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In the fourth in our series of Your Weekend Crypto Roundup this August, we’ve rounded up the biggest stories and updates you shouldn’t miss. Of course, you can trust us to deliver as always.😉
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U.S SEC Chair Paul Atkins Shifts Stance on Crypto Regulation
U.S. SEC Chairman Paul Atkins has broken from his predecessor’s approach, stating that only a few cryptocurrencies should be classified as securities. Speaking at the Wyoming Blockchain Symposium 2025, Atkins emphasized that classification depends on how tokens are marketed and sold, not merely their design, contrasting sharply with former Chair Gary Gensler’s stricter interpretation.
Since taking office in April, Atkins has advanced a friendlier regulatory agenda, launching “Project Crypto” to provide clearer rules for token distribution, custody, and trading. His stance aligns with broader government efforts to foster innovation, including Congress’s GENIUS Act on stablecoins, while stressing the balance between investor protection and avoiding regulatory overreach.
Other News Making Waves
- Seven major crypto trade groups have urged President Trump to confirm Brian Quintenz as CFTC chair, calling him uniquely qualified amid industry fears of regulatory uncertainty. (More)
- Timeless Resources, Eddid Financial, and HashKey Chain have partnered to launch Hong Kong’s first silver-backed token on HashKey Chain, aiming to merge regulated precious metals trading with blockchain-based real-world asset tokenization. (More)
- Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong predicts Bitcoin could hit $1M by 2030, citing U.S. regulatory clarity and the GENIUS Act, though analysts caution the market must first stabilize above $124K after a sharp pullback. (More)
- Wormhole plans to counter LayerZero’s $110M bid for Stargate with a higher proposal, urging a delay in the governance vote as tokenholders debate whether LayerZero’s revised revenue-sharing terms truly benefit STG holders. (More)
- Kanye West’s YZY token on Solana hit a $3B market cap within 40 minutes of launch before plunging to $1B as analysts flagged insider control of 94% of supply, fueling skepticism despite West’s blockchain finance vision. (More)
- Fed Governor Christopher Waller has reassured banks and policymakers that DeFi and crypto payments pose no systemic risk, calling them “just new technology” and urging stablecoin adoption to strengthen the dollar under the new GENIUS Act. (More)
- Eminifx founder Eddy Alexandre has been ordered to repay $228.5M in restitution plus $15M disgorgement after his Ponzi scheme defrauded 25,000 investors, reinforcing penalties from his nine-year prison sentence. (More)
- Anthony Scaramucci predicts Bitcoin will reach $180K–$200K by the end of 2025, citing surging institutional adoption, while Robert Kiyosaki warns of looming corrections in Bitcoin, gold, and silver markets. (More)
- ALT5 Sigma has denied reports that executive Jon Isaac is under SEC investigation over its $1.5B World Liberty Financial deal, but controversy drove ALT5 shares down over 10% amid scrutiny of Trump-linked crypto ventures. (More)
- Wall Street trade groups have urged regulators to revise Basel Committee’s crypto capital standards, warning the rules could stifle bank participation and liquidity in digital asset markets if left overly restrictive. (More)
- The hacker behind Radiant Capital’s $53M exploit has nearly doubled profits to $103M by holding ETH through its rally, while North Korea’s Lazarus group was linked to a separate £17M theft from UK-based exchange Lykke. (More)
- Harvard economist Kenneth Rogoff admitted he misjudged Bitcoin after its surge past $100K, citing weak regulation and its role in the underground economy, though he remains skeptical despite Harvard’s $116M Bitcoin ETF exposure. (More)
- Qubic has voted to target Dogecoin after its 51% attack on Monero, raising concerns over proof-of-work security as analysts warn a successful exploit could disrupt DOGE’s $35B market. (More)
- Solana validators are voting on the “Alpenglow” proposal to replace TowerBFT with a new consensus that could cut block finality to 100–150ms, though critics warn higher costs may hurt smaller operators. (More)
- Solana has reached an unprecedented 100,000 TPS during a mainnet stress test, making it the first major blockchain to cross the six-figure mark, though real-world throughput remains around 1,050 TPS. (More)
Around the World: Bold Moves and Crypto Regulations
- Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov has appealed to U.S. and UK leaders to reconsider sanctions on its crypto networks, which allegedly processed $9.3B for Russia, warning the measures harm Kyrgyzstan’s economy despite strict oversight claims. (More)
- South Korea’s FSC has ordered all domestic exchanges to suspend crypto lending services after $1.1B in loans and 13% forced liquidations raised systemic risks, pending new digital asset lending rules. (More)
- Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed two crypto bills establishing strict consumer protections and ATM rules, sharply contrasting Trump’s deregulatory stance and addressing $272M in state crypto fraud losses. (More)
- Japan’s FSA is set to approve JPYC’s yen-backed stablecoin, supported by Circle, positioning Japan as a digital finance hub and reducing reliance on dollar-pegged tokens like USDT and USDC. (More)
- UK regulators have accused North Korea’s Lazarus Group of a £17M hack on exchange Lykke, which collapsed after the 2023 theft and is now in liquidation amid investor lawsuits. (More)
Market Trends: Winners and Losers
Top 5 Gainers 📈
According to data from CoinGecko, these are the five biggest gainers of the week:
Huobi +188.45%, from $0.306456 to $0.883875
OKB +146.48%, from $92.80 to $228.74
Api3 +119.24%, from $0.715973 to $1.57
OKZOO +101.72%, from $0.753294 to $1.52
REVOX +88.36%, from $0.02607093 to $0.04910332
Top 5 Losers 📉
According to data from CoinGecko, the five biggest losers of the week are:
Ket -69.96%, from $0.135156 to $0.04061358
Codatta -63.62%, from $0.02598283 to $0.00945414
MYX Finance -38.86%, from $1.93 to $1.18
Tharwa -27.14%, from $0.01535816 to $0.01119048
Blackhole -30.56%, from $0.424107 to $0.294595
Project Spotlight
TRM Labs Launches Beacon Network to Stop Crypto Crime in Real Time
TRM Labs has introduced the Beacon Network, the first real-time crypto crime response system that enables exchanges, stablecoin issuers, and law enforcement to block illicit funds before they leave the blockchain. Backed by industry leaders like Coinbase, Binance, PayPal, and Ripple, the network allows verified investigators to flag suspicious wallets and trigger instant alerts, enabling exchanges to freeze stolen assets within moments.
Why It Matters:
This initiative marks a shift from reactive to preventive crypto security, potentially reshaping global crime prevention and strengthening trust in digital assets.
Disclaimer: This article is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be considered trading or investment advice. Nothing herein should be construed as financial, legal, or tax advice. Trading or investing in cryptocurrencies carries a considerable risk of financial loss. Always conduct due diligence.
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