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Celsius Founder Alex Mashinsky Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Crypto Fraud

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Alex Mashinsky, the founder and former CEO of defunct crypto lender Celsius Network, was sentenced Thursday to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to securities and commodities fraud in a case that stands among the most severe stemming from the 2022 cryptocurrency market collapse.

U.S. District Judge John Koeltl in Manhattan imposed the sentence, which also includes three years of supervised release and a $48.4 million forfeiture. The ruling comes after federal prosecutors accused Mashinsky, 59, of deceiving Celsius customers about the platform’s safety and artificially inflating the value of the CEL token, Celsius’ proprietary digital asset.

The prosecution sought at least 20 years of imprisonment, describing Mashinsky’s actions as a betrayal that caused billions in customer losses while he personally gained over $48 million.

“The case for tokenization and the use of digital assets is strong, but it is not a license to deceive,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton in a post-sentencing statement.

Mashinsky had asked for a sentence of just one year and one day, expressing remorse and a desire to make amends. His attorneys did not immediately provide comment following the sentencing.

Founded in 2017, Celsius was based in Hoboken, New Jersey, and promised high-yield returns, offering up to 17% interest on some crypto deposits. Like other lenders in the crypto space, Celsius attracted customers with the promise of easy lending and high returns while funneling deposits to institutional borrowers in hopes of profiting from the spread.

However, the model collapsed under the weight of falling crypto prices. In July 2022, Celsius filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy with a $1.19 billion balance sheet deficit, after a customer run on deposits.

Mashinsky’s sentencing follows the high-profile conviction of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, who is serving 25 years for fraud and is currently appealing. Mashinsky also faces ongoing civil lawsuits from the SEC, CFTC, FTC, and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Born in Ukraine, Mashinsky immigrated to Israel and later moved to New York City in 1988, where he became a prominent tech entrepreneur before his fall from grace in the crypto world.

U.S. Senate Blocks Stablecoin Bill, Delivering Setback to Crypto Industry

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A bill aimed at establishing a U.S. regulatory framework for stablecoins failed to advance in the Senate on Thursday, marking a significant setback for the crypto industry and stalling hopes for near-term federal legislation governing dollar-pegged digital tokens.

Known as the GENIUS Act, the legislation fell short of the 60 votes needed to proceed to a full Senate vote, securing only 49 votes in favor. The failure comes despite months of lobbying by the crypto sector, which poured over $119 million into supporting pro-crypto candidates during last year’s election cycle and framed stablecoin regulation as a bipartisan issue.

Stablecoins — cryptocurrencies designed to maintain a stable 1:1 peg to the U.S. dollar — are widely used in crypto trading and payments, and their mainstream use has grown rapidly. While the industry had hoped the bill would pass this year, Democratic pushback intensified, particularly in light of former President Trump’s growing involvement in crypto ventures.

Two Republican senators — Josh Hawley and Rand Paul — voted against the bill alongside most Democrats, citing unresolved concerns. Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat who had previously backed the bill in committee, explained his opposition during the vote:

“The work is not yet complete, and I simply cannot in good conscience ask my colleagues to vote for this legislation when the text isn’t finished.”

A group of Democrats who initially supported the measure accused Republicans of refusing to strengthen the bill’s anti-money laundering safeguards and foreign stablecoin oversight, particularly following news that Trump-affiliated World Liberty Financial would launch a stablecoin to support a $2 billion Abu Dhabi-backed investment in Binance.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune expressed frustration on the floor after the vote, blaming Democrats for halting momentum:

“Not every bill that comes to the floor is a final bill… This was a missed opportunity for a bipartisan win.”

With this latest setback, the path forward for stablecoin regulation remains uncertain, and the crypto industry is left grappling with yet another delay in achieving formal legal clarity in the U.S. financial system.

Coinbase Acquires Deribit for $2.9 Billion to Expand Crypto Options Reach

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Coinbase, the largest publicly traded cryptocurrency exchange, announced a $2.9 billion acquisition of Deribit, a leading crypto derivatives platform, as it looks to strengthen its position in global crypto options trading and cater to a growing base of institutional and advanced retail investors.

The deal, comprising $700 million in cash and 11 million shares of Coinbase’s Class A stock, marks a strategic expansion beyond the U.S. and into derivatives-heavy markets such as Asia and Europe, where leveraged trading is more common. Deribit, known for its dominant role in crypto options, will provide Coinbase with a significant foothold in these international markets.

According to analysts, the acquisition positions Coinbase to benefit from the increasing demand for options as a hedging tool—especially during market volatility—while also opening doors for regulatory-compliant expansion should the U.S. legalize crypto options and perpetuals trading domestically.

“This acquisition gives Coinbase a real chance to become the go-to platform for derivatives trading in crypto globally,” said Bo Pei of US Tiger Securities. He added that the move reflects a broader trend of U.S.-based firms consolidating market share and scaling into more sophisticated financial products.

Coinbase has already seen record growth in both consumer and institutional derivatives volumes in the last quarter, even though it’s still in the early stages of the derivatives business. Its stock rose 5.7% on the announcement, partially recovering from a 21% decline earlier in 2025. The company is scheduled to report its Q1 earnings after Thursday’s market close.

The move also comes amid renewed political and regulatory interest in crypto. Former President Donald Trump has recently pledged to make the U.S. a global leader in digital assets, a stance that has encouraged optimism among crypto companies and investors alike.

Other firms are also making bold plays: Ripple recently acquired Hidden Road for $1.25 billion, and Kraken bought NinjaTrader for $1.5 billion to expand into retail futures. Analysts expect more consolidation ahead, with U.S. firms likely leading the wave.

Coinbase’s acquisition of Deribit may serve as a milestone in reshaping the competitive landscape of the crypto derivatives market — potentially giving it a long-term edge as global regulations evolve.