Weekly Wrap: Epstein Ties, $841M Sell-Off, DeFi Hacks Shake the Market & More

The crypto markets endured a stormy week as multiple shocks hit the industry at once. From the CrossCurve $3 million exploit and the fallout from Epstein-linked funding revelations to the Bitcoin market crash caused by both technical errors and large-scale sell-offs, investors and institutions faced extreme volatility. 

This week saw significant changes in the market, including new ETF applications, government actions, and increased activity in DeFi. Here’s what happened:

CrossCurve hack and DeFi problems

CrossCurve loses $3 million in a cross-chain attack

Someone stole $3 million from CrossCurve by exploiting a flaw in their cross-chain smart contract. The attacker faked messages to get past security checks and withdraw funds without permission. The CrossCurve team stopped everything to find the stolen money. This shows that cross-chain DeFi protocols still have risks.

Trend Research and big investor losses

Adding to the market’s worries, Trend Research said they lost $686 million in Ethereum because they used leverage, and the market dropped. This proves that even experienced investors can lose big when crypto prices change quickly.

Tether freezes $500 million due to Turkish investigation

Tether froze $500 million in USDT because it was connected to illegal betting in Turkey. This shows that stablecoin companies are playing a bigger part in following rules and regulations.

Epstein files and Bitcoin core issues

DOJ emails show Epstein invested in Coinbase

Emails from the Department of Justice (DOJ) showed that Jeffrey Epstein invested $3 million in Coinbase back in 2014. This brings up questions about who funded crypto early on and how those past financial people can still affect reputations today.

Bitcoin core guy quits

A lead person working on Bitcoin Core quit after people said he was linked to Epstein’s money. Even though he wasn’t accused of doing anything wrong, his leaving caused concern in the community, showing that having a good reputation is important in decentralized groups.

Michael Saylor’s name mentioned in the Epstein documents

An email from 2010 about a charity mentioned Michael Saylor’s name in connection with Epstein. Other rich crypto people were also mentioned. These revelations keep the debate going about being open and honest about how crypto was initially funded.

Bitcoin market crash and extreme volatility 

$841 million sell-off sparks panic

Crypto markets were hammered by a large-scale sell-off, with $841 million liquidated in a single session, causing sharp declines in Bitcoin and altcoins. Analysts tied this to cascading leveraged positions and warnings about market spirals, including concerns echoed in the late Michael Burry-inspired “death spiral” commentary.

Bitcoin price drops on Bithumb error

Bitcoin briefly traded 10% lower on Bithumb after an internal crediting error mistakenly gave hundreds of users 2000 BTC each instead of 2000 KRW. Immediate liquidations intensified the market decline, showing how fragile exchange infrastructure can be during volatile periods.

Investor panic and $500 billion in losses

Recent analysis suggests nearly $500 billion has been wiped from Bitcoin holders’ wealth. Panic selling increased as traders tried to limit losses, underlining the psychological pressure during sustained downturns.

Abu Dhabi deal and institutional exposure

A $500 million Abu Dhabi deal came to light, raising questions about political and financial entanglements affecting crypto exposure. Congressional inquiries are reportedly looking into the connections, adding another layer of regulatory uncertainty to the market.

Regulatory and global compliance moves

CFTC withdraws prediction market rule

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) pulled its 2024 rule on politics-related prediction markets. The recent change means decentralized forecasting platforms don’t have solid rules to follow.

India to participate in global crypto reporting

Starting in April 2027, India will be part of the global crypto reporting system. This should provide better monitoring of crypto holdings and unreported profits made overseas, aligning India with international tax standards.

Bhutan transfers Bitcoin worth millions to exchanges

Bhutan moved $22.4 million in Bitcoin to exchanges while the market was down. People are wondering how countries react to major market swings.

What big players are doing with ETFs

Bitwise and 21Shares push for ETFs

• Bitwise wants to launch the very first Uniswap ETF, attempting to get decentralized exchange exposure into regulated investments.
• 21Shares has updated its S-1 application for its spot Ondo ETF, continuing its progress in getting approval for crypto ETFs.

Traditional finance and what Binance is doing

• Bank of America now has some XRP exposure, buying 13,000 ETF-related shares.
• Binance moved $100 million from its secure asset fund (SAFU) into Bitcoin. People noticed and started wondering how these protection funds are handled when the market goes crazy.

How people feel about the market right now

Fear and Greed index plummets

The Crypto Fear and Greed Index took a dive, which suggests people are avoiding risk and selling off, both regular folks and big institutions.

More people are using Curve Finance

Despite negative vibes, a lot more people are active on Curve Finance. Some think this is real involvement in DeFi, while others believe people are just trying to make quick money from the market’s ups and downs.

What the experts are saying

Vitalik Buterin on EVM Chains – Vitalik Buterin, one of the founders of Ethereum, thinks the ecosystem doesn’t need more chains that work with EVM or other Layer-1 networks. He emphasized that being efficient and combining resources is what matters.

Tom Lee explains comments on BitMine’s ETH loss – Tom Lee, a market expert, clarified what he meant when he said BitMine’s ETH losses were just part of how things work. His comments led to discussions about how to interpret risk in crypto markets.

Michael Saylor’s Bitcoin security plan – Michael Saylor described a Bitcoin security plan to protect against future threats from quantum computing. This shows that institutions are paying more attention to keeping crypto safe for the long haul.

Gainers and Losers this week

The crypto market was largely on the back foot this week, with most major tokens seeing declines. While a few assets managed modest gains, broader sentiment remained bearish, driven by market volatility and cautious investor activity. 

Here’s a closer look at both as per CoinMarketCap:

Top losers of this week

Top gainers of the week

News you might have missed

• Ripple received full EMI authorization from the Luxembourg regulator, allowing expanded operations in Europe.
• Polymarket announced it will switch to native USDC for all dollar-backed settlements.
• Bitmine added 41,000 ETH to its treasury during a drop in Ethereum prices.
• Strategy Inc. acquired 855 BTC amid recent market volatility.
• A major Bitcoin holder moved $351 million worth of BTC to Binance amid market turmoil.
• Strategy Inc. shares surged 26% as Bitcoin rebounded to $70,000.
• Ripple backed a $280 million diamond tokenization project on the XRP Ledger.
• FTX-related ghost addresses reappeared as Binance temporarily halted withdrawals during a Bitcoin crash.
• Bank of America added XRP exposure by purchasing 13,000 shares in an XRP-related ETF.
• Arbitrum DAO Gov-X was hacked, prompting a security alert to users.
• U.S. stocks can now be traded 24/7 on MetaMask through a collaboration with Ondo.

What to expect next week

Markets will closely watch CrossCurve security updates, Bitcoin price stability, and institutional ETF filings. Regulatory announcements from the U.S., India, and other key jurisdictions could impact liquidity. 

On-chain trends in DeFi platforms, especially Curve Finance, will offer insight into participation resilience. Investor sentiment may remain fragile as market participants digest recent losses, technical glitches, and political/institutional exposure.

Disclaimer: The information researched and reported by The Crypto Times is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional financial advice. Investing in crypto assets involves significant risk due to market volatility. Always Do Your Own Research (DYOR) and consult with a qualified Financial Advisor before making any investment decisions.