Decrypt logo
Decrypt logo
Simon Chandler

Simon Chandler

Simon Chandler is a journalist based in London. He writes about technology, markets and politics, and has bylines for Forbes, Digital Trends, CCN, Wired, TechCrunch, the Verge, the Sun, the New Internationalist, and TruthOut, among many others. Disclosure: No significant crypto holdings.

Stories by Simon Chandler

  • Deforestation in the Amazon caused by illicit gold mining. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Stablecoins Have ‘Increasing Relevance’ in Illicit Amazon Gold Trade: GI-TOC

    Tether’s USDT stablecoin has become a means of payment in the illicit trade of gold into Venezuela, according to a new report from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC). In the report, titled “Shifting Amazon Gold Flows,” the Geneva-based GI-TOC describes how Venezuela has become “a regional destination” for illegally traded Amazonian gold over the past two years, reversing earlier trends that saw the precious metal move out of the country towards Brazil and Guyana...

    NewsBusiness
    4 min read
    Simon Chandler
  • The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Ban on Crypto Privacy Tools Would Be Counterproductive: UK Think Tank

    A report from the world’s oldest defense and security think tank has warned against banning blockchain-based privacy tools, arguing that blanket prohibition would merely result in bad actors using noncompliant services. In a paper titled, ‘Privacy-Enhancing Technologies in the Crypto Industry,’ the London-based Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) highlighted a “need to balance compliance objectives” with the growing role of privacy-related protocols and platforms in the cryptocurrency sector....

    NewsBusiness
    3 min read
    Simon Chandler
  • Coin mixer. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Coin Mixers Recovering As Users Shift to New Platforms: Cambridge University

    Usage of coin mixers has reached its highest level since 2022, according to new research from the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF). In an article published on Tuesday, researchers Wenbin Wu and Keith Bear reported that transactions for coin mixers have been rising since the 2022 Tornado Cash ban, as users migrate primarily to more compliant platforms. The report notes the massive impact sanctions had in 2022 and beyond, with Tornado Cash’s daily transactions falling by 97% in a ma...

    NewsCoins
    4 min read
    Simon Chandler
  • The Bundesbank. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Bundesbank President Wants Euro-Pegged Stablecoins to Prevent Dollarization

    Euro-pegged stablecoins could provide low-cost payments and counter the threat of dollarization from USD-pegged counterparts, according to European Central Bank Governing Council member Joachim Nagel. Speaking at the American Chamber of Commerce in Germany earlier this week, Nagel—who is also the President of the German Bundesbank—addressed how Europe might adapt to its changing relationship with the United States. One of his proposals was to “channel efforts into supporting the international ro...

    NewsBusiness
    5 min read
    Simon Chandler
  • Ethereum creator Vitalik Buterin. Image: Rug Radio/Decrypt

    Vitalik Buterin: Hedging on Prediction Markets Could 'Replace Fiat Currency'

    Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has argued that hedging on prediction markets could provide the same kind of price stability as stablecoins, potentially rendering fiat currency unnecessary. In a long tweet, Buterin offered his views on how to make prediction markets more useful, with the Russian-Canadian programmer arguing that, while achieving a “high level” of success, they are currently producing an increasing quantity of “corposlop.” Recently I have been starting to worry about the stat...

    NewsTechnology
    4 min read
    Simon Chandler
  • Moscow, Russia. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    EU Moves to Ban All Crypto Transactions with Russian Entities: Report

    The European Commission is seeking to impose an EU-wide ban on all crypto transactions with Russia, as part of ongoing efforts to ensure the effectiveness of sanctions. According to official documents seen by the Financial Times, the ban would prohibit any EU-based individual or entity from transferring cryptocurrencies to and from a Russia-based counterparty. The proposed ban is a response to instances where sanctioned Russian crypto service providers have simply relaunched under different name...

    NewsLaw and Order
    5 min read
    Simon Chandler
  • Danske Bank. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Danske Bank Offers Bitcoin, Ethereum ETPs to Investors, Ending Eight-Year Crypto 'Ban'

    Danish lender Danske Bank is offering its customers the opportunity to invest in Bitcoin and Ethereum exchange-traded products, but is refusing to recommend cryptocurrencies as an asset class. According to a press release, users of its Danske eBanking and Danske Mobile Banking services will be able to gain exposure to Bitcoin and Ethereum via corresponding ETPs, without having to hold the cryptocurrencies themselves. The bank, Denmark's largest, says that it’s rolling out these options in respo...

    NewsBusiness
    4 min read
    Simon Chandler
  • Ray Dalio. Image: Web Summit (CC BY 2.0)/Decrypt

    Ray Dalio Warns CBDCs Could Hand Governments Sweeping Financial Control

    Bridgewater Associates founder Ray Dalio warned Monday that central bank digital currencies would give governments far greater visibility into financial activity, even as he played down their likely scale. Speaking in an interview with Tucker Carlson, Dalio said CBDCs “will be done” in the foreseeable future but are unlikely to become “that big of a deal,” adding they could function like money-market funds while offering governments tighter control over transactions. “There will be a debate; pro...

    NewsCoins
    3 min read
    Simon Chandler
  • Bitcoin remains the largest crypto asset in the market. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Bitcoin Funds Shed $264M Last Week, Alts Reverse Negative Trend

    Bitcoin investment products saw $264.4 million in outflows over the past week, extending a three-week negative trend. According to the latest CoinShares Digital Assets Funds Flows report, BTC funds posted their third consecutive week of outflows, yet altcoin funds attracted inflows for the first time since the middle of January. Digital asset investment products recorded US$187M in outflows last week.@Bitcoin was the only pocket of negative sentiment with outflows of US$264M for the week. While...

    NewsCoins
    4 min read
    Simon Chandler
  • Donald Trump. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Official Trump Meme Coin, WLFI Lead Losses Following World Liberty Financial Probe

    Official Trump (TRUMP) and World Liberty Financial (WLFI) have fallen 14.6% and 10.8% in the past 24 hours, as the cryptocurrency market continues to weather steep losses amid falling sentiment. TRUMP is now priced at $3.41, marking a 24.7% loss in a week, a 37.7% drop in a month, and a 95% collapse since the Trump-linked meme coin hit a record high of $37.43 in January of last year, per CoinGecko data. Meanwhile, World Liberty Financial’s governance and utility token, WLFI, has sunk to $0.111,...

    NewsMarkets
    3 min read
    Simon Chandler
  • Source: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Vitalik Buterin Calls for Inclusion of Prediction Markets, DAOs in Creator Coin Ecosystem

    A combination of prediction market mechanisms and decentralized autonomous organizations may be key to improving the growth and utility of creator coins, according to Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin. Tweeting one of his characteristic mini-essays on Sunday, Buterin offered his take on how he “would do creator coins,” which he suggested do not currently match Substack in terms of providing meaningful incentives to creators. How I would do creator coins We've seen about 10 years of people try...

    NewsTechnology
    5 min read
    Simon Chandler
  • Paris, France. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    France Considers Restricting VPNs to Support Under-15 Social Media Ban

    France’s government may consider restricting the use of VPNs as part of efforts to keep children 15 years old and younger off social media, according to Digital Affairs minister Anne Le Hénanff. Virtual private networks, or VPNs, are services that provide an encrypted connection to the internet, shielding your internet protocol (IP) address from prying eyes. Speaking in an interview with Franceinfo, Hénanff said that the social media ban for under-15s was “only the beginning” and that there are...

    NewsTechnology
    3 min read
    Simon Chandler
  • Source: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Vitalik Buterin Withdraws $44.7M in ETH to Support Ethereum Growth Through ‘Mild Austerity’

    Vitalik Buterin has withdrawn 16,384 ETH (c. $44.7 million) to support the ongoing growth and development of Ethereum, declaring that the Ethereum Foundation has entered a period of “mild austerity” in which some goals may be prioritized over others. In a lengthy tweet, the Ethereum co-founder argues that such austerity is necessary for the Foundation to achieve two interrelated goals: the realization of an “aggressive” roadmap that advances Ethereum’s utility as a decentralized “world computer”...

    NewsCoins
    3 min read
    Simon Chandler
  • RuneScape. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    UK Court of Appeal Rules that RuneScape Gold is Property in $750K Theft Case

    The UK Court of Appeal has ruled that virtual gold in Old School RuneScape is property under the terms of the Theft Act 1968, and that owners of gold can therefore seek justice in cases of theft. Providing a ruling in a case where a former employee of RuneScape developer Jagex is alleged to have sold virtual gold for a total of more than $700,000, Lord Justice Popplewell concluded the gold pieces are “assets which have an ascertainable monetary value and which may be traded for that value both i...

    NewsLaw and Order
    3 min read
    Simon Chandler
  • Bitcoin ETF. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Bitcoin ETFs Turn Positive After Five-Day $1.7B Losing Streak

    U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs attracted $6.8 million in net inflows yesterday, putting an end to five consecutive days of outflows that saw the investment products shed almost $1.72 billion. According to data from Farside Investors, BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) and Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF (BTC) were the biggest gainers, securing $15.9 million and $7.7 million in inflows, respectively. Conversely, Bitwise’s Bitcoin ETF (BITB) and Fidelity’s Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) saw ou...

    NewsCoins
    3 min read
    Simon Chandler
  • Crypto mining. Image: Shutterstock

    Bitcoin’s Falling Price Puts Miners on Edge

    Bitcoin now costs more to mine in the United States than its current market price, according to data from the Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index (CBECI). The cryptocurrency is currently trading at around $87,900 according to CoinGecko data, while data from the CBEIC and the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)—which puts the average nationwide cost per kWh of energy in October 2025 at $0.14—suggest that the current cost of mining one Bitcoin is $94,746. This average price i...

    NewsBusiness
    4 min read
    Simon Chandler
  • Binance. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Binance Files for MiCA License in Greece Ahead of July 1 EU Deadline

    Binance has applied for a Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) license in Greece, ahead of a deadline requiring crypto-asset service providers operating in the EU to secure a license by July 1. The exchange is working on the application with Greece’s financial regulator, the Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC), having established a holding company in the EU member state in December. Its Greek holding company, Binary Greece, was set up as a single-shareholder public limited company,...

    NewsBusiness
    3 min read
    Simon Chandler
  • Tether's USDT. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Iran's Central Bank Acquired $507M in Tether’s USDT Stablecoin: Elliptic

    The Central Bank of Iran acquired $507 million in Tether’s stablecoin USDT over the past year, as part of efforts to shore up the Iranian rial and settle international trade. This is according to research by UK-based blockchain intelligence firm Elliptic, which has identified a network of cryptocurrency wallets that Iran’s central bank used to receive the USDT. 🚨 New Elliptic research: We have identified wallets used by Iran's Central Bank to acquire at least $507 million worth of cryptoassets...

    NewsCoins
    4 min read
    Simon Chandler
  • A hacker. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Ethereum DeFi Platform Makina Hit by Flash Loan Exploit, Loses $4M in ETH

    Ethereum-based DeFi platform Makina Finance has lost 1,299 ETH, worth around $4 million, after hackers successfully manipulated prices on one of its USDC liquidity pools. According to PeckShield and other blockchain security firms, the perpetrator(s) caused the exploit by issuing a flash loan for $280 million in USDC, and then harnessing $170 million of this to manipulate the MachineShareOracle that determines prices for the Dialectic USD (DUSD) and Dialectic USDC (DUSDC) liquidity pool. #PeckS...

    NewsDeFi
    3 min read
    Simon Chandler
  • Iran and crypto. Image: Shutterstock/Decrypt

    Two UK-Registered Companies Moved $1B in Stablecoins for Iran: Report

    Two crypto-exchanges companies registered in the United Kingdom have been transferring billions of dollars in stablecoins on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to a new report from TRM Labs. Released as part of TRM Labs’ 2026 Crypto Crime Report, the report identifies Zedcex and Zedxion, which marketed themselves as conventional cryptocurrency exchanges. Yet in practice, TRM Labs found that both companies operated as a single entity, working to move cryptocurren...

    NewsCoins
    4 min read
    Simon Chandler
Load More