The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has taken legal action against a London-based man, charging him with illegally operating a network of unregistered crypto ATMs. This marks the first case of its kind in the UK, as authorities continue to crack down on unlawful crypto-related activities.

The latest version of RoboSats, v0.7.0-alpha, has been officially released, introducing several new features and improvements. RoboSats is an open-source, privacy-focused, peer-to-peer (P2P) Bitcoin exchange that facilitates anonymous trading via the Lightning Network. The release brings significant advancements in the platform’s functionality, alongside critical bug fixes and updates.

Australia’s government is poised to invoke provisions of the controversial Assistance and Access Act of 2018, potentially forcing technology companies to break their own encryption in order to aid law enforcement and national security investigations. The law, which has drawn criticism for its potential impact on privacy and cybersecurity, grants the government broad powers to compel companies to assist in accessing encrypted data.

Bitcoin’s network has achieved a new milestone, with its seven-day average hashrate reaching 700 exahashes per second (EH/s). This record-breaking figure represents a big increase from the previous high of 677 EH/s, which was surpassed late last week and continued to climb over the weekend.

A subsidiary of Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) is exploring an innovative solution to prevent renewable energy waste while generating additional revenue—by mining Bitcoin. Agile Energy X Inc., the subsidiary in question, is conducting trials using surplus green energy, such as solar and wind power, to power Bitcoin mining operations.

The Mercury Layer, a Layer 2 protocol for Bitcoin designed to facilitate self-custodial transfer of coins without requiring on-chain transactions, has released an important update. Version 0.2.0 addresses vulnerabilities in backup transactions that could have been exploited by malicious actors to bypass verification checks.

Fountain, a popular podcasting platform, has rolled out its latest update, version 1.1.2, for both iOS and Android users. This update brings a series of bug fixes and optimizations, further refining the app's recent integration with Nostr, a decentralized social media protocol.

On September 7, 2021, El Salvador made global headlines as it became the first country to officially adopt Bitcoin as legal tender, alongside the U.S. dollar. Initiated by President Nayib Bukele’s government, this move was aimed at promoting financial inclusion, fostering economic growth, and facilitating more efficient remittance payments for millions of Salvadorans.

Binance CEO Richard Teng has confirmed that Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the founder of Binance, is subject to a lifetime ban from managing or operating the cryptocurrency exchange. This revelation, reported by Axios on September 5, 2024, has clarified that the restriction is permanent, not limited to the previously reported three years.

A discussion on Stacker News delved into the distinction between two key terms frequently associated with Bitcoin: permissionless and censorship resistant. While these terms are often used interchangeably, especially when discussing Bitcoin's decentralized nature, the conversation revealed subtle but important differences.

The BTCPay Server Foundation is pleased to announce its latest supporter, Unbank. Unbank has been a user of BTCPay Server technology for over two years, leveraging it to facilitate off-ramps for individuals in the United States. Their service enables cardless cash withdrawals from a network of 23,000 ATMs, providing a valuable alternative for those without traditional bank accounts.

Applied Digital, a data centre operator specializing in bitcoin mining and high-performance computing (HPC), has successfully secured $160 million in a private placement financing deal. This investment, backed by chip-making giant NVIDIA and other institutional investors, marks a significant step in the company’s expansion plans.

Talks before the Fifth Circuit have brought new scrutiny to the U.S. Treasury Department’s classification of Tornado Cash as a sanctionable entity. The legal debate centres on the sanctions imposed on the privacy-focused cryptocurrency tool.

María Corina Machado, a prominent Venezuelan opposition leader, unveiled a ground-breaking proposal: integrating Bitcoin into Venezuela's national treasury. This proposal comes amidst Venezuela's severe economic crisis, characterized by extreme hyperinflation and a dramatically devalued Bolívar.

In a recent post, Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, detailed his surprising encounter with French authorities, who questioned him for four days after his arrival in Paris. The incident occurred after the French government suggested that Durov could be held personally accountable for illegal activities conducted through Telegram. This sparked a conversation about the platform’s relationship with law enforcement and the ongoing global debate around privacy and security.

Geyser Fund is a Bitcoin-powered crowdfunding platform that allows creators, educators, and activists to raise funds for various causes and projects within the Bitcoin community. It provides a transparent, decentralized, and censorship-resistant way to support grassroots initiatives, leveraging Bitcoin’s open and borderless financial system. Projects on Geyser Fund can range from humanitarian efforts to education, technology, and community development, all aimed at promoting Bitcoin adoption and innovation. Supporters donate using Bitcoin, fostering a global network of independent, community-driven fundraising.

Sergey Bezdelov, president of the Industrial Mining Association, revealed that Russian industrial miners produced a total of 54,000 Bitcoin (BTC) throughout 2023. Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Bezdelov also discussed the significant tax revenue expected to flow into the Russian Treasury as a result of the booming Bitcoin mining industry.

Hungary’s Council Presidency is expected to push forward a controversial proposal for mass surveillance of private messenger chats within the European Union (EU), just months after the draft law was removed from the agenda due to widespread protests. The proposal, often referred to as "chat control," aims to implement large-scale, automated screening of private communications, including encrypted chats, to detect illegal content such as photos and videos.

The Bitcoin network has achieved a new all-time high (ATH) in its hashrate, surpassing 746 exahashes per second (EH/s). This significant milestone demonstrates continued network growth and improved security fundamentals, even as Bitcoin prices have recently dropped below $60,000.

A high hashrate reflects the computational power used to process transactions and mine new Bitcoin blocks. Despite a 10% decline in Bitcoin's price over the past week, the network's hashrate continues to climb, highlighting a notable disconnect between short-term market movements and Bitcoin’s long-term infrastructure health.

Strike, a prominent Bitcoin payments platform, has announced its support for BOLT 12 Offers, marking a significant step forward for Bitcoin privacy and user-friendly transactions. BOLT 12 is a cutting-edge protocol on the Bitcoin Lightning Network designed to improve the way users send and receive payments with enhanced privacy and flexibility. In a blog post, Tom Kirkpatrick from Strike outlined the company’s integration of this new feature and what it means for the future of Bitcoin payments.