2025

Is a $3 Trillion Crypto Collapse Really Coming?

CRYPTO / / Leave a Comment /

In December 2025, a stark warning jolted the crypto market: analysts suggest the $3 trillion digital asset ecosystem could face a major contraction in 2026 — with Bitcoin potentially falling toward $10,000 in a severe downside scenario. Dramatic? Yes. Dismissible? Not anymore. Crypto has already started to weaken. After peaking earlier this year, Bitcoin and major tokens have pulled back, mirroring stress across global risk assets. But unlike traditional markets, crypto remains heavily driven by liquidity and sentiment — making it more exposed when conditions tighten. The concern isn’t just internal to crypto. Higher real interest rates, a stronger dollar, and shrinking liquidity are pressuring speculative assets globally. Historically, capital exits high-volatility markets first — and crypto sits at the top of that list. The $10,000 Bitcoin projection isn’t a prediction of failure, but a reminder of how violently sentiment-driven markets can reprice. From past boom-bust cycles to the FTX collapse, crypto has shown how quickly confidence can unwind. This isn’t a death sentence — it’s a stress test. As crypto becomes more entangled with global finance, risk management, liquidity discipline, and macro awareness will matter more than narratives. The next cycle may reward caution as much as conviction.  

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CRYPTO

Case Study: The Jawed Habib & Son Cryptocurrency Fraud Case (2025)

Blockchain, CRYPTO, Cyber security, Digital Assets / / Leave a Comment /

In a world dominated by virtual fantasies and cyber riches, cryptocurrencies were the new fascination- a glittering vision of liberty, swiftness and prosperity. They turned programmers, traders and gamblers into millionaires. But in 2025, there was one tale from Uttar Pradesh that exposed the darker side of that virtual gold rush- when celebrity hairstylist Jawed Habib’s name suddenly landed in the middle of a multi-crore cryptocurrency scam. It was a headline nobody expected. Jawed Habib, India’s best-known style guru, the person behind hundreds of salons and thousands of makeovers, now accused of having a crypto scam connection? His name had previously equated to trust, beauty and success- so how did it find itself in the center of a money scandal? The origin of the scandal went back to 2023, when a firm known as Follicile Global Company (FLC) landed in the tiny town of Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. As a global crypto investment platform, FLC offered investors astronomical returns- up to 50 to 75 percent annual- from investing in Bitcoin. Their presentation was advanced, their confidence persuasive and their deal? Unbeatable. For many small-town investors who hardly comprehended cryptocurrency but longed for instant riches, it seemed that the future had come knocking at their door. To seal their reputation, FLC hosted a sparkling promotional ceremony. And their biggest attraction that night was none other than Jawed Habib and his son, Anas Habib, who graced the occasion as chief guests. Photos and videos of the occasion spread like fire- Habib taking center stage, smiling for cameras, flanked by FLC’s promoters. To hundreds of bystanders, this was all the guarantee they required. If a national celebrity of Habib’s standing was in attendance, then clearly the company must be genuine. The illusion held up beautifully. Within months, over 150 investors from Sambhal and surrounding districts invested between ₹5 to ₹7 lakh each. The investment went beyond ₹5 crore and, as more victims emerged, later estimates put losses at up to ₹100 crore. For a short while, all seemed hunky-dory- even early investors were given small “profits,” further enticement to other wannabe investors. But by mid-2024, the show was over. Unlike what was expected by the investors, the office of the company was discovered locked, its website disabled and all numbers of contact? Unavailable. Investors attempting to withdraw their funds found they had been ensnared. When cases did come to the police, the truth was finally out. FLC was not registered under any Indian financial law. It had no traceable office, no valid license and no traceable management. What it did have was a long list of victims and the face of a celebrity which had unwittingly become its strongest marketing tool. The Sambhal Police then initiated a thorough probe and shortly registered several FIRs under Sections 420, 406 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code- charges of cheating, criminal breach of trust and intimidation. As the case picked up momentum, lookout notices were also issued against Jawed Habib, his son and others suspected to be part of the fraud to ensure they did not leave the country. Searches were also made on Habib’s Delhi and Mumbai properties but it was reported that he was not traced there. By October 2025, more than 23 FIRs had been lodged and the approximate value of the fraud was said to be in tens of crores. The case led to an ethical as well as legal floodgate of questions. Even if Habib wasn’t formally affiliated with FLC, was he morally culpable for unwittingly lending legitimacy to a scam? The case shed light on an existential dilemma of the new era- how celebrity endorsements, no matter for how short a time, can be used as weapons to prey on public trust. It also highlighted how ill-regulated India’s cryptocurrency market remains. With no clear oversight or single governing body, fraudulent schemes find easy ground to grow, targeting people who neither understand digital finance nor know where to verify authenticity. The case of Jawed Habib also brought out the potency of fame psychology. Most investors acknowledged that they never looked into FLC’s documents, registration information or business model- they just believed in the well-known face they saw in commercials. It was a severe reminder that fame, when misplaced, can become an instrument in the hands of manipulators. As the probe is on, the case continues to be one of the most discussed instances of how India’s growing digital economy still has no buffer to defend its citizens. The Uttar Pradesh Police are following money trails, freezing accounts and tracking down the masterminds behind the syndicate. Reports indicate that if adequate evidence points to organized financial crime, tougher laws- including asset seizures- might come into force. But outside the courtroom, the broader lessons of this case are already clear. It cautions investors to always check before investing, to keep in mind that high returns nearly always mean high risk and to never mistake celebrity endorsement for credibility. It also calls on the government to make its digital financial regulations tighter and to inform citizens of the perils of online investment scams. The Jawed Habib cryptocurrency scam is no longer a case- it’s a cautionary tale for a whole generation of people impressed by digital cash and celebrity power. It illustrates how easily trust can be bought and how rapidly it can be broken. Whether or not, Habib gets convicted, the case has already altered the discourse on accountability, celebrity and finance in India. Ultimately, this scandal is not merely one of crores lost- it’s about misplaced trust. And as India marches onward into the digital age, the tale stands as a reminder that modernization unregulated can turn an opportunity for financial freedom, an opportunity for exploitation and glamour turn into grief.

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Blockchain, CRYPTO, Cyber security, Digital Assets
bitcoin, cryptocurrency, digital, money, electronic, coin, virtual, cash, payment, currency, global, cryptography, bitcoin, bitcoin, bitcoin, bitcoin, bitcoin, cryptocurrency, money, money

Blockchain and Its Future in India: Building Trust Beyond Intermediaries

Blockchain, CRYPTO / / Leave a Comment /

INTRODUCTION For a country where inefficiency and corruption often erode public trust, blockchain offers not just innovation, but institutional reform written in code. As India accelerates toward a $5-trillion digital economy, the need for transparent, tamper-proof, and efficient systems of governance has never been more urgent. Unlike artificial intelligence, which thrives on computational intelligence, blockchain’s true strength lies in its ability to create verifiable trust without intermediaries. Once synonymous with cryptocurrency, it is now redefining trust systems across sectors, from digital identity and finance to governance and logistics. Globally, blockchain is being institutionalized: in the United States, regulatory clarity and venture-backed innovation drive enterprise adoption; in Europe, sustainability goals and frameworks like MiCA shape cross-border blockchain applications; while the Asia-Pacific region, led by China, Japan, India, and South Korea, is rapidly integrating blockchain into trade, public services, and finance. India, too, is witnessing this shift, from experimenting with pilot projects to embedding blockchain into national infrastructure. The future of blockchain here is not about speculation, but systemic transformation. Once synonymous with cryptocurrency, it is now redefining trust systems across sectors, from digital identity and finance to governance and logistics. Globally, blockchain is being institutionalized: in the United States, regulatory clarity and venture-backed innovation drive enterprise adoption; in Europe, sustainability goals and frameworks like MiCA shape cross-border blockchain applications; while the Asia-Pacific region, led by China, Japan, India, and South Korea, is rapidly integrating blockchain into trade, public services, and finance. India, too, is witnessing this shift – from experimenting with pilot projects to embedding blockchain into national infrastructure. The future of blockchain here is not about speculation, but systemic transformation.  UNDERSTANDING BLOCKCHAIN AND THE PROBLEM OF TRUST At its core, blockchain is a decentralized digital ledger that records transactions across a peer-to-peer network without needing a central authority. Each transaction, once validated, becomes part of a chain of blocks that is immutable and verifiable by all participants. Historically, human economies evolved around centralized “trust systems” – banks, registries, notaries – entities we rely on to verify, record, and enforce transactions. However, such intermediaries bring inefficiencies, high costs, and in many developing contexts, corruption and opacity. India’s position (78th in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index) and poor performance in indicators such as enforcing contracts (163rd out of 190 in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business) reflect systemic trust deficits. Blockchain addresses this gap by replacing institutional trust with mathematical trust – cryptographic verification ensures that every transaction is transparent, tamper-proof, and recorded across multiple nodes, making unauthorized alteration nearly impossible. FROM BITCOIN TO BLOCKCHAIN: A SHIFT IN PARADIGM The origins of blockchain lie in the 2008 white paper introducing Bitcoin, a peer-to-peer electronic cash system designed to eliminate reliance on banks. Its key innovation was the ability to ensure trust without intermediaries, through cryptographic proof and distributed consensus. While the cryptocurrency debate continues, the underlying blockchain architecture has evolved into a general-purpose technology, capable of enabling smart contracts, decentralized applications, and transparent governance systems. INDIA’S POLICY AND LEGAL LANDSCAPE India’s legal journey with blockchain began contentiously. The Reserve Bank of India’s 2018 circular prohibited banks from dealing in virtual currencies. However, in Internet and Mobile Association of India v. Reserve Bank of India, Writ Petition (Civil) Nos. 528 and 373 of 2018, the Supreme Court struck down this ban, holding it disproportionate and lacking legislative backing. This judgment paved the way for blockchain innovation beyond crypto-speculation. Since then, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and NITI Aayog have led policy formulation. The Blockchain: The India Strategy report by NITI Aayog emphasized blockchain’s potential in land records, health, and supply chain transparency. Building on this, in September 2024, India launched its National Blockchain Framework (NBF) with a ₹64.76 crore budget. The National Blockchain Framework (NBF) is designed with a robust technical architecture to ensure scalability, interoperability, and security across applications. At its core lies the Vishvasya Blockchain Stack, envisioned as India’s national blockchain backbone to facilitate trusted data exchange and decentralized record management. Complementing this are NBFLite and Praamaanik, modular frameworks that enable secure, adaptable, and scalable blockchain adoption across different levels of governance and enterprise. Additionally, the National Blockchain Portal serves as an integrated platform to unify blockchain initiatives undertaken by various ministries, departments, and state governments, thereby promoting coordination and standardization in implementation. Deployed in NIC data centres across Bhubaneswar, Pune, and Hyderabad, the framework has already verified over 34 crore documents as of October 2025, demonstrating real-world implementation at scale. STATE-LEVEL ADOPTION AND INNOVATION At the state level, India’s approach to blockchain adoption reflects a federal model of innovation, where states act as experimental grounds for wider national implementation. This decentralized structure allows regional governments to tailor blockchain applications to local governance challenges while contributing to a cohesive national strategy. Telangana has emerged as a leader in this regard, integrating blockchain into its land registration systems to prevent tampering and enhance transparency. The state is also developing India’s first Blockchain District in Hyderabad, an innovation hub aimed at attracting startups, investors, and researchers to build a comprehensive blockchain ecosystem. Andhra Pradesh was among the earliest adopters of blockchain for e-governance, deploying the technology to secure land and administrative records. The state’s collaboration with technology startups has improved efficiency in public service delivery and demonstrated the feasibility of large-scale blockchain integration within government frameworks. Maharashtra has taken a complementary approach by launching an accelerator program and regulatory sandbox to promote blockchain startups. The state is exploring applications across supply chain management, healthcare, agriculture, and vehicle registration, sectors with high potential for efficiency gains through distributed ledger systems. These initiatives highlight India’s federal experimentation model, where proactive state-level innovation serves as the foundation for scalable, nationwide blockchain adoption. APPLICATIONS BEYOND CRYPTOCURRENCY The role of blockchain in India extends far beyond digital currencies, encompassing transformative applications across governance, finance, healthcare, supply chains, and sustainability. Its decentralized, immutable, and transparent design makes it a cornerstone for enhancing efficiency, trust, and accountability in both public administration and private enterprise. Governance

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Blockchain, CRYPTO

Baba Kismatwale – Criminal Data Dealing Specialist

Criminal Data, Cyber security, Data theft, Technology / / Leave a Comment /

Another news, another digital scam, but this time it’s not just a headline, rather a wake-up call for policymakers, law enforcement agencies, the job market and the ordinary citizens. The recent bust of Jamtara based cyber-fraud syndicate pretending to be Delhi Jal Board (DJB) officials involve three youngsters, of which, the main culprit, Niwash Kumar Mandal is a 28-year old B-Tech graduate with a diploma in ethical hacking – the kind of training designed for cybersecurity jobs but often repurposed by those the system leaves behind. Mandal allegedly used his skill set to build a criminal data marketplace by operating a Telegram channel called “Baba Kismatwale.” Through this channel, he sold banking and personal data to cybercriminals operating in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and elsewhere. The operation came to light when a Delhi citizen reported losing ₹2 lakh after downloading a malicious “DJB app.” Victims received WhatsApp messages threatening water supply disconnection, tricking them into installing a file called “दिल्ली जल बोर्ड V4.apk.” Once installed, the malware quietly captured their banking credentials — and the money began flowing out. When Mumbai-based fraud analysts followed the money trail, the investigation traced the digital operation back to Jamtara, Jharkhand — a place already notorious for cyber scams. What makes this case different, though, is the level of sophistication — malware-laden apps, money laundering through fuel cards, and a Telegram-based marketplace. Young, tech-skilled individuals exist in every corner of the country, but so do gaps in cybersecurity jobs, weak inter-state coordination and low public digital awareness.  As long as this imbalance continues, cybercrime hubs will keep thriving. In India’s rapidly changing digital landscape, this case reminds us of the modern day truth – The most dangerous tap isn’t the one in your kitchen. It’s the one you click. Stay alert, stay safe!

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Criminal Data, Cyber security, Data theft, Technology
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Decoding NFTs & their working system

Digital Assets, NFTs / / Leave a Comment /

Perhaps the most sensationalized innovation in the digital world in recent years is NFTs, or Non-Fungible Tokens. In simple terms, an NFT is a unique digital asset that represents ownership or proof of authenticity of something, be it a piece of digital art, music, video, tweet, or even a collectible in a virtual game. While cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are fungible, in that each coin is identical and can be exchanged for any other, NFTs are not interchangeable. All have different information that makes each one unique. That uniqueness and individuality give them value. Over the past few years, NFTs have taken over industries ranging from art to music, games, fashion, and even real estate. While for some, NFTs represent the future of digital ownership, others consider them just a passing internet craze. But beneath all the buzz, NFTs represent something deeper: a technological shift in how we define ownership in the digital era First of all, to understand NFTs, one needs to understand the technology behind them: blockchain. A blockchain can be visualized as a huge digital record book or ledger that, instead of being maintained on one computer, exists on thousands of systems around the world. Every new transaction or information that is entered into this ledger is entered in a “block,” and these blocks are then linked in chronological order to each other to form a chain; hence, the word blockchain. A major feature of this technology is that once information is added to a block, it cannot be altered, deleted, or tampered with. This makes blockchain an incredibly secure, transparent, and permanent system for recording data. When an NFT is created-what is often referred to as “minting”-certain information about that NFT is irrevocably written to the blockchain. This includes, among other things, the name of the creator, the date/time of creation, a hyperlink to the digital file it represents, and who the current owner is. Since this information is public, anyone can verify at any moment in time who the owner of the NFT is or view its ownership history. Because no one company, authority, or government is in control of the blockchain, these records remain decentralized and, by extension, trustworthy. It is for this reason that NFTs are sometimes referred to as “digital certificates of ownership”, representing verifiable proof that a given digital asset actually belongs to someone. The emergence of NFTs has been transformative for digital creators, especially artists, musicians, and designers working online. Digital creators struggled to get value from their work before the advent of NFTs. Whatever was put up online could be downloaded, copied, and shared any number of times, often without credit or payment to the creator. What NFTs did was change that dynamic by allowing artists to tokenize their creations, attach ownership details with them, and sell them directly to collectors or fans. This direct-to-buyer model cuts out intermediaries and gives creators more control over their work and what they earn. One of the most innovative features of NFTs is the concept of royalties. Using a smart contract-a self-executing code stored on the blockchain-creators can set up automatic royalty payments for their works. What that means practically is if an NFT is resold in the future, a portion of the sale automatically goes to the original creator. For example, if an artist sets up a 10% royalty, then he or she continues to make money every time his or her NFT resells, even years and years down the road. That is revolutionary because, just like in the case of traditional art and music markets, creators almost never profit from the increased value of their work after the initial sale. NFTs make sure that artists profit from the success of their works in the long run, without any middlemen or agencies. But beyond art and music, NFTs are finding applications across a range of industries. In the gaming industry, for instance, NFTs can be used to buy, sell, and trade in-game assets such as weapons, characters, or virtual land. Each of these assets is unique, and ownership can be proven and transferred safely on the blockchain. In the music world, artists are testing out using NFTs to sell limited-edition albums, concert tickets, or exclusive backstage experiences directly to fans. Even for real estate, some innovators explore how NFTs can represent ownership over property, presumably to make such transactions faster, safer, and more transparent. However, like any emerging technology, NFTs also come with a string of challenges and controversies. A major issue out there is market volatility. The value of NFTs can change dramatically-some have sold for millions of dollars, while others have rapidly lost value. This has led to speculation, with some investors entering the market for quick profits rather than any genuine appreciation of digital art or technology. Scams and fake NFT sales have also been reported, raising questions about security and buyer protection. In addition, legal and regulatory frameworks related to NFTs have yet to be fleshed out because many countries are still wrestling to determine the law on everything from ownership rights and intellectual property through to taxation and the protection of copyright. But despite these challenges, the core idea behind NFTs is undeniably powerful and transformative. They bridge the gap between creativity and technology, turning digital items into valuable, tradeable assets.  Ultimately, NFTs represent far more than a passing trend or an art collectible craze. They are a ground-breaking application of blockchain technology that has redefined how we perceive ownership, authenticity, and value in the digital age. Where the market for NFTs may continue to fluctuate, the underlying concept-that ownership can be digital, transparent, and trustworthy-is here to stay. NFTs have shown that blockchain is not just about cryptocurrency; it’s about creating trust, transparency, and accountability in a world that increasingly exists online. By acting as digital certificates of ownership, NFTs are shaping the future of how we buy, sell, and value creativity in the modern digital economy

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Digital Assets, NFTs