The World Economic Forum (WEF) has warned that central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) could be vulnerable to decryption attacks from quantum computer systems. Quantum computers, still largely experimental, could potentially crack standard encryption, posing a significant threat to the digital assets sector. The WEF suggests that central banks should incorporate cryptographic agility into CBDC systems to defend against quantum cyberattacks. This capability allows for the easy rotation of cryptographic algorithms based on real-time threats, helping to counter evolving attack techniques.

The Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), which operates the world's largest network of exchanges and clearing houses, has been fined $10 million by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The penalty comes after ICE failed to promptly report a cyber intrusion discovered in April 2021. The SEC alleges that ICE identified the threat but did not inform legal and compliance officials at their subsidiaries, including the New York Stock Exchange, for several days. SEC Commissioners Hester Peirce and Mark Uyeda have criticized the fine as an "overreaction" to a "minimal incident."

US President Joe Biden and SEC Chair Gary Gensler have voiced their opposition to the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century (FIT21) Act, a crucial bill set to clarify crypto regulation. They argue that the bill lacks adequate protections for consumers and could destabilize US capital markets. Despite this, the White House expressed its willingness to work with Congress on an alternative crypto regulatory framework. The President might veto the FIT21 bill if passed. This story is still developing, with more details to follow.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is set to decide on the approval of a spot Ether exchange-traded fund (ETF) by VanEck. The decision, due on May 23, has sparked a debate on whether Ether is a security or a commodity. The SEC's approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs in January solidified Bitcoin's status as a commodity. However, the fate of Ether is uncertain, with the SEC questioning its status. The approval chances of the Ether ETF have dropped to a "very pessimistic 25%", according to Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas. The SEC's stance on Ether as a security could potentially impact the approval of the ETF.

Casper Labs is set to integrate its new Prove AI product with IBM's "watsonx.governance" platform. The Prove AI solution, built on Casper's blockchain, will offer security, version control, and advanced auditing functions for AI training data sets. This move comes as regulators demand greater accountability from businesses working with AI. Prove AI's first design partner will be GreyscaleAI, a firm that builds inspection systems for the food, drink, and medicine industries. The full-scale launch of Prove AI is expected in Q3 2024.

The Bank of England (BoE) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) are set to adopt a proactive and flexible approach to regulation through the Digital Securities Sandbox (DSS). This marks a significant shift in regulatory culture, according to BoE Executive Director Sashi Mills. The DSS will operate under a flexible rulebook, adapting based on observations from DSS activity. This will allow the use of developing technologies, including digital ledger technology (DLT), that might not otherwise be permitted. Firms operating within the DSS will face limits on the value of securities they can handle, adjusted based on their ability to meet regulatory standards.

The London Stock Exchange (LSE) is set to list Bitcoin and Ethereum-based exchange-traded products (ETPs) following approval by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). WisdomTree's physical Bitcoin ETP (WBTC) and Ethereum ETP (WETH) are among the first crypto ETPs to be listed in the UK, with trading expected to start on May 28. These ETPs will only be available to professional and institutional investors due to a retail ban on crypto trading enacted in January 2021. The listing comes after the LSE’s public notice nearly two months ago.

Nigeria's National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is revamping the National Blockchain Policy Steering Committee (NBP-SC) to reassess the National Blockchain Policy. The move aims to stay updated with blockchain innovations and broaden its reach by involving more stakeholders. The review will incorporate new technologies and economic realities, extending its scope to sectors like land registration, health, and education. The committee, formed on May 3, 2023, will now include experienced professionals and leading minds in the blockchain space to develop a robust implementation plan for the National Blockchain Policy.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has backed a move by X engineer Haofei to make "Likes" private on the decentralized social media platform Farcaster. Buterin suggested the use of zero-knowledge (ZK) technology to ensure users' likes are anonymous, preventing the misrepresentation of true preferences due to social pressure. ZK technology, which Buterin proposed borrowing from Zupoll, allows one party to prove a statement is true without revealing confidential information. Haofei confirmed the platform would be making likes private, arguing that public likes incentivize the wrong behavior.

Checksums are essential for data integrity, including in cryptocurrency transactions. They act as a data fingerprint, confirming its accuracy. In the Ethereum network, Ethereum addresses are unique identifiers for cryptocurrency transactions. These addresses come in two forms: checksummed and non-checksummed. Checksummed addresses, introduced by Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP) 55, have an integrated error-checking feature, reducing the risk of funds being sent to the wrong address due to typing errors. However, users must still double-check addresses carefully. Checksummed addresses offer improved security, reduced error rates, and greater transaction transparency.

Bitcoin (BTC) is teetering on the edge, with analysts nervously eyeing the $69,000 support level. After two tests of 2021's all-time highs, BTC is still above $69,000, but trading resource Material Indicators warns of a possible resistance/support flip at this level. A clear downward signal on daily timeframes is also causing concern. A move above $71.5k would invalidate these fears. Meanwhile, some traders predict a wider BTC price retracement, possibly returning to $60,000 or lower. However, a positive decision on the US spot Ether (ETH) exchange-traded funds (ETFs) could push Bitcoin back into price discovery, potentially hitting $80,000.

Hong Kong's Privacy Commissioner has ordered the Worldcoin Foundation to halt all operations involving the collection of iris and facial images, citing violations of the Privacy Ordinance. The investigation, which began in January 2024, found that Worldcoin's identity verification project posed serious risks to citizens' personal data privacy. The Privacy Commissioner deemed the collection of face and iris images unnecessary and unlawful, and criticized Worldcoin's lack of transparency and insufficient information. The investigation also revealed that Worldcoin's retention of sensitive biometric data for up to 10 years was unjustified. Worldcoin has confirmed that 8,302 individuals had their faces and irises scanned during its operation in Hong Kong.

Apple is fighting back against a U.S. antitrust lawsuit, claiming it's not a "monopolist" and faces tough competition in the tech sector. The tech giant's lawyers argue that the company's alleged anticompetitive conduct involves making independent decisions about the terms and conditions for third-party access to its platform. The lawsuit, filed by the Justice Department in March, alleges that Apple has a smartphone monopoly that restricts features and functions of digital wallets and payments, and that its App Store rules stifle competition. Apple countered that it offers a curated, secure, and reliable user experience, unlike its competitors' more open platforms.

BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) ETF saw a massive inflow of $290 million on May 21, accounting for 95% of the total inflow into US spot Bitcoin ETFs that day. This is the highest inflow for BlackRock's ETF since April 5, reversing a six-week trend of low or zero inflows. The latest figures bring the total inflows for the BlackRock fund to $16 billion since its launch. Meanwhile, Grayscale's GBTC spot ETF, an industry leader, registered zero flow on May 21, maintaining a five-day streak without an outflow.

Pepe (PEPE), an Ethereum-based memecoin, has hit a new all-time high with a 27% surge in the last 24 hours. This is largely due to speculation around the potential US approval of spot Ether (ETH) exchange-traded funds (ETF). Ether itself is up 23.28% over the past two days, reaching $3,785. Meanwhile, PEPE is trading at $0.00001387, up 23.48% over the past 24 hours. Other top memecoins have also seen significant price jumps over the past week, including BONK (up 40.80%) and Floki (up 21.94%).

Former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is considering supporting the Republican-led crypto bill, FIT21, which could be voted on by May 22. The bill aims to clarify the roles of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and Securities and Exchange Commission in regulating crypto assets. It also proposes changes to the Howey test, a legal standard for determining securities, which could reduce the SEC's oversight of crypto. The bill has been well-received by the crypto industry, but has faced opposition from financial reform groups and anti-crypto Democrats. Pelosi's support could signal a shift in the Democratic party's stance on crypto.

Farcaster, the blockchain-based social platform, has raised $150 million in a Series A funding round, causing a 17% surge in the value of its community-created token, Degen (DEGEN). The round was led by Paradigm and included Andreessen Horowitz, Haun, USV, Variant, and Standard Crypto. Farcaster founder, Dan Romero, stated the funds will be used to support the platform's growth and attract more users. Since October, Farcaster has seen 350,000 paid sign-ups and a 50x increase in network activity. DEGEN is currently trading at $0.023.

Bitcoin's recent 14% surge has traders buzzing with optimism, predicting a potential rise to $90,000-$100,000 before any significant correction. This bullish trend, backed by strong fundamentals and technicals, is seen as the "real deal" market pump. The positive market sentiment, reflected in the Crypto Fear and Greed Index's "Extreme Greed" score of 76, comes amid speculation of the US SEC approving spot Ether ETFs. However, traders also anticipate a slight dip in Bitcoin's price before it continues its upward trajectory. Currently, Bitcoin is trading at $70,140, up 8.04% over the past 30 days.

A single multisignature crypto wallet with permissions from 12 different blockchain networks could potentially lose $121 million if compromised. The networks, including Zora, Aevo, Hypr, Orderly, Ancient8, Lyra, Mode, Pgn, Parallel and Metal, were all created using the Conduit rollup creation software. However, Conduit founder Andrew Huang assures that the wallet can't transact without three of five signatures from the team, stored on hardware wallets. The system will be upgraded to a five out of seven multisig in the coming weeks to further reduce centralization risk. Critics argue that Layer 2 networks are too centralized and hinder mass crypto adoption.

Gala Games has recovered $22 million in Ether (ETH) following a security breach on May 20, where $200 million worth of Gala (GALA) tokens were minted. The attacker returned the ETH a day after selling 600 million GALA. Gala Games used its new "GalaChain's blocklist protocol" to freeze 4.4 billion GALA out of the 5 billion minted. The company is considering buying back and burning the equivalent GALA tokens with the returned ETH. A governance vote is underway to decide if the blocklisted GALA will be "considered burned." Meanwhile, DWF Labs bought 28 million GALA tokens to stabilize the token's value.