XRP/BTC pair shows signs of weakness after failed breakout attempts

XRP price is on edge after a major bear signal appears on XRP/BTC chart.

• Double-top. XRP/BTC is now signaling potential exhaustion.

XRP’s bid to prove itself against Bitcoin has run out of steam, and the charts are starting to make that clearer with each passing week. What initially looked like the start of a major breakout on the XRP/BTC pair now resembles the shape of a double top, a formation that typically indicates weakness rather than strength and basically says that the trend is exhausted.

• Key support at risk. XRP/BTC is now hovering near 0.00002200 BTC.

The rally that began earlier this year lifted XRP above its 200-week average. For a moment, it seemed like the token might chip away at Bitcoin’s lead. The price pushed into the 0.00003200 BTC region twice, only to be rejected both times, sending the pair back toward familiar support levels.

The inability to extend higher after those attempts has left 0.00002200 BTC as the line to watch, because, historically, once this level is lost, the structure usually breaks toward 0.00002000 BTC. Moving averages flattening across the board add weight to the argument that the upside potential has been spent.

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Ripple projects $16 trillion in crypto custody by 2030

The five-year tokenization market prediction sparks interest.

• 2030 forecast. Ripple predicts 10% of global assets will be tokenized by 2030.

In its recent tweet, Ripple shared a five-year prediction for the tokenization market, stating that by 2030, 10% of global assets are expected to be tokenized. Digital asset custody is anticipated to drive this adoption surge, with crypto assets under custody projected to reach $16 trillion by 2030. 

• Ripple Custody adoption. Société Générale FORGE issues EURCV (EUR-backed stablecoin) on XRP.

Custody, a core safekeeping capability, is the bedrock of institutional digital asset services ranging from tokenized real estate and treasuries to stablecoins and cryptocurrencies.

In this light, Ripple Custody is gaining momentum. Société Générale FORGE, the crypto arm of French financial services company Société Générale, is issuing its EURO-backed stablecoin EURCV on XRP Ledger using Ripple Custody, while BDACS in South Korea custodies Ripple’s stablecoin Ripple USD (RLUSD).

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DOGE confirms golden cross as ETF launch nears

DOGE price has risen since start of week.

• Golden cross confirmed. DOGE’s four-hour chart shows short-term MA crossing above long-term MA, a bullish signal.

Dogecoin recently confirmed a golden cross on its four-hour chart, which happens when the short-term moving average crosses over the long-term MA. The golden cross has coincided with a price increase for Dogecoin, as it is up 24% on a weekly basis.

The emergence of a golden cross invalidated a death cross, which appeared on the four-hour chart at the close of August, following which Dogecoin’s price saw a period of lackluster trading. Dogecoin’s price has risen since the start of this week, when the likelihood of a Dogecoin ETF in the U.S. began to emerge.

• ETF update. Bloomberg’s Eric Balchunas says DOJE has been delayed again.

Late Thursday, Balchunas stated in an X post that DOJE has been further delayed and might launch sometime next week, hinting at a Thursday launch. Earlier this month, the DOJE ETF won approval under the Investment Company Act of 1940, a framework typically used for mutual funds and diversified ETFs.

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Ex-Wall Street trader sparks debate over alleged Bitcoin wallet thefts

Josh Mandell claims that quantum computing is already in use, and it is helping “a large player” to steal old Bitcoins.

• Josh Mandell’s claim. The former Salomon Brothers and Caxton trader alleges that long-dormant BTC wallets are being secretly drained.

Former Wall Street trader Josh Mandell has made waves on the X social media platform by claiming that old Bitcoins are currently being stolen from long-dormant (“deceased”) wallets. Mandell, who gained a lot of prominence earlier this year with his extremely prescient Bitcoin price prediction, argues that the tech is being secretly used by a “large player” to accumulate more BTC without using the market.   

The former Salomon Brothers and Caxton Associates trader believes that on-chain analysis remains the only obstacle given that it would be capable of detecting such patterns. 

• Industry pushback. Harry Beckwith (Hot Pixel Group) dismissed the claim

“There is literally no chance this is currently happening,” Harry Beckwith, founder of Hot Pixel Group, said in a social media statement. Matthew Pines, executive director at Bitcoin Policy Institute, claims that Mandell’s assumption is “false.”

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Europol has confirmed that a Telegram channel impersonating the agency and offering a $50,000 reward for information on two Qilin ransomware administrators is fake. The impostor later admitted it was created to troll researchers and journalists.

“We were also surprised to see this story gaining traction,” Europol told BleepingComputer on Monday. “The announcement didn’t come from us.”

The statement comes after a new Telegram channel called @europolcti was created on August 16th, claiming to offer a $50,000 reward for information on two Qilin ransomware admins known as “Haise” and “XORacle”.

“During the course of ongoing international investigations, we have confirmed that the cybercriminal group Qilin has carried out ransomware attacks worldwide, severely disrupting critical infrastructure and causing significant financial losses,” reads the imposter’s Telegram post.

“We have identified two primary administrators operating under the aliases Haise and XORacle, who coordinate affiliates and oversee extortion activities.”

“We are actively pursuing all available leads in cooperation with international partners.”

“A reward of up to $50,000 is offered for information that directly leads to the identification or location of these administrators.”

Haise is believed to be one of the operators of the Qilian ransomware gang, previously recruiting affiliates on the RAMP cybercrime forum.

The Qilin ransomware operation was initially launched as “Agenda” in August 2022. However, by September that year, it had rebranded under the name Qilin, which it continues to use to this day.

The ransomware operation is one of the most active, currently targeting companies worldwide.

However, after Europol confirmed it was fake, a new post appeared on the imposter channel claiming it was created to troll researchers and journalists, some of whom wrote articles about the claims.

“This was so easy to run and fool so called ‘Researchers’ and ‘Journalists’ that just copy stuff.. Thank you all!,” reads the new post.

The post was signed by Rey, a hacker previously linked to breaches at Telefonica and Orange Group.

Threat actors had begun trolling Qilin in August 15th posts on a Telegram channel impersonating threat actors from “Scattered Spider”, “ShinyHunters”, and “Lapsus,” where someone had begun calling out Haise and the ransomware operation.

This is not the first time threat actors attempted to mislead the media about cybercrime.

In 2021, a RAMP admin known as ‘Orange’ or ‘boriselcin’ and who ran the “Groove” ransomware site, called on threat actors to attack the USA. This threat actor was later sanctioned by the US for his involvement in three ransomware operations that targeted victims across the United States.

After the media covered this post, including BleepingComputer, the threat actor claimed it was fake and was created to troll and manipulate the media and security researchers.

However, security researchers from McAfee and Intel 471 believe that it was likely the threat actor trying to cover up for a failed ransomware-as-a-service.

In 2023, BleepingComputer receieved a “tip” about an alleged arrest of two Canadian teens over a crypto-theft attack.

While BleepingComputer learned that the news was fake and did not cover the story, we were told it was done to manipulate the media and “troll” the people accused of the theft.

Google has confirmed that a recently disclosed data breach of one of its Salesforce CRM instances involved the information of potential Google Ads customers.

“We’re writing to let you know about an event that affected a limited set of data in one of Google’s corporate Salesforce instances used to communicate with prospective Ads customers,” reads a data breach notification shared with BleepingComputer.

“Our records indicate basic business contact information and related notes were impacted by this event.”

Google says the exposed information includes business names, phone numbers, and “related notes” for a Google sales agent to contact them again.

The company says that payment information was not exposed and that there is no impact on Ads data in Google Ads Account, Merchant Center, Google Analytics, and other Ads products.

The breach was conducted by threat actors known as ShinyHunters, who have been behind an ongoing wave of data theft attacks targeting Salesforce customers.

While Google has not shared how many individuals were impacted, ShinyHunters says the stolen information contains approximately 2.55 million data records. It is unclear if there are duplicates within these records.

ShinyHunters further told BleepingComputer that they are also working with threat actors associated with “Scattered Spider, who are responsible for first gaining initial access to targeted systems.

“Like we have said repeatedly already, ShinyHunters and Scattered Spider are one and the same,” ShinyHunters told BleepingComputer.

“They provide us with initial access and we conduct the dump and exfiltration of the Salesforce CRM instances. Just like we did with Snowflake.”

The threat actors are now referring to themselves as “Sp1d3rHunters,” to illustrate the overlapping group of people who are involved in these attacks.

As part of these attacks, the threat actors conduct social engineering attacks against employees to gain access to credentials or trick them into linking a malicious version of Salesforce’s Data Loader OAuth app to the target’s Salesforce environment.

The threat actors then download the entire Salesforce database and extort the companies via email, threatening to release the stolen data if a ransom is not paid.

These Salesforce attacks were first reported by the Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) in June, with the company suffering the same fate a month later.

Databreaches.net reported that the threat actors have already sent an extortion demand to Google. After publishing the story, ShinyHunters told BleepingComputer that they demanded 20 Bitcoins, or approximately $2.3 million, from Google to not leak the data.

“I don’t care about ransoming Google anyway, I just sent them a bogus email for the lulz of it,” said the threat actor.

ShinyHunters says they have since switched to a new custom tool that makes it easier and quicker to steal data from compromised Salesforce instances.

In an update, Google recently acknowledged the new tooling, stating that they have seen Python scripts used in the attacks instead of the Salesforce Data Loader.

Update 8/9/25: Added further information about the extortion demand.

Insurance company Allianz Life has confirmed that the personal information for the “majority” of its 1.4 million customers was exposed in a data breach that occurred earlier this month.

“On July 16, 2025, a malicious threat actor gained access to a third-party, cloud-based CRM system used by Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America (Allianz Life),” an Allianz Life spokesperson told BleepingComputer.

“The threat actor was able to obtain personally identifiable data related to the majority of Allianz Life’s customers, financial professionals, and select Allianz Life employees, using a social engineering technique.”

“We took immediate action to contain and mitigate the issue and notified the FBI. Based on our investigation to-date, there is no evidence the Allianz Life network or other company systems were accessed, including our policy administration system.”

“Our investigation is ongoing and we began the process of reaching out to individuals impacted with dedicated resources to assist them. This incident is related only to Allianz Life, which currently has 1.4 million customers.”

Allianz Life is a US-based provider of annuities and life insurance for over 1.4 million Americans. The company is owned by Allianz SE, a global financial services group headquartered in Germany, serving more than 128 million customers.

The company first revealed the breach in a mandatory filing with Maine’s Attorney General’s Office on Saturday, issuing a placeholder notification alerting of the breach.

“The consumer notice will be provided once Allianz has identified the affected individuals,” reads the placeholder notification.

While Allianz Life declined to answer questions about the threat actor and whether they were being extorted, BleepingComputer has learned that the attack is believed to have been conducted by the ShinyHunters extortion group.

ShinyHunters is a group of threat actors who are linked to multiple high-profile data breaches and attacks, including those against PowerSchool and the SnowFlake attacks, which impacted Santander, Ticketmaster, AT&T, Advance Auto Parts, Neiman Marcus, and Cylance.

While multiple ShinyHunters members have been arrested over the past few years, including a recent arrest in France, the hacking group continues to conduct attacks.

Last month, Mandiant warned that ShinyHunters had begun to target Salesforce CRM customers in social engineering attacks.

During these attacks, the hackers impersonate IT support personnel, requesting the targeted employee accept a connection to Salesforce Data Loader, a client application that allows users to import, export, update, or delete data within Salesforce environments.

Once the connection is accepted, the threat actors use Salesforce Data Loader to exfiltrate data from Salesforce, which is then used to extort the company.

BleepingComputer asked Allianz Life if the CRM is Salesforce, but the spokesperson declined to comment.

Bank of America is taking early steps to explore stablecoins as a way to modernize its payment systems and handle trillions of dollars in client transactions more efficiently, the lender’s CEO, Brian Moynihan, said during the bank’s second-quarter earnings call on July 15.

Moynihan emphasized that the firm’s current focus is on using stablecoins “as a transactional device,” noting their potential to streamline how money moves through the bank’s infrastructure each day.

He added that the bank has already done substantial groundwork and is evaluating how scalable the opportunity may be across various transaction types.

While the size of the stablecoin market remains relatively small compared to traditional banking flows, Moynihan signaled that broader adoption may come as regulatory clarity improves.

The bank has been assessing the space since early 2025 and has reportedly discussed the potential joint issuance of a stablecoin with other major U.S. institutions, including JPMorgan and Citigroup.

Stablecoin growth outpaces traditional networks

The announcement comes amid a broader shift in legacy finance toward stablecoin-backed payment rails. In 2024, stablecoin transaction volumes surpassed the combined totals of Visa and Mastercard.

Since then, the value of stablecoins in circulation has surged to $257 billion, nearly double the level from early 2023. Tether’s USDT and Circle’s USDC now make up over 85% of that total.

US lawmakers have responded to the sector’s rapid rise by pushing for a clearer regulatory framework. The GENIUS Act, the centerpiece of the current administration’s digital asset agenda, passed the Senate in June with bipartisan support.

However, the bill stalled in the House this week after lawmakers blocked a procedural vote. A floor vote is expected by July 17.

As major institutions increasingly turn to blockchain-based rails, Bank of America’s cautious but active approach signals that Wall Street’s largest players may be preparing to make stablecoins a cornerstone of future settlement systems.

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Dogecoin Eyes Parabolic Rally With Megaphone Pattern

In a TradingView post, TradingShot predicted that Dogecoin could rally to as high as $1.25. He noted that the meme coin has been trading in a bullish Megaphone pattern within a channel up. The analyst added that the recent rebound on June 16 on the weekly MA200 is a higher low at the bottom of both patterns. 

With the 1-week Relative Strength Index (RSI) also rebounding on its long-term support zone, TradingShot declared that Dogecoin is most likely at the start of a new bullish leg. He noted that this could be the final rally that will shape this cycle’s top. Meanwhile, the analyst claimed that DOGE is targeting $1.25 because the previous two bullish legs peaked on the 3.618 Fibonacci extension of the last decline. 

He told market participants that they can settle for $0.8 if they wish to pursue a target within the Channel up. A rally to both $0.8 and $1.25 would mark new all-time highs (ATHs) for Dogecoin, whose current ATH is at $0.73. His accompanying chart showed that DOGE could reach these targets in the first half of next year. 

Dogecoin is expected to maintain a steady climb from now till then as it reaches those targets. The meme coin has already begun another uptrend following Bitcoin’s rally to a new ATH. DOGE has again reclaimed the $ 0.20 psychological price level and could potentially reach its last local high at around $0.26. 

DOGE Against Its Bitcoin Pair

In an X post, crypto analyst Kevin Capital stated that the DOGE/BTC chart is sitting in a historical zone of support with the monthly time frame indicators fully reset. The analyst indicated that this was possibly the best setup for Dogecoin, one that could spark a massive run for the meme coin. 

Meanwhile, crypto analyst Trader Tardigrade stated that the Dogecoin-to-Bitcoin chart might show a God candle this month. This God candle could spark a DOGE season, when the meme coin is expected to outperform the flagship crypto. The analyst’s accompanying chart showed that DOGE could rally to as high as $9 during this period. Meanwhile, he highlighted the $0.2 support level as being crucial for this lift-off for the meme coin. 

At the time of writing, the Dogecoin price is trading at around $0.2, up almost 2% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

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Hassan Shittu

Journalist

Hassan Shittu

About Author

Hassan, a Cryptonews.com journalist with 6+ years of experience in Web3 journalism, brings deep knowledge across Crypto, Web3 Gaming, NFTs, and Play-to-Earn sectors. His work has appeared in…

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Last updated: 

June 30, 2025

Dwayne Golden of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to over eight years in federal prison for his role in a $40 million crypto Ponzi scheme, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The sentence was delivered by Judge William F. Kuntz II in a Brooklyn federal court. The 57 years old man had pleaded guilty in September 2024 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.

According to the prosecutor, Golden and his co-conspirators, Gregory Aggesen, Marquis Demacking Egerton (also known as “Mardy Eger”), and William White, created and operated fraudulent investment platforms.

These include EmpowerCoin, ECoinPlus, and Jet-Coin, between April and August 2017. These websites promised investors fixed profits through overseas crypto trading.

No Real Trading Took Place: DOJ Exposes Crypto Scam Network

United States Attorney Nocella noted that the companies only lured investors with promises of guaranteed high returns from overseas cryptocurrency trading. However, prosecutors say none of the companies engaged in any real trading activity.

Instead, the defendants used incoming investor funds to pay earlier investors or diverted the money for personal use, consistent with a Ponzi scheme.

FBI Assistant Director Raia noted that the platforms raised more than $40 million in total. After the schemes collapsed, the defendants tried to hide their crimes by obstructing federal investigations.

Between July 2017 and March 2022, Golden, Aggesen, and White attempted to hinder both a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) inquiry and a federal grand jury investigation. Authorities said they destroyed key evidence and gave false and misleading statements to investigators.

Notably, William White was previously sentenced to 30 months in prison for his role. Meanwhile, Aggesen and Egerton have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

As part of his sentence, Golden was also ordered to forfeit roughly $2.46 million in illegal gains. The court will decide on restitution to victims at a later date.

Victims May Be Eligible for Restitution

In a glimmer of hope, The U.S. Attorney’s Office encouraged victims of EmpowerCoin.com, ECoinPlus.com, or Jet-Coin.com to submit restitution claims through the FBI.

“This office is committed to protecting investors and holding fraudsters accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella. “We will continue to pursue justice for those harmed.”

Earlier this month, five individuals admitted guilt in a separate case involving a $36.9 million cryptocurrency fraud scheme. The group tricked U.S. citizens and funneled the stolen funds to a crypto scam operation based in Cambodia.

With crypto-related scams growing, CertiK co-founder Ronghui Gu reported more than $2.1 billion already lost in 2025. The majority of these losses stem from compromised wallets and poor private key management.

Relatably, The DOJ filed a civil forfeiture complaint to seize $225.3 million in Tether’s USDT, marking the largest crypto seizure tied to a “pig butchering” investment scam.

DOJ officials noted that the action is part of a broader crackdown on transnational scams, with over $9.3 billion in crypto losses reported in 2024, and $5.8 billion linked directly to investment fraud.