Regulation
ASIC Charges BitConnect Promoter For Offering Unlicensed Advice

On Monday, July 15, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) announced that the Sydney District Court has convicted BitConnect promoter John Bigatton for providing unlicensed financial advice to promoters.
BitConnect Promoter Provided Unsolicited Advice
ASIC said that Bigatton, the Australian promoter of BitConnect gave unsolicited financial advice for promoting the crypto exchange in seminars and on social media in the period between August 2017 and January 2018. As a result, he was disqualified from managing corporations for nearly five years.
Founded in 2016, BitConnect created its own digital token dubbed BitConnect Coin allowing it to be exchanged with popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, thereby participating in exchange’s investment opportunities.
ASIC noted that in two of his seminars, Bigatton said that BitConnect is better than any term deposit and that the BitConnect coins would increase in value to at least $1,000. Then in 2020, the regulator banned Bigatton from providing financial services for nearly seven years. ASIC Deputy Chair Sarah Court said:
“Providing unlicensed financial advice denies Australian investors access to key protections and undermines trust and confidence in Australia’s financial services industry”.
Also Read: VanEck Bitcoin ETF Debuts on Australian Stock Exchange ASX
US SEC sued Bigatton
The Reuters report notes that back in 2021, the US securities regulator sued the BitConnect founder for his alleged role in fraudulently raising approximately $2 billion from retail investors.
In a related development, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) highlighted that Bigatton’s case serves as a reminder that many crypto assets are considered financial products under current law. Thus, it necessitates having an Australian financial services license for related services.
Moreover, back in 2018, the ASIC had applied to the Federal Court to freeze Bigatton’s assets, including cryptocurrency. This marked the first time an Australian regulator had obtained freezing orders over digital assets, with the total value of the frozen assets reportedly in the millions.
Australia’s crypto regulatory landscape is improving significantly while allowing products like spot Bitcoin ETFs to flourish in the country. Following the US, the Australian regulators are also taking bold measures to let crypto investment products hit the market. At the same time, regulators like ASIC are having strict vigilance in order to prevent any fraudulent activity.
Also Read: Australia Bitcoin ETF In Sync With Soaring Institutional Buying
The presented content may include the personal opinion of the author and is subject to market condition. Do your market research before investing in cryptocurrencies. The author or the publication does not hold any responsibility for your personal financial loss.
Regulation
US SEC Makes Important Move in Ripple Case, Here’s All

XRP Lawsuit: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed an opposition to a recent emergency request submitted by Justin W. Keener in the Ripple lawsuit. Keener’s filing aimed to present what he called “decisive evidence” in support of Ripple and the “liberty of the American people.”
US SEC Opposes Keener’s Request Over Jurisdiction and Procedure
According to a recent filing, the US SEC asked Judge Analisa Torres to reject the emergency request filed by Justin W. Keener on April 3, 2025. The agency argued that the District Court does not have jurisdiction to consider the request since the Ripple case has already been moved to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.
The SEC used several authorities from different courts as the basis of their decision, specifically citing New York v. Department of Homeland Security, 974 F.3d 210 (2d Cir. 2020). The Commission explained that this be the position once a timely appeal is filed that the matters under appeal are beyond the jurisdiction of the District court.
🚨NEW: The @SECGov has just filed an opposition to that “emergency request to present decisive evidence” in favor of @Ripple we saw filed last week by one Justin W. Keener.
The SEC opposes the motion because, they say, that 1) The District Court lacks jurisdiction over the… https://t.co/QNnKM6sOgA pic.twitter.com/4qTU1YEYKw
— Eleanor Terrett (@EleanorTerrett) April 8, 2025
The SEC also pointed out that Keener did not file the appropriate motion to intervene in the case he deemed to involve unlawful conduct by the defendants. They argued that this means that the court cannot consider his request for an emergency stay. They cited other cases where such a motion by the third party without the permission of the court was thrown out of court.
SEC Maintains Ripple Can Handle Its Defense Without Outside Help
In its reply, the US SEC stated that even if the provided evidence of Keener was relevant, Ripple could decide to present it on its own. The agency suggested that Ripple and its legal team know the kind of documents that are useful in the XRP lawsuit on their own.
The Commission added, “There does not seem to be any provision that the Request’s filer cannot forward the ‘evidence’ listed in the Request to the Defendants.” They responded that Ripple could produce any such material if it considered it to be relevant.
The US SEC also reminded the court that a previous request from third parties to submit similar evidence had already been denied. In that instance, Judge Torres ruled that no further intervention from unrelated parties was needed.
Details of Keener’s Emergency Request Remain Unclear
Keener, who has faced separate SEC charges in the past, submitted a brief letter claiming he possessed key evidence in support of Ripple.
He said the material could help the defendants and promote “liberty for the American people,” but he did not give specifics.
While some observers believe the evidence may relate to physical investment contracts, Keener has not confirmed this. The document raised questions in the Ripple community, especially since the case appears to be nearing an end.
XRP Lawsuit Nears Conclusion as SEC Drops Appeal
The SEC’s opposition comes after recent announcements that the legal dispute with Ripple is coming to a close. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse confirmed that the XRP lawsuit has officially ended. This followed the SEC’s decision to drop its appeal in the ongoing case. This move boosted optimism since as of now, around 20 XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are reportedly filed with the US SEC.
Despite the news, XRP’s price did not show a strong positive reaction. Still, many in the crypto community believe the conclusion of the lawsuit may bring new developments for Ripple.
However basking under the XRP lawsuit dismissal, Ripple recently announced a $1.25 billion deal to acquire Hidden Road, a global multi-asset prime broker. This would make Ripple the first crypto firm to own and operate such a platform.
Disclaimer: The presented content may include the personal opinion of the author and is subject to market condition. Do your market research before investing in cryptocurrencies. The author or the publication does not hold any responsibility for your personal financial loss.
Regulation
Pakistan’s Crypto Council Appoints Binance Founder Changpeng Zhao As Strategic Advisor

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, has been appointed as a Strategic Advisor to Pakistan’s Crypto Council. This appointment marks a new phase for Pakistan’s efforts to enhance its position in the global crypto and blockchain sectors. Zhao, known for his influence in the Web3 space, is expected to guide the country’s crypto policies and infrastructure.
Binance Founder Changpeng Zhao As Pakistan Crypto Strategic Advisor
The official announcement came during a meeting between Binance founder Changpeng Zhao and the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC), which was chaired by Pakistan’s Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb.
As part of his role, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao will provide expertise on various aspects of the crypto ecosystem, including regulation, infrastructure development, and the promotion of adoption. He will also assist in building a regulatory framework that ensures compliance while encouraging innovation.
The Finance Minister of Pakistan, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, expressed enthusiasm about Zhao’s appointment, stating,
“With CZ onboard, we are accelerating our vision to make Pakistan a regional powerhouse for Web3, digital finance, and blockchain-driven growth.”
This Is A Developing News, Please Check Back For More
Disclaimer: The presented content may include the personal opinion of the author and is subject to market condition. Do your market research before investing in cryptocurrencies. The author or the publication does not hold any responsibility for your personal financial loss.
Regulation
Ripple Whales Move $429 Million, What Is Going On?

Ripple whales have been highly active in recent hours, transferring large amounts of XRP tokens between unknown wallets. In total, 267,857,140 XRP, which, at the time of writing, was approximately $572,238,240, was transferred. These large XRP whales are believed to have a connection to Ripple’s ongoing legal battle and its on-demand liquidity (ODL) sales.
These massive transactions were potentially triggered by the decision of the SEC to lift the injunction against institutional sales for Ripple recently. As a result, Ripple can now proceed with its ODL business, likely contributing to the recent surge in large-scale XRP transfers.
Ripple Whales Move $572 Million
Whale Alert, has recently reported a flurry of XRP transfers. Four transactions were executed within a short span, and every swap was equal to 66,964,285 XRP, which amounts to about $143 million. These huge transactions have elicited quite a stir among the members of the crypto space regarding their size and the frequency.
While the reason behind the transfers is still uncertain, a large volume of XRP moving to unknown wallets could be tied to Ripple’s operations. Given that these moves occurred after the SEC has decided to remove the injunction on Ripple’s institutional sales, a correlation between Ripple’s liquidity management and institutional sales has emerged.
Such large movements have also attracted the attention of the market observers to think that Ripple may be gearing up for expansion of its ’on-demand liquidity’ solution. This could explain why this wave of whale is being observed today based on the firm’s capacity to continue with these institutional sales.
Ripple Legal Victory and Influence on XRP Transactions
Ripple’s legal situation with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has been a key factor influencing the company’s operations. Recently, as part of Ripple’s decision to drop its cross appeal against the SEC, the Commission agreed to remove the injunction that had previously restricted Ripple from conducting institutional sales of XRP. This decision paves the way for Ripple to resume its on-demand liquidity services, a core part of its business.
This movement should help Ripple expand the availability of liquidity solutions and its penetration in the international markets. The absence of the injunction will allow Ripple to transact with more XRP with institutional clients, which may be fueling the whale activities.
Subsequently, since Ripple’s ODL platform focuses on large XRP transactions, whales are likely to be engaged in this kind of activity as they provide liquidity. At the same time, Coinbase Derivatives has submitted new applications with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to self-certify XRP futures contracts.
XRP Price Trend Amid Whale Movements
XRP’s recent market behavior also reflects these developments, with the cryptocurrency showing signs of strength. According to crypto analyst Casi Trades, after reclaiming the $2.05 support level, XRP price trend has set its sights on the next key resistance level at $2.24.
This level is particularly significant, as it aligns with both the macro and micro wave structures of XRP’s price movements.
Experts are keeping a close eye on XRP’s price action, with some predicting that the currency could break out of its current resistance levels and potentially reach new highs. The next levels to watch include $2.70, $3.05, and eventually $3.80, which could mark a new all-time high for XRP price.
Disclaimer: The presented content may include the personal opinion of the author and is subject to market condition. Do your market research before investing in cryptocurrencies. The author or the publication does not hold any responsibility for your personal financial loss.
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