The number of Android and iPhone users hit by bank malware is skyrocketing as criminals increasingly shift to mobile devices.

In a new report, the cybersecurity firm Kaspersky says the number of smartphone users who encountered banking malware in 2024 soared 258% year-on-year.

“In 2024, the number of users who encountered mobile banking Trojans grew 3.6 times compared to 2023: from 69,200 to 247,949.”

The most active mobile malware targeting bank accounts was Mamont, commanding a market share of approximately 36.7% in 2024.

“This malware first appeared at the end of 2023 and is distributed mostly in Russia and the CIS. Its distribution schemes are ranging from ages-old “Is that you in the picture?” scams to complex social engineering plots with fake stores and delivery tracking apps.”

Countries in Europe and Asia were the most heavily impacted by mobile banking malware in the last year.

As for banking malware targeting PCs (personal computers), some of the most significantly impacted countries in 2024 were in Central Asia, Kaspersky says.

“As in 2023, the highest share of banking Trojans was registered in Afghanistan, where it rose from 6% to 9% in 2024. Turkmenistan was next (as in 2023), where the figure rose from 5.2% to 8.8%, and Tajikistan was in third place (again), where the figure rose from 3.7% to 6.2%.”

Going forward, Kaspersky’s senior web content analyst Olga Svistunova, says the level of sophistication that cybercriminals employ to reach users is only going to rise.

“Looking ahead, we expect financial phishing to become even more personalized and targeted, focusing on exploiting vulnerabilities in everyday digital habits, which will demand increased vigilance and thorough approaches to protection.”

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Disclaimer: Opinions expressed at The Daily Hodl are not investment advice. Investors should do their due diligence before making any high-risk investments in Bitcoin, cryptocurrency or digital assets. Please be advised that your transfers and trades are at your own risk, and any losses you may incur are your responsibility. The Daily Hodl does not recommend the buying or selling of any cryptocurrencies or digital assets, nor is The Daily Hodl an investment advisor. Please note that The Daily Hodl participates in affiliate marketing.

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The crypto market spent most of March on a steady downtrend. Cryptocurrency prices across the board struggled on a downfall as investor caution and a lack of momentum suppressed the bullish narrative that dominated January and early February. With April just beginning, attention has turned to what lies ahead. 

Technical indicators are pointing to both uptrends and downtrends, but a major conversation is taking shape off the charts that could reset the trajectory of the entire crypto space. According to Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson, there are two key regulatory developments that could mark a turning point for crypto adoption and open the door for billions of new users almost overnight.

Hoskinson Predicts Tech Giants Will Adopt Cryptocurrency

In a recent episode of the “The Wolf Of All Streets” podcast hosted by Scott Melker, Charles Hoskinson outlined a scenario where two bills currently being debated in the U.S. Senate, one on stablecoins and the other on market structure, could change the crypto industries. He argued that once these frameworks are passed, major tech companies like Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft will have the legal clarity and infrastructure to integrate crypto wallets directly into their platforms. “Once those two bills pass, Apple, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, are going to say hey, we’re crypto people now,” Hoskinson said.

These companies already possess the infrastructure to onboard new crypto users: massive user bases, global infrastructure, payment processing tools, and familiarity with digital wallets. Once regulations provide a clear path forward, these tech companies will easily allow their users to buy and sell cryptocurrencies without leaving their ecosystems. This move wouldn’t be a gradual progress but a sudden leap into mass adoption that would unlock access to a userbase of over 3 billion users around the world.

The 3 Billion User Effect: What Will This Mean For The Crypto Industry?

The stablecoin legislation, formally titled the Stablecoin Transparency and Accountability for a Better Ledger Economy (STABLE) Act of 2025, is a proposal aimed at establishing clear rules for how stablecoins are issued and backed. It also seeks to amend existing federal securities laws to clarify that payment stablecoins should not be treated as securities. Although the exact timeline for when the bill will be passed is uncertain, Charles Hoskinson believes it will be passed within the next 60 to 90 days.

Once passed, the STABLE Act, alongside the market structure bill, will form the regulatory groundwork for widespread crypto adoption. On a basic level, it would allow major tech companies to integrate stablecoin payments into their platforms, letting users easily pay for services or products using stablecoins. On the higher end, these tech companies could eventually serve as intermediaries between users and crypto exchanges or even take on roles similar to exchanges themselves.

A user base of 3 billion users will bring with it not only increased trading volume but also growth in use cases, liquidity, and investment interest. It would shift crypto from a smaller sector into mainstream financial infrastructure.

Featured image from LinkedIn, chart from Tradingview.com

Billionaire Warren Buffett just poured more than half a billion dollars into three assets.

After dumping huge positions in Apple and Bank of America and hoarding $325 billion in cash, new SEC filings show the Berkshire Hathaway chairman and CEO has bought $405 million of Occidental Petroleum (OXY).

Occidental Petroleum is a global energy company involved in oil and gas exploration and production, with further ventures in chemicals and low-carbon initiatives.

OXY is down 21% since the start of the 2024, dropping from $60.05 to $47.13 at time of publishing.

Meanwhile, Buffett has also purchased $113 million in Sirius XM Holdings (SIRI) and $45 million in VeriSign (VRSN).

Sirius XM offers satellite and streaming radio services across North America, with its stock down 57% since the start of 2024, from $54.90 to $23.08.

VeriSign is a global provider of domain name registry services and internet security solutions, with shares down 1.35% year-to-date, from $201.56 to $198.84.

Buffett completed purchases of the three companies last week and was required to report the buys immediately because Berkshire now owns more than 10% of each company.

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