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A16z leads $25M funding for Miden blockchain project

A16z Crypto led a $25 million investment round into Miden, an independent blockchain project spun out of Polygon Labs.

Miden closed its $25 million seed rounds led by a16z Crypto, 1kx, and Hack VC, with participation from Finality Capital Partners, Symbolic Capital, P2 Ventures, Delta Fund, MH Ventures, as well as from angel investors, including MakerDAO’s Rune Christensen and EigenLayer’s Sreeram Kannan.

Miden is a zero-knowledge (ZK) proof-powered blockchain focused on high scalability through its hybrid consensus mode, which moves transaction execution from the mainnet on “edge devices,” referring to users’ devices.

Designed for institutions that value confidentiality, Miden enables applications to execute both public and private transactions with full privacy, according to an April 29 announcement shared with Cointelegraph.

Execution on edge devices can help with the “bottlenecks that limit traditional chains,” said Bobbin Threadbare, the co-founder at Miden and former engineer at Meta, adding:

“It allows blockchains to

Trump’s first 100 days ‘worst in history’ despite crypto promises

The first 100 days of the administration of US President Donald Trump have deeply impacted the crypto industry, starting with his own memecoin and culminating in a Bitcoin reserve and a spate of blockchain policymaking.

Trump’s trade war with the entire world has had the largest short-term impact on crypto markets, as crypto prices have wavered amid macroeconomic worry and uncertainty. Higher prices on electronics mean Bitcoin (BTC) miners are finding it harder to break even, and de-dollarization concerns abound.

Still, crypto markets have shown some resilience and cause for optimism in the administration’s crypto-friendly policies. A number of pro-crypto leaders have been appointed to key government agencies, including the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The crypto industry’s long-awaited regulatory framework is also imminent.

Trump’s first 100 days have seen remarkable changes for the crypto industry, and it appears that things

Circle gets Abu Dhabi regulatory nod to expand in Middle East

USDC stablecoin issuer Circle has received in-principle approval (IPA) from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the company announced on April 29.

The approval moves Circle closer to obtaining a full Financial Services Permission (FSP) license, allowing it to operate as a regulated money services provider in the United Arab Emirates, the firm said in an official press release.

Jeremy Allaire, Circle’s Co-Founder and CEO, said the approval “advances our strategy to establish deep roots in markets embracing the onchain economy.” He added:

“It also underscores Circle’s enduring commitment to global stablecoin oversight—strengthening trust, compliance, and adoption worldwide, while laying a resilient foundation for the internet financial system.”

Comments from Circle CEO and Chief of Market Development at ADGM regarding the regulatory nod. Source: PR

Circle partners with

Bitcoin miner Phoenix Group adds 52 MW of mining capacity in Ethiopia

Bitcoin mining firm Phoenix Group announced the addition of 52 megawatts (MW) worth of mining capacity to its capabilities in Ethiopia.

According to an April 29 announcement, with this latest addition, Phoenix’s Bitcoin mining capacity in Ethiopia reaches 132 MW. The firm’s global capacity now reportedly exceeds 500 MW.

Phoenix’s co-founder and CEO, Munaf Ali, said the firm’s strategy relies on “securing prime locations with abundant, low-cost energy.”

“Initiatives like our latest expansion in Ethiopia are pivotal steps, not only creating significant value today but also solidifying our position,” he said.

Building on previous agreements

The news follows Phoenix Group signing an agreement that secures the right to 80 MW of power in Ethiopia in January. An announcement published at the time noted that

Your digital identity got stolen — Now what?

What is digital identity?

Your digital identity is the fingerprint you leave across the internet, a living map of who you are.

Your digital identity is more than just your name or email; it stretches from your social media profiles and crypto wallet addresses to your device fingerprints and even the rhythms of your daily browsing habits. In the fast-moving world of cryptocurrency, where identity and financial access often overlap, digital identity theft isn’t just a nuisance; it’s an open door to your assets.

Without strong protection, even small pieces of stolen information can be stitched into a full profile, giving cybercriminals everything they need to impersonate you, seize your funds or lock you out of your accounts.

What many don’t realize is how quickly this exposure happens. Every new wallet connection, exchange login, or saved payment method quietly expands your digital surface area. With

Read More at https://cointelegraph.com/explained/your-digital-identity-got-stolen-now-what?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss_partner_inbound

Will Trump’s 100-day speech end Bitcoin’s 'compressing' range?

Key takeaways:

Bitcoin’s price consolidates as the market awaits President Trump’s 100-day speech.

Over $4.7 billion in BTC has been withdrawn from exchanges since April 22, reducing supply and boosting price sensitivity to demand.

Trump’s crypto policy clarity could spark a BTC surge, but tariffs may cap gains.

Traders say Bitcoin price must clear key hurdles above $95,000 before continuing the uptrend to $100,000 and beyond.

Bitcoin’s (BTC) price is consolidating in a tight range between $91,700 and $95,850, ahead of Trump’s 100-day commemorative rally.

BTC/USD daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView Market awaits Trump’s 100-day speech

Bitcoin investors have adopted a wait-and-see approach ahead of US President Donald Trump’s speech to commemorate his 100th day in the White House on April 29.

Crypto-related policies have been prominently featured so far in Trump’s second-term presidency, but markets await crypto-specific regulatory updates

BlackRock Bitcoin ETF buys $970M in BTC as inflows surge, boost market

BlackRock’s exchange-traded fund (ETF) bought nearly $1 billion worth of Bitcoin on behalf of its clients on April 28, with continued inflows providing “structural support” for Bitcoin’s price appreciation, according to market analysts.

BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) ETF bought $970 million worth of Bitcoin (BTC) on April 28, its second-largest day of inflows on record after scooping up $1.12 billion of BTC on Nov. 7, 2024, Sosovalue data shows.

IBIT ETF Inflows, all-time chart. Source: Sosovalue

IBIT’s near $1 billion investment brought total net inflows to US spot BTC ETFs to just above $590 million, with all other ETFs realizing net negative outflows or remaining flat. ARK Invest’s ARKB ETF recorded the highest outflows of $226 million.

“Nearly *$1bil* into iShares Bitcoin ETF today..

Bitcoin targets $115K as BTC supply metric nears 'historic euphoria' zone

Key takeaways:

Bitcoin supply in profit has climbed back above 85%, nearing the classic euphoric area.

Onchain data shows strong accumulation from new and momentum buyers with minimal profit-taking.

Bitcoin could rally toward $110,000–$115,000 helped by a “max buying” zone.

Bitcoin (BTC) is charging toward a potential new all-time high near $115,000, as a surge in profitable supply signals growing bullish momentum and a classic setup for market euphoria.

Nearly 87% of Bitcoin supply in profit

As of April 28, approximately 86.9% of all Bitcoin coins were in profit, according to on-chain data resource CryptoQuant.

Historically, the metric’s climb into the 85–90% range has signaled a transition from healthy optimism to speculative euphoria among traders.

Between October and December 2024, for instance, Bitcoin’s price climbed from around $80,000 to over $100,000, a rally coinciding with Bitcoin’s profitable supply rising from under 80% to as high as

Loopscale recovers $2.8M after weekend DeFi hack and bounty talks

DeFi protocol Loopscale has recovered nearly half of the funds stolen during a major exploit over the weekend, as white hat negotiations with the attacker show signs of progress.

In an April 29 update posted to X, Loopscale confirmed that approximately 19,463 Wrapped SOL (WSOL) (worth roughly $2.88 million) have been returned to its wallets since April 28.

The first two returns included 10,000 WSOL (~$1.48 million) and 4,463 WSOL (~$660,000), following an earlier recovery of 5,000 WSOL (~$740,000).

“Our pursuit of an amicable resolution regarding Saturday’s incident continues to make progress,” the team wrote.

Loopscale updating community on negotiations progress. Source: Loopscale

Loopscale offers 10% bounty for return of funds

On April 27, Loopscale’s team said it had sent an onchain message to the exploiter, offering them a 10% bounty

US DOJ requests 20-year sentence for Celsius founder Alex Mashinsky

Alex Mashinsky, the founder and former CEO of the now-defunct cryptocurrency lending platform Celsius, faces a 20-year prison sentence as the US Department of Justice (DOJ) seeks a severe penalty for his role in a multibillion-dollar fraud.

The DOJ on April 28 filed the government’s sentencing memorandum against Mashinsky, recommending a 20-year prison sentence for his fraudulent actions, which led to billions of dollars in losses for Celsius customers.

The 97-page memo mentioned that Celsius users were unable to access approximately $4.7 billion in crypto assets after the platform halted withdrawals on June 12, 2022.

“The Court should sentence Alexander Mashinsky to twenty years’ imprisonment as just punishment for his years-long campaign of lies and self-dealing that left in its wake billions in losses and thousands of victimized customers,” the DOJ stated.

Mashinsky’s personal benefit was $48 million

In addition to the investor losses, the