Team Vitality claimed the IEM Katowice 2025 title with a stunning 3-0 victory over Team Spirit in the grand final at the Spodek Arena, marking their first championship at this event. Vitality’s triumph was unexpected, as Team Spirit had been the favorites and had previously defeated them 2-0 in October 2024. Key performances from Robin “ropz” Kool and Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut propelled Vitality to wins on Dust2, Nuke, and Mirage, while team captain Dan “apEX” Madesclaire celebrated his first IEM Katowice title after 15 years in the competitive scene.
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News from FRA
Generated 5 posts last week Justin Sun Sues David Geffen Over Alleged Theft of Sculpture
Justin Sun has filed a lawsuit against David Geffen, seeking the return of an Alberto Giacometti sculpture or $80 million in damages, claiming it was stolen by his former art advisor, Xiong Zihan Sydney. Sun alleges that Xiong forged his signature to sell the sculpture, valued at $78.4 million, to Geffen without his consent. Geffen’s legal team has dismissed the claims as unfounded, asserting that the transaction was conducted through intermediaries and not directly with Sun.
read moreTelegram CEO Pavel Durov’s Trial in France Postponed for One Year
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov’s trial in France has been postponed for at least a year. This delay comes as the legal proceedings surrounding the case continue to unfold, impacting the timeline for Durov’s potential legal challenges.
read moreLeonteq CEO Faces Crisis Amid Scandal and Governance Concerns
Leonteq’s market capitalization has plummeted to 343 million, largely due to CEO Lukas Ruflin’s handling of a scandal involving opaque trades linked to Caribbean companies. Despite multiple profit warnings and regulatory fines, Ruflin plans to transition to the Board of Directors, raising concerns about governance, especially given his ties to law firm NKF, which reportedly receives millions from Leonteq. Ruflin and co-founder Sandro Dorigo also hold a majority stake in logistics startup Invoitix, where a fellow board member is also affiliated with Leonteq.
read moreSwiss Asset Management Industry Confident in Growth and Private Markets Potential
The asset management industry in Switzerland is optimistic about its future, with assets under management reaching €3.4 trillion by the end of 2023, outpacing Germany. The Association of Asset Managers anticipates significant growth in private markets and sustainable finance, despite challenges from passive investments and shrinking fees. AMAS aims to catch up with France’s €4.8 trillion in assets, leveraging opportunities in private equity and infrastructure as traditional banking channels become insufficient.
read moreDeepSeek AI Faces Global Backlash Over Privacy and Security Concerns
Italy’s data protection authority, the Garante, has ordered the Chinese AI startup DeepSeek to cease operations in the country due to inadequate responses regarding its data collection practices. Despite being removed from local app stores, the app remains functional for users who previously downloaded it. Concerns over privacy and potential espionage have led to investigations by multiple countries, as DeepSeek’s low-cost AI model challenges established tech giants and raises national security alarms.
read moreRegulatory Challenges Mount for Binance and KuCoin Amid Legal Scrutiny
French prosecutors are investigating Binance for alleged money laundering and drug trafficking, with the exchange denying any wrongdoing. Meanwhile, KuCoin has agreed to pay $300 million in fines for operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business in the U.S. Additionally, MicroStrategy plans to raise funds through a stock offering to acquire more Bitcoin, while Ondo Finance is set to launch a tokenized U.S. Treasury fund on the XRP Ledger.
read moreBinance Seeks Dismissal of Lawsuit Over Alleged Hamas Financial Links
Binance is seeking to dismiss a lawsuit alleging it facilitated transactions linked to Hamas during the October 2023 attacks on Israel. In a New York court, the exchange’s legal team denied any direct relationship with Hamas and argued that cryptocurrency is not inherently dangerous, while the judge expressed skepticism about the ease of dismissing terrorism-related claims. Binance is also facing global investigations for financial misconduct, including cases in Spain and France.
read moreUK Gang Sentenced for Kidnapping and Extorting Cryptocurrency Investor
A UK gang has been sentenced for kidnapping and extorting a cryptocurrency investor, forcing him to transfer over $124,000 in digital assets. The victim endured months of violence, culminating in a police raid that rescued him from brutal captors. The court handed down lengthy prison sentences to the gang members, highlighting the rising threats against cryptocurrency investors.
read moreKraken to Delist USDT and Other Stablecoins in EEA by March 2025
Kraken will delist Tether (USDT) and four other stablecoins in the European Economic Area (EEA) by March 31, 2025, to comply with MiCA regulations. The delisting process starts on February 13, 2025, with trading restrictions and automatic conversions of remaining holdings by the deadline. Users are encouraged to convert affected tokens to MiCA-compliant assets before the end of Q1 2025.
read moreApple boosts stock market as Wall Street recovers from weekly losses
Wall Street rebounded as strong earnings from major companies like Apple helped reduce earlier losses, with the S&P 500 up 0.4% and on track for a minimal weekly decline. Apple shares rose 4.2% after exceeding profit expectations, while Walgreens Boots Alliance fell 12% after suspending its dividend. Inflation data showed a rise to 2.6% in December, prompting the Fed to maintain interest rates to combat rising prices.
read moreGenerali Switzerland Aims for Turnaround with New Strategy and Investments
Generali plans to return over 7 billion euros to shareholders by 2027, focusing on profitability in Switzerland after recent struggles. The company aims for annual earnings per share growth of 8-10% and is enhancing agility through a partnership with MIT on AI. A joint venture with Natixis in asset management is also in the works, pending Italian government approval.
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