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Former FBI Supervisor Pleads Guilty in $1M Crypto Theft Case

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Crypto Breaking News

A former supervisory FBI agent, Patrick Steven Yaroch, has been charged after prosecutors said he used internal agency systems to obtain credentials for cryptocurrency wallets linked to an adversarial country and then routed funds to his own accounts. The case, detailed in a U.S. federal court filing, highlights how quickly sensitive access credentials can become a direct vector for financial theft in the crypto era.

According to the filing referenced in court documents, Yaroch admitted to 10 unauthorized transfers carried out between late 2024 and early 2025, involving an estimated total of about $1 million in digital assets. Prosecutors said some of the stolen funds were deposited into Suilend to generate yield.

Key takeaways

  • Prosecutors allege Yaroch used FBI internal systems to obtain wallet credentials tied to an adversarial country.
  • Yaroch admitted to 10 unauthorized crypto transfers between late 2024 and early 2025, totaling roughly $1 million.
  • Authorities reportedly recovered devices, seed phrases, and a Trezor wallet used to access accounts on Suilend and on the Kraken exchange.
  • Roughly $925,000 was transferred to government-controlled wallets with Yaroch’s cooperation.
  • The filing also describes Yaroch using ChatGPT for investment-related advice in May, underscoring the role of opportunistic decision-making amid ongoing access misuse.

Unauthorized wallet access and yield strategy

The court filing says Yaroch’s actions centered on obtaining the ability to access cryptocurrency wallets associated with an adversarial state and using those credentials to move funds to his own crypto wallets. The alleged scheme did not stop at transferring assets—prosecutors say he also placed at least some of the proceeds into Suilend to earn yield.

By admitting to the transfers, Yaroch effectively confirmed that the conduct was not limited to a one-time theft. The admissions, which prosecutors characterize as a sequence of unauthorized moves spanning several months, indicate he maintained control long enough to interact with decentralized finance infrastructure rather than simply cashing out immediately.

The court documents also describe that after Yaroch self-reported the incident, he was placed on administrative leave, later terminated, and then arrested within days.

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How investigators say the scheme was executed

Authorities reportedly retrieved multiple items from Yaroch’s Virginia residence, including devices, seed phrases, and a Trezor wallet. Prosecutors said these materials were used to access accounts on Suilend and a crypto exchange, Kraken.

In the course of the case, investigators moved roughly $925,000 in funds into government-controlled wallets with Yaroch’s cooperation. That figure is important for investors and builders to understand: when access to wallet infrastructure and recovery material exists, the “blast radius” can be quickly reduced if authorities can act fast and gain control of the relevant custody or recovery pathways.

While the filing provides the core mechanics of access and recovery, it also implicitly underscores a broader risk for crypto systems: credential theft can be as damaging as direct hacking. If internal credentials are compromised—whether by insiders or those who obtain privileged access—the attacker’s path to funds can be short and highly efficient.

ChatGPT appears in the timeline

Prosecutors say that in May, Yaroch used ChatGPT for advice after posing a scenario about having “a million dollars” and asking how to invest or spend to maximize profit and return. The filing attributes a specific response to ChatGPT about “building a slower-living vineyard/agricultural lifestyle in places like Cilento or Portugal’s Dão region.”

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Even though the exchange itself is not a prosecution theory of how the theft occurred, its inclusion in the court filing paints a picture of decision-making during a period when Yaroch had already—or soon after—secured access to assets he could control. For readers, the key takeaway is not the AI recommendation; it is the fact that illicit access can coexist with attempts to rationalize next steps using whatever tools are available.

A pattern of agent-linked crypto theft

This case adds to a small but notable series of prosecutions in which federal officials and agents are accused of misusing crypto access for personal gain.

Earlier, in 2015, former DEA special agent Carl M. Force diverted about $700,000 in Bitcoin before pleading guilty and receiving a six-and-a-half-year prison sentence, according to a DOJ statement referenced in the coverage. That case was linked to the investigation involving the dark net marketplace Silk Road.

The DOJ similarly reported that former U.S. Secret Service special agent Shaun W. Bridges stole about $350,000 in BTC in 2015, then pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six years in prison. Like the Force case, it was tied to the Silk Road investigation.

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In this context, the Yaroch matter appears less like an isolated “crypto crime” and more like a recurrence of a specific vulnerability: when law-enforcement-linked access overlaps with crypto custody mechanisms—wallets, seeds, exchange accounts, and yield platforms—there is an opportunity for misuse that can be difficult to detect until after damage is done.

Earlier coverage from Cointelegraph highlighted “fake police raid” tactics connected to a $1M Bitcoin transfer, illustrating how both insider and external coercion routes have been used to move large crypto balances. Taken together, these stories suggest that crypto theft continues to evolve along two parallel tracks: technical attacks and social/credential abuse, sometimes involving high-access individuals.

What to watch next

With the alleged transfers spanning late 2024 through early 2025 and authorities already moving a large portion of funds into government control, the immediate focus will likely shift to how the court evaluates Yaroch’s admissions, the role of credential misuse, and the extent of any additional assets or counterparties involved. For crypto market participants, the practical lesson remains clear: insider credential access and wallet recovery material can convert administrative or investigative power into direct custody of funds, making rapid investigation and wallet-level response essential.

Risk & affiliate notice: Crypto assets are volatile and capital is at risk. This article may contain affiliate links. Read full disclosure

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Dinari brings tokenized U.S. stocks to American investors as equity race heats up

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Tokenized stocks market (RWA.xyz)

Tokenized equities firm Dinari is bringing its blockchain-based U.S. stock offering to eligible domestic investors, marking an expansion of the custodial tokenization model into the U.S. market.

The company said Tuesday that investors can buy and sell 724 tokenized U.S. stocks, including every company in the S&P 500, using Circle’s USDC stablecoin through self-custody wallets. The stock tokens are available across Ethereum, Arbitrum, Base and Avalanche, with support for Solana and Sei coming “soon,” the firm said.

The offering runs through Dinari’s regulated broker-dealer and transfer agent infrastructure and launches with partners including Circle (CRCL), Stripe-owned Privy, Para and Monaco.

The move comes as tokenized equities emerge as the next battleground in real-world assets. After tokenized U.S. Treasury funds became the first major institutional use case, firms are increasingly turning to public equities, betting blockchain technology can modernize trading, settlement and shareholder recordkeeping. Citi projects tokenized securities could grow into a $5.5 trillion market by 2030.

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Tokenized stocks market (RWA.xyz)

Competing tokenization models

The space is also splitting into competing models. Robinhood (HOOD) and Kraken parent Payward have expanded tokenized stock offerings outside the U.S. using offshore structures that mirror publicly traded shares.

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BitGo’s WBTC move pushes LayerZero-to-Chainlink tally near $15 billion

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Crypto custodian BitGo a potential acquisition target for Wall Street, analysts say

Crypto infrastructure firm BitGo (BTGO) is set to replace LayerZero with Chainlink as the exclusive cross-chain provider for wrapped bitcoin (WBTC). The move pushes the value covered by announced LayerZero-to-Chainlink migrations to nearly $15 billion.

The move forms part of a migration wave that started following the $292 million exploit of Kelp DAO’s LayerZero-powered bridge earlier this year, which increased scrutiny of LayerZero bridge configurations. Various other projects, including Mantle, Kelp, Lombard, Solv Protocol, Virtuals, Re and Kraken have since announced moves to Chainlink’s CCIP.

WBTC is a tokenized representation of bitcoin designed to track its value. Unlike native bitcoin, it can be used in decentralized finance applications on other blockchains for trading, lending and collateral.

WBTC currently has a market capitalization of about $7.4 billion, according to CoinMarketCap. Adding it to the $7.24 billion covered by earlier migration announcements takes the total funds moving their cross-chain infrastructure to CCIP to roughly $14.6 billion.

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BitGo said it will standardize WBTC deployments using Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Token standard and use CCIP by default for future assets it issues.

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Texas power-grid moratorium is unlikely to curb BTC mining

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Crypto Breaking News

Texas is moving to scrutinize and potentially slow the expansion of data centers connected to the state’s power grid, a policy shift that could reshape near-term opportunities for some Bitcoin mining operators—but not necessarily disrupt miners with already-approved power arrangements.

On Monday, Governor Greg Abbott directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to audit data center projects seeking grid interconnection, according to the governor’s office and reporting from The Texas Tribune. The audit’s duration was not specified, but the move comes as public concern grows about the pace of data center build-out in the state.

Key takeaways

  • Abbott ordered an ERCOT and PUCT audit of data center interconnection efforts, with the audit timeline left open.
  • Bernstein analysts said most Texas Bitcoin miners are likely insulated because many already hold contracts for approved electric capacity.
  • The policy may cool “speculative” data center pipeline activity, potentially increasing the relative value of miners with longer-running infrastructure and community presence.
  • Bernstein flagged CleanSpark, Cipher Digital, and Core Scientific as potentially more exposed if future grid-expansion approvals face additional political resistance.

Abbott’s data center audit targets grid connections

The directive issued by Governor Abbott calls for an audit of data centers looking to connect to Texas’s electric grid system. The Public Utility Commission of Texas and ERCOT are the entities tasked with carrying out the review, the governor’s office said. The Texas Tribune reported that the audit follows mounting public backlash related to the speed and scale of data center development across the state.

For the Bitcoin mining industry, the practical question is how much the audit and any resulting moratorium-like effect could delay new interconnection capacity, or complicate the path from pre-development plans to fully grid-connected power.

Why Bernstein expects limited disruption to existing mining contracts

In a note to clients Tuesday, Bernstein analysts said Bitcoin miners operating in Texas are not expected to be materially impacted by the audit and associated approval constraints because most are already covered by agreements for electric capacity that has been approved.

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Bernstein’s research team, led by Gautam Chhugani, also argued that even if day-to-day mining operations are largely protected, the audit could still change the investment landscape. The analysts wrote that the process “throttles” the speculative data center pipeline while making “genuine sites with development history more valuable.”

That framing matters because mining economics are highly sensitive to power availability and timing. A pipeline slowdown can increase the scarcity value of projects that already have progress, permitting, and power-related approvals—especially when future grid connection steps become politicized.

Miners Bernstein says may face higher exposure to public opposition

While Bernstein described many existing operations as insulated, it highlighted particular miners it believes could be more affected if political resistance intensifies during ERCOT’s process for converting pipeline assets into grid-connected power capacity.

According to Bernstein, the local operations of Cipher Digital, Core Scientific, and CleanSpark could face the most exposure to future public opposition—particularly in scenarios where ERCOT’s approval path becomes slower or more difficult for projects attempting to turn pipeline capacity into grid-connected power.

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Bernstein pointed to the idea that as new moratoriums or state directives reduce fresh capacity entering the approval pipeline, the value of already approved megawatts (MWs) can rise. In that context, the analysts cited IREN as a notable example, stating that its operations are fully ERCOT grid approved. Riot Platforms was also mentioned by Bernstein as having operations that are already ERCOT grid approved.

In other words, the distinction Bernstein emphasized is less about whether mining can continue today, and more about which companies have the most defensible position when approvals are contested and interconnection capacity becomes harder to secure for new or expanding projects.

Investor reaction and company updates as the policy shift lands

The market response to Bernstein’s framing appears to be playing out in trading. Shares of Cipher Digital were down more than 7% in Tuesday’s premarket trading, based on Yahoo Finance data.

Separately, Cipher Digital reported second-quarter 2026 business updates earlier Tuesday, according to the company’s investor communications. In that update, the miner reported a loss of $0.65 per diluted share, widening from a loss of $0.12 per diluted share in the prior year period. While those results are not directly tied to Texas’s grid audit in the coverage, they provide additional context for why investors may be scrutinizing mining operators’ paths to capacity and operational resilience.

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What to watch next in Texas’s grid approval process

With Abbott’s directive now in motion, the key variable for investors and operators will be what the audit changes in ERCOT and PUCT decision-making—especially around timelines and the approvals required to move from pipeline plans to grid-connected power. As public pressure remains a live factor in Texas, companies dependent on future capacity expansion may be more exposed than those already secured under approved electric capacity contracts.

Risk & affiliate notice: Crypto assets are volatile and capital is at risk. This article may contain affiliate links. Read full disclosure

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The US-Japan yen intervention poses fresh liquidity concerns as bond yields spike

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The US-Japan yen intervention poses fresh liquidity concerns as bond yields spike

Joint currency interventions in the yen by Japan and the US could ultimately benefit Bitcoin and risk assets. 

Key points:

  • The first joint intervention in the yen between Japan and the US since the late 1990s could set a precedent for future moves.
  • A liquidity crisis tied to the yen carry trade poses questions for Bitcoin (BTC) and risk assets as the two countries attempt a juggling act to stabilize the currency without impairing US Treasury markets.
  • Japanese two-year bond yields rose above 1.57% on Monday.

Bessent signals new era of US yen involvement

Washington’s growing coordination with the Bank of Japan (BoJ) points to a potential boost in global dollar liquidity — even as it runs up against a yen carry trade unwind that could squeeze liquidity if it deepens further.

Last week, the US and Japan conducted a rare joint intervention to prop up the yen, which had slid to 40-year lows of 164 per dollar — the first of its kind since 1998. The New York Federal Reserve Bank sold euros, rather than dollars, on behalf of the US Treasury. The sales involved the Exchange Stabilization Fund, or ESF, a stockpile of foreign exchange reserves.

USD/JPY one-day chart for Tuesday. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

Subsequently, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent publicly placed emphasis on meeting with BoJ Governor Kazuo Ueda at the forthcoming G20 gathering of finance ministers in North Carolina at the end of August.

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“Japan’s economy continues to perform well under Prime Minister Takaichi, Governor Ueda, and the Bank of Japan Board, which has demonstrated a strong commitment to monetary and financial stability. We continue to enjoy a strong relationship and close coordination,” he said.

The BoJ is one of the few central banks with access to the Federal Reserve’s Foreign and International Monetary Authorities (FIMA) repo facility, which allows access to dollar liquidity without selling US Treasuries. Japan, as the largest holder of Treasuries, could push up yields should sales accelerate, which would in turn increase borrowing costs for the US government, corporations and consumers alike.

In a subsequent post, Bessent drew attention to FIMA, calling for the facility to be expanded.

“The FIMA Repo Facility is an important backstop. We would encourage it to be upsized in the coming months. We strongly support Japan’s decisive market and monetary steps to correct the substantial undervaluation of the yen,” he continued.

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FIMA use sees the Fed provide dollars to foreign institutions, which use Treasurys as collateral, with the result that the facility is positive for dollar liquidity, as it increases the supply of dollars outside the US.  

Bitcoin may rise from the yen carry trade’s ashes

Reactions to the move were mixed, with economist Mohamed El-Erian noting that the US government was now bound into coordination with the BoJ going forward.

“Washington has now signed onto a strategy whose ultimate success doesn’t rest in its own hands. Instead, as discussed in previous posts, it hinges on a comprehensive policy alignment in Tokyo among the Bank of Japan, the Ministry of Finance, and the Prime Minister’s Office,” he said.

In Bitcoin circles, too, there were misgivings about the long-term implications of ongoing yen interventions — even if these inadvertently boosted the BTC bull case. Expectations have long anticipated the disintegration of the yen carry trade as the BoJ shifts away from past decades of low interest rates. 

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This outcome is being spurred on by other aspects of Japan’s own domestic fiscal policy. High government spending has helped government bond yields hit multi-decade highs, and this in turn makes yen funding mechanisms less attractive.

Japan two-year bonds, one-day chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

Japanese two-year bond yields rose above 1.57% on Monday, a signal that low-interest-rate conditions were coming to an end in advance of market expectations. Japanese investors repatriating capital to take advantage of this sea change in the domestic economy adds to the risk of the carry trade unwinding further.

Magazine: Here’s why the CLARITY Act’s ethics deal may be so hard to reach

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Sorry Everyone, but Bitcoin is Headed Down to $43,500: Michael Terpin

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Sorry Everyone, but Bitcoin is Headed Down to $43,500: Michael Terpin

Bitcoin may have already erased half of its market cap, but veteran crypto investor Michael Terpin says the asset still has further to fall before hitting rock bottom.

“We still have more pain to go,” Terpin tells Cointelegraph on the Trade Secrets show. Terpin believes that Bitcoin will ultimately fall “66%” from its October 2025 all-time high of $126,100. “I think that brings us down into the 40s, and I think that’s about where we’re gonna go,” Terpin says. 

To be precise, a 66% drop from the ATH would see Bitcoin changing hands for $43,500, a price the asset has not seen since early February 2024. The 68-year-old investor, often referred to as the “Godfather of Crypto,” has seen Bitcoin plunge enough times to know what a true bottom feels like. 

The ‘defining hallmarks’ of a Bitcoin bottom

Terpin doesn’t think markets have seen true capitulation yet. “One of the defining hallmarks of the bottom is that it doesn’t pop back,” Terpin says.

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Michael Terpin spoke to Cointelegraph on the Trade Secrets show. Source: Cointelegraph

Terpin points out that greed is invariably why most traders fail to time market cycles correctly. He points to Bitcoin’s previous cycle top in November 2021, when the asset reached around $69,000 before entering an extended consolidation period. “You had quite a bit of time to get out over $60,000. But then everybody thought it was going to $100,000,” Terpin says, “remember the laser eyes?”

Terpin wasn’t confident back then that Bitcoin would reach $100,000. “I thought there was a possibility it could go to a hundred, but I thought the sweet spot was going to be eighty-five. And it obviously underperformed that because of all the bad macro,” Terpin says.

“We’ve had two cycles in a row now with bad macro. And you would have expected good macro from Trump, but the tariffs, and some of the other things that allowed a lot of manipulation,” Terpin says.

Bitcoin ultimately reached $100,000 in December 2024, just a month after Donald Trump won the US presidential election.

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Terpin worked with Ethereum in its early stages

Terpin was an early investor in the crypto industry and is the founder and CEO of blockchain advisory firm Transform Ventures. 

Through his company, he worked with several projects during their early development stages that went on to become major names in the industry, including Ethereum, Tether, and WAX. He was also an advisor to Mastercoin, the world’s first initial coin offering (ICO) in 2013. It later became known as Omni Layer.

Terpin claims he was the first crypto investor to relocate to Puerto Rico, which is known for its crypto-friendly tax policies. Since moving, he has also invested in and helped fund several startups based on the island. 

Michael Terpin says four-year cycle is not over

He is convinced that Bitcoin is still following its traditional four-year cycle, despite the industry debate in 2025 that institutional adoption and the launch of spot ETFs may have changed the market’s usual boom-and-bust pattern.

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Bitcoin is up 1.67% over the past 30 days. Source: CoinMarketCap

“I think we’re still following the halvings. This whole argument that, you know, we’re only going up from here because institutions don’t sell is garbage, right? Institutions absolutely sell.”

Terpin is also cautious about companies built around Bitcoin exposure, including Strategy and its executive chairman Michael Saylor’s aggressive Bitcoin accumulation strategy.

Buying Strategy stock or Bitcoin?

While acknowledging Saylor’s success, Terpin says investors should understand the risks of investing in a corporate structure rather than owning the underlying asset.

“I mean historically, you’ve done better if you buy Strategy at the bottom and then sell it at the top than if you buy the Bitcoin,” Terpin says. “Whether he’s [Michael Saylor] able to keep that going, and you know, he avoided being wrecked in 2022 when he was actually underwater with his Bitcoin.” But Terpin would personally “rather bet on Bitcoin than a single company.”

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And indeed, investors looking for a low maintenance approach should also bet on Bitcoin rather than chasing altcoins, which require far more active management.

“You only have to look at your portfolio like a couple times during the four-year cycle,” Terpin says.

“When we’re getting near the bottom, see if it’s time to buy. And when we’re getting near the top, see when it’s time to sell. And the rest of the time you can just be on the golf course. Whereas with altcoins, you gotta be, you gotta be on it,” Terpin says.

Cointelegraph publishes long-form journalism, analysis and narrative reporting produced by Cointelegraph’s in-house editorial team with subject-matter expertise. All articles are edited and reviewed by Cointelegraph editors in line with our editorial standards. Some articles contain affiliate links, from which Cointelegraph may earn a commission. These relationships do not influence which products we review or our editorial conclusions. Content published in here does not constitute financial, legal or investment advice. Readers should conduct their own research and consult qualified professionals where appropriate. Cointelegraph maintains full editorial independence.

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Why There’s a Shortage of Chemotherapy Drugs

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Why There's a Shortage of Chemotherapy Drugs

A lot of ingredients for all kinds of drugs come from China and India, says Christian, who has spearheaded the development of a supply-chain monitoring tool for the U.S. Pharmacopeia. He has found that 41% of drugs’ key starting materials are made solely in China, meaning that the health of people around the world relies on Chinese companies continuing to make and provide those ingredients. 

What’s the way forward?

At the moment, hospitals “are heavily incentivized to find any drug that is the cheapest upfront cost,” says Christian. “But there’s no real mechanism for hospitals to pay more to ensure greater resilience.” As the shortages prove, these drugs aren’t products where market dynamics lead to a consistent, reliable manufacturing system. “They should be cheap and high-quality,” says Scholtes. “They are essential.” 

Generic drugs in general should be like water coming from the tap, he says. It’s a model that inspired a group of U.S. health systems to start a non-profit, U.S.-based drug manufacturer in 2018, which Scholtes, who co-authored a paper about it, calls a “health care utility.” The company, called Civica, is based in Petersburg, Va. and capable of manufacturing a small handful of generic drugs in a U.S. facility and ensuring consistent supply at a sustainable cost. But currently, Civica only produces certain medications—not including chemotherapy drugs. Few companies have similar models and missions, but one, called Phlow Pharmaceuticals, was founded in 2020 to produce active ingredients for drugs in the U.S. in order to mitigate reliance on overseas sources.

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AAVE holds above $90 as protocol deposits rise, but retail demand weakens

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AAVE holds above $90 as protocol deposits rise, but retail demand weakens

Key takeaways

  • AAVE is holding above its 50-day EMA at $90.80 as its near-term recovery continues.
  • Deposits in Aave V3 on Monad increased by more than $500 million over the past month.
  • Aave V4 deposits reached a record high above $350 million.

Aave (AAVE) is extending its mild recovery on Tuesday, trading above the 50-day Exponential Moving Average at $90.80.

The recovery comes amid increased adoption of Aave’s lending protocols. Aave V3’s deployment on the Monad Layer 1 blockchain attracted more than $500 million in deposits over the past month, alongside more than $215 million in active loans.

Despite the rise in protocol activity, weak derivatives data and bearish momentum indicators continue to cloud AAVE’s price outlook.

Aave V4 deposits reach record high

Deposits in Aave V4 have surpassed $350 million, establishing a new record after increasing by more than $100 million over the past 30 days.

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The growth suggests rising adoption and may be partly driven by an attractive USDC borrowing offer. Holders of cbBTC, WBTC, WETH and wstETH can reportedly access a borrowing rate of negative 0.2%.

The increase in deposits across Aave V3 on Monad and Aave V4 highlights growing use of the protocol, even as demand for the AAVE token remains subdued among retail traders.

AAVE is losing momentum in the derivatives market despite the growth in protocol deposits.

Futures open interest declined by more than 6% over the previous 24 hours to $302.15 million, according to CoinGlass. The drop reflects a contraction in the value of outstanding futures contracts and suggests traders are reducing their exposure.

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AAVE’s funding rate also fell below zero to negative 0.0046%. Negative funding indicates a bearish tilt, with short-position holders paying traders holding long positions.

Meanwhile, the 24-hour long-to-short ratio declined to 0.9372, showing that active short positions outnumber longs and reinforcing the cautious market outlook.

AAVE technical outlook: Could the price fall to $70?

AAVE is hovering above $90 at the time of writing on Tuesday, maintaining a mildly constructive near-term position above its 50-day EMA at $90.80.

However, the token remains well below its 200-day EMA at $112.75, suggesting that its broader recovery potential remains limited.

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The Moving Average Convergence Divergence indicator continues to decline below its signal line, reflecting persistent bearish momentum.

The Relative Strength Index stands near 49 and is trending lower while AAVE’s price forms a modest upward trend. This bearish divergence suggests that buying momentum is weakening despite the recent price recovery.

AAVE/USD 4H Chart

The 50-day EMA at $90.80 is the key immediate support level. A decisive daily close below this moving average could accelerate selling pressure and trigger a roughly 20% decline toward the June 18 low of $70.65.

The psychological $100 level represents AAVE’s first major resistance. This area sits close to the May 10 high of $103.51, creating a broader resistance zone between $100 and $103.51.

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A sustained break above this region would strengthen the bullish case and could allow AAVE to target the 200-day EMA at $112.75.

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Former FBI Supervisor Charged in $1M Crypto Theft

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Former FBI Supervisor Charged in $1M Crypto Theft

Former FBI supervisory agent Patrick Steven Yaroch was charged with using internal systems to obtain credentials for cryptocurrency wallets linked to an adversarial country, which he used to transfer funds to his own crypto wallets.

Yaroch admitted to 10 unauthorized transfers between late 2024 and early 2025 that involved an estimated total of $1 million in digital assets, some of which he deposited into Suilend to earn yield, according to a Saturday US Federal court filing.

After self-reporting the incident, Yaroch was placed on administrative leave last Wednesday, terminated and then arrested on Friday. Agents retrieved devices, seed phrases and a Trezor wallet from his Virginia residence to access his accounts on Suilend and crypto exchange Kraken. With his cooperation, they transferred roughly $925,000 in funds to government-controlled wallets.

In May, Yaroch used ChatGPT for advice.

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“If I had a million dollars, how would you suggest investing it/spending it to maximize profit and return,” he wrote in the AI prompt, according to the court filing. ChatGPT suggested “building a slower-living vineyard/agricultural lifestyle in places like Cilento or Portugal’s Dão region.”

Yaroch is the latest case of crypto theft involving a federal agent. In 2015, former DEA special agent Carl M. Force diverted about $700,000 in Bitcoin before pleading guilty and being sentenced to six and a half years in prison.

Former US Secret Service special agent Shaun W. Bridges stole about $350,000 in BTC back in 2015 before pleading guilty and facing a sentence of six years in prison. Both cases were tied to the investigation into dark net marketplace Silk Road.

Magazine: Inside the ‘fake police raid’ that forced a $1M Bitcoin transfer

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Jim Cramer to Sell Bitcoin as Quantum Fears Persist While BTC Rises 1.6%

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Crypto Breaking News

Bitcoin has found itself at the center of a new wave of quantum-computing anxiety after Jim Cramer said he plans to sell his holdings. Speaking on a Friday episode of CNBC’s “Mad Money,” the former hedge fund manager pointed to remarks made the day before by IBM CEO Arvind Krishna, who suggested investors should treat quantum risk as something to be “paranoid” about within the next few years.

Cramer’s comments arrive as market conditions also appear to be softening. While Bitcoin traded above $63,500 at the time of the report—up 1.7% on Tuesday—it remained down roughly 27% year-to-date, according to TradingView data. At the same time, blockchain and exchange liquidity indicators cited in the report pointed to reduced activity and increased selling behavior among large holders.

Key takeaways

  • Jim Cramer said he plans to sell all his Bitcoin, citing concerns about quantum computing risks raised by IBM CEO Arvind Krishna.
  • Blockchain analytics referenced by Lookonchain show at least one large Bitcoin wallet moved roughly 16,400 BTC after a period of inactivity.
  • Crypto liquidity signals cited from Kaiko data suggest spot trading activity on leading exchanges fell to about $15 billion last week—lowest levels of 2026 in the referenced dataset.
  • Industry views remain split on when practical quantum threats to Bitcoin could materialize, with timelines ranging from “decades” to “3–5 years.”

Cramer turns quantum fears into a concrete portfolio decision

In his Friday “Mad Money” segment, Cramer said: “I’m going to sell mine [Bitcoin],” directly tying his decision to quantum computing concerns. The impetus was an earlier conversation with IBM CEO Arvind Krishna, who told Cramer to be “paranoid” about the potential threat quantum computing poses to cryptocurrencies over the next three to four years.

The significance for investors is less about whether Cramer personally controls market outcomes and more about how mainstream commentary can sharpen attention on long-term security assumptions. Quantum computing is widely discussed in crypto circles because it could, in theory, undermine certain cryptographic protections if the necessary computational capability becomes feasible.

Still, not all investors interpret quantum talk the same way. The report notes that some market participants leaned into the “inverse Cramer” meme—an investment philosophy that effectively bets against Cramer’s calls—suggesting that certain traders may view Cramer’s bearish stance as a contrarian signal rather than a risk indicator.

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Large-holder activity surfaces as exchange liquidity cools

Separate from Cramer’s remarks, the report highlights whale wallet movement alongside weakening trading activity. According to blockchain analytics platform Lookonchain, a whale wallet labeled bc1qpt transferred its entire Bitcoin holdings of 16,400 BTC—worth about $1 billion—into a new address after seven months of inactivity.

Lookonchain’s report of the transfer was paired with a liquidity reference from crypto intelligence platform Kaiko, as shared by The Kobeissi Letter. The cited metric claims that daily cryptocurrency trading activity across the leading 44 spot exchanges fell to about $15 billion last week, described as the lowest level of 2026 in that dataset.

In a Tuesday X post, The Kobeissi Letter characterized the move as part of a broader liquidity contraction, stating it represented a roughly 70% decline from January peak levels and that “crypto market liquidity is drying up.”

For traders, the pairing matters: a wallet moving substantial funds after a long idle period can reflect many possibilities—risk management, restructuring, or trading plans—but when it coincides with lower liquidity, it can heighten sensitivity to price moves. Liquidity tends to influence how easily large orders can be absorbed without significant slippage.

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Quantum timelines remain contested—what “risk” actually means

While Cramer focused on a near-term window (three to four years, based on Krishna’s remarks), the report underscores that the broader industry is not aligned on when quantum capabilities could become practically relevant for Bitcoin.

In November 2025, Blockstream CEO Adam Back reportedly said Bitcoin faces no meaningful quantum threat for at least the next 20 to 40 years. That perspective suggests a long runway for preparation, implying that immediate panic is likely unwarranted.

By contrast, the report cites an April report from Bernstein that argues Bitcoin could have roughly three to five years to prepare for a post-quantum security upgrade. That timeline compresses the decision window for developers and infrastructure operators and would support the idea that planning should not be deferred.

Adding another layer, the report includes an assessment from Bitget Wallet research analyst Lacie Zhang, who told Cointelegraph that Back’s view is “more accurate and measured,” and that practical quantum threats capable of breaking Bitcoin’s cryptography remain highly unlikely within the next decade.

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What remains uncertain across all viewpoints is the translation from “theoretical vulnerability” to “real-world break.” Even when the cryptographic risk is discussed in terms of quantum computing, the market relevance depends on when systems capable of executing the necessary computations will be available, stable, and accessible at a scale that meaningfully threatens the security assumptions behind Bitcoin.

Why this story matters beyond headlines

Even if the exact timeline is disputed, the combination of high-profile mainstream comments and ongoing technical debate may increase investor attention on how Bitcoin and the wider ecosystem plan for a post-quantum world. The report references earlier coverage about Bitcoin’s quantum upgrade path and notes that discussions in the sector have already moved toward considering upgrade mechanisms, including what changes could be made and what would not.

For market participants, the immediate takeaway is twofold. First, quantum talk can influence sentiment even when implementation details are years away, so traders may watch for whether additional infrastructure or policy discussion emerges. Second, the liquidity backdrop described in the report suggests that even routine flows—like large wallet moves—could be more noticeable if trading depth continues to decline.

Going forward, investors should watch for updates that connect the debate to concrete milestones: technical proposals and timelines for post-quantum readiness, as well as whether exchange liquidity stabilizes or continues to drift lower alongside large-holder activity.

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Tether Gold reserves rise 9.5% as gold posts worst quarter in 13 years

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Tether Gold reserves rise 9.5% as gold posts worst quarter in 13 years

Tether Gold reserves rise 9.5% as gold posts worst quarter in 13 years

XAUt added to its bullion backing during gold’s worst quarter since 2013, as tokenized commodity holder counts continued to rise.

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