DeFi TVL fell by $48B in Q1 2025 as altcoins tumbled, while Bitcoin dominance rose to 59.1% amid market uncertainty and meme coin declines.

Friday has rolled around again, which means that another batch of Bitcoin options is due to expire while spot markets remain mostly sideways.

David Geffen has filed a countersuit against Justin Sun, escalating a legal battle over the ownership of a sculpture by Alberto Giacometti. The post Entertainment Mogul David Geffen Countersues Justin Sun Over Disputed Multimillion-Dollar Sculpture appeared first on Cryptonews.

MEXC Ventures has launched IgniteX, a $30 million initiative aimed at nurturing Web3 talent and driving innovation in blockchain, AI, and fintech. The five-year program will support early-stage startups, academic partnerships, and developer communities worldwide.

Kraken is cutting jobs across all departments while restructuring its workforce and preparing for a potential IPO.

Arizona's Digital Asset Reserve bill is heading to a final House vote after clearing the Committee of the Whole.

As financial sanctions and conflict continue to destabilize Yemen's economy, ordinary citizens are increasingly turning to DeFi as an alternative to traditional banking systems. The post Yemenis Turn to DeFi as Sanctions Cut Off Traditional Banking: Report appeared first on Cryptonews.

SPAR, a global grocery retailer with a significant presence including over 13,900 stores across 48 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia, is reportedly testing cryptocurrency payments in Switzerland. A post on Linkedin indicated that a SPAR store in Zug, Switzerland, is accepting bitcoin payments via the Lightning Network.

Crypto traders are patiently waiting for markets to move as the US President takes a swipe at the central bank chair.

Binance has maintained its position as the leading centralized exchange in Q1 2025, despite a wider market downturn and declining trading volumes. With a total trading volume of about $8.39 trillion, Binance accounted for 36.

Arizona House passes Strategic Digital Asset Reserve Act, awaiting governor's approval.

There has been a 66% year-on-year decrease in the number of crypto rug pulls this year compared to 2024, but recent data shows the size of each rug pull has been increasing. Rug pulls have dropped in frequency year-over-year, with early 2024 recording 21 separate incidents, compared to only seven so far in 2025, according to an April 16 report from blockchain analytics platform DappRadar.

Crypto exchange Binance is remodeling its attitude toward regulation, flipping the script on its former notoriety as a pain in the neck of sorts to a role as an insider policy adviser to governments worldwide. The organization currently advises governments in several countries on crypto policy, recent quotes by CEO Richard Teng report.

Privacy-focused crypto exchange eXch will shut down on May 1 after mounting international pressure over alleged ties to North Korea's Lazarus Group. The post Non-KYC Exchange eXch to Close After Scrutiny Over Alleged Lazarus Group Links appeared first on Cryptonews.

Crypto exchange Kraken has laid off hundreds of employees across various departments over the past several months as part of its strategy to streamline operations ahead of a potential U.S. IPO. The downsizing follows an earlier layoff of 400 staff membersroughly 15% of Krakens workforcein October last year, coinciding with Arjun Sethis appointment as co-CEO alongside David Ripley.

Kyrgyzstan has taken a major step toward launching its own central bank digital currency (CBDC), as President Sadyr Japarov signed legislation granting the digital som legal status. Although the country has not yet committed to issuing the CBDC, the move lays the legal groundwork for its potential rollout.

Diosnel Alarcon, head of the cybercrime unit of the National Police of Paraguay, has indicated that over $4 billion was moved by cryptocurrency scams and Ponzi schemes in 2023 and 2024. Alarcon stated that middlemen help these platforms thrive, as people investing don't know the basics of crypto.

Kyrgyzstan has granted legal tender status to its digital som, while Wyoming has refined its stablecoin language to align with SEC guidance.

American film producer, record executive and art collector David Geffen has hit back at crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun in a countersuit disputing ownership claims over a multimillion-dollar sculpture.The billionaire American media mogul filed a counterclaim against Sun on April 16, calling the Tron founder's suit a “sham” and adding claims of “unethical and/or illegal business activities.” Sun sued Geffen in February, claiming that the statue was stolen from him by a former employee who then sold the artwork to Geffen in a deal worth around $65 million in artwork and cash.

Slovenia's Finance Ministry has introduced a draft law that would impose a 25% tax on profits from cryptocurrency trading for residents. The post Slovenia Proposes 25% Tax on Crypto Profits in New Draft Law appeared first on Cryptonews.

Kraken has reportedly cut hundreds of jobs across departments in recent months as part of ongoing restructuring ahead of a possible US IPO in 2025. The post Kraken Trims Workforce Across Departments Ahead of Potential Listing: Report appeared first on Cryptonews.

Slovenia's finance ministry has reportedly proposed a 25% tax on personal profits from crypto asset disposals in a bid to close a tax system loophole that currently exempts individual investors while taxing business income from crypto trading.

Slovenia is planning to take a bigger bite out of crypto profits. After imposing a 10% tax on crypto withdrawals in 2023, the country's Finance Ministry has now suggested a new law to add a 25% tax on crypto trading gains. If the bill gets passed, the law will begin on January 1, 2026.

A cryptocurrency project inspired by scientific great Isaac Newton has quietly made waves this year, with its native coin's year-to-date explosion leaving reputable names far behind. What happened: AB (AB), formerly Newton Project (CRYPTO: NEW), has skyrocketed 7602% year-to-date to become the cryptocurrency market's most successful token in 2025.

Yemeni citizens are increasingly using decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols to bank themselves amid US sanctions aimed at the Houthi group, which they have deemed a terrorist organization. In the past, internet infrastructure challenges and low financial literacy among the war-torn population contributed to relatively limited crypto adoption, according to an April 17 report from blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs.

The exchange said it will close down on May 1, and said that there is a 'transatlantic operation' to prosecute the project.

Privacy-focused exchange eXch will shut down operations on May 1 following rising allegations that it was used to launder funds stolen in the $1.5 billion Bybit hack. In an Apr.

Circle, the issuer behind USDC, has launched a new smart contract platform called Refund Protocol, aiming to bring refunds and dispute resolution to stablecoin payments. The company announced the launch in an Apr.

Arizona's push to integrate digital assets into state financial infrastructure is nearing a critical milestone. The post Arizona's Crypto Reserve Bill Nears Final Approval After House Passage appeared first on Cryptonews.

Key Point 1

One of Arizona's crypto reserve bills has been passed by the House and is now one successful vote away from heading to the governor's desk for official approval.Arizona's Strategic Digital Assets Reserve Bill (SB 1373) was approved on April 17 by the House Committee of the Whole, which involves 60 House members weighing in on the bill before a third and final reading and a full floor vote. Source: Bitcoin Laws SB 1373 seeks to establish a Digital Assets Strategic Reserve Fund made up of digital assets seized through criminal proceedings to be managed by the state's treasurer.

Slovenia's Finance Ministry is considering a possible 25% tax on crypto trading profits for residents in the country under a new draft law now open for public consultation. The bill proposes to tax traders when they sell their cryptocurrency for fiat or pay for goods and services, but crypto-to-crypto and transfers between wallets owned by the same user will be exempt, Slovenia's Finance Ministry said in an April 17 statement.

Governments worldwide are racing to secure crypto dominance, turning to Binance for strategic guidance on digital reserves and regulatory blueprints as sovereign adoption accelerates. Nations Seek Binance's Aid on Crypto Reserves Binance has begun advising governments on cryptocurrency regulation and national digital asset reserves, according to a report by the Financial Times, published April 17.

Cryptocurrency exchange eXch announced it would cease operations on May 1 following reports that it was involved in laundering funds from a Bybit hack.

Bybit is shutting down a major portion of its Web3 portfolio, including its NFT marketplace, wallets, and several decentralized services.

Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Zhaparov has signed a constitutional law authorizing the launch of a central bank digital currency pilot project while also giving the “digital som” — the national currency in digital form — legal tender status.The law gives the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic the exclusive right to issue the digital som, establish the rules for its issuance and circulation, and oversee the platform on which the national currency will operate, Kyrgyzstan's presidential office said on April 17. However, a final decision on whether to officially issue the CBDC is not expected until the end of 2026, local outlet Trend News Agency reported in December.

Crypto is charging into the mainstream as the Federal Reserve signals a dramatic shift, hinting at looser oversight and faster institutional adoption of digital assets nationwide. Fed Chair Powell Teases Softer Crypto Stance U.S.

The South Korean Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has extended the period of its on-site inspection of the Bithumb crypto exchange, with a Coinone inspection set to start next week. The post South Korean Regulator Extends Bithumb Inspection, Plans Coinone Probe appeared first on Cryptonews.

Slovenia's Ministry of Finance released two legislative proposals for public consultation to clarify and align the taxation of digital assets and derivatives ahead of a planned 2026 rollout, according to an April 17 release.

Despite regulatory hurdles and listing concerns, a new report from TokenInsight shows that Binance is comfortably leading the CEX market. Increasing competition from MEXC and Bitget saw Binance's market share drop 1%, but it still dominates more than one-third of the CEX trades.

Web3 experts emphasize that the ongoing trade war, while presenting challenges, can also act as a catalyst for innovation within the blockchain space. However, they argue that fostering a mindset of global unity can help mitigate the divisive effects of trade wars. Decentralized Governance Can Mitigate Disputes Caused by Protectionist Policies As the U.S.

Key Takeaways: The SEC will host its third crypto-focused roundtable of 2025, titled “Know Your Custodian: Key Considerations for Crypto Custody,” on April 25 at its Washington D.C. headquarters, with a focus on the complexities of cryptocurrency custody.

Zero Edge founder Richard Kim arrested for misusing $7M in investor funds through gambling and high-risk crypto trades, facing securities and wire fraud charges. The post Crypto Fraud Shocker: Zero Edge's Richard Kim Arrested After Blowing $7M Investor Cash on Gambling appeared first on Cryptonews.

Cryptocurrency exchange eXch announced it will cease operations on May 1 after reports alleged the firm was used to launder funds from a Bybit hack.In an April 17 notice, eXch said the majority of people in its management team voted to “cease and retreat” in response to the allegations that North Korea's Lazarus Group used the exchange to launder roughly $35 million of the funds stolen in a $1.4 billion exploit on Bybit. The exchange said it was the subject of “an active transatlantic operation” aimed at shutting it down and potentially pursuing charges.

SEC hosts roundtable on crypto custody on April 25.

Slovenia proposes a 25% tax on individual crypto profits starting 2026.

UAE-based crypto market maker CLS Global faced SEC enforcement action after regulators determined that 98% of its trading volume consisted of wash trades designed to create artificial market activity. The regulatory investigation concluded with CLS Global agreeing to a $425K penalty and market exclusion without admitting or denying the allegations. The post SEC Sting Bars UAE Crypto Market Maker CLS Global for 98% Wash Trades, $425K Fine appeared first on Cryptonews.

The DeFi broker rule saga is behind us. It only took 3+ years.