U.S. jobless claims came in below expectations
U.S. initial jobless claims for the week ended Aug. 1 totaled 199,000, compared with a forecast of 202,000. The prior reading was revised to 198,000 from 197,000.
Shenzhen employee posed as an overseas hacker in a BTC and USDT extortion case
A Shenzhen employee, who was reportedly carrying more than 400,000 yuan in online debt, stole confidential R&D materials from 43 folders at his company and then posed as an overseas hacker. He later demanded 0.88 BTC, 0.8 BTC and 90,000 USDT.
Prosecutors valued the case at about 630,000 yuan based on the lowest exchange rate on the day of the crime. Because the company did not pay, the court sentenced him to three years and three months in prison for attempted extortion and fined him 10,000 yuan.
Impersonation scams rise after the MiCA transition period ends
Impersonation scams targeting crypto users have increased after the EU’s MiCA transition period ended on July 1. Scammers have been posing as ESMA staff, France’s AMF or exchange employees, telling users that a platform is unlicensed or that assets need to be moved urgently, then pushing them to fake websites or wallets.
ESMA data shows that 323 crypto firms have obtained licenses so far, while VASPnet estimates that more than 1,700 unlicensed firms need to shut down.
Circle renews Coinbase partnership on existing terms
Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire said on the company’s earnings call that Circle renewed its partnership agreement with Coinbase on existing terms. The deal keeps USDC in a core position across Coinbase’s product suite, and Circle will keep expanding its USDC network through distribution agreements with strategically aligned partners.
Chief Financial Officer Jeremy Fox-Geen said Circle has no current plan to launch a quarterly dividend. The company will keep a strong balance sheet and direct capital toward business growth and strategic investments. He said Circle is a high-growth company and that this capital allocation can deliver stronger long-term returns for shareholders than dividends.
Chainalysis says violent crypto theft cost more than $30 million in the first half
Chainalysis said violent robberies targeting crypto holders, including kidnappings, home invasions and coercion to force victims to transfer crypto assets, caused more than $30 million in losses in the first half of 2026. At the current pace, full-year losses could exceed the $58 million record set in 2025.
The report said France has become a major hotspot for these attacks, partly because a leak of information from the French tax authority expanded criminals’ target pool to wealthy crypto investors. Chainalysis also said attackers are increasingly going after victims’ family members, while home-invasion and kidnapping cases continue to make up a larger share of incidents.