DOJ seeks forfeiture of $225m tied to crypto ‘pig butchering’ scams

A North Korean hacker infiltrated the codebase of Waves Protocol's Keeper-Wallet, sneaking in malicious updates designed to steal credentials. The breach was spotted by cybersecurity firm Ketman, which noticed suspicious activity from a GitHub account linked to the DPRK pushing code to dormant repositories. The wallet hadn’t seen legitimate updates in nearly a year, making the intrusion harder to detect.

Editor’s Note: This isn’t just another crypto hack—it’s a reminder of how state-linked actors exploit open-source projects. North Korea’s cyber ops are notorious for targeting crypto to fund their regime, and this breach shows they’re still finding clever ways in. If you’ve used Keeper-Wallet, it’s time to check for updates (or better yet, switch to something more secure). For the wider crypto community, it’s a wake-up call: abandoned projects are low-hanging fruit for attackers.

Bitcoin is holding steady above $104K despite global chaos—Middle East tensions, inflation worries, and shaky macro trends. Investors aren’t cashing out en masse yet, but the market’s on thin ice with so many risks looming. For now, buyers are keeping things afloat, but that could change fast if macro pressures worsen.

Editor’s Note: Bitcoin’s resilience right now is a bit like a tightrope walk—impressive, but one strong gust (say, a Fed rate hike or another geopolitical shock) could send it wobbling. It’s a gauge of how crypto traders are weighing short-term stability against long-term risks. If you’re in the market, this is your heads-up to watch those macro indicators.

Big news for crypto investors—a new XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF), backed by Ripple, just hit the Toronto Stock Exchange. The fund, managed by 3IQ, is part of a growing trend where institutional players are diving into crypto assets beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum. This move signals confidence in XRP’s potential, despite its rocky regulatory past.

Editor’s Note: ETFs make it easier for traditional investors to get exposure to crypto without dealing with wallets or exchanges. An XRP-specific ETF is a big deal because it suggests institutions see long-term value in the token, even after its legal battles with the SEC. If more funds like this roll out, it could bring fresh money—and stability—to the broader crypto market.

Big-money investors (aka "whales") are loading up on XRP, with the number of wallets holding at least 1 million coins hitting a record high not seen in over a decade. On-chain data shows the XRP Ledger is buzzing with activity, and some analysts think this could push the token’s price past $4—a major jump from where it sits now.

Editor’s Note: When whales accumulate a crypto asset this aggressively, it often signals confidence in its future price—whether that’s smart money seeing an opportunity or just hype building. Either way, this surge in big holders could mean volatility (and potential gains) ahead for XRP, especially if the broader crypto market stays hot. Worth keeping an eye on, even if you’re not betting your savings on it.

Despite recent concerns that Bitcoin might have hit its peak, fresh data suggests there's still room to grow. Analysts at Sentora (formerly IntoTheBlock) point out that Bitcoin's Market Value to Realized Value (MVRV) ratio—a key metric tracking whether the asset is overbought—is still below historical highs. In simpler terms, Bitcoin might not be as overheated as some fear, hinting that this bull run could have legs.

Editor’s Note: For crypto investors, this is a reassuring sign. When metrics like the MVRV ratio stay below past peaks, it often means there’s less risk of a major crash—at least for now. It doesn’t guarantee smooth sailing, but it’s a solid counterpoint to the "Bitcoin’s topped out" chatter. If you're watching the market, this could mean holding tight makes more sense than panic-selling.