A man for fall seasons | Former Georgia Southern Writer @underdogdynasty | Host of the @warmweatherfans podcast
Articles by Brian Stone
Atlanta verges on a great planning disaster if it fails to build Beltline rail
Opinion A seamless rail loop following the Beltline can reinvent Atlanta. A man waves to a friend on the Beltline in Atlanta on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025. (Abbey Cutrer/AJC) By Gregory F. Randolph and Brian Stone – For The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Oct 28, 2025 With his reelection bid looming, Mayor Andre Dickens faces a decision that will determine his legacy — whether to scuttle or fulfill the vision of 22 miles of rail transit encircling Atlanta.
Social enterprise
Screenshot of IBM z17 mainframe from an IBM product video.
Ukraine's central bank 'killed' local crypto market
Share Michael Chobanyan, founder of KUNA, claims Ukraine’s central bank has effectively “killed” the local cryptocurrency market, prompting him to shift his focus to Europe. According to Michael Chobanyan, founder of the KUNA crypto exchange, the crypto market in Ukraine is dead rather than alive. In an interview with Ukrainian news media Delo.ua, Chobanyan blames the National Bank of Ukraine for effectively “killing” the local crypto market.
How TapSwap plans to address sustainability challenges: founder
Share In an interview with crypto.news, Naz Ventura, the founder of TapSwap, shared how the game is gearing up to ensure long-term sustainability. Telegram clicker games quickly became the talk of the town with the launch of Notcoin . These simple games revived the play-to-earn mechanics in Web3 games by offering an easy and engaging way to earn digital assets through minimal interaction—often just by tapping a button on their screen. This led to the introduction of tap-to-earn.
X and YouTube favored by investors for crypto news, study shows
Share A new survey from CoinGecko reveals that X, Telegram, and YouTube are the top platforms where the crypto community gets their news and updates. Crypto investors tend to favor social media platforms for their news, with X, YouTube, and Telegram leading as their top sources of information. According to a study conducted from June 25 to July 8 by CoinGecko, the three platforms collectively account for 84% of where crypto enthusiasts get their information.
Here’s why Trumpcoin, MAGA, and Trump tokens are rising
Share Donald Trump-themed cryptocurrencies surged on Aug. 21 as his odds of winning the election increased and as Bitcoin held steady above $60,000. MAGA trump41.39% MAGA token rose by 46% to $3.88 while MAGA Hat (MAGA) rose by over 13.2%. Trumpcoin jumped by 10% to $0.000154. This rally coincided with rising odds that Donald Trump might win the general election. According to Polymarket, the likelihood of a return to the White House now stands at 54%.
Taiwanese court convicts spies paid in crypto by China
Share Taiwan’s high court convicted eight people of espionage for China, revealing that crypto was used to facilitate payments in one of the most prominent spying cases in recent years. Bloomberg reports, citing Taiwan’s Ministry of Justice’s Investigation Bureau, that Chinese intelligence used cryptocurrency to pay Taiwanese military personnel involved in a major espionage case.
Suspected DMM Bitcoin hackers move 500 BTC to new addresses
Share A crypto address linked to the $305 million DMM Bitcoin hack in May has reportedly moved 500 Bitcoin, which have an estimated value of $30.4 million. According to PeckShield Alert, the suspected address first moved the Bitcoin btc3.07% Bitcoin to two addresses, each receiving approximately 250 BTC.
DBS unveils blockchain solution for streamlined government grant disbursement
Share Singaporean banking giant DBS has introduced a blockchain-powered solution that uses smart contracts to streamline the disbursement of government grants. According to a local media report, DBS completed the pilot in collaboration with Enterprise Singapore and the Singapore Fintech Association. As a part of the pilot, 27 local fintech companies received grants from the SFA using a permissioned blockchain developed by DBS.
'Big Crypto' dominates US election spending and exploits consumers, report finds Original
Share Crypto corporations have become the dominant force in federal election spending, spending over $119 million to influence the U.S. election outcome. According to a report by the non-profit organization Public Citizen, nearly half of all corporate money contributed to this year’s United States elections came from crypto backers, totaling $248 million.
Aave V3 goes live on ZKSync’s Era mainnet
Share Aave V3 has launched on the ZKSync Era mainnet to unlock liquidity and yield generation for users of the zero-knowledge-powered blockchain ecosystem. Aave Labs said in a blog post that the deployment of Aave aave13.99% Aave V3 on Era will see the community leverage advanced ZK technology to benefit from expanded access to decentralized finance.
McDonald’s Instagram hijacked in $25m Solana 'GRIMACE' scam Original
Share Hackers seemingly breached McDonald’s Instagram page on Aug. 21 to market GRIMACE, a memecoin launched via pump.fun on the Solana blockchain. Hamburgers and Solana sol-1.27% Solana memecoins collided on Aug. 21 as hackers compromised McDonald’s Instagram page, as bad actors used the global fast-food chain’s social media to promote Solana-based GRIMACE. McDonald’s marketing director Guillaume Huin also posted about the memecoin on his X page in an apparent double attack.
UK-based Copper adds custody, staking support for MINA
Share Digital assets custody and collateral management provider Copper now offers custody and staking support for Mina Protocol. Copper.co announced its support for Mina Protocol mina3.27% Mina Protocol on Aug. 21, noting that support for the zero-knowledge blockchain platform’s native token expands digital asset options for institutional investors. The integration will allow eligible clients to participate in the Mina Protocol ecosystem through Copper’s infrastructure.
Bitwise CIO: Bitcoin ETFs breaking records, gaining unprecedented institutional traction
Share Bitcoin ETFs are breaking records as the fastest-growing ETFs in history, rapidly attracting institutional investors. According to Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan, contrary to the popular belief that retail investors are driving the surge in Bitcoin btc1.24% Bitcoin ETF adoption, data shows that institutions contribute significantly to this trend.
SunPump buoys Tron's 24-hour revenue over Ethereum
Share Justin Sun’s Tron network overtook Ethereum in daily revenue, spurred by new memecoin mania via the SunPump launchpad. According to DefiLlama, the Tron trx5.83% TRON blockchain generated over $3.8 million in 24-hour revenue. The chain reached a new all-time high in daily fees as speculators jumped on the memecoin meta, which stormed the TRX ecosystem. Metas in crypto refer to emerging narratives that may or may not be a flash in the pan.
Aptos partners with myco to take Web3 entertainment mainstream
Share The Aptos Foundation has announced a strategic partnership with Web3 streaming platform myco to accelerate mainstream adoption of Web3 entertainment. Aptos apt1.88% Aptos is a layer-1 blockchain platform for smart contracts and offers a decentralized and highly scalable network.
Avalanche rises after big token unlock; staking reward falls Original
Share Avalanche, the 14th biggest cryptocurrency, rose for the sixth consecutive day after a significant token unlock. The Avalanche avax5.53% Avalanche token reached a high of $23.25 on Aug. 21, its highest level since Aug. 3 and 32% above its lowest level in August. Avalanche’s staking yield retreats The rise happened a day after the network unlocked 9.5 million AVAX tokens worth over $202 million. The next unlock will occur on Nov. 18 this year.
Binance accused of acting as 'get-away driver' in new crypto laundering lawsuit
Share Binance and its founder, Changpeng Zhao, face a class-action lawsuit in the United States and are accused of enabling money laundering activities via crypto. The lawsuit, filed on Aug. 16 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, accuses Binance of enabling money laundering activities using cryptocurrency as a delivery system. “Binance.com became a preferred-choice as the “get-away driver” for a large number of bad actors,” the lawsuit read.
Story Protocol maker secures $80m to transfer IP rights onto blockchain
Share PIP Labs, the core contributor to layer-1 network Story Protocol, has raised $80 million to build an ecosystem where creators can “grow their IP in the age of AI.” Programmable IP Labs, the mastermind behind the blockchain startup Story Protocol, has attracted $80 million in a series B funding round, bringing the total value raised to $140 million.
PayPal stock on the rise as PYUSD market cap nears $1b
Share PayPal stock has moved into a bull market, rising by over 26% from its lowest point this month. PayPal USD stablecoin’s market cap PayPal USD pyusd0.17% PayPal USD, the company’s stablecoin launched in August 2023, has been performing well. Data shows that its market cap has jumped sharply in the past few weeks, crossing the psychological level of $907 million on Aug. 21. This marks significant growth for a stablecoin whose market cap started the year at $264 million.
Bitcoin miner Bitfarms to acquire rival Stronghold Digital
Share Cryptocurrency mining giant Bitfarms has entered a definitive merger agreement to acquire Stronghold in a stock-for-stock merger transaction. Canadian crypto miner Bitfarms is set to acquire its U.S.-based rival Stronghold Digital in a transaction valued at approximately $175 million, including $125 million in equity value and $50 million in assumed debt. In an Aug.
Sun Token and BitTorrent soar as Justin Sun’s cryptos jump
Share Justin Sun’s cryptocurrencies, such as Sun Token and BitTorrent, were some of the best performers on Aug. 21, as investors cheered the ecosystem’s growth. Sun Token and BitTorrent tokens are soaring Sun Token sun41.03% Sun Token rose by over 50% to a high of $0.0196, its highest level since 2022, and 143% above its lowest point this month. This rally has pushed its market cap to over $182 million.
Starknet unveils first voting proposal to bring staking to STRK holders
Share Starknet announces its first mainnet vote for STRK holders, which is set to introduce staking with a potential launch in October. Starknet strk0.8% Starknet, the layer-2 network developed by StarkWare, is set to introduce staking to its ecosystem, beginning through its first-ever mainnet vote for token holders. The proposal unveiled in an Aug. 20 post on X will determine the specifics of the staking mechanism and is expected to pave the way for a full staking launch by October.
Bitget integrates Apple Pay and Google Pay on its trading platform
Share Cryptocurrency exchange Bitget has integrated two new payment methods into its platform. According to a press release shared with crypto.news, the Seychelles-based exchange has added Apple Pay for iOS users and Google Pay for Android users. The new addition would allow Bitget users to convert fiat into crypto more seamlessly than traditional methods like cards or bank transfers. Bitget customers can purchase over 100 cryptocurrencies using various fiat currencies on the platform.
Russia's Yandex bans ads for crypto exchanges, miners
Share Russia’s largest search website, Yandex, has updated its advertisement policy, banning ads for crypto exchanges, smart contracts, mining activities, and ICOs. Russia‘s most prominent search site, Yandex, has updated its advertising policies to ban ads related to crypto services within Russia.
Ethereum gas fees drop to all-time low amid declining whale activity
Share Ethereum’s gas prices and whale activity have declined as its price dropped below the $2,600 mark. According to an X post by CryptoQuant, the daily mean gas price on the Ethereum eth-2.56% Ethereum network plunged to an all-time low of 2.9 Gwei, worth around $0.026, on Aug. 18. The average ETH gas price recorded a mild hike and is currently sitting at 3 Gwei. Data shows that only 115 ETH, worth around $300,000, were burned as gas prices hit an ATL.
dYdX price rebounds, but sell cluster threatens breakout rally
Share dYdX has embarked on a recovery push amid growth in buying pressure, but a cluster of sell orders threatens its potential for further rise. dYdX has increased by 4% over the past 24 hours, emerging as the top gainer among the top 100 cryptocurrencies. The upward momentum marks its third consecutive day of intraday gains after it witnessed sustained consolidation on the back of the broader market’s bearish trajectory. DYDX 1D chart – Aug.
Dormant Bitcoin wallet from 2014 moves BTC worth $10.2m Original
Share A Bitcoin wallet that has been dormant since 2014 suddenly woke up and moved over 174 bitcoins worth more than $102 million. Blockchain data showed that the Bitcoin btc4.76% Bitcoin wallet that received 174.88 BTC on Jan. 8, 2014, moved funds for the first time on Aug. 16, 2024. The transfer comes after a decade, during which Bitcoin’s price soared to highs of $73,000 before retreating to current levels.
Bitcoin in a gray zone as Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs diverge
Share Bitcoin’s price was stuck in a tight range on Friday as traders and investors’ sentiment waned and Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley diverged. Bitcoin was consolidating below $59,000, dropping by almost 7% from its highest point last week. In contrast, global stocks are on track to have the best week in nine months as recession jitters fall. Goldman Sachs invests in BTC A key event in the Bitcoin market happened in this week’s filings by major American banks.
Dubai court recognizes crypto salaries in landmark ruling
Share The Dubai Court of First Instance has set a new precedent by recognizing cryptocurrency as a valid form of salary payment under employment contracts. According to a report appearing on Lexology, the Dubai court made the landmark decision in a case where an employee accused their employer of failing to pay more than 5,000 EcoWatt (EWT) tokens, which had been part of their contractual agreement.
Worldcoin to integrate tech into Malaysia's infrastructure
Share Sam Altman’s crypto venture Worldcoin has signed a deal with Malaysia’s research arm to integrate its technology into the country’s digital infrastructure. The Worldcoin Foundation, Tools for Humanity, and MyEG have signed a memorandum of understanding with MIMOS Berhad, the Malaysian government’s research and development arm, to integrate its biometrics technology into Malaysian infrastructure. In an Aug.
Arbitrum DAO signals approval to introduce staking for ARB tokens
Share With 91.5% approval, the Arbitrum DAO has signaled its support for implementing ARB token staking to enhance governance and security. The Arbitrum DAO has supported the implementation of arb-3.37% Arbitrum token staking, a move aimed at enhancing governance and bolstering the protocol’s security. Per the temperature check proposal submitted by Tally’s head of marketing, Frisson, over 91% voted in approval, while 8.46% opposed it.
Ghana’s central bank announces draft guidelines for crypto service providers
Share Ghana’s central bank has published draft guidelines for Virtual Asset Service Providers. According to the Bank of Ghana’s Aug. 16 draft, the nation has witnessed a spike in demand for cryptocurrencies, prompting the need for regulations to counter the various risks typically associated with the emerging asset class.
Bitcoin advocate rebuts IMF Report on crypto carbon emissions
Share A recent International Monetary Fund report claiming a surge in carbon emissions from AI and crypto usage has sparked a rebuttal from Bitcoin advocate Daniel Batten. The report suggests that regulators should impose a ‘crypto carbon’ tax due to the alleged environmental impact of Bitcoin btc-4.1% Bitcoin mining.
Michael Saylor reveals $1b in personal Bitcoin holdings
Share Michael Saylor, the executive chairman of MicroStrategy, has revealed his personal Bitcoin holdings amount to $1 billion. Saylor, a prominent Bitcoin btc-0.19% Bitcoin advocate, has been a vocal proponent of Bitcoin’s potential, predicting future value increases and advocating for it as a great option for long-term capital management. JUST IN: Michael Saylor says he personally owns more than $1 billion worth of #Bitcoin.
Aave nets $6m in revenue amid crypto plunge
Share Decentralized finance protocol Aave generated more than $6 million in revenue as the crypto prices plummeted. Stani Kulechov, founder of Aave aave-9.14% Aave, said in a post on X on Aug. 5 that the DeFi protocol secured the revenue after navigating the crypto market plunge that had investors reeling on Monday. Aave, which traded higher to hit $117 on Aug. 2, followed by lows of $79 on Aug. 5 amid a crypto crash.
EigenLayer announces AVS rewards, EIGEN programmatic incentives
Share The EigenLayer Foundation has announced an upcoming rewards program that will reward stakers and operators for securing Actively Validated Services. According to details in a blog post, the Ethereum eth4.93% Ethereum restaking protocol is also introducing a new incentive program that will offer 4% of the EigenLayer (EIGEN) total supply.
30 Solana celebrity memecoins launched in June; most are dead
Share Celebrity memecoins on Solana have become a dime a dozen this cycle, but data shows investors hardly see returns. Some 30 celebrity memecoins launched on Solana sol7.63% Solana last month as popular figures capitalized on the speculative investment culture gripping one of crypto’s largest ecosystems. Memecoins are a play on popular culture, combining funny images and social media themes with decentralized tokenomics to issue hype-driven cryptocurrencies.
Michigan adds $6.6m in Bitcoin ETFs to pension fund
Share The State of Michigan Retirement System has invested $6.6 million in ARK 21Shares’ ARKB spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund. The ETF investment, disclosed in a 13-F form filed with the SEC, represents a small fraction — 0.004% — of the state’s substantial $143.9 billion pension fund. Michigan’s decision reflects a broader trend of institutional adoption of Bitcoin btc3.73% Bitcoin, following the lead of other states.
VanEck CEO says Bitcoin accounts for 'way over 30%' of his portfolio Original
Share Jan van Eck, the chief executive officer of investment management firm VanEck, has reiterated his bullish stance on Bitcoin by declaring at Bitcoin 2024 that ‘way over 30%’ of his portfolio is in Bitcoin. The VanEck CEO stated that he views Bitcoin as an evolving asset class, likening its current stage to the “teenage stage.” According to van Eck, BTC has yet to attract many investor classes, but he thinks it is only a matter of time before they join.
Curve founder: Defi more exciting than markets realize
Share Talking with crypto.news, Curve founder Michael Egorov argued that defi’s ecosystem still holds the biggest value proposition over speculative trends like memecoins. During the 2021 peak, sometimes called crypto summer, decentralized finance took the driving seat. Defi tokens surged to all-time highs, and the narrative revolved around the so-called “future of finance” thesis.
Cosmos Hub proposes transfer of 1m ATOM to liquidity protocol Hydro
Share Cosmos Hub has submitted a governance proposal seeking community approval to transfer 1 million ATOM to liquidity protocol Hydro. The platform said on July 26 that Cosmos Hub’s atom4.93% Cosmos Hub proposal is live in the community forum. If the community approves the plan, Cosmos Hub will transfer 1 million ATOM tokens from its community pool to the Hydro committee. Accordingly, 500,000 ATOM will be used to seed an ATOM liquidity pool on the interchain auction protocol.
Scaramucci: Bitcoin and crypto regulation must be bipartisan
Share In a recent discussion on CNBC’s Squawk Box, Anthony Scaramucci, founder of SkyBridge Capital, emphasized the importance of bipartisan support for Bitcoin and crypto regulation. Scaramucci highlighted the urgency of bipartisan cooperation in shaping crypto policies. “We need to make Bitcoin and the regulation around blockchain and cryptocurrency bipartisan,” he said.
Brett token price rises 12%; analyst sees another 30% upside Original
Share Brett, the biggest meme coin in the Base Blockchain, rose by over 12% on Friday as sentiment in the crypto and stock industries improved. Brett brett10.22% Brett token rose to $0.133, up 31% from its lowest swing this month. Some traders believe that the meme coin has more upside going forward.
Tether CEO warns MiCA stablecoin rules could pose 'systemic risks' to EU banks
Collect the article Share Tether chief executive Paolo Ardoino is alarmed that Europe’s MiCA regulations on stablecoins, due to excessive cash reserves requirements, could pose systemic risks to banks. Paolo Ardoino, the chief executive of the company behind the largest stablecoin by market capitalization, Tether usdt-0.26% Tether, appears to be concerned about the new European crypto legislation, known as MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets), saying it could create “systemic risks” for banks.
Coinbase stock price is rising; Aug. 1 will be crucial Original
Collect the article Share Coinbase stock price rose almost 5% in the pre-market session as Bitcoin and other altcoins bounced back. The stock was trading at $242, up 15% from this month’s low of $210. Other crypto-related stocks, such as Marathon Digital, Riot Platforms, MicroStrategy, and Core Scientific, rose by over 4%.
DappRadar completes 1st RADAR buyback following revenue surge
Collect the article Share DappRadar, the world’s dApp store, has completed the first buyback of its native token, according to a press release published on July 26. The Web3 analytics platform revealed that its governance arm, DappRadar DAO, completed the DappRadar (RADAR) buyback after recording an increase in revenue. DappRadar’s decentralized autonomous organization undertook the token repurchases after accumulating $38,000 in revenue from its token swaps, referrals, and quests.
BNP Paribas launches Slovenia's 1st sovereign bond on Canton blockchain
Collect the article Share Slovenia has made history by issuing the Eurozone’s first sovereign digital bond, utilizing the Canton blockchain platform for on-chain settlement. Slovenia has issued the Eurozone’s first sovereign digital bond in an on-chain transaction facilitated by French banking giant BNP Paribas and utilizing the Banque de France’s tokenized cash solution.
BlackRock at Bitcoin 2024: More demand for BTC than ETH for now Original
Collect the article Share BlackRock’s head of digital assets, Robert Mitchnick, said Bitcoin ETFs currently draw more investor demand than Ethereum funds. The Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville, which is expected to attract 20,000 crypto enthusiasts, comes as exchange-traded funds now offer exposure to the largest cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin btc-1.55% Bitcoin and Ethereum eth-7.4% Ethereum.
Arkham Intelligence integrates with Coinbase Wallet Original
Collect the article Share Blockchain analytics firm Arkham Intelligence has launched a new feature that enables users to connect their Coinbase Wallets directly to its platform. The integration enables users to track their crypto holdings and transactions seamlessly on Arkham. Arkham’s platform specializes in de-anonymizing blockchain transactions and linking them to real-world entities and individuals.
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