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Outflows of bitcoin miners also rose to 48,774 BTC, equivalent to $3.2 billion in two days, which shows considerable activity in times of market turbulence. 

The on-chain data indicate that these big transfers are not always indicative that miners are selling due to capitulation fears.

Massive BTC movement recorded in early February

Source: CryptoQuant Bitcoin Miner Outflow (Total) All Miners

The 28,605 BTC transferred in the wallets of Bitcoin miners over the first day was equivalent to $1.8 billion, and the second day, 20,169 BTC was equivalent to $1.4 billion. 

This constitutes some of the biggest single-day outflows since November 2024. 

The deals involve transfer to exchanges, internal wallets, and other parties, and the implication is that the outflows are not necessarily spot market sales. 

This trend corresponded to the fall of the price of Bitcoin to the range of $62,200 and its recovery to the range of 66,485.

Miners did not sell at the same pace

According to financial reporting done by leading mining companies, the sales that were made were significantly less than the outflows that were being reported. 

Companies such as CleanSpark, Cango, and DMG Blockchain Solutions claimed to have mined hundreds of BTC in January but sold minimal portions. 

CleanSpark has mined 573 BTC and sold 158.63 BTC, whereas Cango mined 496.35 BTC and sold 550.03 BTC. LM Funding America had mined 7.8 BTC, with zero sales. 

Other companies’ sales were not reported by others, but it is estimated that none have moved the amount of Bitcoin that was transferred on February 5 and 6. 

This is an indication that the massive outflows are mainly internal or strategic transfers as opposed to mass liquidations.

Miners face pressure below production cost

Bitcoin miners are working under stress with the prices not exceeding the cost of production. 

According to the information on Checkonchain, the current cost of producing one BTC is $79, 242, whereas the trading price is $66, 485. 

This is a tough environment for the miners who are not profitable at present levels. 

The Royal Government of Bhutan has also given up 100 BTC to QCP Capital, potentially to manage their liquidity, suggesting that state-sponsored miners are busy moving their holdings during market volatility. 

Since it was selling at 97,860 on January 14, Bitcoin has dropped by over 30% due to the continued selling and the increased cautiousness in the market.

Although on-chain flows have been massive, miner outflows are not market capitulation. 

Transfers are a manifestation of strategic management, internal mobility, and selective sales. 

Bitcoin miners are going through a phase of unprofitable time, and a massive outflow is not the only indicator of panic selling.

The post Bitcoin miner outflows hit $3.2 Billion amid price volatility first appeared on Coinfea.

Lending protocols are increasingly becoming the target of DeFi exploits as hackers focus on platforms with large vaults. 

Over the past year, these protocols recorded 67 attacks, making them the most exploited type of DeFi application. With $53 billion in reported value locked, lending platforms remain highly attractive to attackers seeking high-value targets.

Technical vulnerabilities drive major losses

The main cause of losses in lending protocols is technical error. 

Smart contract bugs led to the majority of incidents, accounting for $526 million lost across 48 events. 

Compromised private keys or multisig wallets were the second largest contributor. 

Even audited protocols experienced significant losses, with $515 million affected. 

This highlights the persistent risk in permissionless, on-chain lending.

Protocols often rely on complex smart contracts to manage loans, collateral, and interest payments. 

Flash loans can amplify vulnerabilities, allowing attackers to manipulate markets or trigger liquidations. 

Some platforms use new tokens for interest, which exposes them to minting exploits. 

Price manipulation and oracle errors also contributed to $65 million in losses across 13 incidents, showing multiple attack vectors remain unprotected.

High-value vaults attract hackers

Lending protocols hold significant amounts of stablecoins and major cryptocurrencies such as ETH and BTC, making them primary targets. 

Smaller protocols and specific vaults are often exploited first. 

Projects like Moonwell suffered attacks due to flaws in pricing data and Oracle integration, emphasizing the risks even in well-known platforms.

Unaudited code remains a major weakness. Among the top 30 DeFi hacks historically, 58.4 percent resulted from unaudited smart contracts. 

Out-of-scope exploits caused $193 million in losses, and unaudited contracts lost $77 million across 24 incidents in the past year. 

These figures underline the importance of thorough auditing, though audits alone cannot eliminate risk due to complex on-chain interactions.

User-Focused Attacks Continue to Rise

Hackers also target users through cloned decentralized exchanges. 

These platforms appear legitimate but hold deposits and charge extra fees for withdrawals. End users remain vulnerable as the DeFi ecosystem expands, highlighting the need for careful interaction with new protocols. 

Permissionless access allows rapid growth but exposes investors to sophisticated exploits.

Lending protocols continue to face elevated risks due to technical vulnerabilities and high-value vaults. Smart contract bugs, flawed oracles, and price manipulation remain the top causes of losses. 

Despite audits and security measures, permissionless and complex on-chain systems make exploits likely. As DeFi usage grows, lending platforms will remain a key focus for attackers, requiring ongoing vigilance from developers and users.

The post Lending Protocols Face Growing Risk of DeFi Exploits first appeared on Coinfea.

Solana is at the forefront of the Web3 and Web2 payment environment, with an annual transaction volume increasing by an impressive 755%. 

On-chain data shows that the network has had over $1.8 billion worth of payments, which is more than any other major platform.

Explosive growth in B2B transactions

Solana leads payments growth across all platforms, at +755% YoY. While blockchains are winning growth (+755% on $6.5B), TradFi still owns volume (PayPal processes $1.8T). https://t.co/9bW2qfzIlA pic.twitter.com/k0BlKxdckJ

— Artemis (@artemis) February 11, 2026

According to the data provided by Artemis, the volume of B2B payments at Solana increased nine times within 16 months and reached 3.84 billion. 

The fast adoption of the network speaks of its capability to support large transactions. 

Comparatively, the volume of stablecoin payments increased 137% annually in August 2025, with the highest proportion being B2B payments. 

The network is highly efficient, and this has made Solana one of the preferred choices of businesspeople who are in need of transporting money in a reliable and fast manner.

Spot trading volume surges

Impressive growth in spot trading has also been realized by Solana. In January 2025, the network reported that it had registered 1.6 trillion in spot trading volume, making it the second in the world after Binance, which registered 7.2 trillion. 

According to on-chain statistics, Solana was the largest exchange with 11.92% of the overall world spot market, surpassing Coinbase, Bybit, and Bitget, among the largest exchanges in the world. 

Decentralized exchange data of DefiLlama confirms that Solana dominated Ethereum and BSC in 2025 and reached its highest of $313.91 billion in January. 

The network had a trading volume of more than 1.5 trillion by the end of the year, and Ethereum had 950 billion.

Price declines affect SOL holders and validators

SOL has experienced a lean beginning to 2026, although network activity is high. 

The token has lost over 35% this year to date and traded at 82.38 at the time this is being written; it is down 9% in the last seven days. 

This has affected the treasury companies greatly, with Forward Industries having 6.9 million SOL worth 564.38 million, and Solana Company has 2.3 million SOL worth 187.8 million. 

In February, the net outflows in Spot SOL ETFs were over $10 million, but a few short-term inflows were also reported.

The number of network validators has also plummeted at an extremely high rate, and the day-to-day count has dropped to under 800, the lowest since 2021. 

Solana Foundation is reported to have reorganized the requirements of validators to remove those nodes that are not performing and enhance network stability and reliability.

The fact that Solana is leading in the number of payments and trading operations highlights its expanded importance in both Web3 and Web2 worlds, despite market volatility making investor trust and the number of validators a question.

The post Solana Dominates Payments on Web3 and Web2 with 755% Growth first appeared on Coinfea.

Securities and Exchange Chairman Paul Atkins has addressed questions over the agency’s decision to temporarily halt its case against Tron founder Justin Sun. He talked about the case at a congressional briefing, reiterating the commitment of the SEC towards transparency and regulatory clarity.

The SEC chair noted that, according to litigation rules, active cases cannot be discussed in public. Regarding the Justin Sun issue, which has been on the agency’s radar for about 11 months, he said it has become an issue of a larger debate of crypto enforcement and political influence. The SEC boss also noted that the agency is working with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in relation to the proposed CLARITY Act.

SEC Chair pressed over Justin Sun’s enforcement pause

During the hearing, Democratic lawmakers stepped up their questioning. Representative Maxine Waters, ranking Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, challenged Atkins about the agency’s handling of the Justin Sun investigation. The SEC filed a suit against Sun in 2023, alleging unregistered securities offerings and manipulative trading practices.

The lawsuit included over 600,000 transactions of washing designed to inflate TRX token volumes. In February 2025, both the SEC and Sun’s legal team jointly applied for a stay in proceedings. Waters said that while the SEC was considering ways to resolve the issue, Sun built relationships within President Trump’s political orbit through World Liberty Financial Inc.

She also questioned whether those connections had any bearing on the agency’s decision to cease enforcement activity. She also cited allegations from Sun’s former girlfriend pointing to the evidence of TRX manipulation. Atkins refused to comment on the specifics of the cases on the basis of legal restrictions. He told lawmakers he would provide them a confidential briefing and said he would engage further “to the extent the rules allow.”

When asked if the SEC is to continue to focus on fraud in crypto markets, he said the agency acts where securities laws apply. The Justin Sun case on hold comes amid a retreat from high-profile crypto enforcement actions. Over the past year, the SEC has dropped or wound down cases against Coinbase, Binance, Ripple, Kraken, and Robinhood. The SEC leadership has criticized the former administration’s approach as regulation by enforcement.

The post SEC chair Paul Atkins addresses pausing Justin Sun’s case first appeared on Coinfea.

Binance has finalized the integration of Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin on the XRP Ledger network, a development confirmed by the stablecoin issuer’s Managing Director for the MENA region. The largest exchange by trading volume has officially opened deposits on XRPL.

In addition, the exchange said it will prepare withdrawals once liquidity conditions are met. In its public statement, Binance confirmed that the integration enables users to transfer RLUSD directly through the Ripple-made blockchain network. Binance also introduced new trading support for the token, including RLUSD paired with USDT, XRP, and other listed XRPL assets. The trading platform launched a zero-fee promotion on selected RLUSD pairs to encourage liquidity and trading activity.

Binance introduces new RLUSD pairs with XRPL integration

XRPL on Binance could bring more use cases for RLUSD on the exchange’s ecosystem, which currently includes loans and conversions. RLUSD is now available for trading and yield programs on Binance across two blockchain networks: Ethereum and XRPL. This increases the number of trading pairs and fee incentives for both XRP and the stablecoin.

Aside from that, it could also boost the exchange’s liquidity. Moreover, the XRP Ledger processes and settles transactions on the network in seconds and costs fractions of a cent as compared to Ethereum. Ripple’s blockchain ledger is also available in US-based centralized exchanges, Coinbase, Kraken, and Robinhood, although the latter bars US residents from trading XRP due to regulatory constraints.

The company is still planning to simultaneously extend RLUSD beyond the XRP Ledger through deployments on Ethereum layer-2 networks, Optimism, Coinbase’s Base, Kraken’s Ink, and Uniswap’s Unichain. The expansion is supported by Wormhole’s Native Token Transfers standard, which enables RLUSD to move directly between blockchains, bypassing its wrapped or synthetic versions.

“Stablecoins are the gateway to DeFi and institutional adoption. By launching RLUSD, the first US Trust Regulated stablecoin on these L2 networks, we are setting the definitive standard where compliance and on-chain efficiency converge,” said Jack McDonald, senior vice president of stablecoin at Ripple.

According to data from market aggregator Coingecko, RLUSD’s market capitalization has climbed to $1.52 billion in 13 months, a 2,730% uptick. The token is backed by US dollar deposits and Treasury bills, and operates under a trust charter regulated by the New York Department of Financial Services. This comes as Ripple executives continue to form partnerships with several entities worldwide to aid in the stablecoin’s expansion.

The post Binance completes RLUSD integration on XRP Ledger first appeared on Coinfea.

New York, NY – February 13, 2026 — As global supply chains emphasize transparency and efficiency, a pre-launch deployment of NodeOps’ CreateOS platform in India’s textile sector illustrates how accessible AI tools can enhance operational oversight for small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). This 75-day pilot, conducted before CreateOS’s public debut, processed over 50,000 hours of video data—equivalent to 75 terabytes—across facilities in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Gujarat, converting existing security cameras into tools for real-time monitoring and compliance.

CreateOS, which officially launched on Product Hunt on February 4, 2026, achieving the #1 ranking on launch day and enabling hundreds of public projects within days, offers an AI-assisted workflow from idea creation to coding, deployment, scaling, and production management. Users build applications through no-code interfaces or AI-guided prompts, without needing deep technical expertise. While the platform supports optional decentralized cloud options for potential cost savings, it does not require users to adopt them—allowing flexibility based on needs and preferences.

In this textile pilot, factory operators used CreateOS to connect CCTV systems to cloud storage, creating custom dashboards for production oversight. As adoption of this digital surveillance layer matures, the subsequent phase will progressively enable automated detection and alerting of operational anomalies—ranging from unauthorized access and material handling irregularities to potential theft events, equipment stoppages, and line-level malfunctions—bringing factories closer to a fully responsive, data-driven operating model.

“We used NodeOps to store CCTV recordings from our factory. Even though the site is in a remote area, the backups are getting stored properly. The dashboard built with CreateOS is simple and easy for our team to use,” said Anand, owner of a cotton processing facility in Maharashtra.

“NodeOps has made it easier for us to manage CCTV footage across our factory locations. The dashboard built with CreateOS is clean and straightforward,” added Gautam, who operates five cotton manufacturing facilities in Telangana.

This early use case underscores the NodeOps team’s focus on building for real-world impact, extending AI capabilities to non-technical users in traditional industries. By repurposing existing infrastructure, CreateOS addresses visibility gaps in shop-floor operations, where quality control, compliance, and worker accountability have often depended on fragmented records.

The pilot’s success comes amid growing demands for supply-chain documentation, particularly as India negotiates trade agreements with the EU that require verifiable evidence of working conditions and processes. For U.S. manufacturers facing similar challenges, it raises a practical question: How can accessible AI platforms like CreateOS help small operations achieve comparable gains in transparency and decision-making without significant upfront investments?

“What matters is solving immediate problems with familiar tools,” said Naman Kabra, CEO of NodeOps. “CreateOS handles the complexity of AI-assisted development end-to-end, so users can focus on their operations—whether that’s building a monitoring dashboard or scaling an application in production.”

As CreateOS reaches new audiences post-launch, including developers and businesses worldwide, this MSME deployment highlights its potential to bridge operational divides in global manufacturing. NodeOps continues to explore applications across sectors, prioritizing user-centric design.

About NodeOps  

NodeOps is a digital infrastructure company enabling AI-powered applications for real-world environments. CreateOS provides an end-to-end platform for building, deploying, and managing projects with AI assistance, accessible to users regardless of technical background. For more information, visit nodeops.network, nodeops.network/createos, or createos.nodeops.network.

Contact:Alex Albano, Head of MarketingNodeOpsalex@nodeops.xyz

Disclaimer: The content within the Sponsored Insights and Press Release category has been provided by our partners and sponsors. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of our website. While our team takes care to share valuable and reliable content, we do not take responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or validity of any claims made in these sponsored articles and Press Releases. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and due diligence before making any decisions based on the information provided in Sponsored Insights.

The post From CCTV to Operational Intelligence: An Early CreateOS Deployment in India’s Textile Sector first appeared on Coinfea.

North Korean hackers are now targeting crypto firms with several malware deployed alongside multiple scams, including fake Zoom meetings.

The North Korean threat actor known as UNC1069 has been observed targeting the crypto sector to steal sensitive data from Windows and macOS systems with the ultimate goal of facilitating financial theft. UNC1069 was assessed to be active from April 2018. It has a history of running social engineering campaigns for financial gain using fake meeting invites and posing as investors from reputable companies.

North Korean hackers target firms with deepfake Zoom calls

In its latest report, Google Mandiant researchers detailed their investigation into an intrusion targeting a FinTech company in the crypto industry. According to investigators, the intrusion began with a compromised Telegram account belonging to a crypto industry executive. The attackers used the hijacked profile to contact the victim.

They gradually built trust before sending a Calendly invitation for a video meeting. The meeting link directed the target to a fake Zoom domain hosted on infrastructure under the threat actors’ control. During the call, the victim reported seeing what appeared to be a deepfake video of a CEO from another crypto company.

“While Mandiant was unable to recover forensic evidence to independently verify the use of AI models in this specific instance, the reported ruse is similar to a previously publicly reported incident with similar characteristics, where deepfakes were also allegedly used,” the report stated.

AI-link scams are on the rise

The attackers created the impression of audio problems in the meeting to justify the next step. They instructed the victim to run troubleshooting commands on their device. Those commands, tailored for both macOS and Windows systems, secretly initiated the infection chain. As a result, several malware components were activated. Mandiant identified seven distinct types of malware used during the attack.

The tools were designed to access keychain and steal passwords, retrieve browser cookies and login information, access Telegram session information, and obtain other private files. Investigators assessed that the objective was twofold: To enable potential crypto theft and harvest data that could support future social engineering attacks. The investigation revealed an unusually large volume of tooling dropped onto a single host.

The incident is part of a broader pattern. North Korean-linked actors siphoned more than $300 million by posing as trusted industry figures during fraudulent Zoom and Microsoft Teams meetings. The scale of activity throughout the year was even more striking. As reported by Cryptopolitan, North Korean threat groups were responsible for $2.02 billion in stolen digital assets in 2025, a 51% increase from the previous year.

The post North Korean hackers deploy deepfake calls to hack crypto firms first appeared on Coinfea.

Arkham Exchange is reportedly shutting down due to a lack of trading volume, which compromised its entrance into the retail crypto derivatives market. The move, originally reported by CoinDesk, would put an end to Arkham Intelligence’s attempt to turn its on-chain analytics user base into active traders.

Although the company registered considerable growth, reported activity levels were marginal compared with those of industry leaders. Arkham Intelligence has yet to confirm officially. However, available market data reveals the scale of the challenge the platform faced in competing with the dominant exchanges. Arkham’s crypto derivatives exchange launched in late 2024 with ambitions to compete with retail trading sector veterans like Binance. The strategy focused on using Arkham’s blockchain intelligence tools and massive user base to stimulate trading activity on its proprietary platform.

Arkham Exchange struggles with market competition

According to data from CoinGecko, Binance has an estimated daily trading volume of nearly $8.9 billion. Coinbase comes after it with more than $2 billion. By comparison, Arkham Exchange was reportedly trading less than $620,000 in 24 hours. Founded in 2020, Arkham Intelligence established its brand on blockchain data transparency.

The platform was backed by prominent investors like Sam Altman and Binance Labs, and grew to have more than 3 million registered users. However, user registrations did not always translate into stable exchange activity. Additionally, Arkham Exchange was launched with $12 million in funding from investors.

By early 2025, Arkham Exchange expanded its services to offer spot crypto trading in several US states. In addition, the company also launched a mobile trading app in December to further enhance accessibility and user engagement. In November 2025, Arkham partnered with MoonPay to integrate fiat-to-crypto onramps and offramps.

The integration enabled users to make purchases with credit cards, debit cards, bank transfers, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. The initiative was aimed at making it easier to onboard them and increase capital inflows. The reported shutdown also comes as Arkham’s native token, ARKM, trades at nearly $0.1137. CoinMarketCap data indicates that the token has dropped by around 3.5% over the past 24 hours and by 19% over the past week. Hovering right above its recent all-time low of $0.1028.

Despite a 24-hour trading volume of $24.2 million with a high 94.9% volume-to-market cap ratio, the price is under pressure. Arkham’s market cap is currently at $25.5 million, indicating a small decline, while its unlocked market cap is around $64.11 million. Although price movements remain modest, uncertainty over the exchange’s future could contribute to investor sentiment.

The post Arkham Exchange reportedly set to wind up its operations first appeared on Coinfea.

Stripe provides support to Base so that AI agents can handshake on x402 payments in USDC. 

The implementation is a significant move towards facilitating machine-to-machine trade. 

According to the company, the feature is aimed at a future where the software agents are transacting without human interaction.

Stripe affirmed that it introduced x402 payments on Base, where the USDC issued by Circle is used. 

The system enables AI agents to accomplish automated payment handshakes when conducting business with companies. 

Jeff Weinstein, Product Manager at Stripe, said that AI agents are emerging as a rapidly increasing category of users.

Stripe is previewing machine payments, as explained by Weinstein. 

The developers are now able to charge AI agents directly with little code. 

Stripe also published an open-source command-line tool known as Purl. 

The tool enables users and the bots to test machine payments in a terminal environment. 

The developer samples of Python and Node were also published by the company.

Stripe declared that it is establishing the economic infrastructure of an economy that involves human beings, corporations, and autonomous entities. 

According to Weinstein, digital services are consumed by billions of humans today. 

But he claimed that there will be trillions of AI agents in the next few years.

Charging AI agents through the paymentIntents API

The flow:1/ Create a PaymentIntent2/ Stripe generates a unique deposit address per transaction3/ Return the address to an agent and instruct it to send funds or a payment token4/ Track transaction status via API, webhook, or Dashboard5/ Funds settle in your default balance pic.twitter.com/txX5nGMrtX

— Jeff Weinstein (@jeff_weinstein) February 10, 2026

The businesses are now able to bill AI agents to call APIs, HTTP requests, and other digital services. 

These payments can be facilitated by Stripe using its current PaymentIntents API. 

The agent-specific pricing plans can also be implemented by companies along with subscriptions and invoices.

Businesses need to generate a PaymentIntent in order to process payments. 

Stripe then creates the unique address of the deposit per transaction. 

The AI agent is commanded to send money or send a payment token. 

The API, dashboard, or webhook has enabled businesses to track transactions. 

The money will be deposited in the Stripe account of the merchant.

Stripe introduced the functionality supporting x402 payments (with USDC) on Base. 

Weinstein stated that other protocols, chains, currencies, and methods of payment can be followed. 

The preview will be released to the chosen developers beginning February 11. Stripe asked people to provide feedback before it increased availability.

Increasing attention to the agent economy

Stripe termed the move as an extension of its overall plan to aid the agent economy. 

The company anticipates the AI agents to buy the data, computing power, and digital services separately. 

Base pricing is offered by USDC and this allows predictable machine transactions.

The development is considered by industry analysts as an indication that fintech, crypto, and AI are coming together. 

It is now possible to price services per request or even per second rather than on monthly plans.

Stripe’s head of agentic commerce, Ahmed Gharib, claimed that the company would establish a precedent in automated transactions. 

Stripe presented the Agentic Commerce Protocol last September. 

The protocol facilitates programmatic business flows between AI agents and companies. Its integration was done with Stripe and OpenAI.

Google has proposed the Agent Payment Protocol that lays emphasis on authorization rules. 

The framework enables the AI agents to work according to established spending limits. 

According to Sreeram Kannan, the CEO of Eigen Labs, this kind of protocol brings AI agents one step closer to being autonomous economic actors.

The post Stripe integrates Base to power automated x402 payments for AI agents first appeared on Coinfea.

Coinbase has added RaveDAO, a leading Web3 entertainment protocol, and its native token, $RAVE, to its New Asset Listings roadmap and confirmed that spot trading for RaveDAO ($RAVE) will go live on February 11, 2026, subject to liquidity conditions.

According to Coinbase Markets, the $RAVE-USD spot trading pair is expected to open on or after 9:00 AM PT in regions where trading is supported. $RAVE will be available on coinbase.com, the Coinbase mobile app, and Coinbase Advanced, while institutional clients will be able to access trading directly via Coinbase Exchange.

Coinbase has specified that the Base network contract address for RaveDAO ($RAVE) is:

0x1aa8fd5bcce2231c6100d55bf8b377cff33acfc3

Users have been advised not to send $RAVE over other networks, as unsupported transfers may result in permanent loss of funds.

RaveDAO’s Cultural and Community-Driven Model

RaveDAO emerged in 2024 as a live entertainment and cultural network built at the intersection of music, community, and Web3 infrastructure. Since its first sold-out event in Dubai in 2024, the project has expanded rapidly across Europe, the Middle East, North America, and Asia, hosting large-scale experiences that consistently draw thousands of attendees per event.

Rather than treating live events as isolated moments, RaveDAO uses them as an entry point into an ongoing on-chain ecosystem. Event participation is recorded through NFTs that function as proof of attendance and evolving identity markers, connecting real-world cultural experiences with digital ownership and long-term engagement. This model allows participation to persist beyond a single night, city, or lineup.

Beyond entertainment, RaveDAO integrates social impact into its operational design. A portion of proceeds from its events is directed toward philanthropic initiatives, aligning community participation with measurable outcomes. To date, RaveDAO-supported efforts have helped restore sight for more than 400 cataract patients through the Tilganga Eye Centre in Nepal and funded meditation and Buddhist education programs for over 150 participants through Nalanda West in the United States.

The Role of the $RAVE Token

$RAVE is designed for participation. Its purpose is not to incentivize short-term activity, but to align ownership with contribution across RaveDAO’s cultural and operational ecosystem. The token functions across three interconnected layers: business infrastructure, community experience, and decentralized governance. At its core, $RAVE allows participants to take part in building, operating, and shaping the culture they support, creating a shared framework where value is generated through involvement rather than passive consumption.

On the infrastructure and experience layers, $RAVE enables both scale and continuity. Event organizers, artists, and partners use the token to access RaveDAO’s intellectual property, activate local chapters, and collaborate under a shared global standard. Community members use $RAVE to unlock access, participate in events, engage with artists, and interact with digital collectibles. Participation is treated as contribution, whether through attendance, chapter-building, or sustained engagement across the network.

Governance forms the third layer, anchoring the ecosystem in collective decision-making. $RAVE holders participate in shaping the direction of RaveDAO, including event locations, programming priorities, ecosystem grants, and philanthropic initiatives. As the network expands across regions and formats, the token functions less as a speculative instrument and more as cultural infrastructure, recording participation and enabling coordination over time.

From Cultural Protocol to Global Infrastructure

Since its launch, RaveDAO has hosted world-class experiences for more than 100,000 total attendees, with average event attendance exceeding 3,000 participants. The project has collaborated with internationally recognized artists including Vintage Culture, Don Diablo, Chris Avantgarde, Lilly Palmer, Charlotte de Witte, Miss Monique, Eli Brown, MORTEN, Bassjackers, and GENESI, and has received support from leading Web3 organizations such as WLFI, Binance, OKX, Bybit, Bitget, and Polygon. RaveDAO also maintains active partnerships with leading entertainment platforms and global partners including 1001Tracklists, AMF, and Warner Music.

With spot trading for $RAVE set to begin on Coinbase on February 11, 2026, the token’s availability on a major regulated exchange marks a significant milestone in RaveDAO’s evolution from a global cultural movement into a widely accessible digital asset with real-world utility and community-driven foundations.

Disclaimer: The content within the Sponsored Insights and Press Release category has been provided by our partners and sponsors. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of our website. While our team takes care to share valuable and reliable content, we do not take responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or validity of any claims made in these sponsored articles and Press Releases. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and due diligence before making any decisions based on the information provided in Sponsored Insights.

The post Coinbase Confirms RaveDAO’s $RAVE Spot Trading Launch first appeared on Coinfea.

OpenAI has begun showing ads to some users of the free version of ChatGPT, adding a new revenue stream. The decision came after a previous proposal and after projections showed it could go bankrupt over the next two years.

According to a blog post from the AI company, the test began this week in the United States and applies to users on the no-cost tier and the lower-priced “Go” plan, which carries a monthly fee of $8. OpenAI is seemingly adding ads as a commercial placement to its subscription revenue, but has promised that customers on higher-tier plans, including Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Education, will not see ads while using ChatGPT.

OpenAI begin ad trials inside the free ChatGPT version

In its blog, the company said, “Our goal is for ads to support broader access to more powerful ChatGPT features while maintaining the trust people place in ChatGPT for important and personal tasks. We’re starting with a test to learn, listen, and make sure we get the experience right.” The company first revealed its advertising proposal in January, when it announced plans to pilot advertising to expand its revenue sources.

The ad test now underway is the first visible launch of that strategy, although OpenAI said the presence of advertising will not alter how ChatGPT answers prompts. “Ads do not influence ChatGPT’s answers. Ads are labeled as sponsored and visually separate from the response,” OpenAI said. The LLM developer also added that advertising material would be clearly distinguished from chatbot output and would not be mixed into conversational replies.

In addition, advertisers would receive only aggregated performance data, such as impressions and clicks, but would not be able to access individual user conversations. OpenAI reiterated it would limit harmful or misleading promotions as it opens the platform to advertisers by “building protections to reduce the risk of scams and other harmful or misleading ads.”

The company also added that it would not display ads to users under 18 years old, which it would determine through prediction systems or user-provided information. Meanwhile, the tech company had a social altercation with rival AI developer Anthropic, which aired a commercial that appeared to criticize the use of ads in AI chat services during Super Bowl Saturday.

OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman responded to Anthropic, saying the spot was “clearly dishonest.” Anthropic later adjusted the advertisement’s wording to double down on its dispute over Ads in chatbots, saying: “There is a time and place for ads. Your conversations with AI should not be one of them.” According to OpenAI’s report, the company’s annualized revenue run rate surpassed $20 billion in 2025.

The post OpenAI kickstarts limited ad trials inside ChatGPT’s free version first appeared on Coinfea.

Sam Bankman-Fried posted again after reviving his X account to complain about the perceived flaws in his conviction process. Bankman-Fried stated that FTX was never officially bankrupt and that he did not declare insolvency.

Sam Bankman-Fried posted another explanation of the FTX crash, arguing the exchange never went bankrupt, and he did not personally file for insolvency. Instead, he insists that the procedure was filed by the lawyers who seized the company. As Cryptopolitan reported earlier, Bankman-Fried claimed the process against FTX was outside his control, and there was no chance to present evidence of solvency.

Sam Bankman-Fried talks FTX bankruptcy case

FTX was indeed capable of repaying its creditors in cash after liquidating its holdings. However, the value of some assets was much lower, and BTC holders were compensated at prices in the $16,000 range. This is the basis of Bankman-Fried’s argument that the exchange was always in control of its crypto reserves.

FTX and Alameda Research still held some assets with low liquidity, especially NFTs, which were liquidated at a fraction of the price. The subsequent bear market further hurt the dollar value of FTX’s holdings. Despite the crypto-friendly administration of Donald Trump, Sam Bankman-Fried has missed the series of pardons issued by the president.

Unlike Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, Bankman-Fried had to watch the 2024-2025 bull market from the sidelines. Trump has explicitly stated he has no intentions of pardoning Bankman-Fried, even following Caroline Ellison’s release from prison. To stand a chance at freedom, Bankman-Fried has doubled down on the claim that he was banned from presenting the right evidence that the exchange was not insolvent.

The FTX bankruptcy showed the problems of fitting a regular bankruptcy procedure for a crypto company. FTX was giving signs of being unable to cover crypto-based obligations, but held significant value in its wallets. In hindsight, supporters have claimed the exchange could have continued operations to recoup losses.

Even after a bear market, crypto users were not entirely hostile to the FTX team, recently adopting the Backpack exchange launched by Alameda Research alumni. Bankman-Fried’s claims arrive just as the Backpack exchange was close to a successful $50M raise for a unicorn company valuation. Polymarket predictions still assign a low probability for a pardon for Bankman-Fried.

The main prediction pair briefly jumped to a 13% chance, but returned to 11% the next day. Despite this, the recent X activity shows Bankman-Fried has set out on a case of cutting short his 25-year sentence. Despite Bankman-Fried’s donations to US Democrats, FTX failed during the most stringent anti-crypto sentiment, which accelerated the bankruptcy procedures.

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Affiliate Grand Slam (AGS) and AIBC took the stage at Dubai Festival Arena today for a joint press conference held ahead of the AIBC Eurasia Summit, where both brands unveiled their respective 2026 calendars and newly revamped websites.

The 2026 roadmap outlines an international tour strategy aimed at strengthening regional engagement while scaling global communities. Rome emerged as the flagship show for both, with AIBC also announcing two additional events this year: AIBC Eurasia and AIBC Manila.

All roads lead to Rome

A highlight of the upcoming global summit schedule will be AIBC World and AGS Rome – flagship events taking place at the Fiera Roma from 02 – 05 November. With 30,000 delegates, 300 speakers, eight halls and five stages, this is one of Europe’s largest gatherings to date.

The Blockchain Hub at AIBC World 2026

Throughout the three-days of the conference and expo, the AIBC pavilion will serve as a fully dedicated technology hub, spotlighting leading AI and blockchain companies while hosting a stage agenda delivering premium content focused on emerging technologies. The brand underlined its mission to connect innovators, enterprise leaders, investors, and policymakers in environments designed to accelerate technology adoption and open doors to cross-pollination opportunities with other verticals.

AGS Rome 2026 – Powering the world’s affiliates

AGS also outlined plans to expand its multi-vertical affiliate and performance marketing footprint at the Fiera Roma, where the brand will have a dedicated hall and conference stage. Designed to drive partnerships, deal flow, and measurable business outcomes, AGS Rome reflects the brand’s commitment to creating a premium meeting environment for affiliates, advertisers, platforms, and solution providers operating across the digital economy.

Newly redesigned websites launched

Both brands also officially launched newly redesigned websites. The updated platforms feature optimised user experiences, improved navigation, and expanded access to event information, partnerships, and community engagement tools. The digital upgrades are designed to support the rapid international growth of each platform and better serve their evolving audiences.

Dubai carries symbolic importance for both AGS and AIBC, as the brands first launched in the city in May 2021. Returning to Dubai Festival Arena for this milestone announcement reflects the region’s continued role as a global hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and cross-border collaboration.

Additional details about tour destinations, event programming, and platform capabilities will roll out in the coming months as both brands prepare for their 2026 expansion.

Disclaimer: The content within the Sponsored Insights and Press Release category has been provided by our partners and sponsors. The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of our website. While our team takes care to share valuable and reliable content, we do not take responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or validity of any claims made in these sponsored articles and Press Releases. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and due diligence before making any decisions based on the information provided in Sponsored Insights.

The post     All roads lead to Rome as AIBC and AGS announce 2026 Roadmap first appeared on Coinfea.

Discord announced a global rollout of age verification and teen-by-default safety controls to restrict access to sensitive content. 

The update reflects mounting pressure on platforms to protect minors from harmful design and exposure.

Global age checks and teen-first defaults

Discord said it will require users worldwide to confirm their age to access adult content. 

Verification will occur through a facial scan or approved identification. 

The company plans to begin enforcement in early March.

The platform stated that all new and existing accounts will receive teen-appropriate defaults. 

These include tighter communication controls, content filters, and limits on age-gated spaces. 

Users must verify adulthood to view sensitive material or join restricted servers.

Discord already applies age checks in the United Kingdom and Australia. 

The expanded policy extends those measures across all regions. 

The company said the approach balances protection for teens with flexibility for verified adults.

The service reported more than 200 million monthly users. 

It allows people to form and join communities around shared interests. 

The update will also restrict direct messages from unknown users until age checks are completed.

Savannah Badalich, head of product policy, said teen safety remains a core priority. 

She said the global defaults build on existing protections while preserving privacy and meaningful connections.

Regulatory pressure intensifies across platforms

Discord will soon be expanding teen safety protections worldwide including teen-by-default settings and age assurance designed to create safer experiences for teens.We’re also launching recruitment for Discord's first Teen Council, creating a space for teen voices to help shape… pic.twitter.com/CW7G4sO38R

— Discord Support (@discord_support) February 9, 2026

Discord’s move follows rising global concern over social media design and youth well-being. 

Governments and regulators are examining whether platforms sufficiently protect minors.

The European Union recently accused TikTok of breaching digital rules. 

Regulators cited addictive features that may drive compulsive use among children. 

Officials pointed to autoplay and infinite scroll as risk factors.

EU investigators said TikTok failed to assess impacts on physical and emotional health. 

The European Commission urged changes to the service’s basic design. 

The findings followed a two-year probe.

Industry analysts said stricter standards are becoming unavoidable. 

Drew Benvie of Battenhall said safety measures support healthier online environments. 

He said clearer age controls can reduce exposure risks.

Major companies face landmark child harm trials

Legal scrutiny has also escalated in the United States. Several social media companies face trials over alleged harm to children. 

Opening arguments began in early February in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Claims allege that YouTube and Instagram intentionally fostered addiction in minors. 

TikTok and Snap reached settlements for undisclosed amounts. 

The remaining defendants deny wrongdoing.

Attorney Mark Lanier argued that companies engineered addictive systems for young users. 

Prosecutors said algorithms kept minors online despite known risks. 

They cited exposure to exploitation and misleading safety claims.

The cases mark a pivotal moment for the industry. 

Courts may determine accountability for design choices affecting children. 

Outcomes could shape future platform standards.

Discord’s global changes arrive as scrutiny converges from regulators and courts. 

The company framed the update as a proactive step. 

The broader industry now faces sustained demands to prioritize youth safety.

The post Discord expands global age verification amid rising scrutiny on teen safety first appeared on Coinfea.

Vitalik Buterin has also explained how Ethereum can become an economic coordination layer for sophisticated AI systems in the near future. 

He concluded that the network is capable of supporting decentralized interaction between autonomous agents in the near term.

Ethernet as an economic strategy of AI agents

Vitalik Buterin indicated that Ethereum can enable AI to communicate with each other in an economical manner without centralization.

According to him, the blockchain is capable of supporting payment, authentication, and arbitration of disputes between software agents.

Ethernet may offer decentralized access control over API and bot-to-bot services. 

Such interactions can comprise hiring, service guarantees, and on-chain security deposits.

According to Butterin, the emphasis is not on speculation but infrastructure. 

He believes that the instrumentation is in place to make such interactions work. 

He emphasized domestic model tooling and zero-knowledge payments when using the personal API.

He also included that privacy-preserving calls have the potential to lessen identity linkage between sessions. 

This would assist in restricting the data exposure and still be accountable.

Short-term tools and cryptographic safeguards

Two years ago, I wrote this post on the possible areas that I see for ethereum + AI intersections: https://t.co/ds9mLnrJWmThis is a topic that many people are excited about, but where I always worry that we think about the two from completely separate philosophical… pic.twitter.com/pQq5kazT61

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) February 9, 2026

According to Butterin, progress requires practical cryptography. 

He identified zero-knowledge proofs, trusted execution environments, and client-side verification as important ingredients.

According to him, server-side guarantees and hardware certifications can enhance trust in AI operations. 

Such practices can assist users in confirming results without putting forward sensitive information.

Decentralized authority was also emphasized by Butterin. He alluded to ERC 8004 with respect to mutual control between AI systems. 

The aim is to decrease dependence on centralized gatekeepers.

He admitted difficulties in the area of openness. Open source enhances crypto security, and open AI models are at risk of increased attacks. 

According to him, the industry should strike a balance between transparency and safety.

Dissent from the accounts of narrow AGI

In a response to the public, Buterin disavowed what he described as a limited perspective on AGI by Anatoly Yakovenko of Solana. 

He noted that down-streaming AGI to one result lacks the larger social and governance suggestions.

Butterin said that people should be empowered and safe. According to him, Ethereum will be able to support new governance and AI-scale market systems.

He has observed encouragement of builders who appreciate self-sustaining agents. 

Yuchen Jin of Hyperbolic Labs, however, argued that without constant learning, one would only be able to improve oneself in a true sense.

Buterin gave ambivalent opinions on AGI timescales as well. Sam Altman noted that there are many steps involved in progress, and Satya Nadella noted that AGI might not be realized soon.

Buterin claimed that AI has the ability to scale human judgment beyond the attention capacity. 

He claimed that Ethereum is paired with cryptography, which helps to resurrect previous concepts with more robust options.

The post Vitalik Buterin says Ethereum can power near-term economic coordination for advanced AI first appeared on Coinfea.

Ripple has expanded its institutional custody platform through new security and staking integrations announced on Monday, February 9. 

The update supports regulated banks and custodians seeking compliant digital asset services.

The San Francisco-based blockchain firm said the upgrade strengthens key management, staking access, and compliance tooling for institutional clients. 

Analysts view the move as a step beyond payments toward broader financial infrastructure services.

Custody platform gains hardware security and staking tools

Ripple confirmed collaborations with Securosys and Figment to enhance its institutional custody offering. 

The integrations allow clients to secure cryptographic keys using hardware security modules on premises or in the cloud.

The platform now supports staking without requiring institutions to operate validators or manage complex key systems. 

This structure lowers technical barriers for banks entering proof-of-stake services. 

Analysts said the design reduces operational risk while meeting regulatory expectations.

Following the acquisition of Palisade, the platform also incorporates compliance tooling from Chainalysis. 

These features enable real-time monitoring and policy enforcement during custody and staking operations.

Expansion beyond payments into institutional infrastructure

The company stated that the upgrades simplify deployment and shorten launch timelines for custody services. 

It added that institutional demand now extends beyond cross-border payments.

With the update, clients can offer staking on networks such as Ethereum and Solana while maintaining compliance controls. 

The firm said this approach aligns with rising institutional interest in proof of stake assets.

Ripple also noted its broader strategy to support custody, treasury, and post-trade services. 

The firm issues the XRP token and RLUSD, a dollar-pegged stablecoin launched in late 2024. 

It recently introduced a corporate treasury platform linking traditional cash systems with digital assets.

Industry competition intensifies around staking services

Elsewhere in the market, Figment expanded staking access through a partnership with Coinbase last October. 

That integration enabled institutional clients to stake assets across multiple networks through a single system.

Other providers have taken similar steps. Anchorage Digital launched staking support for the Hyperliquid network late last year. Validator operations were handled by Figment.

Beyond staking, firms are exploring yield models tied to Bitcoin. 

Fireblocks announced plans to adopt the Stacks blockchain to support lending and yield products.

These developments reflect growing competition to provide compliant yield access for institutions. 

Ripple’s latest update positions its platform to serve that demand within regulated frameworks.

The post Ripple expands institutional tools with hardware security and staking support first appeared on Coinfea.

Polymarket has sued Massachusetts, arguing that federal law gives exclusive regulatory authority to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. 

The case challenges state efforts to restrict prediction markets tied to sports events.

Polymarket filed its lawsuit in federal court, asserting that Congress granted oversight of event contracts to the CFTC alone. 

The company argues that state enforcement actions conflict with federal derivatives law.

Polymarket challenges state enforcement powers

The lawsuit seeks to block potential action by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell. 

Polymarket claims that state interference undermines federally regulated derivatives markets.

Neal Kumar, Polymarket’s chief legal officer, confirmed the filing on February 9. 

He said the dispute raises national legal questions that require federal review.

Kumar stated that efforts to close prediction markets at the state level do not alter federal authority. 

He added that restrictive actions could limit future market development.

The company argues that prediction markets operate across state lines. 

Polymarket maintains that inconsistent state rules threaten uniform market oversight.

Courts restrict sports-related prediction contracts

The legal challenge follows recent court actions against prediction platforms. 

A Massachusetts judge ordered a temporary halt to Kalshi’s sports contracts within the state.

Judge Barry-Smith said state licensing protects public safety and financial interests. 

He also noted that oversight supports responsible sports betting regulation.

The judge indicated he may pause enforcement to allow Kalshi to appeal. 

The decision followed a January hearing focused on sports betting compliance.

Kalshi operates as a regulated exchange offering event contracts. 

The ruling placed its sports products under existing state betting laws.

In Nevada, a separate court barred Polymarket from offering sports contracts. 

The judge cited conflicts with state sports betting regulations.

Sources familiar with the case said the court feared disruption of established rules. 

The matter remains confidential due to ongoing legal considerations.

Prediction markets grow despite regulatory pressure

Several states continue to scrutinize prediction markets. 

Research shows that at least eight states have taken steps to limit sports-related contracts.

States including New York, Illinois, and Ohio have raised similar concerns. 

Officials cite consumer protection and regulatory consistency.

Despite these challenges, trading activity has surged. 

Data from Dune showed weekly volume reached $3.7 billion in January.

That figure marked a new all-time high for prediction markets. 

It exceeded the previous trading record by a wide margin.

Data from Messari showed Polymarket and Kalshi posted similar trading volumes. 

The platforms operate under different regulatory and technical models.

Polymarket uses blockchain-based infrastructure. 

Kalshi functions as a traditional regulated exchange for event contracts.

Both firms continue to attract major investors. 

Polymarket reached a $9 billion valuation after recent funding.

Kalshi secured an $11 billion valuation in its latest round. 

Investors appear confident despite mounting regulatory uncertainty.

The lawsuit highlights a growing clash between federal oversight and state enforcement. 

Courts will likely shape the future structure of prediction markets.

The post Polymarket Sues Massachusetts Over Authority to Regulate Prediction Markets first appeared on Coinfea.

Alibaba’s AI chatbot Qwen, digital coupons, and AI-powered shopping were tested during China’s Spring Festival as the e-commerce group experimented with a new way for customers to shop entirely through conversational prompts.

The experiment was designed to move Qwen beyond question-answering and into full transactions. However, it quickly ran into capacity limits after a surge in user demand. Shoppers could use the coupon capabilities, together with a chatbot, to purchase products directly from Alibaba’s retail stores. The program is a component of Qwen’s 3 billion yuan ($433 million) investment, which is aimed at enhancing Qwen’s uptake during one of the busiest online retail seasons in China – the holiday period, and has an overall goal to drive up Qwen’s usage.

Alibaba pauses new experiment after demand overload

According to reports, Qwen‘s servers received over 10 million purchase requests through the chatbot in less than nine hours after it launched. The request completely overwhelmed the systems of the Qwen chatbot. By Saturday, the chatbot had stopped fulfilling orders, issuing automated replies to customers stating that no new credits could be given due to too many people signing up for the campaign.

On Qwen’s official Weibo account, it acknowledged the demand on their systems, stating. “The enthusiasm from people wanting to try out AI shopping is above our expectations!” the company said. “There are too many participants for ‘ Qwen free order ‘ at this time,” noting that their staff would do everything possible to stabilize operations. In another note, Qwen sought to reassure customers that the campaign had not been terminated and was still ongoing.

“We are doing everything to facilitate your continued participation in the campaign,” Qwen said. The coupons are still expected to work through February 28, 2026, so that customers will have additional time to redeem them after service has been stabilized. This development comes after Alibaba recently released the updated Qwen mobile app in January 2026. Most users reported a pleasant experience with the application.

Wu Jia, the company’s vice-president for consumer AI, showcased the app’s features as she ordered 40 cups of milk tea via Qwen at the launch event. Alibaba’s Qwen large language models (LLMs) were used to develop the mobile app. The Chinese tech company is trying to create an easy-to-use interface via its AI agent features. After linking Qwen to apps like Taobao and Alipay, users can tell it to do tasks such as ordering drinks or paying bills, instead of swiping the screen repeatedly.

Alibaba’s campaign is the first public test of their new AI strategy, dubbed “Agentic AI”, which aims to develop a version of Qwen equal to the role of Google’s Assistant as the main point of access for all of Alibaba’s apps and products. Users will use Qwen as their only way to navigate, buy, and pay across the entire Alibaba app ecosystem.

The post Alibaba halts coupon issuance as AI bot suffers from surging demand first appeared on Coinfea.

French authorities have arrested six suspects, including a minor, after a magistrate and her mother were held captive last week for around 30 hours in a cryptocurrency ransom plot.

In a statement released by prosecutors on Sunday, four men and one woman were detained, three overnight and two on Sunday morning. Lyon prosecutor Thierry Dran later confirmed to AFP that a minor was also arrested on Sunday afternoon. The individuals were taken into custody following the discovery of the 35-year-old magistrate and her 67-year-old mother on Friday morning, who were found injured in a garage in the southeastern Drome region.

French authorities nab crypto kidnappers

According to French authorities, two of those arrested overnight were detained as they attempted to take a bus to Spain, according to a source close to the case speaking on condition of anonymity. Authorities continue to actively search for further suspects, a second source close to the case said, adding that the woman in custody is the partner of one of the four male suspects.

During a press conference on Friday after the pair’s escape, prosecutor Dran said the magistrate’s partner, who was not home when the two victims were abducted, has a leading position in a cryptocurrency start-up. A massive police search involving 160 officers was launched after the magistrate’s partner had received a message and a photo from the kidnappers demanding a ransom to be paid in cryptocurrency.

The captors threatened to mutilate the victims if the transfer was not made quickly, Dran told reporters, declining to specify the amount demanded. But the two women managed to free themselves and call for help without any ransom being paid by banging on the garage door. “Alerted by the noise, a neighbour intervened. He was able to open the door and allow our two victims to escape,” Dran said.

French authorities have been dealing with a string of kidnappings and extortion attempts targeting the families of wealthy individuals dealing in cryptocurrencies. In May 2025, a violent attempt was made in Paris against the family of Pierre Noizat, the CEO and co-founder of the French crypto exchange Paymium. Attackers targeted Noizat’s daughter and young grandson in broad daylight, though the abduction was thwarted.

In May, the father of a man who ran a Malta-based cryptocurrency company was kidnapped by four hooded men in Paris. The victim, whose finger was also severed by the kidnappers and for whom a ransom of several million euros was demanded, was released 58 hours later in a raid by the security forces. This trend of targeted physical violence highlights a shift in criminal tactics.

The post French authorities arrest six in connection with crypto kidnapping first appeared on Coinfea.

Elon Musk has slammed Apple for going after Tesla workers when the iPhone maker was trying to build its own electric car. He claimed the company even offered them twice their salary without even doing interviews first.

The Tesla chief made the comments during a recent conversation with Stripe’s John Collison and podcast host Dwarkesh Patel. The wide-ranging talk covered everything from computers for space to artificial intelligence and Musk’s work with the Department of Government Efficiency. When the discussion turned to building teams and hiring people, Musk brought up how other companies tried to steal Tesla employees during the carmaker’s best times.

Elon Musk slams Apple for its recruitment tactics

During the talk, Elon Musk pointed to Apple as one of the worst offenders when it ran its electric car program. “When Apple had their electric car program, they were carpet bombing Tesla with recruiting calls,” Musk said. “Engineers just unplugged their phones.” He explained that Apple recruiters would make opening offers worth double what Tesla paid.

Musk added that most of the offers came before even sitting down with workers for interviews. The constant phone calls got so bad that Tesla engineers started disconnecting their phones just to avoid hearing from Apple one more time. Musk called this the “Tesla pixie dust” problem. Other companies thought that if they hired someone from Tesla, success would automatically follow.

Tesla’s spot in Silicon Valley also made things worse because workers could jump to a new job without having to move their families. Apple worked on building a car for years through something called Project Titan, but the company never actually made one. Still, it clearly put a lot of money and effort into trying to bring Tesla people over to its side.

Musk admitted he had made the same mistake when hiring for his own businesses. “I’ve fallen prey to the pixie dust thing as well, where it’s like, ‘Oh, we’ll hire someone from Google or Apple, and they’ll be immediately successful,’ but that’s not how it works,” he said. “People are people. There’s no magical pixie dust.” The talk also covered Musk’s plans for something he calls a “TeraFab.”

He wants Tesla to build this because he thinks there are not enough computer chips being made to reach his goals. He even joked about his hands-on way of doing things, saying he would “smoke a cigar inside the fab” instead of following normal clean room rules. Looking at where artificial intelligence is headed, Musk thinks the main problem is changing.

Elon Musk said It used to be about software, but now it’s about hardware and power. He said that in the next year, “people are going to hit the wall big time on power generation.” There will be more chips than the world can actually turn on and use. His answer? Move AI to space. “In 36 months, the cheapest place to put AI will be space,” Musk predicted. He pointed to cheap solar power and no air getting in the way as reasons this makes sense.

The post Elon Musk slams Apple’s aggressive recruiting moves first appeared on Coinfea.