
Crypto charter approved for Trump-linked World Liberty	͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏	View in browser

August 18, 2026

Your Daily Digest of the 🔥Hottest News in Crypto.

Today’s top stories

💰 $165M scheme unravels as mastermind lands in custody
🇦🇪 Abu Dhabi fund buys 49% stake in World Liberty for $500 million
⏰ Stablecoin law set to take effect without finalized regulations
📰 Keep reading for all of today’s biggest headlines

Alleged $165M crypto Ponzi mastermind faces US charges after Fiji deportation

Edward Zimbardi, the alleged mastermind of a $165 million crypto Ponzi scheme called “The Crypto Program,” has been deported from Fiji to face US federal fraud and money laundering charges. Prosecutors say he promised investors guaranteed 25% monthly returns but instead lost over $34 million on risky currency trades, paid earlier investors with new funds, and spent at least $10 million on personal expenses. He was indicted on 25 counts and is expected to appear before a federal magistrate judge.

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OCC approves Trump family crypto company for trust charter

The US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency conditionally approved World Liberty Financial, the Trump family-linked crypto firm, to operate as a national trust bank, despite lawmakers alleging conflicts of interest. The approval allows the company to issue stablecoins and custody digital assets tied to its USD1 token, while ten Democratic senators, led by Elizabeth Warren, introduced a bill to prevent such “corruption” in banking applications. The move follows broader OCC approvals for crypto firms under the Trump administration, amid ongoing scrutiny over foreign investments in World Liberty and the president’s family stake.

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US Treasury moves forward with rules on GENIUS Act after July deadline

The Treasury Department opened a public comment period for proposed rules on implementing the GENIUS Act, the stablecoin framework signed into law in 2025. The law is set to take effect Jan. 18, 2027, but agencies missed the July deadline to finalize regulations, meaning it could go into force without clear guidance. The Treasury and other regulators are seeking input over the next 60 days to provide regulatory certainty for stablecoin issuers.

‘Fabricated rumors’ about BitMart founder, Binance bStocks dominate: Asia Express

BitMart’s official Chinese-language X account publicly demanded founder Sheldon Xia explain user fund whereabouts and produce a repayment plan, citing withdrawal issues and unpaid employee salaries. Xia dismissed the claims as “fabricated rumors,” promising a counter-attack, a police report, and a lawyer’s letter to X for data forensics. Meanwhile, Binance’s bStocks became the second-largest tokenized stock issuer in under two months, reaching about $624 million, overtaking xStocks but trailing Ondo Finance’s $927 million.

Other notable Asia news: suspected North Korean IT workers were tracked inside a fake crypto startup, Israel’s Bank Leumi partnered with Galaxy Digital for crypto trading, and Metaplanet denied selling any of its 43,000 BTC after a large custody move. Singapore also finalized rules requiring crypto firms to report user transactions to tax authorities, effective January 2027.