Crypto

Microsoft has identified a strain of malware that spreads via USB drives and silently intercepts cryptocurrency transactions by swapping destination wallet addresses at the point of transfer. The worm also harvests private keys sitting in the Windows clipboard, meaning any copied seed phrase or key string is immediately at risk. For CFD traders with exposure to Bitcoin, Ethereum, and broader crypto markets, the discovery adds a fresh layer of operational risk to an asset class already sensitive to security narratives.

A joint proposal from the Federal Reserve, Treasury, and fellow US regulators would compel payment stablecoin issuers to adopt customer identification standards matching those of licensed banks. Issued under the GENIUS Act framework on 18 June 2026, the rule is now open for public comment. For crypto CFD traders, the move signals a structural shift in how stablecoins are regulated — with meaningful implications for liquidity, spread behaviour, and volatility across major pairs.

Bitcoin has broken beneath the $63,000 mark as the Federal Reserve removed near-term rate-cut expectations from the table, triggering $111 million in combined Bitcoin and Ether ETF outflows. The move has pushed the asset below its 200-week moving average for the second time in a fortnight, a level that historically precedes significant recoveries but also signals elevated short-term risk. Governance turbulence at the Ethereum Foundation and a broader rotation out of risk assets compound the pressure on crypto CFD positions.

Chair Kevin Warsh's inflation-first messaging at the June 18 Federal Reserve meeting extinguished rate-cut expectations and triggered $111 million in combined net outflows from spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs. Total crypto market capitalisation stalled near $2.26 trillion as both Bitcoin and ether prices retreated. For CFD traders, the episode marks a meaningful shift in the macro backdrop underpinning digital-asset risk appetite.