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SEC drops suit against Helium for alleged securities violations

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has dismissed a lawsuit against Nova Labs, developer of decentralized wireless network Helium, for allegedly issuing unregistered securities, Helium stated in an April 10 blog post.

Filed in January 2025, the lawsuit was among the SEC’s final enforcement actions against a cryptocurrency developer under former Chair Gary Gensler, who stepped down from his post on Jan. 20 after US President Donald Trump took office.

The dismissal with prejudice means the blockchain developer cannot be charged with similar violations again for issuing in 2019 its native token Helium (HNT), the company said.

“[W]e can now definitively say that all compatible Helium Hotspots and the distribution of HNT, IOT, and MOBILE tokens through the Helium Network are not securities,” Helium said.

“[T]he outcome establishes that selling hardware and distributing tokens for network growth does not automatically make them securities

HashKey receives Hong Kong approval to offer crypto staking services

Cryptocurrency exchange HashKey has received approval from Hong Kong regulators to offer staking services, potentially broadening the institutional appeal of proof-of-stake investments such as the spot Ether exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

HashKey was granted approval on April 10 after the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) provided regulatory guidance on staking services to Licensed Virtual Asset Trading Platforms (VATPs) and authorized funds, the company disclosed on social media.

HashKey said it had become “one of the first” regulated Hong Kong exchanges to offer staking services.

Source: HashKey Group

The approval was granted after the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) recognized the potential benefits of crypto staking services, the SFC said.

CSRC “is aware of the potential benefits of staking in enhancing the security of blockchain networks and allowing investors to earn returns from virtual assets in a regulated market environment,” the SFC said, according to a translated version of the

North Carolina lawmaker introduces Digital Asset Freedom Act

North Carolina (NC) representative Neal Jackson introduced the North Carolina Digital Asset Freedom Act on April 10. The bill proposes that qualifying “digital assets” be accepted as a legally recognized form of payment and for taxes.

Although the language of the bill does not specifically mention Bitcoin (BTC), there are several provisions laid out that make BTC uniquely qualified under the bill’s definition of a “digital asset.”

These stipulations include a minimum market capitalization of $750 billion and a daily trading volume of over $10 billion, a market history of 10 years or more, proven censorship resistance, proof-of-work consensus, lack of a central authority, 99.98% or more network uptime, and a maximum supply cap. The bill read:

“The General Assembly further finds that decentralized digital assets, which are not governed by any central

Tariffs, capital controls could fragment blockchain networks — Execs

Escalating geopolitical tensions threaten to balkanize blockchain networks and restrict users’ access, crypto executives told Cointelegraph.

On April 9, US President Donald Trump announced a pause in the rollout of tariffs imposed on certain countries — but the prospect of a global trade war still looms, especially because Trump still wants to charge a 125% levy on Chinese imports.

Industry executives said they fear a litany of potential consequences if tensions worsen, including disruptions to blockchain networks’ physical infrastructure, regulatory fragmentation, and censorship.

“Aggressive tariffs and retaliatory trade policies could create obstacles for node operators, validators, and other core participants in blockchain networks,” Nicholas Roberts-Huntley, CEO of Concrete & Glow Finance, told Cointelegraph.

“In moments of global uncertainty, the infrastructure supporting crypto, not just the assets themselves, can become collateral damage.”

According to data from CoinMarketCap, cryptocurrency’s total market capitalization dropped approximately 4% on April 10 as traders weighed

Bitcoin traders’ sentiment shift points to next step in BTC halving cycle

Bitcoin’s (BTC) four-year cycle, anchored around its halving events, is widely recognized as a key factor in BTC’s year-over-year price growth. Within this larger framework, traders have come to expect distinct phases: accumulation, parabolic rallies, and eventual crashes.

Throughout the four-year period, shorter-duration cycles also emerge, often driven by shifts in market sentiment and the behavior of long- and short-term holders. These cycles, shaped by the psychological patterns of market participants, can provide insights into Bitcoin’s next moves.

Bitcoin whales eat as markets retreat

Long-term Bitcoin holders — those holding for three to five years — are often considered the most seasoned participants. Typically wealthier and more experienced, they can weather extended bear markets and tend to sell near local tops.

According to recent data from Glassnode, long-term holders distributed over 2 million BTC in two distinct waves

Spot Bitcoin ETFs see $772M outflow as investors prepare for tariff-driven inflation

Bitcoin (BTC) spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) faced significant pressure amid uncertainty caused by the ongoing global trade war. Between March 28 and April 8, these ETFs experienced net outflows totaling $595 million, according to Farside Investors data. Notably, even after most US import tariffs were temporarily lifted on April 9, the funds still recorded an additional $127 million in net outflows.

This situation has left traders questioning the reasons behind the continued outflows and why Bitcoin’s rally to $82,000 on April 9 failed to boost confidence among ETF investors.

Spot Bitcoin ETF net flows. Source: Farside Investors

Corporate credit risk could be driving investors away from BTC

One factor contributing to diminished interest is the rising likelihood of an economic recession. “What you can clearly observe is that liquidity on the credit side has dried up,” Lazard Asset Management global fixed income co-head Michael

Jack Dorsey's Block fined $40M for alleged crypto compliance, AML failures

Digital payments company Block Inc. has reached a $40 million settlement with New York regulators over alleged compliance misconducts tied to its Cash App platform, Bloomberg reported on April 10.

Block was fined by the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) following an investigation into Cash App’s Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and cryptocurrency compliance operations, Bloomberg said after reviewing the government agency’s consent order.

NYDFS determined that Block allegedly violated consumer protection laws and didn’t conduct proper due diligence on its customers. The company was allegedly too slow in reporting suspicious transactions to regulators and failed to adequately screen so-called “high-risk” Bitcoin (BTC) transactions.

Block confirmed that it had worked with NYDFS to “resolve the matter principally related to Cash App’s past compliance program.” However, it did not admit to any wrongdoing, according to Bloomberg.

Block, which was founded by internet entrepreneur and Bitcoin

Atomic, Exodus wallets targeted in new cybersecurity exploit

Users of the Atomic and Exodus wallets are being targeted by threat actors uploading malicious software packages to online coding repositories to steal crypto private keys in the latest cybersecurity threat identified by security professionals.

According to cybersecurity researchers at ReversingLabs, the exploit works by hiding malicious code in seemingly legitimate npm software packages, which are pre-built bundles of code widely used by software developers.

These malicious software packages target locally installed Atomic Wallet and Exodus Wallet files by installing a patch that overwrites the files to compromise the user interface and fool the unsuspecting victim into sending crypto to scam addresses.

Software supply chain attacks are an emerging threat vector targeting crypto holders as the industry continues to play a cat-and-mouse game with hackers attempting to steal user funds using increasingly sophisticated methods to avoid detection.

The malicious code contained in the pdf-to-office

Ether ETF staking could come as soon as May — Bloomberg analyst

Ether exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the United States may be able to start staking a portion of their tokens as soon as May, according to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst James Seyffart.

On April 9, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) authorized exchanges to begin listing options contracts tied to spot Ether (ETH) ETFs after greenlighting Bitcoin (BTC) ETF options in September. However, issuers are still waiting for the regulator to allow Ether ETFs to offer staking after filing numerous requests for permission earlier this year.

Source: James Seyffart

The approval of options contracts could represent a key step toward regulatory approval for staking services in the United States. Bloomberg Intelligence analyst James Seyffart said on April 9 that clearance for staking on ETH

Meanwhile raises $40M to bring BTC life insurance to inflation-prone economies

Crypto startup Meanwhile has raised $40 million to scale its Bitcoin-denominated life insurance business, targeting so-called “inflation-prone economies” where policyholders may seek alternatives to traditional fiat-based payouts.

The Series A investment round was led by Framework Ventures and Fulgur Ventures, with additional participation from Xapo founder Wences Casares, the company disclosed on April 10.

Meanwhile previously secured $20.5 million in seed funding backed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and others.

Source: Meanwhilelife

Regulated by the Bermuda Monetary Authority, Meanwhile offers a whole life insurance policy denominated in Bitcoin (BTC), giving policyholders the ability to safeguard the value of their life insurance against currency debasement.

Policyholders can access the value of their life insurance anytime through loans and tax-free partial withdrawals.

Meanwhile co-founder Zac Townsend told Fortune that the company’s life insurance policies operate similarly to typical life insurance policies, but