Monero reached a new all-time high this week as intensifying regulatory scrutiny of digital assets reignited debate over the role of financial privacy in the evolving crypto ecosystem.

Financial Times has alleged that Binance had continued to allow suspicious crypto transactions to flow through its platform even after agreeing to tighten controls under its landmark $4.3 billion US criminal settlement.

Binance now offers full access to Syrian users after the US lifted sanctions, removing Syria from its Prohibited Countries list. Syrians can trade over 300 tokens, joining 270 million users globally—a major shift for a region long cut off from global finance. Could this be a breakthrough for financial inclusion?

The US DOJ has seized $7.74 million laundered by North Korean operatives who used stolen US identities to secure remote blockchain jobs and bypass KYC checks. The funds were funnelled back to support the regime’s weapons programme.

SBF’s release is now set four years earlier than his original 25-year sentence. FTX executives Ryan Salame and Caroline Ellison also received sentence reductions for good behaviour.

Crypto donations in 2025 are expected to hit $2.5 billion, fuelled by digital wealth and better regulations. Binance co-founder CZ’s 1,000 BNB donation to Myanmar and Thailand’s earthquake relief highlights crypto’s rising role in global aid.

Upbit, South Korea’s largest crypto exchange, faces a three-month suspension for regulatory violations, including failure to meet anti-money laundering and KYC standards. The suspension, affecting new users, follows an investigation that revealed over 44,000 AML breaches and poor customer verification practices.

Pi Network will launch its Open Network on 20 February 2025, ending its Enclosed Mainnet phase. With 10.14 million migrations and 19 million verified Pioneers, this transition unlocks Pi’s ecosystem for real-world use, enabling integration with other compliant systems.

Coinbase has integrated Apple Pay, simplifying fiat-to-crypto transactions and improving user experience. The partnership removes previous transaction challenges and is live for all users, requiring no extra effort from app developers. Could this mark a significant shift in the payments landscape?

The US DOJ has charged Maximiliano Pilipis, the operator of crypto exchange AurumXchange, with money laundering and tax offenses. Alongside laundering allegations, Pilipis faces charges for failing to file tax returns on income earned in 2019 and 2020.