Canadians Targeted by Crypto Scams: Torture and Forced Labor

An explosive investigation reveals a sprawling cryptocurrency scam network that has siphoned millions from Canadians while forcing workers in Southeast Asian call‑centre compounds into coercion, threats and torture. Coordinated cold‑call campaigns, fake investment platforms and social‑media ads funnel victims into rapid crypto laundering — exposing platform failures and sparking urgent calls for cross‑border law enforcement, tighter AML/KYC and industry reform.

Ethereum Could Rally 2,000%: Tom Lee Bets on a 0.25 BTC Path

Could Ethereum surge 2,000%? Fundstrat’s Tom Lee says yes — if Ethereum becomes the global settlement layer, PoS staking and EIP‑1559 burns shrink supply while stablecoins, DeFi and rollups drive persistent demand. The post lays out the catalysts (ETH/BTC re‑rating, sustained burn vs issuance, rollup adoption), trading implications, and the key risks — competition, centralization and regulation — that could derail the thesis.

Tom Lee Bets on Ethereum’s 2,000% Surge as Global Settlement Backbone

Top strategist Tom Lee says Ethereum could surge as much as 2,000% as it evolves into a global settlement layer — fueled by dominance in smart contracts, stablecoins and DeFi plus post‑Merge staking and fee‑burns that tighten supply. He points to a potential ETH/BTC ratio shift from ~0.05 to ~0.25 and has signaled conviction by joining Bitmine Immersion Technologies, a company holding substantial Ethereum. Lee frames this as a scenario, not a sure thing, warning of volatile markets and urging focus on networks with durable on‑chain utility — read the full post for the mechanics, signals and risks behind the bold call.

BU Crypto Debate: Skeptics Clash With Advocates on Digital Currencies

A lively Boston University panel framed crypto as a stark trade‑off: Larry Kotlikoff painted cryptocurrencies as “lottery‑ticket” assets — no cash flows, extreme volatility and fragile liquidity — while David Lagakos argued stablecoins and crypto rails provide real payment and remittance value in high‑inflation, bank‑weak countries like Venezuela. The discussion links valuation theory to on‑the‑ground mechanics — on/off‑ramp quality, convertibility and regulatory risk — and boils down to two policy choices: choke retail speculation or build targeted frameworks that preserve useful payment functions. Read the full post for the full exchange and its policy implications.

Bitcoin Tumbles From $126K Peak as 2025 Volatility Roils Retail Traders

Bitcoin’s meteoric run to an intrayear $126,000 peak imploded into a volatility-fueled unwind that wiped out many retail, leveraged traders. Stretched leverage, clustered options expiries, flipped funding rates and cascading liquidations amplified slippage and liquidity withdrawal—on-chain data shows rising realized losses and surge in exchange inflows. The fallout raises urgent governance questions and highlights protocol fixes like 4TEEN’s fixed-price, short-hold model that seek to tame instant sell-pressure—read the full post.

Brazil's Youth Drive Crypto Boom With Stablecoins and Tokenized Bonds

Brazil’s Gen Z is quietly reshaping crypto — favoring dollar-pegged stablecoins and tokenized fixed-income over risky tokens, driving a conservative boom that saw $325M of income-focused token distribution in 2025. Clearer regulation and smart product design (think fixed-price entry, lockups and scheduled payouts like the 4TEEN model) make predictable yields and on-chain savings attractive, compressing volatility and forcing new liquidity and market-making strategies — a trend that promises a wave of hybrid income products and smarter capital flows.

Bitcoin vs XRP: 2026 Outlook and the Bridge-Currency Advantage

Bitcoin vs. XRP: two very different 2026 bets. Bitcoin is the deep‑liquidity, ETF‑friendly store‑of‑value that could see $100k–$150k in bullish ETF/inflow scenarios; XRP is a smaller, higher‑beta payments play that can outperform if banks, tokenized settlement rails and regulatory clarity materialize — but it carries greater liquidity and execution risk. This concise analysis lays out catalysts, risk profiles and practical trade ideas (core‑satellite, event‑driven execution) so you can position for safety with BTC and optionality with XRP — read the full post.

Crypto Tax Shakeup 2025: IRS 1099-DA and DeFi Rule Repeal

IRS rolling out Form 1099‑DA in January 2025 — and crypto reporting just got real. Major exchanges must rebuild back‑end pipelines to classify transactions, compute cost basis, and report proceeds, while the repeal of the DeFi Broker Rule leaves decentralized platforms in a legal gray zone. Investors face bigger IRS visibility (and higher short‑term tax risk), and smaller Web3 teams must choose between costly reconciliation tech or outsourcing tax work. Read the full post for concrete steps, timelines, and what teams should do now to stay compliant.

North Korean Hackers Hit Record $2.02 Billion Crypto Theft in 2025

North Korean-linked actors stole at least $2.02 billion in crypto in 2025 — a 51% jump over 2024 and pushing cumulative thefts to about $6.75 billion — but the story is fewer attacks, much bigger hits. Criminals are targeting custodians, bridge liquidity pools and centralized services using insider-backed social engineering and long-term access, then laundering funds through Chinese-language onramps, cross-chain bridges, mixers and DEX routing. The shift demands zero-trust personnel controls, real-time bridge monitoring, broadened AML coverage of non-English channels, and fast recovery playbooks for institutions, insurers and compliance teams.

Crypto Kiosks: The Hidden Scam Driving Losses

Cryptocurrency kiosks—now common in stores—have quietly become a major on-ramp for scammers: over 90% of kiosk transactions are linked to fraud and consumers lost an estimated $9.3 billion to crypto scams in 2024. Scammers pose as officials, demand immediate payment, and insist victims buy crypto at a nearby kiosk and share voucher codes—transactions that are fast, anonymous and nearly impossible to reverse. Learn the red flags, why kiosks attract criminals, and what to do if you’re targeted.