The post INTERPOL Operation First Light 2026 Freezes $293M in Crypto Fraud Sweep appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.
Crypto News A global INTERPOL operation has exposed how digital assets are being weaponized in cross-border fraud, intercepting roughly $293 million in illicit proceeds. Operation First Light 2026 ran from January 15 to April 30 and targeted social engineering scams alongside the money laundering that sustains them. The coordinated campaign spanned 97 countries and territories, resulted in 5,811 arrests, and froze 31,014 bank accounts tied to fraudulent activity. Investigators identified more than 142,000 victims worldwide and resolved 23,715 cases during the sweep. The scale underscores how quickly online fraud has matured into an industrialized, transnational threat, with much of the value moved and obscured through altcoin networks rather than traditional banking rails. At the center of the Thai findings sat a single wallet that processed more than $122.5 million in
The post Bitcoin A ‘Screaming Buy,’ Analyst Says, Keeps $100K Target appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.
Standard Chartered maintained its end-2026 Bitcoin price forecast of $100,000 in a note to investors on Friday, arguing that the recent weakness reflects a failure by Strategy to explain a strategic shift rather than any deterioration in the company’s balance sheet. Geoffrey Kendrick, the bank’s global head of digital assets research, wrote that Strategy — the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin, with 843,775 coins, more than 4% of the 21 million that will ever exist — “appears to be pivoting from its ‘never sell Bitcoin’ mantra to a more complex approach.” Clear communication of that pivot, he wrote, will determine how fast the pressure on BTC lifts. Between 2020 and mid-2025, Strategy’s mNAV — enterprise value divided by the value of its Bitcoin — traded above 1.0. That premium lets the company issue shares, buy Bitcoin, and grow its value by more than the value of the new stock
The post The Rise of Utility-Driven Crypto: How Africa Is Redefining What Digital Assets Are For appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, July 10, 2026/ – Across Africa, cryptocurrency is shedding its reputation as a speculative asset and becoming an everyday tool for moving money, running businesses and bridging gaps left by traditional finance. Binance (www.Binance.com), the world’s leading blockchain ecosystem and cryptocurrency infrastructure provider, says this shift toward utility-driven adoption is positioning the continent as a global blueprint for how digital assets create real economic value. Unlike markets driven largely by investment appetite, African adoption is anchored in practical need. With roughly 1.3 billion adults globally still unbanked (https://apo-opa.co/4aKV78i) and a young, mobile-first population coming online at speed, digital assets are solving tangible problems. Stablecoins help freelancers receive cross-border payments, allow sm
The post Circle Secures OCC Approval For National Trust Bank appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.
USDC stablecoin issuer Circle on Friday announced it received final approval from the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to establish First National Digital Currency Bank (FNDCB), a national trust bank that will operate under the name Circle National Trust. “OCC approval to establish Circle National Trust marks a defining step in bringing blockchain technology and digital assets into the core of the US financial system,” Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire said. The approval comes after Circle applied for the charter in June 2025, allowing it to establish a federally regulated trust institution and expand its digital asset custody infrastructure. Circle’s new bank begins with limited custody scope Circle National Trust will initially provide fiduciary digital asset custody services for Circle and its affiliated companies, according to the company’s approved business plan. The bank co
The rejection highlights the challenges of integrating volatile digital assets into public finance, reflecting broader hesitance in institutional adoption.
The post New Hampshire’s $100M bitcoin bond proposal fails final vote appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
The post Interpol Crypto Crackdown Uncovers $122.5M Laundering Scheme appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.
A 20-year-old’s cryptocurrency wallet quietly processed more than $122.5 million in just ten months. The money didn’t come from trading or investing — it was the laundered proceeds of romance scams, funneled through multiple blockchains to make the trail disappear. Thai police made two arrests in the case, and it became one of the most striking examples to emerge from INTERPOL’s sweeping crypto crackdown known as Operation First Light 2026. Key takeaways INTERPOL’s Operation First Light 2026 ran from January 15 to April 30, 2026, spanning 97 countries and territories. The operation resulted in 5,811 arrests, the interception of approximately $293 million in illicit assets, and the identification of more than 142,000 victims. A single suspect in Thailand, aged 20, controlled a crypto wallet that processed over $122.5 million in romance-scam proceeds over 10 months. Criminals used c
The post BingX Launches the BingX Visa Debit Card, Bridging Digital Assets and Everyday Payments appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.
PANAMA CITY, July 10, 2026 –BingX, a leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3-AI company, announced the BingX Visa Debit Card, designed to connect digital assets with everyday spending through Visa’s global payment network. Issued by global stablecoin infrastructure provider, Wirex, the collaboration marks an important milestone in expanding the real-world utility of cryptocurrencies, allowing users to spend, withdraw, and earn rewards globally while leveraging the convenience and security of Visa’s payment infrastructure. The new BingX Visa Debit Card connects its users to a global network spanning more than 200 countries and territories. Cardholders can make purchases at millions of merchants worldwide, benefit from automatic currency conversion for international transactions, and access cash through millions of ATMs. BingX is leveraging Wirex’s full s
BingX, a leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3-AI company, announced the BingX Visa Debit Card, designed to connect digital assets with everyday spending through Visa’s global payment network. Issued by global stablecoin infrastructure provider, Wirex, the collaboration marks an important milestone in expanding the real-world utility of cryptocurrencies, allowing users to
The NSE's IPO could redefine global investor engagement with Indian markets, emphasizing traditional equities over emerging digital assets.
The post India’s NSE pitches IPO to 30 global investors in bid to reshape capital markets appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
