Cryptocurrency
Ripple CLO Criticizes US Regulators for Using Crypto as Scapegoat in Money Laundering Scandals

Ripple Labs’ Chief Legal Officer, Stuart Alderoty, has slammed U.S. regulators for unfairly targeting the cryptocurrency industry in money laundering investigations while allowing traditional banks to slip under the radar.
In a recent X post, Alderoty pointed to the New York Federal Reserve’s reported role in enabling large-scale illicit transfers, including those tied to terrorist groups, as evidence that crypto is not the primary culprit.
Iraqi Banks Reportedly Used Fed System to Launder Money
His criticism follows a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) story that exposed significant gaps in the New York Fed’s anti-money laundering measures.
The article revealed that over several years, some Iraqi financial institutions, including those owned by a banker named Ali Ghulam, illegally moved billions of dollars using the Fed system. Some of the money is suspected to have been channeled to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard as well as several militia groups linked to it.
While U.S authorities have moved to block the offending banks, the WSJ report claimed the Fed only acted after more than a decade of negligence, even after receiving warnings from the Pentagon about the illicit financial activities.
With such cases as proof, Alderoty argued that agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the U.S. Federal Reserve have unfairly scapegoated crypto while turning a blind eye to much larger infractions in the traditional banking sector.
Less Than 1% of Crypto Transactions Linked to Illegal Activities
His concerns echo those of other crypto advocates, such as pro-XRP lawyer John Deaton, who previously shared striking statistics showing that less than 1% of crypto transactions are tied to illicit activities. In comparison, between $800 billion and $2 trillion is reportedly laundered annually through the traditional financial system, according to data from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.
The Republican candidate for the Massachusetts senatorial seat also pointed to reports that major banks, such as HSBC, JPMorgan, and Bank of America, have been involved in laundering millions for drug cartels and other illegal operations.
Despite such information, the focus of U.S. regulators remains on crypto, with the authorities going as far as blaming last year’s bank failures on digital assets in a move labeled Operation Choke Point 2.0.
In a past interview with Bloomberg, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse shared those sentiments, stating that the U.S. government’s antagonism towards crypto has had a damaging effect on the industry’s growth.
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Cryptocurrency
Bitcoin Price Analysis: Is BTC Out of the Woods After 8% Correction?

Bitcoin has faced notable selling pressure at the $111K range, leading to a bearish rejection. Nevertheless, the price lacks sufficient bullish momentum and a deeper correction seems plausible in the mid-term.
Technical Analysis
The Daily Chart
Following its breakout above the previous all-time high at $109K and printing a new peak at $111K, Bitcoin met strong resistance that has sparked notable selling pressure. The failure to sustain momentum above this key psychological level has resulted in a bearish rejection, pushing the asset back below the $109K threshold.
This price action coincided with the sweep of buy-side liquidity resting above the previous swing high, allowing smart money to execute sell orders efficiently. As a result, the market has entered a corrective phase, now approaching the daily fair value gap (FVG) between $97K and $100K. This zone likely holds substantial demand, potentially acting as a support zone that could trigger a bullish reaction.
Should the price stabilize within this FVG, a rebound toward the $111K resistance becomes likely. Conversely, failure to hold this level could pave the way for further downside, with the next key support residing near the $95K region.
The 4-Hour Chart
On the 4-hour timeframe, intensified selling pressure at the $111K resistance has caused BTC to break below its previously maintained ascending price channel. The subsequent pullback toward the broken channel boundary near $108K has confirmed the bearish breakout and suggests weakening momentum.
Currently, the price is consolidating within a critical support-resistance band spanning from $100K to $108K. As long as Bitcoin remains within this range, short-term volatility is expected. However, a decisive breakout, either above $108K or below $100K, will likely set the tone for the next significant move, with either a bullish recovery or an extended correction unfolding based on the breakout direction.
On-chain Analysis
The Realized Price of mid-term holders has consistently functioned as a pivotal support or resistance zone, making it a valuable indicator for gauging broader market sentiment. This metric, representing the average on-chain acquisition cost of UTXOs held by long-term investors, often aligns with key turning points in Bitcoin’s price cycle.
Currently, Bitcoin remains positioned above the Realized Price of the 3–6 month holder cohort, a signal that this group remains in profit and has not faced significant stress. However, recent selling pressure and a rejection from the $111K level have dragged the price closer to the Realized Price of the 3–6 month holder range, which resides around the $98K zone.
This places the $98K–$100K area in the spotlight as a crucial support region. A firm reaction from this zone would confirm continued confidence from mid-term holders and may act as the launchpad for a renewed bullish leg, potentially propelling Bitcoin to fresh all-time highs. Failure to hold this support, however, could shift market sentiment and open the door to deeper corrections.
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Disclaimer: Information found on CryptoPotato is those of writers quoted. It does not represent the opinions of CryptoPotato on whether to buy, sell, or hold any investments. You are advised to conduct your own research before making any investment decisions. Use provided information at your own risk. See Disclaimer for more information.
Cryptocurrency charts by TradingView.
Cryptocurrency
$200M Crypto Scam: OFAC Sanctions Funnull as Experts Find Ties to Huione Pay, Triad Nexus

The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Funnull Technology Inc., a technology firm headquartered in the Philippines, and its administrator, Liu Lizhi.
The company has been implicated in running a “pig butchering” scam.
$200M Scam Uncovered
According to the official press release, Funnull has stolen over $200 million from American investors. OFAC has also placed two of Funnull’s cryptocurrency addresses on its Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List to restrict their access to financial systems.
In response, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) issued a public advisory, outlining key technical indicators, such as infrastructure components and IP addresses tied to Funnull’s scam operations.
Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Michael Faulkender, in an official statement, said
“Today’s action underscores our focus on disrupting the criminal enterprises, like Funnull, that enable these cyber scams and deprive Americans of their hard-earned savings. The United States is strongly committed to ensuring the continued growth of a legitimate, safe, and secure digital asset ecosystem, including the use of virtual currencies and similar technologies.”
Connection to Triad Nexus and Huione Pay
According to the findings by blockchain intelligence Chainalysis, Funnull Technology Inc. enabled cybercriminals by purchasing IP addresses in bulk from major cloud service providers and selling them to operators of fraudulent investment platforms. This infrastructure allowed scammers to host malicious websites that mimicked legitimate investment platforms, thereby deceiving victims into investing in non-existent opportunities.
Funnull was a central player in a network dubbed by security researchers as “Triad Nexus,” which includes more than 200,000 unique hostnames, many of which are associated with investment scams, fake trading apps, and suspect gambling networks. OFAC identified two crypto addresses linked to Funnull Technology Inc., used for receiving cybercriminal payments.
These addresses are tied to scam-related infrastructure and show connections to Huione Pay, which was recently flagged by FinCEN as a major money laundering concern.
Further investigation by blockchain security firm Elliptic revealed that the two addresses in question received more than $4 million in total.
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Cryptocurrency
Bitcoin to $150K or Back to $92K? Traders Divided as Market Cools Off

Bitcoin (BTC) smashed a fresh all-time high (ATH) of $111,814 on May 22, but the party may be over, at least for now.
After rallying by more than $15,000 over the month, the king crypto has shed $9,000 in the last week alone, slipping to the $103,000 level, putting traders on edge and sparking new debate: Is this a healthy cooldown or the start of a deeper plunge?
Technical Red Flags Flashing
Volatility is back with a vengeance. In the last 24 hours, BTC has swung between $103,300 and $105,000, reflecting growing market uncertainty. Zooming out, it’s still up 9.1% in the last 30 days and 52.1% over the past year, but the momentum seems to be fading.
According to data shared by analyst Axel Adler Jr., Bitcoin just triggered four consecutive sell signals on CryptoQuant’s Net UTXO Supply ratio. “This is a typical pattern for an overheated market phase, where profit-taking occurs and demand begins to lag supply,” he warned, highlighting the red flag that often comes before short-term tops.
Further, the market watcher pointed to two possible scenarios for the asset: a sideways purgatory, with BTC drifting sideways between $95,000 and $105,000 for weeks, or a mid pullback that could see it plunge toward $92,000 in a bid to “relieve overbought conditions.”
Betting Big on Bitcoin
However, others are more optimistic, or delusional, depending on who you ask. According to BetIdeas in an email to CryptoPotato, there’s an 80% chance of BTC hitting $120,000 in 2025, and a 40% shot at $150,000.
“The volatile nature of crypto is what will always grab the headlines but with the upwards trend in May with Bitcoin being increasingly positive, it looks as though a big run for Bitcoin holders is coming,” wrote spokesman Steve McQuillan.
He stated that traders on the platform had placed a 22% chance on a run toward $200,000 before the end of the year.
Meanwhile, popular analyst Daan Crypto Trades has pointed to the zone between $97,000 and $99,000 as a key level to watch for a potential bounce, citing Fibonacci retracement levels and the 200-day moving average.
Elsewhere, Michaël van de Poppe doesn’t seem too fazed by the current goings on in the market, terming it “consolidation and correction,” which, in his opinion, is “very healthy and normal.”
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