India wants 30% of your crypto gains, but that’s not the worst part

Charles Hoskinson, the founder of Cardano, just dropped a bombshell in a recent interview: his team walked away from a potential deal with El Salvador’s government. Why? Because the proposed crypto airdrop—meant to boost adoption—reportedly included members of the notorious MS-13 gang. Hoskinson cited "serious legal and geopolitical concerns" as the dealbreaker, hinting at the messy ethical and regulatory pitfalls of mixing crypto with high-risk politics.

Editor’s Note: This isn’t just insider crypto drama—it’s a stark reminder of how tangled things get when governments try to fast-track crypto adoption. El Salvador’s aggressive Bitcoin push has already raised eyebrows, but Cardano’s exit suggests even blockchain advocates have limits. The MS-13 angle adds a dark twist, spotlighting how crypto’s anonymity can attract bad actors. For the industry, it’s another wake-up call: mass adoption isn’t just about tech—it’s about navigating real-world risks.

The cryptocurrency NEAR just bounced back with a 3% price jump after dipping close to a critical support level at $2.13. This suggests traders saw that price as a floor and jumped in, sparking a quick recovery—at least for now.

Editor’s Note: For crypto watchers, NEAR’s rebound is a small but interesting signal. Holding key support levels can hint at investor confidence, but volatile assets like this can flip fast. If you're tracking market psychology or trading NEAR, this could be a moment worth noting—though it’s far from a long-term trend yet.

A new meme coin inspired by Donald Trump is gaining traction as it migrates to the Tron blockchain, signaling a push for broader visibility and trading activity. The move suggests developers are betting on Tron's fast, low-cost transactions to attract more speculative crypto traders.

Editor’s Note: Meme coins thrive on hype and community engagement, and this shift to Tron could mean bigger swings in trading volume—for better or worse. Whether you see it as a joke or an opportunity, it’s another sign of how politics and internet culture keep colliding with crypto.

Shares of Sequans, a French chipmaker, skyrocketed 35% after the company announced it raised $384 million by converting debt into equity—with plans to funnel some of that cash into a Bitcoin treasury. Investors clearly liked the move, sending the stock soaring despite the broader market's usual skepticism toward crypto-linked bets.

Editor’s Note: This isn’t just another corporate Bitcoin play—it’s a sign that even traditional tech firms are betting big on crypto as part of their financial strategy. Sequans’ aggressive pivot (and the market’s thumbs-up) suggests that institutional confidence in Bitcoin isn’t dead, even after the crypto winter. For investors, it’s a risky but intriguing signal to watch.

Tether, the company behind the world's largest stablecoin, is throwing serious money—millions of dollars—into a new partnership aimed at cracking down on misuse within the crypto space. While details are still light, the move signals an effort to clean up the industry's reputation and promote healthier growth.

Editor’s Note: Stablecoins like Tether are crucial to crypto markets, but they've faced scrutiny over fraud and misuse. By investing in safeguards, Tether isn’t just protecting its own interests—it’s trying to stabilize the whole ecosystem. If this works, it could mean fewer scandals and more trust in crypto overall.