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Strategy acquired 1,045 more bitcoin for $110.2 million, increasing its total holdings to 582,000 BTC.
Australian authorities uncovered a $123 million crypto laundering operation and froze $13.6 million in suspected criminal funds.
Chainlink powered a cross-border CBDC and stablecoin exchange pilot, showcasing its blockchain infrastructure capabilities.
The cryptocurrency market witnessed major developments today, with key players accumulating more digital assets, groundbreaking blockchain applications, and law enforcement cracking down on illicit activities. Recently, Strategy, formerly known as MicroStrategy, has made headlines by adding 1,045 bitcoin to its reserves, valued at approximately $110.2 million.
Meanwhile, Australian authorities have successfully dismantled a $123 million crypto laundering operation, highlighting the ongoing efforts to combat financial crimes in the digital realm. Additionally, Chainlink has played a pivotal role in a cross-border central bank digital currency (CBDC) and stablecoin exchange pilot, further solidifying its position as a key player in blockchain infrastructure. These events underscore the dynamic nature of the crypto market and its rapid evolution.
Strategy, previously named MicroStrategy, gained attention after procuring 1,045 more bitcoin for roughly $110.2 million from June 2 to June 8, 2025. This acquisition, as revealed in a recent SEC filing, increases the company’s total bitcoin holdings to 582,000 BTC, now valued at over $62 billion. The acquisition price averaged $105,426 per bitcoin, which adds to Strategy’s reputation as the largest corporate holder of bitcoin.
The latest purchase used funds from at-the-market sales of Strategy’s perpetual Strike (STRK) and Strife (STRF) preferred stock programs. Strategy’s executive chairman, Michael Saylor, confirmed the update, noting the company now owns around 2.8% of bitcoin’s fixed 21 million supply. With bitcoin’s total acquisition cost at $40.8 billion, the company sits on paper gains exceeding $21 billion.
Strategy’s recent funding efforts included the sale of over 626,000 STRK shares for $66.4 million and more than 432,000 STRF shares for $45.8 million. No shares of its common stock, MSTR, were sold last week. Strategy has expanded its capital-raising plans, now aiming for up to $84 billion in equity and convertible notes for further bitcoin purchases by 2027. Despite some investor concerns about its premium valuation, analysts suggest the firm’s low debt and lack of payments due until 2028 keep leverage manageable. MSTR shares rose 1.5% on Friday and gained another 2.3% in pre-market trading on Monday.
Australian law enforcement revealed the results of an 18-month investigation into a major cryptocurrency laundering scheme valued at $123 million. Authorities charged four people, and $13.6 million, suspected of being criminal funds, was frozen across Queensland and New South Wales. In December 2023, the Queensland Joint Organized Crime Taskforce, comprising 70 officers, initiated an investigation that uncovered a fraudulent cash transfer scheme involving armored trucks from a security firm.
Authorities found that a suspect had moved $9.5 million in cash during 15 months with the support of a cash-in-transit business, a company promoting sales, a classic vehicle dealership, and crypto exchange platforms. A total of 17 properties, various types of vehicles, and several bank accounts were seized by authorities as they uncovered the operation. The investigation revealed that blockchain and cryptocurrency enable criminals to transfer their money securely, leaving law enforcement with online evidence to trace these transactions.
The report cited Chainalysis, a blockchain analytics firm, which has tracked over $100 billion flowing from illicit wallets to conversion services since 2019. As criminals develop advanced methods, such as mixers and cross-chain protocols, authorities rely on blockchain’s transparency to counter financial crime. The case also follows a global trend where physical violence increasingly accompanies digital asset theft and fraud.
Chainlink enhanced its reputation as a provider of blockchain infrastructure by facilitating a substantial cross-border transaction utilizing central bank digital currencies. The Australian stablecoin was issued in exchange for e-HKD, as the pilot was a step in Phase 2 of the e-HKD+ program run by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol enabled cross-network interoperability.
The project’s participating institutions include Visa, Fidelity International, ANZ, and China Asset Management Company. This involvement confirmed that a merger was underway between conventional banking and decentralized tech. The pilot has demonstrated that utilizing smart contracts and blockchain can secure and streamline payments globally.
As more traditional organizations become aware of Web3, development in this area is expanding. Most notably, J.P. Morgan has recently utilized blockchain in a public transaction, hinting at an upward trend in decentralized finance. Chainlink is enabling exchanges of CBDCs with stablecoins, a sign that cross-border trade in the sector is gaining momentum due to blockchain.
