# Conflict Related Articles

HTX News Center provides the latest articles and in-depth analysis on "Conflict", covering market trends, project updates, tech developments, and regulatory policies in the crypto industry.

WLFI's $75 Million Lending Game: Dolomite Depositors Deeply Trapped

Author: ChandlerZ, Foresight News. On April 9, CoinDesk reported that World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a crypto project co-founded by the Trump family, conducted multiple collateralized loans through the DeFi lending protocol Dolomite, raising market concerns about insider relationships, circular financing, and liquidity risks. WLFI used approximately 5 billion WLFI tokens as collateral on Dolomite to borrow around $75 million in stablecoins, with over $40 million transferred to Coinbase Prime, likely for fiat conversion or OTC trading. Between February and April, WLFI executed a series of transactions, including depositing its own stablecoin (USD1) and WLFI tokens into Dolomite to borrow funds, and directly sending USD1 to Coinbase. Dolomite’s co-founder, Corey Caplan, is also an advisor to WLFI, and WLFI’s lending platform is built on Dolomite, indicating potential conflicts of interest. WLFI now accounts for about 55% of Dolomite’s total supplied liquidity. The USD1 pool has a 93% utilization rate, leaving limited liquidity for other depositors. If WLFI’s token price drops significantly, forced liquidations could cause severe losses for ordinary users. This incident follows previous controversies, including a $500 million investment deal linked to an Abu Dhabi royal, sanctions-related associations, and a prior USD1 depegging event. WLFI responded that there is no liquidation risk and emphasized its business growth, but questions about governance and risk management remain unanswered.

marsbit04/10 06:19

WLFI's $75 Million Lending Game: Dolomite Depositors Deeply Trapped

marsbit04/10 06:19

Why is Covenant AI Fleeing Bittensor?

Covenant AI announced its exit from the Bittensor network, accusing co-founder Jacob Steeves (Const) of centralized control and governance abuses. The team claimed Steeves unilaterally suspended subnet emissions, revoked community management permissions, deprecated infrastructure without due process, and exerted economic pressure through token sales. Covenant AI highlighted its achievement in developing Covenant-72B—a 72-billion-parameter language model trained collaboratively by over 70 contributors on consumer hardware—as proof that decentralized AI training is viable. However, they argued that Bittensor’s governance is effectively controlled by a small group, with Steeves retaining ultimate authority, contradicting the network’s promised decentralized and permissionless nature. The incident sparked community debate, with some critics pointing to Covenant AI founder Sam Dare’s prior sale of 37,000 $TAO tokens. Meanwhile, $TAO’s price dipped amid the controversy. Covenant AI reaffirmed its commitment to decentralized AI and will continue its mission independently, emphasizing that true decentralization cannot coexist with centralized control.

marsbit04/10 03:44

Why is Covenant AI Fleeing Bittensor?

marsbit04/10 03:44

The TAO Subnet Team Praised by Jensen Huang Has Parted Ways with the Founder Amidst a Fallout

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang recently praised the decentralized AI project Bittensor (TAO) during a podcast, specifically highlighting a 72-billion-parameter Llama model trained collaboratively by a subnet team called Covenant AI. This endorsement initially boosted TAO's price, but the situation deteriorated rapidly when Covenant AI's founder, Sam Dare, publicly announced the team's departure from the Bittensor network. Covenant AI accused Bittensor and its key figure, Jacob Steeves (known as Const), of centralization and abuse of power, contradicting Bittensor’s decentralized ethos. The team claimed that Const exercised unilateral control by halting subnet emissions, removing administrative rights, discarding infrastructure, and using token sales to pressure the team. They argued that Bittensor’s governance is effectively centralized under Const, despite claims of distributed control. As a result, Covenant AI decided to leave, intending to continue its work on decentralized AI training elsewhere. The exit has sparked significant concern within the Bittensor community, raising doubts about the network’s decentralization narrative, technical future, and token value. TAO’s price fell sharply following the news. Const responded vaguely on social media, suggesting the event would push Bittensor toward more decentralized, “headless” subnets, but has not addressed the specific allegations in detail. The incident has damaged Bittensor’s reputation while raising Covenant AI’s profile.

Odaily星球日报04/10 03:08

The TAO Subnet Team Praised by Jensen Huang Has Parted Ways with the Founder Amidst a Fallout

Odaily星球日报04/10 03:08

A Ceasefire Without Trust Is Merely a Pause

"The Ceasefire Neither Side Can Keep" by Thomas Aldren examines the fragile truce between Iran and the US in 2026, framing it as a pause rather than a path to peace. The article argues that the lack is structural, rooted in both nations' historical and theological paths. Iran's political theology, since Khomeini's 1988 fatwa, reserves the right to revoke commitments if state interests demand, placing the state above all else. The US, having withdrawn from the JCPOA and pursued maximum pressure and military strikes like the 2025 "Midnight Hammer" operation, undermined its own credibility as a contractual partner. This mutual "idolatry"—elevating military power or state authority above covenant—has destroyed the moral and institutional foundations for trust. The ceasefire, with no public text or verification, is an empty shell. True peace requires both sides to first acknowledge their own idolatrous patterns rather than solely blaming the other.

marsbit04/09 13:04

A Ceasefire Without Trust Is Merely a Pause

marsbit04/09 13:04

OpenAI Experiences Internal Strife Again! Major Leadership Shake-Up on the Eve of IPO

OpenAI is experiencing significant internal turmoil and executive reshuffling just as it prepares for a potential IPO later this year. Key changes include COO Brad Lightcap transitioning to a special projects role, Chief Marketing Officer Kate Rouch resigning for health reasons, and Chief App Officer Fidji Simo taking a medical leave. These departures and reassignments have raised concerns about management stability during a critical period. Additionally, tensions have emerged between CEO Sam Altman and CFO Sarah Friar over the IPO timeline. Altman is pushing for a faster launch, aiming to go public before competitor Anthropic, and has publicly committed to $600 billion in future AI infrastructure investments. Friar, however, advocates for a more cautious approach, citing the immense internal preparation required and uncertainties around the company’s financial sustainability given slowing revenue growth and massive compute expenditure commitments. These developments have led to speculation about OpenAI’s ability to execute a successful IPO this year, with external observers and industry insiders questioning both its business model and internal cohesion amid fierce competition and financial pressures.

marsbit04/06 06:57

OpenAI Experiences Internal Strife Again! Major Leadership Shake-Up on the Eve of IPO

marsbit04/06 06:57

Oil Prices Are Approaching a Tipping Point, What Will Happen in Mid-April?

Oil prices are approaching a critical inflection point, with mid-April identified as a key threshold. The ongoing disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has halted oil tanker traffic, resulting in a production loss of nearly 11 million barrels per day from key producers including Iraq, Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. The release of 400 million barrels from strategic petroleum reserves (SPR) has provided a temporary buffer, delaying immediate price spikes but not resolving the structural supply deficit. If the conflict ends before mid-April, Brent crude could retreat to the $80–90 range. However, if disruptions persist beyond mid-April, the market faces a cumulative inventory drawdown of 210 million barrels or more, pushing prices toward $110–120 or even demand-destructive levels above $200. The conflict has shifted from a cycle of escalation and de-escalation to a test of market endurance. Iran appears incentivized to prolong the situation until the market reaches a breaking point, strengthening its negotiating position. Even if resolved soon, supply losses have already altered long-term oil balances, suggesting a structurally higher price floor ahead.

marsbit04/05 13:02

Oil Prices Are Approaching a Tipping Point, What Will Happen in Mid-April?

marsbit04/05 13:02

Bitcoin Could Be Taiwan’s Lifeline In Conflict, Think Tank Suggests

A Bitcoin Policy Institute report suggests Taiwan should build a national Bitcoin reserve as a strategic hedge against a potential Chinese military blockade or invasion. The argument centers on Bitcoin’s ability to remain accessible and transferable if traditional assets like gold or U.S. dollar reserves are frozen or immobilized. While Taiwan’s central bank previously rejected the idea due to Bitcoin’s volatility and custody challenges, the report warns that over 80% of Taiwan’s reserves are in dollar-denominated assets—exposing it to U.S. fiscal and monetary risks. Taiwan currently holds 210 seized Bitcoin (worth ~$14M), which would rank it seventh globally if recognized as a reserve asset. The central bank continues testing digital assets in a sandbox program but has not changed its official stance.

bitcoinist04/03 06:02

Bitcoin Could Be Taiwan’s Lifeline In Conflict, Think Tank Suggests

bitcoinist04/03 06:02

Russia, Iran-Linked Groups Turn To Crypto For Crowdfunded Drone Purchases – Report

A recent Chainalysis report reveals that pro-Russia and Iran-affiliated groups are increasingly using cryptocurrency to fund purchases of commercially available drones and components, which have become central to modern conflict. These groups utilize crypto for both direct purchases from manufacturers and indirect acquisitions via third-party e-commerce platforms like Alibaba. Iran-linked entities, including the IRGC, have used crypto to buy drone parts, while pro-Russia militias have raised over $8.3 million in crypto donations since 2022 to purchase drones, often from Chinese manufacturers. The blockchain provides transparency into these transactions, highlighting how crypto is transforming conflict economics by enabling groups to crowdfund military equipment despite limited access to traditional finance.

bitcoinist03/31 12:41

Russia, Iran-Linked Groups Turn To Crypto For Crowdfunded Drone Purchases – Report

bitcoinist03/31 12:41

Prediction Markets Hit Record Highs As Bets Explode On Global Conflict

Prediction markets are experiencing unprecedented growth, driven by automated AI agents and high-frequency trading bots that extracted approximately $40 million from market inefficiencies in a single month. These markets are increasingly dominated by bets on geopolitical events, such as the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, and major political events like the 2028 US Presidential primary, rather than cryptocurrency prices. TRM Labs reported a 2,800% year-over-year increase, with March 2026 seeing 191 million transactions totaling nearly $24 billion. This surge has attracted regulatory scrutiny over potential insider trading, leading to bipartisan efforts to ban "casino-style" event contracts. Platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket are implementing internal restrictions to preempt stricter regulations, as the industry balances its role as a forecasting tool with concerns over speculation on global conflicts.

bitcoinist03/31 02:31

Prediction Markets Hit Record Highs As Bets Explode On Global Conflict

bitcoinist03/31 02:31

Trump, the World's Largest Oil Trader

Donald Trump, described as the world's largest oil trader, used a post on Truth Social to claim "very good, productive" talks with Iran and announce a five-day pause in strikes on Iranian energy facilities. Minutes after the March 23 post, S&P 500 futures surged 2.7%, and Brent crude plummeted 13% to below $100, boosting U.S. stock market value by an estimated $1.7 trillion. Iran denied any talks, suggesting Trump manipulates oil prices weekly. Suspicious trading spikes occurred 15 minutes before the post, raising insider trading concerns, though regulators declined to comment. This mirrors a pattern: in 2020, Trump brokered OPEC+ cuts to raise prices, benefiting oil executives who funded his campaigns. Academic research confirms his social media moves oil markets. Now, his sons profit from military contracts: Donald Jr. invested in drone firms like Unusual Machines, which secured Army deals after his father’s election. With the Iran war boosting drone demand, the family benefits whether oil rises (more contracts) or falls (political wins). Trump’s power over oil—using policy, not money—makes him a unique market force.

marsbit03/24 04:05

Trump, the World's Largest Oil Trader

marsbit03/24 04:05

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