Global Crypto Updates from Funding, Hacks, and Regulations

The blockchain and crypto space brought major news this week, from new funding rounds to regulatory milestones, token recoveries, and some spectacular crashes. Here's a rundown of the most significant events shaping markets around the world.

Sonic Labs Raises $150M for U.S. Expansion

UK-founded Sonic Labs raised $150 million to move into the U.S. following almost unanimous local support. The company will roll out a U.S.-listed exchange-traded product, an investment vehicle listed on NASDAQ, and Sonic USA operations. Tokens will be locked for three years as Sonic seeks to fill a gap between traditional finance and DeFi and forge closer relationships with Washington regulators.

Japan Post Bank to Introduce the Digital Yen

Japan Post Bank is preparing to issue the DCJPY Digital Yen, fully backed by regulated deposits and built on DeCurret DCP’s private blockchain. The new currency will allow instant transfers, settlement of tokenized assets, and even government grant distribution. With ¥190 trillion ($1.3T) in deposits across 120M accounts, DCJPY could modernize Japan’s financial system and support its bond market.

RAK Properties Accepts Crypto for Luxury Homes

UAE property developer RAK Properties now enables luxury residences to be bought with Bitcoin, Ethereum, or USDT. Payments are converted into UAE dirhams at the point of purchase instantly through Hubpay to avoid volatility. This tracks with the UAE's digital-first strategic direction and comes after other big builders such as Emaar and DAMAC made similar steps, providing crypto investors a convenient route to owning real estate.

HashGlobal, YZi Labs Launch $100M BNB Yield Fund

HashGlobal partnered with YZi Labs to create the first compliant $100 million BNB Yield Fund, with a goal of $3 billion assets within three years. Fueled by Binance custody, it has returned 32.5% since June 2025. With bi-weekly liquidity and institutional-quality protection, the fund offers structured exposure to BNB through token launches, airdrops, and market-driven yield.

SEC and CFTC Approve Spot Crypto Trading

In a historic step, U.S. regulators cleared spot crypto trading on registered exchanges. The co-SEC and CFTC decision strengthens regulation, liquidity, and investor protection, paving the way for more mainstream adoption. Bitcoin will gain the most as institutions become more confident under clear rules and less legal risk.

Dogecoin Treasury Raises $175M

Dogecoin Foundation's House of Doge has joined forces with CleanCore Solutions to introduce a $175 million DOGE treasury. Dogecoin had a small increase of around $0.214, while CleanCore's stock (ZONE) fell 60% because investors wondered about its switch from clean-tech to crypto. The step indicates optimism regarding DOGE's potential but skepticism towards risks of execution.

Strategy Misses S&P 500 Inclusion

Michael Saylor's firm Strategy was excluded from the S&P 500 even as it qualified. Analysts attribute its huge Bitcoin reserves and volatility to be the major reasons. Robinhood meanwhile earned a place in the index, joining as the third crypto-associated company. Strategy shares dropped close to 3% following the exclusion, although most anticipate future inclusion.

Venus Protocol Recovers $13.5M in Hack

Venus Protocol successfully recovered $13.5 million stolen in a phishing exploit last week. Operations have resumed as normal, and the funds are safe. That the recovery involved the fact that the exploit was caused by social engineering and not by smart contract vulnerabilities highlights both the strength of DeFi projects and the increasing threat from phishing scams.

SOL Strategies Wins Nasdaq Listing

SOL Strategies, a Canada-based company specializing in the Solana blockchain, will commence trading on Nasdaq Global Select Market under ticker STKE on September 9, 2025. The company invests in SOL tokens, operates validators, and provides staking services. The Nasdaq listing enhances U.S. investor access and reflects increased mainstream appreciation of Solana infrastructure.

TRON Crashes After WLFI Freezes Justin Sun's Wallet

Most sensational was the loss when TRON's TRX token dropped about 10%, erasing $2 billion from its value. World Liberty Financial (WLFI) froze the wallet of Justin Sun for market manipulation as part of a large-scale freeze of 272 wallets. As TRX dropped, WLFI jumped 24%, leading to centralization debate, insider behavior, and whether retail investors had once more been exploited as "exit liquidity."