NewsBriefs - OKX relaunches DEX aggregator with enhanced security after Lazarus Group misuse

May 5, 5:41 AM Cointelegraph

OKX relaunches DEX aggregator with enhanced security after Lazarus Group misuse

OKX has reactivated its decentralized exchange (DEX) aggregator, OKX Web3, with significant security upgrades after a temporary shutdown due to misuse by the North Korean hacking group, the Lazarus Group. The platform now features a real-time abuse detecting and blocking system, enhanced onchain analysis tools, and a dynamic database to identify and block suspect addresses. These measures aim to prevent fraudulent activities, backed by audits from blockchain security firms like CertiK, Hacken, and SlowMist.

Latest

• Aug 28, 2:06 AM The Block

  Ark Invest acquires $15.6 million in BitMine shares amid price drop

  Ark Invest, under Cathie Wood's leadership, purchased $15.6 million worth of BitMine shares across three of its ETFs as the stock fell by 7.85% to close at $46.03. The ARK Innovation ETF, ARK Next Generation Internet ETF, and ARK Fintech Innovation ETF participated in acquiring these shares.

  Expand Hide

  

• Aug 26, 3:46 AM The Block

  Eclipse Labs appoints new CEO Sydney Huang amid 65% staff reduction and strategic pivot

  Eclipse Labs has appointed Sydney Huang as the new CEO and is reducing its workforce by 65%, aligning with its strategic shift to develop user-facing applications on its Layer 2 infrastructure. This follows the token generation event last month, which resulted in a significant drop in the price of its native token, ES. The company will focus on building applications in-house to attract end users while continuing to support its Layer-2 chain.

  Expand Hide

  

• Aug 21, 3:59 PM The Block

  OCC lifts consent order against Anchorage Digital, signaling regulatory shift

  The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has rescinded its consent order against Anchorage Digital, originally implemented due to concerns over the crypto bank's anti-money laundering and KYC protocols. This shift aligns with broader changes in the US regulatory landscape towards crypto, including relaxed Federal Reserve guidelines for bank's crypto activities and a clarifying statement on rules for banks handling crypto, reflecting a more accommodative regulatory environment. Anchorage Digital remains the only federally chartered crypto bank in the US, noted for setting high compliance standards in the industry.

  Expand Hide

  

• Aug 20, 2:23 PM Protos

  US judge releases Hayden Davis's frozen assets, including 500M LIBRA tokens

  A US court has lifted the freeze on LIBRA creator Hayden Davis's assets, allowing him to access and transfer $58 million in USDC and 500 million LIBRA tokens in monthly increments. Despite the court's decision, USDC remains technically frozen. Each LIBRA token currently holds a value of $0.0094, estimating the total value of the released tokens at $4.7 million.

  Expand Hide

  

• Aug 19, 4:20 PM The Block

  Sen. Tim Scott faces opposition from Sen. Elizabeth Warren on crypto bill

  Sen. Tim Scott is actively pushing a bill to regulate the crypto market and expects support from 12 to 18 Democratic senators. However, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a known critic of the crypto industry, is reportedly hindering progress. Scott, alongside Sens. Cynthia Lummis, Bill Hagerty, and Bernie Moreno, have released a draft aiming for approval by a September 30 deadline. The legislation aims to establish a comprehensive market structure for crypto, beyond what recent laws have accomplished.

  Expand Hide

  

• Aug 18, 3:01 AM Simon Gerovich

  Metaplanet acquires 775 BTC for $93M, now holding 18,888 BTC

  Metaplanet has acquired 775 bitcoins for approximately $93 million, costing about $120,006 per BTC. The company has realized a bitcoin yield of 480.2% year-to-date in 2025. As of August 18, 2025, Metaplanet holds a total of 18,888 BTC, valued at around $1.94 billion, with an average acquisition cost of approximately $102,653 per BTC.

  Expand Hide

  

• Aug 18, 2:46 AM The Block

  Japan's Financial Services Agency set to approve first yen-pegged stablecoin

  Japan's Financial Services Agency is expected to approve the issuance of the country's first yen-pegged stablecoin by JPYC as early as this fall. JPYC plans to register as a money transfer business and initiate token sales soon after. The stablecoin will be backed by liquid assets like deposits and government bonds, and is intended for uses such as international remittances and DeFi. The company aims to issue 1 trillion yen worth of the stablecoin over three years.

  Expand Hide

  

• Aug 13, 2:39 PM The Block

  Pump.fun maintains high average buyback price for PUMP token despite reduced revenues

  Pump.fun continues to buy back PUMP tokens at a price significantly above market rates, with average buybacks at $0.0058 compared to the current market price of $0.0039. Since initiating a buyback program after its July ICO, the Solana memecoin launchpad has scooped up approximately 7.43 billion PUMP despite reduced revenues and ongoing debates over the sustainability of using platform fees for repurchases. Despite these buybacks, PUMP's value is notably below its previous high, reflecting broader market challenges.

  Expand Hide

  

• Aug 11, 3:41 PM The Block

  Heritage Distilling adopts $340 million IP token treasury with support from a16z crypto

  Heritage Distilling, under the ticker CASK, is set to pioneer the use of the IP token as its main reserve asset through a $340 million treasury strategy supported by a16z crypto and other key investors. The company will implement a $220 million PIPE deal, acquiring 52.5 million IP tokens at a significant discount, enhancing its strategic reserve assets and giving it a stake in the tokenized IP sector. The transaction is reinforced by contributions and advisory roles from various partners and crypto executives.

  Expand Hide

  

• Aug 4, 10:24 AM The Block

  CFTC launches Crypto Sprint initiative following Trump's crypto regulatory vision

  The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is initiating a 'Crypto Sprint' to enact recommendations from the recent White House digital asset report, aligning with President Trump's goal to position the US as the global leader in crypto. The effort aims to integrate crypto into the US financial systems, enhancing regulatory clarity and promoting innovation. Notably, the CFTC will coordinate with the Securities and Exchange Commission to bring clarity to trading and registration processes for digital assets.

  Expand Hide

  

• Jul 31, 1:14 PM Grayscale

  Grayscale launches new trust for Story network's IP token

  Grayscale, a leading digital asset investment platform, has launched Grayscale Story Trust to provide investors with exposure to the $IP token of the Story network. Story, a blockchain network, facilitates the management and monetization of intellectual property as programmable assets, tailored for artificial intelligence and digital rights across blockchain applications. The trust aims to appeal to institutional investors by embedding intellectual property in the booming AI and creator economies, making it licensable and monetizable on-chain.

  Expand Hide

  

• Jul 30, 8:20 PM The Block

  Robinhood reports 32% increase in Q2 crypto trading volume

  Robinhood Markets saw a 32% year-over-year increase in crypto trading volume, reaching $28 billion in the second quarter. The company further executed on its crypto strategy by acquiring Bitstamp and expanding tokenization, including launching new products in tokenized equities and crypto futures. Additionally, transaction-based crypto revenue nearly doubled, implying strong growth in its crypto business.

  Expand Hide

  

• Jul 30, 5:20 PM The Block

  Polygon experiences hour-long outage following validator exit

  Polygon faced a temporary outage lasting over an hour due to a bug triggered by a validator's exit from the network. Despite the disruption in the Heimdall system, which is crucial for running validators and maintaining consensus, the network's block-producing Bor layer continued to operate normally. This incident occurred shortly after a major upgrade aimed at improving scalability and reducing finality times. Operations, including transaction processing, were maintained, although users may have experienced access issues due to related RPC disruptions.

  Expand Hide

  

• Jul 30, 1:49 AM The Block

  Bank of Korea establishes new crypto division to focus on stablecoins

  The Bank of Korea has set up a new virtual asset division under its financial payment systems bureau to monitor the crypto market and guide discussions on national currency-based stablecoins. This move reflects South Korea's growing focus on stablecoin development, bolstered by the recent shift in the US approach and local governmental support, aligning closely with private sector initiatives to trademark stablecoin symbols.

  Expand Hide

  

• Jul 29, 8:22 PM Blockworks

  Orca introduces Wavebreak, a new launchpad for Solana tokens

  Orca has launched Wavebreak, a launchpad for Solana tokens, designed to prioritize human users over bots through the integration of CAPTCHA and a specialized onchain permission structure. This innovation aims to combat the common issue of token sniping by bots in the DeFi sector. Wavebreak will also feature daily user rewards based on trading volume, distinguishing itself amid a competitive landscape of Solana DEXs and memecoin-focused launchpads.

  Expand Hide