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Major Crypto Executive Accused Of Involvement In $500 Million Money Laundering Scheme

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Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn have charged Iurii Gugnin, the founder of a US-based crypto payments company, with orchestrating a sophisticated international money laundering operation that allegedly moved over $530 million on behalf of sanctioned Russian banks and entities. 

According to a CNBC report on the matter, the 38-year-old Russian national, residing in Manhattan, was arrested and arraigned on Monday, where he was ordered to be held without bail pending trial.

‘A Covert Pipeline For Dirty Money’

Gugnin faces a 22-count indictment that includes charges of wire and bank fraud, violations of US sanctions, money laundering, and failing to implement mandated anti-money laundering protocols. Assistant Attorney General Eisenberg stated: 

The defendant is charged with turning a cryptocurrency company into a covert pipeline for dirty money, moving over half a billion dollars through the US financial system to aid sanctioned Russian banks and help Russian end-users acquire sensitive US technology.

According to prosecutors, Gugnin utilized his companies—Evita Investments and Evita Pay—to process significant payments while obscuring the origins and purposes of the funds. Between June 2023 and January 2025, he allegedly funneled money through various US banks and cryptocurrency exchanges, primarily using Tether’s USDT stablecoin. 

The indictment reveals that Gugnin’s clients included individuals and businesses associated with sanctioned Russian institutions such as Sberbank, VTB Bank, Sovcombank, Tinkoff, and the state-owned nuclear energy firm, Rosatom.

Crypto Executive Faces Up To 30 Years In Prison 

To execute this scheme, Gugnin allegedly misrepresented the nature of his business, falsified compliance documents, and deceived banks and digital asset platforms regarding his connections to Russia. 

Prosecutors allege he concealed the source of the funds through shell accounts and altered over 80 invoices, digitally removing the identities of Russian counterparties.

Investigators also uncovered internet searches that indicate Gugnin was aware of the scrutiny he faced, including queries like “how to know if there is an investigation against you” and “money laundering penalties in the US”

Notably, the Justice Department has highlighted that Gugnin maintained direct connections with members of Russia’s intelligence services and officials in Iran—nations that do not extradite individuals to the US. He is also accused of facilitating the export of sensitive US technology to Russian clients, including controlled anti-terrorism servers.

If convicted on bank fraud charges alone, the crypto executive faces a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. However, should he be found guilty on all counts, he could face a much longer consecutive sentence that could extend beyond his lifetime, underscoring the severity of the charges against him.

The daily chart shows the total crypto market cap’s rise on Monday. Source: TOTAL on TradingView.com

Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.



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Australia Charges Four Over $123M Crypto Money Laundering Ring

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In brief

  • Australian police have dismantled a $123 million Queensland money laundering ring that allegedly funneled illicit cash into crypto.
  • Raids across Brisbane and the Gold Coast uncovered $170,000 in crypto, physical cash, luxury properties, and encrypted devices.
  • The AFP’s asset seizure taskforce restrained over $110 million in the past year, with crypto playing a key role in multiple cases.

Australian police have charged four over their alleged involvement in a Queensland-based money laundering network that is accused of moving $123 million in illicit cash into crypto.

On June 5–6, the Australian Federal Police (AFP)‑led Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce (CACT), alongside the Queensland Joint Organised Crime Taskforce (QJOCTF) and other agencies, executed 14 targeted raids across Brisbane and the Gold Coast following an 18-month federal investigation, according to a Monday statement from the Australian Taxation Office.

Investigators uncovered crypto estimated at $110,370, along with $30,000 in physical cash, encrypted devices, business documents, vehicles, properties, and bank accounts.

Authorities allege the scheme funneled drug money and criminal proceeds through a Gold Coast security company that offered armored transport services, then washed the funds using shell businesses, classic car sales, and crypto exchanges.

The company is accused of converting massive volumes of physical cash into crypto to obscure its origins.

‘We allege this organisation intentionally concealed and disguised the source, value and nature of their illicit money, and distanced themselves from the funds to try to avoid getting caught by authorities,” said AFP Detective Superintendent Adrian Telfer in a Monday statement.

A 32-year-old man from Heathwood in Brisbane, accused of laundering $6.16 million over 15 months, has been remanded in custody and is appearing in court today.

Authorities claim he used a sales promotion company, registered in his wife’s name as a “straw director,” to receive funds from the security company.

The company’s director and general manager, both from Maudsland, were granted bail after being charged with dealing in proceeds of general crime worth over $6.4 million.

A 58-year-old West End man, linked to a classic car dealership accused of washing $4.1 million, also faces multiple money laundering charges.

Crypto and money laundering

The case shows how crypto is increasingly used to hide illicit funds, with Australian authorities warning it’s a favored tool for organized crime.

CACT has restrained over $110 million in assets in the past year, much of it crypto-related, bringing total seizures since 2019 to $1.2 billion.

In July 2024, the AFP-led CACT restrained $333,779 in crypto as part of a $10.1 million asset seizure in the Gold Coast money laundering case.

The restrained assets also included seven properties worth $8.4 million, $1.12 million in cash, and over $76,000 held across multiple bank accounts.

Last month, a Queensland man forfeited a $2.9 million portfolio, including a waterfront mansion and nearly 25 BTC, after AUSTRAC, Australia’s financial intelligence agency, flagged suspicious activity linked to a 2013 crypto theft.

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‘They Make No Money’: Here’s What Tether’s CEO Had to Say About Circle Before Its Massive IPO

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In brief

  • Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino dismissed competitor Circle’s business model and IPO strategy during an April interview.
  • Ardoino called plans by his competitors to “focus on institutional adoption” short-sighted.
  • Today, Circle’s IPO shattered expectations on Wall Street, tripling price projections and making the company billions.

It was early April, during the middle of a conversation with Decrypt at Cantor Fitzgerald’s swanky midtown Manhattan headquarters, that Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino abruptly asked to pause the interview. The reason? He’d noticed a “weird message” on the laptop open in front of him. 

After twenty seconds of silence in the conference room, Ardoino’s face flashed a big grin. Reports were circulating that Circle, one of Tether’s chief competitors, might tap the brakes on its long-planned IPO. 

”People were not impressed by their financials and disclosures,” Ardoino said in reaction at the time. “They make no money, I guess.” 

“It’s funny because I kept saying they were making no money, forever,” the Tether CEO continued. “And people were saying, ‘Oh, Paolo, of course you are, you’re a competitor.’ But it’s clear.’”



Two months later, Circle’s IPO has finally hit Wall Street—and the company is having anything but money troubles. On Thursday, the stablecoin issuer’s stock more than tripled its $31 IPO target price on its first day of trading, eclipsing $100 and sending the company’s fully diluted market capitalization surging past $19 billion.

Excitement around Circle’s Wall Street debut was so pronounced on Thursday that the New York Stock Exchange had to halt trading of the stock, CRCL, multiple times. 

Decrypt reached out to a Tether representative Thursday to get Ardoino’s thoughts on the development, but did not immediately receive a response.

Tether is by far the world’s largest issuer of stablecoins—digital assets typically pegged to the U.S. dollar that allow holders to enter and exit positions in crypto markets and are thus a cornerstone of the industry. 

The El Salvador-based company’s flagship stablecoin, USDT, currently boasts a market capitalization in excess of $153 billion. Tether’s next closest competitor is Circle, which issues USDC, a dollar-backed stablecoin with a circulating value of $61 billion. 

Circle, which is based in the United States, is widely seen as a Tether competitor willing to comply with stringent financial regulations where the market leader may not. Tether has never submitted to a full financial audit, and USDT has been delisted in jurisdictions like the European Union with stricter requirements for stablecoin issuers.  

As the United States attempts to pass its own legal framework for issuing stablecoins, Tether has signaled it may create a new token tailored to satisfy those requirements, and keep its flagship USDT token focused on emerging markets. Stablecoin bills pending in Congress would obligate issuers, among other things, to offer detailed, audited proof of on-hand reserves, and to comply with stringent anti-money laundering measures required by the Bank Secrecy Act. 

During Decrypt’s sit down with Ardoino in April, the Tether CEO made clear there is little love lost between him and competitors including Circle. Ardoino dismissed any claims made by such companies about Tether’s alleged lack of compliance with financial regulations as untrue and disingenuous. 

“They want to try to kill us,” he said. “Just for the sake of trying to make a little bit of more money.”

Ardoino also signaled, during the interview, that the choice made by companies like Circle to embrace Wall Street may be shortsighted. 

“It’s great for us,” the CEO said of the increasingly crowded field of stablecoin issuers. “Because every one of them will focus on institutional adoption, and institutions will betray you for one business point.”

Ardoino analogized the desire of any competitor in his sector to try to catch up to Tether as akin to a startup trying to build “another Amazon” from scratch.

“Sure,” he said. “But we have the distribution that no one else has. It’s very hard to replicate now.”

Circle’s own CEO, Jeremy Allaire, saw his personal wealth balloon by nearly $2 billion on Thursday, based on company stock he owns. 

Earlier this morning, the executive made a celebratory post on X, heralding Circle’s stock exchange debut as a historic moment for him and his company. 

“From inception, we have been deeply focused on being trusted, transparent, compliant, ethical and well governed,” Allaire said. “Holding ourselves to the high standards of the NYSE and SEC rules and regulations further deepens those attributes.”

In the last few hours, analysts have rushed to explain Circle’s tremendous overperformance on the stock market, which caught many in traditional finance by surprise. 

“It’s mostly driven by stablecoin fervor and folks vastly underexposed or sidelined there,” Tom Dunleavy, a partner at investment firm Varys Capital, told Decrypt of current interest in the company. “You can’t invest in Tether.”

Additional reporting by André Beganski

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Money Examined From Ancient Times to Bitcoin
Crypto Trends

Money Examined From Ancient Times to Bitcoin

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If money isn’t coins, bills or even cryptocurrencies, what is it, really? That’s the question at the heart of this week’s episode of The Clear Crypto Podcast, where hosts Nathan Jeffay (StarkWare) and Adrian Blust (Tonal Media) sit down with Bill Maurer, dean of the UC Irvine School of Social Sciences and a leading anthropologist of finance.

Back to the beginning

“I generally begin by going back to history and talking about case studies like ancient Mesopotamia,” Maurer said. 

He explained that leading into a conversation about blockchain or crypto, he points to the emergence of society, and therefore the eventual emergence of a currency system. However, at the beginning, it wasn’t a token, coin or banknote; it wasn’t even something that was “passed hand to hand.”

He explains:

“What they had was an elaborate system for keeping records.” 

For Maurer, that’s the key to understanding both ancient economies and today’s digital currencies: “money is essentially a way of memorializing credits and debts, and that’s all that it’s ever been.”

Related: Bitcoin’s shrinking supply may trigger price breakout: Sygnum

Bitcoin’s role

While Bitcoin is often treated as a new form of digital cash or even hailed as the new “digital gold,” Maurer challenges that view: 

“Even though the Bitcoin system recognizes that money is a record keeping operation, it’s still stuck in the idea that it is money in the form of something like a coin.”

Maurer sees this as a missed opportunity. “It can be a whole different set of relationships around data and value without having to abstract it out into thinking of it as money,” he said. “You would call it sort of rights to a portion of a ledger that is always unfolding going forward in time.”

The conversation also explores what blockchain reveals about how humans organize trust. “We are relational creatures, not individual creatures,” Maurer said. “What blockchain has promised is a way of creating that sort of frame, but also doing it in a decentralized way.”

To hear the full conversation on The Clear Crypto Podcast, listen to the full episode on Cointelegraph’s Podcasts page, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And don’t forget to check out Cointelegraph’s full lineup of other shows! 

Magazine: US risks being ‘front run’ on Bitcoin reserve by other nations — Samson Mow



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Diablo 4's Anniversary Celebration event won't be one to remember for its rewards, but at least you won't have to pay real money for it
Game Reviews

Diablo 4’s Anniversary Celebration event won’t be one to remember for its rewards, but at least you won’t have to pay real money for it

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The time has come to celebrate the second anniversary of Diablo 4. Yes, the game has been out for two years now, even if it does not feel like it’s been that long. And with every anniversary, of course, comes a new event from Blizzard designed to commemorate it.

The second Anniversary Celebration is now live in-game. And, honestly, does not feel like that much of a big deal. At all.

The Diablo 4 Second Anniversary event is available from now until Tuesday, 17th June, giving you about two weeks to take part in the muted festivities. And you’d only really want to do that, of course, if you care about the rewards you could get from grinding through the activities; rewards which this event does actually have, even if they’re nothing to really write home about.

Now that Diablo 4 has adopted Call of Duty’s battle pass system, there’s a new Event Reliquary (which is essentially a mini-battle pass) that runs parallel to the Season 8 Reliquary. While the new system does offer more utility, and is practically designed for situations like this, it has not been well received by players because of how little of the premium currency it offers compared to the old style.

But we’re not here to talk about that, we’re here to reveal the rewards… all six of them. As part of the event Reliquary, you’ll be able to exchange your Gold for these rewards:

  • Sunflame Lantern Mount Trophy.
  • Burning Dawn Banner Mount Trophy.
  • Sunraiser Sword Cosmetic.
  • Sunflame Sword Two-Handed Sword Cosmetic.
  • Burning Barbs Polearm Cosmetic.
  • Burning Dawn Bow Cosmetic.

Look at my horse, my horse is amazing. | Image credit: Blizzard

Once you’ve collected all six of the skins above, you’ll automatically earn The Burning Dawn Mount Armor. Having Gold set as the currency of this particular event is certainly interesting, mainly because it doesn’t involve some other paid currency, or any sort of in-game grinding. You will, of course, need to have enough Gold to be able to afford everything, but farming Gold isn’t difficult, and gives you the freedom to do whatever you want in the game (rather than force you into certain time-gated events).

The recent Berserk collaboration event certainly reminded everyone why limited-time events exist to begin with, with its meagre in-game rewards, and a skin pack that would’ve run you £110 if you wanted the actually good cosmetics.

Given that, many players will no doubt be happy to learn that there are zero skins being sold for real money as part of the Anniversary event. As a bonus, a Mother’s Blessing event will also be running right alongside the two-year party, giving everyone 35 percent extra XP, and 50 percent extra Gold.

This improved version of Mother’s Blessing also means each time you turn in your Grim Favors at the Tree of Whispers, you’ll receive an extra cache, which includes items you’d find in a Collection of Chaos cache. If you’ve been away from the game for a while, or don’t know what that means, trust me when I say: it’s a pretty good boon to have.



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GameFi Guides

‘Money Printing’ Will Lift Bitcoin to $250K This Year: Arthur Hayes

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In brief

  • Bitcoin will hit $250,000 this year, according to BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes.
  • The White House will shift away from tariffs to avoid political fallout, he added.
  • A tax on foreign capital could drive governments toward Bitcoin and gold, he argued.

Bitcoin’s price will more than double within the next six months, swelling to $250,000, according to Bitcoin billionaire and BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes, as U.S. President Donald Trump moves away from the market-rattling impact of tariffs toward other fiscal policies.

“Midterm elections are coming up in the U.S.,” he told Decrypt at Bitcoin 2025 in Las Vegas. “While the Trump administration went hard on tariffs and was taking this market pain for the last three months, that narrative has to shift.”

Instead of pursuing trade policies that could weigh on economic growth and potentially hurt Americans’ ability to afford everyday goods, Hayes—who has made his fair share of bold predictions—argued that the president will have to show he “brought goodies for the population” to help Republicans at the ballot box come 2026.

“They’re going to accelerate the money printing,” Hayes said, referring to the Federal Reserve—an independent government agency that is primarily responsible for managing the U.S. money supply.

Among policies that U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has teased as fiscal stimulus, Hayes highlighted potential changes to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, government-backed mortgage giants that have been under government oversight since the 2008 financial crisis.

If the government-sponsored enterprises are allowed to go public and raise capital again, that would inject cheap liquidity into the housing market, Hayes said. Allowing them to “lever up their balance sheets” would also make mortgages more affordable, he said. Among knock-on effects, increased housing activity could theoretically spur economic growth and support risk-on assets.

On top of that, discussions surrounding a so-called supplemental leverage ratio, or SLR, exemption for U.S. Treasuries are bullish, Hayes said. In essence, the White House wants to ease leverage ratios for banks when it comes to their exposure to U.S. debt.

“That allows the U.S. banking system to apply infinite leverage to buy treasury bonds is obviously very positive for global capital markets,” he added.

Finally, Hayes sees the government shifting from tariffs to capital controls to support American manufacturing in a more politically palatable way. Instead of taxing imports, the U.S. could tax foreign government holdings of bonds, equities, and land that stem from trade long-running trade imbalances.

How that could drive governments toward gold and Bitcoin is a central theme of his latest essay, which also predicts that Bitcoin will hit $1 million before 2028. Earlier this month, Hayes predicted that Bitcoin would hit $150,000 this year, as opposed to $250,000.

Billionaire investor Tim Draper made a similar call this month, highlighting regulatory tailwinds for the asset under the Trump administration. Bitcoin’s path to $250,000 this year will also be bolstered by myriad firms adopting Bitcoin as a treasury reserve asset, he said.

With Congress weighing legislative initiatives that could potentially establish rules for stablecoins and create a regulatory taxonomy for many coins, Hayes also told Decrypt that Ethereum will make its own comeback this year, rising as high as $5,000.

Edited by James Rubin

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InnoCN 40C1U monitor
Gaming Gear

This $749 5K ultrawide monitor could finally give Apple’s Studio Display a serious run for its money

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  • InnoCN 40C1U combines 5K resolution and a wide color gamut for creative precision
  • Factory calibration with Delta E < 2 ensures accurate color straight out of the box
  • USB-C with 65W power delivery makes this a powerful docking solution for modern workflows

InnoCN has introduced the 40C1U, a 40-inch ultrawide 5K monitor which, at least on paper, appears to challenge high-end offerings from Apple and other industry giants.

This device looks to meet the needs of professionals in photography, video editing, and design, as well as developers and remote workers.

Though the display touts impressive specs, skepticism remains about whether a lesser-known brand can rival the best monitors for Photoshop or seamless pairing with a Mac Mini.


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A color-accurate display for creative professionals

The standout feature of the InnoCN 40C1U is undoubtedly its 5120 x 2160 resolution across a sprawling 40-inch IPS panel.

The factory-calibrated screen offers a Delta E < 2, supporting 135% sRGB and 106% DCI-P3 color gamut – specifications that claim to cater to users who need precise and reliable color accuracy.

The ultrawide 21:9 aspect ratio provides an expansive workspace ideal for single-screen multitasking, and with a 100Hz refresh rate, HDR-readiness, and a 1200:1 contrast ratio, the monitor supports fluid visuals and decent depth in both dark and bright scenes.

For gamers and content creators handling high-frame-rate media, this may be a perk, though whether the HDR implementation truly rivals more premium displays remains unclear.

The inclusion of integrated 5W stereo speakers may reduce the need for external sound equipment in casual environments, but audiophiles and professionals will likely still prefer external solutions.

Connectivity is where the InnoCN 40C1U might surprise even hardened skeptics. With HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, USB-A/B, and a USB-C port that delivers 65W of power, this monitor is well-equipped to serve as a full docking station for modern workflows.

For users seeking the best monitor for Mac Mini, the USB-C power delivery and wide color support make this an attractive option.

This monitor also offers height, tilt, and swivel adjustments and supports VESA mounting. Other features include blue light reduction and flicker-free technology to mitigate eye strain.

Still, the question arises: can a brand still gaining market traction deliver consistent performance at the same level as Apple, LG, or Dell, especially over time?

Skeptics might want to wait for long-term color fidelity benchmarks before replacing their Eizo or Apple Studio Displays.

Priced at $749.99 (promotional) with a regular retail of $999.99, the 40C1U certainly undercuts Apple’s high-end displays and those from other premium players.

Via Einnews

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Bitcoin
Crypto Trends

Bitcoin Big Money Moves: Whale Wallet Addresses Increase Sharply Post-BTC Rally To New Highs

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Following a sudden wave of volatility that caught the general crypto market off guard, the Bitcoin price, which had recently hit a new all-time high, has now declined to the $107,000 threshold. However, BTC’s recent rally to a new high has since triggered heightened interest in the flagship digital asset, as evidenced by a sharp increase in the count of major investors.

Large Bitcoin Investors’ Interest Soars

In the wake of Bitcoin’s explosive rally to a new all-time high, a notable performance has been observed among BTC whales, also regarded as seasoned investors. During this period of bullish movements, these large investors have steadily increased in size and accumulation of the digital asset.

The sharp increase in whale participants was reported by Santiment, a leading market intelligence and on-chain data platform, in a recent post on the X platform. According to the on-chain platform, this bullish behavior is mainly seen among whale wallet addresses holding between 100 BTC and 1,000 BTC.

Data from the platform reveals that the number of these big wallet addresses has grown by an additional 337 wallets in the past 6 weeks, indicating a resurgence of robust confidence and accumulation by high-net-worth investors. This kind of euphoria among big investors often implies a bullish short-term outlook for BTC’s price.

BTC whales are accumulating more coins | Source: Santiment on X

It is essential to note that no wallet tier has been more closely correlated with cryptocurrency markets over the last five years of Bitcoin’s existence than the actions of whales holding between 100 and 1,000 BTC. The increase in large-holder wallets suggests that long-term investors and institutional players may be positioning themselves for further growth, which could support the next phase of the ongoing bull market.

Santiment’s data further shows that these investors have massively accumulated BTC in the past 6 weeks. During this period, the cohort has purchased over 122,330 BTC, suggesting a strong conviction in the flagship asset’s long-term prospects.

Historically, it is shown that a surge in whale presence and buying activity has preceded significant market movements. As a result, this development might play a crucial role in BTC’s next major move.

A Rise In Optimism Among BTC Whales

Since Bitcoin gained traction, whales have been returning to the market at a noticeable rate. Glassnode, a leading data analytics platform, also reported a similar bullish trend among larger investors, particularly wallet addresses holding 1,000 BTC or more.

According to the on-chain platform, the cohort is increasing again after declining in late April. Data shows that the number of these large investors has reached 1,455 entities even as BTC’s price surged to a new all-time high days ago.

Another indication that large investors are becoming extremely bullish about BTC once again is the rise in long positions. João Wedson asserted that whales are starting to go long compared to retail investors currently, as the asset hovers above the $107,000 level.

BTC trading at $107,826 on the 1D chart | Source: BTCUSDT on Tradingview.com

Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.



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Pokimane Twitch incident
Esports

Pokimane & LilyPichu reveal how much money their podcast really makes

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Twitch stars Pokimane and LilyPichu have exposed how profitable their ‘Sweet N Sour’ podcast is – and the results may surprise you.

In September 2024, Pokimane and LilyPichu launched their podcast, ‘Sweet N Sour,’ where the duo would dig into hot topics in the streamer space and share info about their lives.

So far, the podcast has 37 episodes. On the May 24 edition, the two decided to dig into just how much money they’re making from it.

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In a highly transparent presentation, Poki and Lily explained how much they had invested in the show, how Patreon plays a factor, and all sorts of other details.

Pokimane & LilyPichu expose podcast earnings

To begin, the two revealed that in order to start up the podcast, it cost over $16,000 to start filming episode one because they needed to design a set and soundproof it.

From there, every month they spent $13,300 to pay their seven staff members and afford tools such as a Sony membership, Google Workspace and Tier 3 Patreon goodies.

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(Segment begins at 23:45)

However, through ads and Patreon, the two are covering their losses. In March, they made over $18,000, in April a little under $15,000, and in May, just under $16,000.

When all is said and done, their estimated monthly income on the low end is $2,700 and the highest is $12,500, with an average of $5,500.

The fluctuation all comes down to both ad numbers, sponsorships and Patreon memberships, as the most they’ve ever had so far has been 900.

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“It’s crazy that even with 1,000-ish Patreon members, it’s making up half of our income. Without our Patreon members, we would not be running,” Poki explained.

Given that the podcast is still in its early days and hasn’t even yet celebrated its one year anniversary, expect to see Sweet N Sour become a lot more lucrative in the months ahead.

Pokimane and LilyPichu aren’t the only streamers to reveal how much they’ve made. Back in December, Asmongold exposed how much he makes from Twitch after finally monetizing his Zackrawrr alt account.

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Mission Impossible 8 Underwater
Product Reviews

Impossible, Lilo & Stitch Make Big Memorial Day Money

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We’ve got two major Hollywood movies this holiday weekend, Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning and Lilo & Stitch, and they’re both killing it in theaters.

Per Variety, the two films have made for the “largest Memorial Day holiday in history.” At $341.7 million worldwide, Lilo has blown well past initial projections and its current domestic take of $145.5 million has replaced Top Gun: Maverick (which earned $160 million through all four days in 2022) as Memorial Day’s best opening weekend.  Domestically, it’s the second-best holiday weekend start behind Black Panther’s $242 million during Presidents Day 2018. Lilo is one of the biggest debuts for Disney’s live-action remakes, just behind 2019’s The Lion King and 2017’s Beauty & the Beast, which respectively grossed $191 million and $174 million, but it’s likely to earn $183 million by the end of the four-day weekend.

Meanwhile, Final Reckoning opened to $190 million worldwide. It released a week prior in Australia, South Korea, and other territories, so its international audience made up $127 million’s worth of that haul. By weekend’s end, its $63 million domestic take may jump up to $77 million, a new record for the Mission: Impossible series. Both films have received strong critical and audience reception, helped by growing momentum ahead of their releases. Nostalgia drives both movies: Lilo is based on Disney’s 23-year-old classic, and Reckoning may be the last film in the series, or just the last to star Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt.

Regardless, audiences are going out in droves to see movies this weekend, including holdovers like Final Destination Bloodlines, Sinners, and Thunderbolts. Variety noted it’s been over a decade since people went to the theaters this much during Memorial Day, and a marked improvement from 2024’s weaker showing of Furiosa and Garfield. And the summer season continues with Ballerina, How to Train Your Dragon, and 28 Years Later in June, followed by Superman and Fantastic Four in July.

Let us know what you thought of Mission: Impossible and Lilo & Stitch in the comments below.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.



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