Activity tagged "crypto"

Posted:

I've mentioned this before, but one thing I've been closely watching for is when crypto people begin to distance themselves from Trump.

November 2024 vs. January 2026

Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has also clearly been trying to woo Trump, claiming very shortly after the election that he was “going to be spending quite a bit of time working with lawmakers in Washington DC and quite a bit of time with members of the administration to help foster and facilitate with other key leaders in industry the crypto policy”.6 While he has continued to boast vaguely about meetings with various influential figures, winkingly describing a “VIP dinner” where “diet coke will certainly be on [the menu]”, there’s been little outside confirmation that he’s had much access to the Trump administration.

Cardano creator Charles Hoskinson said U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has put the American crypto industry in a worse position than it was under Trump's predecessor, former President Joe Biden.

Published an issue of Citation Needed:

The year of technoligarchy

A collage of Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and David Sacks, all wearing gold crowns

In 2025, Trump brought tech executives into power to dismantle regulators and write their own rules. But the instabilities they’re creating may be their downfall.

Posted:

checking out the crypto gaming magazine’s 2026 “most anticipated” list to see how blockchain gaming has been going

Editor's note: All of the games on this list are traditional "Web2" games without crypto or blockchain integrations. But you might enjoy 'em anyway!

Published an issue of Citation Needed:

Issue 98 – The world’s most corrupt crypto startup operation

A photo of Eric and Donald Trump Jr., other World Liberty Financial executives, and employees of Alt5 Sigma ringing the opening bell at the Nasdaq, superimposed with quotes from SEC filings

Terra’s Do Kwon gets 15 years, crypto banks get the green light, and the Trump family’s crypto grift expands even as one of their treasury companies goes off the rails

Posted:

Q: How much do you need to spend on mattresses for it to get mentioned in a DOJ press release about your $11 million crypto theft?

A: $638,000, which I did not realize was a plausible mattress budget

Even after losing most of the $11 million, RINSCH still did not spend the remaining funds he had stolen on White Horse. Instead, he used the money to speculate on cryptocurrency, and on personal expenses and luxury items, including at least $1.7 million on credit card bills; at least $3.3 million on furniture, antiques, and mattresses; at least $387,000 on a Swiss watch; and at least $2.4 million on five Rolls Royces and a red Ferrari.

furniture and antiques, including approximately $638,000 to purchase two mattresses and approximately $295,000 on luxury bedding and linens; (v) approximately $2,417,000 to purchase

Published an issue of Citation Needed:

Digital asset treasury companies are running out of steam

Convincing traders to pay $2 for $1 of bitcoin worked — for a while. As premiums evaporate, an unwind could be painful.

Published an issue of Citation Needed:

Issue 97 – This is hardship

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and President Donald Trump pose together making thumbs-up gestures. On the right is a render of the proposed Trump Maldives hotel.

While slumping prices have some fearing it’s crypto winter again, Trump looks to Saudia Arabia and American retail crypto investors to fund the development of his next hotel

Published an issue of Citation Needed:

Issue 96 – Redefining solvency

A photo of Sam Bankman-Fried superimposed over a photo of the NY appeals courthouse

Sam Bankman-Fried makes his case for a retrial and aspiring crypto banks hit roadblocks

Published an issue of Citation Needed:

Trump says he has “no idea” who he just pardoned

Donald Trump is interviewed by Norah O’Donnell at the White House for CBS’ 60 Minutes.

President Trump reacts to condemnations of his recent pardon of Binance founder Changpeng Zhao by claiming he doesn’t know who he is.

Posted:

The full CBS interview with Trump about the pardon of Binance's Changpeng Zhao is shocking. "Why did you pardon him?" "I have no idea who he is. I was told that he was a victim ... They sent him to jail and they really set him up. That's my opinion. I was told about it."

NORAH O'DONNELL: Looked at this, the government at the time said that C.Z. had caused "significant harm to U.S. national security", essentially by allowing terrorist groups like Hamas to move millions of dollars around. Why did you pardon him? PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Okay, are you ready? I don't know who he is. I know he got a four-month sentence or something like that. And I heard it was a Biden witch hunt. And what I wanna do is see crypto, 'cause if we don't do it it's gonna go to China, it's gonna go to-- this is no different to me than AI. My sons are involved in crypto much more than I-- me. I-- I know very little about it, other than one thing. It's a huge industry. And if we're not gonna be the head of it, China, Japan, or someplace else is. So I am behind it 100%. This man was, in my opinion, from what I was told, this is, you know, a four-month sentence. But this man was treated really badly by the Biden administration. And he was given a jail term. He's highly respected. He's a very successful guy. They sent him to jail and they really set him up. That's my opinion. I was told about it. I said, "Eh, it may look bad if I do it. I have to do the right thing." I don't know the man at all. I don't think I ever met him. Maybe I did. Or, you know, somebody shook my hand or something. But I don't think I ever met him. I have no idea who he is. I was told that he was a victim, just like I was and just like many other people, of a vicious, horrible group of people in the Biden administration.

"I know nothing about it because I'm too busy." He talks about how his sons are in the crypto industry, and how his son and wife published bestselling books. "I'm proud of them for doing that. I'm focused on this."

NORAH O'DONNELL: The government had accused him of "significant harm to U.S. national security"-- PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: That's the Biden government. NORAH O'DONNELL: Okay. Allowing U.S. terrorist groups to, you know, essentially move millions of dollars around. He pled guilty to anti-money laundering laws. That was in 2023. Then in 2025 his crypto exchange, Binance, helped facilitate a $2 billion purchase of World Liberty Financial's stablecoin. And then you pardoned C.Z. How do you address the appearance of pay for play? PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well, here's the thing, I know nothing about it because I'm too busy doing the other-- NORAH O'DONNELL: But he got a pardon-- PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I can only tell you that-- NORAH O'DONNELL: He got a pardon-- PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Norah, I can only tell you this. My sons are into it. I'm glad they are, because it's probably a great industry, crypto. I think it's good. You know, they're running a business, they're not in government. And they're good-- my one son is a number one bestseller now. My wife just had a number one bestseller. I'm proud of them for doing that. I'm focused on this. I know nothing about the guy, other than I hear he was a victim of weaponization by government. When you say the government, you're talking about the Biden government.

"[You're] not concerned about the appearance of corruption with this?"

"I'd rather not have you ask the question."

NORAH O'DONNELL: So not concerned about the appearance of corruption with this? PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I can't say, because-- I can't say-- I'm not concerned. I don't-- I'd rather not have you ask the question. But I let you ask it. You just came to me and you said, "Can I ask another question?" And I said, yeah. This is the question-- NORAH O'DONNELL: And you answered-- PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I don't mind. Did I let you do it? I coulda walked away. I didn't have to answer this question. I'm proud to answer the question. You know why? We've taken crypto-- NORAH O'DONNELL: But just generally speak-- PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Excuse me. We're number one in crypto in the whole world. Other people wanna be. They're fighting like hell to be. But we're number one in crypto because I'm the president. Biden wanted to also, at the very end, you know, he totally switched his thing.

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