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Lazarus Group behind $100M Harmony hack

The FBI has confirmed the Lazarus Group and APT38 as the culprits behind the $100 million Harmony Bridge Hack from June. The North Korea-linked cyber group had long been suspected of being behind the attack but their involvement hadn’t been confirmed by authorities until now.

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The FBI has confirmed the Lazarus Group and APT38 as the culprits behind the $100 million Harmony Bridge Hack from June. The North Korea-linked cyber group had long been suspected of being behind the attack but their involvement hadn’t been confirmed by authorities until now.

According to a statement, the FBI noted that through our investigation, we were able to confirm that the Lazarus Group and APT38, cyber actors associated with the DPRK, are responsible for the theft of $100 million of virtual currency from Harmony’s Horizon bridge.

The Harmony Bridge hack in 2022 was the result of security holes in Harmony’s Horizon Ethereum bridge that allowed the cyber attackers to swipe a number of assets stored in the bridge via 11 transactions.

The FBI also outlined that the North Korean hackers started shifting around $60 million worth of the stolen funds earlier this month via the Ethereum-based privacy protocol RAILGUN. Blockchain sleuth ZachXBT previously highlighted this via Twitter on Jan. 16.

Notably, Binance also detected the hackers were trying to launder the funds through the Huobi crypto exchange, and then promptly assisted it in freezing and recovering the digital assets deposited by the hackers, according to CEO Changpeng Zhao.

The Lazarus group is a well-known hacking syndicate that has reportedly been involved in a number of key exploits in the crypto industry, including the $600 million Ronin Bridge hack last March.

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US lawmakers advance anti-CBDC bill

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U.S. lawmakers have voted to advance a bill aimed at blocking the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency (CBDC), marking a major step in the political pushback against the development of a digital dollar.

The bill, which passed through the House Financial Services Committee, would prohibit the Fed from directly offering accounts or issuing a CBDC to individuals, citing concerns over surveillance, privacy, and government overreach.

Supporters of the legislation argue that a digital dollar could pose significant risks to civil liberties, enabling real-time tracking of consumer transactions and expanding federal control over personal finances. They view the bill as a safeguard against what they describe as a “surveillance-style” monetary system.

Opponents of the bill, however, argue that restricting CBDC development could hinder U.S. innovation and global competitiveness in the evolving digital financial landscape.

The legislation now moves closer to a potential floor vote in Congress. Its progress underscores growing ideological divisions over the future of money in the United States, with CBDCs emerging as a new front in the broader debate over digital governance, financial freedom, and the role of government in the digital age.

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Gemini to open Miami office after judge stays SEC case

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Crypto exchange Gemini has opened a new office in Miami, reinforcing its commitment to expanding operations despite pausing its plans for an initial public offering (IPO) amid a continuing legal battle with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The Miami office signals the company’s long-term vision for growth in key U.S. markets, even as regulatory uncertainty clouds the broader crypto landscape. The expansion comes at a time when Gemini is facing heightened scrutiny from the SEC over its Earn program, which the regulator alleges involved unregistered securities.

While the IPO remains on hold, Gemini continues to strengthen its infrastructure and team, focusing on user growth, compliance, and regional outreach. The Miami hub is expected to play a strategic role in those efforts, leveraging the city’s growing status as a U.S. crypto hotspot.

Co-founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss remain vocal about the need for clear regulatory frameworks and have emphasized that Gemini will continue to fight for fair treatment while building responsibly in the U.S. and abroad.

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Coinbase Institutional files for XRP futures trading with CFTC

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Coinbase Institutional has officially filed with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to offer XRP futures trading, marking a significant move toward expanding institutional access to Ripple’s native token.

The filing, submitted through Coinbase Derivatives, signals the exchange’s intent to list XRP futures contracts in a regulated environment. If approved, it would allow institutional investors to gain exposure to XRP through derivative products, a key step in broadening the token’s presence in traditional financial markets.

This development comes amid a gradually improving regulatory climate for XRP, following a partial legal victory for Ripple in its ongoing case with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The outcome gave XRP a degree of legal clarity, opening the door for exchanges and financial institutions to re-engage with the asset.

Coinbase’s push to expand its derivatives offerings also aligns with its strategy to build a more robust institutional platform. Approval from the CFTC would position the exchange to capitalize on growing demand for regulated crypto investment vehicles.

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