A Seoul Administrative Court ruling on April 25, 2025 temporarily stopped South Korea's FIU from enforcing penalties against Coinone, including a 5.2 billion won fine and a three month partial business ban set to start April 29. The suspension remains in place until May 29 while the court reviews the case.

Block Inc., the Jack Dorsey-led company behind Square and Cash App, said it held 28,355 bitcoin worth about $2.2 billion as of the first quarter, according to a proof-of-reserves report released Monday. The company said 19,357 bitcoin (about $1.5 billion) were held on behalf of customers, while 8,997 bitcoin (about $692.3 million) sat in corporate treasury. Block added that third-party audit firms confirmed the figures. "People shouldn't have to trust that their Bitcoin exists—they should be able to verify its authenticity," the company said, noting that anyone can independently validate the holdings using on-chain signatures and that the reserves are "actively controlled, not just historically observed." With just under 9,000 bitcoin on its own balance sheet, Block ranks 14th among corporate bitcoin holders, sitting just behind Trump Media, according to BitcoinTreasuries.net. Proof-of-reserves reporting gained traction after FTX collapsed in November 2022, as exchanges and financial institutions leaned on the practice to rebuild confidence through greater transparency. The approach remains contested. In May 2025, Michael Saylor, executive chairman of the largest corporate bitcoin holder, said he opposes current proof-of-reserves practices, arguing that publishing wallet addresses can expose transaction history and weaken security for issuers, custodians, exchanges, and investors. He also said the disclosures amount to asset proof rather than liability proof. Block is scheduled to report first-quarter earnings on May 7. The company posted net income of $115.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2025, down from $1.9 billion a year earlier.

Fourteen DeFi protocols have now pledged more than $161 million in ETH to DeFi United's effort to restore rsETH backing following the April 18 exploit. Compound is the latest to join, proposing a contribution of 1,900 to 3,000 ETH—worth up to $6.9 million—subject to a community governance vote. Compound said on April 28 that its proposal seeks preliminary approval from the community, with the exact amount within the 1,900–3,000 ETH range to be set later by the Compound Governance Working Group in coordination with Gauntlet, security service providers, and the Compound Foundation. DeFi United's technical plan targets the recovery of about 16,776 ETH from exploiter-related positions on Compound, alongside a separate 13,000 ETH recovery effort on Aave. The proposal outlines conditions for releasing funds, including full restoration of rsETH collateral, equal treatment of all affected parties, and a clear execution plan with transparent updates to governance. Roughly 1,857 ETH of Compound's potential commitment would be contingent on successfully recovering the attacker's active position. The DAO would retain the option to reduce or withdraw support if the conditions are not met. Compound's move adds to one of the largest coordinated recovery efforts in DeFi history. Consensys and Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin have committed 30,000 ETH, which Lubin described as "a broad, coordinated response to protect users." Aave has pledged 25,000 ETH, with founder Stani Kulechov adding a personal commitment of 5,000 ETH. Mantle provided a 30,000 ETH credit facility, while Lido committed up to 2,500 stETH. The Avalanche Foundation, another backer, said the episode amounts to a public stress test for DeFi—one it argued is unfolding "with transparent books and real accountability." Governance votes remain pending across several participating protocols.

Israel's Capital Market Authority has approved the launch of a shekel-backed stablecoin issued by Bits of Gold, a licensed domestic crypto operator, the company said in a LinkedIn post. The token, branded BILS, is fully reserved and pegged 1:1 to the Israeli new shekel, and will run on the Solana blockchain following a multi-year regulatory pilot. BILS is described as the Middle East's first government-approved, fiat-backed stablecoin. The project was developed with support from Fireblocks, with auditing by EY. Bits of Gold said the stablecoin is designed for real-time payments, on-chain trading and programmable finance, giving users local-currency exposure rather than relying on dollar-pegged tokens. CoinGecko data shows the global stablecoin market has grown beyond $316 billion in total capitalization, with more than 99% tied to the U.S. dollar. USDT and USDC account for the bulk of activity, effectively making stablecoins a dollar monoculture. Regulators will limit BILS' initial rollout to a predetermined scale, with institutional and other qualified participants expected to be prioritized. The Capital Market Authority also set stringent requirements covering technology risk management, information security, business continuity and ongoing reporting. Israel's regulators are also preparing a broader Stablecoin Law, expected to be released for public comment soon, to formalize the regulatory framework for digital currency issuance. The Bank of Israel has been exploring a central bank digital currency, but a decision is not expected before 2026 at the earliest. BILS is positioned as a private-sector product operating under government supervision. Israel's stance on crypto has shifted from skepticism to more cautious engagement. The country's strong base in cybersecurity and blockchain development is often attributed to its tech-centric economy and mandatory military service that channels talent through intelligence units such as 8200. Bits of Gold said BILS would allow users to hold a digital shekel in a private wallet, transfer shekels instantly at any hour, and trade digital assets against the shekel around the clock.

Patrick Witt, the White House's top crypto adviser, told attendees at Bitcoin 2026 in Las Vegas that the Trump administration expects to announce a significant update to the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve in the coming weeks. Witt, executive director of the President's Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, said his team has made progress on the legal framework supporting the reserve and aims to move before new legislation is introduced on Capitol Hill. The U.S. government currently holds about 328,372 BTC—valued near $25 billion at recent prices—making it the largest known sovereign holder of Bitcoin and accounting for roughly 1.56% of circulating supply. The holdings were accumulated primarily through criminal forfeitures and law-enforcement seizures rather than market purchases. An executive order issued by Trump in March 2025 instructed federal agencies to consolidate those bitcoins into the reserve and prohibited future Treasury sales. Witt said the executive order alone does not provide a lasting guarantee: without congressional action, the no-sale stance remains a policy choice of the current administration rather than a permanent statutory protection. Over the past year, federal departments have been cataloging and pooling bitcoin from multiple forfeiture channels into a unified custody structure. Witt indicated that this internal consolidation effort has set the stage for the forthcoming announcement. Witt, who assumed the role after Bo Hines left the Crypto Council, did not provide details, describing the next step as substantive rather than merely procedural. In Washington, lawmakers are expected to view the late-2026 National Defense Authorization Act markup as a plausible path to codify the reserve. If reserve language survives that process, the bitcoin could become a permanent national asset backed by statute—a development some analysts associate with potential upside for BTC. Markets are watching whether the announcement points to new acquisition approaches, changes in custody arrangements, or clearer accounting. Witt's comments suggest the administration may be preparing to move beyond legal interpretation and toward concrete implementation. Any proposed framework is expected to face scrutiny from crypto czar David Sacks and lawmakers monitoring Senate activity on reserve infrastructure. The coming weeks will test whether the executive branch can translate custody mechanics into a durable federal Bitcoin policy.

Jack Dorsey's fintech firm Block reported holding 28,355 BTC, valued at roughly $2.2 billion, in its latest third-party audited proof-of-reserves filing. The company said 19,357 BTC are held on behalf of customers, while 8,997 BTC sit in its corporate treasury, currently valued at $692.3 million. The disclosure ranks Block as the world's 14th-largest corporate Bitcoin holder, just behind Trump Media based on recent corporate treasury standings.

ChainCatcher reports that Arkham data shows Bitmine has newly staked about $214 million in ETH. Bitmine's total staked ETH holdings are valued at roughly $8.45 billion, representing 9.5% of all ETH staked on the network.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said he will vote against the CLARITY Act unless the Senate adds explicit ethics language addressing President Donald Trump's crypto ties, creating a new hurdle for the bipartisan support Republicans need to advance the legislation. Tillis, a senior member of the Senate Banking Committee and a participant in the negotiations, said the bill must include an ethics provision before it leaves the Senate. Without it, he would shift from helping negotiate the package to opposing it, according to reports. The dispute is focused on the Trump family's expanding crypto footprint, estimated to exceed $1 billion. The portfolio includes World Liberty Financial, a stablecoin known as USD1, a Trump-branded memecoin, and broader digital-asset ambitions tied to Trump Media and Technology Group. Democrats argue that passing light-touch crypto rules while the president's family profits from the sector presents a clear conflict of interest. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), who has indicated general support for the CLARITY Act, said there will be no final bill absent a bipartisan agreement on ethics provisions. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), who is leading Democratic negotiations alongside Gallego, said talks are moving again after months of stalemate, with gaps narrowing. Democrats are pushing for a prohibition on federal employees, including the president, sponsoring, endorsing, or issuing digital assets. On the Republican side, negotiations are being handled by Sens. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) and Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), working with White House crypto adviser Patrick Witt. Adding ethics language may prove procedurally difficult. The Senate Banking Committee, which has jurisdiction over the bill, does not directly control Senate ethics rules, meaning any such provisions may need to be attached through a separate mechanism before a full Senate vote. With midterm elections approaching and time on the legislative calendar tightening, Tillis's stance raises the pressure on the White House to accept stronger ethics constraints if it wants to keep the bill on track ahead of an expected May markup. Disclaimer: This content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Coin Edition is not responsible for any losses resulting from the use of referenced content, products, or services. Readers should exercise caution before taking action related to any company.

ChainCatcher reports that Bitcoin slipped below $77,000 as U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs posted a net outflow of $263.2 million, ending a nine-day run of net inflows. The shift comes just ahead of this week's Federal Reserve FOMC meeting, injecting caution into an April rebound that has otherwise held up well. Bitcoin fell on the day but is still up about 15% over the past month, after briefly touching $79,000 in April. The break in ETF inflow momentum is drawing attention as it lands during a macro-heavy week, with markets weighing the Fed's policy outlook, fresh inflation worries, GDP data, earnings from major tech firms, and additional rate decisions from central banks across Europe and Asia. Timothy Misir, BRN's Head of Research, said crypto entered the week with supportive momentum, but competing forces make it hard to frame the move as a straightforward risk-on rally. He added that investors appear to be showing "war fatigue" over the Middle East, while central banks are balancing supply-driven inflation against weakening confidence and uneven data. Glassnode echoed the mixed backdrop in its latest Weekly Pulse report, describing Bitcoin as sitting at the intersection of "bullish momentum, cautious sentiment, and consolidation." It said solid buying pressure is being offset by softer speculative participation and lower trading activity. QCP Capital noted that April still delivered a meaningful rebound and said the broader outlook remains constructive. The firm highlighted $82,000 as a key level, with a nearby CME gap seen as the next major test. Andy Baehr, Managing Director of Asset Management at GSR, said prices are "gradually moving higher," while $80,000 remains an important psychological threshold.