Trump has abandoned his Iran war maximalist demands as polls drop and peace talks remain deadlocked

Trump has abandoned his Iran war maximalist demands as polls drop and peace talks remain deadlocked, with analysts and the president’s own conduct making clear that the goals he set when launching strikes on Iran in late February are no longer the terms being discussed.

CNN’s analysis found that Trump’s early demand for Iran’s “unconditional surrender,” posted on social media one week into the war, has been quietly set aside as the administration pursues a negotiated settlement through Pakistani intermediaries.

Regime change was also an early stated objective. On the night the war launched, Trump told the Iranian people to “take over your government” and declared: “When we’re finished, it’ll be yours to take.” There is no indication that outcome remains part of the current negotiations.

When Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was pressed at a Pentagon briefing on what happened to that pledge, he suggested Iranians could still take the opportunity themselves “at some later date.”

Polls and political cost

Trump’s approval rating on the Iran war has slid from 39% in early March to 30% in the latest YouGov/Economist survey, according to The Hill. A Pew Research Center survey conducted April 20-26 among 5,103 adults found that 62% of Americans disapprove of his handling of the conflict and 59% say the US made the wrong decision by using military force. Those numbers have held virtually unchanged since March.

A separate NPR/PBS/Marist poll showed 61% of Americans believe US military action in Iran has done more harm than good, including 25% of Republicans.

The poll also found 62% of Americans believe the US role on the world stage has been weakened by Trump’s decisions, up from 57% in January. As crypto.news reported, oil prices and crypto markets have tracked the conflict’s trajectory closely, with Bitcoin rebounding sharply on ceasefire news and pulling back on each new escalation.

What is actually on the table

The administration is now pursuing a deal focused primarily on halting Iran’s nuclear program rather than eliminating it permanently, a significant pullback from Trump’s repeated promise that Iran can “never” get a nuke.

Stopping Iranian support for regional proxy groups, another early stated goal, also appears to have fallen out of active negotiations. As crypto.news tracked, each round of stalled talks has pushed oil back toward $100 per barrel and weighed on crypto markets as investors recalibrate Fed rate-cut expectations.

A campaign to require the Swiss National Bank to hold Bitcoin is set to lapse after failing to gather enough signatures to trigger a national referendum, Reuters reported.

The initiative sought to amend Switzerland’s constitution to require the central bank to hold Bitcoin (BTC) alongside gold and foreign currency assets, but organizers said they collected only about half of the 100,000 signatures required under Swiss law.

The Swiss National Bank (SNB) has repeatedly opposed adding cryptocurrencies to its holdings, saying digital assets do not meet its reserve management standards due to concerns about volatility and liquidity, Reuters reported.

Campaign founder Yves Bennaim told Reuters the effort was always considered unlikely to succeed, but said the initiative helped advance debate around Bitcoin’s role in global finance.

Supporters of the campaign said Bitcoin could help diversify Switzerland’s reserves away from dollar- and euro-denominated assets, which Reuters said account for roughly three-quarters of the SNB’s foreign currency holdings.

Related: Bitcoin profit-taking may ‘accelerate’ as price hits 3-month high: Analyst

Countries experiment cautiously with sovereign Bitcoin reserves

While 2025 saw a wave of publicly traded companies adopt Bitcoin treasury strategies, sovereign adoption of Bitcoin as a reserve asset has remained limited.

El Salvador was the first country to formally adopt Bitcoin as part of a sovereign reserve strategy after President Nayib Bukele began government BTC purchases in 2021 alongside the country’s move to make Bitcoin legal tender. The country currently holds 7,645 BTC, according to data from BitcoinTreasuries.com.

Source: Nayib Bukele

Bhutan, also one of the world’s largest sovereign holders of Bitcoin, built much of its treasury through state-backed mining operations powered by surplus hydroelectric energy as part of a broader strategy to turn renewable energy into a digital export and expand the country’s role in crypto finance.

However, data from Arkham Intelligence shows Bhutan-linked wallets have sharply reduced their holdings in recent months, with reserves falling from around 13,000 BTC at the end of 2024 to roughly 3,654 BTC by April 2026 following a series of large transfers and apparent sales.

Unlike El Salvador and Bhutan, which actively accumulated Bitcoin through purchases or mining, the three largest sovereign Bitcoin holders — United States, China and the United Kingdom — primarily acquired their holdings through criminal seizures and forfeiture proceedings.

Top 5 countries holding Bitcoin. Source: BitcoinTreasuries.net

On March 6, 2025, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve capitalized with government-held Bitcoin, stating that BTC held by the reserve “shall not be sold” and would be maintained as reserve assets of the United States.

While the executive order allows Treasury and Commerce officials to explore budget-neutral strategies for acquiring additional Bitcoin, the reserve is initially backed by BTC already held by the government through forfeiture proceedings.

Magazine: Adam Back says current demand is ‘almost’ enough to send Bitcoin to $1M

The starting point for most US online gambling journeys is predictable. FanDuel for the player who came through daily fantasy sports and trusts the brand they already knew. BetMGM for the player who knows the MGM name from Las Vegas and extends that trust into the online space. Both are legitimate starting points built on genuine brand recognition and genuine product quality. Both serve the player who chooses them as a starting point reasonably well.

The ending point is less predictable. Players who dig deeper than the familiar name — who research what the platform delivers on specific criteria rather than accepting the brand as the answer — increasingly find that their starting point is not their ending point. The criteria they care about most, when examined honestly, point toward a platform that launched in 2026 without the decades of brand building that made their starting point feel obvious.

ZunaBet is where a growing number of those players are ending up. Not because it outspent FanDuel or BetMGM on marketing. Because when the specific questions that matter to the 2026 player are asked and answered honestly, ZunaBet’s answers consistently come out ahead. This article follows that research process and shows what each platform looks like when those questions are asked directly.

FanDuel: Where Many US Players Start

FanDuel earned its position as a default starting point for US online gambling through genuine brand building across the daily fantasy sports era. A platform that millions of players used for fantasy leagues before sports betting was legal converted that familiarity into licensed gambling customer relationships when regulation opened the market. The starting point felt natural because the brand was already known.

The sportsbook at that starting point is genuinely well-built for its market. American sports coverage reflects the platform’s fantasy sports heritage — NFL with the depth that reflects genuine understanding of how US bettors engage with football, NBA, MLB, and NHL with comparable investment. The app is polished. In-play coverage is developed. The product serves the US sports bettor well as a starting point.

The casino has grown alongside the sportsbook. A game library from established providers, live dealer content, standard table game variants. The starting point for casino gaming is adequate for the player whose primary interest is sports betting.

FanDuel Rewards gives players a points structure that moves through tiers toward benefits and redemption options. The starting point for loyalty looks reasonable. The ending point — when experienced players calculate their actual cash return per dollar of activity — is typically lower than the starting point implied. The gap between the starting promise and the ending reality is one of the reasons players who examine carefully start looking elsewhere.

The payment starting point is fiat banking. Business-day withdrawal timelines. Limited crypto support. The starting point was built for the player who arrived from fantasy sports with traditional payment expectations.

BetMGM: Where Many US Players Start

BetMGM earned its position as a default starting point through brand recognition of a different kind. MGM Resorts is one of the most recognised casino brands in the world — a name associated with premium land-based casino experiences in Las Vegas and beyond. Players who associate quality with that name bring that association into the online product and the starting point benefits from it.

The casino product at that starting point reflects genuine casino heritage. A substantial game library from established providers, strong live dealer content informed by physical casino operation experience, and a product that reflects what a major casino operator understands about player preferences. The starting point for casino gaming is stronger here than at a purely sports-first platform.

The sportsbook covers major US and global sports with in-play betting. The product serves the player who wants both casino and sports betting from a brand-name operator.

MGM Rewards is the loyalty starting point. For the player who visits MGM properties in person the loyalty connection has genuine cross-platform value — online activity contributing to land-based tier status and vice versa. For the player who never visits MGM properties the connection is irrelevant and the starting point is a standard points system. The ending point for the exclusively online player — actual cash value per dollar of activity — is similar to FanDuel’s: lower than the starting point suggested when calculated carefully.

The payment starting point is fiat banking. Standard banking channels. Minimal crypto. The starting point was built for the player who arrives from land-based casino culture with traditional payment expectations.

ZunaBet: Where the Players Who Look Further End Up

ZunaBet launched in 2026 under Strathvale Group Ltd, operating under an Anjouan gaming license and registered in Belize. The team carries over 20 years of combined industry experience. It is not a US licensed operator and it does not hold state-level certification. It is a crypto-first, internationally accessible platform that was built as an ending point rather than a starting point — designed for the player who has already looked past the familiar names and is searching for the platform that actually delivers on the criteria they care about most.

The game library ending point is 11,294 titles from 63 providers. The player who looked further because their starting point’s casino library ran thin arrives somewhere categorically different. Evolution for the full live dealer catalogue. Pragmatic Play across multiple product categories. Hacksaw Gaming for the high-volatility mechanics that experienced players specifically seek. Yggdrasil for its distinctive design philosophy. BGaming for the crypto-native player’s aesthetic preferences. Sixty-three providers means sixty-three different creative approaches producing content with different mechanics, different volatility profiles, and different visual identities. The ending point for the player who wanted genuine variety is a library that sustains long-term engagement in a way no starting point library was designed to.

The sportsbook ending point covers football, basketball, tennis, NHL, and other major global sports alongside CS2, Dota 2, League of Legends, and Valorant as genuine primary markets. The player who looked further because their starting point’s esports coverage was inadequate arrives at markets covered seriously. Virtual sports and combat sports complete the ending point. One account. One balance. One loyalty program.

The payment ending point is native crypto infrastructure. More than 20 cryptocurrencies supported — BTC, ETH, USDT across multiple chains, SOL, DOGE, ADA, XRP, and others. No platform processing fees. Withdrawals settling in minutes. Apps across iOS, Android, Windows, and MacOS with 24-hour live chat support. The player who looked further because their starting point’s withdrawal timelines were measured in business days arrives at an ending point where they are measured in minutes.

The Payment Journey from Starting Point to Ending Point

The payment comparison between the three platforms traces the journey from where most players start to where the players who look further end up.

FanDuel’s payment starting point is fiat banking for the US market. Business-day withdrawal timelines. Limited crypto that does not reflect native infrastructure. The starting point serves the player who arrived there without asking the payment question carefully.

BetMGM’s payment starting point is fiat banking for the traditional casino player. Similar timelines through similar channels. The starting point serves the player who arrived from land-based casino culture without asking the payment question differently.

ZunaBet’s payment ending point is native crypto infrastructure for the player who asked the payment question carefully and found both starting points insufficient. Twenty-plus coins supported natively. Withdrawals in minutes. No fees beyond network costs. The ending point is where the player who asked how fast a withdrawal should actually be able to move ends up — because the answer is minutes and ZunaBet is the platform built around that answer.

The Loyalty Journey from Starting Point to Ending Point

The loyalty comparison traces the same journey.

FanDuel’s loyalty starting point is FanDuel Rewards — a points structure that looks reasonable at first glance. The ending point for the player who calculates their actual return is typically lower than the starting point suggested. The journey from promise to delivery loses value along the way.

BetMGM’s loyalty starting point is MGM Rewards — a program that looks distinctive because of its land-based connection. The ending point for the exclusively online player who does not use MGM properties is a standard points system delivering similar value to FanDuel’s. The distinctive feature that justified the starting point is irrelevant by the ending point.

ZunaBet’s loyalty ending point is the dragon evolution system — six tiers, Squire through Ultimate, with a gamified mascot called Zuno and direct rakeback rates of 1%, 2%, 4%, 5%, 10%, and 20%. All tiers open. All rates applying to all activity. No conversion. No invitation. The ending point for the player who calculated both starting points’ actual returns and found them disappointing is a system where the starting promise and the ending delivery are the same number.

Twenty percent at the Ultimate tier. The ending point delivers what the starting point states. Additional tier benefits — up to 1,000 free spins, VIP club access, double wheel spins — extend the ending point beyond the core rakeback.

The Welcome Bonus

ZunaBet new players receive a bonus across three deposits totalling up to $5,000 plus 75 free spins. First deposit matched 100% up to $2,000 with 25 free spins. Second deposit matched 50% up to $1,500 with 25 spins. Third deposit matched 100% up to $1,500 with 25 spins.

FanDuel and BetMGM offer welcome promotions within their respective regulated US markets. Current terms vary by state and should be confirmed directly on each platform.

What the Journey from Starting Point to Ending Point Reveals

FanDuel is a genuine starting point for the US sports bettor. The product serves that player reasonably well and the brand recognition that makes it a starting point is earned.

BetMGM is a genuine starting point for the US casino and sports betting player who carries MGM brand trust. The product serves that player reasonably well and the brand recognition is equally earned.

ZunaBet is the ending point for the player who started at either and looked further. The crypto-native player who asked about withdrawal speed and found business days. The esports bettor who asked about CS2 and Valorant markets and found them thin. The player who calculated loyalty returns and found them lower than the starting point implied. The game library explorer who cycled through the starting point’s content and found it insufficient.

ZunaBet launched in 2026 and its track record is still being established. A starting point that has been used by millions of players for years carries different trust credentials than an ending point that launched recently. Players should factor that into where they ultimately land.

But the player who has already asked the questions that the starting points could not answer fully is finding ZunaBet as their ending point in 2026. And that ending point was built to be exactly that.

Disclaimer: This is a Press Release provided by a third party who is responsible for the content. Please conduct your own research before taking any action based on the content.

The US CLARITY Act, a bipartisan effort to bring greater regulatory clarity to the crypto sector, is poised for a Senate Banking Committee vote this week. The bill aims to define a clear national framework for digital assets, covering who regulates what, how licenses are issued, and what standards apply to exchanges, issuers, and related financial services providers. After months of momentum stalled by opposing views and concerns, the committee’s markup could signal whether a broader bipartisan path exists for a major overhaul of U.S. crypto regulation.

On Friday, Senate Banking Committee chair Tim Scott confirmed the legislation will proceed to a vote on Thursday, a development that has drawn intense attention from industry participants, policymakers, and compliance teams awaiting a definitive markup date. Introduced in July 2025, the CLARITY Act has been closely watched as a potential backbone for U.S. crypto regulation, though it faced skepticism and calls for refinements from several key players in the ecosystem. In January, Coinbase withdrew its support, citing several unresolved issues including protections for open-source software developers, a prohibition on stablecoin yield, and questions surrounding DeFi regulation. The move underscored the fraught balancing act between fostering innovation and establishing enforceable standards.

“It’s on like Donkey Kong,” Coinbase chief legal officer Paul Grewal said in a post following the announcement.

According to Cointelegraph, the sentiment within the industry reflected a desire for a predictable, enforceable framework that could reduce regulatory uncertainty and encourage compliant innovation in the United States. In parallel, Coinbase’s policy lead characterized the bill as a significant step toward protecting consumers, supporting innovation, and ensuring that the technology develops domestically rather than offshore.

“It’s a big step forward,” said Faryar Shirzad, Coinbase chief policy officer, in a post highlighting the legislative milestone.

Nonetheless, the broader regulatory climate remains unsettled. The Biden administration’s approach to crypto regulation, coupled with ongoing scrutiny from agencies led by the SEC and other enforcement bodies, has kept firms vigilant about how new rules will be implemented in practice. Critics have warned that ambiguity in key provisions could hamper capital formation or push some activity offshore, while supporters argue that a formal framework would avert a regulatory patchwork and establish clearer guardrails for market participants.

Senator Cynthia Lummis, a long-standing crypto advocate, signaled strong support for advancing the CLARITY Act and urged fellow lawmakers to move ahead. Her stance reflects a broader push within the Senate to provide a regulated path forward that can accommodate innovation while addressing investor protections and market integrity. As industry participants weigh the vote, the question remains whether the measure can secure the bipartisan votes needed to overcome potential opposition from quarters wary of expansive regulation.

Key takeaways

• The CLARITY Act is moving toward a markup in the Senate Banking Committee, with a vote scheduled for Thursday, signaling a potential milestone in U.S. crypto regulation.
• The legislation faces a requirement for broad, bipartisan support to pass the Senate—an estimated 60 votes are cited as the threshold for passage, underscoring the political calculus surrounding crypto policy.
• Key objections cited by industry participants include limited protections for open-source software developers, a prohibition on stablecoin yield, and issues related to DeFi regulation—areas that remain points of contention in negotiations.
• Industry leadership has framed the act as a crucial step toward consumer protection, innovation, and domestic development of blockchain technology, while regulators are weighing how to translate high-level intent into enforceable requirements across multiple agencies.
• The policy landscape remains intertwined with broader regulatory themes—MiCA in the EU, ongoing SEC/CFTC/DOJ oversight, AML/KYC standards, licensing regimes, and cross-border implications for banks and traditional financial institutions engaging with crypto services.

Legislative momentum and regulatory context

The scheduled markup arrives after a period of mixed signals from the legislative front. Introduced in mid-2025, the CLARITY Act sought to codify a comprehensive framework for digital assets, aiming to reduce ambiguity surrounding registration, compliance obligations, and enforcement. While momentum had been anticipated earlier in the year, proponents and opponents alike grappled with the bill’s scope—particularly around open-source software protections, stablecoins, and DeFi constructs. The January withdrawal of support from Coinbase highlighted the fragility of political consensus on crypto policy and underscored the need for clarifications that align with the interests of both innovators and investors.

In the current moment, the committee’s vote is widely viewed as a barometer of the administration’s willingness to pursue a formalized path for crypto regulation. Senate leadership and committee members have signaled that a well-structured framework could provide predictable licensing standards, clearer allocation of regulatory authority among federal agencies, and a more coherent approach to cross-border activity. However, the challenge remains to translate high-level policy goals into precise, enforceable rules that can withstand judicial scrutiny and administrative implementation across different market segments.

Industry positions and policy implications

Industry responses to the upcoming markup illustrate the tension between regulatory certainty and the risk of overreach. Coinbase’s decision to withhold support in January underscored concerns about discrete policy choices that could shape the behavior of developers, exchanges, and DeFi protocols. Supporters argue that by clarifying jurisdiction, licensing needs, and consumer protections, the CLARITY Act could stabilize onboarding, reduce the compliance burden for compliant firms, and deter illicit activity without stifling legitimate innovation.

Key lawmakers have framed the act as essential to maintaining U.S. competitiveness in fintech. Senator Lummis emphasized the need for swift action, framing passage as a step toward safeguarding consumers while enabling responsible innovation. For policy insiders, the markup is a test of whether broad bipartisan alignment exists on core principles, including clarity around digital asset custody, the treatment of native tokens, and the regulatory treatment of stablecoins as part of broader financial infrastructure.

From a compliance and enforcement perspective, the proposal’s success would have implications for licensing regimes and ongoing supervision. Institutions—ranging from crypto-native exchanges to traditional banks venturing into crypto services—would be compelled to align with a defined set of standards for registration, consumer protection, and risk management. The alignment with existing frameworks—AML/KYC, anti-fraud measures, and disclosures—will be crucial for mitigating regulatory risk and ensuring that U.S. firms can compete effectively with offshore operators that may benefit from more permissive regimes.

Regulatory landscape and enforcement considerations

Analysts note that the CLARITY Act arrives at a time of intensifying regulatory scrutiny from federal authorities. While the SEC remains a central figure in crypto enforcement, the CFTC and other agencies are increasingly involved in delineating the boundaries of asset classifications, registry requirements, and supervisory expectations. The interagency dynamics will shape how the Act is implemented, particularly in relation to stablecoins, DeFi platforms, and the treatment of cross-border activity. In this context, the bill’s success would likely influence how U.S. policymakers design licensing, risk controls, and consumer protections, with potential ripple effects across banks, custodians, exchanges, and institutional investors seeking compliant on-ramps and off-ramps for digital assets.

Beyond U.S. borders, the Act sits within a broader policy conversation that includes the European Union’s MiCA framework and ongoing discussions about global standardization of digital asset regulation. For financial institutions operating across jurisdictions, a coherent U.S. regime could reduce the compliance overhead associated with fragmented rules and provide a more stable operating environment for regulated entities to participate in the crypto economy. Conversely, a contentious markup could prolong regulatory uncertainty, delaying the deployment of compliant products and impacting investment decisions in the near term.

Practical implications for firms and policymakers

For exchanges, institutions that custody assets, and banks exploring crypto services, the Act’s contours will determine licensing requirements, disclosure standards, and oversight expectations. A clear framework would facilitate risk assessment, capital planning, and governance decisions—elements critical to regulatory compliance programs, internal controls, and external reporting. Open-source developers, a key constituency referenced in the discussion around the bill, stand to gain from explicit protections and clarified liability standards, potentially reducing legal risk for contributors who build interoperable tools that support the wider ecosystem.

Still, questions persist about how specific provisions will be translated into regulation. Areas of ongoing debate include the precise treatment of stablecoins and yield strategies, the scope of DeFi regulation, and the coordination among federal and state authorities. As the markup unfolds, institutions will be monitoring how proposed rules interface with existing AML/KYC regimes, licensing processes, and cross-border compliance requirements. The outcome could bear on whether the U.S. remains a hub for crypto innovation or experiences a shift in capital and activity toward more permissive jurisdictions.

Closing perspective

As the Senate Banking Committee prepares to tackle the CLARITY Act, the central question is whether lawmakers can converge on a framework that protects consumers, fosters innovation, and delivers enforceable standards. The forthcoming vote will illuminate the path forward for a policy environment that directly affects regulated entities, venture-backed startups, and traditional financial institutions engaging with crypto services. In the near term, observers will be closely watching how the bill’s provisions are refined during markup and how enforcement priorities and licensing regimes align with the broader objectives of U.S. financial regulation.

The US CLARITY Act, which aims to provide the US crypto industry with greater regulatory clarity, is set to be voted on by the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday.

On Friday, Senate Banking Committee chair Tim Scott confirmed the legislation will go to a vote on Thursday, triggering a strong reaction across the crypto industry, which has been waiting months for a new markup date.

The bill, introduced in July 2025, was expected to progress earlier this year, but stalled in January after Coinbase withdrew its support for the legislation, citing several concerns, including a lack of legal protections for open source software developers, a prohibition on stablecoin yield, and decentralized finance (DeFi) regulations. 

CLARITY Act is “on like Donkey Kong”: Coinbase exec

“It’s on like Donkey Kong,” Coinbase chief legal officer Paul Grewel said in an X post on Friday, following the announcement. Meanwhile, Coinbase chief policy officer Faryar Shirzad said in an X post that it was a “big step forward” and the legislation is essential “for protecting consumers, supporting innovation, and ensuring this technology develops in the United States rather than offshore.”

Source: Faryar Shirzad

Uncertainty around crypto regulation during the Joe Biden administration, with crypto skeptic Gary Gensler leading the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), was linked to reports of crypto firms relocating offshore to more crypto-friendly jurisdictions. Industry participants argued it was harming innovation in the US.

US Senator and pro-crypto advocate Cynthia Lummis said in an X post, “Let’s pass the Clarity Act out of the Banking Committee on Thursday!”

Industry execs had predicted the markup would take place

It comes just days after Kara Calvert, the vice president of US policy at crypto exchange Coinbase, told attendees at the Consensus 2026 conference that she expected “a markup next week.”

Related: ‘Visible flaws’ in Bitcoiners’ mid-bear market forecast: Analyst

Calvert said that the bill needs at least 60 votes to pass in the Senate and that the CLARITY bill needs bipartisan support to become law.

Magazine: XRP ‘probably going to $12,’ Bitcoin ETFs add $1B: Market Moves

Crypto-wrench attacks—a violent, physically coercive form of robbery targeting crypto holders—escalated sharply in the first months of 2026, according to a report from Web3 security firm CertiK. The firm tallies 34 verified incidents worldwide through April, with estimated losses near $101 million. Europe accounted for the vast majority of these attacks, a shift CertiK described as a notable concentration after a gradual tilt toward Europe observed in 2025.

France sits at the center of the surge. CertiK records 24 wrench attacks in France this year, a figure echoed by the country’s own prosecutors who reported 47 incidents in 2026. The convergence of criminals near major crypto firms—such as Ledger, Paymium and Binance—appears to have helped propel France to the forefront of this new threat landscape. The trend is unfolding as data breaches and doxxing culture feed attackers with targets’ personal and financial details, enabling more precise, premeditated pressure on crypto asset holders.

Key takeaways

• 34 wrench attacks documented through April 2026, with Europe representing about 82% of incidents—signaling a continental concentration of risk.
• France has become the primary hotspot, recording 24 attacks this year; prosecutors have cited up to 47 incidents in 2026.
• Criminal teams are typically small, operating from outside the target country, and often composed of three to five people who disguise themselves as delivery drivers or law enforcement.
• The attackers frequently recruit via messaging apps for a few thousand dollars, reflecting a largely amateur ecosystem rather than highly professional syndicates.
• Security improvements in protocols and wallets appear to be shifting risk toward the human layer, with data-driven targeting becoming more prevalent and potentially more dangerous.

Europe’s wrench-attacks: a continental escalation

The new CertiK data underline a troubling acceleration in wrench attacks, which combine physical coercion with the theft of crypto assets. The 34 incidents observed in the opening months of 2026 represent a doubling of the year-ago pace in losses, with Europe taking the lion’s share. CertiK’s analysts note a marked change in the threat model: as cyber protocols and wallet security strengthen, attackers increasingly pivot to the human vulnerability—the hand that holds the keys.

“Our 2025 report documented a gradual tilt from Asia and North America toward Europe, and these first four months of 2026 mark a European hyper-concentration,” CertiK said in presenting the update. The pattern suggests a broader, regionalized risk rather than a uniform, global threat, complicating law enforcement and private-sector defense alike.

Industry observers have long warned that wrench attacks exploit the weakest link in the security chain—the person with access to assets. The latest data reinforce that warning, indicating a shift from purely technical weaknesses to socially engineered, physically invasive schemes that rely on misdirection and coercion to seize crypto holdings.

France: a nexus of risk as data and criminals converge

France’s surge in wrench-attacks has raised alarms about both the criminal ecosystem and the data environment surrounding crypto. CertiK notes 24 attacks in France this year, while public Fiscalía records and press reporting put 2026 incident counts in the mid-to-high 40s range. The country’s prominence in the wrench-attack narrative is linked to the presence of French- and international crypto firms and executives in major hubs, a factor CertiK says has attracted both legitimate activity and adversaries seeking easy targets.

Compounding the risk is a data leakage ecosystem: the Waltio breach in January and allegations against a crypto tax official—a case involving the alleged sale of asset-holder data to criminal networks—highlight how compromised personal data can empower attackers. CertiK argues that a broader culture of doxxing and public-facing crypto persona sharing also fuels this threat stream by enabling attackers to assemble precise victim profiles quickly.

“Early 2026 marks the shift to a data-driven targeting model in which prior physical surveillance becomes unnecessary once attackers have the victim’s full name, home address, financial profile, and so on,” CertiK observed. The practical consequence is a higher likelihood of successful coercion and a more devastating impact even when the overall security of a protocol remains high.

In the broader context, blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs warned last year that wrench attacks have been rising, driven by the perceived pseudonymity of crypto transactions, visible wealth, and the ease with which assailants can assemble personal data online. The France-focused wave adds urgency to that assessment, suggesting that the country’s crypto ecosystem is increasingly visible and thus attractive to criminal networks.

How the teams operate—and why most are still amateurs

CertiK’s review paints a picture of relatively informal, ground-level criminal operations rather than tightly controlled, professional outfits. Across documented cases, the masterminds are often located outside the target country, while the on-the-ground crews consist of three to five people who frequently rely on plausible misdirections—delivery drivers, service providers, or even impersonating police—to coax victims into surrendering assets.

These groups commonly connect via messaging apps such as Telegram or Snapchat, with recruitment often paying only a few thousand dollars. In many instances, team members don’t know each other before joining a scheme, underscoring the ephemeral, loosely organized nature of this crime set. The trend suggests that wrench attacks are a flexible, bottom-up criminal model that can scale through simple, repeatable methods rather than through sophisticated, centralized planning.

The human element remains the most exposed target. Industry observers point out that even the most secure wallets and protocols can be undermined when a holder is pressured in person or over the phone, especially when attackers exploit personal data that victims themselves may have shared in professional or social contexts.

In a separate line of related reporting, Jameson Lopp, chief security officer at Casa, has tracked wrench-attacks transitions in real time, noting that several cases on his list were misidentified previously. He has documented 31 wrench-attacks so far this year, highlighting the ongoing challenge for researchers and law enforcement in verifying incidents in a fast-moving threat landscape. Separately, France’s crackdown appears to be expanding, with at least 88 people indicted in April over alleged wrench-attacks on crypto owners in the country, including 10 minors, illustrating how criminal liability is broadening in response to this crime wave.

Amid the rising incidence in France, CertiK’s analysis emphasizes a sobering takeaway: as the crypto ecosystem hardens against software exploits, the human layer—misinformation, intimidation, and social engineering—will likely remain the most efficient route for criminals to access and extract assets.

What this means for investors, users, and builders

The wrench-attack trend reframes risk for participants across the crypto space. For holders and ordinary users, the events underline the importance of operational security practices that go beyond securing keys and wallets—such as verifying identities, safeguarding personal data, and maintaining separation between online accounts and real-world contact information. For exchanges, custodians, and wallet providers, the data highlights the need to integrate risk signals that account for social engineering attempts and to support customers with education and verification protocols that can withstand rapid, in-person pressure.

For policymakers and law enforcement, the European concentration and France’s central role raise questions about cross-border cooperation and the speed with which they can identify, deter, and prosecute individuals involved in wrench schemes. The data also suggest that as on-chain analytics improve and the public profile of crypto wealth grows, the “human layer” will demand new layers of protection and faster, more targeted responses from authorities.

Looking ahead, CertiK’s forecast leans toward caution: if the pace of 2026 sustains through the rest of the year, the number of wrench-attacks could approach 130, with losses possibly entering the hundreds of millions of dollars. That projection makes ongoing vigilance and proactive defense essential for the crypto community as it navigates a threat landscape that now intimately ties digital wealth to real-world risk.

Readers should watch for official updates on incident counts as well as legal outcomes from French authorities, which will shed light on the evolving balance between personal privacy, data security, and the criminal behaviors that exploit both.

Oxford researchers found AI chatbots trained for warmth make significantly more factual errors and validate false beliefs more often

Oxford researchers found AI chatbots trained for warmth make significantly more factual errors and validate false beliefs more often, according to a study published in Nature by the Oxford Internet Institute.

The research analyzed more than 400,000 responses from five AI models, including Llama, Mistral, Qwen, and GPT-4o, each retrained to sound friendlier using methods similar to those deployed by major platforms.

Chatbots trained to sound warmer made between 10% and 30% more mistakes on topics including medical advice and conspiracy corrections. They were also about 40% more likely to agree with users’ false beliefs, particularly when users expressed vulnerability.

“When we train AI chatbots to prioritise warmth, they might make mistakes they otherwise wouldn’t,” lead author Lujain Ibrahim said in a statement. “Making a chatbot sound friendlier might seem like a cosmetic change, but getting warmth and accuracy right will take deliberate effort.”

Why this matters for AI safety

The researchers also tested models trained to sound colder and found no drop in accuracy, demonstrating that the problem is specific to warmth, not tone change generally.

That finding directly challenges the product design logic of major AI platforms, including OpenAI and Anthropic, which have actively steered their chatbots toward warmer, more empathetic responses.

The study warns that current AI safety standards focus on model capabilities and high-risk applications, often overlooking what appear to be cosmetic personality changes.

Warmer chatbots are more likely to fuel harmful beliefs, delusional thinking, and unhealthy user attachment, particularly among the millions who now rely on AI systems for emotional support and companionship.

As crypto.news reported, regulators in Maine and Missouri have already moved to restrict AI use in clinical mental health therapy amid similar concerns about chatbot influence on vulnerable users.

OpenAI has rolled back some warmth-related changes following public concern. As crypto.news documented, commercial pressure to build engaging AI products remains intense, and the Oxford findings add a peer-reviewed data layer to a debate that has until now been driven mostly by anecdote and regulatory intuition.

Tennessee Republicans have erased the state’s last Black majority congressional district, splitting Memphis into three GOP-leaning seats.

Tennessee Republicans have erased the state’s last Black majority congressional district, splitting Memphis into three GOP-leaning seats.

The Republican-controlled legislature passed the new map on May 7 and Governor Bill Lee immediately signed it into law, making Tennessee the first state to enact a new congressional map directly following last week’s Supreme Court ruling that gutted the Voting Rights Act’s racial gerrymandering protections.

The new map carves up the Memphis-anchored 9th Congressional District, held by Democrat Steve Cohen since 2007, spreading its voters into three separate districts that stretch hundreds of miles east into rural Republican territory. Nashville, the state’s other Democratic stronghold, is further divided into five districts under the plan.

What the Democrats said

Democratic lawmakers staged open protests on the chamber floor. Senator London Lamar said before the Senate adopted the map: “Black bodies lay in rivers and in fields all across this country because they dared to speak out for representation and the right to vote.”

State Representative Justin Jones handed Republican Majority Leader William Lamberth a printed Confederate flag on the chamber floor as a protest.

Republican sponsor Senator John Stevens defended the map by saying Tennessee is a conservative state and its congressional delegation should reflect that. Democrats challenged that framing, noting the census data Republicans claimed to use does not include partisan information.

Broader redistricting wave

Tennessee becomes the ninth state to enact a new congressional map ahead of the November midterms, part of an unusually active mid-decade redistricting cycle that began after President Trump urged Republican-led states to redraw their lines to protect his party’s slim House majority. Louisiana and Alabama are laying the groundwork to follow suit after the SCOTUS ruling.

Republicans could pick up as many as 14 seats nationally from the campaign, though several maps face ongoing litigation. As crypto.news reported, the 2026 midterms are being closely watched by the crypto industry as a key test of whether digital asset policy gains in Washington can survive the political cycle.