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Spot Bitcoin ETFs Log 6th Straight Week of Net Inflows for First Time Since August

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Spot Bitcoin ETFs Log 6th Straight Week of Net Inflows for First Time Since August

US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have recorded a sixth consecutive week of net inflows, marking the longest such streak since August 2025.

The current six-week run stretches from the week of April 2 through Friday, pulling in a combined $3.4 billion, according to data from SoSoValue. The strongest week came in mid-April, when inflows hit $996.38 million for the week of April 17, while the streak’s weakest showing was the week of April 2 with just $22.34 million. The most recent week logged $622.75 million.

The run marks the longest streak of consecutive net weekly inflows in more than nine months, when a 7-week ran from June 13 to July 18, 2025, drew in roughly $7.57 billion, including $2.72 billion for the week of July 11 and $2.39 billion the following week.

Bitcoin ETFs weekly inflows. Source: SoSoValue

Notably, last week ended on a sour note, with outflows of $277.50 million on Thursday and $145.65 million on Friday. Monday and Tuesday had led the week strongly, pulling in $532.21 million and $467.35 million respectively, before Wednesday’s inflows slowed sharply to $46.33 million ahead of the late-week reversal.

Related: Bitcoin ETFs Extend Rally as Two-Day Inflows Near $1 Billion

Markets on edge as jobs data looms: Analyst

Markets entered Friday cautiously as investors braced for the US April Non-Farm Payrolls report, with consensus estimates pointing to payroll growth of just 62,000, well below the previous reading of 178,000, reinforcing expectations of a cooling labor market, Bitunix analysts wrote in a note shared with Cointelegraph.

The analysts noted that a stronger-than-expected ADP report of 109,000 jobs earlier in the week complicated the picture, leaving traders uncertain about the true state of employment heading into the release.

“On the geopolitical front, although the US and Iran have once again exchanged fire around the Strait of Hormuz, both sides continue to leave room for negotiations,” Bitunix wrote, adding that reports suggest the US and Iran may have reached a partial understanding on certain maritime issues.

In crypto, Bitcoin slipped below $80,000 on Thursday, with liquidation heatmaps showing heavy liquidity clustering around $78,000. A breakdown below that level could trigger cascading liquidations, while dense short positioning between $82,000 and $83,000 keeps the market stuck in a tug-of-war, the analysts wrote.

Related: Bitcoin Slips Below $80K As Spot ETF Inflows Top $1B

Ether ETFs post $70 million in weekly inflows

Meanwhile, Ether ETFs returned to positive territory for the week ending May 8, posting $70.49 million in net inflows after the previous week logged $82.47 million in outflows. The rebound follows a strong three-week run from April 10 to April 24, which drew in a combined $617.91 million, peaking at $275.83 million the week of April 17.

On a daily basis, Thursday saw $103.52 million in outflows, nearly wiping out gains built earlier in the week. Monday and Tuesday attracted $61.29 million and $97.57 million in inflows, respectively, before Wednesday slowed to $11.57 million. Friday’s $3.57 million recovery left the week positive.

Magazine: Guide to the top and emerging global crypto hubs — Mid-2026

XRP Activity On Binance Is Near Its Lowest In 19 Months: Is History Repeating?

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XRP Activity On Binance Is Near Its Lowest In 19 Months: Is History Repeating?

Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

XRP is struggling to hold above $1.37 as the market cools following a period of cautious recovery that has now run into the same resistance that has capped multiple previous attempts at higher levels. The price is under pressure, and a CryptoQuant analysis tracking Binance derivatives activity has identified a condition in the speculative market that adds a specific structural context to the current weakness.

XRP perpetual trading volume on Binance reached approximately $372 million on May 7. That figure requires a historical reference to feel significant: on October 25, 2024, the equivalent reading was approximately $242 million — a period that the analysis identifies as one of the quieter low-volume zones in XRP’s recent derivatives history. The current reading is higher than that October level, but not by the kind of margin that would suggest a meaningful recovery in speculative participation. It remains within the same historically muted range.

That proximity to a 19-month low in derivatives activity is the structural finding that contextualizes the current price weakness. When perpetual volume is this subdued, it reflects a derivatives market where short-term trader interest has not recovered — where the speculative conviction required to drive sustained directional moves in either direction is largely absent.

XRP at $1.37 is not simply facing selling pressure. It is facing selling pressure in a market thin enough that moderate flows in either direction carry disproportionate influence over what happens next.

No Crowding. No Excess. Just Quiet — and What Quiet Has Meant Before

The CryptoQuant analysis frames the low volume reading as a gauge of market psychology rather than simply a trading statistic. Binance perpetual volume is one of the most direct measures of short-term trader intent available. When it expands sharply, it reflects a market where participants are willing to take leveraged directional bets — where conviction is high enough to justify the cost of derivatives exposure. When it stays near historical lows, it describes the opposite: hesitation, reduced risk appetite, and a market that has not yet decided which direction is worth betting on.

XRP Binance Perpetual Trading Volume | Source: CryptoQuant
XRP Binance Perpetual Trading Volume | Source: CryptoQuant

The October 2024 comparison is the detail that prevents the current low volume from being read as simply negative. That period was not a structural breakdown in XRP’s derivatives market — it was a quiet zone that preceded a much stronger expansion in trading activity. The low volume did not persist. It was eventually replaced by the kind of aggressive speculative participation that produces the high-volatility phases XRP is known for.

The current structure — $372 million in perpetual volume, close to but above the October 2024 lows — describes a market that is not overheated. There is no crowded positioning to unwind, no excess leverage to flush, and no speculative frenzy inflating the current price level. What exists instead is a low-activity environment where the next expansion in derivatives participation has not yet begun.

Whether that expansion arrives with buyers or sellers is the question the current volume level cannot answer. What it does confirm is that the market has room to move in either direction without the friction of unwinding an overcrowded trade first.

XRP Consolidates Below Resistance As Momentum Stalls

XRP continues to trade in a compressed range around $1.39, reflecting a market that has stabilized after the sharp February breakdown but has yet to establish a clear recovery trend. Price action shows repeated rejection near the descending short-term moving average, which is now acting as dynamic resistance and capping upside attempts.

XRP holds key demand level | Source: XRPUSDT chart on TradingView
XRP holds key demand level | Source: XRPUSDT chart on TradingView

The broader structure remains weak. XRP is still trading below the 100-day and 200-day moving averages, both of which slope downward, confirming that the dominant trend has not shifted despite the recent stabilization. Each rally into the $1.45–$1.50 region has been sold into, reinforcing the presence of persistent supply overhead.

At the same time, downside pressure appears to be moderating. The $1.30–$1.35 zone has consistently absorbed selling, forming a short-term base where buyers step in with increasing frequency. This compression between resistance and support is tightening volatility and typically precedes a directional move.

Volume trends support this interpretation. Activity has declined notably compared to the capitulation phase in February, suggesting that neither buyers nor sellers currently have strong conviction. This lack of participation leaves XRP sensitive to relatively small inflows or outflows.

Until price reclaims the descending moving averages with volume confirmation, the structure remains neutral-to-bearish despite the ongoing consolidation.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.

Kraken Parent Payward Seeks US Federal Trust Charter

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Kraken Parent Payward Seeks US Federal Trust Charter

Payward says the OCC national trust charter would complement Kraken’s banking arm, Kraken Financial.

Payward, the parent company of crypto exchange Kraken, has filed an application with the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a national trust company charter, according to a press release from the firm today, May 8.

If approved, the entity — Payward National Trust Company (PNTC) — would offer federally regulated custody and other services, mainly for digital assets.

“PNTC expects to serve institutional clients and individual customers seeking regulated, bank-level custody and trust services for digital assets,” the release notes.

Payward says the move would complement its existing banking arm, Kraken Financial, which is a Wyoming Special Purpose Depository Institution and recently received a limited purpose Federal Reserve master account.

Co-CEO Arjun Sethi said the “addition of a national trust company expands what we can offer our clients under an evolving U.S. regulatory framework.”

Just yesterday, the company announced that it has agreed to acquire Hong Kong-based stablecoin payments firm Reap Technologies for up to $600 million in cash and stock, adding card issuance, cross-border payments, and stablecoin treasury services to its B2B platform.

This article was written with the assistance of AI workflows. All our stories are curated, edited and fact-checked by a human.

Crypto Exchanges Pushed US Lawmakers to Bar Provision on Risky Tokens: Report

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Crypto Exchanges Pushed US Lawmakers to Bar Provision on Risky Tokens: Report

Earlier in 2026, as a digital asset market structure bill was under consideration in the US Senate, cryptocurrency exchanges Coinbase, Kraken and Gemini reportedly pressed to remove language in the legislation that could have affected their token listings.

According to a Friday Politico report, the three exchanges asked US lawmakers to scrap a provision in the market structure bill that would have required platforms to only offer trading on digital assets “not readily susceptible to manipulation.” The companies reportedly pressed senators to remove the language as it could have made it difficult for exchanges to list smaller tokens.

The edit, which the news outlet reported occurred after the US Senate Agriculture Committee voted to advance its version of the bill in January, signaled the influence crypto companies in communication with the Trump administration and lawmakers could have in legislation affecting the industry. The US Senate Banking Committee postponed its markup on the bill hours after Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said that the exchange could not support the legislation “as written,” citing concerns with tokenized equities.

Under the market structure bill, called the CLARITY Act when it passed the US House of Representatives in July 2025, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) would be given more authority in overseeing and regulating digital assets. Both US financial regulators, the CFTC and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), announced their intention to coordinate oversight of the crypto industry in March, even in the absence of action from Congress.

Related: US Senator questions Mark Zuckerberg on Meta’s stablecoin plans

Coinbase chief policy officer Faryar Shirzad responded to the report on social media, calling it “old news” and an issue that was included in the markup by the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Source: Faryar Shirzad

Industry leaders, lawmakers speculate on timeline for market structure bill

Last week, two US senators announced a compromise deal on stablecoin yield between representatives of the crypto and banking industries that could allow the CLARITY Act to advance in the banking committee. Although some lawmakers said they intended to push for ethics language on potential conflicts of interest to be included in the bill, many are speculating that passage could be in a matter of weeks.

Coinbase‘s US policy vice president, Kara Calvert, said on Thursday that the exchange expected a markup in the banking committee by next week. Other lawmakers predicted that the bill would become law before the Senate broke for August recess, while White House crypto adviser Patrick Witt said that the administration was aiming for a July 4 deadline for the bill to pass the House after a June Senate vote.

Magazine: XRP ‘probably going to $12,’ Bitcoin ETFs add $1B: Market Moves

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ONDO Surges 68% in a Week amid US Tokenization Push

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ONDO Surges 68% in a Week amid US Tokenization Push

A four-firm pilot settling the first cross-border, cross-bank redemption of tokenized U.S. Treasuries on the XRP Ledger extended a rally sparked by Ondo’s seat at the DTCC’s tokenization table.

After months of trading sideways while its underlying business scaled, the native token of real-world asset (RWA) tokenization platform Ondo Finance is finally catching up.

ONDO is trading at $0.45, up 29% over the past 24 hours and around 68% on the week, according to CoinGecko. The token’s market capitalization has climbed to $2.2 billion, with 24-hour trading volume jumping to $490 million as the breakout accelerated overnight.

ONDO Chart

The rally kicked off on May 4, when the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation revealed timelines for its tokenization service and named Ondo Finance among more than 50 firms in its industry working group.

The group includes BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Franklin Templeton, Morgan Stanley, NYSE Group and Citadel Securities, alongside crypto-native firms Circle, Fireblocks and Robinhood.

“We believe tokenization will significantly change how markets work and operate, bringing new levels of liquidity, transparency and efficiency to investors,” said Frank La Salla, DTCC President and CEO.

DTCC plans to facilitate initial production trades in July 2026 and launch the service commercially in October 2026. The service will initially cover Russell 1000 constituents, ETFs tracking major indices, and U.S. Treasury bills, bonds, and notes, all assets in which Ondo is already active.

For a project whose business has scaled aggressively while its token price largely stagnated, the working group selection brought a stamp of institutional credibility. Ondo’s TVL doubled past $2 billion in January and stands at $3.68 billion today, per DefiLlama, making it the largest tokenized RWA platform.

Two days later, Ondo, Kinexys by J.P. Morgan, Mastercard and Ripple announced that they had completed the first near real-time cross-border, cross-bank redemption of a tokenized U.S. Treasury fund.

In the pilot, Ripple redeemed a portion of its Ondo Short-Term U.S. Government Treasuries (OUSG) holdings on the XRP Ledger, where OUSG has been live since June 2025. Mastercard’s Multi-Token Network routed the fiat settlement instruction to Kinexys, which debited Ondo’s blockchain deposit account and wired U.S. dollars to Ripple’s bank account in Singapore. The blockchain leg cleared in under five seconds, and the entire flow ran outside conventional banking hours.

“This milestone represents the first time tokenized U.S. Treasuries have settled across borders and banks in near-real time and outside traditional banking windows,” said Ian De Bode, President of Ondo Finance.

Ondo has spent the past year branching out beyond Treasuries. Its tokenized stocks and ETFs platform, Ondo Global Markets, launched on Ethereum in September 2025 and has since rolled out across BNB Chain, Solana, and Hyperliquid via Felix.

Tokenized U.S. Treasuries crossed $10 billion in February and now stand at roughly $15 billion, per RWAxyz, with Ondo, BlackRock’s BUIDL and Circle’s USYC the largest issuers.

This article was written with the assistance of AI workflows. All our stories are curated, edited and fact-checked by a human.

Bollinger Bands Creator Diverges With Traders as Bitcoin Breakout Begins

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Bollinger Bands Creator Diverges With Traders as Bitcoin Breakout Begins

Bitcoin (BTC) is attempting its first Bollinger Bands breakout in months, while creator John Bollinger is more bullish than some traders.

Key points:

  • Bitcoin faces stiff resistance as it attempts daily candle closes above the upper Bollinger Band.
  • Volatility comes on cue after the Bands’ tightest-ever conditions last month.
  • Creator John Bollinger takes advantage of positive trading signals as part of his investment program.

Responses mixed as Bitcoin tests Bollinger Bands ceiling

Data from TradingView confirms that on Wednesday, BTC/USD saw its second daily close above the upper Bollinger Band on the daily chart, something it has not achieved since mid-January.

BTC/USD one-day chart with Bollinger Bands data. Source: Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The Bollinger Bands indicator, used to assess both volatility and momentum, recently saw the narrowest gap between its constituent trend lines ever recorded for Bitcoin.

This led to predictions of a breakout move, with the direction open to debate, as well as heightened volatility to come.

Commenting on the visit to the upper band, however, trader SuperBro noted that the price was now in an area full of potential points of rejection.

“Closed above the upper Bollinger Band, above the trendline on closing prices, but just below the log trendline on wicks,” they wrote in a post on X.

SuperBro added that most potential liquidations now belonged to long positions below the price, with shorts already taken out.

“There are relatively few short liquidations remaining up to 85K compared to long liquidations down to 74K,” they continued. 

“However, bulls still have the momentum advantage and I don’t yet see a good reversal setup. Despite the liquidation imbalance, I’m holding tight to see if we can blast through.”

BTC/USD one-day chart with order-book liquidity data. Source: SuperBro/X

Bollinger, the indicator’s creator, revealed that one of his investment fund’s proprietary trading models had flipped positive on Bitcoin, and had taken a position accordingly. 

Source: John Bollinger/X

“Overheated” Bollinger signal returns after 18 months

Wednesday also saw another Bollinger Band milestone, this time concerning the market value to realized value (MVRV) ratio for speculative investors.

Related: Bitcoin can crash to $50K if ‘most critical’ bear market test fails: Analysis

The metric, recently covered by Cointelegraph, compares Bitcoin’s market cap to the price at which the supply last moved, also known as its “realized cap.”

A Bollinger Bands derivative entered “overheated” territory for the first time since late 2024, the X analytics account Frank Fetter noted.

At the time, BTC/USD was building its first visit to $100,000 in history.

Bitcoin short-term holder MVRV ratio with Bollinger Bands oscillator. Source: Frank Fetter/X

Asked whether “overheated” conditions implied a price reversal, the account said this was “not necessarily” a given outcome.

CLARITY Act sees ‘big step forward’ as markup set for May 14

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CLARITY Act sees ‘big step forward’ as markup set for May 14

The US CLARITY Act, which aims to provide the US crypto industry with greater regulatory clarity, is set to be voted on by the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday.

On Friday, Senate Banking Committee chair Tim Scott confirmed the legislation will go to a vote on Thursday, triggering a strong reaction across the crypto industry, which has been waiting months for a new markup date.

The bill, introduced in July 2025, was expected to progress earlier this year, but stalled in January after Coinbase withdrew its support for the legislation, citing several concerns, including a lack of legal protections for open source software developers, a prohibition on stablecoin yield, and decentralized finance (DeFi) regulations. 

CLARITY Act is “on like Donkey Kong”: Coinbase exec

“It’s on like Donkey Kong,” Coinbase chief legal officer Paul Grewel said in an X post on Friday, following the announcement. Meanwhile, Coinbase chief policy officer Faryar Shirzad said in an X post that it was a “big step forward” and the legislation is essential “for protecting consumers, supporting innovation, and ensuring this technology develops in the United States rather than offshore.”

Source: Faryar Shirzad

Uncertainty around crypto regulation during the Joe Biden administration, with crypto skeptic Gary Gensler leading the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), was linked to reports of crypto firms relocating offshore to more crypto-friendly jurisdictions. Industry participants argued it was harming innovation in the US.

US Senator and pro-crypto advocate Cynthia Lummis said in an X post, “Let’s pass the Clarity Act out of the Banking Committee on Thursday!”

Industry execs had predicted the markup would take place

It comes just days after Kara Calvert, the vice president of US policy at crypto exchange Coinbase, told attendees at the Consensus 2026 conference that she expected “a markup next week.”

Related: ‘Visible flaws’ in Bitcoiners’ mid-bear market forecast: Analyst

Calvert said that the bill needs at least 60 votes to pass in the Senate and that the CLARITY bill needs bipartisan support to become law.

Magazine: XRP ‘probably going to $12,’ Bitcoin ETFs add $1B: Market Moves

Institutions Are Buying Bitcoin, But They Are Still Selling Ethereum – Discover What That Split Reveals

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Institutions Are Buying Bitcoin, But They Are Still Selling Ethereum – Discover What That Split Reveals

Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

Bitcoin has been pushing above key resistance levels while Ethereum struggles to match that momentum — and a CryptoQuant report by analyst MorenoDV has identified a structural reason for that divergence that goes deeper than price action or sentiment. The gap between the two assets is not random. It is being built by the most significant category of market participant in the current cycle.

The report examines Fund Holdings — the total amount of Bitcoin and Ethereum held by institutional investment vehicles, including ETFs, trusts, and dedicated funds. The metric functions as a direct proxy for institutional demand: when fund holdings rise, institutions are adding exposure. When they fall, institutions are reducing it.

Since early February, the data has been telling two very different stories for the two largest crypto assets. Bitcoin fund holdings increased from approximately 1.278 million BTC to 1.370 million BTC — a net accumulation of more than 92,000 BTC, representing 7.2% growth in institutional exposure during a period when the market was recovering from its lows. Over the same period, Ethereum fund holdings moved in the opposite direction — declining from 5.93 million ETH to 5.80 million ETH, a reduction of approximately 127,000 ETH.

Bitcoin Fund Holdings | Source: CryptoQuant
Bitcoin Fund Holdings | Source: CryptoQuant

The two assets, the same time period, the same category of participant, and opposite decisions. Understanding why that divergence exists and what it means for both assets going forward is where the report’s most significant analytical contribution lies.

Institutions Are Back. They Are Just Not Back for Everything

The MorenoDV report identifies the relationship between fund positioning and price behavior as more than coincidental. In both Bitcoin and Ethereum, price recovery has closely tracked the direction of fund holdings — as institutional positions stabilized and began expanding, prices gradually recovered from their post-crash lows. The sequencing suggests that institutional positioning is not simply reacting to price movements after the fact. It appears to be actively participating in shaping the market structure that determines where prices go.

Ethereum Fund Holdings | Source: CryptoQuant
Ethereum Fund Holdings | Source: CryptoQuant

That observation makes the divergence between Bitcoin and Ethereum considerably more significant. Bitcoin regained institutional confidence relatively quickly — fund holdings expanded by 92,000 BTC while the price rebuilt from its lows. Ethereum has not seen the same dynamic. Fund holdings declined even as the broader market recovered, reflecting a hesitation that the price action has mirrored.

The report’s explanation for that hesitation is structural rather than speculative. Bitcoin has consolidated its identity as the macro reserve asset of the crypto ecosystem — the deepest liquidity, the most developed ETF infrastructure, and the cleanest institutional framework for allocation. Ethereum occupies a different position in the institutional risk hierarchy. During periods of uncertainty, funds have shown a consistent tendency to reduce ETH exposure first while maintaining or rebuilding Bitcoin positions as the comparatively safer allocation.

The recovery that has followed the October crash is therefore not a uniform return of institutional confidence across crypto. It is a selective one, with capital returning to the asset that institutions perceive as the lower-risk entry point first, and the higher-risk allocation waiting for clarity that has not yet fully arrived.

ETH/BTC Remains Under Pressure As Weak Structure Persists

The ETH/BTC pair is trading near 0.0285, continuing to reflect Ethereum’s structural underperformance relative to Bitcoin. The weekly chart shows a clear downtrend that has been in place since mid-2022, defined by consistent lower highs and lower lows. The recent bounce from the 0.019–0.020 region marked a temporary relief rally, but it failed to break the broader bearish structure.

Ethereum loses ground against Bitcoin | Source: ETHUSDT chart on TradingView
Ethereum loses ground against Bitcoin | Source: ETHUSDT chart on TradingView

Price is now consolidating below the 50-week and 100-week moving averages, both of which continue to slope downward and act as dynamic resistance. This positioning reinforces the idea that the recovery lacks strength. The 200-week moving average remains significantly higher, near the 0.045–0.050 zone, highlighting how far the pair is from reclaiming a neutral or bullish structure.

The rejection near the 0.035–0.038 region earlier this year is particularly important. That zone now defines the upper boundary of any medium-term recovery attempt. Since then, price has drifted lower, forming a compression pattern just above local support.

If the 0.027–0.028 level fails, the chart opens the path toward a retest of the cycle lows near 0.020. For Ethereum to reverse this trend, it would need to reclaim the 0.035 level with conviction — something the current structure does not yet support.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.

Judge clears path for Aave to move $71 million in ETH linked to North Korea hack

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Judge clears path for Aave to move $71 million in ETH linked to North Korea hack

A Manhattan federal judge has cleared the way for Aave’s recovery effort to move forward after last month’s North Korea-linked rsETH exploit, allowing $71 million in frozen ether to be transferred out of Arbitrum while preserving North Korean terrorism victims’ legal claim on the funds.

In a two-page order published late Friday U.S. time, Judge Margaret Garnett modified a restraining notice previously served on Arbitrum DAO to allow an onchain governance vote transferring the immobilized ETH to a wallet controlled by Aave LLC.

The order also shields participants from liability under the notice, stating that anyone who initiates, votes on or participates in the transfer would not violate the freeze.

Judge Garnett’s ruling follows an earlier off-chain Snapshot temperature check in which Arbitrum delegates overwhelmingly signaled support for returning the frozen ETH as part of Aave’s broader recovery plan. Any actual transfer, however, still requires a separate binding onchain governance vote.

The ruling resolves an immediate standoff that had threatened to derail a coordinated DeFi recovery effort after attorney Charles Gerstein, representing families holding roughly $877 million in unpaid terrorism judgments against North Korea, argued the frozen ETH could be seized because the exploit has been widely attributed to Lazarus Group, which is supported by Pyongyang.

Beyond the Arbitrum dispute

Gerstein’s move against Arbitrum fits into a broader legal strategy to pursue North Korean-linked assets as they surface on decentralized finance (DeFi) infrastructure.

In a separate January lawsuit, many of the same terrorism judgment creditors that went after Arbitrum sued Railgun DAO, alleging the privacy protocol allowed North Korean actors to move funds that should have been frozen and made available to creditors.

At the time, the plaintiffs claimed North Korean hackers used Railgun to launder funds from prior cyberattacks, including the $1.5 billion Bybit exploit, and argued the protocol should have frozen those assets rather than allowing them to move onward.

Once DPRK-controlled wallets were moving funds through the protocol, those assets became potential targets for collection, they argued.

In March, they asked a Washington federal court clerk to enter default against Railgun DAO after alleging the protocol failed to respond to the complaint despite being served. Their complaint also names Digital Currency Group, alleging the crypto investment firm’s $10 million purchase of Railgun governance tokens in 2022 made it a participant in the DAO’s governance and economics.

And in February, the plaintiffs moved to secure USDT that the U.S. government had sought to seize through a forfeiture motion.

Zest ADGM Appoints Zeid Barghouti as Senior Executive Officer to Scale Private Market Infrastructure

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Zest ADGM Appoints Zeid Barghouti as Senior Executive Officer to Scale Private Market Infrastructure

Zest Equity, a digital transactional infrastructure company powering private-market transactions, has appointed Zeid Barghouti as the Senior Executive Officer of its FSRA-regulated entity, ZE Transaction Solutions Limited (“Zest ADGM”).

Zeid Bargouti, SEO at Zest Equity

Barghouti, who has served as the Senior Executive Officer of the ADGM-based entity since its inception, also acts as the Head of Business Development and Partnerships at Zest Equity. In this capacity, he is responsible for driving commercial growth across the firm’s SPV platform, managing strategic partnerships, overseeing client relationships, and spearheading market expansion across the MENA region.

In his formalized role as Senior Executive Officer, Barghouti will oversee Zest ADGM and support the ongoing development of its escrow and transaction facilitation solutions tailored for private markets.

Scaling regulated products

Zest Equity is actively building its presence as a foundational digital transactional infrastructure company. Built in the UAE and anchored within the ADGM’s regulatory framework, the company develops its core technology within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).

Since its founding, the Zest Equity group has digitized more than $230million in transactions across over 200 deals. Furthermore, the firm has received authorization from the FSRA for Zest ADGM to offer both its Zest Arrange and Zest Escrow products. Zest ADGM is fully regulated to deliver the firm’s payment services and arranging deals in investment services to clients across the MENA region and beyond.

Zuhair Shamma, co-founder and CEO of Zest Equity, noted that the appointment actively reflects the company’s commitment to building institutional-grade leadership.

“Zeid has been instrumental to the commercial development of Zest Equity, and the regulatory remit he now assumes is the natural next step as we scale the digital infrastructure underpinning private-market transactions,” Shamma stated. “His combination of regulatory experience and commercial acumen is exactly what this stage of the business demands. His leadership will be central as we scale the institutional infrastructure private markets require.”

A record in regulated financial services

Barghouti brings an established record in regulated financial services across the Gulf region. Prior to joining Zest Equity, he served as the Senior Executive Officer at Capital Investments DIFC Ltd and held senior treasury and financial institution roles within the Capital Bank Group. He also holds an MBA from the University of Manchester and a BSc in Business Management from the University of Surrey.

Commenting on his appointment, Barghouti emphasized the firm’s unique market position.

“Zest Equity occupies a distinctive position in the regional private markets landscape and Zest is a genuine foundation for institutional growth in the region’s private markets,” said Barghouti. “I look forward to contributing further to its development and to the firm’s broader commercial expansion across the region’s private-market ecosystem.”

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