Crypto Exchange CEO’s Daughter and Grandson Narrowly Escape Kidnap Attempt by Armed Gang in France: Report

Armed assailants have reportedly attempted to kidnap the daughter and grandson of a crypto exchange executive in France. The news television network France 24 reports that four masked men attacked a couple and their child in broad daylight in Paris on Tuesday. Video footage shows that three of the perpetrators jumped out of a white delivery van to force the woman and her child into the vehicle. They also beat the woman’s partner, who tried to intervene. But the woman, the daughter of France-based crypto exchange platform Paymium CEO and…

European Exchanges Push to Curb IPO Flight to U.S Over Risks and Costs: Report

As more European companies eye Wall Street for their debut listings, exchanges on the continent are mounting a counteroffensive. With IPO volumes already depressed, operators like Deutsche Boerse and Euronext are pressing to change the narrative that New York guarantees better value for newly public firms, Reuters reported. Citing a document circulated among German firms and IPO advisers, Deutsche Boerse cautions against the hype surrounding U.S. listings. It warns of weak post-IPO performance, steeper legal costs, and greater litigation risks tied to U.S. markets. Hype Surrounding US Listing The exchange…

Thailand to tokenize $150M government bonds for retail investors: Report

Thailand’s Ministry of Finance reportedly plans to issue $150 million worth of digital investment tokens, allowing retail investors to buy government bonds. The Bangkok Post reported on May 13 that Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira announced the initiative at a briefing after the cabinet endorsed the plan. He added that the tokens will be launched within the next two months. The so-called “G-tokens” will be used to raise funds from the public under the current budget borrowing plan, said Patchara Anuntasilpa, director-general of the Public Debt Management Office. He added that…

Investor Kidnapped, Driven to Remote Desert and Robbed of $4,000,000 in Cryptocurrency by Teenagers: Report

Three teenagers are being accused of kidnapping a wealthy investor and then stealing $4 million in digital assets after driving him to a desert outside of Las Vegas. Court records show that Belal Ashraf and Austin Fletcher, both 16, are now facing charges of robbery, kidnapping and extortion, while a third yet-named accomplice remains at large, reports local CBS-affiliate 8 News Now. A juvenile court judge previously ruled that Ashraf and Fletcher, both from Florida, will face charges as adults. Prosecutors say the third teenager is no longer in the…

Crypto speculation dominates $600B cross-border payments: BIS report

Hundreds of billions of dollars in cross-border cryptocurrency payments flow globally, driven primarily by speculative investment, according to a recent report by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS). The BIS study, published May 8, found cross-border payments using the two largest cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH), and the two largest stablecoins, USDt (USDT) and USDC (USDC), totaled about $600 billion during the second quarter of 2024, the final observation period covered by the analysis. “Our findings highlight speculative motives and global funding conditions as key drivers of native crypto…

Microsoft and OpenAI renegotiate investment deal: Report

Tech company Microsoft and artificial intelligence firm OpenAI are reportedly in talks to renegotiate the investment deal between the AI firm and Microsoft, which is OpenAI’s biggest financial backer. According to a report from the Financial Times, Microsoft may give up a portion of its equity in OpenAI for continued access to the AI company’s products and models beyond 2030, when some of the original terms of a deal signed between the two companies expire. Microsoft has invested over $13 billion into OpenAI since 2019, when it first acquired an…

No, Spanish Citizens Don’t Have to Report Cash Withdrawals Over €3,000 in Advance to the Tax Agency

Information about an alleged new regulation requiring Spanish citizens to report cash withdrawals over €3,000 recently went viral on social media. Spanish crypto and tax experts debunked this claim, stating that it is completely incorrect and a result of a misunderstanding of anti-money laundering regulations. Experts Debunk Viral Post: Spanish Citizens Don’t Have to Report […] Source CryptoX Portal

US senators ask DOJ, Treasury to consider Binance-Trump ties — Report

A group of Democratic senators has reportedly sent a letter to leadership at the US Department of Justice and the Treasury Department expressing concerns about US President Donald Trump’s ties to cryptocurrency exchange Binance and potential conflicts of interest in regulating the industry. According to a May 9 Bloomberg report, Democratic senators asked Attorney General Pam Bondi and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to report on the steps Binance had taken as part of its November 2023 plea agreement with US authorities, amid reports that Trump and his family had deepened…

Meta exploring stablecoin integration for payouts: Report

Tech company Meta is reportedly exploring integrating stablecoin payments into its platforms after a three-year hiatus from cryptocurrencies, Fortune reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. The Facebook parent held talks with several crypto infrastructure firms in consultation but has not chosen a decisive course of action, according to the report. One source said the company may take a multi-token approach and integrate support for popular stablecoins such as Tether’s USDt (USDT), Circle’s USD Coin (USDC) and others. Meta is the latest tech firm to integrate or explore the use…

Trump tricked into pushing XRP for crypto reserve: Report

US President Donald Trump was reportedly manipulated by a lobbyist tied to Ripple Labs into announcing the XRP token would be part of his plans for a national cryptocurrency reserve. According to a May 8 Politico report, an employee of pro-Trump lobbyist Brian Ballard gave the president the text to a social media post she recommended he write announcing a US strategic crypto reserve that would include XRP, Solana (SOL), and Cardano (ADA). After he posted the message to his social media platform on March 2, Trump learned Ripple was one…