Troubled crypto exchange FTX investigated by US regulators over customer funds

Crypto trading behemoth FTX fell from grace this week after the exchange experienced a liquidity crunch and agreed to give its rival, Binance, the option to purchase the company’s non-U.S. operations in what appears to be a bailout. Now, U.S. regulators are looking into whether FTX potentially mishandled customer funds on its platform, sources told…

Hear Slingshot CEO Melanie Stricklan’s take on simulating orbit at TC Sessions: Space

Understanding what’s going on in orbit, now and in the near future, is increasingly important for both business and military interests, and Slingshot Aerospace has positioned itself at the center of this quickly evolving space. Co-founder and CEO Melanie Stricklan will be joining us at TC Sessions: Space on December 6 to talk about simulating…

RIP TechCrunch’s Official Twitter Badge (11/9/22-11/9/22)

For a few hours this morning, TechCrunch was recognized by Elon Musk’s newest plaything, Twitter, as a news organization with enough merit to warrant a highly-coveted “official” designation. We regret to inform our readership that this elite classification has since been rescinded… along with the designation on all other accounts that earned this momentous honor….

Astra lays off 16% after nearly tripling workforce in the last year

Astra, a rocket startup that went public last year, told investors Tuesday it laid off 16% of its workforce as part of a wider strategy to increase shrinking financial runway and decrease expenses. The company also said it would reduce near-term investments in space services to grow its core businesses: namely, launch and spacecraft engines….

VC investors and startup founders see hope in the red wave that wasn’t

Janna Meyrowitz Turner’s biggest concern going into the U.S. midterm elections was that more than half of American voters had an election denier on their ballot. She was quite nervous, alongside pundits and polls who expected a red wave, a conservative flush that would take hold of Congress, state legislatures, and city halls. That didn’t…

Best Buy (not Amazon) has the best Fire TV Stick deal ahead of Black Friday

UPDATE: Nov. 9, 2022, 12:05 p.m. EST This story has been updated with the latest early Black Friday streaming deals. Here’s a brief overview: BEST STREAMING SERVICE DEAL: Paramount+ Essential is included with any Walmart+ membership (which also unlocks early access to the big box store’s Black Friday offers) — $12.95/month or $98/year BEST STREAMING…