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European regulators are said to be looking into crypto exchange OKX’s trading and self-custody offerings after revelations that North Korea’s Lazarus Group laundered funds from the $1.5 billion Bybit hack through the platform. According to a Bloomberg report on Tuesday, which cited sources familiar with the matter, the issue was discussed at the European Securities and Markets Authority’s (ESMA) Digital Finance Standing Committee meeting on March 6. The meeting included regulators from all 27 EU member states as well as officials from the ESMA and the European Banking Authority (EBA). Regulators reportedly debated whether OKX’s permissionless tools violate the European Union’s Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) regulations. MiCA, which took full effect late last year, provides exceptions for decentralized applications, but some regulators suggested that OKX’s Web3 services should be covered by the rules. If found to be breaking the rules, OKX could face significant penalties, including losing its MiCA license, which it obtained in February. OKX has denied that it is under investigation, stating on its official X (formerly Twitter) account that its non-custodial Web3 offerings are “no different” from similar services provided by other industry players. Related: FBI: North Korea’s “TraderTraitor” Gang Behind $1.5B Bybit Hack The issues surrounding OKX seem to have affected its native token, OKB, which briefly dipped below $40 before recovering to $40.71 at press time . The token has dropped 5% in the past 24 hours and fallen 15% over the last 30 days. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at 34.90, indicating that OKB is close to oversold conditions, which could signal a potential rebound. Meanwhile, the Bollinger Bands (BB) show resistance at approximately $44.75 and support near $39.27, suggesting a tight trading range in the short term. Bybit CEO Ben Zhou previously claimed that at least $100 million in assets flowed through OKX’s Web3 platforms following the February hack. Related: Bybit CEO: $1.4 Billion Crypto Hack Tracked, Majority Potentially Recoverable The Lazarus Group, a state-backed cybercrime group from North Korea, is known for its advanced money laundering methods, using multiple protocols and crypto mixers to hide fund flows. Security researchers estimate that 20% of the stolen funds have now “gone dark,” making recovery virtually impossible. Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is for informational and educational purposes only. The article does not constitute financial advice or advice of any kind. Coin Edition is not responsible for any losses incurred as a result of the utilization of content, products, or services mentioned. Readers are advised to exercise caution before taking any action related to the company.

Ben Gagnon, Bitfarms’ Chief Executive Officer, shared his thoughts on how new geopolitical challenges from the Trump administration would impact the Bitcoin mining industry. Gagnon said during a Bloomberg TV interview on March 11 that both the US and Canada have been energy-driven economies for more than 200 years. Blessed with easy access to affordable power has been a key driver of economic growth over the past two centuries. However, he explained that the ongoing trade tensions and tariffs could have downstream effects on the energy markets, which are critical for Bitcoin mining . “All of our sites are based in Quebec,” Gagnon said. “The largest sites are going to be in Quebec and Alberta, followed by British Columbia. Ontario, on the other hand, isn’t as attractive due to its weaker energy market and reduced capacity.” Despite the political tension between Washington and Ottawa showing no immediate signs of easing, Gagnon believes that greater access to electricity markets and regulatory support will be crucial for the mining sector’s long-term success. He emphasized the need for deregulation and smooth market operations to allow miners to continue expanding their businesses. Bitfarms has been busy in strengthening its market position through strategic acquisitions that allows for better geographical diversity that takes advantage of access to energy. “We’ve transitioned from being 40% based in North America with 6% in the US, to becoming 80% based in North America with 66% in the US,” Gagnon stated. “This shift opens up a world of opportunities for us, improving both the quality and cost structure of our operations.” Gagnon also explained that the shift in energy infrastructure from industrial use to Bitcoin mining is creating new growth opportunities. “For the last four or five years, Bitcoin miners have been investing in energy infrastructure that was previously used for industries like aluminum smelting. As the pendulum swings back toward North America, those assets are now in high demand,” he said. While Gagnon remains bullish on the future of the Bitcoin mining industry, he noted that current regulatory uncertainty remains an ongoing concern, although prospects are indeed improving. He noted that President Trump’s recent moves, including discussions about a strategic Bitcoin reserve, signal at the very least growing recognition of Bitcoin’s role in the economy. But, greater clarity on energy and crypto regulations are key to creating even greater opportunities for growth. “We need greater access to electricity markets and a supportive policy framework to drive long-term success,” he added.

StarkWare establishes Bitcoin reserve, expands $BTC integration on Starknet StarkWare, the developer of the Ethereum layer-2 network Starknet, has launched a Strategic Bitcoin (BTC) Reserve, aiming to allocate a growing portion of its treasury to BTC, according to The Block. While the firm has not disclosed specific acquisition plans, CEO Eli Ben-Sasson emphasized that "every blockchain company should and will hold Bitcoin."

Today, the digital asset market saw further declines due to recent economic turmoil. Over the past 24 hours, its market capitalization decreased by 1.07% to $2.79 trillion while its transaction volume dropped by 51.72% to $52.79 billion. The fear and greed index decreased to 27 from yesterday’s 28, showing anxiety in the market. The ongoing downturn is due to an interplay of global economic turmoil, new US tariffs, and bearish investor sentiment. On Friday, March 7, 2025, the market fell and investor sentiment turned bearish after news emerged that the US government won’t actively buy cryptocurrencies to be held in a strategic crypto stockpile announced early this week. The White House stated that the crypto reserve would capitalize on assets forfeited in civil and criminal cases. Daily Summary on March 9, 2025$MOVE $ENA $BCH $CRO $ADA $ETH $BTC $XRP $SOL $ADA#dailysummary #DeFi #Crypto pic.twitter.com/UOgFkYYA3B — PHOENIX – Crypto News & Analytics (@pnxgrp) March 9, 2025 How is the market performing today? Bitcoin and prominent altcoins slumped as hopes of the US crypto strategic stockpile waned, worsened by Trump’s tariff plans. Today, BTC’s value is standing at $84,450 after seeing a decline of 2.07% over the past 24 hours. Ether declined by 0.96% making its price currently trading at $2,143. XRP, BNB, and SOL are also down 4.02%, 3.09%, and 1.65% respectively. Similarly, ADA, DOGE, and TRX registered decreases of 3.80%, 5.24%, and 1.82% respectively. Top performers today Despite the significant downturn in the wider market, some assets have performed well. Movement (MOVE) emerged as the top performer in today’s crypto market, with a price surge of 47.18% over the past 24 hours. With the increase in demand for US-based crypto assets following the US crypto strategic stockpile’s announcement, MOVE’s price has garnered huge strength, making it one of the best performers. Ethena (ENA) became the second-best performer after its value rose by 29.50% over the period. ENA is doing well because investors and traders are increasingly accumulating the asset, as they have confidence in its growth potential. Bitcoin Cash (BCH) took the third position with a price increase of 28.88%. BCH is currently in a market rally. On-chain data shows the asset is in a bullish trend, with its open interest surging and transaction rate reaching higher levels. Cronos (CRO) settled on position four with a price jump of 28.38%. CRO has been in an uptrend, with its price growth of 121% recorded over the past month, fuelled by robust investor enthusiasm. Lastly, Cardano (ADA) made it to this list with a price upsurge of 25.58%. ADA has ben seeing incredible increase after Trump announced that the US crypto strategic stockpile would include ADA, SOL, XRP, ETH, and BTC.

Blockworks' @strack_ben and @caseywagnerr will be watching the White House crypto summit even more closely after Howard Lutnick's reported comments