The protracted XRP lawsuit has taken a significant turn, with many wondering why Judge Analisa Torres didn’t drop the case. Amid multiple perceptions, ex-SEC lawyer Marc Fagel weighed in, offering insights into the judge’s decision-making process. Lawyer Explains Why Judge Torres Denied XRP Lawsuit Motion As the XRP community grapples with Judge Torres’ recent decision
BitMEX made a bold announcement this afternoon, claiming it foiled a major hack attempt from the Lazarus Group. The exchange’s security team analyzed the hackers’ code, revealing some interesting new information.
The malware had surprisingly poor operational security, allowing BitMEX to trace the IP addresses and active hours of several members. Still, the firm acknowledged that it only beat Lazarus’ second-string hackers, not their best.
However, Lazarus’ recent attempt to hack BitMEX was prevented, according to a recent blog post.
A Lazarus hacker attempted to phish a BitMEX employee by sending them a phony request to collaborate on a Web3 NFT marketplace project. This employee alerted security, who played along with the scammer to obtain the malware bait. From there, BitMEX analysts dismantled it, gleaning knowledge of the group’s organization:
“Throughout the last few years, it appears that the group has divided into multiple subgroups that are not necessarily of the same technical sophistication. This can be observed through… bad practices coming from these ‘frontline’ groups that execute social engineering attacks when compared to the more sophisticated post-exploitation techniques,” BitMEX claimed.
Specifically, BitMEX identified a lot of sloppy work in the initial malware. This allowed analysts to find a list of IP addresses from compromised computers; furthermore, they identified test runs.
One Lazarus member based in China left incriminating info in this database, which BitMEX used to get a profile of other members and their working schedules.
BitMEX’s work here can go a long way towards piercing the Lazarus Group’s image of danger and hyper-competence. BitMEX, a long-running derivatives exchange, seems like an unexpected candidate to make these discoveries.
Rather than a famous crypto sleuth, a private firm that’s been out of the news lately managed to crack this code.
Still, it’s important not to overstate the situation. The Lazarus Group sent their B-team to try and breach BitMEX, but much more advanced hackers would’ve exploited a successful breach.
BitMEX exploited the group’s sloppy operational security, but its members remain wholly anonymous. In all likelihood, they’ll have plenty of future successes on softer targets.
Ethereum price hits 60-day peaks above $1,860 driven by institutional interest in Bitcoin, UK regulators proposed ban on DeFi loan markets highlights major risks ahead
Ethereum (ETH) Taps New 60-Day Peaks as Institutions Amplify Bitcoin Demand
Ethereum (ETH) extended its bullish momentum on Friday, surging to a fresh 60-day high above $1,865. The rally comes as institutional demand from Bitcoin ETFs reach historic-peaks.
Ethereum price action, May 2, 2025 | Source: Coingecko
Much of the upside pressure is traced to unprecedented inflows into spot Bitcoin ETFs, which recorded over $4 billion in cumulative acquisitions during nine consecutive days of buying.
This development has spread bullish tailwinds towards the broader altcoin sector, with ETH price evidently benefitting indirectly from renewed investor interest on Friday.
Further fueling sentiment, MicroStrategy announced plans to raise additional capital for Bitcoin accumulation, reinforcing market expectations for sustained institutional engagement.
While Ethereum’s own use case differs, its market value has historically responded positively to macro crypto inflows, as traders anticipate secondary momentum into Layer-1 altcoins.
UK Regulators Move to Ban Crypto Loans with Credit Cards
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) unveiled a proposed ban on crypto-backed lending, signaling a regulatory shift that could have deep repercussions for decentralized finance (DeFi).
The policy targets the growing practice of issuing loans against crypto assets, citing systemic risks to consumer protection and the broader financial system.
The proposal follows closed-door consultations with the Bank of England and other global financial regulators. At the heart of the crackdown is concern over under-collateralized loans and opaque decentralized credit systems. The FCA’s framework would prohibit UK-based platforms from offering loans secured by crypto assets, including stablecoins and major tokens like Bitcoin and Ether.
The draft legislation is currently open for public feedback, with a 90-day comment window preceding final parliamentary review scheduled for Q3 2025.
DeFi Crackdown Could Further Erode Ethereum’s Market Share
The FCA’s proposed ban threatens to deliver a significant blow to the DeFi ecosystem—an area where Ethereum remains the dominant platform.
As of Friday, total DeFi lending and staking value locked (TVL) reached $101.7 billion, with Ethereum accounting for $51.9 billion, or 52% of total market share. This is notably down from its 71% peak during the 2021 bull market, according to DeFiLlama.
DeFi Total Value Locked as of May 2, 2025 | Source: DeFillama
Should the UK’s ban proceed, major Ethereum-hosted protocols like Aave, Compound, and Lido may see declining user activity and capital inflow from the region. In particular, UK-based liquidity providers and institutional platforms may reduce exposure to DeFi entirely, weakening the ecosystem’s depth.
Staking rewards, which depend heavily on borrowing volume and token utility, are also at risk. Lower lending activity could compress yields, potentially triggering a cascading withdrawal effect across Ethereum’s staking protocols. In this scenario, Ethereum’s overall cryptoccurrency market share could decline further.
Ethereum Price Forecast Today: ETH Targets $1,920 as Bullish Structure Strengthens
Ethereum price is gradually carving out a bullish structure as it continues to pressed the $1,865 barrier on Friday. The ETH price action has shown resilience in recent sessions, holding firmly above the 20-day exponential moving average at $1,754—a level that has quietly become a foundation for this uptrend.
As seen below ETH candles have grown tighter near the top of their daily ranges, suggesting mounting pressure from buyers, even as broader market sentiment remains cautious.
Etheruem price forecast today
The Ethereum price forecast today points to a cautiously optimistic outlook. With the Relative Strength Index rising to 58.02, momentum is building but not yet overextended. The Parabolic SAR has shifted firmly beneath the price since late April, reinforcing the narrative that upward momentum is becoming more entrenched. Meanwhile, the Bollinger Band Percent at 140.12 indicates growing volatility, a common precursor to breakout activity when paired with narrowing consolidation.
If Ethereum can push cleanly above the 50-day EMA resistance around $1,858, bulls could find enough conviction to propel prices toward the $1,920 zone. But the structure remains vulnerable to a pullback if this momentum stalls, with $1,754 likely to act as the key support threshold where sentiment could pivot once more.
A recent social media post from Senator Bill Hagerty has provided a deeper insight into The GENIUS Act, which many also refer to as the stablecoin bill. This proposed legislation, according to the Senator, aims to modernize and strengthen the United States’ financial infrastructure. Stablecoin Bill Will Boost Payment Efficiency and US Dollar Dominance At its core, the GENIUS Act seeks to propel America’s payment system into the 21st century. It means that the country wants to modernize its approach to payments by including new technology or making existing methods more efficient. By passing the stablecoin bill, people and businesses can have safer, quicker and smoother financial activities. This updated system would tackle restrictions such as slow payments, costlier transactions and problems from cyber criminals using outdated technology. The listing of the RLUSD stablecoin on its fourth crypto exchange is an example of the rapid adoption of these cryptocurrencies. A… Read More at Coingape.com