According to Cointelegraph, the UK government has initiated a consultation to consider a nationwide ban on ransomware payments by operators of critical national infrastructure. This proposal, announced on January 14, aims to extend the existing ban on government departments to include public sector bodies and essential services such as energy, health services, and local councils. The move is part of a broader effort to protect national security by cutting off financial resources to cybercriminals. UK Security Minister Dan Jarvis emphasized the importance of these measures in safeguarding national security and economic prosperity. He stated that the proposals are designed to address the scale of the ransomware threat by disrupting the financial networks that cybercriminals depend on. The Home Office outlined that the proposals aim to make essential services less attractive targets for cybercriminals by implementing a ransomware payment prevention regime. This would involve providing victims with advice and guidance, as well as blocking payments to known criminal groups and sanctioned entities. Additionally, the proposals include a mandatory reporting regime for ransomware incidents to assist UK law enforcement agencies in targeting frequent offenders. The consultation period is set to run until April 8. The Home Office highlighted the severe impact of recent cyberattacks on key infrastructure, such as the January 2023 attack on Royal Mail, which halted international shipping, and the August 2022 attack on health service software provider Advanced Computer Software Group, which exposed personal data of nearly 83,000 individuals. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) reported managing 430 cyber incidents in the year ending August 2024, including 13 significant incidents that posed serious threats to essential services or the economy. The NCSC's 2024 Annual Review identified ransomware attacks as the most immediate and disruptive threat. Notable incidents included a June 2024 attack on pathology laboratory Synnovis, which delayed medical procedures, and an October 28 attack on the British Library's online systems. The UK is not alone in considering such measures. In 2023, Australia debated the legality of ransomware payments following a cyberattack on consumer lender Latitude Financial. The United States was also exploring similar bans around the same time. These international considerations reflect a growing recognition of the need to combat the financial incentives driving ransomware attacks.

According to feedback from many community members, the Goplus airdrop query interface is now online. Odaily Planet Daily reminds users that all information is subject to official channels.

Holoworld AI announced that its flagship AI agent launch platform, Agent Market, is now live on Solana. The team will launch V1 of the no-code agent creator within a week, with features including: -One-click personality templates -Drag and drop knowledge base (RAG) -Voice selection -Lorebook system -Agent profiles -3D avatar + wearables builder -X deployment + management dashboard -Private AI chat + token-gated group chat In addition, a brief preview of the future roadmap is as follows: -Agent Studio V1 (e.g. Live2D + VRM support, multi-agent) -Agent skills market -Voice creator -Multi-modal extensions (e.g. images, videos, live broadcasts) -Extensions to TikTok, Telegram, IG, and YouTube -Multi-chain + wallet integration -Multi-agent routing -Proof of perception -Improved token economics

Nasdaq-listed company Nature's Miracle Holding Inc. (NMHI) received a delisting notice because the company failed to comply with the minimum shareholder equity requirements set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550 (b) (1). The notice states that trading of the company's common stock and warrants will be suspended on Nasdaq, effective from the opening of the market on January 15, 2025. In December last year, NMHI announced that it would acquire 90% of the fully diluted shares of Bitcoin mining company JY Marigold Ltd. for a total purchase price of US$5.32 million. The latter is currently building a 14-megawatt Bitcoin mining facility, which is expected to be operational in the first half of 2025. The first phase of the transaction (9MW) is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2025, and the second phase (5MW) is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2025.

Solayer pre-sale platform Buidlpad posted on X platform that Solayer pre-sale rules will be adjusted: ·The subscription hard cap will be cancelled, and all participants will be allocated subscription amounts according to their investment ratio; ·The minimum subscription amount will be reduced from 100 USDC to 50 USDC. In addition, KYC will be opened at 07:59 (UTC+8) on January 16.

According to Dan Smith, a data analyst at Blockworks, Solana ecosystem applications generated $751 million in revenue in Q4 2024, followed by Ethereum at $314 million. Smith added that this data comes from DeFiLlama, does not yet include the revenue of Circle and Tether, and is considering distributing its revenue on each chain based on the circulating supply share.

Andrew Kang, co-founder of Mechanism Capital, forwarded Raoul Pal’s criticism of aixbt in a BlockNew interview clip, and posted on the X platform that “aixbt_agent will become a major winner that is underestimated by most people, but has actually been ahead of everyone.”

According to Odaily, Haseeb Qureshi, a managing partner at Dragonfly, stated in a podcast interview that nearly all significant cryptocurrency projects, such as Ethereum and Uniswap, have been developed by native industry participants rather than traditional elites from institutions like Google or Harvard.

The post XRP Lawsuit News: SEC to File Opening Brief Tomorrow Despite Ripple’s Request for Delay appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News The ongoing legal battle between Ripple Labs and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) continues to make headlines. Lawyer James K. Filan recently shared an update regarding the lawsuit. Filan revealed that the parties involved have filed a... source: https://coinpedia.org/news/xrp-lawsuit-news-sec-to-file-opening-brief-tomorrow-despite-ripples-request-for-delay/

Haseeb Qureshi, managing partner of Dragonfly, said in a podcast interview that almost all important crypto projects (such as Ethereum, Uniswap, etc.) were created by native industry participants rather than traditional elites from Google or Harvard.

Despite raising $650,000 for the Dogwifhat mascot campaign, Zion Thomas and his team have failed to display it on the Las Vegas Sphere. Ten months on, they’ve provided no proof of communication with the Sphere’s marketing team, raising concerns about the legitimacy and future of the stunt.

Cryptocurrencies are a unique high-volatility alternative asset class that may help improve risk-adjusted returns when added to traditional investment portfolios.

Thaksin Shinawatra has called for legalising online gambling and adopting cryptocurrencies in Thailand to boost government revenue and modernise the economy. The Thai government is already exploring cryptocurrency payments in Phuket and conducting trials of a central bank digital currency.

“With Gary Gensler in the dumpster in Washington, we have a golden opportunity to ensure that the future of digital assets is American-led,” Emmer said.

The U.S government is asking American citizens not to give their personal data to a Chinese company, but citizens are replying to the government's plea with a middle finger. As the country is waiting for the TikTok ban to go into effect on Jan 19, Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu (colloquially known as Red Note) has become the most downloaded app overnight.

New spot Bitcoin and Ethereum exchange-traded products expand market access, and the U.S. Congress may bring greater regulatory clarity. For these reasons, cryptocurrency valuations may eventually transcend the four-year cycles seen in the market’s early history.

These AI-powered glasses promise a fast, seamless user experience with extended reality features, potentially ushering in a "post-smartphone era." By processing data locally and rewarding users with crypto, they enter a competitive market—but are they a breakthrough or just a gimmick?

In December 2024, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released the final version of the new tax reporting rules for crypto asset brokers, marking a new stage in the U.S. crypto asset tax system.

Despite the wild swings in December, Bitcoin’s volatility remains fairly tame by historical standards.

I hope that our readers can put aside their emotions when they are anxious, and ask themselves whether the situations that may happen today and in the future are what we have anticipated in advance?