Ripple is growing its presence in the Middle East. The company recently partnered up with two new partners in the UAE, Zand Bank and Mamo. This is just months after getting its license from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) in March. These partnerships will help Ripple push to play a bigger role in the region’s cross-border payments space. Ripple Expands in UAE With New Local Partnerships Now that it holds a DFSA license, the company is focusing on this growth through Ripple Payments. This platform is designed to deliver quick, low-cost international transfers using blockchain. Zand Bank, which is a digital-first financial institution, will use Ripple’s technology to upgrade its payments system. The bank also plans to launch a stablecoin tied to the UAE dirham (AED) to embrace blockchain more deeply. UAE fintech startup Mamo is also tapping Ripple’s system to make cross-border payments faster and more dependable. “We… Read More at Coingape.com
Dozens of Binance users report receiving an alarming wave of phishing text messages that appear genuine. These messages even match the phone number and SMS inbox they regularly see for official Binance updates.
Almost all phishing texts reviewed by BeInCrypto have the same wording and format. This leads us to believe that a particular threat actor or criminal group is targeting Binance users with a sophisticated phishing campaign.
Targeted Phishing Campaign Against Binance Users
The messages often warn of users’ unauthorized account activities—such as a newly added two-factor authentication device.
Most commonly, the phishing messages follow up with a text about an unexpected Binance API pairing with Ledger Live. The recipients are then urged to call a provided phone number.
Some targeted users claim these texts show up in the same thread as their legitimate Binance notifications. This creates confusion and prompts them to engage. Investigations by BeInCrypto reveal a surge in consumer complaints on X (formerly Twitter).
A Binance Use Shared the SMS Received Over the Past Week with BeInCrypto
Many users say they were caught off guard because the scam messages originated from the same sender ID used by Binance for authentic notifications.
Meanwhile, the criminals behind this campaign appear to be capitalizing on publicly reported leaks of Binance user data on dark web forums.
The suspected group of threat actors is likely using leaked information—names, phone numbers, and emails—to craft targeted messages that give the illusion of legitimacy.
Recordad que aunque os llegue un mensaje por el canal “oficial” de SMS de @binance, JAMÁS debéis hacer click en ningún enlace ni hacer caso de lo que os envíen.
— Ingeniero Seed Ph. (Oficial) (@IngenieroSeed) April 11, 2025
Also, the pattern seen in the phishing attempts typically involves an urgent “not you?” query. It prompts recipients to call an embedded phone line instead of simply clicking a link.
This method bypasses the more common scenario of phishing links in SMS.
Binance is Extending Anti-Phishing Code to SMS
In an exclusive email to BeInCrypto, Binance’s Chief Security Officer, Jimmy Su, responded to these findings. Su confirmed the company’s awareness of the escalating smishing incidents.
“We are aware of smishing scams on the rise where phishing scammers are impersonating us and other legitimate senders via SMS. These scams appear to be more authentic, tricking users into revealing sensitive information, clicking into phishing links, or making a transfer that result in loss of assets.” Binance’s Chief Security Officer told BeInCrypto.
Su further disclosed that Binance has extended its Anti-Phishing Code to SMS. This feature was originally offered for emails.
The code is a user-defined identifier that appears in official Binance messages, making it easier for recipients to recognize genuine notifications and avoid impostors.
“By incorporating a unique Anti-Phishing code into Binance SMS messages, we are making it significantly harder for scammers to deceive our users,” Su said.
The Anti-Phishing Code has been rolled out to all licensed jurisdictions where Binance operates.
Also, according to Binance, both registered and non-registered users have reported receiving suspicious texts.
Therefore, attackers might be leveraging databases that include phone numbers of individuals not actively using Binance.
Scammers are using lookalike sites to steal your credentials.
We’ll never ask for your password or MFA code outside our site. Always check the URL before logging in. QR codes should always… pic.twitter.com/xX6ahKtm3t
BeInCrypto advises users to adopt additional measures, such as verifying transactions directly through Binance’s official app or website, using multifactor authentication, and never sharing credentials over the phone.
Reporting suspicious messages to Binance’s support team is strongly advised.
Individuals are encouraged to confirm official communications by checking for the Anti-Phishing Code and to carefully scrutinize any request to call phone numbers provided in unsolicited messages.
Wirex, a global Web3 leader and award-winning money app, has officially selected Italy as the strategic base for its cryptocurrency business in the European Economic Area (EEA). The move marks a key milestone in the company’s rapid growth journey and reinforces its long-term commitment to delivering regulated, innovative crypto services across Europe.
With over 6 million users globally and a decade of proven success, Wirex continues to lead the way in bridging the worlds of traditional finance and digital assets. Headquartered in London, Wirex holds multiple licences across the UK, EEA, Asia-Pacific, and beyond, operating as a trusted, compliant provider in some of the world’s most regulated financial markets.
Wirex’s decision to establish its European crypto operations in Italy comes as the region prepares for the implementation of the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation.
The company is already registered as a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) in the Italian Register held by the Organismo Agenti e Mediatori (OAM), with Registration No. PSV108. It is currently in the process of applying for a MiCA licence and aims to use its Italian base to deepen relationships with regulators, expand local partnerships, reinforce its trust with clients, and continue to offer them crypto products and services while scaling its presence across Europe.
As part of this strategic initiative, Wirex is pleased to announce the appointment of two senior executives in Italy:
Alessandro Bruno-Bossio,Regional Managing Director for Italy and Chief Customer Strategy & Retention Officer, brings extensive experience in scaling fintech and payments operations, with previous leadership roles at Paysafe, Nexi and PayRetailers.
Francesco Marotta, Non-Executive Legal Director, has over 12 years of expertise in banking and financial services law, compliance, and anti-money laundering. He will play a vital role in supporting Wirex’s regulatory and legal strategy in Italy and the wider EEA region.
“Choosing Italy as our EEA crypto hub reflects our deep commitment to Europe and our belief in its regulatory clarity and innovation potential,” said Pavel Matveev, Co-Founder of Wirex. “With strong leadership from Alessandro and Francesco, we’re well-positioned to strengthen our presence in the region and continue building one of the most trusted, compliant crypto platforms in the world.”
Wirex’s Italian office will focus on product development, customer experience, and regulatory engagement, positioning the company to thrive in a maturing and regulated European crypto market.
Alessandro Bruno-Bossio, Regional Managing Director for Italy and Chief Customer Strategy & Retention Officer at Wirex, commented: “I’m thrilled to join Wirex at such a pivotal moment in its European expansion. Italy has the potential to become a leading hub for digital assets, and Wirex is uniquely positioned to drive that transformation. In my dual role, I’m particularly focused on ensuring that customer experience remains at the heart of everything we do. The crypto space still places too much effort on the end user, and we’re determined to change that. By building a strong local presence and fostering regulatory trust, we aim to deliver not only innovative solutions but also seamless, user-first experiences that set new standards in the industry.”
With a global footprint and a reputation for innovation, Wirex has earned more than 20 industry awards, including recent recognition as a finalist at the ICA Compliance Awards Europe 2025 for excellence in regulatory compliance. The company’s growth is underpinned by a decade of operational excellence and an unwavering commitment to responsible innovation in financial services.
About Wirex
Wirex is a prominent UK-based digital payments platform with over 6 million customers spread across 130 countries. It offers secure accounts, making it easy for users to store, purchase, and exchange multiple currencies seamlessly. As a principal member of both Visa and Mastercard, Wirex goes beyond traditional services, embracing the evolving trends of Web3 to provide mainstream access to digital finance and wealth management. Having processed transactions totalling $20 billion, Wirex aims to contribute to the adoption of a cashless society by facilitating straightforward transactions in various currencies worldwide. Wirex is simplifying digital payments, making it more accessible and convenient for people across the globe.
What happened this week in crypto? It was a highly eventful week, as the Senate passed the GENIUS Act, France’s crypto kidnapping wave continues, and Israel-backed hackers targeted Iran’s crypto industry.
Canada also became the world’s second nation to approve an XRP ETF, and delays continue for an SEC v Ripple resolution. Find out all these stories and more at BeInCrypto.
This new stablecoin framework had several major setbacks in recent months, but fresh amendments helped generate bipartisan support. By the time of this final vote, political support was overwhelming.
The new war between Iran and Israel has been impacting the crypto market all week, but that’s natural for any geopolitical turmoil.
However, the conflict now takes place directly over the blockchain. Israeli-backed hackers breached Nobitex, an Iranian crypto exchange, stealing and then burning $90 million in tokens.
$90M drained from Iranian exchange Nobitex in a hack claimed by hacktivist group, Gonjeshke Darande.
This wasn’t just theft. It was a message.
Blockchain is now a geopolitical front line. Visual of the hack distribution from Merkle Science’s Tracker pic.twitter.com/7BT3t1nRYJ
Gonjeshke Darande (Predatory Sparrow) has been active for several years, disrupting Iranian economic activities on behalf of Israel. Nonetheless, this crypto hack represents a major escalation.
This precedent could spell worrying things for the industry’s future. So far, this war hasn’t been particularly painful for crypto, at least compared to other recent events. If multimillion-dollar token burns become a feature of future wars, it’ll traumatize markets worldwide.
A 23-year-old man was abducted, and his loved ones were extorted for €5,000 and his Ledger key.
A 23 year old man was kidnapped Tuesday while out shopping in Maisons-Alfort, France. The attackers called his partner and demanded his Ledger and 5,000 EUR in cash. She complied & he was released.
Before this incident, police believed that a single gang was behind the majority of these attacks. Thanks to cooperation with Morocco, several purported ringleaders were arrested in North Africa earlier in June.
However, this clearly hasn’t stopped the kidnappings. Either the gang is still active, or copycats are adopting the practice. Both possibilities are terrifying.
No Resolution for SEC v Ripple
Although the SEC v Ripple case is a topic of major interest for the crypto industry, it wasn’t resolved this week. The two parties have been jointly filing to settle the last cross-appeal, but Judge Torres is not cooperating.
Both parties are attempting to pause the appeals process, but lawyers are becoming skeptical that they’ll win a favorable decision.
In the newest saga of SEC v. Ripple, I don’t like this filing based on how obvious it was from Judge Torres’ last ruling that she was pissed. I recommended a long, detailed motion explaining the SEC’s failures in crypto regulation (with Commissioner declarations) and some… https://t.co/KTyiqxLnWo
In short, the biggest problem is that a crypto-friendly SEC can’t unilaterally reverse policies from the Gensler era.
It may be unfair that Ripple is forbidden from selling securities to retail investors, but Atkins’ Commission needs to prove that in court. Although the community remains hopeful, this setback may impact Ripple’s business for the foreseeable future.
“The OSC’s granting of a receipt for the Purpose XRP ETF prospectus reinforces Canada’s global leadership in building a regulated digital asset ecosystem. We’re proud to continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the space,” claimed Vlad Tasevski, Purpose’s Chief Innovation Officer.
Hopefully, these developments will encourage Canada’s southern neighbor to follow suit. Prominent ETF analysts in the US recently claimed that an XRP ETF has a 95% chance of approval, but it hasn’t happened yet.