On May 12th, COINOTAG reported that Simon Gerovich, CEO of the publicly traded firm Metaplanet, has expanded the company’s bitcoin reserves to 6,796 coins after securing an additional 1,241 bitcoins.
The dollar climbed 0.6% to 146.19 yen in early Asian trade on Monday after weekend talks between the U.S. and China eased concerns of a trade war. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Sunday said a deal had been reached with China to cut the U.S. trade deficit. The dollar rose by 0.1% and was trading near a one-month high. The currency is still down 3.5% following the April 2 announcement of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs. Dollar gains versus yen after U.S.-China trade optimism DOLLAR UP 0.5% AT 146.20 YEN IN EARLY TRADE AMID US-CHINA TRADE HOPES — *Walter Bloomberg (@DeItaone) May 11, 2025 The U.S. dollar rose 0.6% to 146.19 yen on Monday’s Asian session. The currency climbed after the U.S.-China trade talks over the weekend eased concerns of a trade war between the world’s two biggest economies. New Zealand’s kiwi dollar fell to around $0.588 on Friday but bounced back on Monday by 0.3% to $0.5924. The Australian dollar was up 0.2% to $0.6425, while the euro stood at $1.1224, down 0.2%. The Sterling plummeted by 0.3% to $1.3277. U.S. Treasuries and equities slumped after Trump’s sweeping tariffs announcement last month, which shook confidence in American assets. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Sunday after talks in Geneva that a deal had been reached with China to cut the U.S. trade deficit. “I suspect that talk of the demise of the U.S. dollar as a reserve currency is premature and that we’ll see a more normal trading pattern resume once we have some clarity around global trade.” -Michael McCarthy, Chief Executive Officer of Moomoo Australia. More talks between the two nations are also expected on Monday. U.S. earnings and data this week, including consumer price index (CPI) figures on Tuesday, are expected to indicate how the trade war has impacted the economy and expectations for rate hikes by the U.S. Federal Reserve. McCarthy also argued that U.S. inflation data will be the most important for the U.S. this week, while Australian unemployment data will be the most important for Australia. He believes that trade talks will likely dominate market action this week. The CEO of the Australia-based online trading platform said the upcoming U.S. CPI data for last month will give a fresh read of the impact of import levies on inflation. He added that April retail sales on Thursday will offer the latest window into consumer spending, as jobs data is also expected on Thursday for the U.S. and Australia . McCarthy sees retail sales flatlining in April after a pre-tariff surge the month before. Trump’s heightened levies have put the dollar under pressure in recent weeks, though it gained some support last week after the Fed signaled it was in no rush to cut interest rates again. The chance of a rate cut in June is 17%, down from more than 60% a month ago, while a July move is seen as a 59% chance. The increase in risk appetite has also affected gold, which has been on a tear in recent weeks as investors sought the safety of the physical metal. Gold was down 1.7% at $3,268 an ounce, short of the April all-time high of $3,500. U.S. secures deal with China in trade talks 🇺🇸🇨🇳 DOLLAR BOUNCES BACK: U.S. AND CHINA CALL A TRUCE—FOR NOW After weeks of tariff drama, the U.S. and China finally chilled out and made a deal—so the dollar bounced like it just had an energy drink. Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs freaked out investors, but now that both… https://t.co/5eXJj8h8t5 pic.twitter.com/MWw6xZVldE — Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 12, 2025 U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent highlighted “substantial progress” in trade talks over in Geneva, while Chinese officials acknowledged that the sides had reached an important consensus and agreed to launch a new economic dialogue forum. A joint statement is expected later today, May 12, though it was clear that neither side mentioned tariff rates in the discussions. Micheal Brown, a senior research strategist at Pepperstone, argued that there was evidently a broad framework under which the two nations could conduct further talks to reach a broader trade agreement. Investors are hoping that Trump’s administration will soon scale back the 145% tariff on Chinese goods, even if only to the 60% first flagged by the White House. Cryptopolitan Academy: Want to grow your money in 2025? Learn how to do it with DeFi in our upcoming webclass. Save Your Spot
Zimbabwe has launched a blockchain-enabled carbon credit registry to enhance transparency and restore investor trust after previous disruptions in the carbon credit market. In 2023, the country faced backlash for abruptly canceling projects and claiming a portion of proceeds, affecting developers like the Kariba Redd+ Project. Authorities have since established the Zimbabwe Carbon Markets Authority
EOS, one of the well-established altcoins, announced that after seven years of development, it made a radical rebranding decision and changed its name to Vaulta and that the existing EOS tokens will be replaced with the name “A”. This conversion will begin on May 14, 2025 at a 1:1 ratio and will be performed via the Vaulta Swap Portal. EOS, which made its name known with the largest initial coin offering (ICO) in history in 2018, is now adopting the name Vaulta with its “Web3 bank” positioning. According to the official statement, the new token “A” will replace EOS. Swap transactions will be carried out via the Vaulta Swap Portal on the official and secure platform Unicove. Related News: Attention: Here's What to Watch for in Altcoins in the New Week Vaulta is not a new blockchain or hardfork. This step, which focuses on brand transformation, means that the existing infrastructure, historical data, and smart contracts built on Antelope technology will be preserved. However, developers need to update the token symbol from EOS to A in order to continue their projects. No changes will be made to the current tokenomic structure of EOS, including the token supply, distribution model, and vesting schedule. Centralized exchanges (CEX) will list A token and gradually delist EOS *This is not investment advice. Continue Reading: This Week Is Critical for a Legacy Altcoin: Keep an Eye on May 14
Crypto markets have held onto gains over the weekend as the United States and China sat down for trade talks, though no official deals were made. Reports also emerged about Donald Trump’s list of around 20 countries prioritized for early trade negotiations, including key partners like Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam. In a widely anticipated move , the Federal Reserve held rates steady last week, citing increased macroeconomic uncertainty tied to tariffs, signaling a continued “wait and see” approach. This week will see key inflation and consumer confidence reports, which could rattle markets if they come in worse than expected. Economic Events May 12 to 16 April’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) excluding food and energy is due Tuesday. The CPI report is one of the two key measures of inflation, along with the Personal Consumption Expenditures index. The CPI report reflects price trends across the economy and shapes consumer spending and business sentiment. However, figures are usually much lower than reality in terms of price increases for consumers. April’s Producer Price Index (PPI) report is due Thursday, reflecting input costs for producers and manufacturers and measuring the cost of producing consumer goods. This leading inflation data also shapes policymakers’ decisions. April’s Retail Sales report is also due Thursday. This data indicates how much consumers are spending on durable and non-durable goods and is a leading indicator of economic health. Key Events This Week: 1. April CPI Inflation data – Tuesday 2. OPEC Monthly Report – Wednesday 3. April PPI Inflation data – Thursday 4. April Retail Sales data – Thursday 5. Fed Chair Powell Speaks – Thursday 6. MI Consumer Sentiment data – Friday Markets also await the… — The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) May 11, 2025 Friday will see May’s Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index and preliminary Consumer Inflation Expectations. These reports summarize the findings of a monthly survey measuring consumer confidence and long-term inflation expectations. The White House said that talks between the US and China regarding a trade deal have made “substantial progress,” on Sunday. “We will be giving details tomorrow, but I can tell you that the talks were productive,” said US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Crypto Market Outlook Crypto market capitalization had dipped slightly to $3.45 trillion during the Monday morning Asian trading session. However, it was still hovering around multi-month highs. Bitcoin prices came just shy of $105,000 on Sunday and were holding around the $104,000 level on Monday morning, just 4.4% away from the all-time high. The asset has gained 11% over the past week, though analysts expect some consolidation at these levels. Ethereum has been on fire for the past week, surging more than 40% over the past seven days. ETH came close to $2,600 on May 11 before retreating slightly to trade at $2,525 at the time of writing. Altcoins also performed well over the weekend, but momentum has slowed as we enter a new week. The post 4 Things That Could Impact Crypto Markets in The Week Ahead appeared first on CryptoPotato .
JD (@jaydee_757), a popular crypto analyst on X, has shared a bullish forecast for XRP, setting a 2-digit price target between $10 and $99. In his post, JD emphasized the importance of taking calculated profits, suggesting that 95% of market participants will lose money for not following his advice. My Top target for #XRP are in the 2-digits… Between $10 – $99 Make sure to take calculated profits as the 95% will lose in the end! We need majority to lose big for us 5% to win big ! Lets geeet it! #XRPArmy #XRPCommunity — JD (@jaydee_757) May 9, 2025 JD has called these investors “ dumb money investors ” for years. He is convinced that only 5% of investors will act right and earn massive profits from XRP’s surge. XRP is currently trading at $2.41, and JD’s targets suggest a surge ranging from 314.8% to 4,007.9%. JD’s viewpoint reflects a sentiment common among seasoned traders who believe successful investing hinges on disciplined exits rather than idealistic holding. Another expert shared his belief that many investors will sell their tokens when XRP hits $10, losing out on massive gains. He also believes that 95% of the market will miss the true bull run because they sold too early. Community Divides Over Profit Strategy and Long-Term Vision The post received varied responses from members of the XRP community, revealing a split between traders aiming for high exits based on long-term utility and those favoring short- to mid-term gains. One user dismissed those with modest expectations, saying they can cash out between $3.5 and $5. He has higher expectations for the asset and added that strong investors don’t need those looking for quick and small gains. We are on twitter, follow us to connect with us :- @TimesTabloid1 — TimesTabloid (@TimesTabloid1) July 15, 2023 Another commenter countered the profit-taking approach, “You only lose if you sell.” This kind of thinking highlights the belief among some investors that XRP’s price will be driven predominantly by its eventual use case, particularly in financial settlements, and not by speculative cycles. Proponents like Edoardo Farina have likened selling XRP at current levels to giving it away for free to massive institutions and constantly advocate for long-term holding. JD responded to this argument by clarifying that his strategy involves securing profits once XRP’s utility is fully implemented. His approach indicates confidence in the asset’s long-term potential but is tempered with a realistic stance on market behavior. In reply to one particularly bullish commenter claiming XRP would reach four-digit prices, JD suggested that the commenter would lose money, as holding too long with unrealistic bullish expectations could result in missed opportunities. Disclaimer : This content is meant to inform and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author’s personal opinions and do not represent Times Tabloid’s opinion. Readers are urged to do in-depth research before making any investment decisions. Any action taken by the reader is strictly at their own risk. Times Tabloid is not responsible for any financial losses. Follow us on X , Facebook , Telegram , and Google News The post Analyst Sets 2-Digit XRP Target Between $10 and $99, Says 95% Will Lose Profits in the End appeared first on Times Tabloid .
This latest attack follows previous phishing campaigns, including fake Ledger-branded letters that were sent to customers in April. Ethereum's latest Pectra upgrade also introduced a dangerous vulnerability via EIP-7702, enabling off-chain signatures that could allow hackers to take control of wallets without user confirmation. This raised some major concerns among security researchers who even called the threat critical. On the BNB Chain, Mobius Token (MBU) suffered a $2.15 million exploit when a malicious smart contract drained millions of tokens and converted them into stablecoins. Ledger Users Targeted Again Hardware wallet provider Ledger confirmed that its Discord server has been secured after an attacker compromised a moderator’s account on May 11. The attacker used it to post malicious links that were aimed at tricking users into revealing their wallet seed phrases. According to Ledger team member Quintin Boatwright , the breach was quickly contained. The compromised moderator account was removed, the malicious bot deleted, the scam website reported, and all permissions were reviewed and locked down to prevent further abuse. However, some community members alleged that the attacker misused moderator privileges to ban and mute users who were trying to report the breach, which may have delayed Ledger’s initial response. The scam involved a message claiming a newly discovered vulnerability in Ledger’s systems and urged users to verify their seed phrases through a fraudulent link. Users were then prompted to connect their wallets and follow fake on-screen instructions, which posed a serious risk of fund loss. While it is still unclear if any users fell victim to the scam, screenshots of the deceptive messages were widely circulated on X . This latest phishing attempt follows a troubling trend. In April, scammers sent physical letters to Ledger hardware wallet owners, urging them to enter their recovery phrases via QR codes under the guise of a security check. These letters had official branding and references to make them appear legitimate. Some recipients speculated that the mailings were linked to a July 2020 data breach, where the personal information of more than 270,000 Ledger customers—including names, phone numbers, and addresses—was leaked online. The year after the breach, several users reported receiving fake Ledger devices rigged with malware. Overall, it seems like Ledger customers are being specifically targeted by sophisticated scammers. Pectra Update Introduces Dangerous Flaw It’s not only Ledger users who should be cautious. Ethereum’s recent Pectra network upgrade, which went live on May 7, introduced powerful new features intended to boost scalability and enhance smart account functionality. However, it also exposed a serious new attack vector that could allow hackers to drain user wallets using nothing more than an off-chain signature. At the heart of the issue is EIP-7702, which is a key part of the upgrade that enables users to delegate control of their externally owned accounts (EOAs) to a smart contract by signing a message — without needing to submit an on-chain transaction. This change allows attackers to exploit unsuspecting users through phishing attempts or fake apps. If a malicious actor obtains a valid signature, they can use the SetCode transaction (type 0x04) to install code in the victim’s wallet that redirects calls to a contract under the attacker’s control. From there, they can transfer ETH or tokens out of the wallet without the user ever authorizing a typical transaction. Security researchers like Arda Usman and Yehor Rudytsia confirmed that this risk is immediate and critical. Smart contracts that depend on legacy assumptions, like tx.origin checks, are now vulnerable. What makes this attack particularly dangerous is how easily it can be deployed through ordinary off-chain interactions — Discord messages, phishing websites, or fake DApps. Wallet interfaces that do not properly display or interpret the new transaction type are especially at risk, and signatures can even be reused on any Ethereum-compatible chain due to the potential for chain_id = 0 signatures. Rudytsia explained that from now on, even hardware wallets are vulnerable to signing malicious delegation messages. Users are urged not to sign messages they don’t understand, especially those involving account nonces or unrecognized formats. Wallet developers must adapt quickly by integrating signature parsing and clear warnings for delegation attempts, as the messages enabled by EIP-7702 often bypass existing standards like EIP-191 and EIP-712. While multisig wallets offer more protection due to the need for multiple approvals, single-key wallets still have to evolve to detect these new threats. Alongside EIP-7702, the Pectra upgrade also included EIP-7251, increasing the validator staking cap to 2,048 ETH, and EIP-7691, which improves layer-2 scalability by increasing the number of data blobs per block. Unfortunately, the unintended consequences of the delegation mechanism are already proving to be a top security concern. Mobius Token Hit by Exploit Meanwhile, more than $2.15 million in digital assets was stolen from the Mobius Token (MBU) smart contracts on the BNB Chain after a targeted exploit on May 11, according to blockchain security firm Cyvers Alerts . The attack was executed with precision, beginning just minutes after the deployment of a malicious smart contract. Cyvers flagged this as suspicious before the exploit took place. The attacker initiated the exploit using wallet address 0xb32a53… at approximately 07:33 UTC, just two minutes after deploying the malicious contract. The exploit targeted a victim wallet identified as 0xb5252f… and successfully drained 28.5 million MBU tokens. The stolen tokens were then quickly converted into USDT stablecoins, which resulted in a total loss of $2,152,219.99. Cyvers confirmed that the attacker used the contract address 0x631adf… to carry out a series of malicious transactions. The security firm labeled the exploit as “critical,” due to the suspicious contract logic and abnormal transaction behavior that was used by the hacker. For now, the attacker’s wallet remains active, and the stolen funds have been deposited to Tornado Cash . This exploit is part of a broader trend of escalating crypto thefts in 2025. According to a report from blockchain security firm PeckShield, April alone saw close to $360 million in crypto assets stolen across 18 major hacking incidents. This was a staggering 990% increase in losses compared to March, when just $33 million was lost to hacks. One of the most serious events that contributed to April's total was an unauthorized transfer of $330 million in Bitcoin, later confirmed to be the result of a social engineering attack targeting an elderly US resident. Overall, the Mobius Token exploit serves as another stark reminder of the urgent need for improved contract auditing and real-time threat detection systems across DeFi platforms.
Japanese investment firm Metaplanet has surpassed El Salvador in Bitcoin holdings, demonstrating a significant shift in global cryptocurrency investments. With a recent addition of 1,241 Bitcoin, Metaplanet’s total now stands
According to recent data from DefiLlama, Gate.io has experienced significant financial activity. From May 9 at 12:00 to the present (UTC+8), the platform recorded a net inflow of funds exceeding
Japanese investment firm Metaplanet has added another $129 million to its Bitcoin treasury, pushing its total holdings past the Bitcoin-stacking country of El Salvador. “Metaplanet now holds more Bitcoin than El Salvador. From humble beginnings to rivaling nation-states, we’re just getting started,” said CEO Simon Gerovich on X after the latest purchase announcement. On May 12, the Tokyo-listed firm announced that it had acquired 1,241 Bitcoin ( BTC ) for 14.8 million yen ($101,843) per coin. The total buy, at its highest ever purchase price, is worth around $129 million at current market prices. This brings the firm’s total holdings to 6,796 Bitcoin, currently worth around $707 million, and the average purchase price is $91,000 per Bitcoin. Metaplanet started its BTC accumulation strategy in April 2024. El Salvador is the sixth-largest nation-state holder of the asset with 6,714 Bitcoin worth around $642 million, according to the National Bitcoin Office. Source: Simon Gerovich The Japanese investment firm also reported a Bitcoin Yield , which measures the ratio of percentage change in Bitcoin holdings per fully diluted share, of 38% for the current quarter to date. The firm achieved a BTC Yield of 95.6% during the first quarter of 2025. Related: Trump’s US-China trade deal could shed light on Bitcoin’s use case Metaplanet has been more aggressive in its accumulation of the asset in recent months, with a purchase of 5,555 Bitcoin on May 7 , four purchases in April totaling 18,586 BTC, and six purchases in March totaling 18,925 BTC, each buy larger than the previous. Metaplanet BTC purchase disclosure. Source: Metaplanet The firm is the largest holder of Bitcoin in Asia and the tenth largest globally, according to BiTBO. Saylor hints at another buy Meanwhile, Michael Saylor hinted at another purchase by his firm, Strategy, on May 12, by posting a screenshot of the “Saylor Tracker” chart, which tracks the firm’s Bitcoin treasury portfolio. “Connect the dots,” was the accompanying comment. Source: Michael Saylor Saylor has made similar Monday posts with a cryptic comment many times in the past, which have been followed by a BTC acquisition announcement. Strategy currently holds 555,450 BTC worth around $57.8 billion at current prices, according to the tracker. Magazine: Bitcoin eyes ‘crazy numbers,’ JD Vance set for Bitcoin talk: Hodler’s Digest