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U.S. sentences crypto scam mastermind to 20 years over $73M fraud

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U.S. sentences crypto scam mastermind to 20 years over $73M fraud

A U.S. federal court has sentenced a key figure behind a global cryptocurrency investment scam to 20 years in prison, capping one of the largest crypto-fraud prosecutions tied to so-called “pig butchering” schemes.

Summary

  • U.S. court sentenced a crypto scam mastermind to 20 years over a $73M global fraud
  • Defendant fled U.S. supervision and was sentenced in absentia
  • Scheme used fake crypto platforms and shell companies to launder funds

The operation defrauded victims of more than $73 million, largely through fake trading platforms and online deception.

Fugitive sentenced in Absentia

The defendant, Daren Li, was sentenced in the Central District of California despite being a fugitive at the time of sentencing. Li, a dual citizen of China and St. Kitts and Nevis, removed his electronic ankle monitor and fled U.S. supervision in late 2025.

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U.S. authorities said efforts are ongoing to locate and return him to serve the sentence.

Li had pleaded guilty in November 2024 to conspiracy to commit money laundering, acknowledging his role in moving fraud proceeds generated by overseas scam centers operating primarily out of Cambodia.

Inside the $73 million crypto scam

According to prosecutors, the scam relied on unsolicited social media outreach, fake cryptocurrency investment platforms, and spoofed websites designed to mimic legitimate trading services.

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Victims were gradually manipulated into sending funds after building trust through fabricated personal or professional relationships.

Once funds were obtained, Li and his co-conspirators funnelled the money through shell companies and U.S. bank accounts before converting it into cryptocurrency. At least $59.8 million in victim funds passed through U.S.-based accounts as part of the laundering operation.

Eight co-conspirators have already pleaded guilty in related cases. The Justice Department said Li is the first individual directly involved in receiving stolen proceeds to be sentenced, highlighting a broader push to dismantle international crypto fraud networks and hold organizers accountable.

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Eric Trump Criticizes Big Banks Over Stablecoin Yield Fight

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Eric Trump Criticizes Big Banks Over Stablecoin Yield Fight

Eric Trump, co-founder of World Liberty Financial (WLFI), has criticized major banks for opposing stablecoin yields, calling their actions ‘anti-American’ as they protect their low-rate monopoly.

His remarks came as his father, President Donald Trump, also escalated his attacks on the banking lobby over the stalled CLARITY Act.

Eric Trump Calls Out Banks for “Protecting Low-Rate Monopoly”

Eric Trump laid out his criticism in a recent post on X (formerly Twitter). He pointed out that major banks offer depositors interest rates as low as 0.01–0.05% APY on standard savings accounts.

This occurs even though the Federal Reserve pays those same banks over 4%. That spread, he stressed, generates record profits that are not returned to everyday depositors.

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“Big Banks (think JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, etc.) are lobbying overtime to block Americans from getting higher yields on their savings—while trying to block any rewards or perks from being given to customers,” he said.

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He then identified crypto and stablecoins, where platforms plan to offer yields of 4–5% or more, as the specific targets banks are now mobilizing against. Eric Trump added that the American Bankers Association (ABA) and other lobbyists are “spending millions” to block or limit these yields through legislative efforts such as the Clarity Act.

He said that the banks are framing their opposition with terms like “fairness” and “stability.” However, Eric Trump argued that their true goal is to safeguard their “low-rate monopoly” and prevent customers from moving their deposits elsewhere.

“This is anti-retail, anti-consumer, and straight-up anti-American. Next time you see a big bank dropping billions on a shiny new Midtown Manhattan HQ, you know exactly where that money comes from: the non-existent interest rate they “pay” you! Fortunately, the big banks are losing this fight as customers wake up to the games,” he concluded.

Earlier, President Trump accused banks of “undermining and threatening” the GENIUS Act. He also pushed for the passage of the CLARITY Act.

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“The Banks should not be trying to undercut The Genius Act, or hold The Clarity Act hostage. They need to make a good deal with the Crypto Industry because that’s what’s in best interest of the American People,” Trump posted.

How Stablecoin Yield Became a Legislative Blockade

The CLARITY Act passed the House with bipartisan support in July 2025. The goal of the bill is to define regulatory oversight between the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). After moving to the Senate Banking Committee, it stalled.

The US Senate’s version of the crypto market structure bill restricts companies from paying interest solely for holding balances and limits the scope of reward offerings. This has created division among banking representatives and crypto lobbyists.

The White House set March 1 as a deadline for compromise between banks and crypto firms over stablecoin yield rules. Yet that deadline passed without agreement, increasing uncertainty.

The Senate Banking Committee is reportedly considering mid-to-late March for potential markup sessions. Whether Congress can resolve the issue before election politics take over will determine the near-term path for crypto regulation.

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Why a Drop to $0.21 Is Still Possible

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Bearish Cardano Structure

Cardano price has rebounded alongside the broader crypto market, rising about 5% in the past 24 hours. The move has helped the token recover nearly 10% from its March 4 low, offering short-term relief after weeks of weakness. However, the rebound does not fully resolve the structural risks surrounding the asset.

A weakening technical structure, rising on-chain coin movement, and an imbalance in derivatives positioning all point to the same possibility: the current rebound may still face downside pressure. Understanding that risk begins with the chart structure itself.

Hidden Bearish Divergence Emerges as Coin Movement Surges

Cardano’s price structure on the 12-hour chart is currently forming a head-and-shoulders pattern, a formation commonly associated with potential trend reversals. The pattern began developing in early February, with the left shoulder, head, and right shoulder now clearly visible. The neckline support of this structure sits near $0.26.

On March 4, Cardano briefly attempted to break below this neckline. The broader crypto market rally, however, pushed the price higher, allowing ADA to rebound roughly 10% from its recent low. Yet the technical picture still carries risk.

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Between March 2 and March 4, Cardano formed two lower highs, while the Relative Strength Index (RSI) printed a higher high during the same period.

Want more token insights like this? Sign up for Editor Harsh Notariya’s Daily Crypto Newsletter here.

Bearish Cardano Structure
Bearish Cardano Structure: TradingView

The RSI is a momentum indicator that measures the strength of price movements by comparing recent gains and losses. When price makes lower highs while RSI makes higher highs during a downtrend, it forms hidden bearish divergence. This pattern typically signals trend continuation, suggesting sellers remain active despite temporary rallies.

On-chain data reinforces this concern. The Spent Coins Age Band, a metric that tracks how many previously held coins move across the network, shows a sudden surge in distribution-linked activity.

On March 3, approximately 93 million ADA moved on-chain. By March 5, that figure had climbed over 143 million ADA, marking a 54% increase in coin movement.

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Coin Activity Rises
Coin Activity Rises: Santiment

Although the metric has since dropped to almost 81 million ADA, the spike suggests that many holders moved coins during the recent rebound, potentially preparing to sell. This rising distribution pressure leads to the next key risk area: leveraged traders.

Rising Long Leverage Adds Liquidation Risk as Spot Demand Weakens

While on-chain activity hints at potential ADA selling, derivatives markets reveal a second vulnerability.

According to the Binance ADA/USDT liquidation map, leveraged traders currently hold significantly more long exposure than short exposure.

30-Day Data shows:

  • Long liquidation leverage: about $22 million
  • Short liquidation leverage: roughly $17 million

This means long positions outweigh short positions by around 26%. While the long bias is not heavy, it still invokes caution.

When the market holds a long exposure amid a bearish technical structure, downside volatility can increase. If prices begin to fall, these long positions may be forced to close, triggering liquidations that accelerate the decline. Normally, strong spot market demand helps absorb this type of pressure.

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Liquidation Map
Liquidation Map: Coinglass

However, whale activity suggests that such support is currently limited.

Wallet data shows that most major holder cohorts have not significantly increased their balances in recent days.

Addresses holding:

  • 100 million to 1 billion ADA
  • More than 1 billion ADA

have largely kept their balances unchanged.

Only the 10 million to 100 million ADA cohort has shown modest accumulation, increasing holdings from 16.67 billion ADA to 16.69 billion ADA. Slightly above $5 million in worth.

Cardano Whales
Cardano Whales: Santiment

This increase is relatively small and does not signal strong new buying demand. With whales largely inactive and coin movement rising, the market may lack the spot demand needed to stabilize the price if selling pressure increases. This dynamic makes Cardano’s key price levels particularly important.

Cardano Price Faces Critical Test Between $0.28 and $0.25

Cardano is currently trading near $0.27, placing it close to the neckline support of the head-and-shoulders structure. Several levels now determine the next directional move.

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The first resistance sits near $0.28. This level has repeatedly rejected price attempts since late February. A 12-hour candle close above $0.28 would signal that buyers are regaining control.

If momentum strengthens further, the next resistance lies near $0.29, where the right shoulder of the pattern formed. A stronger breakout above $0.31 would invalidate the bearish structure entirely. Crossing this level would push the price above the head of the pattern and could signal a broader trend reversal.

Cardano Price Analysis
Cardano Price Analysis: TradingView

However, downside risk remains if support fails. A drop below $0.25 would confirm a breakdown of the head-and-shoulders pattern. In that scenario, Cardano could fall toward $0.21, representing a potential 18% decline from the neckline.

For now, Cardano’s 10% rebound has delayed the breakdown, but the combination of hidden bearish divergence, rising coin movement, and heavy long leverage suggests the market may still face a critical test in the days ahead. Only a 12-hour candle close above $0.28 can negate the threats for now.

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Market analyst Owen Lau says new crypto rally ‘has legs’

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Market analyst Owen Lau says new crypto rally ‘has legs’

The latest cryptocurrency rally could still have significant momentum, according to analyst Owen Lau, who said the market’s recent surge is supported by improving policy developments and stronger institutional participation.

Summary

  • Analyst Owen Lau said the current crypto rally “has legs,” suggesting the market could sustain momentum.
  • Pro-crypto policy developments in Washington are helping improve sentiment.
  • Growing institutional participation and ETF flows are reinforcing the rally.

Bitcoin surge may extend as policy tailwinds grow: Owen Lau

Owen Lau, a financial technology and crypto analyst, said the current rally “has legs,” pointing to a combination of regulatory progress in the United States and growing integration between traditional finance and digital assets.

Bitcoin and the broader crypto market have staged a strong rebound in recent days, with the leading cryptocurrency climbing above the $73,000 level and driving gains across altcoins. The rally follows renewed inflows into spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds and a wave of short liquidations that helped accelerate price momentum.

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According to Lau, a key factor supporting the rally is the shifting policy landscape in Washington. Recent discussions around crypto market structure legislation and stablecoin regulation have raised expectations that the United States could soon provide clearer rules for the industry.

Improved regulatory clarity has long been viewed as a catalyst for institutional adoption, as major financial firms often require clearer compliance frameworks before expanding exposure to digital assets.

Owen Lau also highlighted the growing involvement of traditional financial institutions in the crypto ecosystem, ranging from asset managers offering spot Bitcoin ETFs to banks exploring digital asset services. These developments, he said, are gradually embedding cryptocurrencies into mainstream financial markets.

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Institutional demand has already been visible through sustained ETF inflows, which have become one of the most significant drivers of Bitcoin price movements over the past year.

While volatility remains a defining feature of the crypto market, Lau suggested that the combination of regulatory progress, institutional demand and expanding market infrastructure could support continued upside.

If these trends persist, analysts say the current rally could represent more than just a short-term rebound, potentially marking the early stages of a broader market recovery.

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Ethereum price prediction: $2,500 in focus as OI spike amid Vitalik’s calls for scaling

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Ethereum price rebounds
Ethereum price rebounds
  • Ethereum rally above $2,100 follows a sharp spike in open interest.
  • A break above the resistance at $2,175 could open the path toward $2,500.
  • Large ETH withdrawals from exchanges point to tightening supply.

Ethereum has climbed above the $2,100 after a strong daily rally that pushed the asset higher amid renewed interest in derivatives markets.

The move follows a period of consolidation that had kept the price trapped near the $2,000 level for several sessions.

The surge has now placed the $2,500 region firmly on the radar of short-term traders.

At the same time, comments from Vitalik Buterin about the future direction of the network have sparked fresh discussion across the ecosystem.

Open interest spike signals renewed trader activity

One of the strongest signals behind the recent price jump is the sharp rise in derivatives market activity.

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Open interest (OI) in Ethereum futures has climbed significantly in recent weeks as traders increase their exposure to the asset.

The open interest reflects the total number of active futures contracts and often rises when new money enters the market.

The latest spike indicates that traders are positioning for larger price swings in the coming sessions.

Besides the increase in open interest, short liquidations also played a key role in the rally that pushed Ethereum above $2,100.

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When bearish traders are forced to close positions, they must buy back the asset, which can quickly accelerate upward momentum.

This chain reaction tends to create sudden bursts of volatility that drive prices higher within a short time frame.

However, derivatives data still shows mixed sentiment among traders, with funding rates shifting between positive and negative levels, suggesting that the market remains divided on the next direction.

Ethereum supply tightens as investors withdraw coins

Another factor supporting the recent recovery is a notable decline in the amount of Ethereum held on centralised exchanges.

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According to data obtained from CryptoQuant, Large amounts of ETH have been moved away from trading platforms over the past month.

Ethereum Exchange Outflow
Source: CryptoQuant

These withdrawals from crypto exchanges often indicate that investors intend to hold their assets for a longer period rather than sell them immediately.

When coins leave exchanges, the amount available for instant trading becomes smaller.

This shift can create tighter supply conditions, especially if demand begins to increase at the same time.

On-chain data also shows that large investors have continued to accumulate Ethereum during recent market weakness.

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This trend suggests that some market participants view current prices as attractive entry levels.

Such accumulation can help stabilise the market during periods of volatility.

Ethereum technical analysis place $2,500 in focus

From a technical perspective, Ethereum’s price is currently trading between key support and resistance zones.

The $2,023 region has emerged as an important short-term support level based on recent price movements.

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A break below that zone could expose the market to further downside toward the $1,901 support area.

On the upside, the $2,175 level has repeatedly acted as immediate resistance.

A sustained move above this barrier could open the door for a rally toward the next resistance near $2,396.

If buying pressure remains strong, the market may then shift its focus toward the $2,525 region.

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This level sits close to the psychological $2,500 mark that many traders are watching.

A decisive breakout above this area would signal a stronger bullish trend forming in the short term.

Vitalik Buterin says, “Ethereum needs to scale”

Beyond the price charts, discussion around Ethereum’s long-term direction has intensified following recent comments from Vitalik Buterin.

The Ethereum co-founder has emphasised the importance of developing what he described as “sanctuary” technology within the ecosystem.

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This concept centres on strengthening decentralisation and ensuring that Ethereum remains a secure and neutral platform.

Buterin also highlighted concerns that some scaling solutions are drifting away from Ethereum’s core security model.

His remarks have sparked debate about how the network should evolve as demand continues to grow.

Some observers believe these discussions could influence how developers approach future upgrades and scaling strategies.

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Crypto Scams Using ‘Powerful’ iPhone Exploit Kit: Google

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Crypto Scams Using ‘Powerful’ iPhone Exploit Kit: Google

Threat researchers at Google say they have uncovered a new exploit kit targeting Apple iPhone users, aimed at stealing crypto wallet seed phrases. 

The kit, named “Coruna” by its developers, targets iPhones running iOS versions 13.0 up to 17.2.1. It has “five full iOS exploit chains and a total of 23 exploits,” including ones that were previously unknown to the public, the Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) said in a report on Wednesday.

The group said it first discovered the kit in February 2025 and has since tracked its use by a suspected Russian espionage group against Ukrainians, and later on fake Chinese crypto websites that aim to steal crypto.

GTIG said the kit doesn’t work with the latest version of iOS and urged iPhone users to update their devices to the latest software version. If that isn’t possible, users should put the phone in “Lockdown Mode,” which Apple says can counter sophisticated attacks.

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Kit targets crypto via fake websites

GTIG said it came across parts of an iOS exploit in February 2025 in which a customer of a surveillance company used JavaScript to fingerprint the device to deliver the appropriate exploit.

Later that year, it found the same JavaScript framework hidden on multiple compromised Ukrainian websites that was “only delivered to selected iPhone users from a specific geolocation.”

Source: Mandiant

GTIG said it then found the same framework in December “on a very large set of fake Chinese websites mostly related to finance,” including one that spoofed the crypto exchange WEEX.

When a user accesses the websites with an iOS device, the framework delivers the exploit kit and hunts for financial information, including analyzing texts containing seed phrases and keywords such as “backup phrase” or “bank account.”

Related: ‘ClickFix’ hackers pose as VCs, hijack QuickLens in latest crypto attacks

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The kit also seeks out popular crypto apps, including Uniswap and MetaMask, to extract crypto or sensitive information.

Coruna’s US intelligence origins debated

GTIG did not name the customer of the surveillance company from which the exploit kit is said to have originated, but the mobile security company iVerify told WIRED it could have been built or bought by the US government.