Przemysław Kral, the head of collapsed crypto exchange Zondacrypto, has reportedly been charged with participating in an alleged large-scale fraud and is now cooperating with Polish prosecutors, according to Polish outlet Onet. The report says Kral is seeking a reduced sentence in exchange for testimony that may include details about the exchange’s funding of right-wing politicians. Prosecutors estimate customer losses at at least 2.4 billion Polish zlotys, or about $650 million, and investigators allege that only part of customer funds was used to buy crypto while the remainder was moved to private accounts controlled by Zondacrypto managers. Onet also reported that Kral had spent six months negotiating possible cooperation terms. The case comes after Kral’s mid-April disclosure that the exchange could not access a cold wallet holding about 4,500 Bitcoin, a claim he paired with denials of fund misappropriation. The report also points to Zondacrypto’s political connections, including its role as the main sponsor of CPAC in Poland and advertising and foundation-linked payments tied to politically connected entities.

Polish crypto exchange Zondacrypto, formerly BitBay, is facing a deepening crisis tied to the 2022 disappearance of founder Sylwester Suszek and the later disappearance of his successor, lawyer Przemyslaw Kral. According to the report, Suszek vanished after sending desperate messages to family members asking for Bitcoin to secure his release, and his relatives believe he was killed. Prosecutors later linked one of his business associates, Marian Wszolek, to the case, though he also disappeared after charges were announced. The exchange later rebranded and operated through BB Trade Estonia, but scrutiny grew as Estonia tightened oversight of crypto companies. A report from the country’s Financial Intelligence Unit said nearly three-quarters of supervised firms had not filed a single suspicious transaction report in 2021, and Zondacrypto was described as one of them. Auditors in 2023 and 2024 also questioned whether the parent company’s reported assets were real. Kral, who took over after Suszek vanished, publicly claimed on April 16 that the company held more than $330 million in Bitcoin reserves, but said access depended on a private key known only to Suszek. The wallet he referred to, holding 4,500 BTC, had reportedly shown no activity for nearly a decade. Polish prosecutors now estimate potential losses of at least 350 million zloty, with more than 30,000 customers reported as victims, and the exchange case has been merged with the Suszek disappearance investigation.

JD Vance led the CPAC 2026 straw poll for the 2028 Republican nomination with 53%, while Marco Rubio climbed to 35%. Polymarket pricing also shows both men leading the GOP field.

The ECB partnered with ECPC, Nexo Standards, and Berlin Group to embed the digital euro into existing payment rails, aiming to counter dollar-pegged stablecoins and lower barriers for European payment providers. However, only 45% of Europeans are likely to adopt it.

The ECB has partnered with ECPC, nexo standards and Berlin Group to reuse open payment standards for the digital euro, aiming to lower integration costs and support a 2027 pilot and possible 2029 launch.

The ECB has partnered with ECPC, nexo standards and Berlin Group to reuse open payment standards for the digital euro, aiming to lower integration costs and support a 2027 pilot with potential launch readiness around 2029.

Liz Truss, the UK's shortest-serving prime minister, warns the economy is on a 'very negative trajectory' due to currency debasement. She voices support for Bitcoin as a tool against centralization and monetary erosion.

Former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss warns of economic decline due to currency debasement and sound money lack. She expresses strong interest in Bitcoin as a tool against centralization and inflation, criticizing failed monetary policies and advocating for financial freedom.