‑native works into dialogue with decades of digital and conceptual experimentation.
If photography’s journey from “just a picture” to museum cornerstone took a century, Tezos (TEZ) artists are compressing that curve into a few intense years, using blockchains not only as markets but as infrastructure for new forms of authorship, community, and survival.
Crude oil rose to over $100 a barrel while Bitcoin fell 2% after a national address by US President Donald Trump on the conflict in Iran, where he vowed to hit Iran “extremely hard” over the next few weeks.
Speaking at the White House on Wednesday during an address to the nation, Trump said the US military is “very close” to finishing “Operation Epic Fury,” claiming to have wiped out Iran’s nuclear and naval capabilities while also significantly hampering its drones, missiles and weapon factories.
“I can say tonight that we are on track to complete all of America’s military objectives shortly. Very shortly, we are going to hit them extremely hard over the next 2 to 3 weeks.”
Stocks, crude oil, and crypto prices have been impacted by conflict in the Middle East over the last few months. Oil prices eased on Tuesday after Trump said the war would be wrapping up in the next few weeks, though his latest speech has seen it rise again.
At the time of writing, the price of crude oil has spiked back above $100 per barrel to $103.59. Meanwhile, Bitcoin dipped by around 1% over the course of the speech and has since fallen further to $66,904, down 2% since the start of the speech.
However, Trump also said discussions are ongoing. Both sides have made key demands for ending the conflict, with the US pushing for Iran to dismantle its nuclear programs, open up commercial shipping channels and stop regional support for proxy groups.
Iran wants a permanent end to the war, compensation for damages and an end to US military presence in the region, among other demands.
“The new group is less radical and much more reasonable. Yet, if during this period of time no deal is made, we have our eyes on key targets.”
Trump says oil blockade will end soon
Conflict in the Middle East intensified in February after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran. This ultimately saw Iran respond by leading a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz in a bid to cut oil supply on one of the world’s busiest shipping channels.
Related: Who is Kevin Warsh? Trump’s Fed pick wants ‘regime change’ at central bank
The president claimed that the stock market will pick back up soon as the conflict begins to wind down, while gas prices will drop as he argued that Iran will remove the blockade “naturally” so that it can start rebuilding the economy.
“And in any event, when this conflict is over, the strait will open up naturally. It’ll just open up naturally. They’re going to want to be able to sell oil because that’s all they have to try and rebuild. It will resume flowing and the gas prices will rapidly come back down. Stock prices will rapidly go back up,” he said.
Taiwan should reconsider adopting Bitcoin as a reserve asset to hedge against global turmoil and the risk of war, according to a research fellow at the Bitcoin Policy Institute.
In a report on Tuesday, Jacob Langenkamp said that should China pursue reunification with Taiwan by military force, either through a blockade or full invasion, Bitcoin (BTC) would be the only reserve asset that would remain fully accessible and spendable.
“Uniquely for Taiwan, Bitcoin provides geopolitical resilience: in a PRC blockade or invasion, gold is stranded or seized and USD reserves face potential restrictions, but Bitcoin remains fully accessible without physical transport,” he added.
Nation-states have begun to explore the idea of launching strategic Bitcoin reserves, seen as a bullish signal for Bitcoin.
Last year, Taiwan’s central bank sought to investigate establishing a national Bitcoin reserve. However, the bank ruled it out in December, citing volatility, liquidity and custody concerns and instead identified the US dollar as a safer alternative.
US currency debasement is a risk to Taiwan: Langenkamp
Taiwan is heavily exposed to the risks of US dollar debasement, Langenkamp said, because its central bank reserves are at least 80% in USD-denominated assets, as is most of its trade.
Growing US debt, Federal Reserve monetary expansion, a potential AI market downturn and declining semiconductor revenues could also accelerate dollar debasement, he said.
“Bitcoin can couple with gold to offer that hedge against USD debasement. It can provide another opportunity for the CBC to adopt a reserve asset before its peers and benefit the people of Taiwan with the subsequent price appreciation,” Langenkamp added.
“It can offer geopolitical insurance against scenarios that hopefully do not come to pass. It can open new methods of trade with less friction. Bitcoin can provide Taiwan with a great measure of monetary resilience.”
Related: US Bitcoin reserve still has no plan to stack sats
Langenkamp also argued that the CBC’s concerns about Bitcoin’s liquidity and volatility are valid, but contended that both issues will diminish as the asset matures and gains adoption among nations.
“The CBC’s concerns are valid but addressable with institutional expertise on custody, liquidity, and volatility,” he added.
Taiwan has at least 210 Bitcoin
Despite ruling out a Bitcoin reserve for now, the CBC committed to testing the technology further in a digital asset sandbox using the crypto the country already holds.
Taiwanese lawmaker Ko Ju-Chun revealed on X last year that the country’s Ministry of Justice holds 210 Bitcoin, worth $14 million, confiscated during criminal investigations.
BitBo doesn’t list Taiwan in its country reserve rankings; its disclosed holdings would make it the seventh-largest national Bitcoin holder, behind El Salvador but ahead of Finland.
AI-powered Bitcoin treasury and education company Genius Group revealed on Tuesday that it sold the remainder of its Bitcoin in Q1 to pay off debt, adding to a recent wave of companies offloading assets amid a crypto bear market.
“The company will recommence building its Bitcoin Treasury when it believes market conditions are more favorable,” it stated.
The move appears to go against its “Bitcoin first” strategy, which it touted in November 2024, vowing at the time to commit 90% or more of its current and future reserves to be held in Bitcoin.
Genius Group held 84 BTC worth around $5.7 million as of March 2026, but holdings have declined since April 2025, around the time it was temporarily barred by a US court from expanding its Bitcoin treasury. It resumed buying in June of that year.
The recent announcement came as Genius Group reported strong results in Q1, with revenue up 171% year-on-year to $3.3 million and gross profit up 228% to $2 million. The company swung from a $500,000 operating loss in Q1 2025 to a $2.7 million net profit in Q1 2026.
Bitcoin treasuries liquidating in 2026
Genius Group is not the only Bitcoin-related company to offload assets in recent months.
MARA Holdings sold 15,133 BTC for around $1.1 billion in March, dropping its treasury to 38,689 BTC and down to the third largest corporate Bitcoin treasury, behind Twenty One Capital.
The proceeds were used to repurchase approximately $1 billion of convertible senior notes and the remainder for general corporate purposes.
Related: Bhutan offloads another $37M in Bitcoin as sovereign wallet shrinks
Meanwhile, mining company Bitdeer liquidated its entire stash of 943 BTC and sold newly mined coins, cutting corporate holdings to zero in February.
Other notable recent sales include Bitcoin miner Cango Inc., which sold 4,451 BTC, and AI tech firm GD Culture Group, confirming authorization of the sale of some of its 7,500 BTC treasury in February.
Stalwart Strategy keeps on buying
Michael Saylor’s Strategy, the world’s largest corporate Bitcoin treasury, has bucked the trend and has continued buying Bitcoin, dominating purchases this year.
“Strip out Strategy, and the rest of the ecosystem’s buying pace has collapsed,” reported BTC mining analytics outlet BitcoinMiningStock in March.
The firm’s last purchase was 1,031 BTC on March 23, and it has accumulated 89,581 BTC worth around $6.1 billion at current market prices so far this year, according to the Saylor Tracker.
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US-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs ended the first quarter of 2026 in negative territory. March did see a return of inflows, but that came only after two straight months of steady withdrawals.
Summary
- US spot Bitcoin ETFs ended Q1 2026 with about $500 million in net outflows, as early-quarter redemptions outweighed March inflows of $1.32 billion.
- Ether ETFs saw $769 million in quarterly outflows, while Solana funds attracted $213 million.
Figures from SoSoValue show that the funds added $1.32 billion in March and ended a dry spell that had lasted since October 2025.
Yet the inflows were not enough to offset the heavy redemptions that occurred in January, when $1.61 billion was pulled from the funds. Subsequently, February saw further withdrawals of $207 million, leaving the quarter with roughly $500 million in net outflows.
Outflows picked up pace as Bitcoin fell by more than 22% over the quarter, extending losses after a 23% drop in the final quarter of 2025. Consecutive declines across two quarters added pressure on investor positioning and fund flows.
Investor sentiment remained fragile even as capital returned in March. Readings from the Crypto Fear & Greed Index stayed under 20 for most of the month, a range tied to “Extreme Fear.”
Even under those conditions, ETF inflows picked up toward the end of the quarter. Some analysts link that resilience to continued institutional participation, despite uncertainty tied to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
However, trading activity slowed, with spot Bitcoin ETF volumes falling to around $79 billion in March, compared with $93 billion in February and $87 billion in January. By the end of the quarter, cumulative inflows into the segment reached close to $56 billion, while total assets under management stood near $87.5 billion.
Spot Ether ETFs recorded the largest quarterly losses among altcoins at about $769 million. These products have recorded three consecutive months of outflows after closing March with $46 million in net withdrawals.
XRP ETFs also recorded outflows in March with roughly $31 million exiting the funds. Earlier inflows kept the quarterly figure positive, with net additions of roughly $43 million.
Meanwhile, Solana ETFs brought in a combined $213 million over the quarter. Since their launch in October 2025, they have yet to post a month of net outflows.
The CFTC has fined Peken Global Limited – the KuCoin operating entity – $500,000 and issued a permanent injunction barring the exchange from serving U.S. traders, closing a civil enforcement loop that began with a March 2024 complaint against the platform for running an unregistered futures commission merchant and swap execution facility.
The order mandates active blocking of U.S. user access, not merely a policy update – KuCoin must implement technical controls to prevent American traders from opening accounts or accessing derivatives products.
That requirement, paired with the $297 million the exchange already forfeited under a January 2025 DOJ guilty plea, makes this one of the most consequential offshore exchange enforcement sequences in CFTC history.
- Penalty Amount: $500,000 civil fine levied against Peken Global Limited by the CFTC
- Restriction Scope: Permanent injunction barring KuCoin from onboarding or serving U.S. traders across spot and derivatives products
- Prior Resolution: $297 million in penalties and forfeitures under January 2025 DOJ guilty plea; 1.5 million registered U.S. users generated at least $184.5 million in fees
- Precedent Signal: CFTC isolated liability to Peken Global; claims against Mek Global, PhoenixFin, and Flashdot were dismissed in the final order
What the CFTC Order Actually Requires – and What the $500K Kucoin Charge Covers
The CFTC’s civil complaint, filed March 26, 2024, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, charged KuCoin’s operators with violating the Commodity Exchange Act across a four-year window – July 2019 to June 2023 – by operating as an unregistered futures commission merchant and swap execution facility without the required CFTC registration.
The complaint also alleged sham KYC procedures: KuCoin publicly claimed U.S. users couldn’t access the platform while simultaneously allowing them through via VPN with no IP-level restrictions in place.
The final order isolates the $500,000 civil monetary penalty to Peken Global Limited – the entity the CFTC determined held primary operational liability. Claims against affiliated entities Mek Global Limited, PhoenixFin PTE Ltd., and Flashdot Limited were dismissed.
That distinction matters: the CFTC is not pursuing a blanket penalty across the corporate structure but targeting the specific operator responsible for U.S.-facing derivatives access.
CFTC Enforcement Director Ian McGinley framed the issue directly: “For too long, some offshore crypto exchanges have followed a now-familiar playbook by offering derivative products and falsely claiming people in the United States cannot use their platforms.” The $500,000 fine covers the civil derivatives violations – it is separate from, and much smaller than, the $297 million resolved through the parallel DOJ criminal track.
Discover: Best Crypto Exchanges for Active Traders in 2026
What U.S. Traders Actually Lose – and How This Compares
The injunction covers the full scope of KuCoin’s U.S.-facing access – derivatives trading, account creation, and ongoing service to existing American accounts.
KuCoin had roughly 1.5 million registered U.S. users before its partial July 2023 KYC rollout, which itself was triggered by knowledge of the federal probe and excluded millions of existing users. Those accounts are now subject to forced exit under the permanent bar.
The products at stake are not marginal. KuCoin offered leveraged perpetual futures and margin trading – the same derivatives categories that put BitMEX and, later, Binance in the CFTC’s crosshairs.
For active traders who relied on KuCoin for offshore derivatives access, the injunction closes that channel permanently, not provisionally. There is no compliance pathway back to U.S. market access under this order.
The practical consequence is straightforward: U.S. traders holding open positions or balances on KuCoin need to treat this as a wind-down event, not a temporary disruption.
The broader question – whether centralized exchange platforms serving U.S. users can sustain their market share amid accelerating enforcement – is now sharper than ever.
Discover: Top Crypto Presales to Watch Before They Launch
The post KuCoin Ordered to Block US Traders and Pay $500,000 CFTC Penalty appeared first on Cryptonews.
President Donald Trump delivered his first prime-time address on the Iran war on Wednesday night. He told the nation that “core strategic objectives are nearing completion.” He then promised to escalate.
Oil was falling when Trump started talking. It was up 5% by the time he stopped — and that tells the whole story.
Markets Expected Peace. They Got ‘Stone Ages.’
“We are going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks,” Trump said. “We’re going to bring them back to the Stone Ages, where they belong.”
The speech lasted 19 minutes. It contained no new information, no timeline to end the war, and no plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Markets had spent two days rallying on hopes that Trump would announce an off-ramp. Instead, he promised more bombs.
Brent crude surged 5% to above $106 per barrel. West Texas Intermediate jumped 4.1% to $104. The S&P 500 futures fell 1.1%. European futures dropped 1.5%. Gold lost 1.4% to $4,691 per ounce. Silver fell 3%. The 10-year Treasury yield climbed to 4.36%.
Bitcoin dropped from an intraday high of $69,135 to $66,818, a 3.3% decline. Ethereum fell 2.8% to $2,084. The entire two-day relief rally in crypto evaporated in a single evening.
Asia took the hardest hit. South Korea’s KOSPI fell 3.5%, the worst performer in the region. Japan’s Nikkei lost 1.8%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dropped about 1%.
‘Just Take It’ — Trump Tells Allies to Secure Hormuz
Trump said the Strait of Hormuz would “open up naturally” once the war ends. He urged oil-importing nations to “build some delayed courage” and secure the waterway themselves. He did not explain how or when that might happen.
Hours earlier, at a White House Easter lunch, Trump was more blunt. He said the US could “just take their oil,” but added that Americans lack “the patience” for it. He also named South Korea, Japan, and China directly, telling each to step up on Hormuz.
That message landed hard in Seoul. The KOSPI’s 3.5% decline reflected both energy import vulnerability and the shock of being singled out by the US president.
Trump also dropped his April 6 deadline threat to bomb Iran’s power grid. He made no mention of NATO, ground troops, or ongoing negotiations. The absence of specifics was itself a signal. Investors had hoped for clarity. They received ambiguity.
Iran Holds Firm, Toll Booth Stays Open
Iran showed no interest in backing down. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said there are no direct negotiations with Washington and that Tehran’s trust in the US stands at zero. President Masoud Pezeshkian posted an open letter in English asking Americans which of their interests this war truly serves.
Meanwhile, Iran’s parliament continues working on legislation to make its Hormuz toll system permanent. The IRGC already charges vessels up to $2 million per transit, settled in stablecoins or Chinese yuan. If codified into law, this regime would outlast any ceasefire.
That is the gap the market is now pricing in. Trump says the strait will open naturally. Iran is building a toll booth designed to last forever. Oil traders, bond traders, and crypto traders all reached the same conclusion Wednesday night: this war is not ending soon.
The post Trump’s ‘Stone Ages’ Threat Sends Bitcoin Below $67K appeared first on BeInCrypto.
Hyperliquid price is close to confirming multiple bullish patterns as futures traders show increased interest in the token.
Summary
- Hyperliquid price has risen up 22% over the past month, supported by rising open interest and increased futures market activity.
- Growth in commodity perpetuals and event-based contracts, alongside rising trading volumes, has boosted token demand through increased burn mechanisms.
- Technical setup shows a bullish flag and a potential golden cross, with upside targets near $44, while a drop below $34.8 could invalidate the bullish outlook.
According to data from crypto.news, Hyperliquid (HYPE) price was trading at $36.9, up 22% over the past month and 78% higher than its year-to-date low.
Hyperliquid price rallied as it witnessed a massive surge in real-world asset trading volumes.
Notably, following the implementation of HIP-3, which expanded the protocol capabilities, investors can now trade decentralized perpetual contracts on commodities like gold, silver, and crude oil.
Amidst escalating tensions in the Middle East, a massive jump in volume was observed in Hyperliquid’s 24/7 crude oil perpetuals, which topped $1 billion in a single day in March.
Unlike traditional markets, Hyperliquid provides round-the-clock access to its commodity markets, making it a pressure valve for macro traders amidst geopolitical events that often unfold over the weekend.
Furthermore, the project’s expansion into prediction markets from its introduction of event-based contracts has added another layer of utility and attracted fresh participants who can now trade on the outcome of real-world events natively alongside their futures positions.
In the last 24 hours, open interest on Hyperliquid hit over $1.61 billion. A surge in open interest suggests more active participation from traders and is a sign that the current trend has significant backing.
The HYPE token has also benefited from increased trading volumes. Trading volumes on the platform have hit a record high of over $2.4 billion.
As Hyperliquid’s Assistance Fund uses up to 97% of protocol fees to buy back and burn HYPE tokens, the latest surge has significantly increased the burn rate of tokens and hence has helped drive the asset price higher through deflationary pressure.
On the daily chart, Hyperliquid price has formed a bullish flag pattern after a steep vertical move known as a pole, followed by a brief period of consolidation. A bullish flag is one of the most well-known bullish continuation patterns in technical analysis.
It is also close to confirming a golden cross, which occurs when the 50-day SMA crosses over the 200-day SMA. Traders view such pattern confirmations as a major signal of long-term trend reversal and sustained buying momentum.
Hence, if a golden cross is confirmed, Hyperliquid price would likely confirm the bullish flag pattern, which would propel it toward the upside of $44, the highest point of the flag formation. A breakout above it could set the stage for a push toward new all-time highs.
On the contrary, if Hyperliquid price drops below the 200-day SMA at $34.8, the bullish thesis would be invalidated and could lead to further downside.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
Li Xiong, a key member of a group that allegedly helped crypto scam rings in Asia to move money, has been extradited from Cambodia to China, where he will face fraud and money laundering charges, according to Hong Kong-based news outlet Ta Kung Wen Wei.
“On April 1, with strong support from the relevant authorities in Cambodia, a task force sent by China’s Ministry of Public Security successfully escorted Li Xiong, a core key member of the Chen Zhi criminal syndicate, back to China from Phnom Penh, Cambodia,” it said on Wednesday, citing a statement from China’s Ministry of Public Security on WeChat.
Xiong previously served as chairman of Huione Group, an alleged criminal organization that served scam centers in Cambodia that carried out “pig butchering” scams and other investment schemes to steal crypto from victims around the world.
Huione Group was responsible for one of the largest illicit online marketplaces in the world, handling over $89 billion in cryptoassets.
His extradition comes three months after the arrest of Chen Zhi, the head of Prince Group, which operates Huione Group. In October, it was reported that the US Department of Justice seized 127,271 Bitcoin (BTC) worth more than $15 billion from Zhi.
Related: Hong Kong retiree loses $840K in triple ‘crypto expert’ scam
The US Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network directed US banks to cut payments and accounts tied to the Huione Group in October.
Authorities ask other Huione members to surrender
Ta Kung Wen Wei noted that several other members of Zhi’s criminal syndicate have been brought to justice “one after another,” citing comments from Chinese public officials.
“Public security authorities will continue to intensify efforts to capture fugitives,” it said, adding:
“At the same time, they once again warn criminals to recognize the situation, stop before it is too late, surrender as soon as possible, and strive for lenient treatment.”
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The United States Department of Justice has brought charges against 10 individuals for allegedly manipulating digital asset prices through so-called “pump-and-dump” schemes.
Summary
- The US Department of Justice charged 10 individuals linked to four crypto market making firms for alleged pump and dump schemes dating back to 2018.
- Prosecutors said the group inflated trading volumes through wash trading and coordinated transactions before selling assets to unsuspecting investors at higher prices.
- Three of the defendants were extradited from Singapore to the US.
In a Tuesday press release, federal prosecutors alleged that the defendants conspired to artificially inflate trading volumes and cryptocurrency prices before selling to unwitting investors at inflated valuations. The case centers on four market maker firms, Gotbit, Vortex, Antier, and Contrarian, with the incident dating back to 2018.
The cases have unfolded over the years, with the first phase emerging in October 2024, followed by the Gotbit-related indictment filed in March 2025, subsequently expanding with a Vortex case in August 2025 and further charges tied to Contrarian and Antier in September 2025.
Three defendants, including Vortex CEO Gleb Gora, Contrarian CEO Manu Singh, and Contrarian employee Vasu Sharma, have been arrested in Singapore and extradited to the United States, where they appeared in federal court on Monday.
The indictments claim that the defendants employed tactics including wash trading, matched orders, and other prearranged transactions to generate fake volume and support token prices, creating the illusion of genuine market demand.
“These so-called pump-and-dump schemes caused losses to investors in the United States and elsewhere,” prosecutors said. The release noted that authorities have seized more than $1 million in cryptocurrency.
Gotbit founder Aleksei Andriunin had already pleaded guilty in 2025 and agreed to forfeit approximately $23 million in crypto assets as part of a plea deal.
The DOJ has previously brought related charges against CLS Global through an FBI undercover operation, which used a bureau-created token to expose alleged market manipulation services.
Crypto World
Whales quietly switched to ConfluxCapital’s automated quantitative trading robot platform to avoid losses, and earn $19,700 daily
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
Bitcoin and Ethereum rebound sparks risk hedging as investors turn to ConfluxCapital’s AI-driven trading robots for stable daily returns.
Summary
- Bitcoin and Ethereum rebound temporarily, but minor gains often precede sharp drops, raising risk for retail investors.
- Traders are turning to AI-powered platforms like ConfluxCapital to hedge losses and earn stable daily returns.
- ConfluxCapital’s quantitative trading robots profit through automated long and short strategies, independent of market direction.
In the past 48 hours, Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) prices have seen a slight rebound, with BTC regaining the $68,000 mark and ETH briefly rising above $2,100. For inexperienced retail investors, this might seem like a “buy the dip” signal. However, on-chain data and historical price movements reveal another unsettling fact: such temporary, minor rises are often the prelude to a sharp drop.
Faced with this market signal, an increasing number of cryptocurrency holders are taking action — not by adding to their positions, but by turning to AI-powered quantitative trading robot platforms like Conflux Capital to hedge risks and mitigate losses through automated strategies, achieving a stable daily income of $19,700.
A new hedging option: ConfluxCapital quantitative trading robot
The greatest hedging value of quantitative robots lies in their independence from market rallies. Through both long and short positions, even when the market enters a deep downtrend, the system can continue to profit through short-selling strategies.
ConfluxCapital registration guide
Step 1: Register an Account
New users receive a $20 welcome bonus upon registration.
Daily logins also earn an additional $0.80 login bonus.
Step 2: Choose a strategy package
Choose a suitable quantitative strategy package based on budget and investment goals. The platform offers a variety of options.
Strategy Name
unit price
Days
Total Revenue
Starter Strategy
$100
2 days
$100+$6
Basic Strategy
$600
5 days
$600+$45
Advanced Strategies
$5,000
15 days
$5,000+$1,215
Elite Strategy
$25,000
25 days
$25,000+$11,250
Quantum Strategy
$90,000
20 days
$90,000+$36,000
Infinite Strategy
$200,000
25 days
$200,000+$110,000
Earnings will be automatically credited to an account the day after a strategy is purchased. When the account balance reaches $100, it can be withdrawn to a cryptocurrency wallet or continue purchasing strategies to earn more earnings.
ConfluxCapital advantages:
- Receive an instant $20 bonus upon registration. Automated operation: After purchasing a strategy package, earnings are automatically credited to an account the next day, with no need to monitor the market.
- Flexible withdrawals: Withdrawals to a crypto wallet are available once an account balance reaches $100, or reinvest for even more returns.
- Top-tier security: Dual security protection with McAfee® and Cloudflare® ensures assets are safe.
- Globally trusted: Recognized by over 3 million users in 195+ countries and regions.
- Multi-currency support: Supports settlement in major digital assets such as XRP, DOGE, SOL, BTC, ETH, LTC, USDC, USDT, BNB, and BCH.
- Zero extra fees: No hidden fees, transparent and worry-free.
Investor Stories: From passive attack to proactive risk aversion
An investor who wished to remain anonymous shared her experience in a community forum:
“During the mid-March market crash, I lost nearly 30%. At the time, I stubbornly held on, thinking it would eventually recover. But the market continued to fall, and I lost even more. Later, a friend recommended ConfluxCapital’s quantitative trading robot. I transferred 50,000 USDT and selected the advanced strategy. Now, I wake up every day to find profits in my account, even when the market is falling; my account value is actually increasing. This feeling is completely different from before—no longer ‘being led by the market,’ but letting the machine make money for me.”
Another seasoned investor holding BTC and ETH also stated:
“Before, when a bear market came, I could only tough it out or painfully cut my losses. Now, with quantitative tools, it’s like having an extra hedging tool. I keep my core positions unchanged, use a portion of my funds to run the quantitative strategy, and use the profits to buy more at lower prices. This way, I don’t miss out on gains while hedging against the risk of further declines.”
Conclusion
When market signals point to risk, the wise choice is not to “bet on the direction,” but to find an investment tool that can weather bull and bear markets and is independent of market direction. ConfluxCapital AI Quantitative Trading Robot is precisely such a tool — it doesn’t predict the market, but rather uses algorithms to capture predictable returns in every market fluctuation.
For more information, visit the official website and download the application.
Disclosure: This content is provided by a third party. Neither crypto.news nor the author of this article endorses any product mentioned on this page. Users should conduct their own research before taking any action related to the company.
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