FTX execs blew through $8B; testimony reveals how
Sam Bankman-Fried and other FTX executives spent $8 billion worth of customer funds on real estate, venture capital investments, campaign donations, endorsement deals and even a sports stadium, according to testimony from former senior FTX executive Nishad Singh. Singh’s testimony, which kicked off the third week of Bankman-Fried’s trial, provides
Read moreIndia’s Agnikul gets $26.7M to prepare for commercial space launches
Agnikul, an Indian space tech startup developing small-lift launch vehicles, has raised $26.7 million in fresh investment as it looks to begin commercial launches using its customizable satellite rocket. Companies — from big tech giants to startups — are looking to launch their small satellites (up to 500 kg in
Read moreSam Bankman-Fried was a bad friend, too
What, me worry? | Photo illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos by Westend61 and Bloomberg, Getty Images Nishad Singh says he tried to get Bankman-Fried to do the right thing — but he wouldn’t listen. In September 2022, when he found out that Alameda had been using FTX
Read moreBandcamp’s new owner lays off half the company
Bandcamp has officially changed hands from its old new owner, Epic, to its new new owner, Songtradr, and lost half its employees in the process. Songtradr confirmed that “50% of employees received offers” to continue on under the new ownership — and naturally the other 50% didn’t. The venerable digital
Read moreMax Q: Psyche(d)
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Read moreGoogle lobbies against legally mandated age verification for minors
Google is challenging proposed laws that would require online services to implement age checks in a new framework that theorizes how technology companies should approach children’s safety online. The framework, titled the “Legislative Framework for Protecting Children and Teens Online,” is the tech giant’s response to congressional child online safety proposals.
Read moreWeb Summit derailed by founder’s public fight with those supporting Israel in Hamas war
Web Summit, the big tech conference brand that runs events in several cities and whose 70,000 person flagship event in Lisbon is taking place next month, is running into a wall — a wall of outrage. Founders, investors and others from the technology community in Israel have gone ballistic over
Read moreKia opens orders for its flagship all-electric 2024 EV9 SUV
Kia has started taking reservations for its EV9, the full-size SUV that has been positioned as the flagship for the company’s EV portfolio. Reservations for the Kia EV9 are $750 and can be applied to the purchase price, according to the company. Kia taking reservations for an EV is a
Read moreArcher Aviation to launch air taxis in Abu Dhabi in 2026
Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle company Archer Aviation plans to start air taxi operations in Abu Dhabi in 2026, making the city its first international market outside the United States. From there, Archer plans to launch an air taxi service across the United Arab Emirates as part of
Read moreWhatsApp turns on passwordless logins with passkeys for Android users
Illustration: The Verge WhatsApp users on Android can say goodbye to insecure and annoying SMS two-factor authentication. The Meta-owned company announced on X (formerly Twitter) that it’s rolling out support for a passwordless passkey feature to all Android users. The new security option allows WhatsApp users to use their device’s
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