Bitcoin’s price has recently surged, climbing back above the $90,000 mark. The cryptocurrency has gained more than 8% in the last 24 hours and is eyeing higher levels. President Donald Trump is set to announce a major shift in cryptocurrency policy this week, including plans for a Bitcoin strategic reserve. This move, confirmed by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, is part of a broader strategy to regulate and position the U.S. as a global leader in digital assets.
In an interview with The Pavlovic Today, Lutnick said, “The President definitely thinks that there’s a Bitcoin strategic reserve. A Bitcoin strategic reserve is something the President’s interested in. He spoke about it all during the campaign trail, and I think you’re going to see it executed on Friday. So Bitcoin is one thing, and then the other currencies, the other crypto tokens, I think, will be treated differently—positively, but differently.”
This announcement comes after Trump outlined his stance on a U.S. crypto reserve in a post on Truth Social. The White House Crypto Summit, scheduled for Friday, will be a key event in the administration’s efforts to create regulatory clarity and promote financial innovation within the cryptocurrency space.
This summit follows Executive Order 14178, signed during Trump’s first week in office, which committed his administration to the responsible growth and use of digital assets. The summit will bring together key figures from the crypto industry to discuss the future of regulation and economic opportunities in the digital asset space.
That’s the message left behind after hackers gave LockBit – a ransomware gang known for extorting millions. Yes, they just got a brutal taste of their own medicine. In a surprising breach, nearly 60,000 Bitcoin wallet addresses tied to LockBit’s operations were leaked online.
How serious is it? Let’s explore together.
Hackers Hit the Hackers
The attackers broke into LockBit’s dark web affiliate panel and dumped a full MySQL database for the world to see. Inside? Thousands of ransomware builds, private negotiation chats, and crypto wallet addresses used in past attacks.
One LockBit member tried to downplay the situation, saying no private keys were leaked. But analysts aren’t convinced. The leaked wallets match up with the group’s known patterns, and the data is already being picked apart by blockchain investigators.
Wallet Leak Could Unravel Ransom Trails
LockBit assigns a unique Bitcoin address to every victim. That makes it hard to trace payments – but with 60,000 addresses now public, investigators have a rare shot at connecting the dots. No private keys were shared, but even the wallet info alone could expose years of financial activity.
Talk about justice being served!
Crypto Crime Is Heating Up
This is concerning, though. Just last month, CertiK reported $364 million lost to crypto hacks, scams, and exploits – a huge jump from $28.8 million in March. Immunefi also flagged April as one of the worst months for security breaches so far this year.
And then there’s North Korea. According to Chainalysis, state-backed hackers stole over $1.3 billion in crypto in 2024, including a $1.4 billion Bybit hack. The situation’s gotten so serious, G7 leaders are expected to bring it up at their summit in Canada next month.
Wake Up Call for Governments
The U.S. Treasury is stepping in too. It’s hosting private roundtables with top crypto players next week, focusing on DeFi, cybersecurity, and banking. These are important talks to shape the next phase of U.S. crypto regulation.
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“Don’t do crime. CRIME IS BAD. xoxo from Prague.” That’s the message left behind after hackers gave LockBit – a ransomware gang known for extorting millions. Yes, they just got a brutal taste of their own medicine. In a surprising breach, nearly 60,000 Bitcoin wallet addresses tied to LockBit’s operations were leaked online. How serious …
March 2025 is witnessing a significant wave of changes in how US states approach cryptocurrency. Several states are actively introducing and passing legislative initiatives to promote crypto adoption.
Recent developments over the past week indicate a clear shift. US lawmakers no longer see cryptocurrency solely as a speculative asset but as a strategic part of the financial future.
Kentucky: Protecting Bitcoin Rights and Crypto Mining
One of the most notable advances this month comes from Kentucky. On March 24, the state governor signed the “Blockchain Digital Asset Act” (HB701) into law after the state Senate passed it with an overwhelming 37-0 vote.
This law protects residents’ right to self-custody Bitcoin while also legalizing and incentivizing crypto mining. It signals that Kentucky aims to safeguard individual rights in the crypto space and position itself as a potential blockchain mining hub.
With abundant energy resources from coal and hydropower, the state has a competitive advantage in attracting crypto-mining companies. Data shows that Kentucky accounts for 11% of the US Bitcoin hashrate.
North Carolina: Crypto in Pension Funds and Strategic Reserves
North Carolina lawmakers are taking things a step further by proposing cryptocurrency integration into the public financial system.
According to Bitcoin Law, Bill H506, introduced on March 24, allows up to 5% of the state’s public funds to be invested in digital assets. Similarly, Bill S709, which also permits a 5% public fund allocation, was submitted to the Senate on Tuesday.
If passed, these initiatives would mark a major turning point. North Carolina could become one of the pioneering states using cryptocurrency to protect public funds from inflation and economic volatility. Lawmakers are accelerating discussions, with expectations of a decision in the coming weeks.
Arizona: Advancing Toward Digital Asset Reserves
Arizona is also joining the race. The state’s House Rules Committee recently approved two bills: The Digital Assets Strategic Reserve Fund Bill (SB1373) and The Arizona Bitcoin Strategic Reserve Act (SB1025).
SB1373 allows the creation of a digital asset reserve funded by assets seized in criminal cases managed by the state treasurer. The treasurer can invest up to 10% of the reserve annually and lend assets to generate additional revenue as long as financial risks remain controlled.
Meanwhile, SB1025 permits the Arizona state treasury and pension system to invest up to 10% of their funds in Bitcoin. If a federal Bitcoin reserve fund is established, Arizona’s Bitcoin reserves could be securely stored in a separate account within that fund.
Additionally, last week, the Oklahoma House passed the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Bill (HB1203).
This bill allows the Oklahoma State Treasurer to invest public funds from the State General Fund, Revenue Stabilization Fund, and Constitutional Reserve Fund in Bitcoin and other large-market digital assets (those with a market cap exceeding $500 billion), as well as stablecoins.
Half of the US States Have Introduced Bitcoin Reserve Bills
According to Bitcoin Law, 23 out of 50 US states have introduced Bitcoin reserve bills. Matthew Sigel, Head of Digital Assets Research at VanEck, believes that if enacted, these bills could drive significant Bitcoin purchases.
States Have Introduced Bitcoin Reserve Bills. Source: Bitcoin Law
“We analyzed 20 state-level Bitcoin reserve bills. If enacted, they could drive $23 billion in buying, or 247,000 BTC. This sum is independent of any pension fund allocations, likely to rise if legislators move forward,” Sigel predicted.
