This week, the cryptocurrency industry once again found itself in the spotlight due to a series of high-profile events that could impact both the security of decentralized protocols and the trajectory of institutional adoption of digital assets. A hack on the Sui blockchain, the temporary suspension of major DEX operations, and FIFA’s launch of a blockchain platform on Avalanche — all in this round-up of key news.
Cetus Hack: $11M Stolen, Liquidity Pools Drained
The main story was a successful attack on Cetus, a core liquidity protocol operating on the Sui blockchain. Hackers drained over $11 million in SUI tokens from the SUI/USDC pool, triggering a massive price collapse. In some cases, asset values dropped by over 75%, a typical reaction to sudden liquidity withdrawals from DeFi protocols.
Analysts quickly traced the stolen funds, which are now distributed across four addresses on the Sui and Ethereum networks. The total estimated value of these assets is around $224 million, including:
– $92 million in SUI tokens;
– $70 million in Sui ecosystem tokens;
– $61 million in ETH.
The Cetus team has yet to issue an official statement, but Binance, according to Changpeng Zhao (CZ), is providing technical assistance to the Sui project in tracking and blocking suspicious transactions.
DEX Bluefin and Momentum Halt Operations
In response to the attack, Bluefin, the second-largest decentralized exchange by volume operating on Sui, temporarily suspended its spot market, citing the need to protect users from a potential vulnerability. Following this, the Momentum platform also announced the freeze of all operations until further notice.
This sparked active discussion within the crypto community. Participants noted that even mature and time-tested DeFi protocols remain vulnerable to sophisticated attackers. Users are demanding stronger security measures and stricter smart contract audit mechanisms.
Trump’s Support: Stablecoins Take Center Stage
Amid the negative news, the industry received a political boost. Donald Trump’s advisor on crypto and artificial intelligence, David Sacks, stated that the GENIUS bill — aimed at regulating stablecoins — has bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate.
According to him, the bill’s approval could lead to an increase in demand for U.S. Treasury bonds, as GENIUS requires stablecoins to be partially backed by government debt instruments. This could fundamentally reshape the stablecoin market and boost institutional interest in dollar-backed digital assets.
FIFA Launches Its Own Blockchain on Avalanche
A positive highlight came with FIFA’s initiative to launch its own blockchain, which will operate on Avalanche — one of the most advanced networks compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM).
Key details:
– The FIFA Collect NFT collection will be migrated from Algorand and Polygon to the new platform;
– The project aims to deliver high speed, scalability, and security;
– Integration will simplify the use of popular crypto wallets and pave the way for new digital FIFA assets.
According to FIFA Collect project lead Francesco Abbate, the move to Avalanche is driven by the need to build a stable and reliable ecosystem for long-term growth. Support for previous networks will end after a successful migration, though exact launch dates have not yet been disclosed.
The past week in the crypto market was intense: from the multi-million-dollar Cetus breach to FIFA’s major Web3 initiative and a potential legislative breakthrough for stablecoins in the U.S. These events highlight two sides of the industry — unprecedented risks and tremendous opportunities.
While developers deal with the aftermath of hacks and regulators prepare new rules, crypto investors have one key task: remain vigilant, stay informed, and remember — in a decentralized world, trust isn’t given — it’s built through code and transparency.
