**Ben Chow and Meteora Hit with Class Action Over Memecoin Scam**

Meteora and its co-founder Ben Chow are facing a class action lawsuit for allegedly leading a large-scale memecoin scam. The lawsuit claims at least 15 tokens, including the Melania and Libra coins, were part of a coordinated pump-and-dump scheme.

According to the complaint, Chow and others used public figures like Melania Trump and Argentina’s President Javier Milei to give their coins fake credibility. Investors say the tokens spiked quickly in price, only to crash soon after when developers dumped their holdings.

Chow denies getting any of the tokens or using insider info. He stepped down from his role at Meteora in February after these accusations started gaining attention.

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**Trump Pardons Binance Founder CZ Zhao**

In a surprising move, former President Donald Trump has officially pardoned Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, co-founder and ex-CEO of Binance. This could mark a major shift in U.S. crypto policy.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed the Biden administration unfairly targeted Zhao and cryptocurrency in general, without real evidence of fraud or victims.

Zhao had earlier denied reports that he was seeking a pardon but later admitted he had submitted a formal request. He previously spent four months in prison and paid a $50 million fine after pleading guilty to compliance issues at Binance. The company itself was fined $4.3 billion as part of one of the largest corporate settlements in history.

This pardon raises questions about whether Zhao might return to Binance, despite being banned from leadership under his 2023 plea deal.

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**JPMorgan: Bitcoin Miners Shift Focus to AI, Breaking Away from BTC Price**

JPMorgan analysts report that Bitcoin mining companies are no longer closely tied to Bitcoin’s price. Instead, many miners are now turning to artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure to generate more reliable profits.

According to the bank, this shift has caused mining stocks to act independently from Bitcoin prices since July. AI is providing miners with more stable and potentially higher-margin revenue sources.

JPMorgan estimates it currently costs around $92,000 to mine one Bitcoin. That figure could rise to $180,000 after the next halving event in 2028. Rising costs and slim profit margins are pushing smaller miners to explore alternatives like Ethereum and Solana.

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**T. Rowe Price Files for First Crypto ETF**

T. Rowe Price, a major asset management firm with over $1.7 trillion in assets under management, has filed paperwork to launch its first crypto ETF. The new fund will actively invest in major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and XRP.

The goal is to outperform the FTSE Crypto US Listed Index by managing the portfolio more actively than a typical index fund.

Industry experts say this is a big deal. A traditional firm founded in 1937 is now diving into crypto, showing how mainstream finance is starting to take digital assets seriously. As one analyst put it: “Hoping crypto goes away is not a good business strategy.”

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**MegaETH Confirms MiCA-Compliant Token Sale and Team Allocation**

MegaETH, an Ethereum Layer 2 project, has confirmed the details of its MiCA-compliant whitepaper after a leak earlier this week. The official document outlines how the MEGA token will be legally launched under EU crypto regulations.

Key details include:

– 9.5% of tokens will go to the team
– 53.3% will be used for staking rewards to boost on-chain activity
– Advanced features like sequencer rotation and proximity markets are part of the technical roadmap

While compliance with MiCA rules makes MEGA accessible to EU retail investors through licensed custodians, strict rules around identity checks and disclosures may limit broader participation.

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**What’s Coming Next**

– U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation data drops Friday at 8:30 a.m. ET. Economists expect monthly inflation at 0.4% and yearly core inflation at 3.1%.
– The Lugano Plan ₿ Forum kicks off in Switzerland, bringing together crypto leaders and policy makers.

Stay updated with the latest moves in crypto, memecoins, ETFs, mining trends, and legal news across the digital asset space.