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One of humanity's greatest achievements is also one of its greatest fears: technology. With the AI revolution on the horizon and George Orwell's fiction becoming a foreshadowing reality, technology has never been more scary.
When it comes to crypto, the threat of blockchain technology is limited to scams, fraud and manipulation but the likes of FTX have shown how catastrophic the manipulation of crypto assets can be. But now, it seems that crypto technology is being used to unearth one more secret power that has been silently unleashed upon the masses: nanotechnology mind control.
A Chinese programmer named Hu Lezhi is making waves in the crypto world after transferring nearly 2,000 ETH (approximately $5 million) to burn wallets and donation addresses, leaving behind a series of alarming on-chain messages about mind control, surveillance, and his own perceived loss of autonomy.
Hu’s messages suggest he believes he has been monitored and manipulated by a shadowy organization his entire life. He also made disturbing claims about brain-computer interfaces, alleging that, “Brain chips have already been deployed on a large scale in military bases. All citizens are controlled by wireless and nanotechnology brain chips.”
D2jeFSwJWKXWR2gD1gaT2RzGPdeMAJzgNcXyb1Uxpump
— West (@ratwizardx) February 17, 2025
Lore:
Schizo chinese guy has been sending out hundreds of eth to donation/burn wallets, claims he's being controlled by slave mind organization.
Total sent: ~2,000 ETHhttps://t.co/rISc7ubh6j pic.twitter.com/XdYYEFaE39
Other messages reference a dystopian world where humans and animals alike are subjected to a form of digital enslavement, warning of a future in which individuals lose all sense of desire and become “complete slaves to the digital machine.”
It's unclear how this organization has implemented these chips and the extent to which the crypto industry is involved. But what we do know, is that the crypto market is once again fallen victim to price manipulation.
Over in Argentina, President Javier Milei has been fending off allegations that he actively promoted the memecoin $LIBRA.
In a recent interview, Milei stated that shared information about $LIBRA in good faith, believing it could benefit Argentine entrepreneurs.
“I shared this the same way I’ve shared hundreds of things,” he explained, emphasizing that his message was one of disseminating information not endorsement.
Milei acknowledged the fallout as a "slap in the face" and a learning experience but downplayed the impact on Argentine investors while claiming that the majority of those affected were from the U.S. and China.
Milei’s connection to $LIBRA stems from his meetings with Hayden Davis, CEO of Kelsier Ventures, the market maker behind the token. According to reports, Davis met with Milei at least ten times since October 2024.
The plot thickened when Davis then admitted in a video interview with YouTuber Coffeezilla that the Libra team had engaged in “sniping” and revealed that his team bought $LIBRA and $MELANIA tokens immediately after launching them, which ultimately led to the resignation of Meteora CEO Ben Chow who allegedly got a bit to cosy to the projects.
Or maybe it's just our mind chips telling us so.
Meanwhile, the markets are operating on their accord (with or without chips) as both Bitcoin and Ethereum are up over the week, albeit at just 2% and 3% respectively.
Risk appetites have risen from last week's 48, "Neutral," to 55, "Greed." The Fear & Greed Index uses 5-6 measurements to assess the current sentiment of the market and then rates that level of emotion on a scale of 1-100 – 1 is extreme fear and 100 is extreme greed.
Top Stories (In No Particular Order)
Mysterious Ethereum Donor Sends 2,000 ETH to Burn Wallets, WikiLeaks, Claims Mind Control Manipulation
A Chinese programmer named Hu Lezhi is making waves in the crypto world after transferring nearly 2,000 ETH (approximately $5 million) to burn wallets and donation addresses, leaving behind a series of alarming on-chain messages about mind control, surveillance, and his own perceived loss of autonomy.
Blockhead
Javier Milei Denies $LIBRA Involvement, Onchain Data Reveals $MELANIA Link, Argentinian Market Tanks
Argentina President Javier Milei has denied allegations that he actively promoted the memecoin $LIBRA.
In a recent interview, Milei stated that shared information about $LIBRA in good faith, believing it could benefit Argentine entrepreneurs.
“I shared this the same way I’ve shared hundreds of things,” he explained, emphasizing that his message was one of disseminating information not endorsement.
Milei acknowledged the fallout as a "slap in the face" and a learning experience but downplayed the impact on Argentine investors while claiming that the majority of those affected were from the U.S. and China.
Blockhead
Argentinian President Javier Milei Faces Fraud Charges After Endorsing Crypto Token $LIBRA
Argentina President Javier Milei is facing criminal fraud charges from Argentine lawyers after promoting a cryptocurrency that collapsed in value.
Defending the president’s actions, the President’s Office stated: “The President shared a post on his personal accounts announcing the launch of KIP Protocol’s project, as he does daily with many entrepreneurs who wish to launch projects in Argentina to create jobs and attract investments.”
Blockhead
Meteora CEO Ben Chow Resigns Amid $LIBRA Insider Trading Allegations
Ben Chow, co-founder of Meteora, has stepped down from his role at the Solana-based DeFi project amid the scandal surrounding LIBRA.
Meow, the pseudonymous founder of Solana decentralized exchange (DEX) Jupiter, announced on Monday that Chow resigned amid the controversy.
“While I am 100% confident about Ben’s character, as a project lead he has also shown a lack of judgement and care about some of the core aspects of the project,” Meow tweeted.
Blockhead
Coinbase, Kraken in Talks to Acquire Deribit as Crypto Derivatives Market Heats Up
A major consolidation could be brewing in the cryptocurrency derivatives market as U.S. exchanges Coinbase and Kraken engage in acquisition talks with Deribit, the world’s leading crypto options exchange.
Deribit remains in active discussions with Kraken despite earlier reports suggesting the U.S.-based exchange had walked away from negotiations, according to a Coindesk report on Thursday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Blockhead
SEC Assembles New Crypto Crime Fighting Force
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is launching a new organization aimed at tackling crypto-related crime.
In a Thursday announcement, the SEC introduced the Cyber and Emerging Technologies Unit, which will collaborate with the regulator's crypto task force to “root out those seeking to misuse innovation to harm investors and diminish confidence in new technologies.”
Blockhead
Franklin Templeton Debuts EZPZ ETF for Easy BTC, ETH Access
Franklin Templeton has launched the EZPZ ETF, which offers exposure to both Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Listed on the Cboe BZX exchange, the product tracks CF Benchmark’s Institutional Digital Asset Index, which includes assets that meet the regulatory standards of major financial markets.
Blockhead
Nigeria Sues Binance, Takes Another Swing at Former Exec Tigran Gambaryan
Nigeria has taken another swing and Binance and its ex-executive Tigran Gambaryan, who was detained for eight months.
In a new lawsuit, Nigeria is seeking $79.5 billion in damages for economic losses allegedly caused by the cryptocurrency exchange’s operations in the country. Additionally, the government is demanding $2 billion in back taxes.
Blockhead
BitGo Introduces OTC Trading, Considers IPO
BitGo has launched a global over-the-counter (OTC) trading desk for digital assets as it edges towards a potential initial public listing (IPO).
The firm’s new OTC desk will offer institutional clients spot and options trading services, as well as lending to facilitate margin trading.
Blockhead
FTX Begins Creditor Payouts, Sets Next Distribution Date
FTX Trading Ltd. and the FTX Recovery Trust have commenced initial distributions to creditors, marking the first major round of repayments since the exchange filed for bankruptcy in 2022.
The first batch of payments is being made to holders of allowed claims in FTX’s Convenience Class (<$50,000), with funds expected to be received within 1-3 business days, FTX Recovery Trust said in a statement on Tuesday.
Blockhead
Robinhood to Launch Crypto Products in Singapore Via Bitstamp
Robinhood will introduce its crypto offerings in Singapore following its acquisition of Bitstamp last year.
Johann Kerbrat, vice president and general manager of Robinhood Crypto, told Bloomberg that although an official launch date has not yet been confirmed, the exchange plans to launch its products in the city-state by late 2025.
Blockhead
Standard Chartered, Animoca, HKT to Launch Hong Kong’s First HKD-Backed Stablecoin
Standard Chartered Bank Hong Kong (SCBHK), Animoca Brands, and HKT have announced a joint venture to develop and issue a Hong Kong dollar-backed stablecoin, marking a major step in Hong Kong’s push to establish itself as a global leader in regulated digital assets.
The consortium intends to apply for a license under the Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s (HKMA) new regulatory framework for stablecoin issuers, with plans to pioneer the region’s first compliant HKD-pegged digital currency, according to a statement on Monday.
Blockhead
Tether Buys Juventus FC Stake, CEO Works With US Lawmakers on Stablecoin Laws
USDT stablecoin issuer Tether has made a strategic investment in football club Juventus FC, while its CEO makes strides with US lawmakers to shape stablecoin laws.
Tether Investments, the investments arm of Tether, purchased a minority stake in the Italian Serie A football club to “build a new synergy between sports and digital assets.”
Blockhead
Straits Millennium Secures IPA for Major Payment Institution License in Singapore
Straits Millennium, a subsidiary of Straits Financial Group, has received in-principle approval from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) for a Major Payment Institution (MPI) license.
The approval allows Straits Millennium to offer digital payment token (DPT) services and strengthens Straits Financial Group's presence in Singapore's digital asset scene.
“Securing the in-principle approval for our Major Payment Institution License is a testament to our unwavering commitment to regulatory excellence, innovation, and customer-centric solutions," said Jeremy Ang, Group CEO of Straits Financial Group.
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