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{"actor":"system:backfill","investigation_id":"2475fba5-c3ac-4164-9093-6998e57de151","kind":"publish","page_slug":"strike","published_at":"2026-05-19T15:39:37.935Z","sequence_num":1,"snapshot":{"content_type":"investigation","entity_name":"Strike","sections":[{"content":"","heading":"","severity":"medium","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"Strike launches global money app to 3 billion people in over 65 countries","type":"official","url":"https://strike.me/blog/strike-launches-global-money-app-to-3-billion-people-in-over-65-countries/"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Strike Receives BitLicense and Money Transmitter License from NYDFS — Business Wire","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260305426748/en/Strike-Receives-BitLicense-and-Money-Transmitter-License-from-the-New-York-Department-of-Financial-Services"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Strike Establishes US Compliance Program with InnReg's Support","type":"other","url":"https://www.innreg.com/resources/case-studies/strike"}]},{"content":"","heading":"","severity":"medium","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Jack Mallers' Strike denied an email breach that definitely happened — Protos","type":"news_article","url":"https://protos.com/jack-mallers-strike-denied-an-email-breach-that-definitely-happened/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Bitcoin payments app Strike says no evidence of breach amid claims — The Block","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/260119/bitcoin-payments-app-strike-says-no-evidence-of-breach-amid-claims"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Strike accused of alleged data breach — Crypto News","type":"news_article","url":"https://crypto.news/strike-accused-of-alleged-data-breach/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Strike reports data leak of customer emails after initially denying any issues — Beyond Machines","type":"news_article","url":"https://beyondmachines.net/event_details/strike-reports-data-leak-of-customer-emails-after-initially-denying-any-issues-8-w-8-g-q"}]},{"content":"","heading":"","severity":"medium","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"What is my cash or USDT balance? — Strike FAQ","type":"official","url":"https://strike.me/en/faq/what-is-my-cash-or-usdt-balance-wr/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Bitcoin payments app Strike integrates Tether's USDT stablecoin — The Block","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/231714/strike-tether-bitcoin-payments"},{"credibility":2,"name":"With Bitcoin Clarity, El Salvador Allows Strike To Abandon USDT — Bitcoin Magazine","type":"news_article","url":"https://bitcoinmagazine.com/business/strike-abandons-usdt-in-el-salvador"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Strike CEO Jack Mallers Announces Lending Proof-of-Reserves and Backs Tether Merger Plan — Bitcoin Magazine","type":"news_article","url":"https://bitcoinmagazine.com/news/strike-ceo-jack-mallers-bitcoin-conference"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Strike Is Phasing Out USDT From Bitcoin-Based El Salvador Remittances, CEO Says — Yahoo Finance","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.yahoo.com/now/strike-phasing-usdt-bitcoin-based-194516505.html"}]},{"content":"","heading":"","severity":"medium","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"Strike Licenses — Strike.me","type":"official","url":"https://strike.me/legal/licenses/"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Strike Receives BitLicense and Money Transmitter License from NYDFS — CoinDesk","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/business/2026/03/06/strike-secures-new-york-bitlicense-opening-bitcoin-financial-services-to-state-residents"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Strike Establishes US Compliance Program with InnReg's Support","type":"other","url":"https://www.innreg.com/resources/case-studies/strike"}]},{"content":"","heading":"","severity":"medium","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"JPMorgan Chase closes Strike CEO Jack Mallers' accounts — The Block","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/380099/strike-jack-maller-jpmorgan"},{"credibility":1,"name":"JPMorgan and Strike CEO Jack Mallers Go Silent, Leaving Debanking Questions Unanswered — CoinDesk","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/business/2025/12/01/jpmorgan-and-strike-ceo-jack-mallers-go-silent-leave-debanking-questions-unanswered"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Strike CEO Jack Mallers Debanked By JPMorgan — Bitcoin Magazine","type":"news_article","url":"https://bitcoinmagazine.com/business/jack-mallers-debanked-by-jpmorgan"}]},{"content":"","heading":"","severity":"medium","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"XXI higher by 8% on merger plans with Strike and Elektron Energy — CoinDesk","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/04/29/jack-mallers-twenty-one-capital-surges-after-majority-holder-tether-proposes-3-way-merger"},{"credibility":2,"name":"XXI Rallies on Tether-Backed Merger Plan — But CEO Jack Mallers Sits on Both Sides of the Table — BigGo Finance","type":"news_article","url":"https://finance.biggo.com/news/RhjM350BtCxy99G5-qax"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Tether Investments Proposes Merger Plans at Twenty One Capital — Tether.io","type":"official","url":"https://tether.io/news/tether-investments-proposes-merger-plans-at-twenty-one-capital-to-accelerate-its-strategic-direction/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Tether Proposes Three-Way Merger to Build Integrated Bitcoin Platform — Unchained Crypto","type":"news_article","url":"https://unchainedcrypto.com/tether-proposes-three-way-merger-to-build-integrated-bitcoin-platform-around-twenty-one-capital-unchained/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Jack Mallers' Bitcoin payments app Strike is moving into crypto lending — The Block","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/353319/jack-mallers-bitcoin-payments-app-strike-is-moving-into-the-crypto-lending-business"}]}],"sources_used":[],"summary":"Strike (operated by Zap Solutions, Inc.) is a Bitcoin and Lightning Network payments application founded by Jack Mallers. The platform has faced scrutiny over a 2023 data breach it initially denied, the use of Tether (USDT) as a backing for purported USD cash balances for non-US users, and a 2026 proposed merger with Twenty One Capital (XXI) that raises serious conflict-of-interest concerns given Mallers serves as CEO of both entities.","timeline":[{"date":"2020-01-01","event":"Strike (Zap Solutions, Inc.) founded by Jack Mallers as a Bitcoin Lightning Network payments application.","source":"","source_url":"https://www.bitstamp.net/en-gb/learn/people-profiles/jack-mallers/"},{"date":"2021-06-01","event":"Strike supports El Salvador Bitcoin adoption; reliance on USDT draws criticism from Bitcoin community. Mallers says USDT will be phased out.","source":"","source_url":"https://www.yahoo.com/now/strike-phasing-usdt-bitcoin-based-194516505.html"},{"date":"2023-06-01","event":"Strike announces global expansion to over 65 countries, reaching approximately 3 billion potential users.","source":"","source_url":"https://strike.me/blog/strike-launches-global-money-app-to-3-billion-people-in-over-65-countries/"},{"date":"2023-10-31","event":"ZachXBT publishes evidence on Telegram of a Strike customer email data breach. Strike initially states 'There's no evidence that Strike was breached.' Within hours Strike reverses position, acknowledging a third-party vendor breach.","source":"","source_url":"https://protos.com/jack-mallers-strike-denied-an-email-breach-that-definitely-happened/"},{"date":"2023-11-01","event":"Strike confirms email list breach by third-party vendor to customers; phishing emails had targeted Strike users with scams mimicking Etherscan and OpenSea.","source":"","source_url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/260119/bitcoin-payments-app-strike-says-no-evidence-of-breach-amid-claims"},{"date":"2025-09-02","event":"JPMorgan Chase closes Jack Mallers' personal accounts, citing 'concerning activity' without elaboration.","source":"","source_url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/380099/strike-jack-maller-jpmorgan"},{"date":"2025-11-23","event":"Mallers publicly discloses JPMorgan account closure on social media, two months after the September letter.","source":"","source_url":"https://www.coindesk.com/business/2025/12/01/jpmorgan-and-strike-ceo-jack-mallers-go-silent-leave-debanking-questions-unanswered"},{"date":"2026-03-05","event":"Strike receives BitLicense and Money Transmitter License from NYDFS, completing licensure across all 50 U.S. states.","source":"","source_url":"https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260305426748/en/Strike-Receives-BitLicense-and-Money-Transmitter-License-from-the-New-York-Department-of-Financial-Services"},{"date":"2026-04-29","event":"Tether proposes three-way merger of Twenty One Capital (XXI), Strike, and Elektron Energy. Jack Mallers, CEO of both XXI and Strike, endorses the deal publicly the same day, raising conflict-of-interest concerns.","source":"","source_url":"https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/04/29/jack-mallers-twenty-one-capital-surges-after-majority-holder-tether-proposes-3-way-merger"}]},"v":1}