A JPMorgan Chase customer says he has been fighting for over a year to get his money back after $7,000 vanished via his account. Grant Holihan told CBS New York he believes his debit card was skimmed at an ATM in Queens. Shortly after using the machine, he got an alert by JPMorgan about a suspicious purchase in Las Vegas.

A Sad State Of Affairs

Holihan immediately closed the account, but that was not the end of it. He says scammers managed to make additional charges at multiple Giant supermarkets in Pennsylvania, draining his entire life savings in under an hour. In less than 60 minutes, scammers spent more than $7,000 at four different stores, Holihan said, before adding that it has already been over a year, and he still has not received any kind of reimbursement as the bank keeps denying his claim.

Holihan says he has evidence proving he was in New York when the fraudulent transactions occurred, but JPMorgan Chase insists the charges were legitimate. The claim was denied because the transactions were completed using the PIN number of the customer and was verified by phone, the bank said in a statement. Holihan, who feels abandoned by the bank, is asking Chase to step up and do the right thing.

Growing Concerns

This is not the first time that banks have let their customers down, and it is very much a global issue. It is also one of the main reasons why so many across the globe are actively shifting toward alternate means of saving up their hard-earned money, such as crypto.

In fact, many experts believe that is the rapidly growing popularity of crypto that so many banks are afraid of, as it would essentially render them obsolete, much like how social media rendered the post office completely irrelevant. Cases like Holihan are only increasing and unless banks step up and help out their customers, it could very well only be a matter of time before they have little to no customers left at all.

Google has unveiled Mariner, a cutting-edge AI agent powered by the Gemini 2.0 framework, setting the stage for a major leap in how we interact with technology. This advanced AI system is designed to handle tasks on your behalf by leveraging reasoning, planning, and memory.

Currently, Mariner is in limited release, with a broader rollout expected in 2025. Many are actively working to keep up with what Google is doing, with Quant.Bond recently launching their Terminal Simulation.

Hefty Ambitions

Jaclyn Konzelmann, project manager for Mariner, told the New York Times that users can now input requests directly into their web browser, and Mariner will take action autonomously. This development comes hot on the heels of the Gemini 2.0 release, which supercharges the ability of the model to perform complex reasoning, solve multi-step problems, and execute tasks with minimal human intervention.

The significance of this launch extends beyond what Google has planned for its AI ambitions. By integrating Mariner into the Chrome browser, Google positions itself at the forefront of the push to seamlessly embed AI agents into everyday life and business workflows, much like how cryptocurrencies and blockchain are slowly transforming the financial landscape.

As cryptocurrencies continue to shape decentralized finance (DeFi), AI agents like Mariner could play a similar role in revolutionizing industries by automating complex processes, increasing efficiency, and offering tailored solutions across various sectors such as crypto trading strategies to business intelligence.

Key Advances In Gemini 2.0 AI Agents
Gemini 2.0 represents a monumental shift compared to its predecessor, with a clear focus on agentic AI, systems that not only process data but can also reason, plan, and take action. Google CEO Sundar Pichai described the upgrade as a significant step forward.

While its earlier version emphasized handling multimodal data like text and images, the new Gemini 2.0 enables AI agents such as Mariner to tackle much more intricate tasks independently. For example, its Deep Research feature can scour the web, analyze data, and compile detailed reports, mimicking the work of an expert assistant, a powerful tool for industries like crypto, where fast, accurate data analysis is crucial for making investment decisions and predicting market trends.

El Salvador, the first country to adopt Bitcoin (BTC) as legal tender, is joining forces with Argentina to develop digital asset regulations. This partnership is part of a broader strategy by El Salvador to collaborate with over 25 nations, sharing its expertise to help shape effective cryptocurrency regulations in Latin America.

Argentina President Javier Milei has backed the use of cryptocurrencies to combat inflation, making Argentina an ideal partner. Reyes praised the local high crypto adoption rate and innovative blockchain ecosystem, which are key reasons for the partnership.

Plenty Of Potential

On December 11th, Juan Carlos Reyes, President of the El Salvador National Commission of Digital Assets (NCDA), and Roberto Silva, President of the Argentinian National Securities Commission (CNV), signed an agreement aimed at fostering regulation and innovation in the digital asset sector.

Reyes highlighted the potential of the collaboration, noting that the forward-thinking blockchain industry in Argentina combined with the technological know-how of El Salvador would create a highly productive partnership. In fact, Argentina already has businesses operating in El Salvador, underscoring the practical benefits of this collaboration.

Global Expansion

The efforts by El Salvador extend beyond Argentina, with talks underway with over 25 countries to forge similar partnerships. Reyes emphasized the importance of international collaboration to advance crypto adoption and global regulation.

To facilitate these partnerships, El Salvador has assembled a 20-member team of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency experts to assist other nations in developing clear and effective regulations that can prevent fraud and money laundering in the sector.

Despite facing criticism for its bold Bitcoin initiatives, such as making the cryptocurrency legal tender, El Salvador has gained valuable experience, which it is now using to help other countries create solid regulatory frameworks. El Salvador is also nearing final agreements with two other countries as part of its broader strategy. Reyes believes that cross-border knowledge-sharing is crucial for ensuring a secure and effective environment for digital assets.

The Solana (SOL) ecosystem is facing controversy over Maximum Extractable Value (MEV) tactics, particularly Sandwich Attacks. A single Solana validator is reported to have extracted over $60 million through these attacks in one month, using the Solana blockchain to manipulate transactions and profit at the expense of users.

Substantial Losses

DeFi analyst 0xngmi noted that while the $60 million is the profit for the validator, user losses are even greater due to transaction priority fees, or validator bribes. The issue gained attention when Ben, a core developer of Temporal, revealed that the Arsc validator was using a sandwich attack bot to front-run transactions and increase MEV earnings.

This raised concerns about the centralization of MEV, threatening the decentralization aspect of Solana. Ben proposed solutions like whitelisting or blacklisting validators or using a public mempool, though these received criticism for potentially leading to censorship. Coinbase representative Viktor Bunin argued that improving DEX design and slippage parameters would be a better solution.

Transparency Issues

A sandwich attack works by malicious actors manipulating transaction orders, making users pay higher prices while attackers profit. The architecture of Solana, with its fast transaction processing and private mempools, makes it especially susceptible to such attacks. This has raised concerns over the transparency of REV (Real Economic Value) of Solana.

While some argue that sandwich attacks are a small portion of this REV, the majority comes via prioritizing transactions for faster processing. As the debate continues, users can protect themselves by using tools like Helius or choosing chains with built-in MEV protections like MultiversX (EGLD).

The 2024 Bitcoin bull market has spurred plenty of investor interest in meme coins, with traders seeking volatility and large profits. Celebrities have capitalized on this by launching their own tokens, but many face accusations of scams.

Despite poor track records, novice investors continue to fall for celebrity-endorsed tokens. Celebrities have previously promoted crypto projects for profit, and platforms like Pump.fun make it easy to launch meme coins with little utility. 

Celebrity Tokens That Failed

Andrew Tate is a controversial figure to say the least, and his $DADDY token is no different. It suffered the same pump-and-dump scheme that so many meme coins have experienced, with insiders profiting significantly. Investigations revealed significant early buys, raising concerns over fairness.

Jack Doherty is another celebrity with a failed meme coin project. He hyped his $MCLAREN token during a livestream, only to sell off his holdings and crash the price, leaving investors with heavy losses. No legal action has been taken yet. In the music industry, Sean Kingston launched his $KING token which crashed shortly afterward, and he was later arrested for fraud and theft.

Caitlyn Jenner and Jason Derulo both launched meme coins with Sahil Arora, leading to pump-and-dump accusations. Jenner is facing a lawsuit for allegedly soliciting unregistered securities.

The Dangers Of Trusting Celebrities

While celebrities may drive attention to crypto projects, their involvement does not guarantee legitimacy, with savvy investors often seeing celebrity endorsements as a red flag. Investing in a celebrity-endorsed meme coin is therefore risky because celebrities often lack expertise in crypto, with many not even knowing the ins and outs of what they are promoting in the first place.

The aforementioned celebrity-endorsed meme coins are not only highly speculative, prone to pump-and-dump schemes, but they are also just a drop in the vast ocean of such meme coins which many believe are just pump-and-dump schemes waiting to happen. Once the hype fades, many investors are left holding the proverbial bag.

The Terminal Simulation is finally live on Quant.Bond, which is paving the way for an era of quantum-powered decentralized science (DeSci). This is not just a tool, it is a glimpse into the power and resilience of the $KNOT quantum resistant algorithm. $KNOT is also not just a token, it is a declaration of war on stagnant science and quantum threats.

This is also extremely bullish because the Terminal Simulation computes the invariant of a mathematical knot, then forces attempts to guess the knot through its variant. Even when using simple knots, it is computationally intense, and scaling this difficulty leads to Knot-DH, a robust, quantum-resistant initiative.

Google Launches Willow

Knot-DH builds on the difficulty of decomposing knots into primes. Diffie-Hellman is the inspiration behind Knot-DH, and it replaces group actions with semigroup actions, thereby forming a breakthrough cryptographic key exchange. Now is also the best time to fund innovative ideas like Knot-DH, as giants like AWS are actively adopting post-quantum cryptography.

In fact, with Google recently launching Willow, their new Quantum AI chip, we are seeing a massive leap forward in quantum computing capabilities. This is not just a chip, it is a quantum leap toward hyper-intelligent systems and applications that will push the limits of what we know about artificial intelligence and security. It recently solved a problem in minutes that supercomputers would have taken longer than the lifespan of the universe to solve!

Moreover, with players like QuantWare scaling 64-qubit processors, the quantum future is not just a possibility, it is a reality that is being built right now. By creating an open, decentralized ecosystem for quantum research, Quant.Bond is ensuring that the next wave of innovation will be secure, scalable, and collaborative.

Looking Ahead

Quant.Bond aims to become the future of quantum innovation. This platform is built to accelerate the development of quantum-powered algorithms and bring them to life. Put simply, it is the next evolutionary stage of DeSci.

At the heart of Quant.Bond is the idea of radical democratization, where the power to push quantum computing forward is in the hands of the global community. This is not just innovation, it is revolutionizing how we look at quantum-powered data.

Microsoft shareholders voted against a proposal that urged the company to invest a portion of its assets in Bitcoin (BTC).

Potential Hedge Against Inflation

The proposal, presented by the National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR), suggested that Microsoft allocate 1% of its financial assets to Bitcoin, viewing the cryptocurrency as a potential hedge against inflation.

The proposal was put to a vote during the annual shareholder meeting of Microsoft, but it was rejected as the majority of shareholders aligned with the board of directors' recommendation to dismiss the idea.

Saylor Steps In

During the meeting, Michael Saylor took the opportunity to address the shareholders and advocate for Bitcoin. Saylor, whose company has made substantial investments in Bitcoin, emphasized its role as a store of value in times of economic uncertainty and inflation. He argued that Bitcoin could offer stability in an unpredictable economic landscape.

Despite his presentation, the proposal was ultimately turned down, with the board of directors expressing concerns about the high volatility of BTC, which they believed could pose a significant risk to Microsoft's financial stability. The decision highlights the ongoing debate among investors about the role of cryptocurrencies in traditional corporate portfolios.

Anton Tkachev, a member of the Russian State Duma, has proposed the creation of a Russian Bitcoin (BTC) reserve to strengthen local financial stability amidst ongoing international sanctions.

Mitigating Risks

The proposal, addressed to Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, suggests that digital currencies could help mitigate risks associated with traditional reserve assets. In his letter, Tkachev highlighted that assets like the U.S. dollar, euro, and yuan are increasingly exposed to inflation, volatility, and sanctions. He pointed out that Bitcoin, being a decentralized digital currency, is not linked to any particular nation's financial system, allowing it to potentially withstand geopolitical pressures.

Tkachev called for an evaluation by the finance ministry to determine the feasibility of establishing a Russian Bitcoin reserve, with the results to be presented for government approval. Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Russia is continuing to explore the use of cryptocurrencies in cross-border transactions, especially as traditional financial systems become less accessible to sanctioned countries.

Global Traction

The proposal also referenced the recent strong performance of Bitcoin, including its $100,000 valuation in December 2024, presenting it not only as a means to safeguard financial stability but also as a potentially profitable investment. Tkachev emphasized the need for policy changes and coordination between agencies to make the plan successful, which could inspire other sanctioned nations to consider similar strategies.

The idea of using Bitcoin as a reserve asset is gaining traction globally. In the U.S., Senator Cynthia Lummis has introduced the Bitcoin Act of 2024, pushing for a national Bitcoin reserve, while former President Donald Trump has expressed support for holding Bitcoin to enhance overall economic resilience.

Argentina has approved crypto ETFs for its local stock market, marking a significant milestone for the local financial sector. The country has been adopting a more crypto-friendly policy over the last year in order to combat inflation.

Introducing CEDARS

The CNV (National Securities Commission) has introduced CEDEARs for Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and other digital asset ETFs, aligning with the libertarian policies of President Javier Milei aimed at modernizing investment opportunities and integrating the local financial system with global standards.

In addition to crypto ETFs, Argentina has also approved CEDEARs for gold and stock index ETFs, including the inverse S&P 500 and the Chinese market FXI ETF. This move is designed to attract foreign investments, diversify the financial system, and offer local investors unique trading options, according to Livebitcoinnews.

Accessing Global Markets

The approval of crypto ETFs allows local investors to trade digital assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum through regulated intermediaries, broadening access to global markets and encouraging financial diversification.

The initiative goes beyond cryptocurrencies, incorporating gold and international stock ETFs, signaling an overall growing desire that Argentina has toward pushing for financial modernization, economic growth, and increased use of blockchain and crypto technologies for national economic benefit.

Amazon shareholders are urging the company to consider adding Bitcoin (BTC) to its balance sheet as a hedge against inflation, following the example of other major companies like Microsoft and Tesla. This request is part of a larger trend in which businesses are exploring Bitcoin as a potential asset to safeguard their finances and increase shareholder returns.

Protection Against Inflation

The rationale behind this decision is that, with rising inflation, traditional assets like cash and bonds are less effective at preserving value. In contrast, Bitcoin has seen significant growth, increasing by 131% in 2024 alone, and over 1,200% in the past five years, far surpassing the performance of various bonds.

With $585 billion in assets, including $88 billion in cash and bonds, Amazon shareholders believe the company should consider adding Bitcoin to its reserves. This move could help Amazon shield its profits when it comes to inflation and potentially yield higher returns in the future. Following the proposal, former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) suggested that Amazon could also accept Bitcoin as a payment method, further embracing cryptocurrency.

The Bitcoin Effect

Companies like MicroStrategy, which holds significant Bitcoin assets, have seen their stock prices rise, and Tesla and Block (formerly Square) have similarly added Bitcoin to their balance sheets. The proposal for Amazon to do the same is based on the belief that it would boost shareholder value.

Though Bitcoin is a volatile asset, shareholders propose Amazon start by allocating just 5% of its assets to Bitcoin. This idea reflects a broader shift where companies are viewing Bitcoin as a reliable long-term investment to combat inflation. Microsoft shareholders are also set to vote on adding Bitcoin to their balance sheet soon.

As Bitcoin gains wider acceptance among major companies, it may become a standard asset management tool. While Amazon has not yet made a decision, the increasing discussion around Bitcoin suggests more companies, including Amazon and Microsoft, may soon adopt similar strategies.

The official Cardano X (Twitter) account was hacked, and a fraudulent tweet falsely claimed that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had filed a lawsuit against Cardano and that support for the $ADA token would be halted.

The tweet, which was quickly flagged as fake, incorrectly stated that the Cardano Foundation would stop supporting $ADA in response to the alleged legal action. It is clear why Cardano was targeted, as between December 2023 and January 2024, Cardano processed over 4 million transactions, demonstrating a noteworthy uptick in on-chain activity.

Deception Thrives

As per the deceptive message, the Cardano Foundation stated they regret to inform their community that they have been served with a lawsuit by the U.S. SEC on December 8th, 2024. Due to this unexpected legal matter, the tweet added, the difficult decision has been made to immediately end all support for the $ADA token to comply with regulatory requirements.

The misleading tweet also falsely claimed that the Cardano Foundation would offer further updates and assistance during the supposed transition. However, the community quickly debunked the claim.

Additionally, the compromised account shared more incorrect information, such as claiming that $ADA trading will stop on all platforms starting December 9th, 2024 and that all $ADA tokens will be burned.

Damage Control

ZachXBT, an on-chain investigator, quickly flagged the incident and warned his Telegram followers, urging them not to click on any links by the compromised account. As of now, the Cardano Foundation has not publicly addressed the breach or the false SEC lawsuit claims. Official statements and updates are expected to come through verified channels.

This incident highlights growing concerns about security in the cryptocurrency space, as high-profile accounts are increasingly targeted by hackers and scammers. Experts advise the crypto community to remain cautious and avoid engaging with compromised accounts. Users are urged to avoid clicking on suspicious links or messages by the compromised X account and to rely solely on official announcements via verified Cardano channels.

Suilend secured $4M in Undisclosed Funding with support by Delphi Ventures and Figment Capital. Suilend is a decentralized lending protocol on the Sui blockchain. It was built by Save (formerly Solend).

Haven1 obtained $4.60M in a Private Token Sale with assistance by Animoca Brands. Haven1 is the REKT-resistant EVM Layer 1 blockchain, engineered to address the critical challenges of security and liquidity in Web3.

Slise raised an undisclosed amount in M&A Funding with help by W3M Ventures. Slise is a Web3-native programmatic advertising platform that focuses on privacy-preserving, blockchain-based ad services. It enables advertisers to target users of dApps using on-chain wallet data, such as transaction history and holdings, instead of traditional cookies or Web2 identifiers.

Spexi acquired $11.50M in Series A Funding with support by Blockchange Ventures. Spexi is an innovative platform that leverages drone technology to provide ultra-high-resolution aerial imagery for a variety of applications. The project is centered around its Fly-to-Earn model, which incentivizes drone pilots to capture and upload imagery using their drones.

Torram secured an undisclosed amount in Strategic Funding with MH Ventures providing assistance. Torram is a system of AI-enhanced decentralized oracle networks, decentralized unified APIs, and decentralized indexers that enable Bitcoin developers to unlock the true potential of the Bitcoin dApp ecosystem.

interlace.money raised $10M in Extended Series B Funding with support by BitRock Capital. Interlace is a financial technology company offering enterprise-level fund management solutions. Its services include cross-border, cross-currency, and cross-system fund transfers for sectors such as Web3, cross-border e-commerce, and B2B trade.

Scrypted Inc obtained $1.50M in Pre-Seed Funding with help by a16z crypto. The Inori Network (by Scrypted) is being developed as a platform to support emerging Autonomous AI Agents. Initially, it will operate as a centralized service, integrating with Layer 1 and Layer 2 blockchain networks through native tokens.

Fiamma secured $4M in Seed Funding with support by Astera Ventures and Sats Ventures. Fiamma is a verification network specializing in zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) to secure and integrate blockchain ecosystems.

The Binary Holdings raised $5M in Strategic Funding with assistance by ABO Digital. The Binary Holdings is a Web3 infrastructure provider for the telecoms sector in emerging economies.

Midas acquired $5M in Grant Funding with help by Oasis. Midas is an asset tokenization platform that facilitates the exposure to institutional-grade assets on-chain. Investors can access investment-grade securities on-chain, leveraging the full suite of dApps via a permissionless ERC-20 token.