Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said in a social media post Thursday that a ransom note arrived via email asking for $20 million in Bitcoin in exchange for not releasing information hackers had obtained on Coinbase’s customers. “I’m going to respond publicly,” Armstrong said. “We are not going to pay ransom.” https://t.co/evpIBMFvRW pic.twitter.com/f6UPdkL5R0 — Brian Armstrong (@brian_armstrong) May 15, 2025 Armstrong said attackers had found a “weak link” customer service agent outside the U.S. who accepted a “bribe” and gave away personal data on customers. In a company blog post, Coinbase said it will reimburse customers tricked into sending funds to…

Gold rush is back, and instead of miners and pickaxes, its hedge funds and billion-dollar spreadsheets. Ray Dalio’s Bridgewater Associates opened a fresh $318.8 million position in SPDR Gold Trust GLD during the first quarter of 2025, as per a new 13F filing with the SEC. For the world’s largest hedge fund, it’s not mere portfolio adjustment, it’s a shiny declaration. Dalio, a long-time outspoken proponent of “hard money,” recently doubled down on his opinion during a presentation at Abu Dhabi Finance Week. Forecasting a coming “debt money problem” due to hyperborrowing by the U.S., China and virtually every large…

Key Takeaways Good customer service in retail focuses on exceeding customer expectations and building lasting relationships through personalized and attentive service. Key elements of effective customer service include personalized attention, timely assistance, knowledgeable staff, a positive attitude, and effective communication. Exceptional customer service is crucial for small businesses, as it differentiates them from competitors and fosters brand loyalty. Engaging customer interactions and effective problem resolution are essential for creating memorable shopping experiences that encourage repeat visits. Investing in staff training and creating a customer-centric culture are vital strategies for enhancing customer service and ensuring employee empowerment. Implementing feedback mechanisms can…

by Kandiss Edwards May 15, 2025 A Minneapolis teacher is on leave after given one of their students a device that displayed gay porn. A Minneapolis Public Schools parent, Levi Chapman, is demanding accountability after his third-grade son was allegedly exposed to pornography on a teacher’s personal iPad during class, KSTP reported.  The incident occurred two weeks ago at Las Estrellas Elementary when the child, who had forgotten his district-issued laptop, borrowed the device from his teacher. According to court documents and interviews with his father, Chapman, the student described a pop-up displaying “a bunch of naked men lying on…

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. In the world of fast-growing tech companies, hiring tends to follow a predictable pattern. Leaders look for engineers fluent in the latest frameworks, product managers with impressive resumes, and marketers who know their way around every analytics dashboard. Skills are quantifiable. They are testable. And in high-growth environments where speed is currency, it is tempting to optimize your hiring process around hard qualifications. But here is the trap: A team stacked with talent but lacking ownership will never scale effectively. Over the years, we’ve seen companies across a wide range of industries…

When I need the real scoop on marketing tech, I skip glossy vendor decks and ask the people knee‑deep in campaigns, aka G2 super users and icons.

XPeng Inc XPEV released the official images of its new electric sports sedan XPENG P7 on Thursday. Lead exterior designer Rafik Ferrag published the images of the new car, previously known as E29. The French designer, known for shaping the first-generation P7 in 2018, leads the creative vision behind this latest iteration. Also Read: US Listed Chinese Stocks Rally As Countries Agree To Ease Import Tariffs The new XPENG P7 is a 5-seater sports sedan that XPeng’s research and development team developed over five years. CEO He Xiaopeng describes it as a significant upgrade that blends AI-powered luxury, cutting-edge XPENG…

Zoho Corporation has expanded its customer experience (CX) platform with deeper AI and workflow orchestration capabilities, powered by its proprietary AI engine, Zia. The enhancements aim to eliminate barriers to CRM adoption across business functions and make customer data more accessible and actionable for all departments. “Multiple people in an organization need access to customer information, yet historically, CRMs have been relegated to only sales teams,” said Mani Vembu, CEO, Zoho. “As we democratize CRM with the launch of CRM for Everyone, we also need to build in capabilities that make it easy for anyone to build and extend CRM…

by Sharelle B. McNair May 15, 2025 James was known as one of Jersey’s most powerful politicians, leading high-profile efforts to attract development opportunities to Newark Sharpe James, Newark, New Jersey’s longest-serving mayor, died May 10, CNN reports. He was 89. James served for a record-breaking five terms, never losing an election. The Democratic leader first entered politics when he secured a seat on the Newark City Council in 1970. He became the city’s mayor in 1986 after beating Kenneth Gibson, who served for 16 years. James served a total of 20 years. He was reelected four times before ultimately…

This year, AAA is predicting a new Memorial Day weekend travel record with an estimated 45.1 million people venturing at least 50 miles from their homes from Thursday, May 22, to Monday, May 26. That’s an increase of 1.4 million travelers compared to last year. (The previous record was set in 2005 with 44 million people, the company notes.) If that gives you pause to hit the road, Airbnb wants to make things easier by being your own personal concierge when traveling (or deciding to hang out at home). Related: ‘I Can’t Get Everyone to Move Here’: Why Airbnb’s CEO…