According to on-chain investigator ZachXBT, funds stolen in several recent crypto exchange hacks allegedly linked to North Korea’s Lazarus Group have been successfully laundered through illicit networks and small over-the-counter (OTC) brokers.

In a recent post on X, ZachXBT spoke about the growing scale of crypto-related crime and estimated that the so-called “Black U” market operating on the Tron blockchain may be worth between $5 billion and $10 billion.

However, much of it remains untraceable.

Is Crypto “Ripe For Abuse”?

He pointed to attacks on platforms such as Bybit, DMM Bitcoin, and WazirX, where stolen assets were laundered “with ease,” and added that laundering groups have “seemingly won the battle” over enforcement.

The investigator further criticized protocol teams that continue to earn fees while turning a blind eye to illicit activity, and noted that over 50% of some protocols’ usage may stem from stolen funds.

ZachXBT’s comments also reflect broader frustration over what he terms a “crime supercycle” – an era marked by minimal accountability. He cited a surge in abuse following the launch of meme coins by politicians and the dismissal of key court cases, which has allowed malicious actors to operate with little fear of repercussions.

With influencers scamming followers and courts siding with smart contract exploiters, he warns that without meaningful enforcement or public pressure, the long-term consequences for the crypto ecosystem could be severe.

“Can we fix the system if the vast majority of people still do not care unless they lose money? It’s concerning about what the long term ramifications may be even if these decisions benefit us in the short term. If you ever wanted the opportunity to extract from the industry there’s not been much of a better time. Take a chance what’s the worst thing that could happen if everyone’s already doing it?”

Lazarus Group’s Latest Trap

Lazarus Group was recently reported to have been shifting its social engineering tactics, now targeting centralized finance (CeFi) job seekers with a new malware campaign dubbed “ClickFix,” according to a recent report by cybersecurity firm Sekoia.

Unlike previous attacks on developers, this method zeroes in on non-technical professionals by impersonating major crypto firms like Coinbase and Tether. Victims are tricked into running PowerShell commands to “fix” fake webcam issues during interviews, unknowingly installing malware.

With 184 fake invitations referencing 14 companies, this strategy marks a disturbing evolution in Lazarus’s targeting and psychological manipulation techniques within the crypto sector.

TL;DR

• ADA remains the subject of bullish price predictions, with some analysts eyeing targets above $1.
• Indicators like negative exchange netflows hint at reduced selling pressure, but large recent whale sell-offs suggest a bearish scenario.

Any Chance for a Bull Run?

Cardano’s native token has tumbled by 15% in the past week, currently trading at roughly $0.60 (per CoinGecko’s data). Nonetheless, its die-hard fans and ever-bullish analysts believe a new pump is only a matter of time.

The X user Marcus Corvinus claimed ADA has been trading in a descending channel “with accumulation vibes.” According to them, holding above $0.60 could lead to a surge to $0.85, followed by a subsequent spike to $1.17. 

Rose Premium Signals suggested that the price might decrease to a key support zone that has held twice before, “forming a potential triple bottom structure – a bullish reversal pattern.” The analyst further argued that ADA has been moving within “a large falling wedge,” supposedly preceding breakouts. 

“If ADA holds this area and forms a bullish weekly candle, upside momentum could follow,” they said.

The X user outlined three targets for the near future, with the most optimistic one being a price of $1.43. The last time ADA traded that high was at the beginning of 2022. 

Observing Some Vital Indicators

ADA’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) supports the thesis of a short-term resurgence. Currently, the ratio stands at just over 30, which represents oversold conditions, signaling an incoming rally. 

The exchange netflow has been predominantly negative in the last several weeks, indicating that investors have shifted toward self-custody methods. This means reduced selling pressure, while historically, such development has sometimes been followed by a major bull run.

On the other hand, the whales’ latest actions hint at a bearish scenario. The popular X user Ali Martinez recently revealed that large investors (those holding between 1 million and 10 million ADA) have offloaded 270 million tokens in the span of a week.

Sell-offs of that type increase the selling pressure on the involved coin, as they often signal a lack of confidence. Those actions rarely go unnoticed, and retail investors and smaller holders might follow suit.

[PRESS RELEASE – London, United Kingdom, June 18th, 2025]

Launchnodes is proud to announce the release of its new Ethereum Staking UI – a major step forward for businesses, high-net-worth individuals, and institutions that want to own and operate the infrastructure they stake on. The UI greatly simplifies the process of deploying Ethereum validator nodes without the operational hassle or cost of managing beacon and execution layer clients.

Solo staking is too often caricatured as something done by hobbyists in basements. In reality, it is a serious infrastructure commitment. One that is increasingly important to institutions and individuals who want sovereignty over the assets they stake. This is not just about financial returns in a black box; staking is more akin to operating part of a payment network or a mobile network. It is active participation in Ethereum, the most important decentralized infrastructure project since the internet itself.

Staking UI Makes Solo Staking Simple

With Launchnodes’ new UI, technical and non-technical teams can now deploy mainnet validators and run nodes with minimal friction, while retaining full control and visibility over their infrastructure. The UI also automates the complex components of staking, removing the need for teams to manage or maintain separate beacon and execution layer clients. This makes non-custodial solo staking easy, scalable, and cost-effective.

“We’ve always believed that Ethereum staking should be an infrastructure decision, not just a financial one,” said Jaydeep Korde, CEO of Launchnodes. “Our new UI empowers institutions to stake ETH on infrastructure they own, operate, and understand – while also enjoying the resilience and security that come from running their own validator nodes.”

Key Features:

• Rapid Mainnet Node Deployment: Launch validators on production infrastructure with a few clicks.
• No Beacon or Execution Layer Hassles: Fully integrated backend removes the need to run and maintain Geth, Prysm, or other EL/CL clients.
• Institutional-Grade Infrastructure Ownership: Stake in infrastructure you control – essential for regulatory alignment, long-term yield strategies, and operational resilience.

As Ethereum staking matures, institutional participants are increasingly recognising that operating validators is a critical, not peripheral, part of the network, and of their Web3 strategy. Launchnodes’ UI is the bridge that makes this ownership frictionless.

About Launchnodes

Launchnodes provides high-availability Ethereum staking infrastructure and services to businesses, financial institutions, and Web3 organisations. From solo staking to validator node orchestration, Launchnodes helps organisations earn ETH rewards while contributing to the resilience and decentralisation of Ethereum.

Users can try Staking UI in Demo Mode – https://www.launchnodes.com/ethereum-staking-ui/