Sama Tarek, Author at DefinedIQ

Virginia Man Gets 30-Year Sentence for Sending Crypto to ISIS

A 35-year-old Virginia man, Mohammed Chhipa, was sentenced to over 30 years in prison for sending $185,000 in crypto to ISIS. He used social media to raise funds and helped female ISIS members escape Syrian prisons. Prosecutors said he also tried to flee the U.S. during the FBI investigation.

BySama TarekMay 9, 20250Comments

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New Crypto Futures Coming to Brazil’s B3 Exchange in June

Beginning on June 16, B3 in Brazil will provide Ether and Solana futures contracts, allowing institutional investors to gain exposure to crypto without needing to manage custody. The contracts will be denominated in U.S. dollars. B3 is also lowering the size of its bitcoin futures contracts, from 0.1 to 0.01 BTC, to widen affordability and…

BySama TarekMay 9, 20250Comments

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Stripe Introduces Stablecoin Accounts to Support Global Businesses

Stripe has launched stablecoin accounts for businesses in 101 countries, allowing them to hold and transact in stablecoins like USDC and USDB. This move helps businesses in regions with volatile currencies hedge against inflation and engage in global trade. Alongside this, Stripe introduced an AI-powered payments model to improve fraud detection and transaction approvals.

BySama TarekMay 9, 20250Comments

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Germany Seizes $38 Million in Crypto Tied to Massive Bybit Hack

German authorities have seized roughly $38 million worth of cryptocurrency in connection with one of the biggest crypto heists ever recorded—the February 2025 hack of the Bybit exchange, which saw about $1.5 billion in ether (ETH) drained in a matter of hours. The massive crypto seizure, announced on May 9, was the result of a joint…

BySama TarekMay 9, 20250Comments

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Chainalysis Now Live on Tether’s Hadron Platform for Asset Tokenization

Tether has completed the integration of Chainalysis tools into its real-world asset (RWA) tokenization platform, Hadron. This upgrade enables compliance features like transaction monitoring, suspicious activity detection, and KYC. The move aligns with rising demand for secure RWA platforms, as tokenized assets are projected to reach $16 trillion by 2030.

BySama TarekMay 8, 20250Comments

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Abandoned Crypto Site in Pennsylvania Sparks Environmental Concerns

Diversified Energy has come under fire for abandoning a crypto mining site in Pennsylvania without plugging natural gas wells. The company, accused of environmental violations, left behind empty sheds and removed mining gear without notice. Regulators and local officials say the site violates a legal agreement to safely decommission wells.

BySama TarekMay 8, 20250Comments

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Crypto Takes Center Stage in South Korea’s Presidential Race

South Korea’s leading presidential candidate, Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party, has announced his intent to legalize spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and introduce broader crypto-friendly reforms if elected next month. The announcement comes amid growing interest in digital assets among young South Koreans and signals a potential shift in the country's regulatory approach to…

BySama TarekMay 8, 20250Comments

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Solana’s Emergency Upgrade Sparks Decentralization Concerns

In April, Solana fixed a major bug with help from a small group of validators. Although the fix worked, the quiet, coordinated action raised concerns that too much control lies with too few people—similar to a 2023 incident.

BySama TarekMay 6, 20250Comments

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COTI Chosen by ECB to Help Build Privacy Layer for Digital Euro

The European Central Bank has chosen blockchain firm COTI as a Pioneer Partner to help develop the upcoming digital euro. COTI will work on creating privacy-protected conditional payment systems using its confidentiality technology. The digital euro is expected to launch in early 2026, and the ECB is working with nearly 70 partners to explore technical…

BySama TarekMay 6, 20250Comments

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OKX Resumes DEX Operations With Real-Time Threat Detection

OKX has relaunched its DEX aggregator with enhanced security after suspending services due to misuse by North Korea’s Lazarus Group. The upgraded platform now includes real-time abuse detection, supports over 130 blockchains, and connects users to 500+ DEXs—highlighting OKX’s commitment to safer, more transparent decentralized trading.

BySama TarekMay 6, 20250Comments

Sama Tarek

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