ParaSwap DAO members were split, with some supporting the conditional return of the fees and others voting against the refund.
Bybit confirmed it was behind a proposal requesting that decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol ParaSwap return fees earned from swaps conducted by the Lazarus Group using digital assets stolen from the exchange.
On March 4, a proposal was posted on ParaSwap’s decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) forum asking to freeze and return 44.67 Wrapped Ether (wETH), worth almost $100,000, to a wallet address.
The proposal initially attracted skepticism, with several DAO members calling for verification before advancing the proposal. Bybit shared a verification post on its official X account on March 5, confirming that it was behind the proposal to return the funds.
In previous years, trends in the TradFi market have caused risk-on assets like crypto to spike in Q2, especially in April. This could provide a much-needed bullish narrative for the space.
A report from QCP Capital looked at a few trends, such as the S&P 500’s performance, but Bitcoin’s price history over the last decade is the clearest market indicator.
However, this data is corroborated by a broad spectrum of crypto-native trends.
“One of the fastest US stock downturns in recent history may well be behind us—or so JPMorgan and a growing chorus of strategists are telling their clients. Q2, and April in particular, has historically been one of the best periods for risk assets,” QCP claimed via Telegram.
With how desperate the crypto market has been for a bullish narrative, this Q2 speculation comes as a breath of fresh air. QCP pointed to recurring trends in TradFi sectors like the S&P 500, and some of these are even more pronounced in crypto.
Case in point, the price of Bitcoin is a great bellwether. Bitcoin is highly linked with the broader crypto market, and it has frequently rallied in Q2, especially in April.
For example, in 2017, Bitcoin’s price hovered around $1,000 until it broke $2,000 in mid-May, prompting a bigger rally. In 2021, a gargantuan price spike culminated in April and briefly dropped in May.
Bitcoin Yearly Price Chart. Source: BeInCrypto
In 2024, Q2 was a significant bullish period for crypto. BTC climbed quickly after the approval of Bitcoin Spot ETFs in January, breaching $60,000 in late February and early March, setting a new all-time high by April.
At the same time, high-yield credit markets demonstrated a solid performance, with CC-rated bonds overperforming. This shows a healthy appetite for risk-on assets.
Sygnum’s off-exchange custody platform allows traders to mirror assets held in Sygnum’s custody while trading on an exchange like Deribit.
Cryptocurrency banking firm Sygnum is partnering with crypto derivatives exchange Deribit, providing its off-exchange custody platform, Sygnum Protect.
On March 5, Sygnum announced the expansion of Sygnum Protect, its off-exchange custody platform, to include Deribit, one of the world’s largest derivatives exchanges in crypto.
This integration enables institutional Deribit traders to hold their assets in Sygnum’s institutional-grade custody while accessing Deribit’s broad trading offering and liquidity.
Microsoft’s incident response team has discovered a new remote access trojan (RAT) called StilachiRAT that poses a serious threat to cryptocurrency users.
StilachiRAT can collect system information, steal login credentials, and extract data from digital wallets. Although it has not yet spread widely, its potential impact worries the crypto community.
How Does StilachiRAT Threaten Crypto Investors?
StilachiRAT is more than just another malware—it represents an evolution in cyber threats targeting digital assets.
Microsoft reported on March 17 that once StilachiRAT infiltrates a system, it begins reconnaissance. It gathers details about the operating system, hardware identifiers, camera presence, and active Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) sessions. Then, it focuses on stealing credentials stored in Chrome and data from the clipboard, where users often copy passwords or wallet keys.
This trojan specifically targets 20 cryptocurrency wallet extensions on Google Chrome. Some well-known wallets at risk include Metamask, Trust Wallet, Coinbase Wallet, TronLink, TokenPocket, BNB Chain Wallet, OKX Wallet, Sui Wallet, and Phantom.
“StilachiRAT targets a list of specific cryptocurrency wallet extensions for the Google Chrome browser. It accesses the settings in the following registry key and validates if any of the extensions are installed,” Microsoft warned.
Microsoft’s report highlights StilachiRAT’s advanced anti-forensic capabilities. It can delete event logs and assess system conditions to avoid detection.
To mitigate the threat, Microsoft advises users to download software only from official sources and avoid suspicious websites or attachments. Enabling real-time protection in Microsoft Defender and using browsers with SmartScreen can help block malicious sites.
Additionally, Microsoft recommends enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) and regularly updating software to minimize risks.
“In some cases, remote access trojans (RATs) can masquerade as legitimate software or software updates. Always download software from the official website of the software developer or from reputable sources,” Microsoft advises.
According to Chainalysis’ 2025 Crypto Crime Trends report, illicit cryptocurrency transactions range from $40 billion to $50 billion annually. These funds are stolen through various methods, including ransomware and malware attacks.
Total Cryptocurrency Value Received by Illicit Addresses (2020 – 2024). Source: Chainalysis
Chainalysis estimates that the volume of illicit crypto transactions in 2024 could exceed $51 billion, with an average annual increase of 25% between reporting periods.
