Techin' Geek

The decentralized finance firm Drift has announced the suspension of both withdrawals and deposits following the confirmation of a security breach. 

In a statement on X, the cryptocurrency platform indicated that it was “undergoing an active attack” and was taking steps to “mitigate the situation.”

According to security analysts and public blockchain data, the potential losses may be considerable. Blockchain security company CertiK stated on X that attackers might have pilfered approximately $136 million, whereas crypto analytics firm Arkham estimated the stolen amount to be around $285 million.

If verified, this incident would mark the Drift breach as the most substantial cryptocurrency theft of the year, based on the Rekt leaderboard, which monitors crypto thefts by magnitude.

The identity of the perpetrators remains unknown, and a representative from Drift has not yet replied to a request for comment.

Security experts report that North Korea was responsible for the highest number of cryptocurrency thefts last year, amassing at least $2 billion in stolen cryptocurrency, funds that the regime is thought to utilize to fund its nuclear weapons program and evade international sanctions that limit its access to the global financial system.

Anthropic inadvertently led to the removal of thousands of code repositories on GitHub while attempting to retrieve copies of the source code for its most popular product from the internet.

On Tuesday, a software developer found that Anthropic had, apparently by mistake, granted access to the source code for the leading Claude Code command line application in a recent version. AI fans examined the leaked code for insights on how Anthropic utilizes the LLM underpinning the application, disseminating it on GitHub.

Anthropic submitted a takedown request under U.S. digital copyright law, urging GitHub to remove repositories containing the problematic code. GitHub’s records indicated the notice was executed against approximately 8,100 repositories — including legitimate forks of Anthropic’s publicly available Claude Code repository, as expressed by frustrated social media users whose code was affected.

Boris Cherny, Anthropic’s head of Claude Code, stated that the action was unintentional and retracted most of the takedown requests, restricting it to a single repository and 96 forks containing the mistakenly released source code.

“The repository mentioned in the notice was part of a fork network tied to our own public Claude Code repository, so the takedown impacted more repositories than planned,” an Anthropic representative informed TechCrunch. “We have retracted the notice for all but the one repository we specified, and GitHub has reinstated access to the affected forks.”

This mismanaged clean-up reflects poorly on the company as it reportedly prepares for an IPO, a process that usually requires a focus on execution and compliance. Leaking your source code as a publicly traded company? You can bet a shareholder lawsuit is on the horizon.

This week, the situation surrounding compliance startup Delve has deteriorated significantly. New accusations from an anonymous informant known as DeepDelver include a claim that Delve supposedly utilized an open source tool and misrepresented it as their own creation without appropriate licensing attribution or financial agreement with the original creator.

According to the narrative, the Delve team proposed a no-code tool named Pathways to a potential client, who would later unveil themselves as the whistleblower DeepDelver. DeepDelver noted that Pathways resembled Sim.ai’s open source agent construction product, SimStudio, and inquired whether Pathways was based on SimStudio. The Delve representatives allegedly stated that they developed it independently, as claimed by the whistleblower.

DeepDelver subsequently provided purported evidence that this tool was, in fact, a fork — a modified version — of SimStudio, altered just enough to be claimed as Delve’s proprietary work. If validated, this would breach the Apache software license, necessitating credit to the original developer.

DeepDelver describes this as “theft of intellectual property,” which might be an overstatement, given that open source tools can be utilized freely, provided they are properly credited. Yet, the irony is significant: Delve, a company that claims to offer a compliance solution, might have infringed upon a software license.

Emir Karabeg, founder and CEO of Sim.ai, confirmed to TechCrunch that he addressed DeepDelver’s inquiries regarding the claims. He informed the whistleblower that Delve had no licensing agreement in place with Sim.ai.

“We were aware they intended to use Sim for something and later attempted unsuccessfully to sell them an agreement,” Karabeg relayed to DeepDelver. “I didn’t know they were going to market it independently as a stand-alone product.”

Compounding the awkwardness: Sim.ai was actually a customer of Delve, as Karabeg disclosed to TechCrunch. Both startups were graduates of the Y Combinator accelerator, and alumni often purchase each other’s services. Therefore, while Sim.ai compensated Delve, the reverse was not true.

Karabeg had previously shown empathy for Delve after the whistleblower made the initial explosive claim last week. DeepDelver had claimed that Delve was fabricating customer data and employing rubber-stamping auditors, allegations that Delve has refuted.

Since becoming aware of the Sim.ai allegations, Karabeg has not received further communication from Delve’s founders. “I was supporting my friends at Delve after the first article was published last week, but since I learned about this situation, we haven’t spoken,” he shared with TechCrunch.

The purported methods of Delve allegedly occurred before its Series A funding round, which was led by Insight Partners, claims the whistleblower. We have reached out to Insight Partners inquiring about this, as well as the respected VC firm’s due diligence processes.

It has come to our attention that Insight Partners’ 2025 blog entry detailing their rationale for a $32 million investment in Delve was temporarily unavailable on the firm’s website. The LinkedIn announcement regarding the investment has not yet been restored.

References to the Pathways tool on Delve’s website, along with several other pages, seem to have been removed. Delve did not reply to a request for comment, and the contact address for media inquiries listed on its website is no longer operational.

The allegations suggesting that Delve may have breached an open source license belonging to a customer and, evidently, a friend have sparked significant outrage on X, making it a trending topic complete with a critical community note.

Baidu’s Apollo Go robotaxis experienced disruptions across Wuhan, China, with some passengers reportedly stranded for up to two hours, as outlined by several media sources along with a multitude of video and social media posts.

Baidu has yet to disclose the reason behind the extensive outage. Nevertheless, local police indicated it was a “system failure” impacting at least 100 robotaxis, as reported by Reuters. The unspecified technical malfunction led to robotaxis abruptly becoming unresponsive — and occasionally in perilous locations like the fast lane of highways, according to Wired. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the incident.

Baidu did not provide a response to TechCrunch’s emailed inquiry for comments.

Baidu is among the foremost robotaxi operators in China and has made strides into the Middle East. Last year, the firm announced its intention to roll out a fleet of over 1,000 autonomous vehicles in Dubai in the coming years.

The recent outage involving Baidu is the latest event to spark concerns about the safety of robotaxis and their effects on local populations. This issue extends beyond China as well; a significant power outage in California last December disabled traffic lights, causing Waymo vehicles to become immobilized.

The founders of Sonder were tired of coming across yet another dating app profile in which someone confidently stated that their most contentious opinion is their appreciation for pineapple on pizza. 

“We didn’t find out that people were frustrated through user interviews or calls or any such methods,” co-founder Mehedi Hassan mentioned to TechCrunch. “It was our own experiences that taught us — we just thought, this can’t be the end.” 

This realization — that dating apps feel like unending misery — is as unremarkable as flaunting on Hinge that you were Time Magazine’s Person of the Year back in 2006 (which we all were!). Consequently, Hassan and three friends, all in their mid-twenties, embarked on creating an app that would bring something better.

Through Sonder, the quartet of founders based in London — Mehedi Hassan, Helen Sun, Lenard Pratt, and Hannah Kin — aimed to fashion an app that resembled Pinterest or MySpace more than a standard job application. (They cite MySpace as a source of inspiration, even though they were too young to have experienced it during its heyday.)

“In the setup of current dating apps, the goal is to simplify entry and enhance access, making it easier for introverts to connect with numerous individuals,” co-founder Helen Sun stated to TechCrunch. “Those initial intentions were commendable, but as those apps have evolved, I think it has turned into a pretty tedious experience, leading to people feeling drained due to a drop in authenticity.” 

Sonder profiles are entirely flexible, motivating users to create something that resembles a mood board or a digital collage. Individuals can connect via the app, but they also have the opportunity to participate in quirky in-person events organized by Sonder, such as a “Speed Drawing” night, “Presentation Evening,” or a “Performative Male Contest” (it’s genuinely a thing, I assure you).  

Sonder can facilitate both platonic and romantic relationships, making its in-person gatherings feel less daunting — you’re not entering a room where everyone is seeking a partner.

“We host recurring events, as it’s pleasant when regular participants return,” Sun remarked. “It’s akin to running clubs in a sense, where there’s this consistent chance to meet people, but there’s no pressure to make it work on the first encounter.”

Running clubs have emerged as a popular means for people to meet face-to-face — the allure for “productivity-maximizers” is that even if you don’t forge a new connection, you at least achieve a workout. However, not everyone enjoys running, nor does everyone feel their most charming when they have visible perspiration.

“I despise running,” Hassan adds. “Not everyone’s going to be interested in running clubs… Helen enjoys book clubs, but you couldn’t pay me to attend one.”

Sonder is not the first startup to realize that individuals might want to meet in real life. Even Tinder, the epitome of dating apps, is introducing in-person activities. However, users are keen to venture into something fresh. For dating applications, early-stage startups often can gain from their lack of brand recognition — attending an IRL Tinder event seems as appealing as visiting the DMV, whereas trying out something novel feels more welcoming.

“I think our goal is to reintroduce that magic of bringing individuals together and meeting someone for the first time,” Sun explained. “It should feel special, not like swiping through job applications on LinkedIn.”

Established dating platforms are also rolling out flashy new features, such as Bumble’s AI-powered dating assistant and a tool Tinder is piloting that analyzes photos from users’ camera rolls to better understand them.

Sonder does not shy away from AI. Hassan works in product engineering at Granola, an AI note-taking app based in London that recently garnered $125 million at a valuation of $1.5 billion. However, he recognizes that Sonder’s users — around 6,500 in London, all acquired without paid advertising — generally express less enthusiasm for intrusive AI uses in their dating experiences.

Sonder does utilize AI, nonetheless. It’s just more understated about it compared to mainstream applications. The app recommends matches by using an LLM to assess screenshots of user profiles, identifying who the user may be interested in meeting. However, Hassan emphasizes that he refuses to implement any AI-based profile-creation tools.

“At that stage, it loses the human element,” he stated. “So even if we might be missing out on hundreds of users, and the process of setting up the profile is more cumbersome, we want to ensure it’s a real person putting in their own effort to create that profile, as that serves as an indicator of how invested they actually are in their connections.”

Sonder has not yet secured funding, and its founders are working on the app part-time, alongside their regular jobs. Nevertheless, Hassan aspires for Sonder to obtain funding and evolve into a full-time initiative while remaining based in London.

“Our lives are quite exhausting for us, to be fair. We work nine to five, and then we host events at the end of the day,” he mentioned. “But the following day, when I review the videos, it’s genuinely uplifting to see people smiling and engaging in meaningful conversations.”

Investment in global startups reached $297 billion in Q1 2026, setting a new record, as per the latest data from Crunchbase. This marks a staggering 2.5x growth from the $118 billion secured in the preceding quarter. This quarterly total exceeds the entire annual global VC investments recorded before 2019.

This extraordinary surge was driven by just four colossal deals, each establishing its own record.

Last month, OpenAI revealed its valuation at $852 billion following a $122 billion funding round, breaking the previous record for the largest funding round ever, which was also set by OpenAI when it raised $40 billion last year.

The quarter also witnessed Anthropic, its primary competitor, garnering $30 billion at a valuation of $380 billion. This funding round became the third-largest VC round on record. The other two significant deals of the quarter included a $20 billion fundraising by xAI and Waymo securing $16 billion.

These four rounds together amassed $188 billion, comprising over 63% of the total funding for the quarter.

Although it may seem that fundraising is following a more conventional path without these deals, anecdotal evidence suggests otherwise. Investors and founders indicate, for instance, that seed-phase AI startups are attracting larger investments and achieving higher valuations at earlier stages than ever before.

Apple has rolled out a security update for older iPhones and iPads aimed at safeguarding against a leaked collection of advanced hacking tools capable of extracting data from a user’s device.

On Wednesday, the tech giant announced the release of iOS 18.7.7 and iPadOS 18.7.7 to enable a wider range of devices to “obtain crucial security defenses against web threats dubbed DarkSword.”

DarkSword is a hacking framework that can infiltrate Apple devices operating on iOS 18.4 to 18.7 simply by a user accessing a website that contains the malicious code, including trusted sites that have themselves suffered breaches. The exploits capture a user’s device data, encompassing their messages, web browsing histories, location information, and cryptocurrency, and transmit the data to a server managed by the attackers.

These tools have already been observed in specific attacks targeting individuals in China, Malaysia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Ukraine. However, with the tools now available online, security experts caution that anyone can utilize these hacking tools to target users with older versions of Apple’s mobile operating system.

Apple states that users on its latest software, iOS 26, were safeguarded weeks prior. Furthermore, the company has issued a new update for iOS 18 users with iPhones and iPads that cannot operate on the iOS 26 software.

With Wednesday’s update, Apple has now delivered DarkSword countermeasures for the millions of users with unpatched devices that can update to iOS 26 but have opted not to. Some users have chosen to refrain from updating to evade the software’s new “liquid glass” interface that has received user criticism.

Wired reported earlier on Wednesday that Apple was preparing to announce the update.

Apple users who have enabled automatic software updates should obtain the new software. Apple mentioned that its optional security feature, Lockdown Mode, also protects against DarkSword attacks. The company informed TechCrunch last week that it is unaware of any successful government spyware attempts against an Apple device utilizing Lockdown Mode.

Data centers have expanded to such an extent that their energy requirements now match those of entire U.S. states. Consider the Hyperion AI data center by Meta. Once finished, this data center will consume as much power as South Dakota.

Recently, Meta revealed plans to finance seven natural gas power facilities — in addition to the three previously pledged — to sustain the $27 billion data center. Together, these 10 power plants in Louisiana are expected to produce approximately 7.5 gigawatts of electricity, a bit more than what the entire Mount Rushmore State can generate. 

Like several tech firms, Meta has promoted its climate and environmental credentials over time. The company regularly issues sustainability reports and often boasts about its renewable energy acquisitions. It effectively secured a nuclear power facility for two decades.

The Hyperion data center location in Louisiana will evaluate the firm’s commitments.

Natural gas has been praised as a “bridge fuel” — construct a few natural gas power plants now while renewables, batteries, and nuclear energy develop further. This is likely how Meta rationalizes the decision internally. 

However, the bridge fuel argument has been around for decades, and it’s becoming less convincing. Prices for renewables and batteries have drastically decreased, while costs for gas turbines have surged. Meta has emerged as a significant buyer of solar, batteries, and nuclear energy in recent years, making its choice to heavily invest in natural gas all the more puzzling.

TechCrunch reached out to Meta. The company did not respond to several requests for comments.

The enormous turbines in Louisiana are projected to release 12.4 million metric tons of CO₂ into the atmosphere annually, based on TechCrunch’s calculations, which utilize data from the Department of Energy. This amount is 50% higher than Meta’s total carbon footprint in 2024, the latest year for which such statistics are available. 

That estimate likely underrepresents the climate effects, as it does not account for leaks from the natural gas supply chain. 

Methane, the primary constituent of natural gas, has a global warming potential 84 times greater than that of carbon dioxide. Leakage rates of just 0.2% along the supply chain can render the climate impact of natural gas worse than that of coal. In the U.S., natural gas extraction and transportation lose methane at a rate closer to 3%. This is hardly considered clean energy.

The company’s most recent sustainability report makes no reference to methane leaks. It does not mention methane or natural gas at all. Yet, this fuel is set to become one of the largest factors contributing to Meta’s carbon footprint in the upcoming years.

The company may indeed adhere to its climate commitments and devise methods to negate those emissions through carbon removal credits. However, it will now require significantly more of those credits, alongside a transparent assessment of the actual methane leakage entering the atmosphere to support its new power facilities.

In an attempt to reclaim its former fame, the celebrity greeting application Cameo has introduced a new integration with TikTok, enabling U.S. creators to provide customized Cameo videos directly to their supporters through the short-video platform.

This fresh collaboration intends to assist creators in boosting their income while making it easier for fans to request Cameo videos. Creators now have the option to register and deliver personalized messages within TikTok, streamlining the process for their followers to enjoy this service right alongside the content they already consume. For those who are already present on Cameo, this integration allows them to connect with a more extensive audience.

This integration represents a strategic initiative for Cameo as it leverages the millions of creators on TikTok and their vast fan bases. TikTok creators form one of the rapidly expanding segments on the platform, with famous figures like Ash Trevino, Alex Dougherty, and Smooth Papi currently leading Cameo’s rankings.

Cameo’s CEO Steven Galanis emphasized in the announcement that “Cameo videos frequently go viral on TikTok” and remarked, “TikTok talent had its most successful year yet on Cameo in 2025.”

At its peak during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cameo was valued at $1 billion, offering fans the chance to connect with their beloved celebrities through personalized video messages. Nonetheless, the company faced a dramatic decline in 2024, seeing its valuation diminish by more than 90%. It has also struggled to fulfill its financial responsibilities, including a significant $600,000 penalty from the Federal Trade Commission. To regain visibility last year, Cameo introduced a birthday planning app called Candl.

The alliance also mirrors wider trends in the media environment, where businesses increasingly acknowledge the importance of influencers to enrich their services. Streaming platforms such as Tubi and Peacock have recently collaborated with well-known creators to develop original content.

TikTok currently features various tools that foster engagement between fans and creators, including the ability to send tips and virtual gifts, subscribe, and a newly launched “bulletin board” for creators to communicate public messages to their followers. 

The new Cameo integration also coincides with recent announcements regarding new advertising formats and a concealed emoji game accessible in direct messages.