Author | Wu Blockchain
The content of this article is solely for information sharing and does not promote or endorse any business or investment activities. Readers are strictly required to comply with the laws and regulations of their respective regions and not participate in any illegal financial activities.
Top 10 News of the Week
1. Trump Media & Technology Group Enters Decentralized Finance link
Trump Media & Technology Group announced the launch of a financial services and fintech brand called TruthFi, entering the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector. The board has approved an investment of up to $250 million, which can be allocated to SMAs, ETFs, and Bitcoin and similar cryptocurrencies or crypto-related securities.
2. Former U.S. SEC Chairman Gary Gensler Returns to MIT to Teach link
Former U.S. SEC Chairman Gary Gensler has returned to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), taking on the role of a Practitioner Professor in the Global Economics and Management group and the Finance group. According to the university, he will teach and research artificial intelligence, finance, fintech, and public policy.
3. Arizona State Senate Finance Committee Passes "Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act" link
The "Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act" in Arizona allows the state to invest up to 10% of public funds in virtual currencies like Bitcoin. The bill, co-sponsored by Wendy Rogers and Jeff Weninger, stipulates that the state government's digital assets will be stored in secure, segregated accounts. After passing the Finance Committee, the Arizona Bitcoin Reserve Act will now be submitted to the Senate Rules Committee, which will set the parameters for debate and amendment in the legislature. If approved by the full Senate, the bill will then be considered by the House. If the bill is ultimately passed, Arizona will become the first U.S. state to invest public funds in Bitcoin.
On Thursday, Illinois Representative John Cabello introduced the "Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act" (HB1844), proposing to establish a state-level Bitcoin reserve fund and requiring a holding period of at least 5 years before any sale or conversion. The bill has been submitted to the Rules Committee for regulatory details and is awaiting legislative approval. If passed, Illinois will become the second state after Arizona to advance a Bitcoin reserve initiative.
4. KuCoin Reaches Settlement with U.S. Department of Justice link
KuCoin has reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). KuCoin's founders, Chun Gan and Ke Tang, have also individually reached settlement agreements with the DOJ. Under the agreements, the DOJ has agreed to dismiss all charges against the two founders upon their satisfaction of certain conditions. As part of the settlement, Michael Gan has agreed to step down from all positions related to KuCoin and its affiliated companies. The court imposed a fine of approximately $113 million and forfeited $184.5 million. KuCoin will exit the U.S. market for at least the next two years.
5. Czech Central Bank Governor: Central Bank May Invest Up to 5% of $140 Billion Reserves in Bitcoin if Approved link
Czech Central Bank Governor Aleš Michl plans to propose investing up to 5% of the bank's $140 billion in reserves in Bitcoin to diversify its assets. If the proposal is approved, the Czech central bank would become the first known Western central bank to hold crypto assets. Michl noted that while Bitcoin is highly volatile, its market has become more attractive to institutional investors due to the launch of Bitcoin ETFs and the crypto-friendly policies of the Trump administration.
6. Ethereum Community Initiates Informal On-Chain Vote to Support Danny Ryan as New Foundation Leader link
Ethereum community members have voted in an informal on-chain vote to endorse former Ethereum Foundation researcher Danny Ryan as the next Ethereum Foundation (EF) leader, with a 99% approval rate. The vote was initiated by "votedannyryancom" and involved 296 wallets holding over 50,000 ETH, worth approximately $160 million. While the result is not legally binding, it reflects the community's recognition of Ryan's leadership. Previously, Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin had proposed that Danny Ryan and ETH France chairman Jerome de Tychey jointly lead the EF to strengthen the technical direction. Currently, Vitalik Buterin still retains the final decision on changes to the foundation's leadership.
7. MicroStrategy Acquires 10,107 BTC for $110 Million link
MicroStrategy has acquired 10,107 BTC for approximately $110 million, at an average price of $105,596 per BTC, and has achieved a 2.90% BTC yield rate so far in 2025. As of January 26, 2025, MicroStrategy holds 471,107 BTC, with an average purchase price of $64,511 and a total cost of approximately $30.4 billion.
8. Roger Ver Seeks Help from Trump, Facing Up to 109 Years in Prison link
Roger Ver, known as the "Bitcoin Jesus," has appealed to former President Trump on Twitter, stating that he may be extradited to the U.S. and face up to 109 years in prison. He was previously accused of failing to report capital gains from Bitcoin sales in 2017 and underreporting the value of his Bitcoin holdings when renouncing his U.S. citizenship in 2014. Earlier, he was arrested in Spain on U.S. criminal charges and is awaiting extradition to the U.S. Elon Musk has stated that Roger Ver is not eligible for any pardon, as he has renounced his U.S. citizenship.
9. Ledger Co-Founder Kidnapped, Had Finger Cut Off, Paid Partial Crypto Ransom link
More details have emerged about the kidnapping of Ledger co-founder David Balland and his wife in central France on January 21. The kidnappers separated the couple and held them at different locations, demanding a crypto ransom of around 10 million euros. To exert pressure, the kidnappers cut off one of Balland's fingers and sent the video to another Ledger co-founder. French police rescued Balland in Châteauroux on January 22 and found his wife the next day. Ten suspects were arrested during the operation. Balland received medical treatment for his hand injury, while his wife was unharmed but shaken. The partial crypto ransom paid has been tracked and frozen.
10. Forbes Releases 2025 Ranking of the World's Most Trustworthy Crypto Exchanges link
Forbes has released its 2025 ranking of the world's most trustworthy crypto exchanges, covering detailed analyses of over 200 exchanges. CME Group, Coinbase, Bitstamp, Binance, and Robinhood topped the list, with a focus on compliance and asset security. It is estimated that global crypto exchanges currently custody a total of $1.2 trillion in assets. According to Forbes' projections, the global crypto user base will reach at least 500 million by the end of 2024.
Key Funding Events
- Cryptio, a crypto accounting platform, has completed a $15 million Series A extension funding round link
- Domain name registration startup D3 announces $25 million funding round link
- Layer 1 network developer Pod completes $10 million seed funding round link
- Humanity Protocol announces $20 million in new funding link
- Shared ordering solution Radius completes $7 million seed round, led by Pantera Capital link
- Crypto derivatives exchange Ranger Protocol announces $1.9 million funding link
- Bitcoin payment startup Breez announces $5 million funding link
- SignalPlus completes $11 million Series B funding link
- Chain-abstracted MEME coin launchpad Printr completes $2.5 million funding link
- Fogo completes $8 million funding, mainnet expected to launch in Q2 link
- Radius completes $7 million seed round led by Pantera Capital link
- Blockchain interoperability protocol Analog completes $5 million funding round link
- Pixion Games announces latest strategic funding round, totaling $12.4 million link
- Mevvy announces $2.8 million seed round, led by Multicoin Capital link
- DeFi platform Inception announces $3.5 million seed round funding link
- Alliance DAO announces investment in AI application FreedomGPT link
- YZi Labs announces $16 million investment in on-chain credential verification and token distribution platform Sign link
For more industry funding events, please check crypto-fundraising.info.
