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  • Oklahoma senator files Bitcoin Freedom Act enabling wages in BTC

    Oklahoma senator files Bitcoin Freedom Act enabling wages in BTC

    metaplanet-buys-bitcoin
    • The Bitcoin Freedom Act lets Oklahomans accept their wages in Bitcoin
    • Oklahoma State Senator Deevers said Washington is “ruining the US dollar”
    • The Bitcoin Freedom Act is eligible for consideration in the 60th legislative session beginning on February 3

    Oklahoma State Senator Dusty Deevers has filed legislation allowing employees to receive wages in Bitcoin and businesses to accept Bitcoin payments.

    Introducing the Bitcoin Freedom Act, Deevers said: “In a time when inflation is eroding the purchasing power of hard-working Oklahomans, Bitcoin provides a unique opportunity to protect earnings and investments.”

    Deevers continued: “As Bitcoin continues to rise and the value of the dollar continues to be printed away in Washington D.C., Oklahoma must act to protect our people.”

    The bill, known as SB325, states under section 4 that: “Any employee of this state, business, corporation, other entity, and resident of this state may negotiate and receive payment and compensation, including salaries, wages, and other forms of compensation, in Bitcoin.”

    Embracing the future of finance

    Deevers pointed out that Bitcoin is becoming increasingly seen as a hedge against inflation, unlike traditional currencies such as the US dollar. Taking to X, Deevers posted: “If Washington DC can ruin something, it likely will. And it is certainly ruining the US dollar.”

    Continuing, Deevers wrote: “This small but possibly revolutionary change has the potential to offset the harms suffered due to inflation and make Oklahoma a national leader who embraces the future of financial technology.”

    Deevers also praised President-elect Donald Trump who spoke at Bitcoin events during his presidential election.

    “Bitcoin has arrived into the mainstream of our economy and is unquestionably a significant part of the financial future,” he added.

    The Bitcoin Freedom Act is eligible for consideration in the 60th legislative session beginning on February 3.

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  • Metaplanet wants to boost its Bitcoin holdings to 10,000 in 2025

    Metaplanet wants to boost its Bitcoin holdings to 10,000 in 2025

    Metaplanet loads more bitcoins with 42,466 BTC purchase
    • Metaplanet started buying Bitcoin in May 2024 as a strategic treasury reserve
    • The Tokyo-listed company currently holds 1,761.98 Bitcoin
    • It saw its Bitcoin yield reach 310% between October 1, 2024 to December 23, 2024 compared to 41% between July 1, 2024 to September 2024

    Metaplanet is on a mission to boost its Bitcoin holdings to 10,000 in 2025 while leveraging its partnerships to boost Bitcoin adoption worldwide.

    In a post on X, Simon Gerovich, CEO of Metaplanet, said that the Tokyo-listed company is aiming to “expand our Bitcoin holdings to 10,000 BTC by utilizing the most accretive capital market tools available to us.”

    Reflecting on its 2024 performance, Gerovich highlighted that the company “broke records, expanded our Bitcoin treasury, and reinforced our position as Asia’s leading Bitcoin treasury company.”

    Purchasing Bitcoin

    Since May 2024, Metaplanet has been acquiring Bitcoin at a steady rate as a strategic treasury reserve. In June, it purchased $6.2 million worth of Bitcoin. This was followed by a $2.5 million purchase in July, a $7 million Bitcoin purchase in October, and an additional $11.7 million in November.

    Its latest Bitcoin purchase was in late December totaling 620 Bitcoin for $60 million. To date, Metaplanet currently holds 1,761.98. In comparison, MicroStrategy holds 447,470 Bitcoin with its most recent purchase of $101 million taking place at the end of December 2024.

    According to a December 23 notice from Metaplanet, it saw its Bitcoin yield reach nearly 310% between October 1, 2024 to December 23, 2024. This is compared to a 41% Bitcoin yield reached between July 1, 2024 to September 30, 2024.

    On top of building its Bitcoin holdings, Gerovich added on X, among other things, that Metaplanet is focusing on building partnerships to “advance Bitcoin adoption in Japan and globally” while exploring “innovative opportunities to grow Metaplanet’s impact in Japan and the Bitcoin ecosystem.”

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  • Calamos Investments to introduce a Bitcoin ETF with 100% downside protection

    Calamos Investments to introduce a Bitcoin ETF with 100% downside protection

    Calamos Investments to introduce a Bitcoin ETF with 100% downside protection
    • Calamos is launching a Bitcoin ETF with 100% downside protection named CBOJ in January.
    • The ETF combines Treasury bonds and Bitcoin options to mitigate investment risks.
    • CBOJ offers annual protection resets and caps potential gains for risk management.

    Calamos Investments is set to launch a groundbreaking Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) offering 100% downside protection.

    Scheduled to debut on the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) on January 22, the new ETF, named CBOJ, is designed to address Bitcoin’s volatility while providing growth opportunities, according to a company announcement.

    Calamos’ Structured Protection ETF series

    CBOJ builds upon the success of Calamos’ Structured Protection ETF series, introduced in 2024. This series provided similar downside protection mechanisms for stock indices like the S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100.

    By extending these principles to Bitcoin, Calamos seeks to meet the demands of advisors, institutions, and investors looking for a way to capture Bitcoin’s growth potential while mitigating its historically high volatility.

    Bitcoin has historically been a highly volatile asset, often deterring risk-averse investors. The CBOJ ETF aims to overcome this challenge by ensuring that investors do not lose money, even if Bitcoin’s value declines.

    This innovative fund achieves downside protection by integrating US Treasury bonds with options tied to the CBOE Bitcoin US ETF Index. The combination provides a regulated and transparent avenue for gaining Bitcoin exposure while minimizing associated risks.

    CBOJ ETF’s annual protection reset

    One of the unique features of the CBOJ ETF is its annual reset of downside protection. Each year, investors benefit from a new cap on potential gains while maintaining full protection against losses for the next 12 months.

    This structure ensures ongoing risk mitigation and aligns with the dynamic nature of the Bitcoin market.

    “Many investors have been hesitant to invest in Bitcoin due to its epic volatility,” said Matt Kaufman, Head of ETFs at Calamos. “Calamos seeks to meet advisor, institutional, and investor demands for solutions that capture Bitcoin’s growth potential while mitigating the historically high volatility and drawdowns of the asset.”

    ETFs are investment funds that trade like stocks on exchanges, allowing investors to pool their money into a fund holding various assets. With CBOJ, investors gain exposure to Bitcoin without the need to own the cryptocurrency directly. This protective structure makes the ETF especially appealing to cautious investors looking to navigate the crypto market’s notorious price swings.

    As derivatives-based Bitcoin ETFs gain traction, industry reports suggest that more firms may follow Calamos’ lead in introducing similar solutions for risk-averse investors.

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  • MicroStrategy adds $101m Bitcoin to holdings, now at 447,470 BTC

    MicroStrategy adds $101m Bitcoin to holdings, now at 447,470 BTC

    • MicroStrategy buys another $101 million of Bitcoin.
    • Company’s holdings now stand at 447, 470 BTC.
    • KULR also announced it purchased $21 million worth of Bitcoin to add to its holdings.

    MicroStrategy has added to its Bitcoin (BTC) haul with another big purchase of 1,070 BTC valued at approximately $101 million.

    The company disclosed the latest Bitcoin purchase on Monday Jan. 6, noting the acquisition was at the average price of $94,004 per bitcoin. Buying happened between Dec. 30, 2024 and Jan. 5, 2025, the business intelligence firm said.

    MicroStrategy completed the sale after finalizing the sale of 319,586 shares. With this purchase, the company’s remains with $6.77 billion shares – part of the targeted $21 billion equity and $21 billion fixed income securities – to be used for more Bitcoin purchases.

    MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin strategy

    Bitcoin price has risen in the past week, rising amid bullish sentiment ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration. So far, MicroStrategy has acquired a staggering 447,470 BTC hodled at the purchase value of about $27.97 billion. As per current prices,the company’s total BTC bag is worth over $44 billion. 

    The world’s largest corporate holder of Bitcoin has inspired several other publicly-traded companies to adopt BTC treasury strategies. It includes companies listed in the US, Hong Kong and Canada among others.

    Notably, MicroStrategy bought its bitcoin at the average price of $62,503 per BTC.

    One of these, KULR Technology Group, an energy management platform, has also announced on Jan.6 that it purchased another $21 million worth of BTC to bring its total to $42 million.

    KULR, which began its Bitcoin treasury strategy in early December, 2024, acquired the latest BTC haul at the average price of $98,393.58 per bitcoin.

    Bitcoin traded at around $99,194 at the time of writing, 1.5% up in the past 24 hours and nearly 6% up in the past week.

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  • Bitwise files new ETF targeting firms with large Bitcoin holdings

    Bitwise files new ETF targeting firms with large Bitcoin holdings

    • The Bitwise Bitcoin Standard Corporations ETF would invest in businesses that “hold at least 1,000 Bitcoin”
    • Companies need to have a market capitalization of at least $100 million to be included in Bitwise’s proposed ETF
    • KULR Technology Group started its Bitcoin Treasury strategy with the purchase of 217.18 Bitcoin for $21 million

    Bitwise has filed a proposal with US regulators to launch a new exchange-traded fund (ETF) to invest in publicly traded companies that hold substantial Bitcoin reserves.

    Under the Bitwise Bitcoin Standard Corporations ETF, the ETF issuer would invest in businesses that “hold at least 1,000 Bitcoin in its corporate treasury,” according to a December 26 filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

    To further qualify to be included in the ETF, companies need to have a market capitalization of at least $100 million, an average daily liquidity of $1 million or more, and a public free float of less than 10%.

    The proposed ETF from Bitwise would assign stock weight based on the market value of a company’s Bitcoin holdings, ensuring this is capped at 25%.

    Reaching new heights

    The news comes as Bitcoin has experienced a rise in value following the US election win of President-elect Donald Trump. At its peak, Bitcoin reached a new all-time high above $107,000 earlier this month. In a client memo in November, Bitwise’s CIO Matt Hougan said the US election was either going to be a “speed bump” or a “wind gust” for the crypto market.

    Significantly, in recent weeks, more companies have been buying Bitcoin to push up stock prices. On December 23, MicroStrategy announced on X that it now holds 444,262 Bitcoin after acquiring a further 5,262 Bitcoin for $561 million.

    In other related news, KULR Technology Group announced on December 26 that it had started its Bitcoin Treasury strategy with the purchase of 217.18 Bitcoin for $21 million.

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  • KULR launches Bitcoin treasury with $21m BTC purchase

    KULR launches Bitcoin treasury with $21m BTC purchase

    • The $21 million BTC purchase follows the KULR’s announcement on Dec. 4.
    • Other companies to launch a Bitcoin treasury strategy in recent weeks include Rumble, Marathon Digital, Semler Scientific and Thumzup.
    • MicroStrategy is the biggest corporate holder of Bitcoin with over 444k BTC

    KULR Technology Group, Inc., listed on the New York Stock Exchange, is the latest tech company to adopt Bitcoin as a treasury asset.

    A few weeks after the energy management platform announced plans to add BTC to its treasury, the company announced on Dec. 26 that it had officially begun the initiative. KULR said in a press release that its first purchase involved 217.18 bitcoin acquired for $21 million.

    KULR’s bitcoin bag was acquired at the average purchase price of $96,556.53 per BTC.

    On Dec. 4, when the publicly-listed company disclosed its Bitcoin treasury strategy, it revealed plans that included allocating up to 90% of the firm’s surplus cash to the flagship cryptocurrency.

    With sentiment extremely bullish amid the anticipation around pro-crypto Donald Trump’s administration, several companies have adopted or disclosed plans to add BTC to their treasury strategies..

    These include Rumble, Boyaa Interactive, Thumzup and BTC miner Marathon Digital.

    Metaplanet became known as ‘Asia’s MicroStrategy’ after adopting the BTC strategy to lead the Asian charge. MicroStrategy has regularly bought Bitcoin since its first purchase in 2020, and currently holds 444,262 BTC acquired for over $27 billion.

    “The $21 million of BTC purchased since the announcement is the first of ongoing purchases the Company intends to make going forward,” KURL noted in its announcement on Boxing Day. Coinbase Prime will offer custody and wallet services for KURL’s haul of BTC.

    Bitcoin traded around $95,670 at the time of writing, about 3% down in the past 24 hours.

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  • Ethereum ETFs inflows surge as Bitcoin ETFs see major outflows

    Ethereum ETFs inflows surge as Bitcoin ETFs see major outflows

    Ethereum ETFs inflows surge while Bitcoin ETFs see major outflows
    • Ethereum ETFs inflows are outdoing Bitcoin ETF inflows.
    • BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA) ETF leads with a $89.51M inflow on Dec 23, 2024.
    • This Market shift may signal an altcoin season in 2025.

    In a surprising turn of events in the cryptocurrency market, Ethereum spot ETFs have been experiencing significant inflows, overshadowing the outflows noted in Bitcoin ETFs.

    On December 23, 2024, Ethereum ETFs recorded a net inflow of $130.8 million, with BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA) ETF leading with $89.50 million and Fidelity’s Ethereum ETF (FETH) adding $46.40 million according to Coinglass data. In stark contrast, Bitcoin ETFs saw outflows totalling $226.50 million on the same day.

    This trend has been consistent over recent weeks. For instance, on December 12, Ethereum spot ETFs had a cumulative net inflow of $273.70 million, continuing their streak of 14 consecutive days with positive inflows. BlackRock’s ETHA ETF alone saw a single-day net inflow of $202.30 million, while Grayscale’s Ethereum ETF (ETH) contributed $73.20 million.

    Ethereum ETFs inflows
    Source: Coinglass
    Bitcoin ETFs inflows
    Source: Coinglass

    The shift signals a possible start of an altcoin season

    Bitcoin ETFs, despite having higher trading volumes, have been facing outflows, suggesting a possible shift in investor sentiment towards Ethereum.

    Market analysts speculate that this could signal the onset of an ‘altcoin season’, where investors might be diversifying their portfolios beyond Bitcoin, with ETH leading the pack.

    This shift in investment flow is particularly notable as it comes at a time when Bitcoin has been dominating headlines with its price performance, reaching over $108,000 earlier in December.

    The underlying reasons for this trend might include Ethereum’s growing ecosystem, particularly in decentralized finance (DeFi) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which could be attracting investors looking for dynamic growth opportunities.

    Additionally, the regulatory environment under the incoming administration might be perceived as more favourable for Ethereum, given its broader use-case applications beyond just being a store of value like Bitcoin.

    This development raises questions about the future direction of crypto investments. While Bitcoin has long been the bellwether of the crypto market, Ethereum’s recent performance in the ETF space might hint at a rebalancing of investor interest, potentially leading to more balanced growth across different cryptocurrencies in 2025.

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  • Court gives Coinbase the green light to delist Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC)

    Court gives Coinbase the green light to delist Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC)

    Court gives Coinbase the green light to delist Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC)
    • A US federal judge has allowed Coinbase to delist WBTC despite BiT Global’s objections.
    • Judge Martínez-Olguín denied BiT Global’s TRO, citing lack of evidence of harm.
    • Despite the delisting and Coinbase launching cbBTC, WBTC dominates the wrapped digital assets market with an 85% share.

    In a pivotal legal decision, a California federal judge has ruled in favour of cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, allowing it to proceed with the planned delisting of Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC).

    The ruling, delivered by Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín of the US District Court for the Northern District of California, came after a contentious legal battle initiated by BiT Global, a digital asset custodian partly owned by Tron founder Justin Sun.

    The BiT Global lawsuit against Coinbase for WBTC delisting

    The dispute began in November 2024 when Coinbase announced its intention to delist WBTC, citing concerns over its association with Justin Sun.

    Sun, a controversial figure in the crypto space, has faced allegations of fraud and market manipulation.

    BiT Global responded by filing a $1 billion lawsuit against Coinbase on antitrust grounds, seeking a temporary restraining order (TRO) to halt the delisting. The firm argued that the move would destabilize WBTC’s market and cause substantial financial harm to investors.

    Temporary restraining order (TRO) declined

    During a virtual hearing on December 18, Judge Martínez-Olguín denied BiT Global’s request for a TRO, ruling that the company failed to provide sufficient evidence of imminent and irreparable harm. She noted that BiT Global’s delay in filing the lawsuit after Coinbase’s initial announcement weakened its case.

    In its defence, Coinbase pointed to BiT Global’s refusal to disclose ownership details and concerns about Sun’s influence over the token’s integrity.

    While the court left open the possibility for BiT Global to present stronger evidence in the future, the decision effectively cleared the path for Coinbase to delist WBTC as planned on December 19.

    Notably, WBTC’s delisting comes amid Coinbase’s recent launch of its own wrapped bitcoin token, cbBTC, raising questions about competitive motives.

    Despite the controversy, WBTC continues to dominate the wrapped bitcoin market, holding 85% of the Ethereum network’s market share.

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  • El Salvador to ‘confine’ its Bitcoin activities in $1.4bn loan deal with the IMF

    El Salvador to ‘confine’ its Bitcoin activities in $1.4bn loan deal with the IMF

    • The IMF said “potential risks” of El Salvador’s Bitcoin project will be “diminished significantly”
    • A Bitcoin podcaster questioned the true cost of the IMF’s monetary assistance to El Salvador
    • El Salvador will receive additional funding from other major banks in a financial package totaling over $3.5 billion

    El Salvador will receive a $1.4 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over the next 40 months as it “confines” its Bitcoin-related activities.

    The IMF is to loan the amount to the Central American country under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) so it can support the government’s economic reforms.

    “The potential risks of the Bitcoin project will be diminished significantly in line with Fund policies,” the IMF said in a statement.

    The IMF said that acceptance of Bitcoin by the private sector will be made voluntary while engagement in “Bitcoin-related economic activities and transactions in and purchases of Bitcoin will be confined.”

    Taxes will only be paid in US dollars, the IMF noted, adding that El Salvador’s government participation in its Chivo crypto wallet “will be gradually unwound.”

    “Transparency, regulation, and supervision of digital assets will be enhanced to safeguard financial stability, consumer and investor protection, and financial integrity,” the IMF said.

    Juan, a Bitcoin podcaster, said on X that it’s like “watching a chess game where every move is calculated for economic recovery,” adding “yet it also raises questions about the true cost of such ‘assistance.’”

    Changing plans

    Earlier this month, it was reported that El Salvador was reducing its Bitcoin ambitious to secure the IMF loan.

    As well as making the acceptance of Bitcoin voluntary, the government would also reduce its budget deficit by 3.5% of GDP over three years through spending cuts and tax rises while boosting reserves from $11 billion to $15 billion.

    El Salvador is expected to receive additional funding support from the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, and other regional development banks. In total, the overall financial package will reach over $3.5 billion.

    El Salvador began accepting Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021, making it the first to do so.

    Following El Salvador’s adoption, the IMF sent a statement in November 2021 “recommend[ing] narrowing the scope of the Bitcoin law” while “strengthening the regulation and supervision of the new payment system.”

    This was again called for in January 2022 when the IMF advised El Salvador to reconsider its decision on Bitcoin as the country’s legal tender. More recently, the IMF recommended El Salvador limit the public’s exposure to Bitcoin.

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  • Bitfinex: Bitcoin could hit $200k by mid-2025 with mild price corrections

    Bitfinex: Bitcoin could hit $200k by mid-2025 with mild price corrections

    Bitcoin green
    • Bitfinex analysts believe Bitcoin could reach between $140,000 – $200,000 by mid-2025
    • “Consistent buying pressure” with ETFs will see future Bitcoin price correction “shorter in duration”
    • If Bitcoin follows the 2021 cycle, it has the potential to reach $339,000

    Bitcoin could surge to $200,000 under “favorable conditions,” according to a new report from Bitfinex analysts.

    In its Bitfinex Alpha report, published on December 16, analysts noted that Bitcoin has achieved unprecedented milestones in 2024, surpassing a $2 trillion market capitalization and reaching a new all-time high of above $100,000.

    The analysts added that Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have emerged as a dominant force, with US spot ETF inflows reaching $35.5 billion.

    “Looking ahead, we believe the current run-up to over $100,000 has captured a significant portion of Bitcoin’s price appreciation for this cycle,” the analysts wrote. “Our minimum price target for Bitcoin remains at $140,000 – $200,000 around mid-2025.”

    Bullish movement post-halving

    Looking to 2025, the analysts believe that any corrections will “remain mild, thanks to institutional inflows.” They also point out that as 2024 was a halving year for Bitcoin, “historically the following year post halving has been bullish.”

    “In previous cycles, once Bitcoin entered price discovery following a halving, corrections before mean reversion to new ATHs were relatively contained,” the analysts wrote. “In the 2017 cycle, the maximum correction was 33.2 percent, while the 2020 cycle saw a slightly smaller correction of 27.1 percent.”

    According to Bitfinex, Bitcoin’s current bull cycle, which started in mid-to-late 2023, the asset’s corrections have been smaller since the launch of Bitcoin ETFs in January. Analysts believe that with “consistent buying pressure,” future corrections will be “limited and potentially shorter in duration.”

    Bitcoin at $339,000?

    Bitfinex predicts Bitcoin’s price could peak at $339,000, if it follows the pattern of the 2021 cycle; however, if it follows the 2017 cycle with diminishing returns, Bitcoin could hit around $290,000 by 2026.

    At the time of publishing, Bitcoin is trading under $104,000, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Yesterday, the crypto asset reached a new all-time high of above $108,000.

    Market sentiment has surged since President-elect Donald Trump won the US election in November. Since then, Trump has appointment several pro-crypto candidates in the run up to his administration entering the White House in January.

    Earlier this month, Trump named pro-crypto Paul Atkins as the next Chair of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). He’ll take over from current Chair Gary Gensler who’s stepping down on January 20.

    Trump also has Tesla CEO Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to “dismantle government bureaucracy.” Meanwhile, David Sacks will be the lead policy advisor on artificial intelligence and crypto.

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