A French couple in their late 50s in Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt was allegedly forced at knifepoint to transfer more than €900,000 (about $1 million) in Bitcoin to attackers posing as police officers. The suspects tied up the man, injured the woman, and fled in a white van, while authorities opened an investigation into suspected kidnapping, armed robbery by an organized group, and criminal conspiracy. Wrench attacks involving physical coercion to steal crypto have become more frequent in France as Bitcoin prices climb.

OpenAI has again postponed the launch of ChatGPT's adult mode, a feature for verified adults to access erotica and other mature content, after it was first announced in October and initially targeted for a December release. The company is prioritizing upgrades to ChatGPT's intelligence, personality, and proactivity, while the feature remains scheduled for the first quarter of the year. Former product policy VP Ryan Beiermeister had raised objections to adult mode before her January dismissal, which OpenAI says was unrelated to her internal concerns.

On 2026-03-05, according to The Shib Daily, U.S. President Donald Trump accused major banks of obstructing the Senate's crypto market structure bill by opposing stablecoin yield payments under the GENIUS Act. The law would permit regulated stablecoin issuance while banning issuers from paying yield directly, leaving third-party platforms to provide returns, and the FDIC has introduced a proposed rule to guide banks in applying to run stablecoin subsidiaries. Trump urged banks not to weaken the GENIUS Act or hold up the House's CLARITY Act, arguing cooperation with the crypto industry better serves U.S. interests.

On 2026-02-24, Russian authorities opened a criminal investigation into Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, alleging he enabled terrorist activity on the messaging platform. Officials claim Telegram has been linked to over 153,000 criminal incidents in Russia since 2022, including about 33,000 serious cases tied to terrorism, sabotage, and extremism. Durov rejects the accusations, arguing in a public statement that the case is a politically driven attempt to curb privacy and free speech, and insists Telegram’s moderation practices align with industry standards.

In June 2025, OpenAI’s systems flagged and banned violent chats linked to 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, and staff debated notifying Canadian authorities but did not. After the Tumbler Ridge shooting, the company contacted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Her online activity also reportedly included a Roblox mass-shooting simulation and firearm posts on Reddit.

On 2026-02-23, ECB President Christine Lagarde was reported to be weighing an early departure ahead of France's April 2027 election, before her term ends in October 2027. The move could slow the digital euro timetable and oversight of stablecoins under MiCA, though analysts expect limited near-term market impact. An ECB spokesperson said she remains focused on her role and has not decided on the timing of her tenure.

On February 15, 2026, Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao said on X that inadequate privacy on public blockchains is constraining the use of crypto for payments. He highlighted risks such as revealing company payroll and personal activity, and industry observers argue that adoption will require solutions balancing transparency with confidentiality.

A Delaware judge has refused to dismiss a 2023 shareholder lawsuit accusing Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and board member Marc Andreessen of selling shares with nonpublic information around the 2021 direct listing. The case continues despite an internal 10‑month review that recommended dismissal and found the trades were limited and aimed at providing liquidity, with concerns instead centering on the independence of a special litigation committee member. Armstrong is alleged to have sold about $291.8 million in stock, while Andreessen, through Andreessen Horowitz, is said to have sold roughly $118.7 million.

On January 17, 2026, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong publicly disputed reports of a clash with the White House over the CLARITY Act, stating that the administration has been constructive while confirming talks on a potential yield arrangement with banks. Coinbase had earlier pulled its backing for the bill over fears it could weaken DeFi, halt tokenized stock trading, and prevent sharing stablecoin yields with users, as the Senate Banking Committee postponed the bill's markup to extend negotiations with the crypto sector.