Vladimir Smerkis, co-founder of Telegram-based crypto project Blum, has been arrested in Moscow on suspicion of large-scale fraud. The Zamoskvoretsky District Court approved his detention following a request from state investigators, according to reports from the Russian news agency TASS on Sunday. The charges against Vladimir Smerkis are based on Article 159 of Russia’s criminal code, which addresses serious fraud crimes. If convicted, Smerkis could face up to 12 years in prison. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether formal charges have been filed. Past Ventures Under Scrutiny Local media outlet Mash linked Vladimir Smerkis and this investigation to previous crypto ventures, ‘The Token Fund and Tokenbox’. Both platforms were launched in 2017. Combined, those projects allegedly resulted in losses of around $15 million for investors. Although Blum is not connected to these older ventures, the incident has placed the project under intense scrutiny. Notably, Smerkis also once headed operations for… Read More at Coingape.com
The SEC’s Crypto Task Force announced the agenda for its next Roundtable discussion, which will focus on tokenization. The agenda will span two halves, presumably focusing on RWAs and generalized financial instruments.
The Commission announced that this discussion would focus on tokenization in March, but the full agenda provides more complete information. It includes a full list of participants, including many prominent firms.
The SEC Talks Tokenization
Since coming under new leadership this year, the Commission has been hosting Roundtable Discussions on topics in the crypto industry. According to a press release, the SEC’s next talk will concern tokenization, featuring representatives from firms like BlackRock, Nasdaq, Fidelity, Robinhood, Securitize, and more.
“Tokenization is a technological development that could substantially change many aspects of our financial markets. I look forward to hearing ideas from our panelists on how the SEC should approach this area,” Hester “Crypto Mom” Peirce, one of the SEC’s Commissioners, claimed.
Over the last few weeks, the SEC has shown an interest in tokenization. In late April, it planned a regulatory sandbox concerning real estate tokenization with counterparts in El Salvador and private firms. The results of this planning session seemed inconclusive; none of its non-SEC participants are scheduled to appear at the Roundtable. Still, it shows interest.
The discussion is split between two main panels: “Evolution of Finance: Capital Markets 2.0” and “The Future of Tokenization.” Both feature participation from some of the major firms involved, with the US ETF issuers primarily speaking on the first panel.
This could potentially suggest a focus on tokenization as a financial instrument for institutional investors. The latter panel involves RWA advocates like Securitize and Robinhood, possibly indicating that it focuses on RWAs. Still, that’s only speculation.
Other than these general outlines, the SEC hasn’t specified which areas of tokenization are its highest priorities. The Commission first planned this discussion in late March, but today’s agenda is the first major update since then.
March proved to be a challenging month for many altcoins, with several experiencing sharp corrections. However, as Q2 2025 approaches, some tokens are positioned to benefit from potential improvements in market conditions.
BeInCrypto has analyzed four altcoins that, while not on the verge, are closer than others to reaching new all-time highs.
Gate (GT)
GT is currently trading at $23.50, just 10% away from its all-time high of $25.96. To reach this level, the altcoin needs to breach and flip $23.94 into a support level. A successful break above this resistance could pave the way for further price gains.
Market conditions suggest that GT could experience a price increase in the coming days, provided investors refrain from selling at the sight of profits. If this occurs, GT could push past $25.96 and potentially form a new ATH.
However, $23.94 has acted as a strong resistance for the past two months. If GT fails to breach this level, it could fall back to $22.56 or even lower to $21.25. Such a drop would invalidate the bullish outlook and potentially extend the current downtrend.
BNB
BNB has made several attempts to reach its all-time high of $793 since December 2024 but has consistently failed to break the $741 resistance. Despite sharp declines, the altcoin has shown resilience, bouncing back each time, indicating some level of investor confidence and market interest in its future performance.
Currently, BNB is holding above the critical support block between $587 and $619, standing about 25% away from its ATH. If broader market conditions turn bullish, BNB could be poised to attempt a new ATH within the next month.
While BNB may face challenges at the $741 resistance level, strong support could push it through this barrier. However, if BNB fails to break $647 first, it could see a decline below the $619 support level. This would invalidate the bullish outlook and potentially extend the current downward trend.
MANTRA (OM)
OM’s price is currently trading at $6.58, still far from its all-time high of $9.17, requiring a 40% rise to reach that level. Despite this, the altcoin has significant potential to rally. A positive shift in market sentiment could drive it toward higher price levels.
Strong bullish momentum has fueled OM’s rise, with the altcoin reaching an ATH of $9.17 towards the end of February. The continued inflow into OM signals the possibility of another rally. If OM successfully breaches $7.02 and flips $7.74 into support, it would solidify the bullish outlook.
However, if OM fails to breach the $7.02 resistance, the altcoin could fall back to $6.17. This drop would likely continue its consolidation phase, as seen earlier this month, and invalidate the bullish thesis. A failure to break key resistance levels would limit price growth.
Cheems (CHEEMS)
CHEEMS, though a lesser-known coin, has been gaining bullish momentum this month. Earlier this week, the altcoin formed a new all-time high at $0.000002179. This recent price surge indicates growing investor interest and the potential for further gains if market conditions remain favorable.
For CHEEMS to form a new ATH beyond $0.000002200, it will need a 25% rally from its current price. The altcoin is likely to bounce off the $0.000001660 support level, which could help capitalize on the current bullish momentum. A sustained move above this level could signal further upside potential.
However, if CHEEMS fails to hold above the $0.000001660 support, it could face significant downward pressure. A drop below this level could result in CHEEMS falling to $0.000001461 or even as low as $0.000001132. Such a decline would invalidate the bullish outlook and may extend the downtrend.
