Zircuit, an EVM-compatible ZK Rollup, has reached a milestone as its staking Total Value Locked (TVL) has surpassed $2 billion. This comes after users deposited more than $80 million into the project in the last 24 hours. Although still in the testnet phase, the mainnet launch is anticipated later this summer. Zircuit Staking Deposits Surpass...Read More
Jack Dorsey’s fintech company Block Inc. announced on Tuesday that it has completed the development of its advanced Bitcoin mining chip, marking an important milestone for the firm’s mining project. Decentralizing Bitcoin Mining Per a statement shared by Dorsey over Twitter, Block’s three nanometre (3mn) Bitcoin mining chip is now in the process is completing...Read More
Venezuela’s state-owned oil and gas company PDVSA is reportedly planning to speed up its use of crypto, particularly USDT, the largest stablecoin by market capitalization, to circumvent US sanctions. The Venezuelan oil company gradually started integrating USDT for oil sales in 2023, and reportedly has a new policy in place mandating new customers to have...Read More
While bitcoin’s performance over the last couple of years has been nothing short of spectacular, the latest analysis suggests that the world’s largest cryptocurrency has failed to attract safe-haven flows. This was evident in the case of an increased demand for such assets following the escalating conflict in the Middle East, according to Kaiko. Bitcoin...Read More
The stablecoin market has recovered significantly from its plunge in the last two years due to the bear market, recording substantial volumes and activity since October 2023. According to a tweet by crypto market intelligence platform IntoTheBlock, the stablecoin market capitalization is currently at $160 billion, and it is steadily aiming for the all-time high...Read More
XRP’s drop from $0.62 to $0.41 this week appears to have caught the attention of whales. Amid the downturn, these big players in the crypto market have seized the opportunity to accumulate the cryptocurrency that currently stands in seventh position by market cap. XRP’s Whale Activity Intensifies According to the latest findings by popular analyst...Read More
The market dynamics for Bitcoin’s post-4th-halving era are currently positive, suggesting that investors anticipate higher prices and miners are adjusting their strategies well. According to the new Bitfinex Alpha report, bitcoin (BTC) selling by long-term holders has not yet led to the typical pre-halving drop, suggesting that new market entrants are absorbing the selling pressure...Read More
SEC lawyers Michael Welsh and Joseph Watkins resigned this month after the regulator was sanctioned by a federal judge in a crypto case against Digital Licensing Inc., otherwise known as DEBT Box. Judge Robert Shelby found that the SEC made false statements, misrepresentations, and lacked evidence in its case against the digital asset firm in...Read More
Bitcoin halving concerns triggered the 11th consecutive week of outflows from the blockchain equities. According to data compiled by CoinShares, blockchain equities experienced $9 million in withdrawals as investors worried about halving the impact on mining companies because it can affect their profitability and, subsequently, the value of their investments in those firms. The latest...Read More
The world’s largest asset manager is aiming to retain its position as leader of the spot Bitcoin ETF market following a massive exodus of capital from its flagship GBTC product. In order to do this, Grayscale has applied for a smaller Bitcoin ETF with highly competitive fees to compete with its ten rivals. According to...Read More
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) has released a survey questioning market participants about round-the-clock stock trading, signaling potential interest in opening its trading venue beyond traditional market hours. The update would bring the stock exchange up to date with today’s major cryptocurrency exchanges, which operate at all hours including weekends. All Hours Stock Trading...Read More
Bitcoin layer 2 solution tokens have demonstrated superior performance to BTC following the highly anticipated halving of the mining reward on the blockchain. Since the event, these tokens have surged by 5% to 20%, outpacing the top crypto by market cap. Stacks (STX) Takes Center Stage According to CoinGecko data, the market cap for Bitcoin...Read More
Data from IntoTheBlock revealed that investors withdrew approximately half a billion ETH from centralized exchanges last week, the highest the asset has seen since February. $500M ETH Leaves CEXs The withdrawal of large amounts of ETH from centralized exchanges signals investor confidence in the long-term price trajectory of the asset. Market participants usually withdraw their...Read More
The average Bitcoin transaction fee dropped on Sunday after reaching a record high the day before. Following the much-anticipated halving, the average fee per Bitcoin transaction hit a record high of $128.45 stemming from Runes. However, data from YCharts revealed that the figure subsequently fell to $34.8 million on April 21. Bitcoin Transaction Fees Plunges...Read More
Crypto markets have shown signs of recovery over the weekend but a busy week ahead on the economic calendar in the United States may refuel momentum for the bears. The Federal Reserve’s key inflation metric, which could impact monetary policy going forward, will be in the spotlight. Macroeconomics outlet the Kobeissi Letter highlighted the key...Read More
United States prosecutors have filed charges against a Nebraska man accused of a cryptojacking scheme that allegedly defrauded two cloud providers – one headquartered in Seattle and the other in Redmond, Washington – of $3.5 million. Prosecutors allege that the cryptojacking scheme yielded cryptocurrency mining valued at almost $1 million. Cryptojacker Charged in $3.5 Million...Read More
Animoca Brands reported $558 million in digital assets on its balance sheet, as per its latest unaudited financial disclosures. Since December 2023, the company has acquired an additional $266 million in digital assets through various recent investments and token launches. According to the official announcement released earlier this week, the Hong Kong-based Web3 giant disclosed...Read More
Crypto privacy protocol Railgun has denied accusations that it is being used by North Korea and other United States-sanctioned entities to launder digital assets. This development comes as the crypto privacy protocol nears $1B total volume. Railgun Denies Lazarus Group Association Responding to claims made by crypto reporter Colin Wu through an X post, Railgun...Read More
Bybit’s Institutional Report 2024 revealed a significant increase in monthly trading volumes across several centralized exchanges (CEXs) from October 2023 to March 2024. During that timeframe, the crypto sector’s market cap surged from slightly above $1 trillion to over $2.5 trillion. Bullish Trends and BTC as a Hedge According to the report, OKX’s trading volumes...Read More
Kraken, the second-largest crypto exchange in the U.S., has introduced its self-custodial mobile wallet. Dubbed Kraken Wallet, the product follows in the footsteps of prominent platforms such as Binance, OKX, Coinbase, Bitget, and Bybit. Kraken Wallet’s Focus on Privacy and Self-Custody Kraken Wallet offers users a solution for managing their tokens, NFTs, and DeFi across...Read More
Prominent global agencies have flagged a newly-emerged ransomware group named Akira, estimated to be just a year old, for its widespread cyber intrusions, breaching over 250 organizations globally and raking in nearly $42 million in ransom payments. Investigations led by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have revealed that Akira has been actively...Read More
Ernst & Young (EY) has launched OpsChain Contract Manager (OCM), an Ethereum solution that leverages zero-knowledge proofs technology. The solution will help private businesses efficiently manage and execute intricate business agreements while ensuring confidentiality, timeliness, and cost-effectiveness. EY Launches the OpsChain Contract Manager EY, one of the top “big four” accounting firms alongside Deloitte, KPMG,...Read More
Hong Kong authorities have arrested over 70 individuals linked to the HK$1.6 billion JPEX cryptocurrency scandal that shook the city-state. According to the latest report by SCMP, approximately HK$230 million – worth around $29.37 million – in assets has been frozen, as disclosed by Police Commissioner Raymond Siu Chak-yee. Hong Kong Authorities Crack Down on...Read More
Riding in the coattails of a broader market resurgence, the NFT trading space witnessed in 2024 Q1, with volumes across the top 10 marketplaces soaring to $4.7 billion. According to CoinGecko’s latest report, Blur maintained its stronghold as the leading NFT marketplace during this period. During the first quarter of 2024, Blur recorded $1.5 billion...Read More
The Korean crypto markets have recently experienced a surge in trade volume, reaching heights not seen in over two years. According to a report from Kaiko, the first quarter of 2024 marked an important milestone as the South Korean Won (KRW) surpassed the U.S. Dollar (USD) in terms of cumulative trade volume. Competition and Shifting...Read More
MicroStrategy founder Michael Saylor has sold up to 370,000 shares of his brainchild over the past four months. This follows his entry into a stock-sale agreement with the company last year. Under the agreement, he has the authorization to unload up to 400,000 shares until April of this year. Saylor to Offload 400,000 Shares Michael...Read More
Yuga Labs, creator of the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) NFT collection, has announced the sale of the intellectual property rights for two of its games. This move is part of Yuga Labs’ previously declared commitment to refocus its organizational efforts. Yuga Labs Hands Over Gaming IPs to Faraway In an April 17 announcement on...Read More
Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan remained entangled in a legal battle with Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with his bail application hearing being postponed yet again. The Federal High Court in Abuja adjourned his case after the EFCC’s lawyer requested more time to respond to new issues Gambaryan’s defense team raised. Gambaryan’s Appeal Adjourned...Read More
It may sound counter-intuitive that a decentralized network can generate a profit, but that is exactly what Ethereum has done so far this year. According to an April 18 Token Terminal report, the Ethereum blockchain generated a $369 million profit in the first quarter of 2024. If this level of profit is sustained, the blockchain...Read More
With the Bitcoin (BTC) halving only hours away, analysts are at odds over whether the one-in-four-years event is already “priced in” to the crypto market. According to Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan, the answer is yes – but it comes with some important nuance. The Bitcoin Halving And Efficient Markets In a Twitter thread posted on...Read More
