The Protocol: Global-e platform exposes Ledger customer information in data breach

Latest Network Updates

Ledger Experiences Another Data Leak

Ledger, a leading provider of hardware wallets, is addressing a recent incident where customer data was compromised. This breach is connected to Global-e, a third-party payment service. According to an email sent by Global-e—first shared by blockchain investigator ZachXBT—the unauthorized access exposed personal information such as names and contact details from Global-e's cloud storage. The notification did not specify how many users were impacted or when the breach took place. Previously, Ledger suffered a major data leak in 2020 through Shopify, affecting 270,000 customers, and in 2023, the company lost nearly $500,000 due to a hack that impacted several DeFi platforms. Global-e stated it quickly detected suspicious activity, implemented security measures, and brought in independent forensic experts to investigate. Their findings confirmed that some personal data had indeed been accessed without authorization. — Omkar Godbole Read more.

Starknet Restores Service After Outage

Starknet, an Ethereum layer-2 network, announced that its platform is fully operational again following a four-hour downtime. The team cautioned that transactions submitted between 09:24 and 09:42 UTC may not have been processed correctly. A comprehensive report detailing the timeline, root cause, and future prevention strategies will be released soon. Outages like this can disrupt decentralized finance activities, causing transaction delays, stalled swaps, and issues with updating positions. Sequencer-based networks, which rely on a limited group of operators for transaction ordering and block production, are especially vulnerable to such interruptions. — Margaux Nijkerk Read more.

Vitalik Buterin Outlines Ethereum’s Core Objectives

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin used his New Year’s message to highlight the network’s significant technical advancements over the past year, while emphasizing that Ethereum’s true challenge is to fulfill its foundational mission. In his post on X, Buterin noted that Ethereum has become faster, more dependable, and better equipped to scale without compromising decentralization. He cited improvements that boost throughput, reduce congestion, and simplify running the network’s software. However, Buterin stressed that reaching technical milestones is not enough. He warned against chasing fleeting trends—such as tokenized dollars or political memecoins—and instead reaffirmed Ethereum’s vision as a “world computer”: a neutral, shared platform for applications that can function independently of centralized entities. He referenced the “walkaway test,” which suggests systems should remain operational regardless of who maintains them, and underscored the importance of resilience, so users remain unaffected even if major infrastructure providers go offline. — Siamak Masnavi Read more.

Market Developments

Ethereum Staking Queues Have Emptied

The Ethereum network’s staking queues have cleared, allowing new validators to join or exit almost instantly. This shift indicates that the rush to stake ETH has subsided, and staking is now more stable rather than driven by scarcity. Staking queues, which measure the wait time to start or stop staking, serve as both a sentiment indicator and a liquidity gauge. The absence of queues demonstrates Ethereum’s ability to handle staking flows without locking up funds for extended periods. Meanwhile, staking rewards have dropped to around 3% as the total amount of staked ETH has outpaced new issuance and fee revenue, reducing incentives for rapid changes in staking participation. Lower yields may signal increased competition, but also reflect greater confidence in the network, as more ETH is being staked rather than traded. With queues near zero, users can stake or unstake without lengthy delays, making staking feel more flexible and less restrictive. This change is altering how traders and investors approach ether. — Shaurya Malwa & Sam Reynolds Read more.

Additional Headlines

• Morgan Stanley Expands Crypto Offerings: Morgan Stanley has filed a registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for an Ethereum trust, following previous filings for spot bitcoin and solana ETFs. This move reflects a growing trend among traditional financial institutions to provide digital asset products through regulated channels. — Oliver Knight Read more.
• Strategy (MSTR) Shares Jump After MSCI Decision: Shares of Strategy rose nearly 6% in after-hours trading when MSCI announced it would pause plans to exclude digital asset treasury firms from its indexes. This decision relieves immediate pressure on companies holding significant bitcoin reserves, though analysts caution that the situation may still evolve. — Helene Braun & Will Canny Read more.

Regulation and Policy

• Senate Banking Committee Nears Crypto Bill Vote: The U.S. Senate Banking Committee is approaching consensus on a bipartisan bill to regulate crypto markets, with a vote expected next week. While Republicans are optimistic about finalizing the legislation, Democrats have yet to comment on the accelerated timeline. A leaked document reported by Politico shows that many Democratic concerns have been addressed, but key issues such as ethics, yield treatment, money transmitter rules, Treasury oversight, and developer protections remain under discussion. — Jesse Hamilton Read more.
• Iran’s Defense Export Center Accepts Crypto Payments: Mindex, the export arm of Iran’s Ministry of Defense, is now accepting cryptocurrency for advanced weapons systems, aiming to circumvent international sanctions. Customers can purchase items such as missiles, tanks, and drones using crypto, Iranian rials, or bartering, according to the center’s website. Mindex claims clients in 35 countries, though prices are not listed. This marks one of the first known instances of a nation accepting crypto for military equipment, as reported by the Financial Times. — Jamie Crawley Read more.

Upcoming Events

• Feb. 10-12, 2026: Consensus, Hong Kong
• Feb. 17-21, 2026: EthDenver, Denver
• Mar. 30-Apr. 2, 2026: EthCC, Cannes
• Apr. 15-16, 2026: Paris Blockchain Week, Paris
• May 5-7, 2026: Consensus, Miami
• Nov. 3-6, 2026: Devcon, Mumbai