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Beyond

Bitcoin slumps to $60,000 as crypto market shakes

Bitcoin plunged sharply this week, falling to around $60,000, marking its lowest level in over a year and highlighting one of the steepest declines in the cryptocurrency’s history. The world’s largest digital asset has now lost more than 50% of its value from its record high of approximately $126,000 in October 2025.

The sudden drop sent shockwaves through the broader crypto market, with Ethereum and other major tokens also seeing steep declines, collectively erasing trillions of dollars in market value since late 2025. The sell-off accelerated Thursday and Friday as Bitcoin broke through several key technical levels. It first slipped below $70,000, then fell under $65,000, and eventually traded around $60,000 before briefly rebounding.

The sudden movement reflects growing investor caution, as many have retreated from risky assets, including cryptocurrencies and technology stocks, amid mounting market volatility. Institutional withdrawals from Bitcoin exchange-traded funds and the forced liquidation of large long positions have further intensified the decline, contributing to a sense of panic among traders.

This downturn comes after months of strong gains, fueled in part by regulatory optimism and increased institutional interest. However, recent developments, including heightened market uncertainty and investor nervousness, have undermined that momentum. Analysts warn that this slump could signal the start of a prolonged bear market, though some note that extreme volatility is a hallmark of cryptocurrency trading, and temporary rebounds remain possible.

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Corporate

₹623 crore laundered via 27 crypto exchanges

A government-backed investigation has uncovered a large-scale crypto-laundering network operating across India, with cybercriminals allegedly siphoning ₹623 crore through 27 domestic cryptocurrency exchanges over a span of 21 months. The findings, drawn from a collaborative global probe called “The Coin Laundry,” shed light on how stolen money is being systematically channelled through India’s fast-growing digital asset ecosystem.

Data compiled by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) shows that funds taken from 2,872 victims, mostly through online investment frauds, job scams and loan app traps, were quickly converted into cryptocurrency and moved through exchanges before being routed overseas. Investigators identified suspicious flows in at least 144 cybercrime cases tracked over the past three years.

The scale of laundering varied significantly across platforms, with one exchange seeing inflows of more than ₹360 crore, while another recorded around ₹6 crore. Major platforms, including WazirX, CoinDCX, ZebPay, Giottus, Mudrex and CoinSwitch, feature in the list of exchanges flagged for further scrutiny.

Officials caution that the reported figure may represent only a fraction of the actual laundering activity. The nature of blockchain transactions, combined with inconsistent compliance standards across exchanges, has made it easier for criminal networks to exploit weak verification and monitoring systems. Investigators are examining possible failures in Know Your Customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) protocols.

The probe has also thrown up unusual links. One suspect associated with the laundering ring, believed to be of Russian origin, was connected to a film featuring Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey and Bollywood actor Disha Patani, held investor events in India and even hosted a birthday celebration in Mumbai for Maye Musk, mother of Elon Musk.

The revelations come at a time when India is still framing its long-term policy on cryptocurrency regulation. The findings underscore the need for stronger oversight, clearer compliance standards and faster reporting mechanisms to prevent exchanges from becoming conduits for global criminal networks.

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