Category: Web3

Binance’s Tigran Gambaryan Speaks Out: Detained in Nigeria, Family in Distress

Binance exec Tigran Gambaryan suffered 8 months in Nigerian jail, accused of financial crimes, denied medical care, and extorted for $150M.



A few months back, a blurry courtroom video from Nigeria went viral—showing Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan, limping on a crutch, being dragged to court by security officers. Frustrated and in pain, he shouted, “This is so f***ed up.” That video exposed the harsh reality of his eight-month detention.

Tigran, an American citizen and former Head of Financial Crime Compliance at Binance, was arrested in Nigeria after being invited to a governmental meeting. He was accused of money laundering and tax evasion, but insists that Nigerian officials hired him as a scapegoat to blackmail Binance for $150 million. Even though Nigeria subsequently dropped the charges of money laundering, they continue to assert that Binance processed $26 billion in unreported crypto transactions.

During his 214-day ordeal, Tigran’s health suffered—his physicians had to proceed in a rush to repair a bulging disc, but the authorities delayed the surgery. Meanwhile, his relatives were suffering and, with emotional videos, his wife and mother were crying. His case still lingered in political and court drama, adding to the threats to his life.

Now at last back in the U.S. after getting out on medical bail, Tigran is coming forward—calling his arrest a nightmare and demanding accountability for what he experienced.

Also Read: XRP Eyes $8 Amid Growing ETF Approval Speculation

CZ Warns Against Memecoins, Deletes Tweet After Backlash

Summary: Binance founder CZ warned investors against memecoins, advising them to stay away if they can’t handle volatility. His tweet came after a surge of “Broccoli” tokens inspired by his pet dog. CZ later deleted the post, saying his words were being misinterpreted.

Binance founder and former CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) briefly warned traders to “not touch memecoins” unless they could handle extreme volatility. However, he later deleted the tweet, explaining that people tend to overanalyze his posts.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Solana Crypto Bridge Volume Soars to $10.1B in 2025, Up 114%

Over the past few days, CZ has been engaging with followers on X, trying to understand the memecoin craze. In a playful exchange, he promised to share pictures of his pet dog, Broccoli. His followers responded by launching multiple “Broccoli” memecoins on Binance Smart Chain (BSC), which collectively hit a $200 million market cap in under 12 hours.

Addressing the frenzy, CZ tweeted that while many claim to love memes, they are often just looking for quick-profit signals—something he doesn’t provide. He also pointed out that the memecoin scene on BSC is still underdeveloped, with platforms facing performance issues.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: CZ’s Dog-Inspired Memecoin Hits $400M Market Cap Before Cooling Down

He noted that six Broccoli-inspired tokens had already surpassed $200 million in market cap but stopped short of saying whether that was a good or bad thing. Instead, he urged traders to practice risk management.

CZ later deleted his tweet, replacing it with another stating that people often misinterpret his words in different ways.

GameStop Reportedly Exploring Investments in Bitcoin and Crypto Assets

GameStop is considering Bitcoin and crypto investments, sending stock 20% higher, with CEO Ryan Cohen leading digital expansion and monetary shifts.

GameStop is said to be entering crypto and Bitcoin on a large scale. This has made investors wait for it. The video game retailer has been rumored to be keen on investing in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as it seeks to venture into new areas of growth. While nothing has been disclosed, the company is taking its time, weighing the pros and cons of venturing into blockchain investment.

As news of the change hit the stands, GameStop stock jumped 20% after-hours, basking in the excitement this new revolution has to offer. GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen has been too busy driving GameStop out of its bricks-and-mortar retail roots, towards online expansion and smarter investing.His recent meeting with MicroStrategy’s Michael Saylor—Bitcoin’s most vocal proponents—only fueled the speculation.

GameStop is no new kid on the crypto block. It initially brought out a crypto wallet about 3 years ago to support NFTs and shut it up about 2 years ago due to regulatory issues. Now, sitting on $4.6 billion in cash in the bank, the company is looking for alternative investment options.

If GameStop follows through, it could join companies like MicroStrategy in betting big on Bitcoin. A board-approved investment policy from December about 2 years ago gives Cohen the power to lead the charge, ensuring every move aligns with GameStop’s financial future.

Also Read: Ethereum Foundation Moves 45,000 ETH to DeFi Instead of Selling

Solana Crypto Bridge Volume Soars to $10.1B in 2025, Up 114%

Summary: Solana’s crypto bridges have seen a massive surge in activity, reaching $10.1 billion in total inbound volume as of February 2025—a 114% jump from the previous year. USDC leads in bridged assets, while deBridge is gaining ground on Wormhole. Despite the growth, Ethereum still dominates cross-chain transfers.

Solana’s crypto bridges are experiencing explosive growth, with total inbound volume hitting $10.1 billion by February 10, 2025. This marks a staggering 114% increase from the $4.7 billion recorded in February 2024, reflecting heightened activity across the network.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: CZ’s Dog-Inspired Memecoin Hits $400M Market Cap Before Cooling Down

According to blockchain analyst h4wk on Flipside, USD Coin (USDC) remains the most bridged asset, accounting for $3.9 billion in inbound volume and $4.7 billion outbound. Ether (ETH) follows with $2 billion, while Solana’s native token (SOL) recorded $1.5 billion inbound and $1 billion outbound.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Ethereum Foundation Moves 45,000 ETH to DeFi Instead of Selling

Wormhole has long been Solana’s dominant bridge, handling $7.3 billion in total transactions. However, deBridge is now making waves, surpassing Wormhole’s weekly volumes by 12% in February.

While Solana’s bridge activity remained modest for most of 2024, things accelerated between November and January. During this three-month period, over $6 billion flowed through its bridges, with $1.1 billion in November, $2.5 billion in December, and $3.2 billion in January.

Despite its rapid growth, Solana still trails Ethereum in cross-chain transfers. Ethereum bridges processed $38 billion in the same timeframe, with even its weakest month—April 2024—outpacing Solana’s strongest month.

CZ’s Dog-Inspired Memecoin Hits $400M Market Cap Before Cooling Down

Summary: Binance founder CZ’s pet dog has sparked a memecoin frenzy after he shared a picture online. One of the many “Broccoli” coins launched in response skyrocketed to a $400 million market cap within an hour before settling at $176 million. CZ distanced himself from the hype, warning against quick profits in memecoins.

Crypto traders wasted no time after Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao posted a picture of his pet dog. As expected, hundreds of memecoins named “Broccoli” surfaced within hours, with one shooting up to a staggering $400 million market cap in just 60 minutes.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Ethereum Foundation Moves 45,000 ETH to DeFi Instead of Selling

The Broccoli memecoin is currently trading at $0.1768, having reached an all-time high of $0.42 during its first-day trading frenzy. It now carries a market capitalization of $176 million.

Reacting to the overnight hype, CZ took to X to post his position in a since-deleted post, saying he does not promote or endorse any memecoins. He had previously joked that every time he shares a picture of his pet, traders rush to launch related tokens. In a separate post, he cautioned against the lure of quick profits in memecoins.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: OpenSea Launching $SEA Token and Expanding into Crypto Trading

For now, multiple Broccoli-themed tokens continue to be traded across decentralized exchanges like pump.fun, with most of them built on Binance’s BNB Chain.

Ethereum Foundation Moves 45,000 ETH to DeFi Instead of Selling

Summary: Breaking abruptly from its previous policy, the Ethereum Foundation (EF) has sent 45,000 ETH to the leading DeFi platforms. Rather than selling it outright, the action is meant to support the DeFi community without having any impact on Ethereum’s market stability.

The Ethereum Foundation has allocated 10,000 ETH to Spark, 10,000 ETH to Aave Prime, 20,800 ETH to Aave Core, and 4,200 ETH to Compound Finance. In total, this amounts to roughly $117.62 million based on today’s ETH price of $2,613.68.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: PancakeSwap’s CAKE Surges 60% – Here’s What’s Fueling the Rally

The decision comes following strong criticism from the community after the foundation sold 4,000 ETH straight out in January of this year. The majority grumbled that this sale would negatively impact the price of Ethereum and render the market unstable.

By putting money into DeFi early, EF is betting on decentralized finance and ongoing to gain a return without tampering with market volatility. This also helps the liquidity of protocols like Aave and Compound, which works to perpetuate the DeFi ecosystem.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: XRP Eyes $8 Amid ETF Approval Hype – Will It Finally Break Out?

The move has been embraced by the Ethereum community because it is consistent with a model of sustainability of managing the treasury of the foundation. Instead of selling ETH in exchange for cash, EF is now effectively investing in the ecosystem that it founded, thus demonstrating its commitment to long-term Ethereum building and construction.

OpenSea Launching $SEA Token and Expanding into Crypto Trading

Summary: OpenSea, the largest marketplace for NFTs, is thinking big by launching its own token, $SEA, and expanding into crypto trading with the new OS2 platform. That is a substantial expansion from dealing only in NFTs to a full digital asset trading platform.

OpenSea did an airdrop and unveiling of its $SEA token and the introduction of OS2, a revolutionary platform that would make trading digital assets easier. OpenSea will henceforth no longer be concentrating only on NFTs but will also be venturing into other cryptos being traded.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Spiko Introduces Tokenized T-Bills on Etherlink Layer 2

According to OpenSea’s CEO, Devin Finzer, OS2 has been tested by a group of early users to ensure speed, reliability, and ease of use. He believes that NFTs and tokens belong together in one place, and OS2 is designed to provide that experience.

The platform features several new features, including improved search and discovery, token swapping natively, cross-chain purchases, and real-time analytics. OpenSea users will be allowed to buy and sell NFTs and cryptocurrencies across different blockchains without bridging their assets manually.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: HTX Delists PI Coin and Suspends Trading Before Mainnet Launch

The OpenSea Foundation has made the announcement that the $SEA token will be a core component of the ecosystem, rewarding users and boosting engagement. While no release date has been specified, the token will reward regular users and make OpenSea one of the leading platforms in the crypto space.

XRP Eyes $8 Amid ETF Approval Hype – Will It Finally Break Out?

Summary: XRP is gaining momentum as excitement around a potential ETF approval gains momentum. Analysts are predicting that if the ETF is approved, XRP can reach $8. Traders are hopeful, but technical analysis indicates both potential for upside and danger of reversal.

XRP has been climbing the last few months on speculation mostly stemming from its SEC court fight closing in on resolution. And with XRP ETF negotiations gaining momentum now, the next great action is expected. Experts point out that approval for an ETF may send XRP to $8, but only time will tell.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: World Liberty Financial Snaps Up $5M in ETH During Market Dip

Despite a rocky February beginning, XRP has appreciated 2% in the last 24 hours, rebounding 8% from its lowest point of $2.26 on February 7. The RSI is at 41.95, which suggests possible room for an upside move. CoinsKid, one of the leading analysts, believes that XRP is on the verge of ending a wave correction phase, which will lead to a parabolic rise. They also warn that pullbacks can occur to levels of $0.82 or even $0.388.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: XRP Stuck at $2.5—When Will It Break Out?

In the meantime, FOX Business journalist Eleanor Terrett pointed out that the SEC could approve Grayscale’s XRP ETF application by February 13. With approval, it could trigger a huge breakout. As hopes rose, everyone awaits the SEC’s next step.

HTX Delists PI Coin and Suspends Trading Before Mainnet Launch

HTX is ditching PI IOU trading, swapping holdings for USDT (1:61.28). PI’s real mainnet is coming, and HTX promises to list the actual token once it’s live. Stay tuned!

HTX just made a bold move—it’s delisting PI Coin’s IOU version and swapping user holdings for USDT at a 1:61.28 rate. The exchange will stop all PI IOU trading on Feb 13 at 08:00 UTC, automatically canceling open orders and crediting users’ spot accounts with the converted assets.

Why? The long-awaited Pi Network mainnet is finally in sight. This could be a game-changer, moving Pi from its closed system to a completely decentralized blockchain. As hype builds, HTX is leading the way for the real PI token, which they assured will be listed ASAP on mainnet launch.

Retail investors are paying close attention as Pi Network has been gaining traction for years. Unlike most crypto projects, Pi lets users mine coins on their phones without upfront investment—hence its massive user base.

Meanwhile, PI IOU has been struggling, dropping 21% in just a day, making HTX’s move even more significant. For now, PI fans just have to wait for the official token to drop. HTX says, “Stay tuned.”

Also Read : World Liberty Financial Snaps Up $5M in ETH During Market Dip

World Liberty Financial Snaps Up $5M in ETH During Market Dip

According to blockchain analytics firm Spot On Chain, the Trump-backed DeFi project, World Liberty Financial (WLFI), just scooped up another 1,917 ETH—worth around $5 million—on February 11.

On-chain data reveals that this latest move pushes WLFI’s total portfolio to a whopping $96.72 million, with over $48 million in ETH alone. In spite of market being volatile, WLFI is still stacking ETH and showcasing a strong and long term confidence and belief in Ethereum’s future.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: XRP Stuck at $2.5—When Will It Break Out?

Since the start of the year, WLFI has been aggressively accumulating ETH and other crypto assets, now holding a total of 18,549 ETH valued at $48.7 million. This strategy of consistently buying does give a hint of a potential bullish outlook on Ethereum, even of the price is fluctuating. WLFI also announced “Macro Strategy” today its new strategic token reserve aimed at strengthening its foothold in the crypto world.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: TRON Just Hit 125M Users—What Does It Mean for TRX?

“This steady accumulation from WLFI is great for ETH in the long run. If other institutional investors jump in, we could see Ethereum cross $4,000 soon,” a top crypto analyst shared.

Ethereum is already a hot topic, thanks to increased gas limits, the upcoming Pectra upgrade, and growing debates around leadership changes in the Ethereum Foundation.

Exit mobile version