The Open Network (TON), a layer-1 blockchain linked to the social platform Telegram, has attained a new milestone in its history. According to data from a CryptoQuant analyst, the L1 blockchain reached 100 million unique wallet addresses with non-zero balances. This marks a 95% surge in active users since the start of the year, which...Read More
The National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) has launched the GCC region’s first Bitcoin-linked structured investment fund for institutional and accredited investors. This product was developed in partnership with ARP Digital and is designed to provide a secure avenue for investors to capitalize on Bitcoin’s gains. The Bitcoin Investment Fund According to local media reports, the...Read More
The Bitcoin (BTC) rewards app Fold has submitted its S-4 filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), initiating the process for an initial public offering (IPO). The filing follows an announcement in July that it plans to go public through a merger with FTAC Emerald Acquisition Corp. Details of the Merger The filing...Read More
Robinhood’s Chief Legal Officer, Dan Gallagher, is emerging as a leading contender to head the SEC if Donald Trump wins the presidency. “He’d be a natural choice,” one former senior SEC official told Politico, which cited a dozen former top regulators, lobbyists, and securities lawyers. Talkshow host Steven Steele commented that this would be huge...Read More
FTX has reached a significant milestone in its bankruptcy proceedings as the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware has officially approved the company’s reorganization plan. This comes nearly two years after the crypto exchange’s historic collapse in November 2022. FTX Bankruptcy Reorganization Plan Approved The confirmed plan, which received overwhelming support from creditors,...Read More
According to a September 7 report by Bloomberg, Premier League (PL) clubs have secured a record-breaking $170 million in sponsorship deals from crypto companies for the 2024/25 season. This uptick comes as league participants face tightening restrictions on gambling sponsorships, which have traditionally been a major source of revenue for them. Crypto Sponsorships on the...Read More
Digital asset investment products recorded minor outflows of $147 million over the past week, likely driven by stronger-than-anticipated economic data that reduced expectations for substantial rate cuts. ETP investment product trading volumes rose slightly by 15% to $10 billion, while overall crypto market volumes remained lower. Bitcoin saw significant investor focus, according to the latest...Read More
A new Ethereum Improvement Proposal, EIP-7781, introduced on October 5, 2024, aims to reduce Ethereum’s block time from 12 seconds to 8 seconds. The upgrade, introduced by Ben Adams, co-founder of Illyriad Games, could also enhance data capacity and potentially increase network throughput by 50%. A Major Step for Ethereum’s Future In an October 6...Read More
Tokyo-listed Bitcoin holder Metaplanet has purchased an additional 108.786 Bitcoin for 1 billion yen, reflecting its ongoing bullish stance on the crypto asset. The latest stash is worth around $6.7 million. Metaplanet Expands Bitcoin Holdings According to the official statement released on Monday, Metaplanet – often referred to as Japan’s MicroStrategy – now holds 639.503...Read More
An HBO documentary, “Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery,” due to air on Oct. 8, claims to have unveiled the identity of the creator of the Bitcoin network. American cypherpunk and cryptographer Leonard Harris “Len” Sassaman is coming up as the top contender. Sassaman died in July 2011 after committing suicide, and a tribute was encoded...Read More
Crypto markets gained over the weekend and are holding on to momentum in early Monday trading in Asia. This week’s raft of economic and inflation reports could give them a further boost, especially if the probability of another large rate cut increases. “A November 50 basis point rate cut was almost entirely priced out last...Read More
Donald Trump has once again expressed support for Ross Ulbricht, the imprisoned founder of the Silk Road, an illegal online marketplace. Trump took to Truth Social to vow that he would “save” Ulbricht. Trump Vows to Free Ulbricht if Re-elected The former president shared a screenshot of Ulbricht’s recent post marking the start of another...Read More
The number of hacks in Q3 2024 has dropped to its lowest point in three years, with only 28 incidents, across which a total of $463.6 million was stolen. However, the overall outlook remains concerning as there’s no chance of recovering over $440 million of the stolen funds. Worst Recovery Rates Ever According to the...Read More
Taiwan’s Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) unveiled updated Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations on October 2nd. The main objective is to boost the oversight of local virtual asset service providers (VASPs). Non-compliant entities, on the other hand, will be heavily penalized. The revised regulations will supersede the existing AML framework. Updated AML Regulations Aim to Strengthen Crypto...Read More
Bitcoin mining firm TeraWulf has sold its 25% stake in the Nautilus Cryptomine joint venture to its partner, a subsidiary of Talen Energy, in a deal worth about $92 million. The company plans to use the funds to expand its operations at the Lake Mariner facility, including building the 20 MW CB-1 operation for hosting...Read More
Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC), a wrapped version of Bitcoin developed by BitGo, Kyber Network, and Ren, continues to dominate the tokenized BTC market despite criticism around the project, according to Binance Research’s latest monthly report. The wrapped token represents Bitcoin at 1:1 on other blockchains such as Ethereum and Solana. This allows users to access BTC...Read More
In the debate over illicit finance, cryptocurrencies often bear the brunt of criticism despite cash being the preferred tool for criminals. A new report published by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Supervisory Special Agent Robert Whitaker and the Crypto ISAC states that regulated crypto platforms offer valuable support to law enforcement, utilizing blockchain’s transparency to combat...Read More
Blockchain security firm PeckShield has reported that the crypto space suffered more than 20 hacking incidents in September 2024. According to the company, these events caused about $120.23 million in losses, excluding $32.4 million worth of Spark Wrapped Ethereum (spWETH) drained in a phishing attack on September 27. BingX, Penpie, and Indodax Suffer the Most...Read More
OpenSea, one of the most prominent NFT marketplaces, has experienced a significant downturn in its overall business operations due to several factors, including low engagements in the sector. Over the past few months, some top employees have left the company to work elsewhere as the firm’s troubles continued to pile up. With a significant reduction...Read More
A new survey by ConsenSys and HarrisX reveals that nearly half of U.S. voters (49%) consider a pro-crypto stance important when choosing political candidates. Additionally, 62% are willing to cross party lines for a candidate who supports pro-cryptocurrency policies. Crypto Regulation and Voter Sentiment The study also found that 85% of respondents want presidential candidates...Read More
A CryptoPunk NFT has made headlines for being sold for $56.3 million. This comes amid claims that it was a carefully orchestrated promotional tactic for an upcoming meme coin called “Kamala Harris Punk.” The NFT Sale Punk 1563, depicting a pixelated woman with dark hair and blue eyes, was recently sold for 24,000 ether (ETH), worth...Read More
The Cryptocurrency Open Patent Alliance (COPA) has teamed up with Unified Patents to launch the Blockchain Zone, a new initiative designed to safeguard blockchain developers from “patent trolls.” The campaign targets non-practicing entities (NPEs), which hold patents without developing products and often exploit the high costs of litigation to pressure companies into expensive settlements. Protection...Read More
Polymarket, the blockchain-based prediction platform, recorded a trading volume of $533.51 million in September, driven largely by interest in the 2024 U.S. presidential election and geopolitical developments in the Middle East. According to Dune Analytics, this marks a $61.51 million increase from August’s $472 million. The platform also saw a 41% rise in active users,...Read More
Bitcoin (BTC) usually performs well in the fourth quarter of bull cycle years, especially after halving events. CryptoQuant analysts say this year will be no different; however, things are not adding up. According to a CryptoQuant report, Bitcoin’s apparent demand growth is still slow, and it will need to grow at faster rates to propel...Read More
According to a report released by digital asset data provider CCData on Oct. 3, Binance’s market dominance has declined significantly. Its spot market share has fallen to 27%, the lowest level since January 2021, according to the report. It stated that in September, Binance’s spot trading volume dropped by 22.9% to $344 billion, marking the...Read More
Approximately 17,400 Bitcoin options contracts are due for expiry on Friday, Oct. 4. These contracts have a notional value of around $1 billion. Today’s options expiry is much smaller than last week’s mammoth end-of-the-month and end-of-the-quarter event, so it is unlikely to impact spot markets, which have been retreating this week. Bitcoin Options Expiry This...Read More
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has reopened a case against AT&T, an American multinational telecommunications company whose employees enabled a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) swap that led to the theft of cryptocurrencies worth $24 million in 2018. According to a filing published by the court panel, almost all charges brought...Read More
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Director of Enforcement, Gurbir Grewal, has announced his resignation, effective October 11, 2024. His sudden exit comes at a critical moment for the regulator, as it is filing an appeal in its high-profile case against Ripple. Grewal Leaving as SEC Appeals Ripple Decision The departure was announced in...Read More
Bitcoin (BTC) faces the risk of falling below its current level of $60,000 in the coming hours due to escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Analysts at British multinational bank Standard Chartered said in a note accessed by The Block that the chances of BTC declining further are high; however, investors should consider the...Read More
This week, Bitwise registered a trust entity called “XRP ETF” in Delaware. The following day, the asset manager filed an S-1 form with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, a necessary step for companies aiming to launch a new security and list it on a public stock exchange. As a result, the optimism surrounding a...Read More
