After breaching Iran’s largest crypto exchange, the pro-Israel hacker group Gonjeshke Darande claimed to have destroyed more than $90 million in digital assets taken from Nobitex’s wallets. In a June 18 update via X, the group said it had burned the funds across multiple blockchains using “vanity addresses” that contain no recoverable private keys, effectively rendering the assets permanently inaccessible. This follows the high-profile exploit of Nobitex, in which over $90 million in Bitcoin ( BTC ), Ethereum ( ETH ), Dogecoin ( DOGE ), and other tokens were drained from hot wallets. The attackers had originally framed the breach as a direct response to Nobitex’s alleged role in helping the Iranian regime circumvent sanctions and fund terrorism. 12 hours ago 8 burn addresses burned $90M from the wallets of the regime's favorite sanctions violation tool, Nobitex. 12 hours from now The source-code of Nobitex will be open to the public, and Nobitex’s walled garden will be without walls. Where do you want your assets to be?… — Gonjeshke Darande (@GonjeshkeDarand) June 18, 2025 The group, also known as Predatory Sparrow, tied the hack to ongoing military and cyber tensions between Iran and Israel, which intensified following Israeli airstrikes on Tehran’s nuclear sites days earlier. Blockchain security platforms like Chainalysis quickly confirmed that the stolen assets had not been transferred to mixers or exchanges, but rather to irretrievable addresses with inflammatory labels. You might also like: Is the crypto bull run still possible after Israel bombed Iran? Some of the addresses included phrases like “FuckIRGCTerroristsNoBiTEX,” targeting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. One Bitcoin wallet used in the attack is provably unspendable due to its invalid checksum. On Ethereum, tokens were sent to the “0x…dead” burn address commonly used to retire supply permanently. In response, Nobitex issued a fresh statement acknowledging the burn. The exchange said that user assets are safe in cold storage and that the situation is now under control. Nobitex clarified that as a precaution, its staff had also emptied hot wallets. It reiterated that no customer funds would be lost, citing its reserve fund and insurance pool. Nobitex Announcement No. 4 – Regarding the Security Incident As part of Nobitex’s ongoing response to the recent security incident, we would like to inform our users that the situation is now under control. All external access to our servers has been completely severed. If you… — Nobitex | نوبیتکس (@nobitexmarket) June 18, 2025 The attackers have also threatened to release the source code and internal infrastructure data of Nobitex, which could worsen the situation for Iran’s leading cryptocurrency platform, which has over 11 million users. Gonjeshke Darande warned that any assets left on the platform would be at risk if users did not withdraw immediately. Despite having no financial motivation, the hack has far-reaching implications. The intentional destruction of more than $90 million worth of digital currency demonstrates how state-level conflicts have turned crypto infrastructure into a new battlefield. Read more: Meta Pool exploited for $133k after attacker mints $27m worth of tokens
Circle’s stock surged 34% on June 18 to close at $199.59 after the GENIUS Act cleared the Senate. According to Yahoo Finance data , the stock briefly touched an all-time high of $200.90 before closing at $199.59. The move marked a nearly 6.5-fold increase from the company’s initial public offering price of $31 set two weeks earlier on June 5. The sharp rally came just after the U.S. Senate passed the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act, a bill that would establish a comprehensive federal framework for regulating dollar-backed stablecoins such as Circle’s USD Coin ( USDC ). The legislation, which cleared the Senate with a 68–30 vote on June 17, now heads to the House of Representatives. House Financial Services Committee staff confirmed that scheduling discussions are expected to begin next week, although a floor vote date has not yet been announced. Supporters of the bill hope to have it on President Donald Trump’s desk before the August congressional recess. You might also like: GENIUS Act could bring trillions in institutional crypto capital: experts weigh in Alongside Circle’s gains, Coinbase’s stock increased by 14%, and Robinhood’s stock rose by 4.5% to reach a new all-time high of $78.35. The market reaction reflected growing confidence that clear federal oversight of stablecoins could accelerate mainstream adoption and de-risk the regulatory landscape for U.S.-based issuers. The GENIUS Act creates federal licensing requirements for stablecoin issuers, mandates complete backing of tokens with dollar reserves, such as cash or Treasuries, and gives the Federal Reserve and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency oversight powers. The legislation also seeks to improve technical interoperability among blockchain platforms and standardize consumer protection guidelines. While some states, like New York, already regulate stablecoins through local regimes like BitLicense, the GENIUS Act aims to bring all of those efforts together under a single national standard. The Act enhances Circle’s standing as a top U.S. issuer with institutional-grade practices, as it already complies with strict reserve transparency and compliance standards. USDC, Circle’s primary product, is currently widely used in decentralized finance, remittances, and tokenized payment systems. Read more: What happens on day one after the GENIUS Act passes? | Opinion
On June 19, former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly criticized Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell via social media, labeling him as detrimental to the U.S. economy. Trump’s statement, “Too Late
South Korea's largest cryptocurrency exchanges Upbit and Bithumb started the day with altcoin listings. At this point, Upbit announced that it will list the altcoin Raydium (RAY), while Bithumb announced that it will list the altcoins Forta (FORT) and Huma Finance (HUMA). Upbit announced that it will list RAY on the KRW and USDT trading pair, while Bithumb stated that it will list FORT and HUMA only on the KRW trading pair. “On June 19, 2025, RAY will be added to the KRW and USDT markets on Upbit. Listing for RAY is planned on the Solana network in KRW and USDT trading pairs. HUMA and FORT Also Listed: “HUMA and FORT will be added to the KRW market today. HUMA transaction support: Supported Market: Korean Won Market Supported Network: Solana (SOL) (Deposits made via other networks are not supported.) Deposit start: 19.06.2025 is planned as 15:00. FORT transaction support: Supported Market: Korean Won Market Supported network: Ethereum (ETH) (Deposits via other networks are not supported.) Deposit start: 19.06.2025 is planned as 17:00.” Following the announcements, there were major increases in the prices of HUMA, FORT and RAY. *This is not investment advice. Continue Reading: Morning Release from South Korea! Three New Altcoins Listed, Prices Rise Sharply!
U.S. futures markets are poised for a breakthrough as Coinbase spearheads the regulated use of USDC stablecoin as collateral, signaling a seismic leap toward mainstream financial integration. Regulated Futures Markets Open Gates to USDC Collateral With Coinbase Leading the Charge Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase (Nasdaq: COIN) announced on June 18 that its subsidiary Coinbase Derivatives LLC
The cryptocurrency market is witnessing pivotal movements as Shiba Inu approaches critical price thresholds, Dogecoin faces renewed volatility, and XYZVerse emerges as a promising memecoin with potential for exponential growth.
DOJ seizes $225M in crypto, marking largest-ever U.S. Secret Service crypto bust Global scam exploited blockchain obfuscation to trick over 400 victims worldwide FBI and Secret Service used blockchain forensics and Tether aid to trace assets The U.S. Department of Justice has initiated a civil forfeiture case to seize more than $225 million in digital assets connected to a large-scale, global cryptocurrency investment fraud network. The action represents the largest single cryptocurrency seizure in the history of the U.S. Secret Service. The complaint, filed on June 18 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, targets funds that investigators traced through hundreds of thousands of blockchain transactions designed to obscure their illicit origins. The operation marks a significant move by the federal government to disrupt organized cybercrime rings and recover funds for defrauded investors. Details of the Sophisticated Scheme According to the Justice Department, the seized funds were part of a sophisticated, blockchain-based laundering operation. The criminal network allegedly used so-called “pig butchering” scams, where fraudsters build … The post U.S. Secret Service Announces Its Largest-Ever Crypto Seizure in ‘Pig Butchering’ Case appeared first on Coin Edition .
GoPlus, a prominent Web3 security infrastructure provider, recently disclosed that its SafeToken Locker service has secured liquidity lockups for more than 4,000 projects, including notable names like TST, Mubarak, and
US officials are reportedly preparing for a potential military strike on Iran, stirring concerns about Bitcoin’s price volatility amid escalating geopolitical tensions. Market participants are exhibiting increased caution, with Bitcoin
According to data from Lookonchain, a significant transaction was observed involving whale wallet 256Eh2, which transferred 906,788 RAY tokens valued at approximately $2.26 million to Binance. This sizable deposit follows