🚘 Ferrari to accept crypto for luxury car purchases: Reuters
Ferrari will accept cryptocurrency as a payment method for its luxury cars in the U.S., according to a Reuters report. The company intends to expand this payment option to Europe in the near future. The decision to embrace cryptocurrency was made in response to requests from the market and dealers. Many of Ferrari’s clients have invested in cryptocurrencies, the firm said. “This will help us connect to people who are not necessarily our clients but might afford a Ferrari,” the company's chief marketing and commercial officer Enrico Galliera told Reuters.
For its U.S. operations, the company has partnered with BitPay, a notable cryptocurrency payment processor. Payments in bitcoin, ether, and the stablecoin USDC will be accepted and promptly converted into fiat currencies to safeguard dealers from crypto price volatility. Countries with cryptocurrency restrictions, such as China, will not be included in Ferrari’s cryptocurrency payment expansion strategy. Galliera stated that Ferrari’s order portfolio is fully booked until 2025. However, the company is experimenting with this payment method to potentially attract new customers. In 2021, electric car manufacturer Tesla initiated the acceptance of payments in bitcoin. However, CEO Elon Musk subsequently suspended accepting crypto payments for car purchases due to environmental concerns.
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📊 Reddit's Fortnite Token BRICK More Than Doubles After Two-Months of Decline
Bricks (BRICK), the native token of Reddit's Fortnite community, surged 110% over the past 24-hours after having lost over 80% of its value in the past two-months. The majority of trading volume occurred on Kraken with the figure across all exchanges nearing $750,000, a 800% rise from the previous 24-hour period, according to CoinMarketCap. There is currently no clear catalyst for the increase in price, although it has bucked the wider cryptocurrency trend which saw bitcoin (BTC) fall back below $27,000 on Wednesday.
Liquidity remains thin across Bricks trading pairs with 2% market depth on Kraken standing at $2,500 on both the bid and ask side. Bricks is an ERC-20 token that was distributed to active members of the Fortnite subreddit, it rose significantly in August as hype around other Reddit community tokens like r/cryptocurrency's Moons (MOON) began to build. Liquidity remains relatively thin across all exchanges, with 2% market depth on Kraken equating to around $2,500 on both the bid and ask side. Market depth is a metric that assess the amount of capital required to move an asset in a certain direction. A lack of liquidity in an asset that has experienced significant upside presents a risk to traders as price could cascade back down with minimal effort, potentially trapping those that bought the recent high.
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💰 FTX’s insurance fund figure was faked by using Python code
In a stunning turn of events, the true nature of FTX’s insurance funds has been brought to light, as Gary Wang, co-founder of the platform, testified that they were artificially inflated using covert Python code. The figure of approximately 7,500, which was presented to the public, is not calculated by multiplying the daily trading volume of FTX. Gary Wang, a co-founder of FTX, testified that FTX used covert Python code to inflate the value of their insurance funds.
On October 6, Gary Wang, a former chief technology officer of FTX, provided new testimony. He claimed that FTX’s alleged $100 million insurance funds for 2021 were fraudulent and did not include any of the claimed exchanges of FTX’s tokens (FTT). During the trial, the prosecutors presented a tweet and other public evidence of the fund’s value and asked Wang about its accuracy. He simply replied with a single word, “No.” Wang’s testimony revealed that the amount contained within the funds was often insufficient to cover these losses. He claims that he was instructed to have Alameda “take on” the loss when Bankman-Fried realized that the insurance fund was almost depleted. Allegedly, this was an effort to hide the loss, as Alameda’s balance sheets were more private than FTX’s.
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💰 Investment Manager Expects SEC to Approve All Bitcoin ETF Applications in 3-6 Months
Steven Schoenfeld, former head of International Equity Product Strategy at Barclays Global Investors (now Blackrock), expects the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to approve all spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) applications in three to six months. He also anticipates that the greenlighting of spot bitcoin and ethereum ETFs has the potential to inject between $150 billion and $200 billion of capital into these investment products.
Schoenfeld is a 36-year veteran of the investment management industry, having served in senior fiduciary positions at Northern Trust. He was also Managing Director and Head of International Equity Product Strategy at Barclays Global Investors (now Blackrock), where he managed more than $70 billion in developed and emerging market stock index funds and ETFs. Previously, he also led the team at the IFC/World Bank which developed the first investable Emerging Market indexes. “The AUM potential could double or triple the current amount of AUM in current bitcoin products,” he added. Regarding the SEC’s potential approval timeline for a spot bitcoin ETF, he remarked: “Two weeks ago I would have said nine to 12 months away.” .
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🪙 FriendTech rival Stars Arena fuels Avalanche transaction surge
Blockchain-based social application Stars Arena is causing a significant surge in the number of transactions on Avalanche's C-chain network. Launched at the end of September, this latest social protocol inspired by FriendTech on Base has rapidly gained traction among users. Stars Arena, originally named StarShares, has also emerged as a frontrunner in daily active users, surpassing other dapps on the Avalanche network, according to DappRadar. More than 10,000 unique active wallets interacted with Stars Arena in the 24 hours, its data shows.
The platform reported a total value locked just above $1 million within two weeks of its launch, according DeFiLlama data. Transactions on Avalanche, meanwhile, have shown a significant uptick, with figures jumping from 158,000 on Sept. 20 around the time Stars Arena launched to over 250,000 by Oct. 3, according to The Block's Data Dashboard. Stars Arena is part of the larger SocialFi trend that ignited with the advent of FriendTech on Coinbase's Base Layer 2 blockchain in August, much like other clone projects such as PostTech on Arbitrum and Friendzy on Solana. The platforms allow users to trade tokens associated with social media influencers, granting them exclusive access to converse with them.
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💰 Sam Bankman-Fried's lawyers challenge customers' testimony on how FTX used their assets
Sam Bankman-Fried’s lawyers are contesting prosecutors’ moves to call on customers and investors to testify about how they understood the now failed crypto exchange would use their assets. His lawyers’ letter was filed not long before Bankman-Fried’s trial kicked off in New York on Tuesday, where the former FTX CEO faces multiple fraud charges and potentially decades in prison. Prosecutors had previously said they expected some FTX customers to testify about how they thought the exchange would hold their funds and said some FTX investors.
“The motion is premature. Decisions on specific testimony from specific witnesses relating to their individual understanding of specific statements or aspects of their relationship with FTX or Mr. Bankman-Fried cannot be decided in the abstract,” Bankman-Fried’s lawyers said. Other letters were filed by Bankman-Fried’s defense ahead of Tuesday’s trial, which is expected to last several weeks. On Monday, his attorneys said prosecutors' request to allow an FTX customer, who is in Ukraine, to testify remotely should be denied, arguing that a face-to-face, in-court testimony is essential. If the court does approve prosecutors’ request, the defense should be allowed to cross-examine the witnesses, the lawyers said.
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🪙 VanEck to donate 10% of Ethereum Strategy ETF profits to core protocol contributors
VanEck intends to donate 10% of its Ethereum Strategy exchange-traded fund to The Protocol Guild, a collective of 152 Ethereum core protocol contributors, for a minimum of 10 years. "If TradFi stands to gain from the efforts of Ethereum's core contributors, it makes sense that we also give back to their work," the New York City-based asset manager wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "We urge other asset managers/ETF issuers to consider also giving back in the same way."
VanEck also thanked the Ethereum contributors "for nearly a decade of relentless building & ongoing stewardship of this common infrastructure." "This is kinda insane, never would've expected to see it in a million years," Delegate founder 0xfoobar wrote on X. "Ethereum alignment is an incredibly value-accretive narrative, rare to see such large institutions understand this." VanEck is currently in preparations to launch its Ethereum Strategy ETF (EFUT), which focuses on ether futures contracts. It is slated to be listed on CBOE and actively managed by VanEck head of active trading Greg Krenzer. "The Fund is not yet available for trading and there is no assurance that the Fund will commence trading," the asset manager noted.
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📣 BlockFi’s Customer Repayment Plan Now Approved By Court
In a significant development for customers of the beleaguered cryptocurrency lending platform BlockFi, the United States Bankruptcy Court in New Jersey has granted approval for its liquidation plan. The court’s decision, made during a hearing on September 26, marks a significant milestone in the company’s winding-down process, potentially allowing customers to recoup a portion of their investments by year-end. The company’s third amended Chapter 11 plan received the green light from Bankruptcy Judge Michael A. Kaplan.
The expected recovery for unsecured BlockFi creditors ranges from approximately 35% to 63% of their owed amounts, as detailed in an August court filing. The final payout depends on the outcome of its legal battles with FTX and other bankrupt crypto firms. BlockFi has stated that the resolution of disputes with FTX and Three Arrows Capital could significantly impact creditor recoveries. BlockFi initially halted customer withdrawals on November 10, just prior to FTX’s bankruptcy. While initially aiming to restructure the business under Chapter 11, BlockFi determined earlier this year that liquidation offered the best avenue for repaying its customers.
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🪙 Avalanche Unleashes Cortina 11 Upgrade To Increase Performance
Ava Labs’ Engineering Vice President, Patrick O’Grady, took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce the release of Avalanche’s Cortina 11 (v1.10.11) upgrade. This release, which is backward compatible with v1.10.0, is now available as an optional upgrade, with strong recommendations from the development team to embrace its features. The update brings several enhancements to the Avalanche blockchain ecosystem.
Key highlights of the Cortina 11 upgrade include the introduction of ArchiveDB, a refactored RewardValidatorTx logic, and a versatile file tracking package. These improvements aim to enhance the platform’s functionality and streamline operations for developers. Avalanche, the proof-of-stake blockchain created by Ava Labs, initiated the Cortina upgrade on its mainnet back in April. This upgrade marked a pivotal moment for the network by optimizing its infrastructure to cater to developers’ needs. Notably, the v1.10.0 update included a major migration of the X-Chain to run on the Snowman++ consensus. This consolidation resulted in the entire network operating under a single consensus engine, paving the way for the integration of Avalanche Warp Messaging (AWM) and the facilitation of complex X-Chain transactions.
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🪙 Justin Sun’s Huobi Bold Transformation: HTX Emerges As A Game-Changer In Crypto
Justin Sun’s Huobi Global, a prominent cryptocurrency exchange, surprised the crypto community with its recent rebranding to “HTX.” The new name, explained in a blog post on the exchange’s website, symbolizes Huobi (H), Sun‘s blockchain Tron (T), and “exchange” (X). This change coincides with Huobi’s tenth anniversary, marked by the Roman numeral X. However, it has drawn comparisons to FTX, the exchange that made waves in the crypto market at the end of the previous year. This remains a lingering pain for the industry to this day.
FTX faced a downturn partly due to its heavy reliance on its native exchange token, FTT, which it used for collateral and valuation. Additionally, FTX held significant positions in tokens linked to projects backed by its founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, often referred to as “Sam’s Coins.” As FTX’s reputation waned, the value of these tokens plummeted. According to Bloomberg, Huobi’s reserves are primarily composed of tokens connected to Justin Sun, accounting for approximately 60%, raising concerns about its vulnerability to price fluctuations in Sun’s tokens. Additionally, Huobi’s holdings of USDT, a widely traded cryptocurrency, have been declining. This rebranding occurs as Sam Bankman-Fried faces trial for his role in FTX’s troubles, further fueling comparisons between the two exchanges.
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🪙 $150 Million Worth Of Notional Ethereum Calls Actively Participated By Whale
Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency, has been wrestling with significant price challenges, but recent developments in whale activity hint at a potential rebound. Data from Greeks.live reveals that within the last hour, over 40,000 ETH Block calls were executed, with the majority opting for 29DEC23-2200-C. Furthermore, almost 50,000 ETH calls for 27OCT23-2000-C were purchased the previous night. This surge in call options trading amounted to a staggering 92,600 ETH. A notable whale invested $150 million in notional ETH calls, all of which were naked buys, signaling bullish long-term expectations.
Ethereum’s price managed to breach the $1,620 resistance level. However, it struggles to gather momentum beyond the $1,650 mark, mirroring Bitcoin’s challenge. A recent alert from Whale Alert raised eyebrows in the crypto world, hinting at Ethereum whales potentially devising an exit strategy. This alert disclosed a substantial transfer of 22,343 ETH. While ETH’s price may appear stagnant since last September, trading around $1,600, underlying factors like ETH derivatives and network activity could hold the key to the elusive $1,800 milestone. Significant developments under the surface, such as a decrease in Ethereum‘s overall supply and a notable increase in staked ETH, suggest the potential for positive price movement.
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🇰🇵 Lazarus Group’s $240 Million Crypto Heist Shocks with 104-Day Streak
In a recent report released by blockchain monitoring platform Elliptic, alarming details have emerged regarding the involvement of the notorious North Korean hacker group Lazarus Group in a series of major cryptocurrency hacks. The hacking spree began in June with an assault on Atomic Wallet, followed by attacks on payments firms Alphapo and CoinsPaid in July. Most recently, Lazarus Group struck again with the encryption attack on Stake.com, further raising concerns about the group’s audacity and capabilities.
Elliptic’s findings reveal that the Lazarus managed to pilfer an astonishing sum of nearly $240 million in cryptocurrency within a mere 104 days. This brazen and highly successful campaign underscores the group’s increasing expertise in the world of cybercrime. What is particularly concerning is Lazarus Group’s shift towards targeting centralized platforms rather than decentralized ones. This shift suggests a calculated strategy change, potentially driven by the belief that centralized platforms are more vulnerable to social engineering attacks. The Lazarus Group has been responsible for a string of high-profile cyberattacks in the past. This includes the infamous WannaCry ransomware attack in 2017, which disrupted organizations worldwide. Their latest exploits indicate that they continue to pose a significant threat to the global cryptocurrency ecosystem.
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🏴 Aptos Set To Unlock $103 Million In Tokens: A Boost To Liquidity
Aptos (APT) is getting ready to release tokens valued a total of $103 million. Aptos, a Layer 1 protocol founded by former Facebook employees, is poised to release a substantial amount of tokens, with plans to issue 20 million Aptos (APT) tokens in November, according to data from TokenUnlocks. At the current market price of $5.17 per token, this unlocks an impressive $103 million worth of APT tokens, representing over 8.5% of Aptos’ circulating supply of 235.02 million.
The forthcoming release of APT tokens is expected to inject significant liquidity into the market, as reported by research firm The Tie, which specializes in digital assets. Notably, the issuance of 20 million APTs amounts to 112% of the average daily trading volume over the preceding 30 days. To manage this unlock, Aptos will adopt a phased approach, with the initial release set at 5.83 million APT tokens in November, equivalent to 32% of the average daily volume. By December, this figure is anticipated to rise to 6.15 million APTs. Over the past year, Aptos has been consistently unlocking 4.62 million APTs each month for various community and organizational purposes.
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🍣 Sushi Swims Beyond Ethereum To Layer 1 Aptos, Aims For Cross-Chain Glory
Leading decentralized exchange (DEX) platform Sushi is embarking on an expansion into the Aptos Network, marking a significant move as it ventures beyond the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) ecosystem. The integration will see the DEX’s key components, including Sushi v2 AMM and SushiXswap, seamlessly integrated onto the Aptos Network. This pioneering collaboration with Aptos represents a crucial step in realizing its vision of achieving cross-chain and multi-chain prominence.
While the DEX has been a prominent player in various EVM chains, such as Ethereum, Fantom, Polygon, Arbitrum, and BNB Chain, this expansion signifies its commitment to diversifying its presence and embracing innovation. Its governance has actively pursued strategies to enhance its protocol, recently passing a proposal to increase liquidity in one of its pools. DWF Labs, a global digital asset market maker, has proposed a collaboration to bolster liquidity and trading depth for SUSHI tokens within the V3 protocol. As the DEX’s integration with Aptos Network unfolds, it represents a promising step towards greater interoperability and a world-class user experience for both Sushi and Aptos users and developers.
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🪙 Bitcoin ETF Market Will Grow Into A $100 Billion Juggernaut If Approved
US spot Bitcoin ETF market potential to reach $100B, attracting new money. Cheaper, more efficient than futures ETFs. According to Bloomberg Intelligence estimates, if approved, the US spot Bitcoin ETF market has the potential to grow into a $100 billion juggernaut over time. Analysts suggest that new money, particularly those looking to buy and hold over longer time periods, will be attracted to a spot product, which is also likely to be cheaper and more efficient than the current futures ETFs on US exchanges.
While Bitcoin-futures ETFs have received a warm welcome as they marked a watershed moment for the crypto industry, they have trailed Bitcoin’s rally this year. The expense associated with rolling over specific futures contracts as they expire has eaten into returns, causing the funds to become unmoored from the asset they track. With spot ETFs more likely than futures-based ones to be a reflection of real-time supply and demand, their introduction may cause “migration of trading activity and liquidity” away from Bitcoin futures markets in the US. Proponents are optimistic that the heft of the issuers involved and Grayscale’s recent court win may finally tilt the odds in favor of these funds being approved.
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🏦 Coinbase tells IRS it has 'serious concerns' about proposed tax rules
Coinbase used a 14-page letter to the Internal Revenue Service on Thursday to detail what it said are serious concerns about the "nature and scope" of proposed tax regulations related to gross proceeds and basis reporting for digital asset transactions. "We have long advocated for a tax system that treats digital assets the same way it treats assets in traditional finance," the crypto exchange told the U.S. tax authority. "The proposed regulations, as written, would impose an unprecedented, unchecked, and unlimited tracking on the daily lives of Americans.
Coinbase, which was writing about rules proposed by the IRS in August, said the requirements would establish an "incomprehensible and unduly burdensome set of new reporting requirements." It also argued that they're "overly broad in ways that are not warranted or implementable." The crypto exchange listed what it said were six overarching observations connected to its objections: lack of parity with financial services, duplicative and burdensome reporting, invasion of privacy, violation of tech neutrality, unrealistic compliance timeline, and missed opportunity to leverage blockchain to ensure taxpayer compliance. "This overbreadth will counterproductively make it harder for the IRS to enforce the tax laws on cryptocurrency transactions involving U.S. persons," Coinbase wrote.
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📈 BIGTIME Gaming Token Surged By 60% After Coinbase And OKX Announcing Support
Coinbase and OKX announced the launch of BIGTIME gaming token. The BIGTIME team comes from some traditional game studios. It has received tens of millions of dollars in investment as early as 2021. BIGTIME is a gaming token launched by Coinbase and OKX. The team behind BIGTIME comprises members from traditional game studios and has received substantial investment. Coinbase will support BIGTIME as an ERC-20 token on the Ethereum network. Trading is set to begin if liquidity conditions are met.
The Ethereum network (ERC-20 token) contract address for Big Time (BIGTIME): 0x64Bc2cA1Be492bE7185FAA2c8835d9b824c8a194 After the announcement of Coinbase and OKX, the BIGTIME gaming token has surged by nearly 60%, trading at around $0.111 as of this writing. (Shown by CoinMarketCap data) For those unaware, Big Time adopts a play-to-earn model rather than a pay-to-win approach, ensuring a fair and meritocratic gameplay experience. Additionally, Big Time Studios boasts an experienced development team that includes industry veterans and blockchain pioneers. Furthermore, Big Time lowers the barrier to entry for non-blockchain gamers through its user-friendly Infinity Vault system, which simplifies NFT trading within the game.
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🇺🇸 US considering application of Electronic Fund Transfer Act to crypto accounts
The US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is evaluating the application of the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA) to cryptocurrency platforms. The move aims to bolster consumer protections in a market plagued by recent significant hacks on platforms like Axie Infinity, Crypto.com, and FTX. EFTA regulations mandate that electronic fund facilitators inform users of their liabilities concerning unauthorized transfers. The spotlight is on their methodologies in handling user data and their strategic intentions surrounding the roll-out or backing of private digital currencies.
During a conference organized by The Brookings Institution, CFPB Director Rohit Chopra brought to the fore the agency’s intentions of delving deeper into the operational dynamics of influential tech entities. To tackle this, the CFPB is contemplating releasing more comprehensive guidelines, clarifying the boundaries and obligations under the EFTA for digital currencies and their handlers. The council could classify certain cryptocurrency-related activities as pivotal for payment and settlement processes, an action rooted in the Dodd-Frank Act’s provisions. Such a categorization would pave the way for more stringent oversight, especially ensuring instruments like stablecoins live up to their promise of stability. On a parallel note, the CFPB is on the cusp of announcing a meticulously crafted rule around personal financial data rights.
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🪙 Ethereum Has Become More Centralized Since the Merge and Shanghai Upgrades: JPMorgan
The rise in ether (ETH) staking since the Merge and Shanghai upgrades has come at a cost to Ethereum as the network has become more centralized and the overall staking yield has fallen, JPMorgan (JPM) said in a research report on Thursday. “Many in the crypto community had seen Lido, a decentralized liquid staking platform as a better alternative compared to the centralized liquid staking platforms associated with centralized exchanges,” analysts led by Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou wrote.
Lido has been adding more node operators to contain the number of staked ether being controlled by any single operator, to address centralization concerns, the Wall Street bank noted. Still, centralization by any entity or protocol creates risks for Ethereum as a “concentrated number of liquidity providers or node operators could act as a single point of failure or become targets for attacks or collude to create an oligopoly that would promote their own interests at the expense of the interests of the community,” the report added. An added risk from the rise of liquid staking is rehypothecation, the bank said. This is when liquidity tokens are reused as collateral across numerous decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols at the same time. DeFi is an umbrella term used for lending, trading and other financial activities carried out on a blockchain.
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📣 3AC co-founder Su Zhu’s Singapore villa converted into urban farm: Report
The Singapore villa and gardens owned by Su Zhu, co-founder of the collapsed cryptocurrency hedge fund Three Arrows Capital (3AC), has been converted into an urban farm run by his wife Evelyn Tao’s company Abundant Cities. Su Zhu and his wife acquired the villa through a trust for 48.8 million Singapore dollars ($35.6 million) in March 2022. However, following the cryptocurrency market crash last year and the subsequent bankruptcy of 3AC, Su Zhu was reportedly keen on selling the property. The villa is not part of 3AC’s liquidated assets.
The company has been organizing guided tours and private dining at the luxurious bungalow on Yarwood Avenue since at least the beginning of the year, according to local media reports. Tao holds a Ph.D. in biology from the National University of Singapore and previously worked at the Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory and the Institute of Medical Biology under the Singapore Agency for Science, Technology and Research. The bungalow's transformation into the Yarwood Homestead includes agriculture and aquaculture, producing local vegetables, herbs, fruits, fish, chickens and ducks — becoming Abundant Cities' research and development headquarters, according to its website.
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🇺🇸 Former US President Donald Trump May Change Crypto Stance Dramatically, Says Ex-SEC Official
Former U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) official John Reed Stark has argued that former President Donald Trump could “dramatically” change his position on cryptocurrencies. Stark is currently president of cybersecurity firm John Reed Stark Consulting. He founded and served as chief of the SEC Office of Internet Enforcement for 11 years. He was also an SEC enforcement attorney for 15 years. Trump is running for president in 2024.
Citing multiple media reports, he also noted that Trump now owns some cryptocurrency. The former U.S. president reportedly disclosed crypto holdings of $2.8 million in ether (ETH) in August after debuting a non-fungible token (NFT) collection last year. In 2019, Trump stated that he is “not a fan of bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies,” emphasizing that they’re not money. He further said they are “based on thin air,” adding that “unregulated crypto assets can facilitate unlawful behavior, including drug trade and other illegal activity.” Moreover, he said in 2021 that crypto is very dangerous. They included a Republican president being elected, SEC Chairman Gary Gensler resigning, and “crypto mom” Hester Peirce being appointed as the acting SEC Chair.
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🏴 New 'Exorcist' film taps Aptos to help scare up web3 fan experience
Once upon a time in Hollywood web3 was all the rage, with studios experimenting with an array of blockchain-enabled promotional campaigns designed to service super fans. While things have cooled during crypto winter, Universal Pictures is showing that it hasn't given up on web3, announcing today that, in conjunction with Aptos Labs, it is rolling out a blockchain-powered promotional campaign for its latest horror film, "The Exorcist: Believer."
“Our ultimate goal with web3 is to craft interconnected digital experiences across all our platforms,” said Greg Reed, vice president of technology partnerships at Universal Pictures. The 'Exorcist' fan experience aims to allow consumers to engage with exclusive digital art, behind-the-scenes footage and AR filters while also getting the chance to win physical prizes, the companies said in a statement. The immersive digital campaign utilizes Aptos' Move programming language, which was originally developed inside Meta. Aptos Labs was co-founded by Mo Shaikh and Avery Ching and has secured funding from high-profile crypto investors like a16z.
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🪙 Tether Singapore Prohibited Has Existed Since May 2020, Rejecting Recent Untrue Rumor
In response to recent reports by Cointelegraph, Tether has clarified its stance on restricting certain customer groups in specific jurisdictions. Tether’s Chief Technology Officer, Paolo Ardoino, made a statement on the X platform, emphasizing that Tether had modified its services before May 12, 2020, including the prohibition of certain activities in Singapore. Cointelegraph initially reported that Tether had altered its terms of service (ToS) in Singapore, preventing select customer groups from converting USDT into U.S. dollars.
Cake co-founder and CEO, Julian Hosp, shared an email from Tether, revealing the company’s decision not to redeem USDT for United States dollars due to changes in its ToS. The email further disclosed that corporations controlled by another entity, as well as directors and shareholders residing in Singapore, were no longer permitted to be Tether customers. While it remains unclear whether these changes are related to recent money laundering cases in Singapore, Tether’s CTO, Paolo Ardoino, shed light on the broader scope of prohibited jurisdictions. Ardoino confirmed that Singapore had been on the list of prohibited jurisdictions since 2020, alongside Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Pakistan, Syria, the Government of Venezuela, and Crimea. Tether’s updated policies reflect its commitment to compliance and regulatory standards in various jurisdictions.
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💸 CoinShares launches hedge fund division in US expansion
European crypto asset manager CoinShares International Ltd has launched a new hedge fund division, CoinShares Hedge Fund Solutions, as the company expands into the U.S. market. “CoinShares Capital LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CoinShares and a broker-dealer registered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), will be conducting marketing activities to qualified investors in the United States in support of CoinShares Hedge Fund Solutions’ strategies and products,” the statement added.
CoinShares appointed traditional asset management veteran Lewis Fellas to head the new division. “CoinShares inspired my move into crypto asset management in 2016, so being able to lead the new division within the firm and further pioneer the space is an honor,” Fellas said. “The design of our strategies reflects the team’s deep and practical knowledge of digital assets and showcases the firm’s ability to develop new products that meet the demands of institutional investors.” “The long-awaited return of interest rate-driven volatility is a great opportunity that we plan to capture with our novel fund products,” Fellas added. “Each product that will be offered is designed to mitigate counterparty risk whilst providing investors with clearly defined asset class and strategy exposures.”
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🇭🇰 Hong Kong Regulator Monitors JPEX Since March 2022
Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has issued a stern statement regarding JPEX, a virtual asset trading platform, citing questionable operations, and false and misleading statements. JPEX, once a player in the virtual asset trading arena, has abandoned its supervisory responsibilities, raising concerns since March 2022. The China Securities Regulatory Commission has been closely monitoring JPEX and has initiated investigations into alleged false and insincere disclosures made by the platform.
The SFC’s frustration with JPEX’s lack of cooperation and substantive response to its inquiries has led to decisive action. The platform is now slated to be added to the Securities Regulatory Commission’s list of unlicensed companies and suspicious websites in July 2022. The disclosure of confidential communications on JPEX’s website has serious implications, as these communications were a part of the SFC’s ongoing inquiries and investigations into JPEX. The SFC has made it clear that JPEX has never applied for a license with them, nor have any entities associated with the JPEX Group been granted licenses to operate a virtual asset exchange in Hong Kong. There has been no official communication between the Securities Regulatory Commission and JPEX regarding licensing matters.
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🇰🇪 Worldcoin Parent Company Invests $4.8 Million In Kenya For Cryptocurrency And Blockchain Education
Tools for Humanity, the parent company of Worldcoin, has announced a substantial investment of nearly $4.8 million in cryptocurrency and blockchain education initiatives in Kenya. CEO Alex Blania revealed the commitment to fostering educational efforts in the blockchain and crypto space, underscoring the importance of equipping individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the evolving digital financial landscape.
Alex Blania took the opportunity to address recent allegations that Worldcoin had intentions to sell user biometric data collected through eye-scanning technology. Blania categorically denied such claims, emphasizing that Tools for Humanity (TFH) is not directly involved in educational activities but relies on third-party partnerships for its initiatives. Notable collaborators include Strathmore University, the Kenya Blockchain Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the Africa Blockchain Center. Worldcoin funds into cryptocurrency and blockchain education in Kenya aligns with the broader mission of TFH and its commitment to supporting initiatives that contribute to the global adoption of blockchain technology.
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🇺🇸 SEC Accuses Binance.US Is Breaching Agreements Set Forth In Lawsuit
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has taken legal action against Binance.US, accusing the cryptocurrency exchange of non-cooperation during an investigation. The SEC has expressed dissatisfaction with the evidence provided by Binance.US’s holding company, BAM, which amounted to roughly 220 documents, including incomprehensible screenshots and documents lacking dates or signatures. The company countered these claims, stating that their use of Ceffu’s wallet services did not grant access to customer funds.
Federal regulators are concerned that Binance‘s reliance on Ceffu’s custody service violates an earlier agreement designed to prevent assets from being moved offshore. The SEC further alleges that its submission of sealed documents in response to earlier requests has caused significant delays in the case. This legal dispute has caused a stir in the crypto industry, impacting investor sentiment and trading volumes on other exchanges, such as Binance.US executives have recently departed. In a recent development, both the SEC and Binance, along with its U.S. affiliate, have agreed to unseal several documents related to the case. The legal battle between the company and the agency continues to unfold, with implications for the broader cryptocurrency industry.
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🪙 Hashdex Makes Waves With Innovative Spot Ethereum ETF Application In The US
Hashdex, renowned for its innovative investment strategies, has entered the competitive arena of Ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the United States. The move comes in response to the escalating demand for cryptocurrency-based investment products. According to Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart, Hashdex recently submitted an application for a spot Ethereum ETF, aptly named the “Hashdex Nasdaq Ethereum ETF.” This proposal mirrors their earlier approach regarding Bitcoin, combining futures and spot trading strategies.
For the uninitiated, ETFs, or exchange-traded funds, are investment instruments traded on traditional stock exchanges; their value is intrinsically tied to underlying assets, which could encompass a variety of assets, from stocks to commodities. Hashdex’s approach sets it apart from recent contenders in the ETF arena, as it does not rely on the commonly discussed Coinbase surveillance sharing agreement. Instead, the company plans to source spot Ethereum directly from established physical exchanges within the CME market. The company has already filed a similar application for a Bitcoin futures ETF, further diversifying its crypto ETF offerings.
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@TradeCryptoNow
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📣 IMF and FSB Release 'Policies for Crypto Assets' at G20 Request
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Financial Stability Board (FSB) published their joint synthesis paper titled “Policies for Crypto Assets” on Thursday. The report was developed at the request of the Indian G20 Presidency. “This paper’s key objective is to synthesize the work of the IMF and the FSB,” the report details, adding that the two international organizations “have advanced policy and regulatory recommendations to identify and respond to macroeconomic and financial stability risks associated with crypto-assets.”
One of the many issues covered in the report is blanket bans on cryptocurrencies. “Blanket bans that make all crypto-asset activities (e.g., trading and mining) illegal can be costly and technically demanding to enforce. They also tend to increase the incentives for circumvention due to the inherent borderless nature of crypto-assets, resulting in potentially heightened financial integrity risks, and can also create inefficiencies,” according to the IMF and the FSB. The IMF and the FSB, together with other international organizations (IOs) and standard-setting bodies (SSBs) “have set out a roadmap to ensure effective, flexible, and coordinated implementation of the comprehensive policy response for crypto-assets,” the paper states, elaborating.
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@TradeCryptoNow