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Showing posts from February, 2024

Mad Money Host Jim Cramer Expects Spot Ethereum ETF to ‘Bloom’ Soon

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Jim Cramer, the host of CNBC’s Mad Money show, believes that a spot ethereum exchange-traded fund (ETF) “will soon bloom.” He cited the immense success of spot bitcoin ETFs, which set several records this week, as the reason behind his statement. Jim Cramer on Spot Ethereum ETFs Mad Money host Jim Cramer weighed in on […]

Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Wells Fargo Begin Offering Spot Bitcoin ETFs to Clients, Report

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Bank of America’s Merrill Lynch and Wells Fargo’s wealth management arm have reportedly begun offering some clients access to spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Other investment platforms that offer some clients access to spot bitcoin ETFs include Fidelity, Charles Schwab, Robinhood Markets, and UBS. Major Banks Embrace Bitcoin ETFs Bank of America’s investment arm, Merrill […]

Report: Election Concerns Halt South Korea’s Crypto and ETF Regulation Ease

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South Korea has delayed its efforts to relax its crypto regulations and the prohibition on spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). This development follows closely behind the People Power Party’s contemplation of removing certain regulations and the ETF ban before the commencement of South Korea’s general election. South Korea Holds Back on Crypto Regulation and Reported […]

Former IMF Economist Raises Alarm on US Debt as Atlanta Fed Chief Signals Potential Rate Cuts

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A leading economist has expressed deep concern over America’s soaring $34 trillion national debt, warning of no significant efforts to mitigate it. Meanwhile, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic suggests a potential easing of policy rates by summer. Ex-IMF Chief Economist Voices Concern Over Soaring U.S. Debt Olivier Blanchard, a senior fellow at […]

El Salvador Won’t Sell Its Bitcoin — President Bukele Says ‘at the end 1 BTC = 1 BTC’

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El Salvador president, Nayib Bukele, has affirmed that his country will not sell its bitcoin, emphasizing that “At the end 1 BTC = 1 BTC (this was true when the market price was low and it’s true now).” Bukele further shared: “Now that bitcoin’s market price is way up, if we were to sell, we […]

Bitcoin Price Could Hit $250,000 ‘Sooner’ Than Expected, Says Bitwise CEO

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The chief executive of Bitwise Asset Management expects the price of bitcoin to hit $250,000 sooner than most people would imagine. Moreover, he believes that bitcoin is going to eat into gold’s total addressable market “faster than people expect.” He opined: “Bitcoin ETFs were bitcoin’s IPO moment. It’s now available to any investor with the […]

Gemini Agrees to Over $1 Billion Restoration in Settlement With New York Regulators

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In an agreement with the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS), the Winklevoss-led cryptocurrency exchange Gemini has committed to returning over $1 billion to its customers. The settlement, which also includes a $37 million fine, comes as a significant development for the exchange amidst several ongoing legal challenges with big-name crypto firms and heightened […]

Amidst a Surge in Spot Bitcoin ETF Reserves, Kraken Institutional Enters the Market

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The crypto exchange based in San Francisco, Kraken, has unveiled its latest offering, Kraken Institutional, a digital currency suite designed expressly for high-net-worth firms and institutional investors. Deep Liquidity and Low-Latency Trading: Kraken Institutional’s Promise to Elite Clients This new crypto service, Kraken Institutional, introduced by Tim Ogilvie, the global head of the business division, […]

Peter Brandt Raises Bitcoin Price Target to $200,000 for the Current Bull Market Cycle

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Veteran trader Peter Brandt has provided an update on his bitcoin price prediction. He explained that the price target for “the current bull market cycle” scheduled to end in Aug/Sep next year has been raised from $120,000 to $200,000. Peter Brandt on Bitcoin Bull Market Cycle Peter Brandt provided an update on his bitcoin price […]

$30 Billion Investment Platform Approves 4 Spot Bitcoin ETFs for Clients

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Carson Group, an investment platform with $30 billion in assets under management, has reportedly approved four spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on its platform. The approved funds include Blackrock’s Ishares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) and Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC). “We feel it is important to offer these products as a result of two of […]

Bringing Two Worlds Together: Kinetex Announces ZK Light Client For Bitcoin

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PRESS RELEASE. Kinetex is excited to introduce BTCX, a Bitcoin ZK light client built with Succinct Labs. Developed using Succinct’s plonky2x framework and deployed seamlessly through its unified proving stack, BTCX enables EVM-compatible networks to verify the Bitcoin state directly without any centralized actors in between. The creation of this solution is the first step […]

Bitcoin Reaches $57K in Stellar Monday Surge, Erasing $70 Million in Shorts in Just One Hour

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Bitcoin reached a peak of $57,055 on Monday, climbing 10.1% over a 24-hour span and elevating the digital asset’s market value to $1.10 trillion. The value of bitcoin relative to the U.S. dollar hasn’t ascended to these levels since Nov. 22, 2021, marking 12 days after the digital currency’s peak value of $69,000. Monday’s Bitcoin […]

QED Secures $3 Million in Funding to Propel Fully Trustless Zero-Knowledge Applications Across the Bitcoin Ecosystem

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PRESS RELEASE. HONG KONG —February 26, 2024 – QED, the world’s first zk-Native blockchain protocol, announced today it has raised $3 million in a funding round led by Arrington Capital with participation from several prominent venture capital firms and companies including Paper Ventures, Starkware Draper Dragon, Blockchain Builders Fund, Lbk Labs, Valhalla Capital, Edessa Capital […]

Latam Insights: Argentina to Regulate Crypto via Decree, Bitget Eyes Latam Expansion

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Welcome to Latam Insights, a compendium of Latin America’s most relevant crypto and economic news during the last week. In this issue: The government of Argentina seeks to regulate the crypto industry with an executive order, Bitget announces expansion in Latam, and Honduras reiterates its private bank crypto ban. Argentina to Issue Crypto Exchange Regulation […]

Coinbase Reveals Texas Voters Believe Crypto Is a Relevant Topic for the Next Elections

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Coinbase, a major U.S.-based crypto exchange, has found that Texas voters are interested in the crypto subject and presidential candidates’ postures on the issue. 21% of all Texan adults (4.7 million people) own crypto, with 74% of these owners likely to support candidates who recognize the significance of the national crypto industry. Coinbase Reveals Texas […]

Grayscale Research Identifies Dencun Upgrade as ‘Coming of Age’ Event for Ethereum

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Grayscale Research’s latest report explains that Ethereum is poised to take advantage of several tailwinds with its upcoming Dencun upgrade. Grayscale analyst Will Ogden states that, while Ethereum is facing increased competition from other chains like Solana, Dencun’s modularity focus will help it “come of age,” lowering transaction fees for rollups and opening the doors […]

Riot Platforms Highlights Risks Associated With Upcoming Bitcoin Halving Event in Annual Report

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In its latest annual report, Riot Platforms, the publicly-listed bitcoin mining firm, outlines several significant risks that could impact its operations, including troubles in the broader crypto economy, potential decreases in onchain transaction fees, and the anticipated bitcoin halving event in April 2024. The company emphasizes the halving event’s potential to reduce mining rewards as […]

ECB Economists: Bitcoin Fails to Become Global Decentralized Digital Currency, BTC’s Fair Value Is Still Zero

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The European Central Bank (ECB) has published a blog post claiming that “bitcoin has failed to fulfill its original promise to become a global decentralized digital currency.” The ECB economists who authored the post added that bitcoin’s fair value is still zero and bitcoin transactions are “still inconvenient, slow, and costly.” Moreover, they asserted that […]

Pantera Capital Predicts ‘Strong’ Crypto Bull Market Over Next 18-24 Months

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American hedge fund Pantera Capital has predicted “a strong bull market” for cryptocurrencies over the next 18-24 months. “With the halving expected to occur in late April 2024, we believe the convergence of these positive things will provide strong tailwinds for the next bull market,” said Pantera founder Dan Morehead. Pantera’s Bull Market Prediction Pantera […]

Robert Kiyosaki Says If Bitcoin Crashes He Would Be Happy and Buy More

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Rich Dad Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki has explained what he will do if the price of bitcoin crashes. The famous author has been recommending bitcoin alongside gold and silver for quite some time, and he recently increased his bitcoin holdings following the approval of U.S. spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Robert Kiyosaki: ‘Sale’ Is […]

Coinbase CEO Says No Access Block in Nigeria, Platform Operating Normally

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Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has dismissed reports of his cryptocurrency exchange being blocked by Nigerian authorities. He emphasized that Coinbase products are fully operational in Nigeria without any interruptions. “We have not received any outreach or communication from officials in Nigeria,” the Coinbase executive affirmed. Meanwhile, Binance has reportedly admitted that some users in Nigeria […]

Donald Trump Acknowledges Bitcoin’s Popularity — Says BTC Has Taken on ‘a Life of Its Own’ and ‘I Can Live With It’

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U.S. presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump has acknowledged the growing popularity of bitcoin, stating that “a lot of people are doing it” and the crypto has taken on “a life of its own.” Trump further shared: “More and more I’m seeing people wanting to pay bitcoin and you’re seeing something that’s interesting so […]

US District Judge Sanctions Binance’s $4.3 Billion Plea Deal

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Binance Holdings is set to pay $4.3 billion in fines following the approval of its plea agreement with prosecutors by U.S. District Judge Richard Jones on Friday. Beyond the financial settlement, a third party will oversee Binance’s operations for a duration of five years. Historic $4.3 Billion Binance Settlement Approved by Seattle Judge Binance, the […]

Satoshi Nakamoto to Martti Malmi: The Correspondence That Shaped Bitcoin’s Early Days

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In a series of insightful emails between Martti Malmi and Satoshi Nakamoto, the foundational discussions shaping the early development of Bitcoin are revealed. These exchanges offer a rare glimpse into the critical thinking and technical challenges overcome in the cryptocurrency’s infancy. Blueprints of a Digital Revolution: Nakamoto’s Conversations With Sirius The dialogue initiated in May […]

Reddit Embraces Crypto: IPO Filing Reveals Bitcoin, Ether Investments

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Reddit Inc. has disclosed cryptocurrency investments in its initial public offering (IPO) filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The social media giant noted that as of the end of December last year, “we did not hold digital assets other than bitcoin and ether for treasury purposes, and our investment policy requires approval […]

Max Keiser Warns of Government Seizing Bitcoin in ETFs — Predicts 1987-Style Crash as BTC Rises to $500K

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Bitcoin proponent Max Keiser has warned of potential government seizure of bitcoin held in spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs). He additionally issued a stark warning about a looming 1987-style crash, while simultaneously predicting that the bitcoin’s price will surge past $500,000. Max Keiser’s Crash and Bitcoin Seizure Warnings Bitcoin advocate Max Keiser expressed concerns about spot […]

Argentina to Regulate Cryptocurrency Exchanges With Executive Order

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The government of Argentina is reportedly preparing to regulate cryptocurrency service providers with an executive order. The measure would be directed to keep Argentina out of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) gray list, putting crypto service lenders under the oversight of the local securities watchdog. Argentina Reportedly Set to Regulate Cryptocurrency Service Providers by […]

Satoshi Correspondence Revealed by Witnesses in Legal Clash Against Craig Wright

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In the unfolding lawsuit between the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA) and Craig Wright, three key witnesses who had early interactions with Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, provided their testimonies. Among them were early Bitcoin developers Martti Malmi and Mike Hearn, as well as Adam Back, the creator of Hashcash, the proof-of-work (PoW) algorithm integral to […]

Report: Bankman-Fried Stands by Legal Team Amid Potential Conflict of Interest

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Sources report that Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), the erstwhile crypto magnate and former head of FTX, intends to utilize his newly appointed legal team, despite these attorneys also serving Alex Mashinsky, the former chief of Celsius. On Wednesday, in a courtroom declaration, SBF confirmed his complete understanding that his legal representatives were also advocating for Mashinsky. […]

Beyond Bitcoin: Ripple CEO Says Approval of Multiple Crypto ETFs ‘Inevitable’ — Embraces Idea of Spot XRP ETF

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Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse believes that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will approve spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) based on crypto tokens other than bitcoin. “I think it’s inevitable that there’ll be multiple ETFs around different tokens,” he stressed, noting that Ripple would welcome an XRP ETF. “In my opinion, it makes these markets […]

Fundstrat’s Tom Lee Anticipates Bitcoin Hitting $150K This Year — Calls BTC ‘Sound Money’

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Fundstrat’s head of research, Tom Lee, has doubled down on his $150,000 bitcoin price prediction, stating that the crypto could reach that price level this year. He cited three key reasons driving his bullish price forecast. Describing bitcoin as “sound money,” he emphasized that the cryptocurrency is incredibly secure and proving to be a good […]

Nigerian Users Criticize Binance for Imposing Exchange Rate Caps on USDT to Naira Transactions

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Some Nigeria-based users of Binance’s peer-to-peer platform have blasted the crypto exchange’s decision to block or remove traders quoting USDT to naira exchange rates exceeding NGN1,802. Binance says it has the right to remove “users behaving in a malicious or manipulative way.” The Nigerian Currency’s Woes Some Nigerian users of Binance’s peer-to-peer (P2P) platform have […]

Coinbase CEO: Every Institution Is Now Starting to Hold Crypto

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Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong says “every institution is now starting to hold crypto,” emphasizing that “the asset class will be a standard part of every diversified portfolio.” Moreover, the executive noted that institutions will eventually be using crypto in other ways, such as “holding it on their balance sheet, paying their vendors, [and] doing payroll.” […]

Behind MDC Walls — Independent Reporter Captures Photo of Sam Bankman-Fried’s New Reality

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This week, a prison snapshot featuring Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), the ex-FTX chief, was released by the independent journalist Tiffany Fong. Capturing the first glimpse of SBF since his detention, the image places the once-prominent cryptocurrency magnate alongside five other detainees within the confines of the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn. First Look: SBF Behind […]

Former NFL Star Russell Okung’s Crypto Adoption Comments Ignite Bitcoin vs. Stablecoins Debate

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Comments on Lightning Network adoption, made by Russell Okung, a former NFL star who is among the first to receive part of his salary in crypto, sparked a discussion that highlighted the opposing opinions of the crypto community about the usage of bitcoin and stablecoins in emerging markets. Russell Okung Ignites Discussion on Bitcoin vs. […]

Pro-Crypto Lawyer John Deaton Enters Senate Race to Challenge Elizabeth Warren

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Cryptocurrency advocate John Deaton has formally announced his candidacy for the Senate in Massachusetts, setting his sights on unseating the current Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren from her position. “I’m excited for the opportunity to fight for change, and for the people of Massachusetts in the United States Senate,” Deaton wrote on Tuesday. Deaton vs. Warren: […]

Investors in Collapsed Ponzi Scheme Resist Liquidator’s Attempts to Force Repayment at Current BTC Prices

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Investors in the bitcoin Ponzi scheme Mirror Trading International are reportedly resisting liquidators’ attempts to have them repay digital assets withdrawn before it collapsed. According to the investors’ lawyer, MTI liquidators are intentionally misinterpreting the Insolvency Act for their benefit. Liquidators Face Accusations of Prolonging the Settlement Process A group of Mirror Trading International (MTI) […]

Robert Kiyosaki Expects Bitcoin to Hit $100K by June This Year

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Rich Dad Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki expects the price of bitcoin to reach $100,000 by June this year. This prediction aligns with his earlier forecast of bitcoin’s rise and gold’s decline. Kiyosaki recently increased his bitcoin holdings in anticipation of a price surge fueled by the recent approval of spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) […]

Edward Snowden Calls Bitcoin ‘Most Significant Monetary Advance Since the Creation of Coinage’

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Edward Snowden, a privacy advocate and former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor and whistleblower, says bitcoin “is the most significant monetary advance since the creation of coinage.” He views his statement as “unpopular but true.” Edward Snowden’s ‘Unpopular but True’ Bitcoin Statement Edward Snowden, a privacy advocate, posted about bitcoin on social media platform X […]

Coinbase Commerce Ditches Support for Bitcoin Payments Using Self-Custody Wallets

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Coinbase Commerce, the cryptocurrency payments solution of U.S.-based exchange Coinbase, has removed support for bitcoin payments using self-custody wallets. Brian Armstrong, CEO of the exchange, clarified it maintains support for payments from UTXO-based chains from Coinbase accounts. However, Commerce will focus on supporting ERC-20 tokens on layer 2 protocols, like Base and Polygon. Coinbase Commerce […]

Latam Insights: Mexican Billionaire Ricardo Salinas’ Bitcoin Investment Advice, Bitso’s Latam Trends Report

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Welcome to Latam Insights, a compendium of Latin America’s most relevant crypto and economic news during the last week. In this issue: Mexican billionaire Ricardo Salinas Pliego offers bitcoin investment advice, Bitso’s report finds Latam is a bitcoin region, and Honduras bans financial institutions from dealing with crypto. Mexican Billionaire Ricardo Salinas Gives Bitcoin Investment […]

Peter Schiff Warns SEC Could Change Definition of ‘Security’ — Expects Lots of Investors to Be Retroactively Fined

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Economist and gold advocate Peter Schiff has sounded the alarm about the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) potentially changing the definition of a “security.” He cautioned: “Now that the U.S. Appeals Court has upheld the SEC’s authority to unilaterally change the definition of a ‘dealer,’ I expect lots of private investors to be retroactively […]

Bitcoin Network Faces Downturn in Transactions and Fees as Halving Approaches

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The volume of daily transactions on the Bitcoin network has seen a significant decline since Jan. 28, 2024, with numbers falling from peaks above 600,000 to below 300,000 transactions per day. This downturn is in sync with a decrease in the daily creation of Ordinal inscriptions, overall easing congestion and reducing onchain fees. Network Activity […]

Cryptographic Clarity: Unmasking Satoshi Nakamoto Demands Ironclad Evidence Amid a Sea of Claims

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In the past seven years, the crypto world has witnessed various individuals claiming to be the true Satoshi Nakamoto, the mastermind behind the Bitcoin white paper and the initiator of the first blockchain. Yet, despite their efforts, none have managed to convince the community of their authenticity as the creators of Bitcoin. It appears there […]

Investment Advisor: Bitcoin Is Priced for a Serious Rally

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The chief executive of Sound Planning Group has predicted a major bitcoin price surge, stating that the crypto is priced for “a serious rally.” He identified the upcoming Bitcoin halving and the adoption of spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) as key factors driving his bullish prediction for the cryptocurrency’s price. The financial advisor believes that […]

Robert Kiyosaki Expects Bitcoin to Take off — Foresees Gold Crashing Below $1,200

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Rich Dad Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki has predicted that bitcoin and silver will take off while gold will crash below $1,200. He urges investors to prepare for the “biggest crash in history” which he forecasted in his book years ago. Emphasizing that the Federal Reserve is “destroying” the U.S. economy, he advised: “Rather than […]

Dave Portnoy Regrets Selling Bitcoin — Wishes Barstool Invested $10 Million in BTC

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Barstool Sports kingpin Dave Portnoy is experiencing a serious case of crypto regret, wishing that he hadn’t sold his bitcoin. He also wishes that his company, Barstool, had invested $10 million in the crypto. “I’m so mad at myself about bitcoin. I should be up like 75% in bitcoin,” he stressed. However, Portnoy revealed to […]

Peter Brandt Warns Against Trusting SEC Chair Gary Gensler — Says He Has Long History of Not Protecting Investors

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Veteran trader Peter Brandt has warned that U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Gary Gensler should not be trusted. He stressed that Gensler “has a long history of not looking out for the interests of investors.” Brandt further emphasized that the SEC chairman “was instrumental in the bankruptcy” of a major company and was […]

US EIA Starts Requiring Energy Consumption Data From Cryptocurrency Miners

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The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), a statistics agency of the U.S. Energy Department, has sent letters to cryptocurrency miners requiring data related to energy consumption and configuration of their mining sites. According to one of the letters posted on social media, miners have until February 23 to report the info regarding the activities carried […]

Citi Completes Private Market Tokenization Test Using Avalanche

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Citi, in alliance with Wellington Management, Wisdomtree, and ABN AMRO, completed a proof of concept for the tokenization of a private fund on top of the Avalanche blockchain. The test used Spruce, an Avalanche subnet, to tokenize the fund and transact the tokenized assets, which were programmed to “automate operations, settle faster, and enable new […]