A prominent fraud prevention service says international crime groups are spreading malware designed to steal victims’ banking information.

The London-based Credit Industry Fraud Avoidance System (CIFAS) says it is witnessing a surge in Android malware attacks targeting banking apps.

CIFAS says that while the malware targets Android users, other mobile platforms are not immune to attacks, noting that the malicious software may have hit 200,000 victims in just six months.

“These malicious apps often look like legitimate tools – such as file managers, PDF readers, phone cleaners, or even browsers like Google Chrome. Once installed, they can appear harmless but later activate harmful features through hidden updates.

Key techniques criminals use include:

Overlaying fake login screens on top of real banking apps to steal login credentials.

Displaying deceptive ‘busy’ or ‘waiting’ screens to mask fraudulent activity.

Preventing users from exiting the app or restarting their device.

Requesting excessive permissions, especially ‘accessibility’ access.”

According to CIFAS, users should be on the lookout for signs that their phones are infected with malware, including prompts to reauthenticate during a banking session, “busy” messages from banking apps, unexpected notifications to update or install Google Chrome and prompts to grant unusual permissions, particularly accessibility access.

Says CIFAS CEO Mike Haley,

“The surge in Android malware is not just a tech issue – it’s a growing threat to consumers and to banking services we all rely on. Criminals are evolving their tactics faster than ever, using deception and stealth to bypass traditional security measures.

The best defence is awareness. If something feels off – an unexpected update, a strange app request – stop before you tap and always seek a second opinion. Education and vigilance are our frontline tools in the fight against fraud.”

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Andy Walker / Android Authority

Google Keep

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Google Tasks

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With Google Tasks, you get none of that.

YouTube Music

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Google Wallpapers

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Pixel 8 Pro

The selection of wallpapers is limited.

The chief executive of exchange-traded fund (ETF) provider VanEck is predicting that “super apps” will challenge traditional finance’s payments system.

In a new interview with CNBC Television, VanEck CEO Jan Van Eck says that apps that offer support for stablecoins will soon begin to put pressure on traditional methods of payments.

According to Van Eck, since stablecoins skip out on intermediaries such as Visa and Mastercard that charge about 3% in fees for payments, the super apps could serve as viable alternatives.

“I definitely think that this will put cost pressure on the payments system because it is cheaper and allows all these competitors to come into the market, whether it’s a Kraken, whether it’s a Robinhood, whether it’s an X, there are going to be a lot of super apps.”

On Friday, President Trump signed into law the GENIUS Act, which establishes a stringent regulatory framework for firms issuing payment stablecoins.

Van Eck goes on to note that while the stablecoin issuer Circle has done well so far this year, new competition is gearing up to enter the space.

“It’ll be several quarters before it’ll impact earnings, either to the positive or the negative. But stocks are kind of moving in anticipation of that right now.

And you see the incumbents – Ethereum has had a great month; Circle, the one public stablecoin company, has had a great run since its IPO (initial public offering). The market is getting ahead of it, but those are just the incumbents; there are going to be a lot of competitors entering into this space.”

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Generated Image: Midjourney

Ryan Whitwam / Android Authority

A tale of two apps: Voice Recorder and Day One

Matt Horne / Android Authority

That left me with two imperfect solutions I could combine to meet my needs.

Am I in the wrong for not paying?

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

Nexpace, the web3 division of Nexon, is planning to launch more than a dozen applications linked to the MapleStory Universe ecosystem by early 2026. These upcoming tools are designed to give players access to parts of the game—such as character growth, item management, and questing—without needing to open the full PC client.

The new apps will be available via web browsers and mobile devices, allowing users to carry out tasks from outside the main game. The goal is to make the platform more accessible to players who have limited time or cannot always use a desktop setup.

Due later this year, the first application will support item enhancement directly from a browser.

Key Insights

• Over a dozen apps connected to MapleStory Universe are planned for release by early 2026
• First app launching by late July or August, focused on item enhancement via web browser
• These apps will allow players to progress characters, manage items, and complete tasks
• A developer hub will also be available by late 2025 to support third-party app contributions
• $NXPC token rewards will be distributed to contributors, with 80% of the supply allocated

What updates are coming to MapleStory Universe ?

Following the launch of MapleStory N in May 2025, Nexpace has begun expanding the game’s structure beyond the PC client. The game itself integrates blockchain elements, including NFT-based items and a native token ($NXPC), and operates on a custom Layer 1 network built on Avalanche.

Whilst the core gameplay remains on desktop, Nexpace has confirmed that it is building a series of companion applications that will connect directly to player accounts. These apps are intended to simplify how players engage with the game and will include tools for quests, trading, progression, and even gameplay delegation—where one player can pay another to complete routine tasks.

Nexpace said that the expansion is partly driven by the habits of long-time fans who now have less time for extended gaming sessions. According to the company, these apps will let players stay involved in the game world in shorter intervals, without needing to download large clients or be tied to a desktop.

When can we expect these apps?

The first of these new applications is expected to go live between late July and early August, beginning with item enhancement features accessible through a web browser.

Nexpace has stated that more than 12 such applications are in various stages of development. In addition to in-house tools, the company is encouraging external developers to build their own apps through its public API system. The company plans to distribute 80% of the $NXPC token supply to developers, artists, and other contributors to the ecosystem.

Currently, official integration requires approval via a Nexpace-issued API key, but a permissionless developer hub is expected by the end of 2025.

June 9th, 2025 – Sydney, Australia

With the support of Galaxy Ventures and previous investment from notable industry leaders like Vitalik Buterin, RISE sets out to solve the blockchain adoption challenge with its exponentially faster blockchain technology; offering real-time performance of as low as 5ms latency and a 100k TPS target, while maintaining a decentralization-first roadmap.

RISE, a real-time blockchain scaling Ethereum with record throughput and ultra-low latency, announced a $4 million investment from Galaxy Ventures, bringing total funds raised to date to $8 million. This latest funding round will enable RISE to continue to push the boundaries of blockchain performance and develop the next generation of blockchain applications.

Offering instant transaction speeds is a key pillar of bringing more assets, enterprises, and users onchain, but building a blockchain that provides this has been difficult to date. RISE, a new blockchain built on top of Ethereum, solves this with its breakthrough transaction architecture, powered by Shreds which enable record-breaking latency as low as 5-milliseconds. This is especially significant for advanced DeFi use cases such as orderbook strategies, options, high-frequency trading, and market making. RISE launched its public testnet earlier this month, which has already undergone significant battle testing, reaching over 2 billion transactions, including over 50,000 transactions processed in a single 1-second block. This enables developers to experiment and build onchain apps that operate with a new standard of performance, introduced as “Infinite Speed”: real-time performance, decentralized.

By rethinking blockchain design from first principles, RISE addresses a fundamental tradeoff where low latency and high throughput previously required compromising decentralization. Competing blockchains often rely on centralized approaches, introducing censorship risk and single points of failure. RISE was built from day one to deliver unstoppable performance without sacrificing decentralization, enabling real-time transactions on widely accessible, standard hardware. RISE will also implement performance-compatible based sequencing to leverage Ethereum’s vast network of validators and unlock synchronous composability between Ethereum and RISE.

Key Differentiators of RISE:

• Shreds: Sub-blocktime transaction confirmations enabling as low as 5ms round-trip latency
• Scalable Throughput: Currently benchmarked at over 50,000 TPS, with plans to exceed 100,000 TPS
• Based Sequencing (Coming Soon): Unlocking a true extension of Ethereum and solving liquidity fragmentation for users
• Secured Shreds (Coming Soon): Preconfirmations economically secured by Ethereum Validators, significantly improving the security profile

“Performance is only meaningful if it lasts,” said Sam Battenally, co-founder and CEO of RISE. “RISE was built to stay fast—forever. This investment from Galaxy Ventures underscores the need for infrastructure that doesn’t just scale technically, but scales trustlessly. We’re excited to accelerate toward mainnet and bring the next generation of crypto apps into reality.”

RISE will use the funding to support product and app development in the lead-up to mainnet launch. Builders can explore the testnet now at portal.risechain.com.

“RISE is the first project we’ve seen that addresses the scalability trilemma without material security tradeoffs,” said Neil Bhuta, Investor at Galaxy Ventures. “It brings a level of speed, scalability, and decentralization that is essential to supporting a new generation of high-performance applications. We’re proud to back a talented team that is pushing the boundaries of blockchain technology.”

About RISE

RISE is a next-generation Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain redefining performance with “Infinite Speed”—delivering instant transaction confirmation at unprecedented scale, while upholding Ethereum’s core principle of decentralization. Its architecture enables as low as 5ms latency and will support over 100,000 TPS, unlocking a radically improved experience for both developers and users. Seed investors include Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin and AAVE founder Stani Kulechov. For more information, users can visit https://risechain.com/.

Contact

Co-Founder and CEO
Sam Battenally
RISE Labs
sam@riselabs.xyz

Neon is built around three main features, Chat, Do, and Make, that aim to change how users interact with the internet.

The “Do“ feature focuses on task automation. While similar tools already exist, Opera said Neon takes a more advanced approach by building “interaction maps” of websites.

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Unlike traditional tools that rely on fixed page layouts, these maps track how users move through a site, including clicks, scrolls, and form inputs. This allows the browser to repeat actions on behalf of the user and complete multi-step tasks more efficiently.

The second feature, “Make”, is built to turn user prompts into working digital products.

Opera Neon’s official website states, “Make takes complex ideas from prompting to full-scale results—content, games, and web apps”. These applications are created on remote servers, which allows users to return later and find their projects ready for use.

The third feature, “Chat”, is designed to improve how users search and interact online. Instead of typing keywords, users can write or speak in everyday language.

Neon also allows for language switching mid-conversation while maintaining context. For example, a user searching for restaurants can start in English, switch to Japanese, and still receive relevant results with the appropriate cultural context.

Each feature is supported by a cloud-based system that enables the browser to perform tasks even after it has been closed.

On May 6, Netflix announced plans to update its home screen by introducing two major changes. What are they? Read the full story.