Bitcoin Life Insurer Meanwhile Raises $37.5M as Ledger Probes $72M Theft

Bermuda-based Meanwhile, the first company authorized to operate as a life insurer fully denominated in Bitcoin, has secured $37.5 million in new funding from existing investors, bringing total capital raised above $180 million. Bain Capital Crypto led the round, with participation from Haun Ventures, Framework Ventures, Pantera Capital, Apollo, Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, and Morgan Creek Digital. Backers include OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The company said surging interest from wealthy families in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East drove the raise, as Bitcoin holders seek regulated estate-planning solutions amid ongoing macro instability. "Wealthy families around the world already hold Bitcoin. What they haven't had is a regulated way to pass it on," said CEO and co-founder Zac Townsend.

Hardware wallet manufacturer Ledger is investigating suspected cryptocurrency thefts linked to an authorized Southeast Asian reseller, with onchain analysts estimating losses between $72 million and $86 million. Ledger has ordered CryptoBilis, which operates in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, to suspend all sales and shipments during the inquiry. Customers who purchased devices from the reseller within the past 90 days have been told not to activate them, while existing users are advised to migrate funds to a fresh wallet generated with a new recovery phrase. Blockchain researcher tanuki42 flagged eight addresses allegedly tied to the thefts across Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tron, while a second investigator operating under the handle Specter corroborated the figures. Security Alliance (SEAL) has called on potential victims whose assets landed at those wallets to come forward as part of the coordinated response.

Separately, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has opened a consultation on the use of tokenized collateral within central clearinghouses, seeking industry input on how blockchain-based assets can be integrated into margin and default-management frameworks. The move signals continued momentum among European regulators toward formalizing rules for tokenized real-world assets in traditional market infrastructure. ESMA's feedback request will inform upcoming technical standards expected to shape how clearinghouses handle digital collateral across the bloc.