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Eth Foundation-funded program flags 100 North Korean crypto workers

The Ethereum ecosystem has expanded its security toolkit with a six-month initiative funded through its ETH Rangers program. The Ketman Project, described as a public‑goods security effort, identified a network of North Korean operatives embedded in Web3 companies, pinpointing 100 DPRK IT workers and alerting about 53 projects that could be employing such operatives. The Ethereum Foundation summarized the findings in a recent recap, underscoring the importance of the project for the broader ecosystem. According to the Ethereum Foundation, the Ketman Project was built during a six‑month period under the ETH Rangers program, which launched in late 2024 to fund individuals performing security work for the ecosystem. One recipient used the stipend to tackle the Ketman initiative, focusing on exposing fake developers and other actors impersonating legitimate crypto engineers. During the stipend period, Ketman identified 100 DPRK IT workers operating within Web3 organizations and reached out...
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Zanzibar Probes Crypto Exec Joe McCann After Fiancee's Death

Police in Zanzibar are reportedly holding Joe McCann, the founder of crypto hedge fund Asymmetric, for questioning after the death of his fiancée, Ashly Robinson, during a vacation in the archipelago. Robinson, 31, died in hospital on April 9, after staff at a Zanzibar hotel found the couple the day before, according to a statement cited by NBC News. Authorities have ruled the death a suicide but continue to question McCann. CBS News reported that police are holding McCann’s passport until autopsy results are complete. Hotel staff told investigators the pair had a “misunderstanding” and had been separated, with McCann moved to a different room. Robinson’s family has disputed that account. Her sister, Alyssa Endres, told NBC News that “none of this makes sense” and that Robinson had been in good spirits after celebrating her birthday and engagement to McCann, which occurred only days before her death. McCann is the founder of Asymmetric, a crypto venture and hedge fund that has weathere...
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Stablecoin Issuer Circle Faces Lawsuit Over Drift Protocol Hack

Circle Internet Group faces a class-action in a Massachusetts federal court over claims it failed to intervene as attackers siphoned funds during the Drift Protocol exploit. The lawsuit, filed by Drift investor Joshua McCollum on behalf of more than 100 claimants, contends Circle’s Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP) allowed approximately $230 million worth of USDC to be moved from Solana to Ethereum over several hours on April 1 without timely action. The plaintiffs allege that Circle’s inaction caused or substantially contributed to the losses and seek damages to be determined at trial. The case underscores ongoing questions about whether crypto firms that maintain control over user funds can or should intervene in real time to curb theft or misuse, and how that potential responsibility should be calibrated against regulatory constraints and legal authority. Key takeaways The lawsuit alleges Circle had the technical capacity to freeze compromised funds, pointing to a prior action wh...
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Short squeeze drives Bitcoin above $75K, $283M in liquidations

Bitcoin (BTC) traded in a narrow corridor of roughly $75,000 to $73,000 during the New York market open on Thursday, as a rapid swing in futures positions pressured the market. Overall, the session saw a total of about $283 million liquidated across the futures complex, underscoring the fragility of short-term momentum and the pressure points embedded in ultralow liquidity pockets. Key takeaways BTC moved between $75,000 and $73,000 in a three-hour window around the New York open, prompting significant futures liquidations totaling about $283 million. The downside cascade triggered $166 million in long liquidations, followed by a quick rebound that liquidated roughly $117 million in short positions, creating a pronounced two-sided squeeze within the same trading session. The market’s funding rate turned positive to about +0.0005 after the bounce, suggesting that bearish positions were unwinding rather than a fresh wave of new long exposure driving the move. Spot participation lagged th...
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Prominent Ethereum Researcher Josh Stark Exits Ethereum Foundation

Josh Stark, a leading researcher and project manager at the Ethereum Foundation, is stepping away after five years with the non-profit behind Ethereum’s core ecosystem. In a short post on X, Stark said he has “no plans for the future” and will take time off to focus on family and friends, without detailing his next steps. His departure marks the most high-profile exit from the Foundation since a broader leadership reshuffle began to take shape in 2025. Stark’s exit appears to be part of a larger current of change at the Ethereum Foundation, which has seen several leadership moves and a reorientation of its long-term strategic direction over the past year. Stark was listed among the four individuals identified as “Management” on the Foundation’s organizational chart, which maps reporting lines across the staff. Cointelegraph reached out to Stark for comment but did not receive a response by publication time. The timing sits against a broader background: in early 2025, Ethereum co-founde...
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Publicly traded BTC miners sell more in Q1 2026 than in all of 2025

Publicly traded Bitcoin miners sold more BTC in Q1 2026 than in all four quarters of 2025, signaling renewed pressure on the sector as mining economics tighten. The EnergyMag reports that operators including MARA, CleanSpark, Riot Platforms, Cango, Core Scientific and Bitdeer liquidated collectively more than 32,000 BTC in the first quarter, a quarterly record that eclipses earlier bear-market selloffs. The quarter’s total also stands out against a backdrop of slumping profitability, as hashprice — the metric that combines network security costs with miner revenue potential — drifts toward the low end of profitability for many operators. Hashrate Index data puts current hashprice at roughly $33 per PH/s per day, near the $35 per PH/s per day breakeven line for older mining equipment, underscoring ongoing margin pressure in the sector. The combination of falling hashprice and rising electricity costs has pushed some miners into unprofitable territory, with CoinShares noting about 20% of...
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Schwab Launches Spot BTC and ETH Trading for Retail Clients

Charles Schwab, a heavyweight in the U.S. brokerage scene, plans to roll out spot cryptocurrency trading for retail clients in the coming weeks. The service will begin with Bitcoin and Ether, accessed through a dedicated crypto account linked to Schwab’s core brokerage platform, with custody handled by Schwab’s banking unit and trade execution facilitated through Paxos, the federally regulated trust company. Schwab’s announcement places the firm among several traditional financial players expanding regulated crypto access for everyday investors. The company reported $12.22 trillion in total client assets as of February 2026, underscoring the scale it brings to any new crypto offering. Schwab already provides exposure to crypto through exchange-traded products, futures, and funds, and internal estimates suggest its clients collectively hold roughly 20% of spot crypto ETFs. The phased rollout will begin for eligible U.S. retail clients, with New York and Louisiana residents initially exc...
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