MARA Holdings launched the MARA Foundation, a new initiative focused on strengthening Bitcoin’s long term security, sovereignty, and accessibility through protocol research, open source development, self custody infrastructure, policy advocacy, and global education.
Today at @TheBitcoinConf, @MARA CEO @fgthiel announced the launch of MARA Foundation.
The MARA Foundation represents MARA’s strategic commitment to supporting the health of the Bitcoin network, outside of our responsibilities as miners alone.
We believe Bitcoin embodies the… pic.twitter.com/3HHWF6jPiT
— MARA Foundation (@MARAFoundation_) April 27, 2026
The foundation was unveiled at the Bitcoin 2026 conference in Las Vegas, debuting with a $100,000 contribution that will be awarded to one of three organizations selected by a community vote.
Voting is open through the MARA Foundation website until 3:00 p.m. PST on April 29, with Bitcoin 2026 attendees also able to vote in person at MARA’s booth.
The three candidates are SateNet, which focuses on low cost community run wireless internet services powered by Bitcoin in the global South, the 256 Foundation, a public charity funding open source Bitcoin mining hardware and software developers, and Libreria de Satoshi, which works to expand Bitcoin technical education across languages and regions.
MARA framed the foundation as an extension of its role in Bitcoin mining and network security. Fred Thiel, the company’s chairman and CEO, said MARA’s daily role in helping secure the Bitcoin network gives it a responsibility to invest in the protocol’s long term health, not just its short term economics.
The launch comes as MARA continues to position itself as a broader digital energy and compute infrastructure company. In March, MARA sold 15,133 Bitcoin for approximately $1.1 billion between March 4 and March 25 to fund a $1 billion repurchase of its 2030 and 2031 convertible senior notes at a roughly 9% discount, reducing its total convertible debt by about 30%.
The company said the move was designed to increase financial flexibility as it expands beyond pure Bitcoin mining into digital energy and AI and high performance computing infrastructure.
Western Union (WU) is preparing to roll out a stablecoin strategy that could reshape how the 175-year-old money-transfer company settles payments across its global network.
CEO Devin McGranahan said on the company’s first-quarter earnings call that Western Union’s U.S. dollar stablecoin (USDPT) is in the final stages of readiness and is expected to launch next month. The firm announced in October that the digital dollar will run on Solana (SOL) and will be issued with federally chartered crypto bank Anchorage Digital.
Western Union plans to use the stablecoin first as an alternative to the interbank settlement rails it uses today to move money between the company and its agents.
“We are not originally launching [USDPT] as consumer-facing,” McGranahan said. “We are launching it as an alternative to the interbank SWIFT settlement network that we use today.”
That matters, he said, because Western Union’s business still depends on legacy banking systems that settle only on business days and can take two or three days in some markets. Stablecoins could allow the company to settle with partners in real time, including over weekends and holidays, while reducing capital tied up in the system, he added.
The second piece of the company’s strategy is the Digital Asset Network (DAN), which lets crypto wallet companies offer Western Union as a cash-out option. Through that network, wallet users will be able to convert digital assets into local currency through Western Union’s retail footprint, McGranahan said.
The company said its partner pipeline represents tens of millions of crypto wallets globally.
Western Union also plans to launch a Stable Card, expected later this year. It will let customers hold funds in stablecoins and spend through card networks. McGranahan said the card could be useful in inflation-sensitive markets where customers want access to U.S. dollar-denominated value with everyday spending utility.
“We expect to begin rolling this out across dozens of markets with an initial wave targeted for later this year,” he said.
Western Union’s stablecoin push comes as its core remittance business faces pressure, with rival fintechs and crypto payments firms increasingly using blockchain tech for cross-border payments. MoneyGram, for example, is looking to Circle’s USDC stablecoin, while Stripe launched its own stablecoin infrastructure with a payments-focused chain Tempo.
Read more: DoorDash is bringing stablecoin payments to masses with Stripe-backed blockchain
Virginia man buys 20 tickets for one lottery drawing, wins 20 times
March 27 (UPI) — A Virginia man bought 20 identical tickets for a single Pick 4 lottery drawing and ended up winning $5,000 for each ticket — a total of $100,000.
On the September 15, 2025 episode of ABC‘s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Kimmel made the following quip: “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”
The “joke” was an observation of far-right Republicans scrambling to distance themselves from the ideologies of Kirk’s assassin. After initial (correct) assumptions that accused killer Tyler Robinson must have disagreed with his target’s conservative politics, (incorrect) reports that the shooter thought Kirk was not rightwingenough circulated. It was a weird and confusing whirlwind of misinformation, or “fake news,” as the aforementioned “MAGA gang” would probably prefer. At the time of the monologue, both sides of the aisle were still pushing Robinson’s agenda away.
Kimmel’s punishment for jumping to the wrong conclusion was a few nights off the airwaves, the emergence of a newfound adversary in FCC chair Brendan Carr, and a lot of mean tweets directed at the “Mean Tweets” guy. Calls for Jimmy Kimmel Live! to be canceled came and went, so Kimmel went away and came back shortly thereafter. Things were generally chill for the next seven months — or at least status quo, meaning Kimmel would regularly bash the President and Republicans would regularly bash Kimmel.
On Thursday, April 23, 2026, putting on a faux White House Correspondents Dinner roast in a faux tux, Kimmel said the following: “I’m happy you decided to stay, Mr. President. And don’t worry, if we bruise your ego, it’ll only make your hands look less disgusting.” (Trump‘s documented hand bruising is said to be a reaction to taking too much aspirin.)
It was Trump’s thin skin that canceled the real WHCD tradition of roasting the POTUS. Instead, the President brought in mentalist Oz Pearlman as the evening’s entertainment. Pearlman’s act had just started before gunshots rang out, canceling the party.
Forty-eight hours before Pearlman was guessing the name of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s unborn daughter, back on Hollywood Boulevard, Kimmel downshifted from Donald to Melania.
“Look at Melania, so beautiful,” Kimmel said, pretending to address a crowd of DC dignitaries. “Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.”
It was a joke about her husband’s declining health and the perception that Melania Trump does not like Donald Trump. What it was not was a call for violence or a forecast that the President would be assassinated, just like the Kirk-assassin joke was not a joke about Kirk’s assassination. Kimmel is a comedian and comedians make jokes on comedy shows. You don’t have to like them, but you should actually try to understand them. What would make a cold woman beyond her child-bearing years glow like a pregnancy? The old jackass she shouldn’t have married and can’t divorce kicking the bucket.
On Saturday night, just outside the actual White House Correspondent Association’s gala, Cole Allen, breached a security checkpoint and had a brief firefight with secret service agents. He was subdued, taken into custody and is charged with the attempted assassination of the President. The gunfire could be heard within the dinner’s ballroom, and the President, vice president and other members of the cabinet were hurried away to safety. There is nothing funny about any of that.
“Kimmel’s hateful and violent rhetoric is intended to divide our country,” Melania Trump wrote on X. “His monologue about my family isn’t comedy—his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America. People like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate. A coward, Kimmel hides behind ABC because he knows the network will keep running cover to protect him. Enough is enough. It is time for ABC to take a stand. How many times will ABC’s leadership enable Kimmel’s atrocious behavior at the expense of our community.”
There are a couple of things wrong with the first lady’s complaint. First, ABC certainly did not “protect” Kimmel from affiliate and advertiser complaints the last time — he was sidelined and nearly fired. But mainly (and obviously), Kimmel could not have known an attempt on Donald Trump’s life would be made two days after dubbing Melania an “expectant widow.” Yes, there were two attempts on Trump’s life in 2024, but none in the almost 600 days (not an accomplishment, but something) separating the September 15, 2024 assassination attempt at Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course and this past weekend. A foreshadowing argument is dumber than wondering where the hell Pearlman’s psychic abilities were on Saturday at around 8:30 p.m. ET.
Melania Trump
Heather Diehl/Getty Images
Donald Trump shared his own thoughts on Kimmel a few hours after the first lady.
“Wow, Jimmy Kimmel, who is in no way funny as attested to by his terrible Television Ratings, made a statement on his Show that is really shocking,” he post on his Truth Social platform. “He showed a fake video of the First Lady, Melania, and our son, Barron, like they were actually sitting in his studio, listening to him speak, which they weren’t, and never would be. He then stated, ‘Our First Lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.’”
“A day later, a lunatic tried entering the ballroom of the White House Correspondents Dinner, loaded up with a shotgun, handgun, and many knives. He was there for a very obvious and sinister reason,” the post continued. “I appreciate that so many people are incensed by Kimmel’s despicable call to violence, and normally would not be responsive to anything that he said but, this is something far beyond the pale. Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC.”
It would be incorrect to claim, as some of Trump’s “incensed” online supporters have, that the shots Kimmel fired at his fake White House Correspondents Dinner on Thursday could have incited Allen to fire shots at the real one on Saturday. Allen lives in Torrance, California, nearly 2,700 miles from Washington, D.C. Law enforcement believes Allen traveled by train (through Chicago) to the Washington Hilton hotel, where he had booked a room in advance. Investigators also say Allen wrote a manifesto stating an intention to target members of the Trump administration, and spooked his own family enough for them to report him to authorities. None of this happens in two days.
But you know what happened the same day as Kimmel’s scathing set? Trump fell asleep, again, during a televised announcement, this one with pharmaceutical executives. It was just the latest bad look for the man’s overall health.
Trump will be 80 years old in a month and a half. He is already the oldest president to take the oath of office (ironically breaking “Sleepy” Joe Biden’s record), and should he live through the end of his current term, he will be the oldest president ever in office. Trump is not the guy doing push-ups in jeans (and only jeans) with Kid Rock — his main form of exercise is golf, and he’s definitely not walking the course (let alone carrying his bag).
Earlier this month, Dr. Vin Gupta, the senior medical examiner for MS NOW, said, “The President is exhibiting all the signs of dementia.” In January, professor Bruce Davidson of Washington State University’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine said he believes Trump had a stroke in 2025.
Kimmel’s “expectant widow” joke was not a nice joke — and most aren’t — but show me the lie.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
The Trumps were backed up by Leavitt on Monday when she also blamed Kimmel, in part, for repeated anti-Trump rhetoric. (We still don’t know if Pearlman correctly guessed her baby’s name, another tragedy from the weekend.)
“The entire Democrat party has made their pitch to voters across the country that Donald Trump poses an existential threat to democracy, that he is a fascist. They compare him to Hitler,” Leavitt said at a press conference. “These are despicable statements that the American people have been consuming for years, and so many mentally perturbed individuals are led to believe these words are truth, and then are inspired to act on it.”
Leavitt’s (and others’) is the most logical argument to my argument: repeated hateful speech by powerful people can lead to real-world consequences. And it might be a fair one if it came from anywhere but the Trump White House.
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A new true crime offering is resurfacing the decades-long “Monster of Green Hollow” mystery, the investigation of a rumored serial killer believed to have murdered dozens of women including three of his wives. Streaming on Paramount+ on Tuesday, April 28, at 12 a.m. PT/3 a.m. ET, the three-part docuseries, My Killer Father: The Green Hollow Murders, aims to unmask the alleged killer, Donald Dean Studey, after one of his now adult-aged children says she was forced to help bury bodies on their property.
While Paramount+ plans start at $8.99 per month, there’s a workaround to watch the limited series for free: Sign up for a five-day trial period to one of DirecTV’s signature packages — Entertainment, Choice or Ultimate — which offers the first three months of Paramount+ included at no extra cost.
At a Glance: How to Stream My Killer Father: The Green Hollow Murders
When and Where to Watch My Killer Father: The Green Hollow Murders
All three episodes in the limited series drop on Paramount+ on Tuesday, April 28, at 12 a.m. PT/3 a.m. ET.
How to Get Paramount+ Free Trial, Best Streaming Deals
When signing up directly through the streaming service, Paramount+ plans start at $8.99 per month. There are also two little-known workarounds to get Paramount+ for free through partner subscriptions, DirecTV and Walmart+.
Starting off with DirecTV, customers who sign up for one of the streaming service’s signature packages — Entertainment, Choice or Ultimate — will get the first three months of Paramount+ Premium included (see here for more details on these premium add-ons). Plus, DirecTV offers a five-day free trial for any plan, meaning new members can stream Paramount+ (and everything else the packages have to offer) at no cost during the trial period.
As for the other option, streamers can get free Paramount+ access through a Walmart+ membership, which includes the choice of Paramount+ Essential or Peacock Premium in its subscription. And since Walmart+ offers a 30-day free trial, members can stream Paramount+ at no cost during that period. Learn more about Walmart+ streaming offers and pricing here.
Litecoin was affected by a bug this weekend that allowed an attacker to transfer digital assets to a decentralized exchange.
The digital asset’s official X account said the attack relied on a zero-day bug, and later apologized for flippant posts on the exploit.
Aurora Labs CEO Alex Shevchenko estimated that one multi-chain protocol, NEAR Intents, risked $600,000 in potential exposure.
Litecoin was affected by a bug this weekend that allowed an attacker to transfer digital assets to a decentralized exchange, prompting the network to undergo a so-called reorganization to prevent someone from cashing in on crypto’s latest vulnerability.
The process, also known as a “reorg,” effectively purged faulty transactions from the network, which stemmed from a security flaw in Litecoin’s MimbleWimble Extension Block (MWEB) privacy layer, the digital asset’s official X account said in a post on Saturday.
With Litecoin blocks produced every 2.5 minutes on average, a 13-block reorg essentially rewrote around 30 minutes of the network’s transaction history. Eventually, entities mining Litecoin adopted a version of the asset’s blockchain where the bug was never exploited.
Litecoin update:
• A zero-day bug caused a DoS attack that disrupted major mining pools. • Non-updated mining nodes allowed an invalid MWEB transaction allowing them to peg out coins to third party DEX’s • A 13-block reorg reversed those invalid transactions — they will not…
Although the attacker was ultimately stifled, they had taken advantage of what Litecoin’s team said was a previously unknown vulnerability that allowed them to “peg out” coins from MWEB. At the same time, the bug allowed the bad actor to disrupt mining pools through a denial-of-service attack.
Litecoin acknowledged in an X post on Monday that it had deleted communications that followed the reorg, apologizing for trying to be humorous. Opt-in privacy features associated with MWEB, a “Harry Potter”reference, were first proposed in 2019.
In a since-deleted X post, Litecoin said that the network’s plumbing “was working throughout the entire process,” and reorgs naturally purge faulty transactions, effectively sending them “through the poop shoot [sic] like they were never there.”
The comparison didn’t land with Taylor Monahan, an on-chain sleuth and noted security expert, who warned in an X post that crypto projects should not strike a sanguine tone when unpacking technical issues that ultimately put users’ money on the line.
Litecoin’s X account, at times, has elbowed other networks for facing technical hurdles. When Solana suffered from network congestion and degraded performance in January 2025, for example, Litecoin called Solana “literally the pimple on crypto’s ass.”
Aurora Labs CEO Alex Shevchenko speculated in an X post that the attack was coordinated, while noting in a separate post that NEAR Intents, a multi-chain protocol, had around $600,000 in potential exposure. He later questioned whether the bug had truly gone undetected because some miners were running software where the vulnerability had already been patched.
Reorgs are possible on proof-of-work networks like Bitcoin, and the longest one that the asset’s network underwent rolled back 53 blocks in 2010, according to Bitcoin Magazine. At the time, a faulty transaction created 184 billion Bitcoin, which were later wiped away.
At a total value of $4.2 billion, Litecoin stood as the 25th largest cryptocurrency by market cap on Monday, according to CoinGecko. The digital asset’s price peaked around $410 nearly five years ago, while recently changing hands around $55.35—down about 1% over the last 24 hours.
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Gemini launched Agentic Trading, the first AI agent trading tool available directly through a regulated U.S.-based exchange.
Users can connect Claude, ChatGPT, and other AI models to automate strategies from simple orders to complex multi-leg trades.
Pre-built Trading Skills modules enable market data retrieval, spread analysis, and historical data access.
Crypto exchange Gemini has launched Agentic Trading, marking the first time a regulated U.S. exchange has offered direct AI agent integration for automated trading.
The platform operates through the Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open standard that provides AI agents with direct API access to execute actions on behalf of users. Gemini integrated its entire trading API with MCP, enabling AI models to access all exchange features.
The system includes modular Trading Skills, or pre-built functions that AI agents call to perform specific tasks. The exchange launched with three initial modules: Get Market Data for real-time price information, Find the Spread for bid-ask analysis, and Retrieve Candles for historical price data.
Traders can connect any MCP-compatible AI model, including Anthropic’s Claude and OpenAI’s ChatGPT, to execute strategies ranging from basic buy and sell orders to complex multi-leg positions. The exchange positioned the launch as part of a broader transformation in financial market interaction.
“We believe we’re at the beginning of a fundamental shift in how people interact with financial markets,” Gemini wrote in a blog post. “Agentic trading isn’t just a feature. It’s a new paradigm where AI handles the execution, patterns, and discipline, while you focus on strategy and goals.”
In February, Gemini said that it would slash 25% of its workforce as it streamlined operations, abandoning its businesses in the European Union, United Kingdom, and Australia to sharpen its focus on the United States. The exchange said it would boost its use of AI to become more efficient with a smaller team.
Gemini’s stock is up slightly on the day, rising about 0.25% since the opening bell to recently trade at $4.40. While up about 7% in the last month, GEMI shares have fallen more than 55% since the start of the year.
Other protocols are building similar bridges between AI and crypto infrastructure. The x402 protocol, incubated by Coinbase and now under the Linux Foundation, provides AI bots access to crypto wallets and tools. Meanwhile, the Machine Payments Protocol—developed by the Stripe-backed Tempo network—enables automated machine-to-machine payments.
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A dormant Solana whale has resurfaced after ten months of inactivity. Onchain Lens reports that the anonymous address unstaked and deposited 300,439 $SOL to Binance about an hour ago. The deposit, valued at approximately $26.07 million, signals a potential sell-off. This move has sparked fresh concerns among traders and analysts.
Solana Whale Deposit Sparks Market Jitters
Deposits to exchanges often precede selling activity. This Solana whale’s action is no exception. The address had remained dormant for nearly a year. Its sudden movement suggests a strategic decision to liquidate a portion of its holdings. The timing coincides with a period of relative price stability for $SOL. However, large sell orders can create downward pressure.
According to on-chain data, the whale initially unstaked the $SOL tokens before transferring them to Binance. Unstaking itself is a multi-step process. It involves withdrawing tokens from a staking contract, which can take several days. The final deposit to Binance marks the completion of this process.
Impact on Solana Price and Market Sentiment
The immediate market reaction has been muted. $SOL’s price remains near its current trading range. However, the psychological impact is significant. Whales hold large amounts of cryptocurrency. Their actions are closely watched by retail and institutional investors alike. A large deposit to an exchange can trigger a wave of selling by smaller holders.
Data from CoinMarketCap shows $SOL trading at $86.70 at the time of writing. This represents a 2% decline over the past 24 hours. The broader crypto market is also experiencing slight losses. Bitcoin is down 1.5%, while Ethereum has fallen 1.8%. This correlation suggests that the whale’s move may be part of a broader market sentiment shift.
Understanding Whale Behavior and On-Chain Signals
Whale activity is a key metric for cryptocurrency traders. On-chain analytics platforms like Onchain Lens track these movements in real time. They provide valuable insights into market dynamics. A deposit to an exchange is typically interpreted as a bearish signal. It indicates that the holder intends to sell. Conversely, withdrawals from exchanges are seen as bullish. They suggest accumulation and long-term holding.
The Solana whale in question had been staking its tokens. Staking involves locking up coins to support network operations. In return, stakers earn rewards. Unstaking and moving tokens to an exchange breaks this cycle. It suggests a shift from a passive income strategy to an active trading one.
Data from Staking Rewards shows that Solana has a staking participation rate of 71%. This is high compared to other proof-of-stake networks. A large whale exiting the staking pool can slightly reduce network security. However, the impact is usually temporary.
Previous Whale Activity and Market Reactions
This is not the first time a Solana whale has moved large amounts. In January 2024, a similar deposit of 500,000 $SOL to Coinbase preceded a 5% price drop. In March 2024, a whale withdrew 200,000 $SOL from Binance, and the price rose 8% over the following week. These patterns highlight the influence of large holders on market dynamics.
Analysts at Glassnode note that whale deposits often cluster around price tops. They recommend monitoring exchange inflow volumes as a leading indicator. Current data shows a spike in $SOL exchange inflows over the past hour. This aligns with the whale’s deposit.
Technical Analysis and Support Levels for $SOL
From a technical perspective, $SOL faces key support at $80. A break below this level could trigger further selling. The next major support is at $72. Resistance sits at $92 and $100. The whale’s deposit adds selling pressure near the current price. This makes a move toward $80 more likely.
Trading volume has increased by 15% in the last hour. This suggests heightened activity. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is at 48, indicating neutral territory. Neither overbought nor oversold conditions exist. This leaves room for either direction.
Market Makers and Liquidity Considerations
Binance is the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by volume. It has deep liquidity. This means a $26 million sell order can be absorbed without causing a major price disruption. However, if the whale uses a market order, it could temporarily move the price. Limit orders allow for more controlled selling.
Order book data from Binance shows buy support at $85.50 and $84.00. These levels may act as temporary floors. The whale’s strategy will determine the final impact.
Broader Implications for the Solana Ecosystem
Solana has faced several challenges in recent months. Network outages and congestion issues have affected user confidence. However, the ecosystem continues to grow. DeFi protocols on Solana hold over $3 billion in total value locked (TVL). NFT trading volumes remain strong.
The whale’s decision to sell may be unrelated to network issues. It could be a portfolio rebalancing move. Alternatively, it might reflect a bearish outlook on the broader market. Without knowing the whale’s identity, we can only speculate.
Institutional interest in Solana remains high. Several asset managers have filed for Solana-based ETFs. A sell-off by a single whale does not negate this long-term trend.
Expert Opinions and Market Commentary
Analysts at Delphi Digital suggest that whale deposits should be viewed in context. They note that large holders often move funds for operational reasons. This includes collateral management for loans or over-the-counter (OTC) trades. Not all deposits lead to immediate selling.
However, the consensus among on-chain analysts is cautious. They advise traders to watch for further deposits from the same address. If additional $SOL moves to Binance, it could confirm a larger sell-off plan.
Conclusion
The Solana whale’s deposit of $26.1 million in $SOL to Binance is a significant event. It signals a potential sell-off after ten months of dormancy. While the immediate price impact has been limited, the psychological effect is clear. Traders should monitor on-chain data for further movements. The Solana ecosystem remains robust, but whale activity can create short-term volatility. Understanding these signals is crucial for navigating the cryptocurrency market.
FAQs
Q1: What is a Solana whale? A Solana whale is an individual or entity holding a large amount of $SOL tokens. Their transactions can influence market prices.
Q2: Why did the whale deposit $SOL to Binance? Depositing to an exchange typically signals an intention to sell. The whale may be taking profits or rebalancing their portfolio.
Q3: How does this affect $SOL’s price? A large sell order can create downward pressure. However, Binance’s liquidity may absorb the sale without a major price drop.
Q4: Should I sell my $SOL? This article does not provide financial advice. Each investor should conduct their own research and consider their risk tolerance.
Q5: How can I track whale activity? Platforms like Onchain Lens, Whale Alert, and Glassnode provide real-time alerts for large cryptocurrency transactions.
A 79-year-old South Korean philanthropist, Kim Geo-seok, has made headlines with a significant $XRP donation. He donated 100,000 $XRP to the Seoul branch of the Community Chest of Korea. This act of crypto philanthropy continues his pattern of generous digital asset gifts.
$XRP Donation Details and Impact
Kim Geo-seok transferred 100,000 $XRP on April 24. The donation is worth approximately 200 million won, or about $145,000. The Community Chest of Korea confirmed the transfer. It plans to liquidate the assets quickly. The funds will support vulnerable local communities. This $XRP donation is one of the largest single crypto gifts in South Korea this year.
Philanthropists increasingly use cryptocurrencies for charitable giving. $XRP offers fast transaction speeds and low fees. This makes it ideal for cross-border donations. The organization will convert the $XRP to fiat currency. It will then distribute the funds to support programs for the elderly, disabled, and low-income families.
Kim Geo-seok’s History of Crypto Philanthropy
This is not Kim Geo-seok’s first crypto donation. In August last year, he donated one Bitcoin. That was a first in South Korea at the time. He also gave 100,000 $XRP to Seoul National University Hospital in March. His consistent use of digital assets shows a growing trend. Wealthy individuals are using cryptocurrencies for social good.
His donations highlight the potential of blockchain technology. It enables transparent and traceable charitable transactions. The $XRP donation to the hospital helped fund medical research. The latest gift targets community welfare. Each donation is carefully timed and planned.
Why Cryptocurrency Donations Are Rising
Cryptocurrency donations offer several advantages. They provide tax benefits for donors in many jurisdictions. They also reduce transaction costs compared to traditional banking. For charities, crypto gifts can be quickly liquidated. This ensures funds reach beneficiaries faster.
South Korea has a vibrant crypto culture. Many citizens own digital assets. This makes the country a hotspot for crypto philanthropy. The government also supports blockchain innovation. This creates a favorable environment for such donations. Kim Geo-seok’s actions may inspire others to follow suit.
Community Chest of Korea’s Role
The Community Chest of Korea is a major charity organization. It operates nationwide to support vulnerable groups. The Seoul branch manages local welfare programs. It works with community centers and social services. The $XRP donation will fund food, housing, and healthcare initiatives.
The organization has experience handling crypto donations. It has clear policies for liquidating digital assets. It uses reputable exchanges to convert crypto to cash. This ensures compliance with financial regulations. The charity also provides receipts for tax purposes.
Broader Implications for Crypto Charity
This $XRP donation sets a precedent. It shows that cryptocurrencies can play a role in mainstream philanthropy. Other charities may now accept digital assets. This could increase the volume of crypto donations globally. It also builds trust in blockchain technology.
Regulators are watching these developments. They want to ensure transparency in crypto transactions. South Korea has strict anti-money laundering laws. Donors must verify their identity. Charities must report large transactions. This balance between innovation and regulation is crucial.
Conclusion
Kim Geo-seok’s 100,000 $XRP donation to a South Korean charity is a landmark event. It underscores the growing acceptance of cryptocurrencies in philanthropy. The gift will directly benefit vulnerable communities. It also highlights the potential of digital assets for social impact. As more donors adopt crypto, charities must adapt. This $XRP donation is a powerful example of how technology can drive positive change.
FAQs
Q1: What is the value of the 100,000 $XRP donation? The donation is worth approximately 200 million won, or about $145,000, based on current market rates.
Q2: Who is Kim Geo-seok? Kim Geo-seok is a 79-year-old South Korean philanthropist known for his generous crypto donations, including Bitcoin and $XRP.
Q3: How will the charity use the $XRP donation? The Community Chest of Korea will liquidate the $XRP and use the funds to support programs for vulnerable local communities.
Q4: Why are crypto donations becoming popular in South Korea? South Korea has a high rate of crypto ownership, favorable regulations, and tax benefits for donors, making it a hub for crypto philanthropy.
Q5: Is this the first time Kim Geo-seok donated $XRP? No, he also donated 100,000 $XRP to Seoul National University Hospital in March 2023, in addition to a Bitcoin donation in August 2022.
Taylor Swift is looking to add to her portfolio of trademarks, a legal move that appears to be aimed at pushing back against unauthorized artificial intelligence productions.
Two of the trademark applications, filed on Friday, seek protection of her voice. They feature clips of her saying “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift” and “Hey, it’s Taylor.” A third, meant to combat AI images created on the internet using AI, features a photograph of the singer holding a pink guitar, with a black strap and wearing a multi-colored bodysuit with silver boots.
The trademarks represent a new avenue celebrities are pursuing to challenge AI companies and users simulating their likenesses and voices without permission. Earlier this year, Matthew McConaughey had several trademark applications approved, including audio of him saying “Alright, alright, alright,” his iconic line from the movie Dazed and Confused and another that shows him standing on a porch.
A patchwork of right of publicity laws are meant to protect celebrities from having their brands stolen to advertise products. Several states, however, don’t maintain such laws, making enforcement difficult.
With the trademarks, Swift and McConaughey likely hope that the specter of federal lawsuits will deter misuse. For Swift, she can hypothetically argue that AI creations using her voice and image violate her intellectual property rights.
Still, the theory remains untested. Although trademarks protect against similar reproductions that can confuse consumers, they’re not meant to be utilized as a catch-all protecting every feature of a performer’s brand.
“I don’t believe it will be very effective, except for in rare circumstances,” says Matthew Asbell, an intellectual property lawyer at Lippes Mathias. “The voice trademarks are particularly limited to what Taylor is actually staying: ‘Hey, it’s Taylor’ or ‘Hey, it’s Taylor Swift.’”
The upshot: the phrase featured in Swift’s trademark bid is more important than the singer’s voice. “So, unless another party uses [her] voice to say the same thing or something very similar, it should be difficult to use these trademarks to enforce against them,” Asbell adds.
The same problem applies to Swift’s application covering her photograph. Any infringing reproduction would have to utilize a similar image for the trademark, if it’s granted, to have much use.
There’s also the issue of whether the phrase, “Hey, it’s Taylor,” is well-known enough to rise to the level of protection. The singer is megafamous, but the line doesn’t appear to be.
Last year, an AI-generated version of Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia,” entered Spotify’s Top 50 chart in Brazil before being removed. The track used AI to blend Swift’s voice with synthetic audio modeled after top Brazilian singers. Even if Swift is granted her most recent trademarks, there are few avenues for creators to challenge AI reproductions across borders.
