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Publicly-Listed AMTD Group Wants Investors’ Crypto in Equity Swap Program

by admin August 20, 2025

In brief

The group said the program aims to diversify its business, believing it would serve as a bridge between crypto and the NYSE.
AMTD plans to use their media, hospitality, and education assets to offer asset-allocation support, VIP experiences, and financial education.
All three are micro to small-cap companies, with the largest running at about $509 million.

On Tuesday, three affiliated NYSE-listed companies under AMTD Group proposed a crypto-for-stock conversion program that would let holders swap Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT, Binance’s BNB, and USDC for newly issued shares under the exchange.

AMTD IDEA (AMTD), AMTD Digital (HKD), and The Generation Essentials Group (TGE) formed the program with pricing that would be set by mutual agreement at prevailing market values, and allocations could be split across the three issuers.

Framing the plan as a “conduit and effective means” for portfolio diversification, the group said the issuances would “serve as a bridge connecting the world of crypto assets with one of the world’s leading stock exchanges.”

To flesh out what it touts as “adjacent offerings,” the group points to its media, hospitality, and education footprint as the delivery base.

Headquartered in France with presence in Singapore, AMTD runs digital media, marketing, investments, and hospitality/VIP services, while TGE owns L’Officiel, a French fashion magazine, and The Art Newspaper. It also operates entertainment projects and premium properties.

The group claims these assets will be used to help crypto holders “facilitate and better their experiences,” packaging asset-allocation support, leisure, and VIP experiences, as well as financial education.

The proposal also includes American depositary shares, which are U.S.-traded shares issued by a depositary bank that represent a specified number of a foreign issuer’s ordinary shares, among the securities that could be issued to crypto holders looking to convert their assets.

It’s worth noting that, by market capitalization size, the three are micro to small-cap issuers. AMTD has about $176 million, HKD has roughly $509 million, and TGE has $161 million in market size, per their respective data dashboards on Google Finance.

Of the three, only AMTD’s stock closed positively at 1.9%, with the other two down by 3.5% and 6.2% respectively, following the announcement.

The announcement disclosed no launch timeline, geography, investor eligibility, issuance caps, lockups, KYC or custody arrangements, or settlement mechanics, and stated it was not an offer or solicitation.

Decrypt reached out to the group for comment on whether the issuances would be registered, conducted as private placements, or offshore transactions, and whether U.S. persons would be eligible.

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August 20, 2025 0 comments

Crypto Trends

Dogecoin Comes Under Attack From Same Group That Orchestrated Monero’s 51% Takeover

by admin August 19, 2025

Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

The Qubic community is now targeting Dogecoin (DOGE) following its recent and controversial attack on Monero (XMR). After executing a 51% takeover and claiming majority control over Monero’s hashrate, the group is now shifting focus toward the world’s largest meme coin, signaling what could become one of the most ambitious challenges yet against a major Proof of Work (PoW) network.

Qubic Targets Dogecoin After Monero Domination

The Dogecoin network has become the latest declared target of Qubic, the project that recently claimed to have orchestrated a successful 51% attack on Monero. Sergey Ivancheglo, known on X social media as ‘Come-from-Beyond’ and the founder of Qubic, confirmed the move after a community vote on Discord placed Dogecoin as the overwhelming choice over competitors such as Kaspa and Zcash. The decision underscores a significant escalation in Qubic’s ambitions, shifting focus from privacy-focused networks to one of the largest and most recognizable meme coins in existence.

Qubic’s founder highlighted that the previous Monero operation served as a demonstration of what coordinated control over hashrate can achieve. By pooling resources, the project reportedly captured over 77.54% of Monero’s power, effectively proving that 51% attacks are not merely theoretical vulnerabilities but real threats that could paralyze entire ecosystems. Ivancheglo also described the attack as a wake-up call, claiming that it helped Monero developers accelerate their work on defensive measures.

Notably, crypto analysts have voiced concern that Qubic’s current focus on Dogecoin could represent a new frontier in network dominance. The Qubic pool previously boasted 4.29 GH/s of computational power that crushed Monero’s defenses, but Dogecoin’s scale presents a much more formidable challenge. Still, community insiders are not backing down, with many supporting the founder’s plan to dominate Dogecoin.

The Challenge Of Taking On Dogecoin’s Network

While Monero fell victim to Qubic’s calculated push, Dogecoin’s defense rests on an entirely different foundation. A Qubic Ambassador identified as the ‘QubicChurch’ on X explains that, unlike Monero’s CPU-friendly, ASIC-resistant RandomX algorithm, Dogecoin relies on the Scrypt algorithm and is merge-mined with Litecoin. This means that the majority of Litecoin’s massive mining infrastructure also secures Dogecoin, creating a combined shield of unprecedented scale.

As of August 18, 2025, Dogecoin’s hashrate stands at roughly 3.47 PH/s, while Litecoin adds 2.78 PH/s. Together, their combined network strength dwarfs Monero by over a million times. The Qubic Ambassador acknowledged this staggering gap, pointing out that preparation for such an attack on Dogecoin would require months of development.

Notably, the scale difference between Monero and Dogecoin also redefines the potential outcome. The QubicChurch noted that if the project were to capture even 0.1% of the Dogecoin-Litecoin network, it would represent more computational power than the entire Monero network by a factor of over a thousand. At 1%, the leverage becomes astronomical, exceeding Monero’s power more than eleven thousand times over. For Qubic, such control would not only serve as proof of dominance but could also funnel massive cash flows into its ecosystem.

DOGE trading at $0.21 on the 1D chart | Source: DOGEUSDT on Tradingview.com

Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com

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August 19, 2025 0 comments

NFT Gaming

Why Digital Currency Group Is Suing Its Own Subsidiary Over $1.1 Billion Loan

by admin August 18, 2025

In brief

Digital Currency Group has sued its subsidiary Genesis, the now-shuttered crypto lender.
The crypto giant claims that a $1.1 billion loan it made to Genesis was more than enough to cover its losses following its 2022 collapse—and that the firm has actually profited.
The latest lawsuit comes after Genesis in May sued Digital Currency Group for $3.1 billion.

Digital Currency Group has sued its subsidiary Genesis, claiming that the collapsed crypto lender has actually profited in the long-term following its collapse and subsequent bailout.

In a lawsuit filed Thursday, DCG said that the $1.1 billion loan it gave to Genesis in 2022 was ultimately more than enough to cover its losses.

Crypto lender Genesis went bankrupt in 2023 as it had lent money to collapsed crypto firm Three Arrows Capital and other firms during the bear market and “crypto contagion” that spread across the industry in 2022.

DCG stepped in with capital to help repay Genesis customers. But in Thursday’s lawsuit, DCG argued that due to a rise in the value of recovered collateral from Three Arrows Capital, its obligations under the promissory note have been reduced to zero.

This, the lawsuit states, is because the assets from Three Arrows Capital were in Bitcoin and Grayscale Bitcoin Trust shares that have shot up in value since 2022.

“Genesis ultimately suffered no loss from TAC’s default; rather Genesis has profited by hundreds of millions of dollars (which Genesis is entitled to keep),” the lawsuit said.

It added: “Because of the significant appreciation in cryptocurrency values since the petition date, this has resulted in recoveries that exceed the dollar value of the creditors’ claims as of the petition date.”

Genesis was a crypto lender run by crypto behemoth DCG. It allowed users to earn cash on their crypto holdings by allowing them to be loaned out to others.

Genesis made billions of dollars in loans to beleaguered crypto firms like Three Arrows Capital and the FTX-linked Alameda Research, which were about to default on their debt due to market contagion stemming from the collapse of Terra.

When mega digital asset brand FTX collapsed, Genesis announced to clients that it would pause withdrawals from its lending arm due to the “unprecedented market turmoil.”

“DCG took extraordinary efforts to voluntarily support Genesis in 2022, including by issuing a promissory note to Genesis to help close a potential book equity gap resulting from the collapse of Three Arrows Capital,” a DCG spokesperson told Decrypt on Friday. “We have consistently met our contractual obligations under that note, but believe those have now been fully satisfied. We are simply asking the Court to confirm that the valid and binding obligation was fully satisfied.”

Thursday’s lawsuit comes after Genesis in May sued DCG, alleging that its parent company and CEO Barry Silbert made fraudulent transfers from the lender as it was collapsing in 2022. It’s seeking $3.1 billion in damages.

Editor’s note: This story was updated after publication to include a statement from DCG.

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August 18, 2025 0 comments

Game Reviews

Animal rights group PETA calls for Nintendo to remove Cow’s “cruel” nose ring

by admin August 17, 2025

Animal rights campaign group PETA is calling on Nintendo to remove Mario Kart World’s Cow’s nose ring.

In a statement, PETA said no real-world cow would sport Cow’s “goofy grin” if they were forced to wear a ring, “a tool of cruelty that causes lasting pain and discomfort”, and wrote to Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa earlier this week to explain that “nose rings are forcibly pierced through one of the most sensitive parts of a cow’s body”, often used to drag or control cows ans bulls “to their deaths”.

Image credit: PETA / Nintendo

“We know Mario Kart World is just a game – and that’s exactly why Cow’s nose ring needs to go,” the organisation said. “Mario Kart is supposed to be a fun escape, not a reminder of the painful tools used on cows in the meat and dairy industries. No one wants to think about animal suffering while zipping around a race track.”

The dairy industry also reportedly clips “spiked nose rings on baby cows so that the comforting act of nursing from their mother causes her pain and the baby is rejected and kicked away. To control bulls, a chain might be fastened from the nose ring to the bull’s horn for even more pain-driven control”.

“It’s not a style choice,” the organisation added, “It’s a cruel tool used to control and hurt cows in the meat and dairy industries, which causes lasting pain and discomfort.”

PETA has previously taken action against other games, including Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which it said encouraged “abusive behaviour toward fish and insects […] tearing wildlife out of their homes and display them in cramped cases in a museum”. It’s also launched campaigns against Palworld and Hunting Simulator 2.

Nintendo sold 5.82m Switch 2 consoles worldwide in its first month of release and 5.63m copies of Mario Kart World, meaning the launch title had an attachment rate of around 97 percent.

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August 17, 2025 0 comments

Esports

2025 NFL positional group rankings: Best, worst team units

by admin August 17, 2025

Mike ClayAug 15, 2025, 06:15 AM ET
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When analyzing NFL rosters, it’s important to remember that it’s all relative. It’s easy to say a team is in “good shape” or “loaded” at a particular position, but each unit is only as good as it is relative to the league’s 31 other teams.

That might seem like common sense, but you’d be surprised what you can learn by sitting down and objectively grading and/or ranking each positional unit of all 32 teams. This is a project I’ve done each offseason, which has led to many interesting revelations, including the likely breakouts of teams such as the 2020 Buccaneers, 2022 Eagles and 2023 Dolphins.

Here are position-by-position unit rankings for all 32 teams this season covering the 10 key offensive and defensive groups. At the end is an overall ranking weighted based on positional importance (for example, it’s more crucial to be elite at quarterback than at running back). I also included brief outlooks on the best and shakiest units at each position as well as intriguing groups worth keeping an eye on. Note that these are 2025 rankings rather than long-term outlooks.

Let’s take a look, starting at quarterback.

Jump to:
QB | RB | WR | TE | OL
DT | Edge | LB | CB | S
Overall outlook

Quarterback

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This will be controversial to some, but Lamar Jackson led all quarterbacks in QBR, ANY/A (adjusted net yards per passing attempt) and expected points added. Jackson has been an All-Pro for the past two seasons and won the NFL MVP in 2019 and 2023. He fell just short of his second consecutive MVP last season despite career highs in passing yards (4,172) and passing touchdowns (41, tied for second in the league). The dual-threat quarterback has never finished a season lower than second among QBs in rushing yards, too. Former Cowboys QB Cooper Rush makes for a solid backup.

Derek Carr’s sudden retirement has left the Saints in rebuild mode under center. Second-round rookie Tyler Shough is the best bet to emerge as a viable starter, and perhaps he’ll be more pro-ready than most first-years considering he’s already 25. Recent Day 3 fliers Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener, who both struggled in relief of Carr last season, will also compete for the gig.

Other than perhaps the Steelers, no team with a new starting QB has as much on the line as the Vikings in 2025. With a revived Sam Darnold under center in 2024, Minnesota was one of the league’s best teams, posting a 14-3 regular-season record. The core of the team remains in place, which puts pressure on 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy to play at a high level or at least not mess things up.

Running back

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The running back position is strong across the NFL, but it’s hard to find a better duo than Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Since the two teamed up in 2023, Lions RBs have produced a league-high 5,960 yards and 57 touchdowns. That’s 718 more yards and eight more touchdowns than any other team’s RBs. Gibbs led the NFL with 20 TDs in 2024, and Montgomery produced 1,100-plus yards for the sixth season in a row despite missing three games.

Running back remained a low-priority position for Dallas this past offseason. Out is Rico Dowdle and in are Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders and Day 3 rookie Jaydon Blue. Williams has the highest ceiling, but the 25-year-old has struggled badly with efficiency since tearing his right ACL in 2022. Sanders was a nonfactor during two seasons in Carolina, though he showed some juice with 116 yards and two touchdowns in Week 18 last season. It’s very possible fifth-rounder Blue sees some serious run as a rookie.

The Chargers revamped their RB room this offseason, replacing J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards with Najee Harris and first-round pick Omarion Hampton. Hampton is a big, tough back with three-down ability who figures to immediately slide in as the lead runner. Harris has been reliable on early downs and an innings eater in recent years (he’s the only tailback to not miss a game over the past four seasons), though he doesn’t offer much as a receiver. His availability for the start of the season is still up in the air, as he hasn’t practiced since sustaining an eye injury in a fireworks mishap on July 4.

Wide receiver

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There are several good options here, but few teams come close to competing with the Ja’Marr Chase/Tee Higgins pairing. Chase has been great since being drafted in 2021, and he cemented himself as elite in 2024 with league highs in routes, targets, receptions, receiving yards, receiving TDs and end zone targets. He’s the first player in league history to reach both 1,700 receiving yards and 17 touchdown catches in a single season. Higgins battled injuries last season, but he still posted a 73-911-10 receiving line in 12 games. Andrei Iosivas and second-year Jermaine Burton provide depth.

Jakobi Meyers (one of 15 players with 800-plus receiving yards each of the past four seasons) is as underrated as they come, but he simply doesn’t have much proven help. Tre Tucker, the Raiders’ 2023 third-round pick, is the other top veteran returning this season, but he wasn’t efficient last season. Despite ranking fourth among receivers in routes run last season, Tucker finished outside the top 50 in catches, yards and TDs. Las Vegas does have some hope for improvement with rookies Jack Bech (second round), Dont’e Thornton Jr. (fourth) and Tommy Mellott (sixth).

A healthy Bucs WR room would’ve earned the nod for “best,” but there is uncertainty surrounding the availability of Chris Godwin, who led the NFL in receptions before a season-ending injury in 2024. Of course, even if he sit outs time, this has the look of a top-end group. Mike Evans (1,000-plus receiving yards in all 11 NFL seasons) is entering his age-32 campaign and seemingly hasn’t lost a step. Jalen McMillan (a 2024 third-round pick) scored eight TDs in his final five games of 2024, and the team selected Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka with its first-round pick.

Tight end

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A recent survey of league executives, coaches and scouts resulted in Mark Andrews (sixth) and Isaiah Likely (eighth) both ranking among the top 10 tight ends. After a career-high 11 touchdowns last season, Andrews leads all tight ends in scores since 2019 with 48. Likely’s usage has been limited by Andrews’ presence, but he’s one of 17 tight ends with 30-plus catches each of the past three seasons. Likely had surgery at the end of July for a small fracture in his foot, but Baltimore hasn’t ruled him out playing in Week 1.

Second-round rookie Mason Taylor could make this designation look foolish, but there very well could be a lengthier learning curve here for the 21-year-old. Jason Taylor’s son will have a lot of pressure to deliver, as the Jets’ fallback options (Jeremy Ruckert, Stone Smartt and Zack Kuntz) haven’t made much of an impact in the pros.

Welcome back, Darren Waller. After ending his one-year retirement in July, Waller was traded to Miami as the team’s replacement for Jonnu Smith. Once one of the league’s top tight ends, Waller is obviously a bit of a lottery ticket since he’s 32 and struggled with durability when we last saw him (he hasn’t played more than 12 games in a season since 2020). Of course, with Julian Hill and Pharaoh Brown as his top competition, Waller has an easy path to snaps and targets in an offense that sees a ton of two-high looks.

Offensive line

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Another season, another elite Eagles offensive line. It starts with arguably the league’s top tackle duo of Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson. Mailata ranked among the top tackles in Pro Football Focus grade, pass block win rate and run block win rate in both 2023 and 2024. Johnson is now 35 but hasn’t lost a step, ranking top 10 among tackles in pass and run block win rate last season. Cam Jurgens was solid as Jason Kelce’s replacement at center last season. Landon Dickerson is one of the league’s best guards, though he sustained a meniscus injury to his right knee in a preseason practice and is considered week to week. The only other concern is at right guard, as Matt Pryor and Tyler Steen are among those competing to replace Mekhi Becton.

Offensive line remains a massive problem area for the Jaguars and perhaps the worst situation in the NFL. Walker Little and Anton Harrison both posted poor pass block win rate marks in the past two seasons and are expected to be back as the team’s starting tackles. The interior will have a bit of a new look, as incumbent left guard Ezra Cleveland will be joined by newcomers in center Robert Hainsey and right guard Patrick Mekari. Perhaps third-round rookie Wyatt Milum will make an impact, but it’s hard to imagine this group making much of a leap.

Best in this category one year ago, the Lions will need to overcome some adversity this offseason. Detroit said goodbye to standout center Frank Ragnow (retirement) and right guard Kevin Zeitler (free agency) during the offseason. Graham Glasgow (last season’s starting left guard) is now a contender to start at center, leaving the likes of 2024 sixth-rounder Christian Mahogany, second-round rookie Tate Ratledge, Trystan Colon and Kayode Awosika as the top contenders to start at the two guard spots.

Interior defensive line

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A contender for this honor one year ago, the Seahawks remain stacked up front with Leonard Williams leading the way. Williams is still playing at a superstar level at 31, as he led all interior linemen with 11 sacks and ranked fourth with 35 pass rush wins last season. Jarran Reed (4.5 sacks in 2024) and Johnathan Hankins are also back. And 2024 first-round pick Byron Murphy II is a candidate for a second-year leap after a solid rookie showing.

Maliek Collins and Javon Hargrave signed elsewhere this offseason, and the 49ers’ only impact additions were draft picks Alfred Collins (second round) and CJ West (fourth). Jordan Elliott (a rotational player) tops the depth chart, and Kevin Givens, Evan Anderson and Kalia Davis all played less than 30% of the team’s defensive snaps last season. The 49ers figure to add more help and/or move Yetur Gross-Matos and Sam Okuayinonu inside more often.

A clear weakness for Arizona last season has suddenly become its biggest strength. After finishing 2024 ranked 28th and 20th in pass rush win rate (33.3%) and run stop win rate (29.8%), respectively, Arizona now has serious talent and potential up front. Standout veterans Dalvin Tomlinson and Calais Campbell were signed to anchor the interior, with recent first-round picks Darius Robinson (2024) and Walter Nolen III (2025) adding upside. Incumbents Justin Jones, L.J. Collier, Dante Stills and Bilal Nichols will compete for depth roles.

Edge rusher

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T.J. Watt has been an All-Pro in each of his past five healthy seasons and has an NFL-high 108 sacks since entering the league in 2017 (only he and Myles Garrett have more than 83). Running mate Alex Highsmith sat out six games last season but remained a full-time player when healthy; his 33.5 sacks over the past four seasons rank 16th in the league. Nick Herbig (5.5 sacks in 13 games) also was terrific in an expanded role.

Dante Fowler Jr., who led the Commanders in sacks (10.5) and pass rush wins (37) last season, signed with Dallas in free agency. Little was done to replace him, with journeymen Deatrich Wise Jr., 36-year-old Von Miller and Jacob Martin brought in to join Dorance Armstrong and Clelin Ferrell. Versatile Frankie Luvu (the only player on the roster who had more than six sacks last season) will once again be key to Washington’s pass rush.

The Giants have a strong case for the top spot in this category. Brian Burns sits seventh in the NFL with 54.5 sacks since entering the league in 2019, while Kayvon Thibodeaux ranks 21st with 17 over the past two seasons. And as if that’s not enough, New York used the No. 3 pick this year on Abdul Carter. It’s extremely rare for a team to have three first-round picks at the same position, but New York will certainly get creative in finding ways to keep all three busy this season.

Off-ball linebacker

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With Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu back, the Commanders pace this category for the second year in a row. Wagner is entering his age-35 season, but he ranked in the top 10 among off-ball LBs in pass rush wins, tackles for loss and QB hits last season. Luvu is the only NFL player with 250-plus tackles and 20-plus sacks over the past three seasons (335 and 21, respectively). The duo combined to play 98.2% of Washington’s defensive snaps in 2024.

Rarely a priority for Sean McVay’s Rams, this position remains an area of concern, especially following Christian Rozeboom’s departure. Career situational player Troy Reeder was vaulted into an every-down role early in 2024 before a hamstring injury ended his season in Week 7. He’s back and will compete with veteran newcomer Nate Landman, 2024 UDFA Omar Speights and perhaps fifth-round rookie Chris Paul Jr. for substantial work this season.

GM Howie Roseman and the Super Bowl champion Eagles hit an absolute home run when they signed Zack Baun to a one-year flier last offseason. After totaling 88 tackles in four seasons of being misused in New Orleans, Baun registered 150 tackles (sixth most in the NFL) in 2024 and was awarded a three-year, $51 million extension. Baun is the main man in this unit, but his running mate (at least in the short term) is to be determined. Both Nakobe Dean (recovering from a knee injury) and 2025 first-round pick Jihaad Campbell (recovering from shoulder surgery) could be limited or sit out time to open the season. Recent fifth-round picks Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and Smael Mondon Jr. add depth.

Cornerback

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Even after losing Brandon Stephens to the Jets during free agency, the Ravens remained in solid shape at cornerback thanks to one of the league’s best duos in Marlon Humphrey and 2024 first-round pick Nate Wiggins. Baltimore then went from “solid” to “great” when it signed Jaire Alexander in June. Alexander struggled with injuries during his time in Green Bay, but he has remained an elite player when healthy. With Wiggins and Alexander outside, Humphrey in the slot and veteran Chidobe Awuzie offering quality depth, the Ravens are loaded at corner.

Kendall Fuller and Jalen Ramsey — Miami’s top perimeter corners in 2024 — both departed this offseason, and the team made minimal efforts to replace them. Artie Burns was initially the lone notable veteran signing, while fifth-rounder Jason Marshall Jr. was the only draft investment. But now, Burns and Kader Kohou are done for the season because of torn ACL injuries. That leaves the likes of 31-year-old Mike Hilton, Jack Jones, Storm Duck and Cam Smith as the team’s top options at corner.

The Jaguars are set to return all three of their top corners from 2024 — Tyson Campbell, Montaric Brown and slot Jarrian Jones — but the trio will have significantly more competition for work in 2025. Of course, the big wild card is No. 2 pick Travis Hunter, who is expected to focus primarily on wide receiver. The Jaguars also added standout slot CB Jourdan Lewis and invested a third-round pick in Caleb Ransaw. Their pass defense should be much better than the group that allowed an AFC-worst 61.2 QBR last season.

Safety

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Detroit has formed the league’s top safety duo by hitting on a pair of recent Day 2 draft picks. Kerby Joseph (2022 third-rounder) has been an every-down player since entering the league, and he took his game to the next level last season. Brian Branch (2023 second-rounder) wasn’t far behind, which was an impressive feat as he transitioned from a hybrid slot/safety role as a rookie to more of a prominent safety role in 2024.

Jeremy Chinn (who led the Washington secondary in snaps last season) is gone and is set to be replaced by 30-year-old Will Harris. The ex-Lion and Saint will work opposite 2024 starter Quan Martin, with Percy Butler returning as competition. None of these players have posted a quality Pro Football Focus grade in recent seasons, and Washington did not invest in the position during April’s draft.

Xavier McKinney was a home run acquisition last offseason, as the ex-Giant produced eight interceptions (second most in the NFL) and earned his first All-Pro bid. And 2024 draft selections Javon Bullard (second round) and Evan Williams (fourth) each played substantial roles as rookies and should be featured heavily in a defense that leans on three-safety looks.

Overall

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It’s no secret the Ravens have yet to earn a Super Bowl appearance in the Lamar Jackson era, but that very well could change this season. Baltimore has perhaps its best roster on paper since it won Super Bowl XLVII. Jackson is obviously the big difference-maker, but he has a ton of help at the skill positions (including Derrick Henry, Zay Flowers, Mark Andrews and newcomer DeAndre Hopkins) and on the offensive line (led by Ronnie Stanley and Tyler Linderbaum).

The Ravens’ defense, which has ranked in the top five leaguewide in sacks each of the past three seasons, returns 10 of its top 11 snap-getters from 2024 (including stars Kyle Hamilton, Marlon Humphrey, Roquan Smith, Kyle Van Noy and Nnamdi Madubuike). They added potential impact players in star corner Jaire Alexander, first-round pick Malaki Starks and second-round pick Mike Green.

Derek Carr’s retirement cemented this one, as New Orleans’ quarterback situation probably will be quite poor (the hit rate of non-first-round QBs, especially as rookies, is very low). Of course, it’s not just about the quarterback. Alvin Kamara is now 30 years old; Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed have some uncertainty after both sat out most of last season because of injuries; and we might not even see Taysom Hill, who is rehabbing a torn ACL at age 35. The Erik McCoy-led offensive line could be serviceable, but it depends on the development and progression of four recent first-round picks, including rookie left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr.

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The defense has a few bright spots (Carl Granderson, Chase Young, Justin Reid, Demario Davis and Cameron Jordan), but the latter two are both 36. There are also massive concerns up front and at corner. Unless Tyler Shough proves to be a second-round gem, New Orleans might be selecting its franchise QB with the first pick of the 2026 draft.

It’s easy to forget considering how the Lions’ season ended (45-31 playoff loss to the Commanders), but they were dominant on both sides of the ball in the regular season. Through Week 12, their defense ranked first in EPA. Then the injuries started to pile up, and they fell to 29th for the rest of the season.

A return to health on defense will be the key to getting that unit back into the “elite” discussion. Superstar Aidan Hutchinson’s comeback is obviously massive, and he leads a good front seven that includes DJ Reader, first-round pick Tyleik Williams, Jack Campbell, Alex Anzalone and Alim McNeill (still rehabbing from a torn ACL). D.J. Reed was an impact signing as Terrion Arnold’s running mate at corner, and those two join the terrific Brian Branch/Kerby Joseph duo in the secondary.

An elite Lions offense that ranked in the top five in EPA for the past three seasons remains intact, with a solid QB (Jared Goff), good pass catchers (Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta), the aforementioned elite RB duo and a very good offensive line (including tackles Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell to help offset the interior uncertainty). The Eagles have something to say about it, but the Lions certainly have a case as the NFC’s best team on paper.

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August 17, 2025 0 comments

NFT Gaming

Metaplanet (3350) Raises $515M, Blockchain Group (ALTBG) Adds $4.8M in Concurrent BTC Treasury Equity Moves

by admin June 25, 2025

Metaplanet Inc (3350) and the Blockchain Group (ALTBG) both executed substantial equity capital raises as part of their initiatives to focus on bitcoin accumulation for treasury purposes.

Metaplanet announced the exercise of its 20th series of stock acquisition rights under the recently announced 555 Million Plan, raising 74.9 billion yen, ($515 million) in a single day. It issued 54 million new shares on Wednesday following the exercise of 540,000 stock acquisition rights, representing 29% of the total rights issued.

The issue is the first major capital injection under the plan and represents 10% of the full target. Metaplanet stock slumped as much as 15% before rallying strongly to close up 4%. CEO Simon Gerovich emphasized the strategic milestone with a post on X, highlighting the strong start to the program.

The Blockchain Group (ALTBG), for its part, announced a 4.1 million-euro ($4.8 million) capital increase through an at-the-market-type equity issuance agreement with TOBAM.

Shares in the Euronext Growth Paris-listed company were issued at an average price of 5.085 euros each. The capital raise aligns with the company’s strategy to increase the number of bitcoin per share on a fully diluted basis. The Blockchain Group currently holds 1,653 BTC and is the first of its kind in Europe pursuing such a model.

Blockchain Group shares were recently 3.7% lower at 4.785 euros.

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June 25, 2025 0 comments

Game Reviews

Splitgate 2 developer 1047 Games lays off “small group of valued staff”

by admin June 21, 2025

Splitgate 2 developer 1047 Games has laid off a “small group of valued staff”.

In a statement posted to LinkedIn, the studio said that while it continues to “perfect” Splitgate 2, it was “redirecting resources to build the best game for our players”. It did not clarify just how many developers were impacted, but co-founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian will reportedly not be drawing salaries as the team “locks in to deliver the next phase of the project”.

Let’s Play Splitgate 2 Gameplay – SPLITGATE 2 DEBUT DAY ALPHA GAMEPLAY!Watch on YouTube

“Today we parted ways with a small group of valued 1047 Games team members. We’re still perfecting the Splitgate 2 gameplay experience in response to community feedback, and we are redirecting resources to build the best game for our players,” the statement said (thanks, XboxEra).

“We are sad to see our teammates go, and we are actively working to help them secure new opportunities. Further, our co-founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian have opted not to take salaries as we lock in to deliver the next phase of the project. Thank you to those who’ve built alongside us — we are sad to say goodbye and would not be here without you.

“To everyone who’s playing Splitgate 2, we’re continuing to work hard to deliver more things we know you’ll love. We are committed to building this game for the long haul.”

It’s been a tumultuous time for 1047. Last week, Proulx apologised for causing “division in the community” following his controversial Summer Game Fest appearance, in which he wore a MAGA-style “Make FPS Great Again” hat while onstage just days after the studio apologised for a $145 cosmetic, slashing the cost to $40 and refunding the difference for those that had already purchased it.

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June 21, 2025 0 comments

NFT Gaming

China’s Ant Group denies rumors about an RWA and stablecoin joint venture

by admin June 20, 2025

Ant Group denies rumors of a collaboration between Ant Financial Technology and publicly-listed Chinese company Hainan Huatie involving partnerships in RWA and stablecoins.

In an official statement shared on the social platform WeChat, the fintech arm of Alibaba addressed rumors circulating about its digital technologies arm collaborating with another Chinese company to pursue web3-related ventures. The company in question is Hainan Huatie, a Chinese company that provides AI-computing services.

According to the press release, there’s been widespread speculation that the digital technology firm is gearing up for a cooperation with Hainan Huatie involving stablecoins and real-world assets. The company clarified that there have no formal agreement, business arrangement nor project implementation between the two parties.

In addition, Ant Group also took the opportunity to shed light on any other rumored false collaborations involving Ant Digital with regards to web3 topics RWAs and stablecoins.

“In addition, some companies in the market have recently hyped up hot concepts such as RWA and stablecoins, implying false cooperation with Ant Financial,” wrote the Ant Group in its release.

“Investors and partners are advised to carefully identify market rumors and pay attention to investment risks,” continued the company.

The company threatened entities spreading misinformation with legal action, specifically “unauthorized use of our company’s name for improper publicity.” Whether this claim is related to an earlier report on Ant International seeking stablecoin licenses in Hong Kong, Singapore and Luxembourg, as previously reported by crypto.news, remains unclear.

On June 12, a company spokesperson confirmed that Ant Group’s International arm has plans to obtain stablecoin issuer license in Hong Kong after the city’s Stablecoins Ordinance takes effect in August 2025.

According to the new law, all entities that intend to issue stablecoins pegged to the Hong Kong dollars or operate in the region must obtain a license from the the Hong Kong Monetary Authority.

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June 20, 2025 0 comments

NFT Gaming

Civil Rights Group Gives Elon Musk’s xAI 60 Days to Fix Alleged Clean Air Act Violations

by admin June 19, 2025

In brief

xAI allegedly operates 26 or more gas turbines without required permits or pollution controls.
Thermal imeges show turbines running despite the company claiming they weren’t operational.
Groups estimate turbines could emit up to 2,000 tons of nitrogen oxides annually if no controls are placed.

In Memphis’s Boxtown neighborhood, where cancer rates soar up to four times more than the national average, residents face a new threat.

Thermal images allegedly show how gas turbines from xAI’s facility pump toxins into already polluted air, prompting a civil rights group to give Elon Musk’s AI lab a deadline: install pollution controls, or face a lawsuit.

In a letter, attorneys for the NAACP, via the Southern Environmental Law Center, accused xAI of running 26 unpermitted gas turbines at its Memphis supercomputer site. The company has 60 days to address the alleged Clean Air Act violations.

“We cannot afford to normalize this kind of environmental injustice,” Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, said in a statement. “We will not allow xAI to get away with this.”

Decrypt has reached out to xAI for comment.

Data centers that supply AI computing power are power-intensive and require a constant supply of electricity. Energy consumption from AI facilities is expected to account for 49% of global data center electricity usage by the end of 2025, surpassing even Bitcoin’s energy consumption.

The civil rights organization alleges that xAI’s turbines have the potential “to emit more than 2,000 tons of smog-forming nitrogen oxides” annually, which could make it the largest industrial source in Memphis.

However, due to slower clean-energy deployments, the rising demand is primarily met by utilizing fossil fuels such as natural gas and coal.

Thermal imaging conducted in April purportedly revealed nearly all turbines were operational, contradicting xAI’s claims. The NAACP noted that proper pollution controls could reduce emissions to approximately 177 tons annually, which is less than 10% of current levels.

Local officials, including Memphis’s mayor and the Shelby County Health Department, allegedly claim that a “364-day exemption” applies to xAI’s turbines, the NAACP said, adding that despite these claims, they haven’t identified which specific exemption would cover turbines based on the size of xAI’s operations.

The emissions projections are more concerning given how Memphis ranks as the fifth most prone metro area, according to a 2025 report by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

If negotiations fail and a lawsuit proceeds, xAI could face injunctions halting its operations, as well as substantial fines for each violation.

Edited by Sebastian Sinclair

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June 19, 2025 0 comments

GameFi Guides

‘Pro-Israel Hacker Group’ Drains, Burns $90 Million From Iranian Bitcoin Exchange

by admin June 18, 2025

In brief

Hackers stole over $85 million from Iranian exchange Nobitex, using politically charged wallet names and exploiting access controls.
The group claiming responsibility, Predatory Sparrow, called Nobitex a tool of the Iranian regime and threatened to leak internal data within 24 hours.
Nobitex suspended access, confirmed cold wallets are safe, and pledged to cover losses while working with FATA police to recover funds.

A pro-Israel hacking group has claimed responsibility for breaching Iran’s largest crypto exchange, draining more than $90 million in digital assets while warning of further attacks on what they described as regime-linked financial infrastructure.

The attack on Nobitex, first reported by blockchain investigator ZachXBT on Wednesday morning, saw hackers exploit multiple blockchain networks using provocatively named wallet addresses including “TKFuckiRGCTerroristsNoBiTEXy2r7mNX” on the Tron network.

The stolen assets included $49.3 million on Tron, $24.3 million on EVM-compatible chains, $2 million in Bitcoin, and $6.7 million in Dogecoin, according to blockchain security firm Cyvers.

🚨ALERT🚨Our system has detected multiple suspicious transactions across several networks involving @nobitexmarket.
The total loss currently around $85M, distributed as follows:
$49.3M on the $Tron network
$24.3M on $EVM-compatible chains
$2M on the $BTC network
$6.7M on $DOGE
A… pic.twitter.com/rh85bnGMme

— 🚨 Cyvers Alerts 🚨 (@CyversAlerts) June 18, 2025

“The breach at Nobitex appears to stem from a critical failure in access controls, allowing attackers to infiltrate internal systems and drain hot wallets across multiple blockchains,” said Hakan Unal, senior security operations lead at Cyvers.

“Yet, surprisingly, the stolen funds remain unmoved,” Unal told Decrypt.

“The funds were essentially burned permanently and cannot be touched unless stablecoin issuers were to reissue the centralized stablecoins,” ZachXBT reported.

According to blockchain analytics firm Elliptic, “creating vanity addresses with text strings as long as those used in this hack is computationally infeasible,” meaning that the hackers do not control the private keys for the addresses in question—effectively burning the funds in order to make a political statement.

The hacking group Gonjeshke Darande, also known as Predatory Sparrow, claimed responsibility for the attack in a tweet Wednesday.

“The Nobitex exchange is at the heart of the regime’s efforts to finance terror worldwide, as well as being the regime’s favorite sanctions violation tool,” the group declared, threatening to release the exchange’s source code and internal data within 24 hours.

The hack represents the latest escalation in cyber warfare between Israel and Iran, targeting financial systems that Western intelligence agencies say help Tehran circumvent international sanctions.

Nobitex serves as a critical gateway for crypto transactions in Iran, where traditional banking faces severe restrictions.

“Nobitex identified unauthorized access to parts of its infrastructure, specifically affecting our internal communication systems and a portion of our hot wallet,” Nobitex tweeted while confirming the breach in its official statement.

The exchange said it suspended platform access for a security audit and said most user funds remain safe in cold wallets.

Nobitex noted that it is working with the Iranian Cyber Police, also known as FATA, and other agencies to recover assets and has pledged to cover any losses through its insurance fund and reserves.

The hack comes on the heels of Gonjeshke Darande’s recent cyberattack on Iran’s Bank Sepah, which caused widespread banking disruptions across the country.

The IRGC-affiliated Sepah Bank was targeted by a cyberattack, causing disruptions in several branches with reports of depositors unable to withdraw funds, the IRGC’s Fars News reports.

The hacker group Predatory Sparrow, who has been accused of having ties to Israel, claimed… pic.twitter.com/iyjYqUT6r9

— Ariel Oseran أريئل أوسيران (@ariel_oseran) June 17, 2025

Predatory Sparrow has previously targeted Iranian steel mills and gas stations, establishing a pattern of attacking infrastructure they claim supports the Iranian regime.

$2.1 billion stolen in crypto cyberattacks this year

Nobitex’s breach adds to 2025’s mounting crypto security breaches, with more than $2.1 billion in digital assets stolen this year according to blockchain security firm CertiK.

Wallet breaches, though representing only 23 cases documented this year, have proven the most financially devastating attack method, causing $1.6 billion in damages, the firm said.

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June 18, 2025 0 comments