This is an overview of the most important events around Bitcoin, Ethereum, and others.
Germany and the US take down hacking ring, Flat EU crypto taxes discussed, and possible NFT debut on Amazon: these are some of the top crypto news of the week.
Hive: Germany and the US Manage to Attack Hacker Network
German and American authorities were able to locate one of the largest hacker networks in the world. After a cyberattack, the hacker collective often demanded ransom demands in the form of cryptocurrency. The researchers estimate that the resulting damage could be “in the billions.”
The decisive clue came from Esslingen in Baden-Württemberg, where the authorities managed to secure “data and accounts of the network and its users,” explains the Stuttgart prosecutor’s office.
The hacker network is said to be responsible for more than 1,500 serious cyberattacks on companies and organizations, including 70 German companies. Hive is said to have stolen more than 100 million US dollars.
Ethereum: Test Update for Shanghai Started Successfully
The “Shanghai” hard fork is intended to allow users to access their connected ethers on the network. These are still “closed” due to the Ethereum merger. In preparation for the hard fork, a first test update has now been successfully carried out. Meanwhile, Shanghai is scheduled to officially take place in March.
FTX: $700 Million Seized from Sam Bankman-Fried
There is news regarding the FTX Cause. While court documents indicate that $700 million related to FTX has been seized, the crypto exchange’s bankruptcy trustees released a list of creditors. The juicy stuff: Big brands like Netflix, Apple, and Google have also been hit by the FTX crash.
Likewise, numerous companies in the crypto industry can be found in the list that has now been published. In addition to Coinbase, Binance Capital Management, Chainalysis, as well as Yuga Labs and Silvergate Bank, are said to be affected by the FTX collapse.
Amazon: Possible NFT Debut of the Online Giant
The US news magazine Blockworks reports that the e-commerce giant wants to get into the NFT business. A separate initiative is to be launched in the spring. The article refers to a total of four anonymous sources. They claim that Amazon has requested digital collectibles from some players in the crypto industry. It remains to be seen whether or not it will actually be implemented.
Regulation: Will There Be Uniform Crypto Taxes in the EU Any Time Soon?
The European Parliament published a draft that provides for the introduction of uniform crypto taxes on Bitcoin and other crypto currencies, for all member countries. This could be implemented in an EU-wide capital gains tax. However, taxes could be due not only on profits, but also on transactions, mining or trading crypto assets.
By Audy Castaneda
