New York Times Names Adam Back As Satoshi Nakamoto

Blockstream CEO Adam Back strongly denied fresh allegations naming him as the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto. This public rebuttal follows a detailed investigative report published by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner John Carreyrou this week.

The exposé was published on 8 April 2026 within the New York Times after an exhaustive 18-month investigation into 620 potential suspects. These findings emerged while Back leads a high-profile Bitcoin treasury venture alongside Cantor Fitzgerald.

Carreyrou initiated the investigation because he identified striking linguistic parallels and technical jargon shared between Back and Nakamoto. By utilizing advanced grammar analysis, the reporter suggests that Back’s early work essentially prototyped Bitcoin’s foundational features.

The journalist achieved this conclusion by citing a purported slip of the tongue during an interview conducted in El Salvador. Consequently, the industry remains divided over whether these writing ticks provide definitive proof Satoshi's real identity or merely reflect shared cypherpunk origins.

Iran To Collect Oil Transit Tolls In Bitcoin

Iranian leaders announced a plan to collect oil transit fees in Bitcoin for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The government intends to levy a $1 charge for every barrel of crude oil to ensure regional security during a two-week ceasefire. This specific digital payment method helps the nation bypass international sanctions because the funds cannot be easily traced or confiscated.

Ship operators must email authorities about their cargo contents before receiving a wallet address to settle the mandatory tolls. Iran aims to prevent weapons smuggling through the waterway while the nation pauses hostilities with the United States and Israel. President Donald Trump suggested a joint venture for the tolls, though Iranian officials have yet to acknowledge any shared oversight.

Circle Launches New Managed Stablecoin Payments Platform

Circle debuted a managed payments platform to help global financial institutions utilize stablecoins without actually holding digital assets. This new service handles the entire lifecycle of USDC by managing minting, burning, and regulatory compliance on behalf of partners. Fintech firms and traditional banks can now access blockchain speed for cross-border settlements while interacting solely with familiar fiat currencies.

The company developed this infrastructure to simplify how legacy institutions adopt more efficient payment rails for international money transfers. Circle aims to lower foreign exchange expenses for its clients by bridging mobile wallets and digital assets through the CPN Managed Payments system. Recent data indicates that USDC has supported over $70 trillion in cumulative on-chain settlement since its initial launch.

Coinbase Secures Financial Services License In Australia

Coinbase Australia officially received a financial services license from local authorities to offer retail derivatives trading in the region. This authorization allows the crypto exchange to provide equity and crypto perpetuals to Australian investors under strict conduct and disclosure rules. The firm intends to compete directly with traditional institutions by integrating digital asset execution into a wide range of products.

The local entity expanded its compliance and marketing teams to meet the same governance requirements as established banks and investment firms. This license precedes a major regulatory bill that will eventually mandate similar registration for every digital asset platform operating in Australia. Coinbase also recently obtained a national trust charter in the United States to further bridge the gap with traditional finance.

Data of the Day

A trio of Polymarket accounts reportedly earned over $600,000 by correctly predicting the recent ceasefire between the United States and Iran. Analytics firm Bubblemaps identified a cluster of addresses that successfully wagered on the exact timing of the military stand-down this Wednesday. These specific traders have consistently won on contracts related to surprise military operations since the start of the 2024 period.

The high win rate and large wager sizes have triggered intense scrutiny regarding potential insider trading within the current administration. California officials recently banned political appointees from using non-public information to profit from prediction markets to prevent ethical failures. While the platform has improved its internal screening, several individuals have faced legal charges this year for using military secrets.

More Breaking News

• Yuga Labs settled its long-running lawsuit against Ryder Ripps and Jeremy Cahen, ending a two-year legal fight over alleged copycat NFT tokens.
• Chainalysis projected that annual stablecoin transaction volume could reach $1.5 quadrillion by 2035 as digital assets begin rivaling global card payment networks.
• Thailand’s SEC proposed new rules requiring regulatory approval for financiers behind major crypto shareholders to improve oversight and reduce money laundering risks.
• The US Treasury unveiled proposed stablecoin rules targeting money laundering and sanctions compliance as federal agencies work toward a January 2027 deadline.
• MEXC appointed Vugar Usi as its new CEO, tasking the former Bitget executive with expanding global licensing and pursuing European MiCA compliance.
• The Ethereum Foundation converted 5,000 ETH into stablecoins for operational funding, marking its first large time-weighted average price sale since last October.
• South Korean lawmakers are reportedly drafting a bill to classify stablecoins as foreign exchange instruments and mandate trust-backed reserves for tokenized assets.
• The SEC admitted to past flaws in crypto enforcement, dismissing seven major cases while citing a previous misinterpretation of federal securities laws.

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