Ukraine has begun formal steps to legalize the crypto industry, shifting from a largely unregulated market to one with a defined legal status.

On Sept. 3, Ukrainian lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak revealed that he and his colleagues approved a bill that legalizes and taxes the use of digital assets in the country.

According to him, the draft bill introduces a tax framework that makes transactions subject to an 18% income levy and a 5% military contribution.

To encourage compliance, the bill offers a one-year window during which withdrawals converted to fiat currency would be taxed at just 5%.

He added that regulators for the space have yet to be named, with both the National Bank of Ukraine and the National Securities and Stock Market Commission being considered.

Meanwhile, he pointed out that new revisions would be made to the bill before the second reading.

Ukraine’s crypto industry

The legislative move comes as Ukraine faces mounting pressure to bring its crypto sector under tighter oversight.

A recent study by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) suggested the country could recover up to $10 billion by building a more robust regulatory system.

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According to the report, the country’s thriving over-the-counter markets have become a focal point for illicit financial flows, including purchasing restricted military components, using money-mule networks, and gaps in donor verification rules.

The report linked these weaknesses to broader geopolitical risks, warning that they create opportunities for foreign actors to launder money into politics and undermine democratic systems.

Experts at the institute also cautioned that Russian intelligence may be exploiting Ukraine’s wartime distractions to channel illicit funds through local intermediaries.

Considering this, the report argued that Ukraine risks being perceived as a hub for crypto-based money laundering without stronger oversight, which would damage its financial stability and international partnerships.

The report comes at an exciting time, as Ukraine ranks among the world’s most active crypto users. Data from Chainalysis placed the country in the global top ten for adoption and first in Eastern Europe.

That high level of retail and institutional activity has given lawmakers added urgency, as crypto regulation is now seen as necessary to capture tax revenue and shield the economy from illicit activity.

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Bo Hines, the executive director of US president Donald Trump’s White House Crypto Council, announced he is stepping down on Saturday.

Hines, who was appointed by the president to lead the advisory group in December 2024, said he is stepping down to rejoin the private sector and thanked the crypto community for its “unwavering” support. He wrote on Saturday:

“Serving in President Trump’s administration and working alongside our brilliant AI & Crypto Czar, David Sacks, as Executive Director of the White House Crypto Council, has been the honor of a lifetime. Together, we have positioned America as the crypto capital of the world.”

Although a successor has not yet been named, independent crypto reporter Eleanor Terrett said that Hines’ deputy director, Patrick Witt, will likely be appointed to the position. 

The White House Crypto Council published a comprehensive report proposing a regulatory action plan for digital assets in the US in July. Although the advisory group has been instrumental in guiding policy efforts, critics say the council underdelivered on the strategic BTC reserve.

Related: Donald Trump to get on with Bitcoin reserve ‘in short order’ — Bo Hines

Hines advocated for the accumulation of BTC through budget-neutral strategies

President Trump signed an executive order establishing a Bitcoin strategic reserve and a national crypto stockpile in January. However, the order limited how the government could acquire additional BTC.

The executive order prohibits the federal government from selling any of the US government’s accumulated BTC and directs the Treasury Department and the Commerce Department to find “budget-neutral” strategies to accumulate more of the digital currency.

Budget-neutral strategies mean that the only way the US government can acquire new BTC for the reserve is through asset seizures or ways that do not create additional burdens on the US public budget.

In March, Hines suggested that the US government should revalue its gold holdings, which are priced at $42.22 per troy ounce, while gold trades at about $3,400 per ounce on the spot market.

A portion of the revalued gold could then be converted to BTC, increasing the size of the national Bitcoin reserve, without creating a budget expense.

Magazine: Crypto has 4 years to grow so big ‘no one can shut it down’: Kain Warwick, Infinex

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San Diego Comic-Con is in full swing, and Google is back with another fun experience for attendees. Last year, the company had a whole Ferris wheel setup, but this time around, the experience is much more immersive, thanks to a collaboration with Monopoly Go! and Marvel’s “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” which hits theaters on July 25.

Visitors will be able to take their first steps into the Google Play Rewards Lab, with unique experiences related to each of the members of the Fantastic Four. However, Google also has some rewards for members who aren’t able to experience the Rewards Lab in person.

Taking your first steps

The Google Play Rewards Lab was all about letting you experience what it’s like to be a member of the Fantastic Four. You step onto a conveyor belt that leads you into each of the four pods with four very different experiences.

The first experience was inside the Stretch pod, after Reed Richards, aka Mister Fantastic. Here, you get to play a game where you try to catch Play Store rewards points utilizing touch pads to control Mister Fantastic’s stretched arms. The goal is to score a certain number of points within a given time.

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The second pod is perhaps my favorite, and it’s the Force Field pod. Here, you can hone your inner Sue Storm, aka The Invisible Woman, who is able to create and manipulate force fields.

This pod won’t let you turn invisible, but it will let you manipulate a display of cascading lights with your hands. The lights change colors and move in response to your hands, allowing you to create a variety of figures and images.

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The third pod is the Strength pod, which is probably my second favorite area. Here, you can have your own Ben Grimm, aka The Thing, moment and clobber the floor with your feet. You can team up with a few other people to stomp on the digital display on the floor from four different corners of the room, which will crumble beneath your feet to reveal a rather cool (and somewhat disorienting) display.

There are several levels to complete, which means smashing through a few surfaces. Once you smash through enough of the floor, you’ll be rewarded with a special honor for saving the day.

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Finally, the last pod was the Fire pod for the fiery Johnny Storm, aka Human Torch. Here, you can “flame on” and become the Human Torch by shooting a video of yourself flying in the air. Your video will be inserted into a clip from the new film, which you can then preview and even send to yourself to share with your friends or on social media.

You can see my video below:

You can stop by the Rewards Lab outside the San Diego Convention Center starting July 24, and you’ll even get prioritized entry and other rewards if you’re a Google Play Points member.

Perks for everyone

If you’re unable to attend San Diego Comic-Con for the full experience, don’t worry, because Google is offering everyone a chance to get in on some rewards. Thanks to the collaboration with Monopoly Go!, players can grab a limited-edition Fantastic Four in-game rewards in the form of an exclusive The Thing Tea Emoji for U.S. players. This can be added to their showrooms, and users can also use it to react to other players.

Furthermore, Google is letting Play Points members redeem their points for other exclusives, such as a Fantastic Four Fan Pack, an enamel The Thing pin, a signed comic book, and even a Citizen watch.

Image 1 of 2

Google’s Four Days of Fantastic Rewards is available from July 24 to 27, while the exclusive in-game Monopoly Go! reward will be available until August 4, which you can redeem over on the Play Store.

Mary-Catherine Lader, President and COO of Uniswap Labs, has stepped down after four years leading the development company behind one of the most prominent decentralized exchanges (DEX).

A former BlackRock executive, Lader joined Uniswap in 2021 to help bridge traditional finance and decentralized protocols.

During her tenure, Uniswap Labs expanded the protocol’s reach across multiple blockchains, launched its own mobile wallet, and matured into an infrastructure provider relied on by institutions, developers, and retail users alike. A successor has not been named.

Her exit also comes at a time when Uniswap’s regulatory standing has stabilized after facing multiple challenges over the past year.

In April 2024, the company received a Wells notice from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), signaling potential enforcement action over alleged unregistered broker and exchange activity.

Later, in September 2024, Uniswap Labs settled with the CFTC, agreeing to pay a $175,000 fine for illegally offering leveraged digital asset derivatives through its interface, specifically, tokenized products that the agency deemed margined commodity contracts.

Since then, the broader U.S. policy environment has shifted. Under President Donald Trump, the White House has thrown its support behind crypto via the GENIUS Act, a proposed national bitcoin reserve, and calls for “clear and simple” regulatory frameworks.

Trump has described himself as the “crypto president,” and Congressional momentum is building around market structure legislation. Lader departs with Uniswap standing strong, anchored by over $5.3 billion in total value locked, according to DeFi Llama.

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According to the latest Power of Three (PO3) H1 analysis by crypto market analyst Trader Tardigrade, Dogecoin (DOGE) has officially entered a distribution phase following a sharp breakdown below the critical $0.15 support. This move signals a shift in market dynamics, with Dogecoin’s next moves set to push its price toward new highs. 

PO3 Pattern Confirms Dogecoin’s Next Moves

Dogecoin’s chances of resuming its previous bullish run are rising fast, as a new chart analysis by Trader Tardigrade reveals that the top meme coin has just moved into the distribution phase of a key PO3 market structure. This development comes just after DOGE’s price broke down below the $0.15 mark earlier last month. However, the meme coin has since rebounded and is now hovering just slightly above that level at around $0.16. 

Trader Tardigrade’s chart analysis confirms that Dogecoin is about to complete all three critical PO3 stages—Accumulation, Manipulation, and Distribution—on the 1-hour timeframe. This progression now sets the stage for its next move, signaling the potential beginning of a fresh upward breakout. 

The PO3 sequence began with a tight consolidation zone marked by accumulation around June 25-26. This was followed by a sharp drop below the support level, marking the manipulation phase between June 27 and 28. This strategic shakeout, typically designed to trap late sellers and liquidate weak hands, pushed DOGE below the $0.15 threshold. However, instead of undergoing a continued downtrend, the meme coin’s price recovered slightly, reclaiming the lost range before initiating a strong rally on June 30. 

The green-shaded area on the chart highlights the distribution phase, where Dogecoin’s bullish momentum has returned aggressively. Notably, price broke above short-term resistance levels and climbed toward $0.175, confirming the final stage of the PO3 structure and also reflecting growing buying pressure. This development implies that the recent crash was likely not indicative of market failure, but a possible setup for Dogecoin’s next bullish phase.

Dogecoin MACD Bullish Cross Established

In other news, Trader Tardigrade announced on X that Dogecoin has finally established a bullish Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) crossover on the daily chart, signaling the first technical reversal in weeks after a prolonged downtrend. The analysis indicates that the crossover is now active, marking a potential shift in momentum from bearish to bullish. 

This development follows weeks of sustained losses that began in early June, when a bearish MACD cross triggered a sharp breakdown from the $0.21 level. With the bearish cross potentially overturned, Dogecoin may be entering a renewed upward trend.

As a result, Trader Tardigrade’s chart shows that the next upside target may extend above $0.28 in the coming weeks if DOGE continues to hold above key support while maintaining strong momentum. 

Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com

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Pakistan’s relationship with Bitcoin has been characterized by contradictions and confusion over the past few years. Initially, the country banned Bitcoin trading entirely in 2018, citing concerns over fraud, money laundering and lack of regulation. But over time, their stances eased, and regulators began exploring the technology behind Bitcoin in courts that even questioned the legality of the ban. Eventually, citizens were allowed to hold Bitcoin, but the transactions were vague and unregulated. This before and after approach created a confused environment in which Bitcoin exists in legal gray areas. Although technically permitted, it is not fully accepted or regulated, reflecting the state’s struggle to balance innovation and control.

This confused relationship with Bitcoin appears to have turned the corner in recent weeks as Pakistan Crypto Council head Bilal bin Saqib announced that the country is moving to establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve. Additionally, he announced the allocation of 2,000 megawatts of excess energy to Bitcoin mining and high-performance computer data centers. The Treasury has also asked to establish an entirely new institution to oversee digital asset regulations that could lead to a less opacified legal framework regarding the ownership and use of Bitcoin in daily transactions.

Critics argued that this was nothing more than a comfortable attempt for Trump in the aftermath of Pakistan’s recent skirmish with India. After all, saqib did When Pakistan spoke at the recent Las Vegas Bitcoin Conference, he said he was inspired by the Trump administration. Others argue that Pakistan is only trying to build resistance against future sanctions over support for terrorist groups. I believe that such geopolitical focused critiques overlook the deeper economic realities that have looked at Pakistan for many years.

I wrote an article in a Pakistani newspaper about a year ago. There, the country argued that economically, it was located on its own to use Bitcoin to unlock the benefits associated with adoption. Pakistan suffers from rampaging inflation, stagnant capital formation, depleted foreign reserves, inefficient bureaucracy and excessive reliance on remittances from overseas. These systematic issues erode citizens’ beliefs in the traditional financial system, disillusion many Pakistanis, and seek alternative ways to protect wealth and economic autonomy.

Thus, nurturing a culture of adoption in Bitcoin could go a long way in alleviating many of these economic illnesses and empowering citizens to control their economic future. By acquiring and trading in the form of currency, which is essentially deflation, Pakistanis can protect themselves from the shortcomings of macroeconomic trends that have destroyed the living standards of the country they once proud of. Adoption of Bitcoin could transform the country’s vibrant remittance sector, with recipients holding more money sent. It also allows people to be freed from inefficient banking systems that drain people. Unauthorized transactions can empower plagued minorities who often struggle to achieve financial freedom.

Announcement of a strategic Bitcoin Reserve and committing to implementing pro-Bitcoin regulations and mining strategies is a step in the right direction. They are changing moods, indicating that the country is beginning to seriously look at the only real digital currency in the town. These steps also demonstrate a much broader and global change in attitudes towards Bitcoin. Especially in countries where hyperinflation is a daily reality and where banking systems struggle to meet the needs of their citizens.

However, true change will only occur if Pakistan fully legalizes Bitcoin as a digital currency and takes steps towards large-scale adoption. only after that Can ordinary Pakistani citizens trade freely with people all over the world without having to rely on the local banking system? only after that Is financial autonomy achievable goal for people living far from the metropolitan bank-based cities? only after that Can women make money, store and trade freely with digital currencies that resist cultural barriers?

The creation of a national strategic reserve simply shows that the country believes Bitcoin as an asset with the potential to provide reliable returns. It does not indicate that the country has adopted digital currency as a way to overcome obstacles imposed by Fiat. Strategic national reserves also accumulate bitcoin and even if digital currencies are designed to be hedges, they’re too close to the state Against State-run money. As such, reserves do not unlock the true potential of Bitcoin, which acts as a buffer against domestic inflation, currency devaluation and troublesome banking systems.

Strategic Bitcoin Reserve is a step in the right direction for Pakistan. But only mass adoption that truly unlocks the huge potential Bitcoin locks that can be offered to a country like Pakistan has a long way to go before it becomes a reality.

In my view, strategic preparation is not the purpose of Bitcoin, but I hope this is just the first step in the nation’s long and prosperous journey to orange pipping.

Journalist

Sead Fadilpašić

Journalist

Sead Fadilpašić

About Author

Sead specializes in writing factual and informative articles to help the public navigate the ever-changing world of crypto. He has extensive experience in the blockchain industry, where he has served…

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June 1, 2025

The Czech Republic has been shaken by a Bitcoin scandal. On Friday, Justice Minister Pavel Blažek resigned, with the opposition set to demand the resignation of the coalition government this week as well.

The situation caught on fire at the end of last week after Blažek, a conservative politician, accepted a large donation in BTC and sold it for about $45.8 million in March, the AP reported. The opposition has raised concerns over the source of the donation.

Blažek received the coins from Tomas Jirikovsky, a convicted criminal. Jirikovsky operated the Sheep Marketplace. In 2017, he went to prison for embezzlement, drug trafficking, and illegal trading of weapons.

Jirikovsky’s lawyer reportedly approached Blažek in March 2025, saying his client would donate 30% of his BTC stash to the ministry. Police had confiscated the wallet containing this BTC and returned it to Jirikovsky after his release in 2021.

Blažek did not check the coins’ origin. “I have no way to investigate the matter, and I wasn’t interested so many years after the case,” he said at a press conference on Thursday. Jirikovsky probably wanted “to repent” through the donation, he said.

He also claimed that courts had not proven that the BTC came from criminal activity.

However, the opposition parties argue that it’s unclear why Jirikovsky gave the coins to the ministry or where the coins came from. They accused Blažek of potential money laundering.

Furthermore, they argue that the state shouldn’t use the money until these points are clear.

Meanwhile, the High Prosecutor’s Office in Olomouc is investigating the case on suspicion of abuse of official authority and laundering of proceeds of crime.

Blažek denied knowledge of wrongdoing. Nonetheless, he said he resigned so not to harm the four-party coalition government led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala. The PM said he believed that Blažek acted with goodwill.

Czech Coalition Government in Danger?

Today, Brno Daily reported that the lower house will hold an urgent session on Thursday. The opposition parties will use the occasion to demand the resignation of the coalition government, the deputy leaders of the ANO and SPD parties, Karel Havlicek and Radim Fiala, said on Sunday.

“We will want the government to find sufficient self-reflection and resign,” Havlicek said. The current cabinet could stay until the parliamentary elections in October, but it shouldn’t have the power to make major decisions.

If the coalition government doesn’t resign,

“We are very strongly considering calling a no-confidence vote in the government.”

Fiala, deputy leader of the far-right SPD, said that his party “will support an extraordinary session” and a vote of no confidence in the government.

However, lower house speaker Jan Skopecek said the opposition’s plans are just “theatre” in the campaign ahead of the elections. He added that Blažek has already resigned, so there is no reason for the cabinet to do so as well.

Moreover, Czech Fiscal Council chair Mojmir Hampl argued that this case raises numerous key technical questions. However, these will not be answered in the pre-election stage.

Meanwhile, Le Monde reported that Jirikovsky had been trying to recover about 1,500 BTC, seized by the police, since his imprisonment. During the trial, the court suspected that the coins came from Nucleus. This is a dark web marketplace that, the report claims, shut down the day after Jirikovsky’s arrest.

Furthermore, BTC market monitors noted that a portion of the Nucleus-linked BTC, dormant since 2016, moved to new wallets in March. This is after Blažek signed the agreement, reports claim.

Jirikovsky claimed that he got to keep the BTC because he had obtained it legally. Blažek claimed he hadn’t made any promises in return for the donation.

All these allegations will likely be brought up during the Thursday emergency session.

Crypto Journalist

Amin Ayan

Crypto Journalist

Amin Ayan

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Amin Ayan is a crypto journalist with over four years of experience in the industry. He has contributed to leading publications such as Cryptonews, Investing.com, 99Bitcoins, and 24/7 Wall St. He has…

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May 23, 2025

Mihailo Bjelic, one of the driving forces behind Ethereum scaling solution Polygon, has officially stepped down from his role at the Polygon Foundation.

In a post shared May 23 on X, Bjelic announced he would wind down his day-to-day involvement with the project but hinted that his journey in crypto is far from over.

“After much thought and reflection, I’ve decided to step down from the board of the Polygon Foundation and wind down my day-to-day involvement with Polygon Labs,” Bjelic wrote.

“As projects evolve and mature, it is natural for visions to evolve, and sometimes diverge.”

Bjelic Says He Remains Committed to Crypto

While Bjelic did not provide a roadmap for his next steps, he made it clear that he remains committed to the broader crypto industry.

“You will likely still see me around,” he said, signaling continued interest in blockchain development beyond Polygon.

His departure drew responses from across the crypto space. Fellow co-founder Sandeep Nailwal praised Bjelic’s role in shaping the protocol, saying he was “a force behind so much of what makes Polygon what it is today.”

Leon Stern, Polygon’s head of marketing, added, “Thanks for everything you’ve done for Polygon, and best of luck.”

Industry peers weighed in as well. Aave-chan Initiative founder Marc Zella called the move a “Big L for Polygon,” while Skale Network CEO Jack O’Holleran applauded Bjelic’s impact and expressed optimism about his future endeavors.

Bjelic’s resignation marks the third high-profile exit from the company in two years, following earlier departures by Polygon Labs’ Jaynti Kanani and Anurag Arjun.

Arjun’s exit coincided with the launch of Avail, a data availability and consensus layer that now operates as a standalone entity under his leadership.

Despite the leadership changes, Polygon has remained active in onboarding new use cases.

In January, Jio Platforms—owned by Mukesh Ambani—teamed up with Polygon Labs to integrate Web3 capabilities into its services.

In March, RWA platform DigiShares launched RealEstate.Exchange (REX) on Polygon, aiming to tokenize real estate trading.

Polygon Introduces the Agglayer Breakout Program

Last month, the team behind the Polygon blockchain announced the Agglayer Breakout Program to launch high-value chains that will contribute to Agglayer’s network effects.

The aggregation layer, or AggLayer, is a cross-chain settlement layer developed by Polygon Labs and its collaborators, launched in early 2024, followed by v0.2 in early 2025.

Polygon Foundation and Polygon Labs are backing the novel program. The goal is to launch “high-impact projects that drive significant activity” to Agglayer and Polygon PoS, its proof-of-stake sidechain for Ethereum.

Mihailo Bjelic, co-founder of Ethereum layer-2 scaling solution Polygon, has stepped down from his role at Polygon but suggests he will stay active in the crypto industry in some capacity.

His resignation drew reactions across Polygon and the wider crypto community, with several seeing it as a loss for Polygon, which has been tied to several major developments in recent months.

Bjelic winds down ‘day-to-day involvement’

“After much thought and reflection, I’ve decided to step down from the board of the Polygon Foundation and wind down my day-to-day involvement with Polygon Labs,” Bjelic said in a May 23 X post.

“I’ll always be cheering from the sidelines and supporting however and whenever I can,” Bjelic added.

“As projects evolve and mature, it is natural for visions to evolve, and sometimes diverge. With this in mind, I can no longer contribute to Polygon to the best of my abilities.”

Fellow Polygon co-founder, Sandeep Nailwal, commended Bjelic’s contributions over the years, adding that Bjelic has always been “a force behind so much of what makes Polygon what it is today.”

Bjelic said that he remains “as passionate as ever” about crypto, and suggested he will stay active in the crypto industry.

“You will likely still see me around,” Bjelic said.

Aave-chan Initiative founder Marc Zella said it was a “Big L for Polygon.” Polygon’s head of marketing Leon Stern said the company is going to miss Bjelic. “Thanks for everything you’ve done for Polygon, and best of luck,” Stern said. Meanwhile, Skale Network CEO Jack O’Holleran said Bjelic should “be very proud” of all he has accomplished at Polygon and is excited to see what he does next.

Over the past two years, two of Polygon Labs’ early founders, Jaynti Kanani and Anurag Arjun, also stepped away from the company.

Arjun’s departure coincided with the Polygon spin-off Avail, a Web3 data availability and consensus layer, becoming an independent entity, with Arjun taking the lead.

Bjelic has yet to reveal his next plans.

Related: Crypto market cycle permanently shifted — Polygon founder

Bjelic’s resignation follows several major announcements tied to Polygon this year.

On March 25, Real-world asset (RWA) tokenization platform DigiShares announced it would bring tokenized real estate trading to Polygon with the launch of RealEstate.Exchange, also known as REX.

Just two months before, on Jan. 16, Jio Platforms, an Indian mobile network operator owned by Asia’s richest person, Mukesh Ambani, partnered with Polygon Labs to upgrade some of its existing offerings with Web3 and blockchain capabilities.

Magazine: AI cures blindness, ‘good’ propaganda bots, OpenAI doomsday bunker: AI Eye

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