Winklevoss-Backed Cypherpunk Raises Zcash Stake to $150M After $18M Buy

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin warned the community against trading the protocol’s core values for broader adoption, urging stronger on-chain privacy, easier full-node operation, and dApps that avoid centralized infrastructure. His comments highlight tensions between usability, regulation, and decentralization.

OpenAI and SoftBank each committed $500 million to SB Energy to build a 1.2 GW Stargate data center in Texas, advancing the $5 trillion Stargate AI infrastructure initiative. The funding underscores growing private capital flows into large-scale AI compute projects and could boost interest in STG-linked assets.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has closed its investigation into the Zcash Foundation without filing charges, a sign of eased enforcement after recent high-profile cases. The move is being watched for implications to ZEC and broader regulatory clarity in crypto.

Galaxy warns a draft Senate crypto market-structure bill would let the U.S. Treasury freeze transactions and wield Patriot Act–style tools, raising privacy and oversight alarms. The firm says the proposal grants unprecedented surveillance and enforcement authority over crypto activity.

Dash (DASH) surged roughly 61% in hours on Tuesday after the project revealed a key catalyst, with broader gains seen across other privacy-focused coins. The sharp move underscored renewed trader interest but prompted questions about liquidity and sustainability.