The U.S. Department of Justice has dropped a portion of the criminal case against Roman Storm, co-founder of the crypto mixer Tornado Cash, weeks ahead of his trial set for July 14. In a letter dated May 15, Acting U.S.…

DOJ narrows charges against Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm ahead of July 14 trial

**Key takeaways** :
 * Warren Buffett&#8217;s Berkshire Hathaway earned $250 million from its complete exit from crypto-friendly Nubank.
 * The decision to divest didn&#8217;t appear to be performance-based&#8211;Nu Holdings posted record profits in 2024 and Q1 2025.
 * Buffett&#8217;s exit aligns with Berkshire&#8217;s broader financial sector pullback and growing cash reserve strategy.
Warren Buffett, the legendary investor long known for his skepticism toward 
cryptocurrencies, has fully exited his position in one of Latin America&#8217;s most 
crypto-friendly banks, Nubank, before his departure from Berkshire Hathaway.
## Berkshire earns $250 million from crypto investments
A May 15 filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) confirmed 
that Berkshire has completely liquidated its positions in Nubank&#8217;s parent 
firm, Nu Holdings, ending its stake in the digital bank altogether.
Berkshire began divesting its 40.2 million Nubank shares in 2024, selling 
approximately 20.7 million in the third quarter at an average price of $13.46 
per share, according to data resource Stock Circle.
_Berkshire Hathaway&#8217;s Nu Holdings Ltd stake vs. NU price. Source: Stock 
Circle_
In the fourth quarter, it sold an additional 46.3 million shares at an average 
price of $13.22. The final tranche of 40.2 million shares was sold in the 
first quarter of 2025 at an average price of $11.83.
These transactions culminated in a total gain of approximately $250 million 
from the initial investment.
## NU doing well without Buffett
Buffett&#8217;s divestment from Nu Holdings further follows the latter&#8217;s impressive 
earnings in recent quarters.
In Q1 2025, the firm reported a net income of $557.2 million, marking a 47% 
increase compared to the same quarter in the previous year. Adjusted net 
income reached $606.5 million, reflecting a 37% year-over-year growth.
In 2024, Nu Holdings achieved an annual net income of $1.972 billion, 
representing a 91% increase from 2023, indicating that Berkshire&#8217;s decision to 
liquidate NU shares entirely was not about its performance.
_NU weekly performance chart. Source: TradingView_
Buffett&#8217;s exit aligns rather with Berkshire&#8217;s broader retreat from the 
financial sector. In Q1 2025, it also sold off Citigroup and cut its Bank of 
America stake, unloading over $2.1 billion in shares.
These moves pushed Berkshire&#8217;s cash reserves to a record $347.8 billion, with 
$305.5 billion in short-term US Treasurys.
Nubank has been among the most active digital banks embracing crypto services 
in Brazil, offering trading in Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), XRP (XRP), and 
other top cryptocurrencies directly through its app.
_**Related:**__**Berkshire-backed Nubank adds ADA, NEAR, ATOM to crypto 
offerings**_
In 2022, the neobank allocated 1% of its net assets to BTC, furthering 
Buffett&#8217;s indirect exposure to Bitcoin despite his criticism toward the 
cryptocurrency, which he once called a &#8220;rat poison squared.&#8221;
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every 
investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their 
own research when making a decision.

Warren Buffett exits crypto-friendly Nubank holdings, netting $250M profit

Bitcoin ETFs secured another net inflow of $115 million on Thursday, May 15, 
driven entirely by a massive injection of $409.72 million into Blackrock’s 
IBIT. Ether ETFs reversed their recent inflow momentum, logging a $39.79 
million net outflow. Crypto Flows Split: Bitcoin ETFs Add $115 Million, Ether 
ETFs Shed $40 Million Blackrock once again propped […]

Blackrock Powers Bitcoin ETF Gains Despite Big Outflows From Rivals

Pepe the Frog has been the eye candy of the meme subculture for over a decade. 
It&#8217;s so &#8216;OG&#8217; that its infusion with crypto – with the launch of $PEPE in April 
2023 – marked the beginning of a new era for community-driven finance, 
speculative trading, and crypto degen energy. $PEPE&#8217;s anti-utility philosophy 
resonated with millions, which is why it&#8217;s currently the third biggest meme 
coin in the world in terms of market capitalization. However, we&#8217;re here today 
to discuss $PEPE&#8217;s future. We&#8217;ll share with you several reasons why experts 
believe that $PEPE could be in the early stages of a massive rally. We&#8217;ll also 
point you towards another Pepe-themed altcoin, MIND of Pepe, and discuss why 
it&#8217;s one of the best cryptos to buy now. $PEPE Is Showing Remarkable Strength 
After debuting in April 2023, $PEPE was quick to skyrocket, gaining over 800% 
in less than a month. The next rally came in February 2024, when $PEPE jumped 
over 900% in just a few weeks. Since then, however, we haven&#8217;t seen a real 
explosion in $PEPE&#8217;s price. Sure, it climbed up nearly 300% in November last 
year, but the sharp and steady decline that followed it saw $PEPE lose over 
80% of its value. However, $PEPE&#8217;s chart has finally broken into green, 
perfectly matching its mascot&#8217;s color. $PEPE is up over 90% over the past 
month. A massive chunk of this gain came in just the last week, where $PEPE 
rose 68%, from $0.000008087 to $0.000013612. This surge is underpinned by 
several bullish indicators, including a terrific rise in $PEPE&#8217;s trading 
volume. At the time of writing, its 24-hour volume is $1.47B, which is only 
second to $DOGE in the entire meme coin market. Diving Into $PEPE&#8217;s Chart On 
the weekly chart, we can see that $PEPE&#8217;s current bounce is coming from a 
major support zone. Additionally, the price broke above both the 20 and 50 
Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs) last week, and it did so with quite some 
strength. According to the technical analysis playbook, we can expect Pepe to 
continue this bullish momentum until at least its all-time high. This means we 
can see $PEPE move nearly 100% in the next few weeks. Don&#8217;t get us wrong; 
doubling your investment is nothing to sniff at. These are returns a hedge 
fund manager would do anything for. However, when it comes to meme coins, 
triple-digit gains are not as few and far between. With $PEPE spiking 
recently, it&#8217;s a smart move to also look at other Pepe-inspired cryptos with 
smaller caps and undervalued potential. You could make a lot more than what 
$PEPE&#8217;s offering. Take MIND of Pepe, for example. It embodies Pepe the Frog&#8217;s 
energy but presents a more attractive and utility-driven proposition for 
investors. Unlike $PEPE, $MIND offers real use cases. Plus, it&#8217;s currently in 
presale, meaning you&#8217;ll essentially be buying it at some of its lowest-ever 
prices. The gain on listing alone could be more than what you churn out with 
$PEPE. What Is MIND of Pepe? At its core, MIND of Pepe ($MIND) is an AI agent 
built to help out crypto investors by pointing them towards the best cryptos 
to invest in. However, don&#8217;t be fooled into thinking that $MIND is similar to 
a trading indicator or signal provider. It&#8217;s not only much more comprehensive 
than that, but also leans heavily into the meme coin market, which could make 
it more profitable for short-term trades. That&#8217;s because MIND of Pepe: 
Interacts with crypto influencers on online platforms like X, Gathers their 
opinions and insights into various meme coins and altcoins, and Analyzes all 
the info through its hive-mind intelligence system to arrive at undervalued 
tokens with really high potential. Simply put, $MIND chews through social 
media trends and market sentiments in real time to identify the next crypto to 
explode. This means you&#8217;ll be able to buy new cryptos before they rocket to 
the moon. Imagine investing in $BROCCOLI as soon as it was listed because you 
were aware of CZ&#8217;s X banter. MIND of Pepe will help you catch such 
opportunities. It&#8217;s also worth noting that this AI agent is self-evolving. 
This means it learns from every conversation and interaction, which makes it 
smarter and more well-versed with crypto trends. Eventually, this Pepe- 
inspired AI agent will be able to create its own tokens. However, access to 
the AI Agent will be reserved for $MIND investors only. Buy $MIND for 
Exclusive Access to Its AI Agent Insights To access MIND of Pepe&#8217;s expert 
analysis and token recommendations, you&#8217;ll need to be a $MIND token holder. 
Luckily for you, MIND of Pepe is currently in presale, meaning prices are at 
their lowest. The project has so far raised over $9.3M, and each token is 
available for just $0.0037515. To learn more about the purchase process, check 
out our detailed guide on how to buy MIND of Pepe. In addition to live 
investment advice, $MIND holders will also benefit from an increase in the 
token&#8217;s price itself. According to our MIND of Pepe price prediction, it could 
reach $0.030 by 2030, i.e., an 800x increase in around five years. Finally, 
you can also stake your $MIND tokens and earn a generous 244% APY. However, 
keep in mind that this APY will decrease as the presale progresses. For the 
best ROI, now&#8217;s the best time to buy $MIND. Last but not least, we urge you to 
do your own research. Any investments you make in crypto should be on your own 
accord. The market is highly volatile, and our articles are merely 
informational in nature, not financial advice.

Is a Pepe Reversal Happening? Here’s Why MIND of Pepe Is the Best Crypto to Buy

In the last few weeks, the sentiment around Bitcoin has turned around as bulls 
have pushed it past the $100,000 mark once again. Despite the recent drawdown, 
the BTC price is still bullish, with the market sentiment sitting in greed. 
However, a new development on the Bitcoin weekly chart could signal an end to 
the recent bullishness, just like it did back in 2022. Sell Signal From 2022 
Reappears Back in 2022, large sell-offs triggered by the crash of the FTX 
crypto exchange brought an abrupt end to the Bitcoin bull market and plunged 
investors into months of despair as prices lagged. During this time, a sell 
signal on the Bitcoin Weekly SuperTrend went off and the result was the over 
60% decline of the Bitcoin price. Since then, this sell signal has remained 
dormant, but now it has returned. Related Reading: Road To $320,000: Bitcoin 
Enters Trend Continuation, But $109,400 Must Hold Crypto and CMT-Certified 
analyst Tony Spilotro took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a disturbing 
formation on the Bitcoin chart. The analyst explained that the sell signal on 
the weekly supertrend which had been dormant had finally returned. This signal 
was triggered just below the current all-time high of $109,000 and it seems 
the market is playing out accordingly. The analyst explained that while the 
BTCUSD pair continues to show strength, it could be a false strength. This is 
because the US dollar has weakened recently, which means that this could be 
the reason behind the strength shown by the BTC price. Additionally, Tony 
revealed that even the BTCEUR pair has not shown any crossover of the LMACD. 
Now, given that this rare bearish signal is flashing right now, it could have 
some serious implications for the crypto market. The first of these would be 
that this is the top of the market. In such a case, investors could be looking 
at another drawn-out bear market. When it comes to how low the price could go, 
going by the 2022 performance, a 60% crash would bring the Bitcoin price back 
below $50,000. If this happens, it would ravage the already struggling altcoin 
market, as well as pushing BTC below the cost price of Strategy’s 500,000 BTC 
stash, which opens another can of worms on its own. Related Reading: Bitcoin 
Bull Market: Pundit Reveals When To Sell Everything Bitcoin Needs To Maintain 
Range Breakout In another post, Tony explained what needs to happen for the 
current uptrend to be sustained. He pointed out that range breakouts are only 
completed in a strong, large weekly candle. In addition, the breakout then 
needs to close out above the upper Bollinger Band for confirmation. Presently, 
the BTC price is yet to close out above the upper Bollinger Band, which is 
sitting at $108,507. However, with two weeks still left to go in the month of 
May, bulls still have time to complete it before the month closes out. 
Otherwise, the current breakout could fail, and a reversal could push BTC 
further down. “Bulls want to see this within two weeks, leading to a strong 
May close,” Tony Spilotro said. Featured image from Dall.E, chart from 
TradingView.com

Bitcoin Weekly SuperTrend Flashes Sell Signal From 2022 Despite BTC/USD Strength

## What is AI vibe coding?
_AI vibe coding is a novel approach to software development that generates 
advanced, executable code based on well-crafted natural language user prompts. 
_
Yet another innovation fueled by artificial intelligence capabilities, AI vibe 
coding is proving to be a game-changer, especially for non-technical 
enthusiasts who can now experiment with software development and contribute to 
the ever-expanding technology ecosystem.
At a fundamental level, AI vibe coding uses advanced machine learning 
algorithms to interpret natural language instructions and generate 
corresponding code in the desired software language.
Users can input their requirements in plain language, such as &#8220;create a crypto 
website with a blog section and user login functionality,&#8221; and AI tools will 
generate the appropriate body of code needed to realize the project. This 
contrasts with traditional software development practices, which require the 
user to be skilled in programming languages and incorporate formal reviews 
along the journey.
Notably, Charlie Shrem, an early Bitcoin pioneer, is bringing back the Bitcoin 
faucet &#8212; a site where people earn small amounts of Bitcoin by solving 
CAPTCHAs. His new site, 21million.com, is inspired by a 2010 version that 
helped spread Bitcoin in its early days.
Right now, the site isn&#8217;t fully working and has no Bitcoin (BTC) to claim, but 
Shrem says it&#8217;s meant to help new users get started, with no hidden catch. 
He&#8217;s building it using AI tools, calling it &#8220;vibe coding.&#8221; Shrem, who once ran 
a major Bitcoin exchange, hopes this project will spark fresh interest in 
Bitcoin.
While AI vibe coding can lead to faster software development results, there is 
a risk that the output generated from a vibe coding approach may not be 
adequately reviewed and signed off, which is where traditional coding 
practices continue to offer safeguards.
_**Did you know?** The term &#8220;vibe coding&#8221; was popularized by OpenAI co-founder 
Andrej Karpathy, who described it as a way to &#8220;fully give in to the vibes,&#8221; 
effectively embracing AI-generated code without manually tweaking it._
## Key features of AI vibe coding
_Unlike traditional coding, AI vibe coding requires no formal software 
development qualifications for users to get started. All you need to vibe code 
is an idea, with the ability to write it clearly using natural language 
prompts._
Fundamentally, AI vibe coding is characterized by the following features:
 * **Natural language processing (NLP):** AI vibe coding relies heavily on NLP to understand and process user instructions. 
 * **Machine learning:** As with all practical applications of AI, machine learning models trained on vast amounts of coding data are used to generate executable code based on user prompts. 
 * **Real-time feedback:** Users can receive and provide immediate feedback on the output, allowing for efficient code iteration and refinement. 
 * **Accessibility:** Vibe coding democratizes software development, enabling individuals without formal coding training to create functional applications. It lowers or eliminates the entry barriers into programming, empowering more users to participate in technology design and foster innovation from diverse perspectives.
## Why is AI vibe coding considered risky?
_Despite its obvious benefits, AI vibe coding carries many risks that users 
must be aware of and mitigate as required. These risks range from security 
concerns to ethical and legal implications. _
Understanding the risks associated with AI vibe coding can help users 
alleviate potential issues and legal implications. Here&#8217;s a post by Matt 
Palmer outlining common safeguards to be considered for AI vibe coding.
Some of the common risks associated with AI vibe coding are:
 * **Security concerns:** AI-generated code might be susceptible to vulnerabilities if the underlying algorithms fail to account for security best practices. After all, AI learns from somewhere else! Therefore, inexperienced users might inadvertently create applications prone to cyberattacks, exposing sensitive data and risking user trust. This is particularly concerning when building applications that handle personal or financial information, as even a minor security flaw can have significant repercussions. 
 * **Code quality:** While AI tools can generate functional code, the quality and reliability of this code may vary, and will certainly not cater to all nuances commonly found in a real-world scenario. Similarly, AI&#8217;s understanding of user requirements might not always align perfectly with the intended functionality, leading to bugs and inefficiencies. Furthermore, the AI might not always follow the best coding practices, resulting in code that is difficult to maintain and scale. This can be especially problematic in large-scale projects where code quality is paramount. 
 * **Ethical concerns:** AI vibe coding can raise ethical and legal questions, especially concerning intellectual property. There might be ambiguity in ownership and copyright of AI-generated code, posing challenges for developers and users. Additionally, using AI in coding can lead to ethical concerns about job displacement and the devaluation of human expertise. It&#8217;s crucial for developers and organizations to navigate these issues thoughtfully and responsibly, especially when relying on vibe coding practices for large-scale project development. 
 * **Over-reliance on AI:** As AI vibe coding becomes more prevalent, there is a risk of developers becoming overly reliant on AI tools, potentially diminishing their traditional coding skills and understanding. This reliance on AI can lead to a lack of deep technical knowledge, making it difficult for developers to troubleshoot issues or innovate independently. Continuous learning and skill enhancement are essential to maintain a balanced approach to software development. 
 * **Explainability:** While AI vibe coders may eventually even get the job done with vibe coding, they may not always have the skills required to review, debug, or refactor their code due to the lack of traditional software development skillsets, impacting the explainability and ultimately, reliability of code.
_**Did you know?** A major risk of AI vibe coding is the emergence of 
&#8220;slopsquatting,&#8221; a new type of supply chain attack where AI-generated code 
suggests non-existent package names, which attackers can exploit by creating 
malicious versions &#8212; talk about innovating to wreak havoc!_
## How to vibe code safely
_To mitigate the risks associated with AI vibe coding, users should adopt 
certain best practices. These practices can help ensure the AI-generated code 
is secure, reliable and ethically sound._
Best practices to vibe code safely include:
 * **Learning best practices:** Even though AI vibe coding simplifies the development process, users should still familiarize themselves with basic coding principles. This knowledge will help in understanding the AI-generated code and making necessary adjustments. It also enables users to identify potential issues and apply best practices, ensuring the code is robust and maintainable. 
 * **Implementing security measures:** It is crucial to ensure that the AI-generated code adheres to security best practices. As seen in a popular example on X, where a non-technical founder publicly shared his journey to building a web-based application exclusively with vibe coding, a lack of security considerations resulted in cyber threat actors attacking the application, resulting in it being taken down.
Users should incorporate security checks and validations to safeguard their 
applications against potential threats. Regularly updating and patching the 
code, conducting security audits and following industry standards can help 
mitigate security risks.
 * **Regular audits and reviews:** Conducting regular code reviews can help identify vulnerabilities and improve the overall quality of AI-generated code. Collaborating with experienced developers for feedback and insights is highly beneficial. Peer reviews and collaborative coding sessions can provide valuable perspectives and enhance code quality. 
 * **Understanding ethical and legal implications:** Users should know the ethical and legal ramifications of using AI-generated code. Consulting with legal experts on intellectual property and copyright issues can prevent future complications. Additionally, being informed of ethical guidelines and industry standards can help developers navigate the evolving landscape of AI in coding.
## How can blockchain support AI vibe coding?
_Blockchain technology has the potential to enhance security, transparency and 
collaboration in AI vibe coding, complementing existing platforms like GitHub. 
_
Here&#8217;s how it can help:
 * **Securing AI-generated code:** Blockchain&#8217;s decentralized and tamper-resistant design can help verify the integrity of AI-generated code. By recording hashes or proofs of code versions onchain (alongside repositories like GitHub), developers can detect unauthorized changes and maintain a secure, auditable history. 
 * **Maintaining transparency:** While platforms like GitHub track code changes, blockchain can provide an additional transparent, immutable log of modifications and interactions. This makes it easier to trace code evolution and verify its origins, improving accountability in collaborative AI projects. 
 * **Enhancing collaboration:** Blockchain-based systems can offer secure, trustless environments for developers to exchange code, feedback and ideas, complementing centralized platforms like GitHub. Though still emerging, these decentralized approaches have the potential to further strengthen collaboration in AI development.