Market
Sam Bankman-Fried Appeals Conviction, Seeks Retrial

On September 13, FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) filed an appeal to overturn his last November conviction on fraud and conspiracy charges.
In a 102-page filing, SBF’s legal team argued the trial was unfair, calling it a “sentence first, verdict afterward” situation. They claimed the judgment was rushed and biased.
SBF’s Legal Team Claims He Was Presumed Guilty From the Outset
Led by attorney Alexandra Shapiro, SBF’s lawyers stated that he was never presumed innocent. They argued that everyone involved, including the judge, assumed his guilt from the start.
“Sam Bankman-Fried was never presumed innocent. He was presumed guilty — before he was even charged. He was presumed guilty by the media. He was presumed guilty by the FTX debtor estate and its lawyers. He was presumed guilty by federal prosecutors eager for quick headlines. And he was presumed guilty by the judge who presided over his trial,” the lawyers lamented.
Read more: FTX Collapse Explained: How Sam Bankman-Fried’s Empire Fell
The defense accused US District Judge Lewis Kaplan of bias, alleging he influenced the trial’s outcome. Shapiro contended that Kaplan’s remarks during the trial suggested guilt before the case had concluded. The defense also criticized the judge for restricting key arguments that could have demonstrated SBF’s attempts to stabilize FTX.
“Many of the judge’s rulings were not just erroneous but unbalanced — repeatedly putting a thumb on the scale to help the government and thwart the defense. But that is not all. The judge continually ridiculed Bankman-Fried during trial, repeatedly criticized his demeanor, and signaled his disbelief of Bankman-Fried’s testimony,” the lawyers wrote.
SBF’s legal team further argued that the jury saw only “half the picture” regarding FTX user funds. They claimed the prosecution misrepresented the case by portraying the funds as permanently lost, while SBF allegedly caused the loss intentionally.
“From day one, the prevailing narrative — initially spun by the lawyers who took over FTX, quickly adopted by their contacts at the US Attorney’s Office — was that Bankman-Fried had stolen billions of dollars of customer funds, driven FTX to insolvency, and caused billions in losses. Now, nearly two years later, a very different picture is emerging — one confirming FTX was never insolvent, and in fact had assets worth billions to repay its customers. But the jury at Bankman Fried’s trial never got to see that picture,” the lawyers stated.
Bankman-Fried’s lawyers also raised concerns about Sullivan & Cromwell’s role in the case. According to them, the law firm — which initially served as FTX’s external legal counsel and later became its lead bankruptcy firm — wrongly pressured SBF to step down as CEO. The lawyers also argued that the law firm aimed to place full blame on Bankman-Fried to divert attention from its own questionable practices.
“Sullivan & Cromwell — which billed hundreds of millions of dollars in this case — performed prosecutorial tasks that had nothing to do with bankruptcy. Moreover, the Debtors and S&C were motivated to place all blame squarely on Bankman-Fried — to avoid scrutiny of their own business decisions, their own conflicts of interest, their own exorbitant billing, and their own misconduct,” SBF lawyers claimed.
Considering all of these reasons, the defense is asking for a new trial with a different, impartial judge.
Read more: Who Is John J. Ray III, FTX’s New CEO?
Last year, Bankman-Fried was convicted on seven counts of fraud and conspiracy. He received a 25-year prison sentence and was ordered to forfeit $11 billion for his role in defrauding FTX customers, investors, and Alameda Research lenders.
Disclaimer
In adherence to the Trust Project guidelines, BeInCrypto is committed to unbiased, transparent reporting. This news article aims to provide accurate, timely information. However, readers are advised to verify facts independently and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content. Please note that our Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.
Market
This is Why PumpSwap Brings Pump.fun To the Next Level

Since launching PumpSwap, token launchpad Pump.fun has resumed its position as a top-level protocol by fees and revenue. It saw over $2.62 billion in volume in less than two weeks, signifying high market interest.
Nonetheless, the meme coin sector as a whole has been more volatile than usual lately. PumpSwap is an attractive new option, but it still needs to stand the test of time.
Pump.fun Surges with PumpSwap
Pump.fun, a prominent meme coin creation platform, recently suffered some difficulties in the market. Facing lawsuits and criticism from the industry, the platform’s revenue had been declining in 2025. However, since launching PumpSwap, Pump.fun’s income has rebounded, making it one of the largest protocols by fees and revenue.

PumpSwap is a decentralized exchange on Solana’s blockchain, and it has grown very quickly since its launch less than two weeks ago. It has already managed over $2.62 billion in trade volume, although its daily volume fell over the weekend. Pump.fun’s cofounder spoke highly about PumpSwap, calling it a “crucial step that will help grow the ecosystem.”

Pump.fun’s overall revenues were declining before it launched PumpSwap, and they have since jumped back up. However, it’s important to not overstate the new exchange’s success. The exchange’s total fees collected have skyrocketed compared to Pump.fun, but the actual revenue growth has been comparatively small.

Still, these low fees also have significant advantages. Demand seems to be drying up in the meme coin sector, but Pump.fun faces stiff competition in the form of firms like Raydium, using low fees as a competitive edge. It has also promised things like revenue sharing with token creators to promote ecosystem growth.
Ultimately, the meme coin market as a whole is full of uncertainty. PumpSwap has been able to keep Pump.fun competitive as a top-level platform in this space, giving it a welcome reprieve. The real challenge will come in determining long-term viability.
Disclaimer
In adherence to the Trust Project guidelines, BeInCrypto is committed to unbiased, transparent reporting. This news article aims to provide accurate, timely information. However, readers are advised to verify facts independently and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content. Please note that our Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.
Market
Hedera (HBAR) Bears Dominate, HBAR Eyes Key $0.15 Level

Hedera (HBAR) is under pressure, down roughly 13.5% over the past seven days, with its market cap holding at around $7 billion. Recent technical signals point to growing bearish momentum, with both trend and momentum indicators leaning heavily negative.
The price has been hovering near a critical support zone, raising the risk of a breakdown below $0.15 for the first time in months. Unless bulls regain control soon, HBAR could face further losses before any meaningful recovery attempt.
HBAR BBTrend Has Been Turning Heavily Down Since Yesterday
Hedera’s BBTrend indicator has dropped sharply to -10.1, falling from 2.59 just a day ago. This rapid decline signals a strong shift in momentum and suggests that HBAR is experiencing an aggressive downside move.
Such a steep drop often reflects a sudden increase in selling pressure, which can quickly change the asset’s short-term outlook.
The BBTrend, or Bollinger Band Trend, measures the strength and direction of a trend using the position of price relative to the Bollinger Bands. Positive values generally indicate bullish momentum, while negative values point to bearish momentum.

The further the value is from zero, the stronger the trend. HBAR’s BBTrend is now at -10.1, signaling strong bearish momentum.
This suggests that the price is trending lower and doing so with increasing strength, which could lead to further downside unless buyers step in to slow the momentum.
Hedera Ichimoku Cloud Paints a Bearish Picture
Hedera’s Ichimoku Cloud chart reflects a strong bearish structure, with the price action positioned well below both the blue conversion line (Tenkan-sen) and the red baseline (Kijun-sen).
This setup indicates that short-term momentum is clearly aligned with the longer-term downtrend.
The price has consistently failed to break above these dynamic resistance levels, signaling continued seller dominance.

The future cloud is also red and trending downward, suggesting that bearish pressure is expected to persist in the near term.
The span between the Senkou Span A and B lines remains wide, reinforcing the strength of the downtrend. For any potential reversal to gain credibility, HBAR would first need to challenge and break above the Tenkan-sen and Kijun-sen, and eventually push into or above the cloud.
Until then, the current Ichimoku configuration supports a continuation of the bearish outlook.
Can Hedera Fall Below $0.15 Soon?
Hedera price has been hovering around the $0.16 level and is approaching a key support at $0.156.
If this support fails to hold, it could open the door for further downside, potentially pushing HBAR below the $0.15 mark for the first time since November 2024.

However, if HBAR manages to reverse its current trajectory and regain bullish momentum, the first target to watch is the resistance at $0.179.
A breakout above that level could lead to a stronger rally toward $0.20 and, if momentum continues, even reach $0.215. In a more extended bullish scenario, HBAR could climb to $0.25, signaling a full recovery and trend reversal.
Disclaimer
In line with the Trust Project guidelines, this price analysis article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice. BeInCrypto is committed to accurate, unbiased reporting, but market conditions are subject to change without notice. Always conduct your own research and consult with a professional before making any financial decisions. Please note that our Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.
Market
Coinbase Tries to Resume Lawsuit Against the FDIC

Coinbase asked a DC District Court if it could resume its old lawsuit against the FDIC. Coinbase sued this regulator over Operation Choke Point 2.0 and claimed that it’s still refusing to release relevant information.
Based on the information available so far, it’s difficult to draw definitive conclusions. The FDIC maintains that it responded to its opponents’ questions truthfully, though it has shown delays in the past.
Coinbase vs the FDIC
Coinbase, one of the world’s largest crypto exchanges, has been in a few fights with the FDIC. The firm has been pursuing the FDIC over Operation Choke Point 2.0 for months now, and has achieved impressive results. Despite this, however, Coinbase is asking the DC District Court to resume its litigation against the regulator:
“We’re asking the Court to resume our lawsuit because the FDIC has unfortunately stopped sharing information. While we would have loved to resolve this outside of the legal system – and we do appreciate the increased cooperation we’ve seen from the new FDIC leadership – we still have a ways to go,” claimed Paul Grewal, Coinbase’s Chief Legal Officer.
The FDIC has an important role in US financial regulation, primarily dealing with banks. This gave it a starring role in Operation Choke Point 2.0, hampering banks’ ability to deal with crypto businesses. However, it recently started a pro-crypto turn, releasing tranches of incriminating documents and revoking several of its anti-crypto statutes.
Grewal said that he “appreciated the increased cooperation” from the FDIC but that the cooperation stopped weeks ago. According to Coinbase’s filing, the FDIC hasn’t sent any new information since late February and claimed in early March that the exchange’s subsequent requests were “unreasonable and beyond the scope of discovery.”
On one hand, the FDIC has previously been slow to make relevant disclosures in the Coinbase lawsuit. On the other hand, Operation Choke Point 2.0 sparked significant tension within the industry, and a determined group is now aiming to significantly weaken the regulatory bodies involved.
Until the legal battle continues, it’ll be difficult to make any definitive statements. The FDIC will likely have two weeks to respond to Coinbase’s request.
Disclaimer
In adherence to the Trust Project guidelines, BeInCrypto is committed to unbiased, transparent reporting. This news article aims to provide accurate, timely information. However, readers are advised to verify facts independently and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content. Please note that our Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.
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