A local news outlet reported that a hacking group called the Shiny Hunters sent ransom demands to Waltio after seizing personal data from about 50,000 users. Authorities in France have started a preliminary investigation into a breach of cryptocurrency tax platform Waltio that could have compromised users’ personal data. According to a Thursday notice by French cybersecurity authorities, the Paris Public Prosecutor's Office and the country’s National Cyber Unit were investigating the nature of the stolen data and identities of Waltio users. The notice warned that users affected by the breach could be targeted in an attempt to move their digital assets under the guise of legitimate security concerns. According to a Friday report from Le Parisien, a group of hackers called the Shiny Hunters sent a ransom demand to Waltio following the attack. The hackers obtained personal data from about 50,000 Waltio users, the majority of whom were based in France. Read more
BPCE will let millions of customers buy and sell BTC, ETH, SOL and USDC directly inside its banking apps. French banking heavyweight BPCE is preparing to introduce crypto trading to millions of its retail customers, making it one of the first major traditional European banks to offer digital assets. According to a report from The Big Whale, the group will allow users to buy and sell Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Solana (SOL) and USDC (USDC) directly inside its Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Épargne mobile apps starting Monday. The initial rollout will cover clients of four regional banks, including Banque Populaire Île-de-France and Caisse d’Épargne Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, reaching roughly 2 million customers. BPCE plans to extend the service gradually across its remaining 25 regional entities through 2026, ultimately making crypto trading available to its full 12-million-strong retail base. Read more
Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov said that French intelligence pressured Telegram into censoring political content, which he refused to do. Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov claimed that French intelligence services asked him to censor content related to the election in Moldova in 2024 in exchange for saying “good things” to the judge overseeing his trial, which he declined to do. Durov said the messaging platform initially took down some posts that “clearly” violated Telegram’s terms of service, but declined to remove any additional content for political reasons. Durov wrote in a Sunday Telegram post: Their only commonality was that they voiced political positions disliked by the French and Moldovan governments. We refused to act on this request,” he continued. Read more
Durov said French law enforcement officials are still "struggling" to find evidence of wrongdoing even one year on from his arrest in 2024. Pavel Durov, founder of the messaging application Telegram, provided an update regarding his ongoing case in France, and said the criminal investigation against him is “struggling” to find any evidence of wrongdoing. Durov said his arrest by French authorities in August 2024 was “unprecedented” and added that holding a tech executive accountable for the actions of independent users was “legally and logically absurd,” in a Telegram post on Sunday. Durov added: “One year after this strange arrest, I still have to return to France every 14 days, with no appeal date in sight,” he continued, while also warning that the French government has done irreparable damage to France’s image as a free country. Read more