NewsBriefs - SEC charges PGI Global founder with $198 million crypto fraud involving Lamborghini purchases
04/23/2025 17:57
The US Securities and Exchange Commission has charged Ramil Palafox, founder of PGI Global, with leading a fraudulent scheme that raised app...
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SEC charges PGI Global founder with $198 million crypto fraud involving Lamborghini purchases
The US Securities and Exchange Commission has charged Ramil Palafox, founder of PGI Global, with leading a fraudulent scheme that raised approximately $198 million from investors globally. The scheme involved misappropriating over $57 million for purchasing Lamborghinis and other luxury items, and operating Ponzi-like payouts. Palafox is accused of violating anti-fraud and securities registration laws. The SEC seeks permanent injunctions, disgorgement, and penalties.
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SEC charges PGI Global founder with $198 million crypto fraud involving Lamborghini purchases
The US Securities and Exchange Commission has charged Ramil Palafox, founder of PGI Global, with leading a fraudulent scheme that raised approximately $198 million from investors globally. The scheme involved misappropriating over $57 million for purchasing Lamborghinis and other luxury items, and operating Ponzi-like payouts. Palafox is accused of violating anti-fraud and securities registration laws. The SEC seeks permanent injunctions, disgorgement, and penalties.
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US spot bitcoin ETFs record $936 million in single-day inflows amid market uncertainty
US spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds registered a record single-day inflow of $936 million, reflecting a strong belief in bitcoin as a defensive asset amid geopolitical and economic instability. Leading this surge were Ark & 21Shares, Fidelity, and BlackRock. Over a three-day period, US bitcoin funds received cumulative inflows exceeding $1.4 billion. This influx aligns with bitcoin's role as a strategic asset, responding to macroeconomic dislocations, supply dynamics, and its rising status in investment portfolios. Bitcoin's allure is enhanced by ongoing US inflation concerns, a weakening dollar, and potential Federal Reserve actions, contributing to substantial holdings in bitcoin ETFs and consistent price support.
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Binance co-founder CZ and Malaysia's Prime Minister discuss blockchain industry potential
Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim met with Binance founder CZ to explore Malaysia's potential as a key player in the blockchain and digital assets industry. The discussions included potential collaborations with agencies like the Securities Commission, Bank Negara Malaysia, and the Digital Ministry to promote responsible innovation in tokenization and other blockchain use cases. Anwar emphasized the importance of government leadership in driving blockchain adoption for Malaysia's digital transformation.
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Monad joins Chainlink Scale to enhance its blockchain ecosystem
Monad, a layer 1 blockchain optimized for EVM with features like MonadBFT and Parallel Execution, has joined the Chainlink Scale program to expand its ecosystem through integration of Chainlink's oracle services. This partnership will provide Monad with highly secure and decentralized data feeds, which are crucial for accelerating ecosystem growth and promoting long-term adoption. Additionally, Monad will implement Chainlink CCIP and Data Streams on its Testnet, further deepening their strategic relationship and expanding capabilities for DeFi and other applications on Monad.
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Janover intensifies Solana acquisition after rebranding, plans future crypto expansion
DeFi Development Corporation, previously known as Janover and recently acquired by former Kraken executives, announced the purchase of an additional 88,164 Solana tokens worth approximately $11.5 million, expanding its total holdings to about $34.4 million. This investment is part of a broad strategy to leverage the Solana blockchain, including staking and long-term accumulation of diverse crypto assets. The company, now referred to as JNVR, plans to further integrate crypto into its commercial real estate financial services.
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Galaxy Digital trades $106 million in ETH for SOL amid Ethereum's market challenges
Galaxy Digital has exchanged approximately $106 million in Ethereum (ETH) for Solana (SOL) tokens, signaling a potential lack of confidence in Ethereum as its price and market dominance falter. Blockchain analytics by Lookonchain indicated this shift occurred over two weeks via transactions on the Binance exchange. Ethereum's market dominance recently hit a historical low of less than 7%, with the network facing scalability issues and declining decentralized exchange volumes. Galaxy's actions align with broader institutional trends showing reduced Ethereum holdings.
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Consensys, Solana, and Uniswap CEO donate to Trump's $239M inauguration fund
New Federal Election Commission filings disclose significant contributions from crypto firms and executives to President Donald Trump's 2024 inauguration fund. Uniswap CEO Hayden Adams donated over $245,000, Solana Labs contributed $1 million, and Consensys gave $100,000. Since Trump's inauguration and the appointment of Mark Uyeda as acting SEC chair, the agency has ceased multiple enforcement actions against crypto firms that donated to Trump's campaign and inauguration fund.
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GSR leads $100 million investment to establish Upexi's Solana treasury
GSR led a $100 million PIPE investment into Upexi to develop a Solana treasury, aiming to bolster the company's crypto holdings and stake in Solana. This move illustrates the increasing market demand for secure, efficient access to prominent crypto assets like Solana, which is praised for its speed, scalability, and strong developer community. Upexi joins other firms, including Janover, in building a Solana treasury to support long-term growth through high-quality crypto assets.
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Singapore Exchange to launch Bitcoin perpetual futures targeting professional investors
Singapore Exchange (SGX) plans to launch Bitcoin perpetual futures in the second half of 2025, aiming to attract institutional and professional investors. This initiative, reflecting a broader trend of traditional exchanges entering the crypto derivatives market, is expected to keep SGX competitive as crypto gains recognition as an investment asset. Perpetual futures, unlike traditional futures, do not expire and allow trading based on cryptocurrency price movements. Positive feedback from both decentralized and traditional finance sectors has been noted. Industry leaders view this move as enhancing Bitcoin's image as an investment-grade asset and validating cryptocurrencies within regulated markets.
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Coinbase, Circle, and BitGo consider applying for bank charters: WSJ
Following President Trump's pledge to make the US a bitcoin superpower, crypto firms including Circle, BitGo, Coinbase, and Paxos are planning to secure bank charters or licenses to operate more like traditional banks. This comes as Congress advances bills for stablecoin regulation and the Trump administration aims to incorporate crypto into mainstream finance. Meanwhile, major banks are reconsidering their previous stance of distancing from crypto, amid changing regulatory environments.
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Metaplanet purchases additional 330 BTC amid market uncertainty
Japanese investment firm Metaplanet has acquired an additional 330 bitcoins, valued at $28.2 million, despite ongoing market uncertainties due to US tariff measures. This purchase aligns with a rallying bitcoin price, recently exceeding $87,000. Metaplanet now holds 4,855 BTC, maintaining its position as the largest corporate bitcoin holder in Asia and tenth globally. The company continues its strategy to reach a 10,000 BTC portfolio by year-end, adhering closely to the investment footsteps of strategy influencer Michael Saylor's Strategy.
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Kraken launches forex perpetual futures
Kraken Derivatives has introduced FX perpetual futures (FX perps), offering contracts for major currency pairs like EUR/USD and GBP/USD with 20x leverage. These contracts, available on the Kraken Pro platform, provide opportunities for clients to trade without an expiry date, reflecting the underlying forex market conditions in real time. Alexia Theodorou, Head of Derivatives at Kraken, noted that this expansion leverages their established presence in the FX market to enhance trading capabilities for their clients.
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Oregon attorney general to file lawsuit against Coinbase
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield is planning to initiate a securities enforcement lawsuit against Coinbase, reflecting previous federal charges dismissed by the US Securities and Exchange Commission earlier this year. The legal action, disclosed by Coinbase's Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal, underscores ongoing regulatory challenges for crypto exchanges in the US amid changing federal approaches and pending national legislation.
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Arizona advances in crypto legislation with SB 1373 clearing House committee
Arizona's Strategic Digital Assets Reserve Bill, SB 1373, which aims to establish a state-managed strategic reserve fund for digital assets, has progressed through a House committee. The bill proposes the creation of a fund that integrates crypto seized by law enforcement and managed by the state treasurer using secure custody solutions. Investment is capped at 10% per financial year and encompasses a broad definition of digital assets, including Bitcoin, stablecoins, and NFTs. The bill now awaits a third reading and approval from Governor Katie Hobbs amid growing legislative focus on integrating crypto into public finance.
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eXch to shut down operations after Bybit hack, commits 50 BTC to privacy development
eXch has announced it will cease operations amid pressures from a transatlantic operation aiming to shut down the project on accusations of enabling illicit activities. Despite demonstrating effective privacy features and rejecting labels as a 'mixer,' the platform faced external misunderstanding and misinterpretation of its goals. As part of its closure, eXch is donating 50 BTC to support open-source projects that enhance crypto privacy solutions, including Bitcoin, Thorchain, and Ethereum privacy-preserving tools. The decision follows challenges from state intelligence and regulatory bodies misjudging the platform's intentions.
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