Wintermute CEO Evgeny Gaevoy says the company wants to focus on expanding its services into the U.S., starting with an office in New York.

AI has become integral to our lives, take it or leave it. Some use it to find new recipes for dinner, others–for relationship advice.

According to a Wednesday report by Reuters, Hong Kong is on track to greenlit new cryptocurrency products.

While Binance sees a “fresh reset” in the U.S., it is waiting for more clarity before making any decisions on its next steps there, the exchange's CEO says. Binance is taking its time with the U.S.

FTX Digital Markets is set to begin repaying $1.2 billion to its creditors, marking the first major distribution since the exchange collapsed in 2022.

Leading US centralized crypto exchange Coinbase and several of its executives have been hit with a new lawsuit that alleges they misled investors about its risk of bankruptcy.

Russian power company Rosseti suffered over $14 million in losses in 2024 due to illegal crypto-mining operations, which have led to network congestion, equipment damage, and criminal investigations. Unauthorized Crypto Mining Results in Heavy Losses For Rosseti Russian electricity provider Rosseti has reported $14 million (1.

The US economy is currently at a crucial juncture. It appears that the newly inducted Trump administration is preparing to revamp the US crypto and trade policies. Recently, the US SEC appointed a special crypto task force to establish a clear cryptocurrency regulation framework.

The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission has granted Bullish, a virtual asset trading platform, a license to operate within its territory.

The ongoing LIBRA token scandal has taken the crypto industry by storm, sparking several debates regarding user protection, the market's state, and bad actors taking advantage of the cycle's memecoin frenzy. Pump.fun's founder joined the discussion and urged token launchpads to work on practices to improve the space.

The long-awaited refunds from FTX officially began on February 18, 2025, at 3:00 PM UTC, with already 800 million dollars distributed to 162,000 accounts. Many users confirm having received their funds through the Kraken platform.

Crypto markets, especially altcoins, are still in the doldrums, but analysts have observed patterns in previous market cycles that could indicate change.

According to Changpeng ‘CZ' Zhao, the former CEO of crypto exchange giant Binance, crypto wallets should be the default interface for using blockchains.

Norwegian authorities have charged four men with running an $80 million cryptocurrency investment fraud, allegedly laundering the funds through a law firm's accounts.

Hong Kong financial secretary Paul Chan Mo-po says an exciting upcoming development is the intersection of AI and blockchain, which he said would create more use cases.

Wintermute plans to expand into the US with a New York office, new OTC products and a small team expansion. The post Crypto Market Maker Wintermute Eyes New York for US Expansion: Report appeared first on Cryptonews.

BitGo boss Mike Belsche has hinted at a potential public offering for his crypto custody firm, and says going public would help to “deliver trust in digital assets.”

Binance, one of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchanges, is shaking up its trading platform once again. The exchange has announced the removal of five spot trading pairs as part of its regular market review.

FTX has finally started paying back its creditors, nearly three years after its sudden collapse. The process began on February 18, with the first payouts going to creditors with claims of $50,000 or less. This group, called the “Convenience Class,” is set to receive full repayment, including 9% interest.

Hong Kong now hosts 10 licensed crypto trading platforms after the SFC approved Bullish. The post Hong Kong Now Home to 10 Licensed Crypto Platforms as Bullish Secures Approval appeared first on Cryptonews.

Key Takeaways: India recovers $190M from BitConnect Ponzi scheme.

Norwegian authorities have indicted four men accused of orchestrating a crypto investment scam that defrauded thousands of investors worldwide. The post Norway Charges Four Men in Crypto Investment Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme appeared first on Cryptonews.

Okx has secured a MiCA license, unlocking crypto services for 400 million people across 28 European countries with free euro transactions, local payments, and 300+ trading pairs. Okx Expands Crypto Services Across Europe with MiCA License Crypto exchange Okx announced on Feb.

OTC infrastructure firm Finery Markets says OTC trading volume skyrocketed last year, driven by Donald Trump's election win and demand for spot crypto ETFs.

Panelists discussed challenges and opportunities in crypto, including managing counterparty, credit and market risks 24/7.

It's a drop in the bucket compared to the stash of Bitcoin taken from BitConnect investors, now valued at more than $31 billion.

Lutnick is expected to work in support of Trump's trade agenda, outlined by steep import taxes on goods from US trading partners.

Strategy has announced its intention to offer $2.0 billion in 0% convertible senior notes due 2030 in a private offering to qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933.

Binance Holdings CEO Richard Teng tells Bloomberg's Annabelle Droulers about the company's engagement with the US government as President Donald Trump resets crypto policies. He also talks about the hunt for potential new headquarters, on the sidelines of Consensus Hong Kong.

Singapore-based blockchain platform DigiFT is set to tokenize a $6.3 billion private credit fund managed by Invesco, marking a major step in bridging traditional finance with blockchain technology.

BTCS Inc. (Nasdaq: BTCS), a blockchain infrastructure leader, has partnered with Figment Inc., a top blockchain staking provider, to introduce the Staker Protection Plan, designed to enhance transaction inclusion and security for high-value transactions. WonderFi Technologies (TSX: WNDR) (OTCQB: WONDF), a major digital asset platform, will be the first participant in the pilot program, launching in March 2025 alongside Ethereums Pectra update.

A sophisticated fraud scheme involving deepfake technology has led to the theft of at least $5.6 million from companies purchasing fake FTX liquidation claims, according to Inca Digital. The scam, uncovered ahead of FTXs scheduled payouts on February 18, highlights the growing risks posed by AI-driven financial fraud in the crypto industry.

CryptoAutos, a leader in Real-World Asset (RWA) tokenization, has acquired a $20 million fleet of luxury vehicles in Dubai, advancing its mission to merge blockchain with physical assets. This move highlights the companys commitment to redefining vehicle ownership and investment through digital asset-backed opportunities.

After a two-year wait, FTX begins repaying creditors with claims under $50K, including 9% annual interest. Payments processed via BitGo and Kraken will reach recipients in 1–3 business days.

Hong Kong's financial secretary Paul Chan on Wednesday said the city's regulators have issued nine digital asset platform licences and has more approvals in the pipeline.

Digital asset infrastructure provider and qualified custodian BitGo launched an over-the-counter (OTC) trading desk that includes integrated trading, derivatives, lending and qualified custody. The platform features support for spot and derivatives trading, locked token transacting, lending and yield-generating products, and instant settlement, the company said in a Tuesday (Feb. 18) press release.

U.S.-based art collective Kanbas has made the largest NFT purchase in three years, acquiring X.Masquerade by Sam Spratt for $3 million. This piece marks the sixth chapter in Spratts Story of Luci series.

The new offering facilitates tailored and diversified exposure to digital assets

Authorities in Norway allege that the creators of a crypto scheme laundered $62 million through the accounts of a local law firm.

Michael Barr spoke at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York about concerns regarding debanking and regulations on cryptocurrency.

In line with its mission to sustainably mine Bitcoin and integrate renewable energy into its Bitcoin mining operations, Mara Holdings has acquired a wind farm in Hansford, Texas.

Former Binance CEO Changpeng ‘CZ' Zhao believes that crypto wallets should be the primary interface for everyday blockchain usage, while exchanges should mostly serve professional traders and liquidity providers.

Retail traders are showing significant interest in alternative cryptocurrencies beyond major assets.

World of Women and artist Sara Baumann unveil an NFT portrait series honoring female Web3 pioneers, depicting Jill Gunter, Winny.eth, Evin McMullen, and Tina He as frontier figures. The collection, minted on Etherlink, looks to highlight women's impact on decentralized technology and address funding disparities in Web3. The post World of Women and Artist Sara Baumann Launch Free NFT Portrait Series appeared first on Cryptonews.

Toronto, Canada, 18th February 2025, Chainwire

Nigeria's House of Representatives member, Philip Agbese, has filed a ₦1 billion defamation lawsuit against Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan over allegations that Agbese and two other lawmakers sought a $150 million bribe. The post Nigerian Lawmaker Sues Binance Exec Tigran Gambaryan for ₦1 Billion Over Bribery Allegation appeared first on Cryptonews.

Nigeria's government is advancing plans to incorporate cryptocurrency transactions into its tax framework, with lawmakers reviewing legislation expected to pass in early 2025.

FTX's bankruptcy estate is beginning with small claims customers, disbursing $1.2 billion worth of repayments in this initial round.