MoonPay and M0 have officially launched PYUSDx, a platform designed to simplify the creation and management of application-specific stablecoins.

PYUSDx leverages PYUSD, the stablecoin developed by PayPal and issued by Paxos Trust Company. The token recently surpassed $4 billion in market capitalization.

PYUSDx promises several key features, including branded stablecoins backed by PYUSD, fast time-to-market, cross-chain compatibility, and transparent reserve reporting. The platform combines M0’s universal stablecoin capabilities with MoonPay’s distribution infrastructure.

“The next phase of stablecoin adoption is happening at the application layer,” said May Zabaneh, SVP & GM of Crypto at PayPal. “Developers want to build differentiated experiences, but they shouldn’t have to rebuild trusted monetary infrastructure from scratch.”

Luca Prosperi, CEO of M0, emphasized the platform’s role in fostering innovation. “Developers of crypto applications have been early adopters of custom stablecoin-backed technology, but they still don’t have a trusted platform they can use to quickly bootstrap solutions,” Prosperi stated. “PYUSDx will allow developers to iterate much more quickly within an interoperable solution and with built-in liquidity.”

The first developer to utilize PYUSDx is USD.ai, which is building an application-specific stablecoin for AI infrastructure.

This article was generated with the assistance of AI workflows.

A senior Axiom staffer allegedly accessed sensitive user data, shared private wallet screenshots, and coordinated targeted trading strategies.

ZachXBT has alleged that an employee at Axiom Exchange abused internal access to sensitive user data.

In a series of posts, the prominent crypto investigator identified the employee as Broox Bauer and claimed he used internal tools at Axiom to look up private wallet information and track user activity for trading purposes beginning in early 2025.

Internal Tools Exploited

Axiom was founded in 2024 by Mist and Cal and later participated in Y Combinator’s Winter 2025 batch. ZachXBT said the platform quickly became one of the most profitable companies in the crypto sector, and generated more than $390 million in revenue to date. He stated that he was retained to independently investigate allegations of misconduct at the firm after receiving reports.

According to the investigator, Broox served as a senior business development employee at Axiom based in New York. In recorded clips from a private group call, Broox allegedly said he could track any Axiom user through referral codes, wallet addresses, or user IDs, and claimed he could “find out anything to do with that person.”

In the same recording, Broox allegedly described initially researching 10 to 20 wallets and gradually increasing that number to avoid drawing suspicion. ZachXBT said Broox also set rules for how others could request user lookups and stated he would send a full list of wallets.

The investigator further claimed that in April 2025, Broox shared a screenshot from an internal Axiom dashboard displaying private wallets belonging to a trader identified as “Jerry.” In August 2025, Broox allegedly shared another image showing registration details and connected wallets for a trader named “Monix.” That same month, he reportedly discussed looking up Axiom users who had traded the meme coin AURA.

According to ZachXBT, members of the group created a Google Sheet compiling wallet addresses for multiple key opinion leader (KOL) targets. The sheet allegedly mapped wallet data obtained through Axiom’s internal dashboard by Broox. Multiple KOLs named in the document or shown in leaked screenshots were contacted and independently confirmed that the wallet information attributed to them was accurate, the on-chain sleuth added.

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One of the targeted traders was identified as Marcell, described as a KOL known for purchasing large portions of meme coin token supplies from private wallets before promoting them to followers. ZachXBT said such traders were considered prime targets because private wallet addresses are rarely public and address reuse is less common, which increases the value of privileged information.

ZachXBT stated that Broox’s main wallet was identified through private chat messages and that related addresses were mapped. However, he said that due to the high volume of meme coin trades, it was difficult to isolate specific high-confidence examples of insider trading without access to Axiom’s internal logs to review trade timing. Funds from related addresses were said to have flowed primarily to several centralized exchange deposit addresses.

The investigator also alleged that Broox discussed plans during a February 2026 recorded call to help a recently hired Axiom moderator, identified as Gowno (Seb), quickly profit $200,000 by abusing access to internal tools. ZachXBT claimed that Broox shared screenshots of exchange balances in private chats to show that the activity had already generated returns.

ZachXBT added that because Broox is based in New York City, the matter could potentially fall within the jurisdiction of the Southern District of New York.

On-Chain Crime Investigations

From linking “Lick” to wallets tied to over $90 million in suspected thefts and US government seizure-related funds, to uncovering a $5-10 billion “Black U” laundering market on Tron allegedly connected to the Lazarus Group, ZachXBT has built a reputation for tracing major crypto crime networks.

He detailed how stolen assets from hacks on platforms like Bybit were funneled through illicit channels, and separately exposed a Canadian scammer accused of stealing over $2 million via Coinbase support impersonation schemes.

PayPal and MoonPay have introduced a new platform that allows developers to create custom stablecoins backed by PayPal’s PYUSD.

In a joint Feb. 27 press release, the companies announced the launch of PYUSDx, a framework developed with M0 to support application-specific stablecoins using PayPal USD as the underlying reserve asset.

PYUSDx is designed to help developers launch branded stablecoins without building complex infrastructure from scratch. The platform allows apps to issue tokens backed by PYUSD, while relying on MoonPay’s distribution and onboarding systems and M0’s token platform.

Building application-level stablecoins

According to the announcement, the number of stablecoins with supplies above $10 million rose by 89% in 2025. The companies said this growth has increased demand for faster and cheaper ways to launch custom digital currencies.

Ivan Soto-Wright, chief executive of MoonPay, said developers need dependable tools to manage stablecoins at the application layer. He added that PYUSDx reduces technical and operational hurdles and shortens the time needed to bring products to market.

Under the structure, the base PYUSD token is issued by Paxos Trust Company, while PYUSDx tokens are issued through MoonPay Digital Assets Limited. The companies stressed that PYUSDx tokens are separate from PayPal’s native stablecoin and are not supported within PayPal or Venmo wallets.

The platform offers cross-chain compatibility, on-chain reserve reporting, and flexible economic models. Additionally, it facilitates quick deployment, allowing developers to go from testing to launch in a matter of days as opposed to months. 

USD.ai has been named as the first developer to use PYUSDx, building an application-focused stablecoin for artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Expanding PayPal’s stablecoin ecosystem

Since its debut in 2023, PayPal has worked to increase the use of PYUSD, and this launch builds on those efforts. Users started earning 3.7% a year on PYUSD balances in April 2025. Stellar and Arbitrum were added to the stablecoin later that year, increasing speed and reducing transaction costs.

May Zabaneh, head of crypto at PayPal, said developers want to create unique financial products without rebuilding core monetary systems. She described PYUSDx as a way to anchor new projects in a regulated and trusted structure.

Luca Prosperi, chief executive of M0, said the platform allows developers to iterate faster while benefiting from built-in liquidity and interoperability.

The companies also noted that regulatory treatment of PYUSDx tokens will vary by region and remains the responsibility of individual issuers. PYUSDx tokens cannot be used for payments or transfers within PayPal or Venmo.

TLDR

• Warner Bros Discovery’s board has labeled Paramount Skydance’s $111bn proposal as “superior” compared to Netflix’s competing offer
• Netflix has withdrawn from the bidding, stating the $31 per share valuation makes the acquisition “no longer financially attractive”
• The Paramount proposal encompasses WBD’s complete portfolio, including HBO, CNN, and iconic franchises like Harry Potter and Batman
• Significant regulatory scrutiny lies ahead, with California’s Attorney General and federal/European authorities still reviewing the transaction
• Employees at both CBS News and WBD have expressed serious concerns regarding potential layoffs and editorial direction under Ellison leadership

Paramount Skydance has overcome a significant obstacle in its pursuit of Warner Bros Discovery following Netflix’s decision to exit the competition, propelling Paramount shares 6% higher in extended trading.

On Thursday, Netflix announced it would decline to counter Paramount’s $31-per-share proposal after WBD’s board designated it as the “superior” bid. Netflix’s co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters explained that the elevated price point rendered the transaction “no longer financially attractive.”

This decision concludes several months of competitive bidding that commenced when Paramount initially contacted WBD in September.

Paramount Skydance Corporation Class B Common Stock, PSKY

The $111bn Paramount proposal encompasses WBD’s entire operations — including HBO, CNN, and valuable intellectual property like Harry Potter and Batman franchises. By contrast, Netflix’s initial $83bn December agreement covered exclusively WBD’s studio operations and streaming platforms.

The Ellison family, which merged Skydance with Paramount in the previous year, stands to acquire oversight of CBS News, 60 Minutes, and CNN through this proposed consolidation.

David Zaslav, WBD’s CEO, praised the transaction, stating it “will create tremendous value for our shareholders.”

Netflix shares surged 8.5% in after-market trading, with investors seemingly pleased the streaming giant avoided a transaction carrying substantial antitrust exposure.

Regulatory Road Ahead

The transaction remains far from finalized. Approval from the US Department of Justice and European regulatory bodies is still required.

California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta confirmed his office maintains an active investigation and plans to conduct a “vigorous” review. “Paramount/Warner Bros is not a done deal,” he stated via social media.

Paramount enhanced its proposal by increasing the per-share price by $1 from its December offer, introduced a $0.25-per-share quarterly payment should the deal extend beyond September, and included a $7bn breakup fee if regulatory authorities reject it.

Additionally, Paramount committed to assuming the $2.8bn termination payment WBD would owe Netflix upon exiting their original agreement.

Staff Concerns

Personnel at CBS News and WBD have responded to the announcement with considerable apprehension. Workers anticipate that combining two major news operations will result in workforce reductions as duplicate positions are consolidated.

Several staff members have voiced unease about Bari Weiss, who was named CBS News editor-in-chief last October, potentially assuming expanded responsibilities. Weiss lacks previous television news background, and her leadership has received mixed reviews.

A CBS News producer cautioned the consolidation would be “a disaster for the people who work at both companies.”

Seth Stern from the Freedom of the Press Foundation issued sharp criticism, cautioning that Ellison would favor corporate priorities above journalistic independence.

Political considerations have also emerged as factors. Trump, who maintains ties to Larry Ellison, has commented publicly on the bidding process on multiple occasions. David Ellison was present at Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday as Senator Lindsey Graham’s guest.

WBD has scheduled an employee town hall meeting for Friday morning. In a Thursday memorandum, CNN leader Mark Thompson encouraged staff to avoid premature conclusions.

Paramount shares gained 6% in after-hours trading when the news broke.

• Hedera dropped to $0.10 as Bitcoin fell to lows of $65,680.
• Ethereum (ETH) has shed 5.3% to under $1,950; XRP, Solana, and BNB also dipped.
• HBAR price could retreat to support at $0.088.

Hedera’s HBAR token is under pressure as leading cryptocurrencies Bitcoin and Ethereum trim recent gains.

The altcoin has dropped to $0.10 as bears show dominance amid broader market caution, with BTC giving up gains to under $66,000.

Several of the top 10 coins are down too, losing 3-5% of their respective prices in the past 24 hours as of writing.

Downside risks for BTC, ETH, and Solana, among other cryptocurrencies, could accelerate declines for HBAR.

Hedera dips as Bitcoin sheds gains

As noted, Hedera is struggling to hold gains near $0.10 as Bitcoin faces renewed selling pressure.

The benchmark digital asset is trading around $66,230 after testing lows of $65,680 and being down more than 3% in early US trading hours.

Bears showed up as negative sentiment threatens to entrench once again despite a decent uptick in spot ETF outflows over the week.

Bitcoin reversed its gains as US stock futures flipped lower, with investor concerns over AI and its impact reemerged.

A lot of the risk asset jitters on the day came as Jack Dorsey’s Block announced it was slashing its workforce by 4,000.

Tech stocks fell this week despite Nvidia’s earnings beat, and the cascade has seen BTC fail to cement gains near $70.

Analysts say Bitcoin could yet fall to support at $60k or lower before rebounding higher in coming months.

With BTC posting downward movement, Ethereum (ETH) shed 5.3% to under $1,950, while XRP (XRP), Solana (SOL), and BNB also registered losses. The HBAR cryptocurrency is currently -3% in the 24-hour timeframe.

The HBAR cryptocurrency is currently -3% in the 24-hour timeframe.

HBAR price analysis

Losses across the market come as caution returns. ETF holders and treasuries have snapped up Bitcoin at low prices, but shorts are not done yet.

However, while HBAR’s price is down on the day, the trading volume of $137 million in the last 24 hours is also down by more than 5%.

Bulls may fail to stem the slide as price tests the $0.10 support, but decreased volume points to a potential seller exhaustion.

Other technical indicators outline this mixed short-term outlook, with RSI around 51 suggesting potential upside momentum before HBAR hits overbought conditions.

The token is also showing consolidation near the upper Bollinger Band, with short-term moving averages converging at that level as a pivot.

A break above the upper band, which is also at the resistance line of a descending channel, could see Hedera reclaim $0.12. The 200-day EMA offers the first major hurdle around $0.14.

However, the MACD indicator shows a potential bearish flip as the histogram shrinks near zero.

While volume hints at possible exhaustion in selling, a bearish cross could heighten chances of a dip below $0.10, with support at $0.088 and $0.079.

The U.K. Gambling Commission is exploring allowing crypto payments for licensed betting operators, as part of a broader push for regulations that help fight illegal markets and foster innovation.

Executive Director Tim Miller said the regulator wants to examine a “potential path forward” for crypto payments in the U.K., at the Betting and Gaming Council’s Annual General Meeting. Miller cited growing consumer demand and evidence that crypto-related searches are driving some players to unlicensed sites.

The gambling commission’s announcement comes after the U.K. government laid the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Cryptoassets) Regulations 2025 before Parliament in December. If approved, the rules would bring cryptoassets under the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) remit, with a new regulatory regime expected to take effect in October 2027.

Miller said the Commission’s research shows crypto is “one of the two biggest searches” leading British gamblers to illegal operators. Rising consumer interest in digital assets, combined with those search patterns, has prompted the regulator to begin exploratory work.

The Commission has asked its Industry Forum to examine how crypto payments could be introduced in line with its licensing objectives, including anti-money laundering controls and consumer protection safeguards.

“There will be significant challenges and risks to overcome,” Miller said, adding that the Commission intends to approach the issue by “exploring the art of the possible” rather than dismissing innovation outright.

The proposal is being framed partly as a response to the illegal market. The Commission has increased enforcement activity in recent years and secured additional Treasury funding to strengthen efforts against unlicensed operators. Allowing regulated operators to accept crypto could help keep consumers within the licensed system instead of pushing them toward offshore sites, Miller said.

Miller emphasized that permitting crypto payments would not amount to approving offshore crypto casinos to operate in the U.K. Any operator would still need to meet strict suitability, compliance and know-your-customer standards under existing gambling rules, alongside forthcoming FCA requirements, he added.

Key Takeaways

• The Signal: Block is reducing staff by 40% to strictly leverage AI automation and flatten management structures.
• The Data: Wall Street reacted instantly, pushing SQ stock from $54.53 to nearly $69 (+24%) on efficiency hopes.
• The Outlook: Jack Dorsey predicts this is the start of an industry-wide trend where AI tools permanently displace headcount.

While Crypto Capital Corp, the once shadow bank for the entire crypto industry, wound down after $850 million was seized sometime between late 2018 and early 2019, the ramifications of its demise continue to be felt.

In the fallout from the collapse, two individuals were prosecuted: Reginald Fowler, who’s now serving prison time after pleading guilty to bank fraud, wire fraud, and operating an unlicensed money transmitting service, and Ivan Manuel Molina Lee, who remains in Poland after being arrested in Greece in 2019 and later extradited.

Two other associated individuals — brother and sister Oz and Ravid Yosef — remain fugitives of the law.

Protos tracked Ravid, aka Ravid Israel, to Israel where she’d begun an IVF business that failed. She subsequently started working for a UK-based fertility start-up.

However, the story doesn’t end there. In a twist the likes of which only the crypto industry can offer, criminal proceedings against Molina Lee and his associates continues in Poland, with new consequential details emerging this month.

The Israeli mob and cocaine in power generators

Earlier, Polish court proceedings revealed a supposed intricate criminal conspiracy involving the Israeli mafia, Crypto Capital Corp, and cocaine being hidden in and transported via power generators.

According to Onet.pl, the largest news website in Poland, nearly the entire $850 million seized from Crypto Capital Corp (which ended up causing withdrawal issues at numerous exchanges, including, but not limited to, Bitfinex and now defunct Canadian exchange QuadrigaCX) was linked to an “Israeli drug lord” who was trafficking 100 kilograms of cocaine from Colombia to Europe every month.

Apparently, Molina Lee, who has ties to Canada, Panama, Colombia, and Poland, was helping to launder funds received for the cocaine through Crypto Capital Corp and making crypto purchases via multiple exchanges.

The links between cocaine trafficking and Crypto Capital Corp appear to be anything but fictional.

In 2019 online sleuths discovered an office located in Bogotá, Colombia that was listed as the Colombian headquarters for Crypto Capital Corp. The shadow bank also had offices in Panama, where Molina Lee and Oz Yosef managed their affairs.

Read more: Scoop: Crypto Capital Corp’s Ravid Yosef is flouting extradition in Israel

If accusations prove true, the trafficking scheme worked something like this: the Israeli mafia, represented by Shalom Lior Azoulay, would acquire hundreds of kilograms of cocaine in Colombia, paying producers with crypto.

The cocaine would then be transferred to Europe hidden in power generators, often arriving in The Netherlands and then moving throughout the rest of the continent, where the co-conspirators and their associates would then receive cash for the drugs.

Once they had cash in hand, they would move the funds through multiple banks, including a small Polish bank called the Cooperative Bank in Skierniewice, buy crypto, and then once again use it to purchase cocaine in Colombia.

In 2018, Bitfinex users reported that they were asked to utilize the same bank for wire transfers into and out of the exchange.

Azoulay implicates Reginald Fowler testimony

While Fowler never pled guilty to money laundering or crimes associated with drug trafficking, it appears that the Israeli charged in the drug trafficking conspiracy, Shalom Azoulay, implicates him as the reason he’s unable to leave Poland and facing significant jail time.

Azoulay told Onet.pl, “This is building a case based on the testimony of one officer from the United States. From the very beginning, I have been trying to explain that I’m in no way involved.

“At the last hearing in December 2025, I also confirmed that I had nothing to do with it. It’s creating a case that has no legal basis.”

Despite the implications of the case, Israelis Oz and Ravid Yosef remain at-large, with no signs they will be apprehended and extradited by Israeli law enforcement, and Fowler is facing no additional charges for his role in the possible drug trafficking conspiracy.

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The recent crypto crash resumed today, February 27, as investors booked profits and as geopolitical risks in the Middle East escalated.

Bitcoin (BTC) price retreated below $66,000, while the market of all tokens retreated by 2.85% in the last 24 hours to over $2.28 trillion. Pippin token dropped by 26% in the last 24 hours, while Kaspa, Zcash, and Lighter retreated by over 6%.

On the other hand, some top tokens like Decred, LayerZero, Arbitrum, and Internet Computer tokens jumped by over 4% in the same period.

Crypto crash resumes as odds of US attacking Iran jumps

The ongoing crypto crash is happening because of the rising geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran.

In a statement, Ambassador Mike Huckabee told staff at the US embassy in Jerusalem to leave their offices and country, raising the possibility that the US will attack Iran in the coming days. The evacuation order is only for non-essential staff and the embassy will remain open.

This announcement came a few days after the US ordered its non-essential staff in Lebanon to leave the country. 

Traders on Polymarket believe that an attack is coming soon. Odds of an attack happening in March rose to 72%, while before March rose to 80%.

A new war in the Middle East will have an impact on Bitcoin and other markets because Iran has warned that it will retaliate by attacking US bases in the Middle East and by closing the Strait of Hormuz. 

Such a move will lead to higher inflation, which will make it hard for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates in the coming meetings. Also, Bitcoin is no longer a safe-haven asset as analysts were expecting.

Profit-taking and stock market crash 

The ongoing crypto crash is happening because of the profit-taking among investors. 

Bitcoin jumped from $63,000 earlier this week and then moved to $68,000, while other tokens like Pippin, Pepe, and Kaspa soared by double digits. As such, the retreat confirms that the rebound was a dead-cat bounce.

The crypto market crash also coincided with the ongoing stock market dive. For example, the Dow Jones Index retreated by over 500 points, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 indices fell by over 1%.

The stock market retreat was mostly because of the ongoing concerns about the booming private credit industry, where some companies like Blue Owl and Apollo.

Additionally, the crypto crash also happened after the US published a strong Producer Price Index, which rose by 0.5% in January, higher than market participants were expecting.