“This week we have seen some large blocks in BTC topside call spreads,” Jean-David Péquignot, chief commercial officer at Deribit, told CoinDesk.

Options flow of this size and repetition often reflects institutional positioning rather than retail activity, given the capital required and the precision of the strike selection.

The timing is notable for two reasons. First, it suggests confidence in bitcoin’s recent bounce to $64,000 from under $58,000 earlier this month. More importantly, the trade targets the July 31 settlement, two days after the Federal Reserve’s July 29 interest rate decision. The call spread flow suggests that at least some large traders expect the meeting to serve as a catalyst for a move toward $72,000.

Fed funds futures currently point to a hold at the July meeting, with most trackers putting the probability of the central bank keeping its benchmark rate unchanged at 3.5%-3.75% in the 75%-80% range. The remaining odds are split between a rate hike and, to a lesser extent, a cut.

Rate-hike fears have ebbed following June inflation data, which showed a sharp deceleration in price pressures at both the consumer and producer levels. Much of the relief traces to a sharp pullback in oil prices during the month, tied to a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran; core inflation, which strips out food and energy, was flat.

On December 1–2, 2026, in Dubai, alongside Blockchain Life 2026 — one of the world’s largest events for Web3, crypto, mining, and AI — the all-new AI Future Forum takes the stage.

Expect visionary founders, global investors, breakthrough AI projects, robotics, and the technologies that will shape the next decade of the digital economy.

With 15,000+ attendees from 130+ countries and 200+ industry-leading speakers, the AI Future Forum is set to become the world’s premier destination where AI, Web3, and crypto leaders come together to shape what’s next.

What awaits participants?

🔹 A full week of live networking with key players from around the world: 2 days of the forum, hundreds of side events, exclusive meetings, and the Formula 1 Grand Prix Final.

🔹 200+ top speakers: leading AI experts, founders of technology companies, investors, representatives of top AI startups, and leaders of the digital industry. The focus will be on the practical application of AI, its integration with crypto and business, and the technologies shaping the new digital economy.

🔹 A large-scale expo zone: 200+ leading companies in robotics, AI development, Web3 projects, and the most progressive startups.

🔹 The legendary AfterParty at one of Dubai’s top clubs with a globally known headline artist.

🔹 Startup Pitch – an opportunity to present your project to the international community and attract attention from investors and funds.

🎟️ One ticket. Two world-class events.

Exclusive limited offer! AI Future Forum ticket includes full access to Blockchain Life 2026.

🔥 Get 10% off with promo code WEB3DIGITAL before the prices go up: 

https://ai-future.com/ 

On Wednesday, DTCC completed its first live production trades involving tokenized securities, marking a major step toward bringing blockchain technology into traditional financial markets.

Broadridge’s findings suggest those efforts are influencing the broader industry. Sixty-eight percent of respondents said tokenization will at least partially reshape financial markets within the next three to five years, while nearly one-third plan to increase investment in tokenization projects by 26% to 50% or more over the next two years.

The survey also found firms are not preparing for an all-onchain future. Instead, 92% expect digital and traditional assets to coexist for the foreseeable future, and 69% plan to integrate tokenization into existing infrastructure rather than build separate blockchain-native systems.

That mirrors the approach taken by many large financial institutions, which have generally focused on connecting blockchain networks to existing trading, custody and settlement systems instead of replacing them.

Adoption remains uneven across the industry. Forty-four percent of capital markets firms said they already have tokenization initiatives in production or operating at scale, compared with 20% of asset managers and 9% of wealth managers.

The survey also pointed to where firms expect tokenization to gain traction first. About 80% of respondents believe tokenized mutual funds and money market funds will play a meaningful role within five years, reflecting the rapid growth of tokenized Treasury products. By comparison, only about half expect tokenized equities to achieve similar adoption over that period.

Cybersecurity researchers are flagging a fresh wave of malware tactics aimed at people who hold, build, and advise on crypto-related software. Kaspersky, for instance, says it has discovered a new malware framework—dubbed OkoBot—that targets cryptocurrency investors by combining social engineering with data theft capabilities.

At the same time, SlowMist warns of a separate intrusion campaign that targets Web3 developers through seemingly legitimate recruitment messaging on LinkedIn, pushing victims to run poisoned code hosted on GitHub. Together, the incidents underscore how attackers are increasingly using everyday work routines—interviews, code trials, and app installs—as delivery mechanisms for malware.

Key takeaways

• OkoBot is designed to steal crypto-related data by harvesting wallet files, browser information, credentials, and injected browser or extension activity.
• Kaspersky says it has observed multiple OkoBot-linked attacks since January 2026, and that the framework evolved from an earlier campaign called TookPS.
• OkoBot’s infrastructure reportedly routes all payload delivery through an SSH tunnel, enabling remote data transport to attacker-controlled systems.
• SlowMist reports LinkedIn-based “recruiter” scams that deliver malicious GitHub repositories disguised as technical interview tasks for Web3 developers.
• The recruitment workflow mirrors legitimate developer interviews closely enough to lower suspicion, increasing the chance victims will run the malicious code.

OkoBot targets crypto holders through wallet and browser theft

In a report released this week, Kaspersky described OkoBot as a malware framework that kickstarts an infection chain using social engineering and “malicious app” delivery tactics. According to Kaspersky, the initial entry includes tricks such as ClickFix, which aims to persuade users to execute harmful commands, as well as trojanized GitHub applications that can introduce a backdoor to a compromised device.

Once a system is under attacker control, Kaspersky says OkoBot is capable of collecting sensitive information that is directly relevant to crypto ownership. The company reports that the malware can:

• Harvest cryptocurrency wallet files.
• Extract browser data and user credentials.
• Inject malicious extensions.
• Capture wallet application windows, potentially enabling theft through on-screen or session-related data.

Kaspersky also stated that it identified multiple attacks using this malware family since January 2026. For investors, the practical concern is not only that wallets could be accessed, but also that browser activity and stored authentication data can be used to move faster toward account takeovers or transfer operations.

How the infrastructure works: payload orchestration via SSH

A notable detail in Kaspersky’s analysis is that OkoBot allegedly differs from prior campaigns by how it manages its malicious payloads. Kaspersky said the framework orchestrates all 20 malicious payloads via an SSH tunnel, which supports remote transport of data from compromised computers to systems controlled by attackers.

That matters because it points to an operational model where the attacker retains strong control over follow-on stages after initial compromise. Instead of relying solely on static behavior, a tunneled architecture can help attackers adapt to victims and collect information more reliably, depending on what the malware finds on each host.

Kaspersky also described OkoBot as an evolution of TookPS, a malware campaign first identified in 2025 that distributed a Trojan downloader through fake software websites. By evolving from an earlier delivery approach and adding more coordinated payload handling, the OkoBot framework appears positioned to increase both infection success and post-compromise effectiveness.

LinkedIn recruitment scams push Web3 devs into running poisoned repositories

Separate research from SlowMist focuses on a different target set: Web3 developers. In a report published on Saturday, the firm said attackers are reaching developers through LinkedIn messages that impersonate Web3 recruiters.

SlowMist’s description of the workflow suggests attackers are deliberately choosing a high-trust, familiar entry point. After initial contact, victims are sent what appear to be fake GitHub repositories, framed as a “minimum viable product” that the developer should install and try before an interview.

The technique is effective, SlowMist argues, because it resembles a real technical interview process. The report notes that a legitimate developer workflow often involves pulling code, installing dependencies, and launching a project—steps victims naturally perform while preparing for an interview. In that environment, malicious code can be less obvious, especially if the victim does not expect a security risk from a repository “connected” to a recruiting conversation.

What attackers aim to steal from developer systems

SlowMist said the end goal is to deliver a complete remote access trojan to the victim’s device. Once established, the malware could enable attackers to steal sensitive materials associated with development and operations, including project keys, cloud credentials, or data tied to wallet extensions.

SlowMist also emphasized that the recruitment approach is part of a broader pattern: attackers are increasingly leveraging scenarios such as recruitment, code reviews, and project collaborations to trick developers into running malicious repositories. In other words, this is not only about deception, but also about timing—waiting for the moment a developer is likely to execute code as part of normal work.

Importantly, this LinkedIn-focused warning came after SlowMist reported another campaign targeting macOS users. That earlier effort, as SlowMist described it, aimed to steal credentials and hijack Telegram sessions in order to coerce victims into submitting wallet recovery phrases through fake websites. While the TTPs differ between the campaigns, both point to the same underlying threat: attackers are methodically chaining social engineering and credential theft to ultimately compromise crypto access.

Going forward, both reports suggest readers should watch for more “legitimate-looking” pathways into compromise—especially where code execution is requested via recruiters, interview workflows, or third-party repositories. For investors and developers alike, the immediate question is not only whether malware is present, but whether attackers can leverage everyday trust and authenticated sessions to reach wallet-relevant secrets quickly.

Two separate cybersecurity reports point to a growing trend in crypto-related malware: attackers are no longer relying only on obvious phishing emails. Instead, they are moving closer to the workflows people already use—recruiting pipelines, developer code trials, and wallet-related software behavior.

Kaspersky says it has uncovered a cryptocurrency-targeting malware framework dubbed “OkoBot,” which initiates an infection chain through social engineering, malicious commands, and trojanized GitHub applications. Separately, SlowMist describes a campaign aimed at Web3 developers that starts with fake LinkedIn recruitment offers and ends with poisoned repositories designed to deliver remote access.

Key takeaways

• Kaspersky links the OkoBot framework to wallet theft activity, including harvesting wallet files and capturing browser and credential data.
• OkoBot is designed to steal assets by injecting malicious browser extensions and collecting wallet application windows, Kaspersky reports.
• SlowMist warns that fake “recruitment” messages are being used to trick developers into running malicious GitHub repositories that resemble legitimate interview tasks.
• SlowMist says the campaign’s goal is to deliver a remote access trojan that can exfiltrate project keys and cloud or wallet extension data.
• Both reports emphasize social engineering paths—ClickFix-like tactics or developer-targeted collaboration scenarios—that make the attacks harder to spot.

Kaspersky: OkoBot targets crypto investors through wallet and credential theft

In a report released this week, Kaspersky describes OkoBot as a malware framework built to compromise cryptocurrency investors by chaining together multiple stages of intrusion. The first step is not purely technical; it relies on social engineering methods intended to get victims to act.

According to Kaspersky, initial access can come from tactics such as ClickFix, a technique that aims to trick users into running malicious commands. Alternatively, attackers may deliver similar outcomes by distributing trojanized GitHub apps that include backdoors once installed.

After gaining a foothold, Kaspersky says OkoBot has capabilities specifically relevant to crypto users and their systems. The malware can harvest crypto wallet files, collect browser data and user credentials, and manipulate the victim’s environment by injecting malicious extensions. It also reportedly captures wallet application windows, which can give attackers a more direct path to stolen assets than credential theft alone.

Kaspersky added that it has observed multiple attacks involving the OkoBot malware family since January 2026, suggesting the framework is not a one-off operation but part of an active campaign.

Evolution from TookPS: more orchestration, more reach

Kaspersky also frames OkoBot as an evolution of a prior threat. The company says the malware framework evolved from “TookPS,” a campaign first identified in 2025 that distributed a Trojan downloader via fake software websites. That earlier stage matters because it signals a progression in how attackers deliver and manage malicious payloads: from initial trickery and download into a more structured compromise process.

A distinctive operational detail in Kaspersky’s account is how OkoBot manages its payloads. The report states that it orchestrates all 20 malicious payloads via an SSH tunnel, allowing remote transport of data from infected computers to infrastructure controlled by attackers.

For investors and defenders, this design choice matters because it can complicate incident response. Data exfiltration over an SSH tunnel may blend with normal encrypted traffic patterns, and the multi-payload architecture suggests victims may not see a single obvious “binary” responsible for damage.

SlowMist: fake LinkedIn recruiting and “try before interview” repositories

In a separate report, SlowMist describes another approach to malware delivery: it targets Web3 developers by disguising an attack as recruitment. Rather than sending victims a generic phishing link, attackers reportedly contact developers through LinkedIn while posing as Web3 recruiters.

SlowMist says the attackers follow up with instructions to download and run code from fake GitHub repositories. The bait is framed as a realistic recruitment process: the repository is presented as a “minimum viable product” that the developer should try before the interview, which aligns closely with how technical screenings often work.

The company notes that the workflow looks and feels like a genuine interview assignment: developers are expected to pull code, install dependencies, and launch the project. That resemblance is a key factor in why the attack can be difficult to detect—there may be no obvious sign that a “try it now” task is actually weaponized.

Remote access trojan goals: keys, credentials, and extension data

According to SlowMist, the end goal of the LinkedIn-and-GitHub tactic is to deliver a complete remote access trojan onto the victim’s device. Once installed, SlowMist says attackers can steal sensitive information relevant to Web3 work, including project keys, cloud credentials, or wallet extension data.

SlowMist also emphasizes that this is not an isolated tactic. The report argues that attackers are increasingly exploiting scenarios that encourage developers to run code—such as recruitment tasks, code reviews, and project collaborations—turning normal professional behavior into an infection vector.

It is also notable that SlowMist’s write-up arrives amid a broader pattern of recent warnings. The security firm had also previously cautioned about a separate malware campaign targeting macOS users, designed to steal credentials, hijack Telegram sessions, and ultimately pressure victims into entering wallet recovery phrases via fake websites.

For readers and builders, the common thread across both reports is the same: attackers are calibrating their intrusions to the moments when people are most likely to click “run,” install, or test code—whether that happens after a recruiter message on LinkedIn or after a malicious “app” appears to be a legitimate GitHub tool. The next thing to watch is whether these campaigns expand into more standardized tooling for developers and more automation for account-level compromise, since both Kaspersky and SlowMist describe activity that looks organized and iterative rather than sporadic.