Japanese police in Osaka arrested three men in March on suspicion of violating the Act on Punishment of Organized Crimes, alleging they helped an investment fraud group launder money by converting victim funds into crypto assets, including stablecoins. According to Odaily, investigators said stablecoins are being used by some criminal groups because they are pegged to fiat currency, have relatively low price volatility, and can be transferred quickly, which can help conceal the origin of illicit proceeds. Police said the suspects converted about 14 million yen collected from 10 victims across six prefectures in Japan into crypto assets, in an attempt to obscure the flow of funds. Authorities said the three men were involved in over-the-counter (OTC) trading, in which crypto transactions are completed directly between individuals without an exchange. Police believe the activity may be linked to money laundering on a scale of several billion yen. The report said stablecoins operate on blockchain networks where transaction records are difficult to tamper with, but rapid cross-border transfers and peer-to-peer trading can make tracing more difficult. Naoyuki Iwashita, an emeritus professor at Kyoto University, said that once digital assets are used by criminals, subsequent investigations and fund tracking become more challenging. As stablecoin use expands in Japan, industry participants said stronger anti-money laundering measures and tighter transaction oversight will be necessary conditions for further development.

Jio Platforms Ltd. plans to use part of the proceeds from its proposed initial public offering to repay its telecom unit’s external commercial borrowings of almost $3 billion. According to Bloomberg, the plan was disclosed in a draft IPO document.

Namada said it experienced a vulnerability-related security incident after on-chain data showed about 228,517 ATOM reached a Cosmos Hub address on June 18. According to NS3.AI, the address was drained within hours through IBC transfers and multiple outgoing transactions. Namada has not disclosed the type of vulnerability, how the attack was carried out, or the specific scale of losses.

Four matches were played at the FIFA World Cup 2026 on June 20, with the United States, Morocco, Brazil, and Paraguay all securing important victories. The United States defeated Australia 2-0, Morocco edged Scotland 1-0, Brazil beat Haiti 3-0, and Paraguay claimed a 1-0 win over Türkiye. USA 2-0 Australia The United States strengthened their position in Group D with a controlled first-half display against Australia in Seattle. The hosts took an early lead when Cameron Burgess turned the ball into his own net, giving the United States a strong platform. Alex Freeman then doubled the advantage shortly before half-time with a header, after an initial offside decision was overturned following a VAR review. The result confirmed the United States’ place in the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026, underlining their strong start to the tournament. Morocco 1-0 Scotland Morocco made a fast start against Scotland, with Ismael Saibari scoring after just 70 seconds to put his side ahead. Scotland responded with improved energy as the match progressed but struggled to create clear scoring opportunities. For Morocco, the narrow win provided a valuable boost as they continued their push to progress from the group stage. Brazil 3-0 Haiti Brazil delivered a composed and clinical performance to defeat Haiti 3-0 and move to the top of Group C. Matheus Cunha opened the scoring in the 23rd minute with his first World Cup goal. The Manchester United forward added a second with a sharp finish, putting Brazil firmly in control. Vinicius Jr then made it 3-0 before half-time, finishing after an excellent pass from Lucas Paqueta. Brazil managed the second half comfortably, while the result made Haiti the first team to be eliminated from the 2026 World Cup. Paraguay 1-0 Türkiye Paraguay boosted their hopes of reaching the last 32 with a narrow 1-0 victory over Türkiye. Matias Galarza scored after just 64 seconds, giving Paraguay an early lead that proved decisive. Türkiye pushed for a response but were unable to find an equaliser. Miguel Almiron was later sent off, becoming the first player in the tournament to receive a red card for covering his mouth. The defeat confirmed Türkiye’s elimination from the World Cup, while Paraguay remain in contention to advance. Upcoming Matches June 20 — All times local 12:00 — Netherlands vs Sweden, Group F 16:00 — Germany vs Côte d'Ivoire, Group E 19:00 — Ecuador vs Curaçao, Group E 22:00 — Tunisia vs Japan, Group F

MetaMask has unveiled a $30 million rewards campaign—not just as a thank-you gesture, but as the foundation of a new sustainable tokenomics model, the company is trying to build for the Web3 ecosystem.