Author: Monicah W

A disturbing new scam is leveraging the obscure OP_RETURN feature in Bitcoin transactions to target one of the most infamous addresses in crypto history — the 1Feex wallet containing approximately 80,000 BTC stolen from Mt. Gox.

That stash is worth over $8.7 billion at current prices, making it a prime target for fraudsters attempting to claim legal rights over it.

How OP_RETURN Is Helping Scammers Target Mt. Gox’s Missing 80,000 Bitcoin

The Mt. Gox collapse in 2014 resulted in 850,000 BTC going missing. Although 140,000 BTC were recovered for creditor repayments, wallets like 1Feex have remained untouched until now.

Whoever is behind the scam is likely banking on two outcomes. The first is collecting sensitive user data by masquerading as the wallet’s custodian.

Second, they are laying the groundwork for a legal claim to ownership, perhaps similar to past lawsuits aimed at forcing Bitcoin developers to hand over access to lost coins.

Going by the latter, BitMEX Research has uncovered a scam. It involves sending small transactions to legacy Bitcoin addresses using the OP_RETURN field. This is a space in the Bitcoin blockchain meant to store arbitrary data.

One such transaction to the dormant 1Feex address contains a message directing viewers to a suspicious website.

“NOTICE TO OWNER: see www.salomon[]bros.[]com/owner_notice,” BitMEX Research revealed.

The linked website represents a client who has taken “constructive possession” of the wallet and is seeking to identify a “bona fide owner.”

It reportedly claims affiliation with the historic Wall Street firm Salomon Brothers. However, BitMEX researchers state that the links are fake.

“Do NOT fill in this form,” the team warned.

BitMEX Research team also pointed out that the site seeks personal identification data under pretenses. The scam attempts to cloak itself in legal legitimacy.

Matthew Sigel, Head of Digital Assets Research at VanEck, reflects broader concerns in the crypto community, especially regarding the scam’s legal framing.

Why Calvin Ayre’s Legal History Resurfaces in OP_RETURN Ownership Controversy

Users immediately mentioned Calvin Ayre, a longtime Bitcoin SV proponent and controversial figure. Ayre has reportedly funded legal actions asserting ownership over dormant or stolen Bitcoin.

However, some users took this insight with a pinch of salt, cautioning against slander. More closely, one user asked for proof that Ayre has run phishing-style scams.

Notwithstanding, the fact remains that OP_RETURN is now being weaponized in a gray zone between spam and pseudo-legal attacks.

Meanwhile, this scam arrives amid renewed controversy over OP_RETURN limits in Bitcoin Core. BeInCrypto reported on a proposal to restrict OP_RETURN data to 80 bytes under Bitcoin Core v0.30. The report cites network bloat and spam concerns.

While the limit remains under review, the new wave of scams may give fresh weight to the argument for tighter controls.

“OP_RETURN outputs greater than 83 bytes will increase significantly, UTXO bloat will keep getting worse and there will be more garbage on chain. This is going to age like a bad tattoo,” self-proclaimed Bitcoin expert Jimmy Song said at the time.

Further, in late April, BeInCrypto reported a rift among Bitcoin Core developers triggered by Peter Todd’s proposal to restrict OP_RETURN even further.

Critics argued that it would stifle innovation and off-chain use cases. Meanwhile, others supported it to reduce attack surfaces and abuse.

However, as this new exploit demonstrates, OP_RETURN is now being twisted for phishing schemes. Bad actors prey on legal uncertainty and dormant assets.

In this case, billions are at stake as the line between technical freedom and exploitable vectors is again under scrutiny. The interest comes as OP_RETURN transactions anchor these messages immutably into Bitcoin’s ledger.

The post Scammers Use OP_RETURN to Lay Claim to Mt. Gox’s Lost 80,000 Bitcoin appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Meme coins had a good run over the last 24 hours as the broader market cues remained bullish. The total value of these joke tokens shot up by 2.5% and is currenrlly at $60.12 billion led by the small cap token Banana For Scale’s 37% rise.

BeInCrypto has analysed two other meme coins in addition to BANANAS31 for investors to watch in the coming days.

Floki (FLOKI)

• Launch Date – May 2025
• Total Circulating Supply – 9.66 Trillion FLOKI
• Maximum Supply – 10 Trillion FLOKI
• Fully Diluted Valuation (FDV) – $911.60 Million
• Contract Address – 0xcf0c122c6b73ff809c693db761e7baebe62b6a2e

FLOKI has risen by 12% in the last 24 hours, reaching a near-monthly high of $0.00009193. The meme coin is on the verge of breaking through the major resistance level of $0.00010081. If the upward momentum continues, FLOKI could potentially see further price gains in the near future.

The Parabolic SAR, positioned below the candlesticks, is providing support for FLOKI, suggesting that an uptrend is likely to continue. This indicates that the meme coin could maintain its positive price movement, with the potential to move towards higher resistance levels. 

However, if FLOKI fails to secure $0.00009006 in support, the price could experience a sharp decline. A drop below this support level would likely push FLOKI to $0.00008172, invalidating the bullish outlook. This scenario would suggest a reversal in market sentiment, leading to a potential correction.

Mog Coin (MOG)

• Launch Date – May 2025
• Total Circulating Supply – 390.56 Trillion MOG
• Maximum Supply – 420.69 Trillion MOG
• Fully Diluted Valuation (FDV) – $444.67 Million
• Contract Address – 0xaaee1a9723aadb7afa2810263653a34ba2c21c7a

MOG surged by 17.5% in the last 24 hours, currently trading at $0.000001135, just above the support level of $0.000001121. Securing this support is crucial to maintain the recent gains and prevent a reversal. This level will determine whether MOG can continue its upward price movement.

If MOG holds the $0.000001121 support, it could push through the $0.000001205 resistance and rise toward $0.000001374. MOG will require consistent investor support to continue posting profits. The meme coin’s ability to break through key resistance levels will depend on sustained buying pressure and market sentiment.

However, if MOG faces selling pressure, it may fail to secure the $0.000001121 support level. A decline below this level could lead to a drop to $0.000000966, reinforcing the ongoing Death Cross. This would invalidate the bullish thesis, suggesting that market sentiment has shifted toward a bearish outlook.

Small Cap Corner – Banana For Scale (BANANAS31)

• Launch Date – May 2025
• Total Circulating Supply – 10 Billion BANANAS31
• Maximum Supply – 10 Billion BANANAS31
• Fully Diluted Valuation (FDV) – $209.05 Million
• Contract Address – 0x3d4f0513e8a29669b960f9dbca61861548a9a760

BANANAS31 surged by 61% during today’s intra-day rise, reaching a new all-time high (ATH) of $0.0243. This impressive rally showcases the altcoin’s strong momentum, as investor interest continues to rise. The new ATH signals a potential for further price growth, depending on market conditions.

If the bullish momentum persists, BANANAS31 could continue pushing upward, forming new ATHs in the coming days. Investors are likely to remain in profit as the altcoin maintains its upward trajectory. However, sustained growth will depend on continued investor support and favorable market conditions for the meme coin.

Should investors decide to cash out and book profits, BANANAS31 may struggle to maintain its gains. A drop below the support level of $0.0157 could lead to a decline toward $0.0120, invalidating the bullish outlook. This would signal a reversal in market sentiment, erasing recent price progress.

The post BANANAS31 Rallies 61% To Form New All-Time High | Meme Coins To Watch Today appeared first on BeInCrypto.

The US Senate Banking Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing today. Top lawmakers will meet with Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and other key industry figures to discuss the evolving structure of digital asset markets. 

Amid rising anticipation of more regulatory clarity, crypto whales appear to be making bold plays. On-chain data shows that large investors have ramped up the accumulation of CRO, SHIB, and BONK.

Cronos (CRO)

CRO, the native token of the Cronos Chain, has already made headlines this week after Trump Media & Technology Group named it in a proposed ETF. 

On Tuesday, the company submitted a filing for a new exchange-traded fund (ETF) named the “Truth Social Crypto Blue Chip ETF. ” The fund will hold a diversified portfolio of five cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), XRP, and CRO.

This has triggered renewed investor interest in the coin. The combination of ETF-related momentum and anticipation of more regulatory clarity has led to a noticeable uptick in whale confidence.

According to data from Santiment, large CRO holders—wallets holding between 10 million and 100 million tokens—have accumulated an additional 20 million CRO over the past two days, bringing their total holdings to 1.03 billion coins.

If this trend of whale accumulation continues, it could provide the bullish momentum needed to push CRO’s price toward the $0.104 mark in the near term.

However, if profit-taking commences, CRO’s price could fall to $0.085

Shiba Inu (SHIB)

Leading meme coin SHIB is among the assets that crypto whales are buying ahead of today’s Senate hearing.  

Per IntoTheBlock, SHIB’s Historical Concentration shows a 3% increase in holdings by addresses with more than 1% of the coin’s total circulating supply. This means that the largest holders are tightening their grip on the meme coin, a sign of growing confidence among major investors.

As of press time, this whale cohort collectively holds 62% of SHIB’s total supply, amounting to 603.30 trillion tokens.

Typically, buying activity from large holders is seen as a vote of confidence. It prompts smaller investors to follow suit in fear of missing out (FOMO). As SHIB whales tighten their grip on the supply, the resulting scarcity can create upward price pressure, pushing its price toward $0.000013.

However, if bullish momentum wanes, SHIB could lose some recent gains to trade at $0.000011. 

Bonk (BONK)

The recent spike in activity on Bonk’s decentralized meme coin launchpad LetsBonk has sparked renewed demand for the token among both retail and whale investors. As excitement builds ahead of today’s US Senate hearing on digital assets, whale accumulation of BONK remains firmly underway.

According to data from Moby Screener, 11 whales have executed 70 large trades within the past 24 hours. Of these, 39 are buy transactions, totaling 3.17 billion BONK tokens, compared to 31 sells totaling just 172.14 million tokens. 

This has resulted in a net positive flow of 3 billion BONK over the past day. The accumulation trend confirms that whales are positioning ahead of a potential policy shift, signaling increased confidence in BONK’s near-term outlook.

The post What Crypto Whales Are Buying Ahead of Senate Hearing appeared first on BeInCrypto.

The crypto market has seen a slight rebound today as attention turns to Capitol Hill. The US Senate Banking Committee is set to hold a key hearing on digital asset market structure, featuring testimony from top industry figures, including Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse.

In anticipation of the discussion, market sentiment has improved, lifting digital assets and crypto-related stocks. Here are three US-listed crypto stocks to watch closely today:

BTCS (BTCS)

BTCS shares surged 108.93% to close at a three-year high of $5.91 on Tuesday after the company announced a bold initiative to raise $100 million in 2025 to acquire Ethereum. The Maryland-based blockchain infrastructure company said the move reinforces its long-term vision to become the leading publicly traded firm focused on Ethereum.

The company plans to use a hybrid DeFi-TradFi capital formation model—including ATM equity sales, convertible debt, on-chain borrowing via Aave, staking rewards, and block-building through Builder+—to minimize dilution while maximizing ETH accumulation and shareholder value.

The price of BTCS hovers around $4.80 during pre-market trading today. If demand surges at market open, the stock could attempt to rally back above yesterday’s close. 

However, if bullish momentum fades, it risks slipping below $4.34 support.

CleanSpark (CLSK)

CLSK climbed 2.38% to close at $11.60 in the latest session, following a bullish operational update released on Monday.

In a July 7 press release, the company announced it reached a major milestone in June 2025—achieving 50 EH/s of operational hashrate, becoming the first Bitcoin miner to do so entirely through fully self-operated infrastructure. This marks a 9.6% month-over-month increase in hashrate and improved fleet efficiency to 16.15 J/Th.

The Bitcoin miner also revealed that it has secured 179 megawatts of additional power under contract, supporting future hashrate growth of over 10 EH/s.

During pre-market trading, CLSK is priced at $11.63. If buying continues when the market opens, the stock could rally toward $12.96. 

However, if buy-side pressure fades, it could fall below support at $11.42.

Soluna Holdings (SLNH)

Soluna Holdings shares climbed 27.88% to close at $0.85 on Tuesday after the company announced a major expansion at its Texas-based Project Dorothy 2 site. 

The company revealed a 30 MW hosting deal with a leading Bitcoin miner—its third such agreement with this long-term customer. With the new contract, Project Dorothy 2 is now fully marketed and contracted, solidifying Soluna’s capacity buildout.

As of the pre-market session today, SLNH trades at $0.95. If the bulls maintain control at the opening bell, the stock could test resistance near $0.99. 

However, if buyers fail to sustain demand, the price could slip below $0.92.

The post 3 US Crypto Stocks to Watch Today appeared first on BeInCrypto.

XerpaAI Secures $6 Million Seed Funding Led by UFLY Capital XerpaAI, an AI-driven systematic agent designed to accelerate the growth of disruptive businesses, has announced the closing of a $6 million seed funding round led by UFLY Capital. The funds will be allocated to product development and business expansion.

Operational since early 2025, XerpaAI helps clients with disruptive innovations grow faster through AI and social capabilities, enabling them to outperform competitors. The company has already established teams in Silicon Valley, Tokyo, and Singapore and is generating stable revenue.

The name XerpaAI is inspired by Sherpa guides, the professional ethnic group that assists climbers in conquering Mount Everest. Similarly, XerpaAI’s mission is to empower user acquisition, amplify brand influence, and maximize distribution channels for its clients.

1. What is XerpaAI and what problems does it solve?

XerpaAI is an AI-driven systematic agent designed to accelerate the growth of disruptive businesses. We help our clients win in competitive markets by empowering user acquisition, amplifying market influence, and maximizing distribution channels.

Growth is a continuous cycle of creating compelling content, distributing it through the right channels, gathering feedback, and iterating. XerpaAI productizes this entire process by:

Using AI to boost content creation efficiency, reducing what could be weeks of work to just minutes. Leveraging a network of tens of thousands of KOLs/KOCs and community leaders (collectively, “influencers”) to intelligently match projects with the right voices for efficient, high-impact distribution. Providing comprehensive data feedback to help clients refine their growth strategies and even inform product iterations.

2. How did the idea for XerpaAI come about?

The idea was born from three key factors. First, clear demand. As serial entrepreneurs, we live by the mantra “keep growing or die”. We consistently allocated 30-50% of our funding budgets to growth, yet many activities offered poor ROI. Highly innovative products, in particular, require significant time and money to educate the market through social relationships and person-to-person advocacy.

Secondly, massive market opportunity. For U.S. tech companies, growth is the second-largest expense after R&D, accounting for 20-30% of total costs, and for startups, this can be as high as 40-50%. Globally, tech companies spend approximately $600-$1,000 billion annually on growth.

Third, timing and expertise. We have been exploring growth strategies for years. The recent AI boom made it clear that we could execute our vision more efficiently and at scale. We incorporated in 2025, integrated large-scale AI models, and consolidated our services, establishing operations in Japan and the U.S..

3. You’ve mentioned “AGA.” What is this concept?

AGA stands for AI Growth Agent. We distinguish “growth” from “marketing.” Marketing is often campaign-driven to boost brand awareness, with a Chief Marketing Officer accountable for the brand. Growth, however, is purely data-driven, targeting user acquisition, retention, and market influence to drive direct business outcomes. A Chief Growth Officer is involved across the entire product lifecycle and is accountable for results.

For instance, in content creation, growth prioritizes competitive benchmarking and market trends over pure creativity. In distribution, it uses data-driven matching to optimize conversion rates. We believe growth teams will increasingly replace traditional marketing teams, which is why we pioneered the AI Growth Agent concept.

4. Who are your competitors?

We benchmark against AppLovin, a Silicon Valley mobile tech company founded in 2012 that helps mobile app developers grow and monetize. AppLovin was a “Sherpa guide” for the mobile internet era; XerpaAI is the Sherpa guide for the AI era, with a distinct focus on social and AI capabilities. As AI permeates everything in the coming years, we aim to lead this shift. Given the market’s size, we expect many startups will pursue similar goals, and they will be our competitors.

5. Why is your team the right one for this project?

This is a natural evolution for us. My co-founder and I excel at growth, particularly through social relationships and AI tools. Over the past eight years, we have driven growth for products with over 100 million users and supported more than 100 projects. We can now productize these experiences through AI to scale our efficiency and impact.

6. Who are XerpaAI’s primary clients?

Currently, 80% of our clients are from the blockchain industry and 20% are from general AI startups. We believe blockchain and AI will fundamentally transform the tech industry, and their “Sherpas” will grow alongside them. Both industries are in their early stages and require significant market education—something our product excels at by leveraging person-to-person advocacy.

In the future, we will serve all innovative industries that require market education. Additionally, the KOLs, KOCs, and community leaders in our network are also key clients, as they use our platform to monetize their influence and engage their audiences.

7. What is your relationship with UFLY Capital, and what are your future financing plans?

XerpaAI has successfully secured $6 million in funding from UFLY Capital, with the proceeds primarily allocated to product development and promotion. 

XerpaAI itself is a significant Limited Partner (LP) in UFLY Capital, an active fund managed by experienced entrepreneurs. This substantial self-investment, combined with the support from other LPs and General Partners (GPs) within UFLY Capital, represents a strong collective endorsement of XerpaAI’s potential. Looking ahead, XerpaAI anticipates achieving positive cash flow soon, driven by its robust client base and rapidly increasing revenue. 

The company is exploring a private funding round in 2026 and, if market conditions are favorable, a potential Initial Public Offering (IPO) in the future.

8. What is your relationship with UXLINK?

Legally, XerpaAI is an independent company. However, our businesses are closely aligned. UXLINK provides social infrastructure for blockchain project growth, and XerpaAI is an application within its ecosystem. UXLINK is a key client, and many projects in its ecosystem are also our clients. In turn, we are a vital contributor to their ecosystem.

Our shared mission to drive growth allows for close collaboration between our teams and comprehensive support from UXLINK.

9. What is your current team structure and your plans for the future?

We maintain a lean, full-time team, as AI allows us to operate with high efficiency. Our core team is primarily in Tokyo, with members in Singapore and Silicon Valley. As we grow, we plan to expand our sales, compliance, and finance capabilities, particularly in Silicon Valley. We are also building a community to harness collective power and drive further growth.

The post Interview with Sean Son, Co-founder & CEO of XerpaAI appeared first on BeInCrypto.