October 29, 2025 | 16:34President Donald Trump’s October 21 pardon of former Binance executive Changpeng ‘CZ’ Zhao represents the latest escalation in a controversial pattern of clemency for convicted cryptocurrency industry figures. This marks the sixth major crypto pardon since Trump took office, fulfilling his campaign promise to reverse course on crypto enforcement policies while citing ‘lawfare’ from the Biden administration as justification. The growing list of beneficiaries now includes Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht and four BitMEX executives, signaling a fundamental shift in federal approach to cryptocurrency regulation and enforcement that has encouraged other imprisoned figures like former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried to seek similar relief.
read moreRoss Ulbricht
1 posts last week
Bitcoin Jesus Settles $48M DOJ Tax Fraud Case
Early Bitcoin evangelist Roger Ver, known as ‘Bitcoin Jesus,’ has reached a $48 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice in a high-profile tax fraud case that exposes the growing tension between cryptocurrency pioneers and traditional tax enforcement. The agreement resolves criminal charges alleging Ver concealed his Bitcoin holdings to avoid paying exit taxes when he renounced his U.S. citizenship, marking a significant moment in the ongoing regulatory scrutiny of digital asset wealth.
read moreRoger Ver’s $48M DOJ Tax Deal in Trump Crypto Era
Crypto entrepreneur Roger Ver has reached a $48 million settlement with the Department of Justice to resolve his tax evasion case, marking another significant development in the Trump administration’s dialed-down cryptocurrency enforcement approach. The deal, which drops charges of mail fraud, tax evasion, and filing false tax returns, comes amid a broader regulatory shift that has seen investigations into major crypto firms dropped and crypto-friendly figures appointed to key federal agencies.
read moreRoss Ulbricht Corrects Kamala Harris on Silk Road Claims
Ross Ulbricht, the creator of the Silk Road marketplace, has forcefully challenged Vice President Kamala Harris’s characterization of him as a ‘fentanyl dealer’ in her new book, calling the claim factually inaccurate and politically motivated. Ulbricht clarified that he was never personally prosecuted for drug dealing and that fentanyl wasn’t among his charges, highlighting how his case continues to fuel political tensions around cryptocurrency regulation and presidential pardons.
read moreSilk Road Bitcoin Mystery: 300 BTC Sent to Ulbricht’s Wallet
In June 2025, Ross Ulbricht’s dormant Bitcoin wallet received 300 BTC from an unknown sender, drawing attention to the lingering mysteries of Silk Road’s crypto transactions. Ulbricht, the convicted founder of the darknet marketplace, facilitated over 9.5 million BTC in sales before its 2013 shutdown. Investigators like ZachXBT continue to expose the limitations of mixing tools and dormant wallets in concealing illicit funds. This incident underscores the evolving landscape of onchain forensics and the persistent scrutiny of historical crypto crimes.
read more$31M Bitcoin Donation to Ross Ulbricht Traced to AlphaBay
Ross Ulbricht, the imprisoned founder of Silk Road, received a $31 million Bitcoin donation from an anonymous wallet, sparking speculation about its origins. Investigations by Chainalysis and blockchain sleuth ZachXBT revealed the funds were linked to AlphaBay, a larger darknet market active after Silk Road’s shutdown. The donation, likely from a former AlphaBay vendor, was obscured using mixing services and small, staggered transactions to evade detection. AlphaBay, known for illegal trades, was dismantled in Operation Bayonet, a multinational law enforcement effort. Ulbricht has not commented on the donation.
read more$31M Bitcoin Donation to Silk Road Founder Traced to Alphabay
Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis has linked a $31 million Bitcoin donation to Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht to Alphabay, a dark web marketplace that operated from 2014 to 2017. The 300 BTC donation, tracked by Chainalysis, is believed to have come from a major vendor on Alphabay with access to substantial funds. This revelation highlights the ongoing connections between dark web marketplaces and the use of cryptocurrency for illicit transactions, as well as the capabilities of blockchain analysis in tracing such activities.
read moreTRON DAO Shines at Bitcoin Vegas 2025 as Top Sponsor
TRON DAO played a pivotal role at Bitcoin 2025 in Las Vegas, serving as a top-tier sponsor for key events like Code + Country’s VIP Reception and Kraken’s Oceanic Night Party. Justin Sun, TRON’s founder, participated in high-profile panels discussing blockchain’s role in reshaping traditional finance and Bitcoin DeFi opportunities. The event highlighted TRON’s dominance in the stablecoin market, with over $77.7 billion in USDT circulating supply, reinforcing its position as a global blockchain leader. The network also boasts 309 million user accounts and $23.5 billion in total value locked (TVL), underscoring its rapid growth and influence in the crypto space.
read moreBitcoin Adoption: Still Early Despite Mainstream Hype
Bitcoin’s recent rally and institutional adoption, including $44 billion in ETF inflows, paint a picture of mainstream success. However, with just 337 million global holders (4% penetration), BTC remains a fringe asset. Daily active addresses have declined since 2021, and clunky UX, high entry barriers, and unclear regulation hinder mass adoption. While Layer 2 solutions like Lightning Network and stablecoin integrations show promise, Bitcoin’s usage lags behind its market cap. The crypto must prioritize real-world use cases—like remittances and unstable economies—over speculative hype to achieve true financial inclusion. Despite celebratory conferences, Bitcoin’s adoption curve resembles the late-1990s internet: innovative but far from ubiquitous.
read moreRoss Ulbricht Gets $31M BTC Donation Post-Prison
Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, received a massive 300 BTC ($31.4M) donation shortly after his first public speech at Bitcoin 2025 since his prison release. On-chain data shows most of the funds were swiftly transferred to Kraken. Meanwhile, Coinbase director Conor Grogan revealed that dozens of Ulbricht’s old wallets, untouched for over 13 years, still hold 430 BTC ($47M) unseized by the US government. However, access to these funds remains uncertain. Ulbricht, pardoned by Trump earlier this year, continues to draw significant attention in the crypto community.
read more