Crypto crackdowns, Solana ETF buzz and Dogecoin treasury plans meet AI safety warnings, flu vaccine breakthroughs and Microsoft’s new models.
What’s up, Pasar Crew?
This week in Web3 and AI, headlines span from high-stakes crime to billion-dollar innovations. On the crypto side, courts are handing down heavy sentences for Bitcoin extortion and home invasions targeting digital asset holders, while institutional appetite for Solana ETFs heats up with billions in potential inflows.
Meme coins and market movers are also in the spotlight: Dogecoin gets a $200 million treasury plan chaired by Elon Musk’s lawyer, while pump.fun is spending big on token buybacks to stabilise PUMP amid legal challenges. Meanwhile, regulators and law enforcement are tightening their grip, from Tether reversing plans to freeze USDT on five chains, to authorities dismantling a global fake ID marketplace.
In AI, safety concerns remain front and centre as trials expose chatbots giving harmful instructions—from bioweapons to cybercrime—highlighting urgent calls for stricter safeguards. But it’s not all risk: breakthroughs in flu vaccine prediction, smarter city services in Buenos Aires, Microsoft’s first homegrown AI models, and even next-gen game remasters are showing the promise of AI when used responsibly.
From crypto treasuries to rogue AIs, here’s everything you need to know this week.
Web3
Crypto Home Invasion Ringleader Given Longer Sentence
1️⃣ Remy St Felix, already serving 47 years for violent home invasions that targeted crypto owners and netted $3.5 million, has received an additional seven years for assaulting a witness in detention. The case underscores the growing trend of wrench attacks on crypto owners.
Indian Court Hands Life Sentences in Bitcoin Extortion Case
2️⃣ An Indian anti-corruption court sentenced 14 people to life imprisonment for the 2018 kidnapping and extortion of over 750 Bitcoin from businessman Shailesh Bhatt. The victim was reportedly beaten and forced to transfer his crypto.
Elon Musk’s Lawyer to Chair $200 Million Dogecoin Treasury
3️⃣ Alex Spiro, Elon Musk’s lawyer, is set to chair a new public company aiming to raise US$200 million for Dogecoin investments. Backed by House of Doge, the venture seeks to give investors stock-market exposure to DOGE without direct ownership.
Pump.fun Buys Back $62 Million PUMP to Stabilise Token
4️⃣ Pump.fun repurchased 16.5 billion PUMP tokens worth over $62 million to stabilise its price, which has risen 12% in the past month. The buybacks, funded by meme coin launch fees, come as the platform faces a $5.5 billion class-action lawsuit.
Solana ETFs Edge Closer to Approval Amid Strong Demand
5️⃣ Leading asset managers have updated their Solana ETF filings with the SEC, signalling likely approval by mid-October. Analysts predict these ETFs could attract as much as $8 billion in inflows, cementing Solana’s status as an institutional-grade asset.
Tether Reverses Freeze Plan on Five Blockchains
6️⃣ Tether has reversed its decision to freeze USDT smart contracts on Omni, Bitcoin Cash SLP, Kusama, EOS, and Algorand. While issuance and redemption will cease, tokens will remain transferable.
Authorities Shut Down Fake ID Marketplace
7️⃣ US and Dutch authorities have dismantled VerifTools, a crypto-funded fake ID marketplace that sold forged documents for as little as $9 in crypto, generating $6.4 million. They seized 23 servers and two domains.
Trump-Linked DeFi Venture Launches USD1 on Solana
8️⃣ World Liberty Financial, a DeFi venture linked to Donald Trump, is preparing to launch its USD1 stablecoin on Solana. The move is expected to inject significant liquidity into Solana’s $12 billion stablecoin market.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI Safety Tests Expose Harmful Chatbot Responses
1️⃣ Safety trials by OpenAI and Anthropic revealed that advanced chatbots provided harmful instructions such as how to build bombs, create bioweapons, manufacture illegal drugs, and conduct cybercrime. Anthropic has flagged “concerning behaviour” on such models.
Machine Learning Enhances Air Quality Forecasting
2️⃣ AWS developed a machine learning solution using SageMaker Canvas, Lambda, and Step Functions to predict missing PM2.5 data. Designed for low-code/no-code use, the model handles incomplete datasets and ensures continuous monitoring despite sensor gaps.
MIT AI Improves Flu Vaccine Selection
3️⃣ MIT researchers introduced VaxSeer, an AI tool that uses deep learning to forecast dominant flu strains and identify suitable vaccine candidates months in advance. By modelling viral evolution and immune responses, the system aims to reduce guesswork in annual vaccine decisions.
Buenos Aires Expands AI Assistant for Citizen Services
4️⃣ Buenos Aires’s AI assistant Boti now features guardrails to block harmful inputs and a retrieval system with up to 98.9% accuracy, while also responding in Rioplatense Spanish, improving accessibility and cultural connection in citizen services.
Microsoft Launches First In-House AI Models
5️⃣ Microsoft released its first internally developed AI models, MAI-Voice-1 and MAI-1-preview. MAI-Voice-1 can generate one minute of audio in under a second and powers features such as Copilot Daily, while the other is built for consumer queries.
AI and RTX Remix Transform Game Remasters
6️⃣ Modders are using NVIDIA RTX Remix and generative AI tools to create next-generation remasters of classic games. The process captures original assets and employs AI to upscale or generate thousands of textures.
Taco Bell Rethinks AI Drive-Through Strategy
7️⃣ Taco Bell is reassessing its AI-driven voice assistants in drive-throughs after issues with trolling, glitches, and customer dissatisfaction increased. CTO Dane Mathews admitted that fully relying on AI in very busy locations may not be ideal.
Mental Health Experts Warn Against AI Chatbots
8️⃣Psychiatrists and psychotherapists cautioned against relying on AI chatbots for mental health. Unlike trained therapists, AI cannot interpret subtext or provide human supervision. OpenAI is adapting its responses to emotional distress at the moment.
That’s all for this week’s Pasar Pulse. Want more insights? Stay tuned to our site or subscribe via email!
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