Author: Coindesk

The GitHub code you use to build a trendy application or patch existing bugs might just be used to steal your bitcoin (BTC) or other crypto holdings, according to a Kaspersky report.GitHub is popular tool among developers of all types, but even more so among crypto-focused projects, where a simple application may generate millions of dollars in revenue.The report warned users of a “GitVenom” campaign that’s been active for at least two years but is steadily on the rise, involving planting malicious code in fake projects on the popular code repository platform.The attack starts with seemingly legitimate GitHub projects —…

Bitcoin (BTC) neared $89,000 in Asian morning hours after a 24-hour low of $86,200, slightly improving market sentiment with major tokens showing signs of a recovery.XRP and BNB Chain’s BNB led a gradual majors rebound Wednesday as traders continue to reel from Tuesday’s carnage — one that saw overall capitalization drop as much as 10% and at least $1.2 billion in losses on bullish bets.XRP rose 3%, while BNB and Solana’s SOL added 5%. Dogecoin (DOGE) and Cardano’s ADA showed a slight 1.2% gain, while Tron’s TRX was down 5% in the past 24 hours. The broad-based CoinDesk 20 (CD20)…

Grayscale Investments, a crypto asset-management company looking to add XRP and Cardano exchange-traded funds to its offerings, is now starting down the route for an ETF investing in Polkadot’s DOT token as well. Nasdaq has filed a formal Form 19b-4 request with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to list and trade shares of the Grayscale Polkadot Trust (DOT). The filing starts a 45-day review period for the regulator to acknowledge the filing. The regulator can approve, or disapprove the application or extend the review period.In recent weeks, Grayscale, which already offers bitcoin and ether ETFs, has filed with…

The team behind real-world asset (RWA)-focused layer-1 blockchain Mavryk Network, said it raised $5.2 million to advance its plans to integrate tokenization and decentralized finance (DeFi). The investment round was led by Ghaf Capital, Big Brain, MetaVest Capital, Cluster Capital, Collective Ventures and Atlas Fund, according to an email shared with CoinDesk on Tuesday.Mavryk Dynamics aims to simplify RWA tokenization and DeFi integration, making digital asset ownership more accessible. Its testnet offers users an environment to explore decentralized applications (dapps), purchase fractional test shares of RWAs, provide feedback, and earn rewards. The non-custodial blockchain’s features include an on-chain protocol treasury…

“Build for where the industry is going, not for where it is.” This mantra has fueled disruptive innovations for decades — Microsoft capitalized on microprocessors, Salesforce leveraged the cloud and Uber thrived in the mobile revolution.The same principle applies to AI — Generative AI is evolving so rapidly that building for today’s capabilities risks obsolescence. Historically, Web3 has played little role in this AI evolution. But can it adapt to the latest trends reshaping the industry?2024 was a pivotal year for generative AI, with groundbreaking research and engineering advancements. It was also the year that the Web3-AI narrative transitioned from…

“I wouldn’t even be in this situation if it wasn’t for you. You brought down so much f—ing heat on me.” — Robert De Niro as Ace Rothstein to Joe Pesci’s Nicky Santoro in Martin Scorsese’s “Casino.”Bitcoiners could be forgiven for blaming the rest of crypto for the bear move that took the price of BTC down more than 20% from a record high above $109,000 just five weeks ago to as low as $87,000 earlier on Tuesday.Bitcoin touched that record a day ahead of the presidential inauguration amid a speculative frenzy in memecoins that hit its dénouement as the…

Starknet, a layer-2 on top of Ethereum, is getting its first application-chain that settles on the network.The layer-3 app-chain, called Nums, is built off of the “SN Stack,” a customizable toolkit that lets developers create layer-3 blockchains based off of Starknet’s technology.Nums itself is an on-chain game that lets players try to sequence a series of 20 generated numbers. Users will be able to earn $NUMS tokens by playing the game, with the tokens issued via Starknet.StarkWare, the main developer firm behind Starknet, originally shared in July 2023 that it was building the SN Stack. The announcement followed similar releases…

Matt Cole, CEO of Strive Asset Management—an investment firm co-founded by Vivek Ramaswamy—has urged GameStop to adopt bitcoin as a reserve asset.Cole sent a letter to Ryan Cohen, Chairman and CEO of GameStop (GME), on Feb. 24. According to Cole, GameStop has a unique opportunity to redefine itself as a market leader with its nearly $5 billion cash reserve.”We believe GameStop has an incredible opportunity to transform its financial future by becoming the premier bitcoin treasury company in the gaming sector.”According to the letter, Strive’s clients hold shares of GameStop through the asset management’s exchange-traded funds (ETFs), giving the firm…

Confidential protocols put in place to deal with news of regulatory failings by one of the top-five crypto exchanges, OKX, suggest that the company likely has been expecting a settlement with U.S. authorities for some time.This happened on Monday when OKX announced a $500 million-plus settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice after failing to secure a money transmitter license and allegedly facilitating $5 billion in “suspicious transactions and criminal proceeds.”OKX’s meticulous planning makes for some fascinating reading. The secret crisis management document seen by CoinDesk refers to a messaging “SWAT Team” that can be mobilized to implement various ways…

Michael Novogratz’s Galaxy Digital (GLXY) has hired Zac Prince as a managing director, according to an internal memo seen by CoinDesk.Prince will be working closely with Galaxy’s President, Chris Ferraro, to expand the company’s digital assets offering.Galaxy believes that crypto is entering a “pivotal era of transformation,” and has hired Prince to help deliver the firm’s strategic vision, the company said in the memo.He joins from real estate advisory firm RE Cost Seg, where he was employed as CEO for the last year.Prince is well known in the industry. He is the former CEO and co-founder of bankrupt crypto lender…