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South Korea sentenced a crypto exchange operator for espionage linked to Bitcoin payments, underscoring rising national security risks tied to digital assets.
Ripple expanded into Europe’s core banking infrastructure, positioning blockchain settlement closer to mainstream financial rails.
Institutional activity remained mixed, with Metaplanet resuming aggressive Bitcoin accumulation even as spot ETFs recorded sustained outflows.
The global crypto landscape today saw major developments, including legal action, institutional expansion, security concerns, and market shifts. These factors show how digital assets are increasingly intersecting with geopolitics, traditional finance, and regulatory oversight. From a South Korean espionage case involving Bitcoin to Ripple’s integration into Europe’s payment backbone.
South Korea’s Supreme Court upheld a four-year prison sentence for a 40-year-old cryptocurrency exchange operator convicted of spying for North Korea.
The defendant, identified only as Mr. A, was found guilty of violating the National Security Act after collaborating with a suspected North Korean hacker operating under the alias “Boris.”
The court determined that Mr. A paid an active-duty military officer Bitcoin worth 48 million won to obtain sensitive login credentials for South Korea’s military command systems.
Mr. A himself reportedly received Bitcoin valued at 700 million won for his role. Although the attempted breach of the Korean Joint Command and Control System ultimately failed. The military officer involved was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
ZachXBT, an on-chain investigator, disclosed a Coinbase impersonation fraud, for which a Canadian fraudster named “Haby” or “Havard” is said to be responsible.
The investigation revealed that the criminal pretended to be a Coinbase support executive and used focused social engineering to rob users of their crypto, amounting to more than $2 million.
ZachXBT established a connection between the suspect's spending habits, which included a variety of usernames and lavish nightlife, and the illegal crypto earned by tracing wallet movements, Telegram accounts, and social media posts.
The investigation suggests the fraudster operated for nearly a year and may be based in Abbotsford, British Columbia.
Ripple confirmed its integration with the TAS Network Gateway, giving European banks direct access to critical payment rails, including TARGET2, SEPA, and T2/T2S.
The integration enables financial institutions to use the blockchain-based settlement process alongside their current central systems.
In that way, Ripple is recognized as an interoperable layer between conventional finance and blockchain technology that is compliant with regulations.
Through Ripple’s On-Demand Liquidity model, banks can use XRP as a liquidity bridge, minimizing the need for pre-funded accounts while remaining aligned with the European regulatory framework.
Also Read: Will XRP Reach $10 Next Year? The Answer Could Shock You
Metaplanet Inc. buys more Bitcoin, adding 4,279 BTC in Q4 2025 after a summer hiatus. The purchase, valued at over $450 million, brings its holdings to 35,102 BTC, with an average price approx. $107,606 per Bof, approximately.
The company reported a quarterly BTC Yield of 11.9% and a remarkable 568.2% year-to-date yield, signaling that its Bitcoin treasury strategy continues to amplify exposure on a per-share basis.
This move follows earlier coordinated purchases with industry leader Strategy and underscores renewed corporate conviction in Bitcoin as a balance-sheet asset.
Data from Sosovalue reveal that Bitcoin spot ETFs saw a net outflow of $19.29 million on December 29, marking the seventh consecutive day of outflows.
The Fidelity’s FBTC stood out with a $5.7 million inflow, whereas the Invesco and Galaxy’s BTCO experienced the largest outflow of $10.41 million.
The total amount of Bitcoin spot ETFs today is $113.07 billion, equal to 6.49% of Bitcoin's total market capitalization, and the total historical inflows are $56.61 billion.
Also Read: Why Bitcoin is a Better Alternative to Gold: 4 Key Reasons
Ethereum Layer-2 perpetuals DEX Lighter launched its native LIT token, allocating 50% of the supply to the ecosystem and 50% to the team and investors.
Early participants received a 25% airdrop, converting earned points into LIT tokens.
Unlike pure governance tokens, LIT powers trading execution, data verification, and staking within the platform.
Lighter’s perpetuals have averaged $2.7 billion in weekly volume, ranking it among the top decentralized derivatives platforms.
1. Why was the South Korean crypto exchange operator jailed?
The operator was convicted under the National Security Act for collaborating with a suspected North Korean hacker and facilitating payments in Bitcoin to obtain classified military credentials.
2. How large was the Coinbase impersonation scam uncovered by ZachXBT?
The investigation revealed losses exceeding $2 million, with funds stolen through targeted social engineering rather than technical exploits.
3. What does Ripple’s TAS Network integration mean for European banks?
It allows banks to access key payment rails like TARGET2 and SEPA while using blockchain-based settlement without replacing existing core systems.
4. Why is Metaplanet’s Bitcoin purchase significant?
The company added 4,279 BTC in Q4, signaling renewed corporate confidence in Bitcoin as a balance-sheet asset despite short-term market volatility.
5. Are Bitcoin ETFs still attracting investor inflows?
In the short term, no Bitcoin spot ETFs recorded seven straight days of net outflows, although long-term cumulative inflows remain substantial.
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