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Due to pressure from multiple state attorneys general, Bitcoin ATM operator Bitcoin Depot will require customers to provide personal identification for verification each time they use its ATMs.The company stated that this move aims to combat account sharing, identity theft, and account takeover, marking a significant advancement in preventing fraud and illegal activities. Earlier this month, the Massachusetts Attorney General filed a lawsuit against the company, accusing it of deliberately profiting from scams targeting the elderly. FBI data shows that losses from cryptocurrency ATM fraud in the U.S. will reach $333 million by 2025. Currently, Bitcoin Depot operates 8,800 ATMs in North America.

On-chain detective ZachXBT posted about the user @sexinfochina, stating, "This user deliberately concealed the fact that they are an online criminal operating the Chinese dark web market 'FreeCity'. They publicly promote certain illegal services on Telegram and knowingly facilitated five money laundering transactions for North Korean hackers. Two years ago, this user asked me to investigate the reason a CEX account was frozen, and I found that it traced back on-chain to a theft case involving over a hundred million dollars by North Korean hackers."In addition, ZachXBT responded, "Although most users of this dark web platform are Chinese, many illegal transactions occur in Southeast Asia and other places."

According to CoinDesk, a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York revealed that Rui-Siang Lin, the alleged operator of the dark web drug marketplace Incognito Market, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison on Tuesday. This marks the conclusion of one of the largest cases involving an online drug market since the Silk Road case.U.S. prosecutors stated that the operators of the dark web market Incognito Market used cryptocurrency and anonymous tools to conceal their identities, but investigators ultimately linked them to the platform through domain records and digital footprints. Rui-Siang Lin operated under the online alias "Pharaoh." He pleaded guilty in December 2024 to multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit drug offenses, money laundering, and conspiracy to sell adulterated and falsely labeled drugs. Prosecutors indicated that the platform facilitated over $105 million in illegal drug transactions between October 2020 and March 2024, completing more than 640,000 transactions and serving hundreds of thousands of buyers worldwide.

The White House will hold a cryptocurrency summit next Monday, inviting senior representatives from the banking industry and the cryptocurrency sector in an attempt to break the deadlock over the Clarity Act. According to three industry insiders, the meeting will be chaired by the White House Cryptocurrency Committee, with the core topic focusing on whether cryptocurrency companies can offer interest or other returns on stablecoins held by customers.The banking industry is concerned that allowing cryptocurrency companies to pay returns will lead to deposit outflows, threatening financial stability. A report from Standard Chartered estimates that by the end of 2028, stablecoins could siphon off about $500 billion in deposits from U.S. banks. Cryptocurrency proponents argue that banning the payment of returns would harm competitiveness and be crucial for attracting new customers.

Nasdaq-listed Bitcoin ATM operator Bitcoin Depot announced that it has acquired Instant Coin Bank, a regional BTM operator with multiple locations in Texas and Oklahoma. The specific acquisition amount has not been disclosed, but it is reported that this acquisition will enhance Bitcoin Depot's business presence in the U.S. market.

According to CoinDesk, Polygon plans to acquire the U.S. Bitcoin ATM provider Coinme. According to insiders, Polygon intends to spend between $100 million and $125 million to complete this acquisition, with consulting services provided by Architect Partners.Coinme, founded on May 1, 2014, is one of the first licensed Bitcoin ATM operators in the United States and currently operates Bitcoin ATMs in approximately 49 states. The company has previously expanded its grocery store kiosk services to include various popular cryptocurrencies.

The American law firm Burwick Law announced a litigation update stating that the plaintiffs have submitted a revised complaint today in federal court, accusing the operator of pump.fun, Baton Corp, as well as the Solana Foundation, Solana Labs, and several executives of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).

According to Decrypt, Maine regulators announced a $1.9 million settlement agreement with cryptocurrency ATM operator Bitcoin Depot to compensate consumers harmed by third-party scams. This agreement was reached after a two-year investigation and grants the company a legal operating license in Maine.According to FBI data, in 2024, the United States experienced $246 million in scam losses related to crypto ATMs, a 99% increase year-over-year, with 43% of victims being seniors aged 60 and older. Scammers typically induce victims to convert cash into cryptocurrency and send it to the scammers' accounts.

According to Financefeeds, the American Bitcoin ATM operator CoinFlip has opened its first "cryptocurrency center" in the Gustavo A. Madero district of Mexico City. The center is staffed with professionals and combines the traditional retail banking concept with cryptocurrency infrastructure, allowing users to interact with experts, use cryptocurrency ATMs, and receive guidance on how to trade digital assets through cash, bank transfers, and the Mexican SPEI payment system.It is reported that CoinFlip currently operates nearly 50 cryptocurrency ATMs in Mexico, with 26 located in Mexico City.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced on Tuesday that it has proposed a settlement to Nomad crypto bridge operator Illusory Systems, related to a hacking incident that nearly resulted in the theft of all platform funds.According to the FTC's complaint, Illusory Systems introduced a critical vulnerability in a code update in June 2022, which hackers began exploiting on August 1, leading to the theft of approximately $186 million in Ethereum, USDC, DAI, and WBTC assets, with user losses exceeding $100 million. The FTC alleges that Nomad, while claiming to be a "security-first" platform, failed to adequately test its code, maintain clear vulnerability reporting and incident response processes, and did not deploy basic security measures to limit user losses.Under the proposed settlement, Illusory Systems will be prohibited from making false claims about its security practices, must implement a formal information security program, undergo independent security assessments every two years, and return unreimbursed recovered funds to affected users. After the hack, Nomad only recovered $22 million of the stolen funds.

According to Bloomberg, Capital A, founded by AirAsia's Tony Fernandes, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Standard Chartered Bank (Malaysia) to explore the launch of a ringgit stablecoin in Malaysia, with Standard Chartered as the issuer and Capital A responsible for piloting real wholesale-level applications.The project will take place at the Digital Asset Innovation Center regulated by the Central Bank of Malaysia. Tony Fernandes stated that this move is an important step for the group in its transformation from an aviation business to a technology ecosystem.ChainCatcher previously reported that Bullish Aim, a telecommunications company owned by the Crown Prince of Malaysia, announced on Tuesday the launch of RMJDT, a stablecoin pegged to the Malaysian ringgit, targeting the cross-border payment market in the Asia-Pacific region.

Washington state regulators have ordered Bitcoin ATM operator Coinme to cease operations and return over $8 million in unclaimed funds to customers, accusing the company of treating unredeemed vouchers as revenue, in violation of money transmission regulations.The Washington State Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) stated in a temporary cease-and-desist order and a statement of charges that Coinme's cryptocurrency voucher system violated the state's Uniform Money Services Act. Between January 2023 and December 2024, Coinme allegedly treated $8.37 million in unredeemed customer vouchers as company revenue. Regulators are seeking to revoke Coinme's money transmission license, impose a $300,000 fine plus a $375 investigation fee on the company, and prohibit the company and its CEO Neil Bergquist from engaging in any money transmission business for ten years. Coinme has 20 days to request a hearing, or the temporary cease-and-desist order will automatically become permanent.

According to Bloomberg, the EU's executive body has announced plans to transfer more regulatory and enforcement powers to its market supervisory agencies, sparking a debate among national regulators about ceding authority to Brussels. The proposal released on Thursday indicates that the Paris-based European Securities and Markets Authority will have new powers over significant clearinghouses, central securities depositories, and trading venues. Less than a year ago, the EU introduced a national regulatory framework for cryptocurrency companies, and now these companies and pan-European market operators fall under the authority of this agency. The centralization of most market regulatory powers in the EU requires the approval of the European Parliament and the Council of Member States, with some member countries firmly opposed.The core of the proposal is to strengthen the powers and resources of the European Securities and Markets Authority, which will be governed by a board composed of five independent members with a maximum term of five years. The preparatory costs will be borne by the EU budget, while trading venues, central securities depositories, and crypto asset service providers will cover ongoing expenses. To simplify the operation of European markets, the European Commission will also revise legislation to limit additional requirements imposed by member states on securities issuers, streamline the licensing process to improve cross-border central securities depository services, and hopes to incorporate distributed ledger technology into the rulebook. Negotiations on this package of plans will begin in January next year, when Cyprus will hold the rotating presidency of the EU Council.

According to Bloomberg, the EU's executive body has announced plans to transfer more regulatory and enforcement powers to its market supervisory agencies, sparking a debate among national regulators about ceding power to Brussels.The proposal released on Thursday indicates that the Paris-based European Securities and Markets Authority will gain new powers over significant clearinghouses, central securities depositories, and trading venues. Less than a year ago, the EU introduced a national regulatory framework for cryptocurrency companies, and now these companies, along with pan-European market operators, fall under the authority of this agency. The centralization of most market regulatory powers in the EU requires the approval of the European Parliament and the Council of Member States, with some member states firmly opposed.At the heart of the proposal is the strengthening of the powers and resources of the European Securities and Markets Authority, which will have a board composed of five independent members serving a maximum term of five years. The preparatory costs will be covered by the EU budget, while trading venues, central securities depositories, and crypto asset service providers will bear ongoing expenses.To simplify the operation of the European market, the European Commission will also revise legislation to limit additional requirements imposed by member states on securities issuers, streamline the licensing process to improve cross-border central securities depository services, and hopes to incorporate distributed ledger technology into the rulebook.Negotiations on this package of plans will begin in January next year, when Cyprus will hold the rotating presidency of the EU Council.

According to The Block, cryptocurrency ATM operator Crypto Dispensers is evaluating a potential sale offer of $100 million, just days after its founder and CEO Firas Isa was charged by federal prosecutors for involvement in a $10 million money laundering scheme.The company has hired consultants for a "strategic assessment" and emphasized in a statement that its transition from physical Bitcoin ATMs to a software-first model in 2020 was to address "fraud risks, regulatory pressures, and compliance requirements." Isa has pleaded not guilty to the charges and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. The company has not responded to how the criminal charges may affect its potential sale plans.

According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois, cryptocurrency ATM operator Virtual Assets LLC and its CEO Firas Isa were formally charged on Tuesday with involvement in money laundering.The company operates Bitcoin ATMs under the name "Crypto Dispensers" in multiple locations across the United States. Prosecutors allege that the 36-year-old Isa and his company helped criminals launder at least $10 million in illegal funds through cryptocurrency. It is claimed that the funds in question were first deposited into the company's accounts, then converted into cryptocurrency and transferred to digital wallets to conceal the source of the funds. If convicted, Isa faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. Notably, on the Crypto Dispensers website, Isa had been continuously posting a series of blog articles in October, including "How to Withdraw Bitcoin from ATMs" and "Overview of Bitcoin ATM Regulations in Various Countries." Isa and his company have currently pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the South Korean Financial Services Commission has imposed a fine of 35.2 billion won (approximately 26.4 million USD) on Dunamu, the operator of the cryptocurrency exchange Upbit, for violating the Specific Financial Information Act. The violations include prohibiting transactions with unreported virtual asset operators, failing to fulfill customer due diligence obligations, not implementing transaction restrictions, and not reporting suspicious transactions. Dunamu stated that it accepts the decision.

Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission: Allows platform operators to offer virtual assets without a 12-month track record to professional investors and Hong Kong licensed stablecoins.

California regulators have fined Bitcoin ATM operator Coinhub $675,000 for violating digital asset laws. The fine includes $105,000 in restitution to California consumers who were charged fees and surcharges exceeding the allowed maximum when using cryptocurrency ATMs.

ChainCatcher news, according to crypto analyst Emmett Gallic, the U.S. government announced the seizure of 215 BTC, worth approximately $23 million, from the wallet of "Chinodrug" operator Zhengcheng Huang on the dark web market.According to the forfeiture documents, the officials claimed to have seized only 199.47 BTC, but the relevant address actually held 215 BTC. Emmett Gallic pointed out that, based on past experience, the U.S. government rarely reports accurate amounts in forfeiture documents.