Anmol Khatiwada, Author at Bitmala

Insane !12 Busted in $15M Crypto Laundering Ring : Hong Kong Cracks Down on Web3 Fraud

Twelve people just got clapped by Hong Kong and mainland China cops for laundering HK$118M ($15M) through fake bank accounts + crypto exchanges. Yeah, they were literally running the operation from an apartment in Mong Kok.

These fraudsters used 500+ stooge accounts (that’s when you use someone else’s bank info) to wash dirty money from scams and flip it into it. Two rookies got caught mid-mission trying to drop stacks at a shop in Tsim Sha Tsui—police swooped in and grabbed HK$770K cash on the spot.

The Haul:

$134K in seized cash
560+ ATM cards
Phones & docs tied to bank ops

Most of these stooge accounts came from clueless friends and fam—yikes. This bust comes while fraud cases in HK are up 12% and 73% of them are tied to stooge accounts.

🛡️ HK’s Response:
Hong Kong’s pushing back hard with a new tool called CryptoTrace—made with the University of Hong Kong—to track shady crypto activity. Plus, the city’s still dealing with that fake “National Hong Kong Coin” scam that finessed $3.1B in 2024.

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Banxa Unlocks 1:1 RLUSD Support — Big Win for Global Crypto Payments

Banxa just turned the dial up by adding support for RLUSD, Ripple’s fresh USD-backed stablecoin. Now you can grab or sell RLUSD using normal stuff like your bank, debit card, or even fast local payment options. No crypto wizardry needed.

The vibe? RLUSD is backed 1:1 with USD and equivalents, so it’s built for real-world action—global payments, fast transfers, even as trading ammo.

But here’s the big move: Banxa’s not just selling RLUSD. Their whole partner network—wallets, exchanges, dApps—can now integrate it too. So more liquidity, less friction, and faster flows across countries.

Banxa’s CEO Holger Arians said it best: “Stablecoins like RLUSD bring the reliability the crypto world needs. This fits our mission to blend Web2 finance with Web3 ease.”

Banxa’s been making moves to stay fully compliant while making crypto easy for normies and businesses. This RLUSD move shows they’re dead serious about building real infrastructure—not just hype.

Bottom line: RLUSD is now easier to use, more connected, and backed by a trusted player. Whether you’re a biz or just crypto curious, this just made stablecoins way more useful.

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EOS Price Jumps 12%-Trump-Linked World Liberty Fi Buys $6M in Crypto

World Liberty Fi (yeah, the one backed by the Trump fam) just made another big crypto flex. On May 16, they dropped $6 million — split between $3M in EOS and $3M in Vaulta’s “A” token. Major bag secured.

The EOS buy went down on PancakeSwap (BNBChain), while the Vaulta tokens came through the Bitcoin-based exSat network. Immediately after the buy, EOS popped 12%, jumping from $0.76 to $0.86. Big vibes for its holders.

FYI — EOS rebranded to Vaulta in March 2025 to focus on Web3 banking, swapping out tokens and leaning into that EU MiCA-regulation clarity.

According to Arkham Intel, World Liberty Fi now holds $107.55M in crypto. Most of it is ETH, WBTC, and stETH, but now it is officially on the squad. They’ve been stacking altcoins like TRX, WHITE, and ONDO too.

They’ve been going hard since Oct 2024, and this latest move just shows they’re not slowing down. With Trump pushing pro-crypto vibes, this could just be the start.

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Grok Went Rogue: 1 Major Glitch Sparks Trust Issues

Grok Just Glitched Hard—Here’s What Went Down

So, Grok—Elon Musk’s AI chatbot from xAI—literally started giving super off responses. Like, you ask it about baseball or home-building, and suddenly it’s ranting about “white genocide” in South Africa (which btw, isn’t even real). Total misinformation.

People were like… what is this?! Turns out, someone messed with its settings without permission. xAI said it broke the rules and now they’re investigating.

It even admitted mid-chat like, “Oops, went off-topic,” but still kept spiraling. Not a great look.

xAI posted on X (formerly Twitter) that they’re beefing up safety, adding 24/7 monitoring, and will share Grok’s instructions publicly to stay transparent.

This whole mess made people question if Grok is even trustworthy. xAI says they’re working to fix it and earn back trust.

It’s a big reminder: AI might be smart, but without the right checks, it can get messy real fast.

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Breaking !Coinbase’s 1,000-Job Offer: A Fresh Start for DOGE Task Force Veterans

It’s giving career pivot vibes. After a Fox News clip of a former DOGE staffer venting about social backlash went viral, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong slid into X with a wild invite: join Coinbase’s fast lane hiring.

DOGE (no, not the meme coin—this one’s a deregulation task force under Musk + Trump) has been in hot water for mass layoffs, failed $2T budget cuts (they only hit $160B), and making its own staff social pariahs.

The viral video showed Ethan Shaotran, a Harvard dropout, saying “most of the campus hates me now.” Armstrong responded:

“If you’ve done your proof-of-work at DOGE, come help build a better financial system at Coinbase.”

He even promised an accelerated hiring pipeline just for them. Major CEO move.

Meanwhile, Musk is catching flak from all directions—Tesla profits nosedived in Q1 2025 (-71%!), and some of his EV stuff got attacked IRL.

Moral of the story? Being part of Team Elon might not be the flex it used to be.

You might find interesting: 3 Ways FalconX Is Leading the Charge in Global Crypto Finance with Standard Chartered

3 Bitcoin Miner Stocks Ranked: WULF & MARA Fly High, IREN Super Undervalued

Yo, mining stocks just got exposed. Thanks to on-chain sleuths at CryptoQuant, we now have a crystal-clear peek into the real-time revenue of top Bitcoin miners—like MARA and WULF—who are sitting on 4.4× price-to-sales flexes. Meanwhile, Iris Energy (IREN) is out here grinding hard and still getting no love from investors.

CryptoQuant pulled it off with a slick labeling trick that tracks miner wallets, turning daily Bitcoin block rewards + fees into actual revenue estimates. Basically, they just gave TradFi tools a glow-up for the crypto age.

Turns out, WULF and MARA are way overpriced (maybe riding hype?), while IREN is quietly building and staying undervalued. So yeah—huge alpha drop here for anyone looking to long undervalued plays or hedge the overhyped ones.

Bottom line? Real-time data = real-time strategy. You’re not flying blind anymore. CryptoQuant just handed serious edge to anyone paying attention. Don’t sleep on this new way to play the crypto equity game.

You might find interesting: 5 Reasons Why Fartcoin ($FARTCOIN) Is Gaining Momentum with Innovative Utility and a Growing

South Korea Busts $540K Crypto Scam Ring; 25 Arrested in Fake Exchange Fraud

ICYMI, South Korea just cracked down on a fake crypto scam investment ring that scammed people out of 734M won (~$540K USD). Police in Jeju nabbed 25 scammers running four sketchy “crypto advisory” call centers that promised sky-high returns.

These fraudsters played pro, acting like crypto team leads and guiding victims to sign up on fake exchanges. Victims were shown fake dashboards with phony profits, making it look like they were winning big. Spoiler alert: they weren’t. These crypto scams really went out of hand.

Once people tried cashing out? Crickets. Funds frozen. Scammers gone.

Of the 25 caught, 20 are now in custody. The rest? Facing charges. But cops think more victims are out there—so this could get even bigger.

Pro tip: If someone slides into your DMs promising fast crypto gains, it’s probs a trap. Always DYOR (Do Your Own Research).

Meanwhile, in a twist, all three South Korean prez candidates are vibing with Bitcoin ETFs and crypto investment. Wild times for Korean crypto.

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3 Ways FalconX Is Leading the Charge in Global Crypto Finance with Standard Chartered

Big Banks Are Finally Teaming Up with Crypto, and FalconX Is Leading the Charge

So here’s the tea: FalconX, one of the biggest names in crypto prime brokerage, just teamed up with traditional banking heavyweight Standard Chartered, and it’s kind of a big deal. This isn’t just another random collab. It’s the first time FalconX is linking up with a legacy bank — and it’s all about bringing more institutions into the crypto space.

What’s in it for FalconX? Access to global banking tools, better FX support, and faster fiat settlements. Translation: crypto clients (we’re talking hedge funds and big asset managers) will get smoother, faster trades and better capital efficiency.

And for Standard Chartered? They’re going full speed into digital assets. They’ve already launched custody services in the UAE and partnered with OKX to let big players use crypto as collateral. Now, with FalconX, they’re making crypto feel less “Wild West” and more Wall Street.

It kicks off in Singapore, but the roadmap includes Asia, the Middle East, and the U.S. Basically, this is another sign that crypto’s getting serious — and the old-school financial world is finally paying attention.

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5 Reasons Why Fartcoin ($FARTCOIN) Is Gaining Momentum with Innovative Utility and a Growing

Fartcoin ($FARTCOIN), a meme-inspired cryptocurrency launched on the Solana blockchain in October 2024, has rapidly gained traction in the crypto market. Despite its humorous branding, Fartcoin has achieved significant milestones, including a market capitalization surpassing $1 billion by January 2025.

One of Fartcoin’s unique features is its “Gas Fee” system, where each transaction triggers a digital fart sound, adding a playful element to user interactions. The token has a total supply of 69,420,000, with distribution mechanisms that encourage community participation through meme and joke submissions.

The token’s community-driven approach has fostered a vibrant ecosystem. Users actively engage in sharing memes, participating in social media challenges, and contributing to the project’s growth. This engagement has been pivotal in maintaining the coin’s relevance and driving its adoption.

The coin’s performance has been notable, with trading volumes reaching hundreds of millions of dollars daily. Its price experienced significant volatility, characteristic of meme coins, but the strong community support has helped sustain its momentum.

While the coin lacks intrinsic utility, its success underscores the power of community engagement and internet culture in the cryptocurrency space. Investors should remain cautious, as meme coins are subject to high volatility and speculative trading. Nonetheless, Fartcoin’s rise exemplifies how humor and community can drive a cryptocurrency’s growth.

You might also like: 7 Hopeful Reasons Solana Is Dominating the Crypto Scene in 2025

Vinanz Secures $4M Investment to Scale Bitcoin Operations, Eyes NASDAQ Listing

Vinanz (BTC.L) just pulled in $4 million to step up its Bitcoin hustle — and it’s not stopping there. The company, already listed in London and trading on the U.S. OTCQB as VINZF, is now setting its sights on a potential NASDAQ debut.

The deal was announced on May 14, 2025, with funding led by Dominari Securities and backed by a global investment heavyweight. Here’s the breakdown: the first $2M is already in, and it’s being used to level up Vinanz’s Bitcoin holdings. Another $2M could drop later if certain boxes get ticked.

This isn’t free money though. There’s 5% interest and a 12-month payback clock for each tranche. The investor can flip the debt into shares at 25p a pop or 95% of the lowest price in the past 10 days, but they can’t go over 4.99% ownership, and there’s a 90-day cooldown unless the stock hits that 25p mark.

Vinanz’s chairman, David Lenigas, says this funding hit at just the right time. With Bitcoin gaining more legit status globally, the company wants to stock up and look attractive for that NASDAQ leap — a move that could bring in the big institutional players.

The company already has mining ops spread across Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Texas, and Labrador, Canada, and they’re looking to scoop up regulated Bitcoin ETFs too. It’s all part of a bigger play to own a serious slice of the crypto pie.

Crypto may be booming, but 2024’s price hikes made some investors cautious. Still, Vinanz is clearly all-in, betting that Bitcoin’s staying power is just getting started.

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