MASTR CRYPTO WIKI
Events, upgrades and cases, in date order. Each entry links to an article and its source. Dates describe the listed event, not the start of every related dispute.
Research articles and reference entries are published in English. Navigation is available in seven languages.
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Foundations
David Chaum’s blind-signature work separates issuer authorisation from visibility of the unblinded payment token. This is a research contribution, not a decentralised currency launch.
Before Bitcoin: privacy, digital cash and the missing agreementPrimary source ↗
Foundations
Haber and Stornetta describe techniques for time-stamping digital documents, an important precursor to later chained records.
Related reading: The historical references are a reading routeBitcoin white paper · references
Foundations
Eric Hughes connects privacy, cryptography and building practical systems. The manifesto is a statement of aims, not a blockchain specification.
Before Bitcoin: privacy, digital cash and the missing agreementPrimary source ↗
Foundations
Adam Back proposes Hashcash, a proof-of-work system later referenced in Bitcoin's design.
Related reading: The historical references are a reading routeBitcoin white paper · references
Foundations
Wei Dai describes an electronic cash proposal using a distributed database and pseudonymous participants.
Related reading: The historical references are a reading routeBitcoin white paper · references
Foundations
Hal Finney develops RPOW, combining proof-of-work tokens with a trusted execution component.
Related reading: Proof-of-work miningBitcoin developer documentation
Foundations
Nick Szabo describes a design combining proof of work, timestamps and ownership records. Publication of a proposal is different from a production network launch.
Before Bitcoin: privacy, digital cash and the missing agreementPrimary source ↗
Foundations
Satoshi Nakamoto describes peer-to-peer electronic cash and a proof-of-work solution to double spending.
Related reading: Reading the Bitcoin white paper: what each part actually solvesBitcoin white paper · original PDF
Foundations
Bitcoin's first block marks the beginning of its chain history.
Related reading: 2008–2009: Bitcoin and the problem of double spendingBitcoin developer guide: block chain and consensus
Bitcoin
Satoshi Nakamoto sends bitcoin to Hal Finney in an early network transaction.
Related reading: 2008–2009: Bitcoin and the problem of double spendingBitcoin developer documentation
Bitcoin
A forum-arranged purchase exchanges 10,000 BTC for 2 pizzas, becoming an early price and payment milestone.
Related reading: Bitcoin: settlement, mining and custodyRelated article and source record
Custody
An account compromise and abnormal trading expose how a centralised venue can fail independently of Bitcoin.
Related reading: Mt. Gox: the long tail of a custody failureRelated article and source record
Networks
Litecoin adapts Bitcoin's design with different hashing and timing parameters.
Bitcoin
The specification records this assignment date for deriving a hierarchy of keys from a seed. Public-key derivation and private spending authority have different exposure risks.
Smart accounts: recovery, delegation and the new control mapPrimary source ↗
Businesses
Coinbase begins as a hosted service for buying and holding bitcoin, part of the expansion of custodial access.
Related reading: Custody: what you control and what you depend onRelated article and source record
Protocol
The block subsidy falls from 50 to 25 BTC at height 210,000.
Related reading: Bitcoin halvings: a programmed subsidy reductionBitcoin Core: subsidy and block validation implementation
Networks
The XRP Ledger's early history develops around validators and issued assets rather than proof-of-work mining.
Related reading: XRP Ledger: validators, XRP and issued assetsRelated article and source record
Bitcoin
The specification records this assignment date for converting entropy into a mnemonic and deriving a seed. A readable backup phrase remains security-critical key material.
Smart accounts: recovery, delegation and the new control mapPrimary source ↗
Culture
Dogecoin turns an internet meme into a proof-of-work cryptocurrency and later a major speculation culture.
Networks
Ethereum's programmable blockchain design is introduced before the 2015 Frontier launch.
Related reading: 2015: Ethereum makes shared computation a public serviceEthereum Foundation: Frontier launch, 30 July 2015
Custody
The exchange's collapse leaves customers facing a lengthy insolvency and rehabilitation process.
Related reading: Mt. Gox: the long tail of a custody failureMt. Gox trustee: official rehabilitation notices
Regulation
New York proposes a licensing framework for virtual currency businesses, starting a major US state regulatory model.
Related reading: Checking a crypto-provider authorisationRelated article and source record
Stablecoins
Realcoin, later renamed Tether, introduces a dollar-linked token model whose reserve representations later draw enforcement scrutiny.
Related reading: 2021: Tether's reserve representations face an enforcement findingCFTC: Tether and Bitfinex orders, 15 October 2021
Stablecoins
Maker's development leads toward overcollateralised DAI and onchain liquidation mechanics.
Related reading: Overcollateralised debt positionsUniswap protocol concepts
Protocol
Ethereum's first live release introduces its programmable execution environment.
Related reading: 2015: Ethereum makes shared computation a public serviceEthereum Foundation: Frontier launch, 30 July 2015
Ethereum
The proposal’s creation date marks work on common balance, transfer and allowance interfaces. Compatibility does not prove fair issuance, sound economics or a safe implementation.
Programmable money: why token standards changed the industryPrimary source ↗
Security
The incident leads to competing proposals for handling the affected funds.
Related reading: The DAO: code, governance and the 2016 splitSEC: The DAO investigative report, 25 July 2017Related reading: The DAO exploit and Ethereum fork
Protocol
The subsidy falls from 25 to 12.5 BTC at height 420,000.
Related reading: Bitcoin halvings: a programmed subsidy reductionBitcoin Core: subsidy and block validation implementation
Protocol
Ethereum's fork changes state following The DAO incident; the original chain continues separately.
Related reading: The DAO: code, governance and the 2016 splitEthereum: network history and forks
Security
The theft becomes the underlying offence in a later US money-laundering prosecution.
Related reading: 2016–2024: the Bitfinex theft, laundering and later sentencingUS DOJ: Bitfinex laundering sentence, 14 November 2024
Privacy
Zcash launches with shielded transaction technology alongside transparent transaction modes.
Markets
Token sales expand rapidly, often financing future products before usable networks exist.
Related reading: The ICO era: selling access to a future productRelated article and source record
Enforcement
The report examines when token offerings fall within securities law.
Related reading: The ICO era: selling access to a future productSEC: The DAO investigative report, 25 July 2017
Protocol
Witness commitments and new transaction-weight rules change Bitcoin transaction accounting.
Related reading: 2017: SegWit changes Bitcoin transaction accountingBitcoin BIP141: Segregated Witness
Regulation
Chinese authorities announce restrictions that reshape exchange access and mining geography over later years.
Related reading: Checking a crypto-provider authorisationRelated article and source record
Applications
A popular NFT application demonstrates how 1 application can consume meaningful shared-chain capacity.
Related reading: Gas limits and execution costEthereum.org: gas and fees
Custody
The Japanese exchange reports a large theft from its custody environment.
Related reading: Coincheck NEM theftRekt: incident leaderboard and archive
Ethereum
The proposal formalises ownership and transfer of non-fungible tokens. It does not by itself guarantee media persistence, creator identity or a particular licence.
NFTs after the boom: the token, the artwork and the permissionPrimary source ↗
Scams
BitConnect's lending programme ends amid regulatory action and later criminal allegations.
Related reading: BitConnect lending programmeUS DOJ: BitConnect founder indictment, 25 February 2022
Promotions
US authorities pursue conduct around the Centra ICO, including later promoter settlements.
Related reading: Mayweather and Khaled ICO promotionsSEC: Floyd Mayweather and DJ Khaled settlements, 29 November 2018
Protocol
Lightning Labs announces its beta, an early deployment milestone for payment channels.
Related reading: 2018: Lightning reaches a mainnet betaLightning Labs: first lnd mainnet beta, 15 March 2018
Security
The public notice explains a denial-of-service vulnerability and its inflation implications. Fixed releases preceded this disclosure; a software bug must be distinguished from an intended monetary rule.
Bitcoin’s early lesson: money rules need independent verificationPrimary source ↗
Markets
An automated exchange built around liquidity pools goes live on Ethereum.
Related reading: 2018: Uniswap makes pooled liquidity a trading venueUniswap Labs: protocol history
Enforcement
SEC orders address undisclosed payments for promoting ICO investments.
Related reading: Floyd Mayweather, DJ Khaled and ICO promotionSEC: Floyd Mayweather and DJ Khaled settlements, 29 November 2018
Custody
Cryptopia reports a security breach before entering liquidation later in 2019.
Related reading: Cryptopia exchange liquidationGrant Thornton New Zealand: Cryptopia updates
Custody
QuadrigaCX enters court proceedings while customer asset access and records remain unresolved.
Related reading: QuadrigaCX and the missing custody recordOntario Securities Commission: QuadrigaCX report
Networks
The proposed global stablecoin project triggers policy resistance and is later reworked and abandoned.
Related reading: Stablecoin reserve modelsUniswap protocol concepts
Scams
PlusToken users lose access as authorities and analysts trace a large recruitment-driven crypto scheme.
Related reading: PlusToken investment schemeFBI IC3: cryptocurrency fraud and reporting
Networks
Solana's mainnet beta starts, establishing its account and programme execution model.
Related reading: Solana: wallets, token accounts and authoritySolana documentation: accounts
Protocol
The subsidy falls from 12.5 to 6.25 BTC at height 630,000.
Related reading: Bitcoin halvings: a programmed subsidy reductionBitcoin Core: subsidy and block validation implementation
Markets
Compound's governance-token incentives help accelerate liquidity-mining activity.
Related reading: 2020: liquidity mining turns usage into a token rewardCoinDesk: COMP distribution and governance changes, 30 June 2020
Scams
US criminal proceedings expose claims of mining and trading returns unsupported by the real money flow.
Related reading: AirBit ClubDOJ: National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team archive
Markets
Liquidity incentives move assets from Uniswap into SushiSwap and show how token rewards can redirect protocol usage.
Related reading: 2020: liquidity mining turns usage into a token rewardUniswap protocol concepts
Protocol
Proof-of-stake consensus begins operating before its later merger with Ethereum execution.
Related reading: 2022: Ethereum replaces mining with proof of stakeEthereum: network history and forks
Culture
NFT trading and profile-picture collections turn token ownership into a mass-market identity and speculation product.
Related reading: 2021: the NFT boom connects provenance, art and speculationERC-721: non-fungible token interface
Markets
Christie's sale becomes a prominent milestone in the NFT market's expansion.
Related reading: 2021: the NFT boom connects provenance, art and speculationChristie's: Beeple auction history
Businesses
A major US crypto exchange lists shares on Nasdaq, marking deeper contact with public equity markets.
Related reading: Custody: what you control and what you depend onRelated article and source record
Markets
Dogecoin and newer tokens demonstrate how social distribution can overwhelm conventional valuation narratives.
Related reading: Manufactured social proofRelated article and source record
Security
A privileged cross-chain path is exploited; much of the transferred value is later returned.
Related reading: Poly Network cross-chain exploitRekt: incident leaderboard and archive
Protocol
EIP-1559 introduces a burned base fee and new transaction fee settings.
Related reading: 2021: EIP-1559 changes Ethereum fees and introduces base-fee burningEthereum: network history and forks
Ethereum
The proposal’s creation date precedes later deployments and revisions. User operations, bundlers and an entry-point contract move account features into programmable validation.
Smart accounts: recovery, delegation and the new control mapPrimary source ↗
Ethereum
The proposed authentication format binds a message to a service context and nonce. Signing in with a key is distinct from authorising a token transfer.
Names and sign-in: readable identity without assuming trustPrimary source ↗
Enforcement
The orders address historical reserve representations and retail commodity transactions.
Related reading: 2021: Tether's reserve representations face an enforcement findingCFTC: Tether and Bitfinex orders, 15 October 2021
Protocol
Bitcoin adds Schnorr signatures and Taproot spending rules at height 709,632.
Related reading: 2021: Taproot changes Bitcoin's spending pathsBitcoin BIP341: Taproot
Security
Users approve hostile transactions delivered through compromised web infrastructure.
Related reading: BadgerDAO frontend compromiseRekt: incident leaderboard and archive
Security
A verification failure allows unbacked wrapped ETH to be minted on Solana.
Related reading: Wormhole message-verification failureRekt: Wormhole incident analysis
Enforcement
BlockFi agrees to $100 million in combined SEC and state penalties.
Related reading: 2022: BlockFi and the regulation of crypto interest accountsSEC: BlockFi lending-product settlement, 14 February 2022
Enforcement
US prosecutors allege a global investment-fraud scheme; an indictment is an allegation.
Related reading: BitConnect: promised returns and the supposed trading botUS DOJ: BitConnect founder indictment, 25 February 2022
Security
A bridge compromise is later attributed by the FBI to North Korean actors.
Related reading: Ronin: bridge theft and attributionFBI: attribution of the 2022 Ronin theft
Governance
Borrowed voting power is used to approve treasury-draining execution in 1 transaction.
Related reading: Beanstalk governance takeoverRekt: incident leaderboard and archive
Markets
Terra's redemption mechanism and market confidence break down.
Related reading: Terra and UST: the peg, the collapse and the fraud casesSEC: Terraform / Kwon civil fraud verdict and settlement, 13 June 2024
Credit
Leveraged fund exposures spread losses into lenders and customer-facing platforms.
Related reading: Three Arrows Capital collapseRekt: incident leaderboard and archive
Security
Compromised validator control enables unauthorised bridge withdrawals.
Related reading: Harmony Horizon bridgeRekt: incident leaderboard and archive
Custody
Customers lose access to assets before the lender enters bankruptcy.
Related reading: 2022–2025: Celsius, promised yield and CEL price supportUS DOJ: Mashinsky sentencing, 8 May 2025
Credit
Voyager's customer product fails after counterparty lending exposure becomes uncollectable.
Related reading: Voyager Digital collapseFTC: Voyager Digital settlement and Stephen Ehrlich suit
Custody
The filing follows its withdrawal freeze.
Related reading: 2022–2025: Celsius, promised yield and CEL price supportUS DOJ: Mashinsky sentencing, 8 May 2025
Security
A trusted-root error makes a withdrawal pattern reproducible by many addresses.
Related reading: Nomad trusted-root failureRekt: Nomad incident analysis
Protocol
Ethereum's execution layer moves to Beacon Chain proof-of-stake consensus.
Related reading: 2022: Ethereum replaces mining with proof of stakeEthereum Foundation: mainnet Merge announcement
Markets
Trades increase collateral value before assets are borrowed from the platform.
Related reading: Mango Markets oracle manipulationCFTC: digital-asset derivatives enforcement record
Enforcement
The SEC addresses an undisclosed $250,000 payment for an EthereumMax promotion.
Related reading: Kim Kardashian and EthereumMaxSEC: Kim Kardashian EthereumMax settlement, 3 October 2022
Custody
Withdrawal pressure reveals a customer-asset shortfall and intertwined exposure to Alameda.
Related reading: FTX and Alameda: customer money, privileged accounts and the bankruptcyUS DOJ: Samuel Bankman-Fried sentencing, 28 March 2024
Custody
Gemini Earn customers are affected by their lending exposure to Genesis.
Related reading: 2021–2023: Gemini Earn connects a retail interface to Genesis credit riskSEC: Genesis and Gemini Earn complaint, 12 January 2023
Custody
The collapse reveals privileged affiliate access and a customer-asset shortfall.
Related reading: FTX privileged Alameda accountSEC: FTX investor-fraud complaint, 13 December 2022
Scams
US cases describe mining and trading claims used to support a Ponzi scheme.
Related reading: IcomTechDOJ: National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team archive
Enforcement
The complaint describes alleged customer-fund diversion and special treatment for Alameda.
Related reading: FTX privileged Alameda accountSEC: FTX investor-fraud complaint, 13 December 2022
Enforcement
The complaint concerns the offer and sale of the Gemini Earn lending product.
Related reading: 2021–2023: Gemini Earn connects a retail interface to Genesis credit riskSEC: Genesis and Gemini Earn complaint, 12 January 2023
Scams
US authorities pursue founders of the smart-contract recruitment scheme.
Related reading: Forsage smart-contract pyramidSEC: charges concerning Forsage, 1 August 2022
Markets
Disclosure of reserve cash at Silicon Valley Bank prompts concern about access to backing.
Related reading: 2023: USDC's peg encounters a banking failureCircle: reserve access and the March 2023 depeg
Promotions
The SEC files its complaint and announces settlements with several promoters.
Related reading: TRX and BTT celebrity promotion casesSEC: TRX / BTT allegations and celebrity settlements, 22 March 2023
Security
A lending-accounting path is exploited using atomic liquidity and complex position changes.
Related reading: Euler donation-to-reserves exploitRekt: incident leaderboard and archive
Policy
The announcement covers depositors at Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank.
Related reading: 2023: USDC's peg encounters a banking failureTreasury, Federal Reserve and FDIC: joint statement, 12 March 2023
Enforcement
The SEC announces charges and celebrity settlements concerning promotion and other alleged conduct.
Related reading: TRX and BTT: the 2023 celebrity-promotion casesSEC: TRX / BTT allegations and celebrity settlements, 22 March 2023
Protocol
Ethereum enables validator withdrawals, subject to its withdrawal rules.
Related reading: 2023: Shapella enables staking withdrawalsEthereum Foundation: Shapella announcement
Security
Specific pools using vulnerable Vyper versions suffer reentrancy-related losses.
Related reading: Curve Vyper reentrancy incidentRekt: incident leaderboard and archive
Bridges
Large movements and operational silence create uncertainty about control of bridge assets.
Related reading: Multichain bridge collapseRekt: incident leaderboard and archive
Enforcement
Karl Sebastian Greenwood receives a 20-year prison sentence.
Related reading: OneCoin: a cryptocurrency story without the promised systemUS DOJ: OneCoin co-founder Greenwood sentenced, 12 September 2023
Credit
The FTC permanently bans Voyager from handling consumer assets and sues former CEO Stephen Ehrlich.
Related reading: Voyager Digital collapseFTC: Voyager Digital settlement and Stephen Ehrlich suit
Security
Complex concentrated-liquidity accounting is manipulated across affected pools.
Related reading: KyberSwap concentrated-liquidity exploitRekt: incident leaderboard and archive
Tokens
US criminal and civil actions challenge claims concerning liquidity and its control.
Related reading: SafeMoon: the liquidity claim, conviction and 2026 sentenceReuters: SafeMoon executives charged, 1 November 2023
Enforcement
The resolutions establish specified compliance offences, not every allegation ever made about the exchange.
Related reading: Binance and CZ: what the 2023 guilty pleas establishedUS DOJ: Binance and Zhao guilty pleas, 21 November 2023
Scams
US authorities allege a large recruitment-driven investment scheme operating under several names.
Related reading: HyperFund and HyperVerseDOJ: National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team archive
Policy
The SEC approves exchange rule changes permitting the products' listing and trading.
Related reading: 2024: US spot Bitcoin ETPs change the access routeSEC: spot Bitcoin ETP approval statement, 10 January 2024
Protocol
Ethereum introduces blobs and a separate data fee market through EIP-4844.
Related reading: 2024: Dencun gives rollups a separate data marketEthereum Foundation: Dencun announcement
Enforcement
A US court imposes a 25-year prison sentence following his fraud conviction.
Related reading: FTX and Alameda: customer money, privileged accounts and the bankruptcyUS DOJ: Samuel Bankman-Fried sentencing, 28 March 2024
Bitcoin
A fungible-token protocol begins at Bitcoin block 840,000, increasing competition for block space.
Related reading: Gas limits and execution costEthereum.org: gas and fees
Protocol
The subsidy falls from 6.25 to 3.125 BTC at height 840,000.
Related reading: Bitcoin halvings: a programmed subsidy reductionBitcoin.org: halving dates and subsidy schedule
Enforcement
The SEC announces a settlement following the civil fraud verdict.
Related reading: Terra and UST: the peg, the collapse and the fraud casesSEC: Terraform / Kwon civil fraud verdict and settlement, 13 June 2024
Policy
Parts of the EU Markets in Crypto-Assets regime begin applying to asset-referenced and electronic-money tokens.
Related reading: Checking a crypto-provider authorisationRelated article and source record
Custody
The announced plan distinguishes allowed dollar claims from the return of the original coins.
Related reading: FTX bankruptcy-claim valuationFTX estate: confirmed reorganisation plan, 7 October 2024
Enforcement
Ilya Lichtenstein receives five years for the money-laundering conspiracy.
Related reading: 2016–2024: the Bitfinex theft, laundering and later sentencingUS DOJ: Bitfinex laundering sentence, 14 November 2024
Policy
The wider EU crypto-asset service-provider framework begins applying, subject to transitional rules.
Related reading: Checking a crypto-provider authorisationRelated article and source record
The official attribution follows a fake coding test through session impersonation to a manipulated transaction request.
Related reading: DMM Bitcoin, 2024: a recruitment lure reached a custody workflowFBI, DC3 and Japan NPA attribution, 23 December 2024
Enforcement
A US court sentences the exchange after its Bank Secrecy Act guilty plea.
Related reading: BitMEX Bank Secrecy Act caseDOJ: BitMEX fined for Bank Secrecy Act violation
Security
The FBI attributes a major exchange theft to North Korean TraderTraitor actors.
Related reading: Bybit February 2025 theftFBI: Bybit theft attribution, 26 February 2025
Security
A major digital-asset theft is attributed by the FBI to North Korea days later.
Related reading: 2025: the Bybit theft and the limits of a transaction signatureFBI: Bybit theft attribution, 26 February 2025
The sanctions designation, its removal and cases against individuals are separate legal events.
Related reading: Tornado Cash: the 2025 delisting belongs in the history tooUS Treasury delisting, 21 March 2025
Enforcement
The Celsius founder receives a 12-year US prison sentence after his guilty plea.
Related reading: Celsius CEL market supportUS DOJ: Mashinsky sentencing, 8 May 2025
Ethereum
Ethereum activates changes including account and validator features after testing and coordination.
Related reading: Smart-account validationERC-4337: account abstraction
Enforcement
Alex Mashinsky receives 12 years after pleading guilty to fraud offences.
Related reading: 2022–2025: Celsius, promised yield and CEL price supportUS DOJ: Mashinsky sentencing, 8 May 2025
Enforcement
Kwon pleads guilty in the US criminal case arising from representations around Terra.
Related reading: Terra and UST: the peg, the collapse and the fraud casesSEC: Terraform / Kwon civil fraud verdict and settlement, 13 June 2024
Enforcement
A US court imposes a 15-year sentence.
Related reading: Terra and UST: the peg, the collapse and the fraud casesSEC: Terraform / Kwon civil fraud verdict and settlement, 13 June 2024
Enforcement
Kwon receives 15 years after his August guilty plea in the US criminal case.
Related reading: Terra and UST: the peg, the collapse and the fraud casesUS DOJ: Do Kwon sentencing, 11 December 2025
Policy
The SEC and Gemini agree to dismiss the Earn case after full in-kind customer recovery through Genesis bankruptcy.
Related reading: Genesis and Gemini Earn structureSEC: Genesis and Gemini Earn complaint, 12 January 2023
The legal record concerns access to supposedly locked liquidity and diversion of investor assets.
Related reading: SafeMoon: the liquidity claim, conviction and 2026 sentenceUS DOJ sentence announcement, 10 February 2026
Research infrastructure
The paper analyses selected token activity before and after migration. Its cohort and measurement rules define the scope; the findings are not a census of every launch.
The launch economy: bots, bundles and the meaning of a holder countPrimary source ↗
Fraud data
The FBI publishes loss data showing the continuing scale of investment and impersonation fraud.
Related reading: Relationship investment fraudFBI IC3: cryptocurrency fraud and reporting
The compensation announcement describes recovered assets and a claims process, not a reversal of the original losses.
Related reading: OneCoin, 2026: asset recovery is not the same as repaying every victimFBI claims notice, 25 June 2026
Research infrastructure
Demystifying Solana Trading Bots examines public bot repositories and traced transactions. Its sample provides evidence about observed behaviour without completely revealing private infrastructure.
The launch economy: bots, bundles and the meaning of a holder countPrimary source ↗
MASTR research
MASTR publishes direct observations about incentives, representatives and exchange-linked flows on X.
Related reading: MASTR on X: incentives, influence and exchange flowsRelated article and source record
MASTR research
Saved workbooks reconcile launch inventory, claim wallets and completed sales rather than relying on screenshots.
Related reading: LAPTOP: pre-launch inventory and $2.34 million in sale receiptsRelated article and source record
MASTR research
MASTR's saved records reconcile launch inventory, claims and completed sales.
Related reading: LAPTOP: pre-launch inventory and $2.34 million in sale receiptsMASTR: LAPTOP independent onchain reconstruction, 9 September 2026