DeFi (decentralized finance) has emerged as one of the most transformative trends in the financial sector. It's built on blockchain technology, offering a decentralized alternative to TradFi (traditional financial) services. From lending and borrowing to DEXs (decentralized exchanges) and yield farming, DeFi aims to democratize finance, making it more accessible, efficient and transparent.

Institutional investors are increasing their crypto allocations, with 83% of those surveyed by Coinbase planning to invest more in 2025, driven by strong returns, growing DeFi adoption, and expanding stablecoin use.

Australian federal police have alerted over 130 people of a new text message scam aimed at crypto users that copies the same “sender ID” as legitimate crypto exchanges such as Binance. The impersonation scam involves the fraudsters sending out messages through text and encrypted messaging platforms by impersonating a Binance representative, telling users of a crypto account breach and instructing them to set up a new wallet, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said in a March 21 statement.

The Trump administration has finally unveiled its plan to restructure USAID. This comes just weeks after President Trump teamed up with Elon Musk to cut government agencies, which led to thousands of USAID job losses and the elimination of most foreign aid contracts.

Trump's attendance at the U.S. Digital Asset Summit signals a major shift in crypto policy.

LG will shut down its NFT platform amid a broader market downturn that's seen major collections lose over 70% of their value.

VanEck Ventures invested in Manifest, a platform bringing U.S. real estate into DeFi.

Upbit, one of the largest South Korean crypto exchanges, has denied accusations of charging brokerage fees for listing tokens on its platform, calling its accusers to provide concrete proof of such occurrence.

ChainAware.ai offers web3 user analytics dashboards to analyze on-chain behavior, enhance security, and optimize project decisions. The post ChainAware.ai launches: free user analytics for web3 projects appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

LG Electronics has announced the closure of its NFT marketplace for TVs, Art Lab. The announcement on the soon-to-be-defunct website stated that the company intends to shift its focus and explore new opportunities.

Australia's Albanese Government has unveiled new crypto rules targeting exchanges and stablecoins, with plans to curb debanking.

President Donald Trump told a digital asset conference Thursday (March 20) that the United States is going to “dominate crypto and the next generation of financial technologies.

South Korean prosecutors raided the headquarters of crypto exchange Bithumb on March 19 as part of an investigation into whether the company's former CEO misused corporate funds to purchase an apartment, according to local media reports.

The SEC declared today that proof-of-work cryptoassets are not bound by securities regulations. Based on this clarity and the commissions latest actions, BeInCrypto analysts predict that the SEC will approve multiple altcoin ETFs together by the end of Q2 2025

The U.S. OCC said it has ended examining national banks and other financial institutions for reputational risk.

The Brazilian Senate will hold a public hearing on crypto regulation after a lawmaker launched a fresh bid to “update” the nation's legislation. The post Brazilian Senate to Hold Public Hearing on Crypto Regulation appeared first on Cryptonews.

European Central Bank (ECB) Chief Economist Philip Lane has reiterated the need for a digital euro, emphasizing its role in mitigating risks from stablecoins and reducing reliance on US payment firms, Bloomberg News reported on March 20.

Cryptocurrency exchanges are enhancing user engagement by focusing on onchain initiatives. Coinbase collaborates with the Golden State Warriors to offer blockchain-based fan experiences, while Gemini appoints Eric Kuhn as Head of Onchain Product to drive blockchain adoption. The post Crypto Exchanges Focus On New Ways to Bring Users Onchain appeared first on Cryptonews.

The crypto industry argued that U.S. regulators used the idea of risks to banks' reputation to pressure them to reject digital assets clients, and the OCC has answered.

The second-largest US-based crypto exchange by trading volume is expanding its repertoire as it prepares to go public. Earlier this month, Kraken announced plans to offer an Initial Public Offering (IPO) early next year. On the heels of the announcement, Kraken now says it has acquired the leading US retail futures trading platform NinjaTrader.

Upbit denies Wu Blockchain's claims of charging intermediary fees for token listings, demanding evidence and warning against fraudulent brokers while vowing legal action against false claims. The post Upbit Denies Listing Fee Allegations, Challenges Wu Blockchain to Provide Proof appeared first on Cryptonews.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has clarified its stance on crypto mining under proof-of-work (PoW) protocols, stating that mining activities do not involve offering and selling securities. This applies to assets such as Bitcoin (BTC) and Litecoin (LTC).

Former chief legal officer of the Kraken exchange, Marco Santori, praised the political campaign donations made by crypto industry firms during the 2024 election as “democracy at work.”In an exclusive interview with Cointelegraph's Turner Wright, the former Kraken executive argued that crypto voters tilted the election in favor of then-candidate Donald Trump and the Republican Party.

Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis has uncovered a direct financial connection between Mexican drug cartels and Chinese fentanyl precursor suppliers through cryptocurrency transactions.

Kraken has announced an agreement to acquire Ninjatrader, the U.S. retail futures trading platform, for $1.5 billion, subject to certain purchase price adjustments. This acquisition accelerates its multi-asset-class ambitions, which include plans for equities trading and payments.

Bybit CEO Ben Zhou reports that 88% of the $1.4 billion in stolen crypto assets remain traceable nearly a month after the breach. Security firms and blockchain experts collaborate to recover funds linked to North Korea's Lazarus Group. The post Bybit CEO Ben Zhou: 88% of Stolen $1.4 Billion Remains Traceable appeared first on Cryptonews.

Coinbase has put forward a regulatory blueprint for digital assets, urging the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to establish clearer guidelines. The proposal follows a request from SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, who leads the agency's crypto task force, for input on regulatory clarity.

In a staff statement published Thursday, the SEC said that both solo mining and mining pool operations would fail the first prong of the Howey Test.

VanEck chief executive Jan van Eck is outlining what he thinks will be the biggest milestone for the crypto sector in 2025. While speaking with Anthony Pompliano at Bitcoin Investor Week, Van Eck argues that stablecoins are the most interesting part of the digital asset world.

President Donald Trump is calling on Congress to pass a major stablecoin bill, saying it will keep the U.S. dollar at the top of global finance. He made the demand on Thursday in a video speech at the Blockworks Crypto Conference in New York.

Authorities raided Bithumb's Seoul headquarters on Wednesday in connection with the investigation, per local reports.

This is a segment from the Forward Guidance newsletter. To read full editions, subscribe.

Token launchpad Pump.fun has announced PumpSwap, a native decentralized exchange (DEX) built on Solana. The launch comes amid a nearly 60% monthly revenue decrease.

The Walrus Foundation secures $140 million in funding for its high-speed Decentralized Storage Networks, aiming to improve scalability, speed, and flexibility for blockchain-based applications beyond archival storage. The post Walrus Foundation Raises $140 Million for Decentralized Storage Networks appeared first on Cryptonews.

Although Bybit CEO Ben Zhou says 88% of stolen crypto is still traceable, the recent Bybit hack has been linked to an unprecedented money laundering operation. Is money laundering via crypto on the rise?

Pump.fun announced the launch of PumpSwap, its native DEX where tokens will list immediately after completing their bonding curve.

The European Central Bank (ECB) is advancing its plans for a digital euro to counter the growing presence of foreign-currency stablecoins and reduce dependence on U.S. payment firms. ECB Chief Economist Philip Lane emphasized the need for Europe to maintain control over its financial system amid increasing geopolitical tensions.

A new survey shows a significant percentage of institutional investors want to increase their exposure to crypto in 2025. The top US crypto exchange Coinbase and the strategy consulting firm EY-Parthenon polled decision-makers at 352 institutional investors to gain insights on their crypto investment plans, market sentiment and future expectations.

As parties sheath their swords after a protracted legal saga, Coinbase has presented a blueprint to the US SEC for digital asset regulation. The proposal involves suggestions to the SEC for regulating digital securities ahead of its Crypto Task Force roundtables.

This is a segment from The Drop newsletter. To read full editions, subscribe.

The introduction of PumpSwap also eliminates the 6 SOL migration fee and opens up the opportunity for creator revenue sharing in the future.

Pump.fun, the memecoin launchpad on the Solana, has announced the launch of PumpSwap, a native decentralized exchange promising instant token migration, zero fees and enhanced liquidity. The Pump.

Human Trafficking and Scam Centers: In March 2025, reports emerged about individuals like Wu Yonghui, who were lured by fake job offers abroad, only to be enslaved in scam centers near Myanmar's border. These victims endured severe mistreatment while being forced to carry out online scams, highlighting the extreme lengths to which these fraudulent operations can go.

The current AI market value stands at $23 billion and has shown a 2.4% gain during the past 24 hours. The value of Bitcoin rose above $85,000 while various other crypto assets continue to experience growth.

Bitwise chief investment officer (CIO) Matt Hougan says the crypto markets are undervaluing the US government's policy shift on digital assets. In a new interview with Natalie Brunell, Hougan says that the buying opportunity in crypto is now one of the best ever as the regulatory landscape has dramatically shifted under US President Donald Trump.

TL;DR Walrus Foundation has raised $140 million through a private token sale led by Standard Crypto with participation from many investors. The launch of its Mainnet, scheduled for March 27, will enable the management of large volumes of data, from AI to media files.

When a DeFi user loses 14 ETH (~$33,000) due to a faulty oracle update, who takes responsibility? If you ask Morpho, Pyth Network and Re7 Labs, the answer is: no one.

South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Upbit has denied allegations that it charges brokerage fees for token listings, calling on Wu Blockchain to provide proof.