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The 2025 crypto crime report by Chainalysis has highlighted a rise in the sophistication of criminal activities. The firm estimated illicit crypto transactions in 2024 to be $40.9 billion, down from $46.1 billion in 2023. However, this figure is projected to exceed $51 billion as more illegal addresses are identified. Shift to Stablecoins and Ransomware Attacks Bitcoin, once the primary currency for bad actors, has been overtaken by stablecoins, which now account for 63% of all illicit crypto transactions. Chainalysis highlighted that financial sanctions have led to the shift toward stablecoins, as they offer speed, liquidity, and regulatory blind spots that make laundering funds easier. Further, these assets provide near-instant transactions and eliminate concerns over price fluctuations. Some stablecoin issuers, including Tether, have frozen hundreds of addresses linked to illegal activity. In response, some criminals have turned to privacy coins like Monero (XMR), privacy wallets, and DeFi-based laundering schemes. Ransomware payments dropped 35% in 2024, with less than half of recorded attacks resulting in payments. Chainalysis attributes this decline to law enforcement crackdowns and a reduced willingness among victims to pay. However, groups engaged in the activity are adapting. Following the takedown of LockBit, smaller syndicates such as RansomHub have absorbed displaced operators and remain operational. The report also highlighted that ransomware tactics are shifting toward data theft and extortion. Meanwhile, market manipulation on decentralized exchanges (DEXs) continues to thrive. In 2024, an estimated $2.57 billion in illicit trading volume was artificially generated, with 3.59% of newly minted tokens showing rug-pull characteristics. Crypto Theft and AI-Driven Fraud Increase The New York-based firm revealed that crypto theft grew by 21% in 2024, reaching $2.2 billion. While DeFi platforms accounted for most stolen funds, centralized services became the primary targets in the second and third quarters. North Korean hackers were responsible for 61% of these thefts. Fraud and scams remained widespread, with high-yield investment schemes and “pig butchering” among the most successful. Chainalysis revealed the growing use of AI tools by lawbreakers to bypass KYC measures and automate fraud. The analysis described this as part of a broader trend in cybercrime, where AI is being leveraged to enhance deception and evade detection. Bad actors in the crypto space have also become more professional, with hackers, scammers, and extortionists behind $10.8 billion of the estimated $40.9 billion in digital asset crime last year. Chainalysis further examined the SEC’s crackdown on $2.57 billion in market manipulation schemes, detailing evolving criminal tactics and enforcement efforts. As regulators respond to stablecoins’ growing role in money laundering, oversight is expected to tighten. Meanwhile, AI-driven fraud is projected to expand, making deepfakes, synthetic identities, and phishing attacks increasingly difficult to detect. The post Chainalysis Report Reveals Rising Sophistication in Crypto Crime appeared first on CryptoPotato.

New research on Ethereum suggests a decentralized random block proposal system to replace the current architecture that has concentrated power among a few entities. Despite Ethereum’s ( ETH ) shift to Proof of Stake and adoption of Proposer-Builder Separation (PBS), approximately 80% of Ethereum blocks are currently proposed by just two entities. This concentration undermines the network’s decentralized foundation and allows these entities to hold most of the maximum extractable value (MEV). The proposed solution would fundamentally change Ethereum’s block creation process. Instead of specialized builders constructing blocks, all Ethereum clients (like Geth and Nethermind) would use an identical random algorithm to select transactions and roll-up blobs from their local mempools. This randomization would ensure no entity could predict or control transaction ordering. As per the research, this could effectively eliminate block-level MEV such as arbitrage and front-running opportunities. This approach could potentially reduce Ethereum’s current 12-second slot time to 6-8 seconds while supporting Danksharding’s future roll-up requirements. The timing of this research coincides with leadership changes at the Ethereum Foundation. Core developer Tim Beiko characterized these shifts as “one of the most consequential turning points in Ethereum’s history” in a recent X post. If we play our cards right, we'll remember today as one of the most consequential turning points in Ethereum's history. The last few months have been, to put it mildly, tumultuous. While it's clear that many things need to change for Ethereum to win, it's easy to overcorrect and… Beiko praised the appointment of Hsiao-Wei Wang and Tomasz Stanczak as co-executive directors of the Ethereum Foundation. He described it as striking “the right balance” between optimization and preserving Ethereum’s core values. Wang brings seven years of experience as an Ethereum researcher with contributions to the beacon chain, while Stanczak offers his background as a developer and organizational leader at Nethermind. “While it’s clear that many things need to change for Ethereum to win, it’s easy to overcorrect and kill the magic in search of maximal optimization,” Beiko wrote. He suggested that these leadership changes would help Ethereum stay “anchored to OG values while staying relevant for newcomers.” Despite his optimism, Beiko acknowledged the challenges ahead: “There’s a lot of work ahead of us and we shouldn’t delude ourselves into taking for granted that Ethereum will succeed at the level of its ambitions.”

Does bitcoin have a place in national reserves? For the Swiss National Bank, the answer is clear: no. Between excessive volatility and lack of liquidity, the SNB rejects the idea of incorporating cryptocurrency into its balance sheet, despite pressure from bitcoin advocates. While the White House opens its doors for a historic summit on March 7 , Switzerland offers a contrasting spectacle. On one hand, cities like Lugano or Zug flirt with the crypto utopia, transforming the franc into a virtual stablecoin. On the other, the SNB stands firm, hammering that bitcoin remains a “niche phenomenon”. Schlegel does not mince words: “Too unstable, too fragile, too… software.” An astonishing admission in a country where private banks manage fortunes in far more opaque assets. Yet, behind these technical arguments lies a visceral mistrust. For the SNB, accepting bitcoin as a reserve would legitimize an uncontrollable currency. “The Swiss franc is not afraid of competition,” assures Schlegel. Really? Between the lines, one can sense a fear: the fear of seeing digital gold erode the prestige of a safe-haven currency. Ironically, the franc, backed by 40% gold, rejects an asset often compared… to the precious metal. The political tug-of-war intensifies. Against the SNB, the 2B4CH initiative attempts to impose bitcoin through a referendum. The goal: to collect 100,000 signatures by 2026. A symbolic number in a country where 1.11% of the population is enough to shake institutions. But Schlegel remains unfazed: “Software bugs are not part of our monetary policy.” An argument that sounds like a refusal to plunge into the unknown. This debate goes beyond the Alps. El Salvador bets everything on bitcoin, the Czech Republic hesitates, Poland closes the door. Switzerland embodies a paradox: a pioneer of cryptos in private, a guardian of orthodoxy in public. Schlegel recognizes it in so many words: “The market is worth 3 trillion, but remains marginal.” Marginal? Not for the 15% of Swiss who already hold cryptos, according to a recent study. The question of reserves is just a smokescreen. What is at stake here is the narrative battle of the 21st century. On one side, central banks defend their secular monopoly. On the other, crypto-evangelists wave decentralization as a banner. Does the SNB really fear “bugs”… or the loss of financial narrative? Proof that the lines are shifting: the timing. While Trump prepares his crypto summit, Switzerland hardens its tone. Coincidence? Not sure. In rejecting bitcoin, Schlegel sends a message to the giants: “Sovereign currencies remain in control.” Yet, history proves the immutable wrong. Gold was once an innovation. The dollar was too. There remains the thorny question of liquidity. “Our reserves must be mobilizable in the event of a crisis,” insists Schlegel. A weak argument against stablecoins or Bitcoin ETFs, which turn digital gold into a fungible asset in a few clicks. What if the real illiquidity was that… of mindsets? The SNB’s “no” resembles an admission of powerlessness. Powerlessness to control the uncontrollable. To tame an asset that, by design, escapes central bankers. By refusing bitcoin, Switzerland preserves its monetary order… but misses the train of a revolution despite the panic that has reached critical levels.

Artificial intelligence has just crossed a new milestone, and this time, a storm is brewing. GPT-4.5, the latest creation from OpenAI, is crushing the track with an outrageous ambition: to dominate by size. While 2025 is already overwhelmed by announcements of rival models – such as Claude from Anthropic or R1 from DeepSeek, designed with a pittance of a budget – OpenAI is betting everything on gigantism. With a $200 monthly ChatGPT Pro subscription, insiders can now test this colossus. But behind the promises lie bold strategic choices… and surprising paradoxes. OpenAI no longer hides its ambitions: “Bigger, always bigger.” The launch of GPT-4.5 is part of a technological arms race, where every parameter, every artificial neuron, is a step towards a supposedly omniscient AI. Unlike DeepSeek, which shook Silicon Valley by optimizing costs and performances, OpenAI persists: billions invested, gigantic infrastructures, and a model so greedy in computation that it becomes mysterious. “The numbers? They will remain in the shadows,” is whispered at OpenAI. Yet, this excess might have a merit: capturing the elusive nuances of humanity. Mia Glaese, head of the alignment team, assures: “The more we know, the less we invent.” Translation: GPT-4.5 would hallucinate less because its vast knowledge prevents it from filling in gaps with imagination. A tempting argument, but it raises a question: how far can we enlarge a model before hitting physical or ethical limits? Between the lines, a conflict emerges. On one side, efficiency proponents like DeepSeek prove that performance is not just a matter of size. On the other, OpenAI stands firm, making raw power its banner. A risky bet, as academic benchmarks reveal weaknesses: surpassed in math by o3-mini, trailing in sciences, GPT-4.5 truly shines only in language. “Benchmarks don’t tell the whole story,” retorts Glaese. The real revolution would be elsewhere. Let’s get to the concrete things. Pro subscribers discover GPT-4.5 with promising features: web search, file analysis, image processing… but still no voice AI. Strange, considering that multimodal is supposed to be the future. The result: exchanges remain confined to text, with the hope that this so-called “natural” will finally arrive. Initial feedback? Mixed. For programming or writing, it’s smoother, more efficient. But as soon as it comes to handling specific scientific topics, the results leave one perplexed. In short, the evolution is subtle, almost imperceptible to the general public. The real question is what comes next. OpenAI assures: GPT-4.5 will be the last model without “chained reasoning.” In other words, no more need to manually choose a model: ChatGPT will automatically adapt to each request. An enticing advancement… but it raises a real question: where has the user’s freedom gone in all this? With GPT-4.5, OpenAI persists in the idea that a model that is always larger is the key to a more “human” AI, despite skyrocketing costs. But faced with lighter and equally efficient models, this race for size makes one think. Meanwhile, the tech giants are seizing the opportunity to drive Wall Street to crazy heights.

The Ethereum Foundation (EF) recently formed the “Silviculture Society,” an external advisory group tasked with upholding Ethereum’s core values. The action coincides with several significant events that have lately happened in the Ethereum ecosystem. 🚨JUST IN: @ETHEREUMFNDN FOUNDATION ANNOUNCED THE FORMATION OF THE SILVICULTURE SOCIETY, A GROUP OF EXTERNAL INDIVIDUAL WHO PROVIDE INFORMAL COUNSEL TO THE FOUNDATION AND TO SUSTAIN THE CORE VALUES OF OPEN SOURCE, PRIVACY, SECURITY AND CENSORSHIP RESISTANCE — BSCN Headlines (@BSCNheadlines) February 28, 2025 The Ethereum Foundation aims to guarantee that open source, privacy, security, and censorship resistance are maintained in a world going more and more centralized. They have thus gathered a team of professionals from many backgrounds to offer advice and direction. Along with developers, the group comprises project founders and researchers who have shown a dedication to these principles. Matthew Green, a Johns Hopkins University cryptography professor, is among this group members. Furthermore, engaged in the project is Lefteris Karapetsas, the creator of Rotki—a program safeguarding user privacy in decentralized finance. With leaders like them, the Silviculture Society is expected to be able to offer an objective viewpoint on the several EF policies going ahead. On the other hand, EF has lately also shown support for developer freedom by sponsoring Alexey Pertsev, one of the Tornado Cash developers, with a $1.25 million donation. Pertsev is presently under legal hot pursuit on the usage of the platform for cryptocurrency transactions. This action supports the Ethereum Foundation’s stance in safeguarding crypto world developer rights and user privacy. The Tornado Cash case is rather debatable. Mixing money from several sources makes the platform intended to boost transaction privacy difficult to follow. Authorities view it, meanwhile, as a possible weapon for money laundering. This reminds the crypto community that often existing rules conflict with technological innovation. Furthermore, the foundation is changing its leadership as well. Aya Miyaguchi declared her resignation from the Executive Director post on February 25, 2025, and will be moving to a new post as the President of the company. For years, Miyaguchi has been the face of the Ethereum Foundation, helping to guide several community projects. This new leadership begs the issue of whether the Ethereum Foundation will undergo significant policy change. Although a clear solution is yet unknown, many hope his new post will keep benefiting the Ethereum community. Apart from internal dynamics and outside policies, the Ethereum Foundation keeps careful management and distribution of its resources. According to our prior report , the foundation had deployed $120 million worth of ETH to several decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols, including Spark, Aave, and Compound. Using a multi-sig wallet, the Ethereum Foundation transferred 30,800 ETH—worth $81.6 million—to Aave of that total. Two stages of the transfer were completed; the main market of Aave received the largest share, 20,800 ETH valued at $55 million. Aave Prime got 10,000 ETH, or $26 million, in the meantime. This move reveals that the foundation is actively optimizing its assets in the decentralized finance ecosystem rather than only passively storing them. This could also suggest that they wish to support different initiatives or experiments they are running using DeFi lending services. Meanwhile, as of press time, ETH is trading at about $2,181.43, up 2.78% over the last 24 hours, but still in a 7-day correction of 20.16%.