hodler

7 May 2026, 18:17

Bitmine to slow down ether purchases as it nears accumulation goal, Tom Lee says

At the current pace of purchases, Lee said his Ethereum treasury giant would reach its 5% ether accumulation goal in six weeks, then shift its focus to staking and share buybacks.

7 May 2026, 17:32

Samson Mow defends Strategy selling portions of its Bitcoin treasury

The Bitcoin advocate spoke up after Michael Saylor signaled that the company might sell some BTC, a major departure from the Strategy founder's previous rhetoric.

7 May 2026, 17:28

US Treasury Demands Binance Tighten Compliance Amid Fresh Iran Sanctions Allegations

BitcoinWorld US Treasury Demands Binance Tighten Compliance Amid Fresh Iran Sanctions Allegations The U.S. Treasury Department has formally demanded that cryptocurrency exchange Binance strengthen its compliance controls following renewed allegations that Iran has used the platform to bypass American sanctions. The directive, first reported by The Information, comes as part of ongoing oversight tied to Binance’s historic $4.3 billion settlement with U.S. authorities in 2023. Background of the Allegations Earlier reports from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal alleged that Iran had leveraged Binance to evade U.S. sanctions and channel funds to designated terrorist groups. These claims have prompted the Treasury to take a more active role in verifying whether Binance is fulfilling its obligations under the 2023 agreement, which required the exchange to implement a comprehensive independent compliance monitoring system. What the Treasury Is Demanding According to sources familiar with the matter, the Treasury is now requiring Binance to block all transactions linked to Iran and to deploy stronger internal controls to prevent sanctions evasion. The demands are not a new enforcement action but rather a test of the compliance framework Binance promised to establish as part of its settlement. The Treasury is reportedly scrutinizing whether the exchange has adequately staffed its compliance team, deployed effective transaction monitoring tools, and cooperated fully with independent monitors. Why This Matters for the Crypto Industry The Treasury’s latest move signals that U.S. regulators are closely watching how major crypto platforms implement post-settlement reforms. For Binance, which has been under a court-appointed monitor since late 2023, the pressure to demonstrate genuine compliance is intense. Any failure to meet Treasury’s demands could result in additional penalties, including potential license revocations or criminal referrals. For the broader cryptocurrency sector, this case sets a precedent for how exchanges must handle sanctions screening and anti-money laundering (AML) obligations, particularly when dealing with jurisdictions under U.S. sanctions. Conclusion The Treasury’s demand is a clear message that the 2023 settlement was not the end of Binance’s regulatory challenges but the beginning of a long-term compliance oversight period. As the exchange navigates these new requirements, the outcome will likely influence how other global crypto platforms approach U.S. sanctions compliance. For now, Binance has stated publicly that it remains committed to its obligations, though the Treasury’s scrutiny suggests that trust must be earned through demonstrable action, not just promises. FAQs Q1: What exactly is the U.S. Treasury demanding from Binance? The Treasury has demanded that Binance block all transactions linked to Iran and strengthen its internal compliance controls to prevent sanctions evasion. This is part of verifying Binance’s adherence to its 2023 settlement agreement. Q2: Is this a new penalty or a continuation of the 2023 settlement? This is not a new penalty. It is a follow-up action tied to the existing 2023 settlement, where Binance agreed to a $4.3 billion fine and the implementation of an independent compliance monitoring system. The Treasury is now testing whether Binance is meeting those obligations. Q3: What happens if Binance fails to meet the Treasury’s demands? If Binance fails to comply, it could face additional penalties, including fines, license revocations, or criminal referrals. The Treasury’s scrutiny is part of a broader effort to ensure that Binance’s compliance reforms are genuine and effective. This post US Treasury Demands Binance Tighten Compliance Amid Fresh Iran Sanctions Allegations first appeared on BitcoinWorld .

7 May 2026, 17:10

South Korea locks 2027 crypto tax as traders weigh exit

The South Korean government has made a decision regarding the delayed 22% tax on profits from virtual assets. Now, the tax measures will take effect from January 1, 2027. According to a report by Edaily, the government is determined to impose taxes under the Income Tax Act’s existing provisions. Given that there are around 13.26 million crypto traders in South Korea, analysts believe this move will surely affect Asia’s most dynamic crypto market. South Korean government confirms 2027 rollout despite delays The National Tax Service has initiated the final processes towards the implementation of the tax, whose initial schedule in 2025 was postponed twice due to political differences and market unpreparedness. According to reports , with respect to the present Income Tax Act, any gains derived from the sale or borrowing of virtual currency will be considered as “other income.” The gains will be subject to a fixed income tax rate of 22%, consisting of 20% national income tax and 2% local income tax. This income tax shall only apply to those whose annual income exceeds 2.5 million Korean won ($1,800). Below this level, their gains will not be taxed under the retail trader exemption. Also, the tax policy applies to domestic transactions as well as cross-border transactions involving at least one Korean resident. The National Tax Service is stressing the need for specific guidelines on this aspect. Director Moon Kyung-ho of the income tax department in the Ministry of Economy and Finance confirmed that “We will proceed with virtual asset taxation as scheduled in January next year.” The draft notice outlining the guidelines for implementation is anticipated to be released sometime in 2026. This gives the exchange platforms and investors around 18 months to adjust accordingly. The NTS is currently working with South Korea’s five leading digital currency exchanges, including Upbit (managed by Dunamu), Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit, and Gopax. Negotiations are currently underway to develop effective tax schemes, with particular emphasis on information-sharing and withholding systems. With the 2027 deadline fast approaching, many Korean traders are already exploring foreign exchange strategies to mitigate their exposure to this tax measure. From conversations on crypto forums, it appears that many will attempt to transfer their funds to exchanges where crypto capital gains are not taxed. Previous delays in tax implementation have already led to some trading volumes exodus, demonstrating the impact taxes may have on traders. Germany signals a 2027 crypto tax overhaul While South Korea is ready to implement heavy crypto taxes, the German government is poised for a major overhaul, planning to do away with its favorable one-year tax break period beginning in 2027. According to an interview with German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil at a press conference on the national budget, the change will yield an additional €2 billion (around $2.3 billion). Under German tax law, profits realized from Bitcoin or other crypto assets held for over one year, referred to as the “Haltefrist,” are exempt from taxation. Short-term holdings of less than one year are taxed at progressive rates up to 45%, plus the solidarity surcharge. This includes profits earned from using cryptocurrencies for purposes such as staking and lending, in accordance with guidelines issued by the German Ministry of Finance in 2022 and 2025. The adoption of such changes would put Germany in a position similar to that of the United Kingdom (taxing capital gains at up to 24%). If you're reading this, you’re already ahead. Stay there with our newsletter .

7 May 2026, 16:48

Poland weighs rival crypto bills as MiCA rules face delay

Two separate draft laws will be competing to determine the future of Poland’s cryptocurrency market, arguably the largest in Central and Eastern Europe. The bitter political clash in Warsaw over how to regulate the digital-asset space continues to delay the implementation of EU rules weeks before the deadline. Polish president files alternative crypto act President of Poland Karol Nawrocki has put forward his own legislative proposal for regulating crypto transactions in the country. The draft has been filed with the Sejm, the lower house of Polish parliament, on Wednesday, local media revealed the following day. The bill submitted by the head of state is meant as an alternative to the law authored by the government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Nawrocki’s proposal is based on three main pillars, the Bitcoin.pl portal reported Thursday, citing the Chief of the Chancellery of the President, Zbigniew Bogucki. These are ensuring protection for consumers and investors, introducing effective state oversight, and securing the rights of entrepreneurs in the industry, he detailed at a press briefing. Also quoted by Money.pl, the presidential aide stressed that the bill is addressed at all those who are waiting for the regulation of Poland’s crypto market. The president’s initiative comes after he returned the government-sponsored Crypto-Asset Market Act twice in the past few months. Attempts of the liberal ruling majority to overturn his vetoes were foiled by his conservatives and nationalist allies in parliament. Karol Nawrocki’s legislative push comes amid a major political scandal in Poland centered on the collapsed exchange Zondacrypto . Thousands of customers of the Polish-rooted trading platform, one of the region’s largest, lost access to their funds in early April amid liquidity issues. Representatives of the Tusk administration blamed the crisis on opposition politicians and the head of state who sabotaged its regulatory effort. They also alleged that the Estonia-registered crypto company funded conservative political events and figures in Poland, lobbying against their bill. Tusk now wants harsher penalties for crypto fraud Meanwhile, the Polish Prime Minister announced on Tuesday that his vetoed draft law will return to the parliament as early as this week. Little has been amended in the document but it’s significant against the backdrop of the Zonda crash, which may have affected up to 30,000 Poles. The executive power is now proposing tougher punishment for platforms and persons defrauding cryptocurrency investors. Quoted by Banker.pl on Tuesday, the premier explained: “The only change I will propose in this project is to make the penalties even more severe for those who, taking advantage of people’s dreams, sometimes their naivety, sometimes their lack of knowledge, deceive them and also put the Polish state and our security at risk.” The government intends to strengthen the role of Poland’s Financial Supervision Authority (KNF), which will be able to warn investors in advance, before law enforcement intervenes. The authors of the legislation were criticized by members of the Polish crypto industry for granting excessive powers to the KNF even before the latest amendments. Overregulation and excessive burden on small firms were among the motives cited by President Nawrocki when he stopped the legislation. Its opponents say the government’s act goes far beyond the requirements of Europe’s Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) regulation, which it is supposed to introduce. Poland must transpose the MiCA standards into national law no later than July 1, 2026. To continue to operate legally, all crypto service providers must be licensed before that date. However, the president is widely expected to veto the government’s bill again, while his own proposal is also far from securing enough votes in the Sejm. Still letting the bank keep the best part? Watch our free video on being your own bank .

7 May 2026, 16:39

Treasure Global launches Ethereum treasury with $176,000 initial buy, eyes $100 million deployment

Treasure Global Inc. (NASDAQ: TGL), a Malaysia-based technology company, announced that it created an Ethereum-based Digital Asset Treasury today, May 7. It also named BitGo as its custody provider. The company plans to start with an initial deposit of approximately $176,000 in ETH. According to its press release , the company plans to use the treasury framework over time to support capital deployment of up to $100 million. However, that figure is conditional, as the release specified that deployment would be “subject to market conditions and strategic opportunities.” Who is Treasure Global, and why did they start buying Ethereum? Treasure Global runs the ZCITY Super App, a popular Malaysian platform used by over 2.7 million people for digital payments and earning rewards (as at December 2025). According to the press release, the company is not changing how it does business, and is only buying digital assets as “a complementary balance sheet strategy.” Treasure Global chose Ethereum as its first treasury asset based on the network’s role in decentralized finance, stablecoin settlement, and tokenized asset infrastructure. The company described Ethereum as “a foundational infrastructure layer in the emerging on-chain economy” in the press release. This move places TGL among a growing list of public companies investing spare capital into Ethereum. According to data from Strategic ETH Reserve , there are currently 67 entities holding 7.33 million ETH (roughly $16.03 billion) collectively, which is about 6% of the total circulating supply. How much ETH can TGL buy for $100 million? With ETH current prices around $2,185, a full $100 million treasury would give Treasure Global roughly 45,700 ETH. That amount would place TGL on the same level with projects like FG Nexus (50,770 ETH, approximately $111 million currently) and Lido DAO (39,720 ETH, around $86.9 million), according to Strategic ETH Reserve’s rankings. TGL’s proposed $100 million ETH treasury would still fall short of a top 10 spot. Source: Strategic ETH Reserve. However, TGL would still be very far from the category leaders. Bitmine Immersion Technologies currently holds 5.18 million ETH after adding 101,745 tokens in a single week, as Cryptopolitan previously reported. SharpLink Gaming also holds about 863,020 ETH. Even The Ether Machine, which is third, sits at 496,710 ETH. At $100 million, Treasure Global would control less than 1% of what Bitmine holds. Staking ETH can earn TGL a small but steady profit. For example, Bitmine stakes 84% of its ETH through the MAVAN validator network, earning annual profits of 2.91% (about $297 million in annual staking revenue) according to Cryptopolitan . If TGL did the same with its 45,700 ETH ($100 million cap), they stand to make around $2.7 million every year in extra income. That number will increase as TGL buys more assets, but it is still a fraction of what the larger holders make. BitGo is cleaning up as a custodian With Treasure Global selecting BitGo (NYSE: BTGO) as its custodian, it will gain access to institutional-grade cold storage with multi-signature security architecture. BitGo supports 186 of the top 250 digital assets by market capitalization, according to the company’s April 2026 announcement , and serves thousands of institutional clients across custody, staking, trading, and settlement. “It enhances the security, governance, and operational resilience of our digital asset holdings,” Teo said when asked about the BitGo partnership. BitGo has also been expanding its institutional footprint in recent months. In May 2026, the company was appointed as an additional custodian for Virtune, a regulated Swedish digital asset manager, providing custody for its Stablecoin Index ETP under its MiCA license from BaFin. Nonetheless, the gap between a $176,000 initial purchase and a $100 million aspiration is wide. But whether TGL scales its treasury to a level that allows it to compete on the corporate ETH leaderboard depends on how much capital it has, plus the right market conditions. Still letting the bank keep the best part? Watch our free video on being your own bank .