Tag: happened

  • Morphware (XMW) price pumped 450% and dumped immediately: what happened?

    Morphware (XMW) price pumped 450% and dumped immediately: what happened?

    Morphware (XMW) price pumps and dumps

    • UAE investment news and Reuters coverage sparked a rapid Morphware (XMW) rally.
    • Low liquidity and profit-taking fueled a sharp price reversal.
    • Contract risks and cautious sentiment have kept volatility high.

    The price of the Morphware (XMW) token jumped 450% earlier today, reaching a high of $0.2501 according to Coingecko, before erasing all the gains to trade at $0.04353 at the time of writing.

    The sudden pump-and-dump unfolded within hours, leaving traders scrambling for answers.

    Morphware (XMW) price chart

    Here’s a closer look at what triggered the move, why it collapsed, and what comes next for XMW holders.

    What caused the surge?

    The rally was sparked by Morphware’s announcements earlier this week.

    On August 12, the team revealed that a leading UAE investment firm had committed funds to its AI infrastructure and mining operations.

    The following day, the news was picked up by Reuters as a press release, bringing mainstream visibility to the project’s expansion into the UAE.

    This combination of social media hype and media coverage fueled a rush of speculative buying.

    The headlines not only attracted existing crypto traders but also drew in new investors who had never tracked Morphware before.

    Why the rally collapsed

    Despite the explosive move, the rally was unsustainable. The first reason was liquidity.

    Morphware’s 24-hour trading volume stood at just $241,276, far too low to support a rapid surge in valuation.

    As a result, even modest buying pressure was enough to send the price skyrocketing, and a relatively small wave of sell orders triggered the collapse.

    Second, speculative momentum quickly gave way to profit-taking.

    Traders who entered early rushed to lock in gains, while others, alarmed by the pace of the spike, chose to exit before the inevitable correction.

    Finally, lingering concerns around the project’s contract added to the selloff.

    Risk trackers have warned that the contract creator retains significant privileges, including the ability to change fees, mint tokens, or even disable sales.

    Fundamentals versus volatility

    Morphware has promoted itself as more than just a token play.

    The company emphasises its enterprise AI services powered by NVIDIA B200 and H200 GPUs, hydroelectric-powered data centres at Itaipu, and an integrated Bitcoin-mining operation that leverages surplus renewable energy.

    XMW is positioned as a utility and governance token supporting these services, with revenue drawn from both AI operations and Bitcoin mining.

    While these fundamentals create a compelling long-term narrative, they do not explain the extreme intraday volatility that traders experienced today.

    Risk signals traders are watching

    Morphware supporters have pointed to a reported $600,000 buyback, with tokens locked for ten years, as evidence of strong conviction from the team.

    However, sceptics argued that the token’s centralisation risks outweighed such commitments.

    Morphware price outlook

    Morphware’s spike-and-crash highlights how quickly sentiment can shift in thinly traded markets.

    A wave of hype can send prices soaring, but without liquidity and transparency, those gains can vanish in minutes.

    For now, XMW remains a highly speculative token, and traders will need to balance the project’s long-term ambitions with the risks of short-term volatility.

    Going forward, traders should keep a close eye on on-chain movements, order book depth, and any administrative changes to the contract.

    The traders could also watch for follow-up announcements from Morphware regarding its UAE expansion and whether the locked buybacks remain verifiable.



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  • What happened in crypto this week

    What happened in crypto this week

    We’ve had another busy week in the crypto market: Bitcoin hits $109,000, Trump and Melania launch memecoins, Elon Musk’s DOGE agency sued, Circle acquires Hashnote, Trump pardons Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht, Taiwan is considering allowing banks to issue stablecoins, banks will embrace crypto with clearer regulations, and Trump signs executive order for crypto working group.

    Bitcoin hits $109,000

    Bitcoin hit a new all-time high of over $109,000 ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday.

    On January 20, Bitcoin reached a new high as market sentiment remains optimistic about Trump’s plans for the crypto industry. The latest high surpasses its previous record of over $108,000, which it achieved in December.

    Trump also mentioned Bitcoin in a Sunday speech, highlighting its record performance since the US election.

    “Since the election, the stock market has surged and small business optimism has soared a record 41 points to a 39-year high,” Trump said. “Bitcoin has shattered one record high after another.”

    Over the past 90 days, Bitcoin is up nearly 60% and has a market cap value of $2.09 trillion.

    Trump and Melania launch memecoins

    Ahead of Trump’s inauguration on Monday, January 20, he announced the launch of his $TRUMP memecoin on his Truth Social platform.

    Within 24 hours of launching, the meme token rose 580% in value, topping $75, with a market cap of nearly $6 billion.

    Following Trump, Melania Trump launched her memecoin, $MELANIA, last Sunday, which saw the token reaching a high of over $13.

    At the time of publishing, $TRUMP and $MELANIA are trading at more than $33 and $2.60, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

    Elon Musk’s DOGE agency sued

    Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) agency reportedly had three lawsuits filed against it within minutes of Trump’s inauguration on Monday.

    In a 30-page lawsuit from the National Security Counselors, a public interest law firm, it questions the legality of the agency Trump said he’d create to “dismantle government bureaucracy.”

    According to the complaint, DOGE violates the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), which requires advisory committees to follow certain rules, including allowing public involvement.

    National Security Counselors state that DOGE meets the requirements to be considered a “federal advisory committee.” Yet, while similar agencies follow a “fairly balanced” representation, keep meeting records, and allow public involvement, as required by law, DOGE doesn’t.

    The two other lawsuits were filed by a group that includes the American Federation of Government Employees and the State Democracy Defenders Fund. In another case, the plaintiffs are the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and the American Federation of Teachers.

    Despite this, the US government launched the DOGE agency website the following day.

    Circle acquires Hashnote

    Stablecoin issuer Circle acquired Hashnote for an undisclosed amount earlier this week. As part of the acquisition, Circle is planning to integrate USYC as collateral on crypto exchanges.

    In a post on X, Circle said that the move, alongside a strategic partnership with DRW, a global trading firm, “is set to redefine the landscape of digital asset capital markets.”

    By integrating USDC, Circle’s stablecoin, and USYC, the platform is enabling interconvertibility between both assets, allowing USYC to be used as preferred collateral on exchanges and brokers.

    Trump pardons Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht

    Donald Trump signed an order, giving Ross Ulbricht, the founder of darknet marketplace Silk Road, a full pardon this week.

    In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote:

    “I just called the mother of Ross William Ulbricht to let her know that in honor of her and the Libertarian Movement, which supported me so strongly, it was my pleasure to have just signed a full and unconditional pardon of her son, Ross.”

    The pardon comes after Ulbricht spent 12 years in prison following his arrest in 2013. Ulbricht created Silk Road in 2011; however, he was given two life sentences plus 40 years in 2015. Upon pardoning Ulbricht, Trump called Ulbricht’s sentence “ridiculous.”

    Taiwan is considering allowing banks to issue stablecoins

    Taiwan’s financial regulator is to propose legislation enabling local banks to issue stablecoins pegged to the New Taiwan Dollar (NTD).

    The draft law from the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) is expected to be introduced in June 2025. It aims to bridge the divide between fiat and digital currencies, enhancing investor access to the burgeoning crypto market.

    The proposal for banks to issue stablecoins is seen as a pivotal step in this regulatory evolution, providing a more secure and regulated environment for cryptocurrency transactions.

    The FSC emphasizes that all stablecoins issued within Taiwan will be under the joint management of the central bank, ensuring their stability and legitimacy.

    Zhuang Xiuyuan, director of a Taiwanese bank, has voiced concerns over existing stablecoins like Tether and USDC, criticizing their backing by non-government recognized assets.

    To address these issues, any new stablecoin in Taiwan will require explicit approval from the FSC, ensuring they meet specific qualifications regarding issuer credibility and reserve allocations.

    Banks will embrace crypto with clearer regulations

    Bank of America’s CEO has said that US banks will embrace crypto payments if clearer rules are in place from regulators.

    Speaking at the World Economic Forum, Brian Moynihan said that if rules come in and crypto payments are made “real,” then “the banking system will come in hard on the transactional side of it.”

    So far, US banks have been cautious about offering retail crypto services, instead focusing on providing institutional products such as US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

    Trump signs executive order for crypto working group

    Less than a week into entering the White House, Trump has signed an executive order for a crypto working group designed to provide regulatory clarity.

    When signing the order, Trump appeared with his AI and crypto czar David Sacks who spoke about the order to the president. Sacks, who will be leading the working group if it’s implemented, said: “we’re going to be forming an internal working group to make America the world capital under your leadership.”

    In addition to providing regulatory clarity, the working group seeks to protect the US dollar through the development of lawful dollar-backed stablecoins worldwide. The working group also wants to prohibit “the establishment, issuance, circulation, and use of a [central bank digital currency] within the jurisdiction of the United States.”



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  • What happened in crypto this week

    What happened in crypto this week

    Bitcoin all-time high

    It’s been another busy week in the crypto market: Bitcoin tops $107,000, FTX is to begin customer repayments in early 2025, CyberKongz receives “concerning rhetoric” in Wells notice from the SEC, US lawmakers cancel vote to renominate SEC Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw, and Injective and Sonic partner to build first cross-chain AI agent hub.

    Bitcoin tops $107,000 for the first time

    Earlier this week, Bitcoin reached new heights, topping above $107,000. At the same time, the defunct crypto exchange Mt. Gox moved around 1,620 Bitcoin to an unknown wallet. The value of the Bitcoin transfer stood at over $172.5 million.

    The Bitcoin movement followed a transfer made two weeks ago by Mt. Gox. Then, the platform moved 24,000 Bitcoin to unknown wallets. According to Arkham, the bankrupt exchange transferred 1,619.6 Bitcoin in two transfers: one of 1,427.9 and the other of 191.7 to two new addresses.

    Before hitting $107,000, Bitcoin reached $106,000 following news that President-elect Donald Trump is considering plans to create a US Bitcoin strategic reserve. Investors believe Bitcoin reaching $120,000 by the end of 2024 is achievable.

    FTX to begin crypto repayments in early 2025

    Collapsed crypto exchange FTX has announced that it will start its customer distribution in early January. Its court-approved Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization will be effective on January 3, 2025.

    FTX is to work with crypto custodian BitGo and crypto exchange Kraken to distribute assets to retail and institutional investors. In November, it was reported that FTX was to start distributions by March 2025.

    FTX collapsed in November 2022, with five of the top executives jailed or sentenced to time served. This includes former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried who was sentenced to 25 years in prison in March.

    CyberKongz receives Wells notice from the SEC

    CyberKongz, a non-fungible token (NFT) platform, received a Wells notice from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

    In a post on X, CyberKongz said that they have “been suffering in silence for the last two years, ever since we first received contact from the SEC,” adding that it had received some “concerning rhetoric” that an ERC-20 token can’t be issued with a blockchain game without being registered as a security.

    By issuing a Wells notice, the SEC believes there may be securities law violations and is preparing to take action against the platform. One of the issues the SEC has with CyberKongz is the “sale” of its Genesis Kongz NFTs in April 2021; however, CyberKongz said this was a contract migration and not a sale.

    Earlier this year, crypto exchange Coinbase received a Wells notice from the SEC followed by OpenSea, an NFT marketplace, and blockchain gaming platform Immutable.

    US lawmakers cancel vote to renominate SEC Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw

    A US Senate vote to renominate Democrat Caroline Crenshaw for a second term at the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was canceled this week.

    The original vote was scheduled for December 11; however, Sherrod Brown, the Senate Banking Committee Chair, postponed it within minutes of starting, due to issues between the Democrats and Republicans.

    Brown later released a statement saying that corporate special interests are running a “disgusting smear campaign against Caroline Crenshaw.”

    Yet, with Congress stopping on December 20 for the holidays, Crenshaw was not renominated before President-elect Donald Trump’s administration re-enters the White House in January.

    Following the news of Crenshaw’s reappointment, Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase, took to X to say: “She tried to block the Bitcoin ETFs, and was worse than Gensler on some issues (which I didn’t think was possible).”

    Injective and Sonic partner to build the first cross-chain AI agent hub

    Injective and Sonic are working together to create the first cross-chain artificial intelligence (AI) agent platform.

    The two crypto platforms said the new AI agent hub will leverage Sonic’s HyperGrid technology to integrate Solana and Injective ecosystems. The Smart Agent Hub will also leverage the Inter-Blockchain Communication Protocol (IBC), an open-source protocol enabling blockchain interoperability.

    According to Injective Labs, the AI agent hub will offer developers the tools to create, deploy, and monetize AI agents across the decentralized ecosystem.

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  • What happened in crypto this week

    What happened in crypto this week

    rocket

    It’s been another busy week in the crypto market: Virgin Voyages accepts Bitcoin, Donald Trump selects Paul Atkins as next US SEC chair, Coinbase won’t work with anti-crypto law firms, Michael Saylor urges Microsoft to accept Bitcoin, and Bitcoin hits over $100,000 for the first time.

    Let’s look at these and recap what happened this week in crypto.

    Virgin Voyages accepts Bitcoin

    Sir Richard Branson’s cruise line, Virgin Voyages, now accepts Bitcoin as a payment option for bookings.

    In an announcement, Virgin Voyages said passengers can use Bitcoin to pay for cruises across its fleet, including its highly anticipated Annual Pass. Virgin Voyages’ Annual Pass, which provides various exclusive benefits to frequent travelers, is also the first cruise product to accept cryptocurrency payments.

    The company’s move comes as the crypto industry experiences heightened interest from retail and institutional investors, pushing prices to all-time highs. Virgin Voyages is also hoping to attract younger, tech-savvy travelers and digital asset enthusiasts who increasingly use crypto in their everyday lives.

    Donald Trump selects Paul Atkins as next US SEC chair

    US President-elect Donald Trump has nominated pro-crypto Paul Atkins to become the next chair of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

    Gary Gensler, the current SEC chair, will step down on January 20 when Trump re-enters the White House. News of Atkins filling the role marks a significant step in fulfilling Trump’s campaign promises to bring regulatory clarity to the crypto industry.

    Atkins, who served as an SEC commissioner under President George W. Bush, has been an outspoken supporter of the crypto industry. The selection of Atkins signals a strong push toward crypto-friendly regulations, something the industry has been lacking under Gensler’s leadership.

    Coinbase won’t work with anti-crypto law firms

    Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase, has said the crypto exchange won’t work with law firms if they hire people who worked against the crypto industry during their time in government.

    In a post on X, Armstrong said it was an “ethics violation” to “try and unlawfully kill an industry while refusing to publish clear rules.”

    Armstrong made his comments after Milbank, an international law firm, recently hired Gurbir S. Grewal as a partner in its New York office’s litigation and arbitration practice. Before, Grewal was the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) enforcement head.

    As director of the SEC’s enforcement division, Grewal was responsible for overseeing investigations, enforcement action, and litigation conducted by the SEC. During his time at the SEC, the agency brought over 100 enforcement actions targeting non-compliance in the crypto space.

    Armstrong added: “I don’t believe in permanently cancelling people, but we as an industry should not be putting money in their pocket after the abuse.”

    Michael Saylor urges Microsoft to accept Bitcoin

    The CEO of MicroStrategy has told Microsoft that Bitcoin is the best asset a company should own, claiming it represents the “greatest digital transformation of the 21st century.”

    In a three-minute video on X, Saylor tagged Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s chair and CEO, and its board of directors, saying:

    “Microsoft can’t afford to miss the next technology wave, and Bitcoin is the next wave. Bitcoin represents the greatest digital transformation of the 21st century; it represents digital capital.”

    Saylor added that if Microsoft wants to outperform, it’s going to “need Bitcoin,” adding:

    “You’ve surrendered hundreds of billions of dollars of capital over the past five years, and you’ve just amplified the risks that your own shareholders face. If you want to escape that vicious cycle, you’re going to need an asset without counterparty risk.”

    In Saylor’s opinion, that lies with Bitcoin.

    Bitcoin hits over $100,000 for the first time

    On December 5, Bitcoin reached the psychological level of $100,000 for the first time, continuing its bull run since the beginning of November.

    The last time it got within touching distance of the landmark level was on November 22 when it topped more than $99,000. Data from CoinMarketCap showed it reached a high of $103,500.

    Factors pushing Bitcoin to new heights included President-elect Donald Trump nominating pro-crypto Paul Atkins as the next US SEC chair.

    At the same time, Ethereum broke past $3,900. Crypto analyst Miles Deutscher says Ethereum will lead utility coins up. He also sees Bitcoin’s rally as great news for altcoins.

    “The higher #Bitcoin goes, the bigger the altcoin run will be,” the analyst noted.



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  • What happened in crypto this week

    What happened in crypto this week

    Solv Protocol introduces Bitcoin staking on Base with cbBTC token

    It’s been another busy week in the crypto market: MicroStrategy buys another $4.6 billion of Bitcoin, BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF options brings in $2 billion on day one, Donald Trump’s transition team considers first White House crypto office, Justin Sun buys a banana for $6.2 million, SEC chair Gensler to step down on January 20, Bitcoin nears $100k as rally continues, and US spot Bitcoin ETFs hit $30 billion in total net flows.

    Let’s look at these and recap what happened this week in crypto.

    MicroStrategy buys another $4.6 billion of Bitcoin

    MicroStrategy is going long on Bitcoin as it adds more of the asset to its already impressive haul.

    On November 18, the company announced that it had bought an extra 51,780 BTC. This latest addition pushes MicroStrategy’s total Bitcoin holdings to 331,200. The news follows after the company’s founder, Michael Saylor, announced the purchase of more than $2 billion worth of Bitcoin.

    The publicly-listed company, whose stock MSTR has surged amid Bitcoin’s price spike, has acquired $16.5 billion worth of BTC. The average purchase price is $49,874, putting the company billions of dollars in profit as the benchmark cryptocurrency trades near its all-time high.

    BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF options brings in $2 billion on day one

    The launch of options contracts on BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) nearly reached $2 billion on day one of trading.

    Taking to X, Bloomberg exchange-traded fund (ETF) analyst James Seyffart, said:

    “Final tally of $IBIT’s 1st day of options is just shy of $1.9 billion in notional exposure traded via 354k contracts. 289k were Calls & 65k were Puts. That’s a ratio of 4.4:1.”

    Bloomberg’s senior ETF analyst Eric Balchunas, said “$1.9b is unheard of for Day One.”

    As a result, BlackRock’s options may have helped push Bitcoin to a record of over $94,000.

    The launch of BlackRock’s options contracts comes as institutional interest in Bitcoin rises. With the IBIT options, investors can gain exposure to new avenues of investment while managing their risk through the call and put options without owning the underlying asset.

    At the end of October, BlackRock’s IBIT reached $30 billion in net assets in 293 days. Two weeks later, it reached $40 billion in net assets in 211 days, showcasing rising interest in crypto investments.

    Donald Trump’s transition team considers first White House crypto office

    As Donald Trump prepares to enter the White House, reports are underway that his transition team are appointing a senior figure to oversee the growing digital assets industry. By doing so, the figure will oversea regulation at the highest level of government.

    While no final decision has been made, Trump’s team has reportedly consulted with several crypto leaders, including Brian Brooks, the former CEO of Binance.US, and Brian Armstrong, the CEO of Coinbase.

    Whoever gets the job, industry advocates are pushing for the role to be one with significant access to Trump, By doing so, industry concerns are heard at the highest level of power.

    Justin Sun buys a banana for $6.2 million

    Justin Sun, the founder of Tron, bought a banana taped to a wall for $6.24 million earlier this week.

    Sotheby’s, who hosted the auction, started bidding at $800,000 before jumping into the millions.

    Taking to X, Sun, the founder of Tron, said: “I believe this piece will inspire more thought and discussion in the future and will become a part of history. I am honored to be the proud owner of the banana and look forward to it sparking further inspiration and impact for art enthusiasts around the world.”

    Before the auction, Sotheby’s estimated it would sell between $1 million and $1.5 million.

    SEC chair Gensler to step down on January 20

    Gary Gensler, chair of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), announced that he will step down effective January 20, 2025.

    Gensler took over as SEC chair in 2021, following the appointment of Joe Biden as President of the United States. Since filling the role, the SEC has filed several lawsuits against crypto companies, including Binance, Coinbase, Kraken, and Ripple.

    His departure from the crypto market will no doubt be seen as a breath of fresh air, given that the SEC – under his leadership – has become known for its regulation-by-enforcement approach toward crypto.

    Bitcoin nears $100k as rally continues

    On November 22, Bitcoin came within touching distance of hitting $100,000 for the first time, continuing its bull run since the start of November.

    According to data from CoinMarketCap, Bitcoin reached $99,500, pushed along by the launch of ETF options earlier in the week. A day previously, Bitcoin topped $98,000.

    Joe Constori, head of growth at Theya and institutional lead at the Bitcoin Layer, said on X that Bitcoin at $100,000 is going to happen.

    “Its properties have always destined it to be a multi-trillion dollar base layer monetary asset. It just took the price 15 years to catch up,” he added.

    At the start of the week, Bitcoin was trading around $93,000.

    US spot Bitcoin ETFs hit $30 billion in total net flows

    US spot Bitcoin ETFs took in $1 billion in daily total net inflows on Friday as Bitcoin inched closer to $100,000.

    BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) saw the most inflows, attracting $608.41 million, according to SoSoValue data. Fidelity’s FBTC followed with $300.95 million. Bitwise’s Bitcoin ETF brought in $68 million and Ark and 21Shares’ ARKB attracted $17.18 million.

    The only ETF to experience negative outflows was Grayscale’s GBTC AT $7.8 million.

    Since launching in January – following approval from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) – the 12 spot Bitcoin ETFs have earned a combined $30.35 billion.



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  • What happened in crypto this week

    What happened in crypto this week

    What a week it’s been with the crypto market: Bitcoin hits $93,000, FTX sues Binance and former CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao for $1.76 billion, BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF hits $40 billion, investors withdraw appeal in Dogecoin lawsuit against Elon Musk, and ‘Crypto Dad’ denies interest in becoming SEC chair.

    Let’s look at these and recap what happened this week in crypto.

    Bitcoin hits $93,000

    Bitcoin reached a record $93,000 earlier this week, partly due to Donald Trump’s victory in the US election at the beginning of November.

    At the beginning of the week, Bitcoin broke the $82,000 mark before pushing to $84,000 and then $87,000. While Trump’s win has helped push Bitcoin to new heights given his pro-crypto stance during his campaign that isn’t the sole reason behind the recent bull run.

    According to Jesse Myers, co-founder of Onramp Bitcoin, the main reason is that the crypto market is at the “6+ months post-halving mark.”

    In Myers’ opinion, “supply shock has accumulated,” meaning “there’s not enough supply available at current prices to satisfy demand,” adding that a “supply-demand price equilibrium must be restored.”

    Earlier this month, James Toldeano, COO of self-custody wallet Unity, said it was “disingenuous” to say that the US election results directly caused Bitcoin’s price rise. With Bitcoin reaching new heights, Matthew Sigel, head of Digital Assets Research at VanEck, forecasted that the current Bitcoin rally is in its early phases.

    FTX sues Binance and former CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao for $1.76 billion

    Collapsed crypto exchange FTX filed a lawsuit against Binance and Changpeng Zhao over an alleged fraudulent transfer.

    According to a November 10 filing, Sam Bankman-Fried, FTX’s former co-founder and CEO, fraudulently transferred “at least $1.76 billion” to Binance and Binance executives in July 2021.

    In 2019, Binance acquired a 20% stake in FTX and in 2020, Binance acquired a further 18.4% in WRS, an umbrella company of Bankman-Fried based in the US. However, in July 2021, the two exchanges agreed on a deal that saw FTX buying back Binance and its executives’ entire stakes in FTX and WRS.

    This amounted to around $1.76 billion in FTX’s FTT token, BNB, and BUSD (Binance’s stablecoin)

    The filing states that the transfer was fraudulent because Alameda Research – FTX’s sister company, which funded the transfer – was insolvent at the time and couldn’t afford it.

    According to testimony from Caroline Ellison, former CEO of Alameda Research, Alameda spent around “$1 billion of FTX Trading’s capital received from depositors to fund the repurchase.”

    BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF hits $40 billion

    BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) hit a new record this week. In 211 days, it reached $40 billion in net assets.

    The record comes two weeks after it reached $30 billion in net assets in 293 days at the end of October. With BlackRock’s new achievement, it’s surpassed the previous record of 1,253 days held by iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF, according to Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas.

    Balchunas added that “[BlackRock’s] now in Top 1% of all ETFs by assets and at 10mo old it is bigger than all 2,800 ETFs launched in the past TEN years.”

    At the time of publishing, BlackRock holds more than 471,000 Bitcoin, valued at $42.8 billion, according to data from iShares.

    Investors withdraw appeal in Dogecoin lawsuit against Elon Musk

    Investors who’d sued Elon Musk and his company Tesla for manipulating the cryptocurrency Dogecoin earlier this week withdrew their appeal.

    Filed by Dogecoin investors, the lawsuit, claimed that Musk had used his influential public platform to artificially inflate the price of Dogecoin for personal gain. As evidence of a pattern of market manipulation, the investors pointed to Musk’s tweets and public appearances.

    However, according to US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein – who dismissed the case – the investors couldn’t establish claims of securities fraud based solely on Musk’s public statements.

    The judge stated that Musk claiming Dogecoin was the “future currency of Earth” or could be “floated to the moon” by SpaceX were not credible grounds for claims of insider trading or fraud.

    ‘Crypto Dad’ denies interest in becoming SEC chair

    Christopher Giancarlo, former CFTC chair, and known as ‘Crypto Dad’ has denied rumors that he’s being considered to replace Gary Gensler as chair of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

    In a post on X, Giancarlo, known as Crypto Dad, said:

    “I’ve made clear that I’ve already cleaned up [an] earlier Gary Gensler mess @CFTC and don’t want to have [to] do it again,” adding: “DC rumors that I’m interested in some #crypto role @USTreasury are also wrong.”

    Giancarlo served as a commissioner at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) between 2014 and 2019. In January 2017, he was designated as acting chair of the CFTC and in August 2017 he was confirmed to serve as the chair until 2019.

    Speculation over the future head of the SEC comes as Donald Trump promised to remove Gensler following his re-election to the White House earlier this month. Other possibilities for the role include Hester Peirce, an SEC commissioner, Paul Atkins, a former SEC commissioner, and Mark Uyeda, a current SEC commissioner.

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  • What happened in crypto this week

    What happened in crypto this week

    Wow, what a week’s it’s been in crypto: Tether’s CEO says they’re not launching a blockchain, the State of Michigan holds over $10 million in spot Ethereum ETFs, the launch of the Global Dollar stablecoin, Bitcoin reaches a new all-time high of over $77,000, and BlackRock’s IBIT sets record daily inflows of $1.12 billion.

    Let’s take a closer look at these and give you a recap on what happened this week in crypto.

    Tether isn’t launching a blockchain

    Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, said that they’re not launching a Tether chain at the moment because “neutrality is very important to them.”

    Posting on X, Ardoino said that “different independent L2 solutions are working to support $USDt for gas fees.” Rather than trying to centralize everything, he mentioned that Tether is interested in teaming up with companies and communities.

    His announcement comes as Tether experienced a record-breaking milestone during the last quarter of 2024, resulting in $7.7 billion in profit over nine months.

    Focusing its attention on Q4 2024, Ardoino said the outlook is “very positive” with the growth of on-chain wallets per quarter rising to more than 35 million new addresses.

    The State of Michigan holds over $10 million in spot Ethereum ETFs

    The State of Michigan pension fund disclosed that it now holds more than $10 million in spot Ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

    According to a 13F filing, the State of Michigan Retirement System disclosed its holdings of the Grayscale Ethereum Trust (ETHE) and Ethereum Mini Trust ETF (ETH). Per the filing, the Michigan state pension holds 460,000 shares of ETHE worth about $10 million and 460,000 shares ETH (the mini trust ETF) worth roughly $1.1 million.

    This news is significant because the State of Michigan pension fund has become the first such entity to disclose an ETH ETF holding. According to Bloomberg senior ETF analyst Eric Balchunas this is a “big win” for Ethereum.

    In a post on X, he said: “Not only did Michigan’s pension buy Ether ETFs but they bought more then they did of Bitcoin ETFs, $10m vs $7m, this despite BTC being up a ton and Ether in the gutter. Pretty big win for Ether which could use one.”

    The Global Dollar stablecoin launches

    The Global Dollar (USDG) stablecoin has launched, aiming to boost global stablecoin adoption.

    Initial partners of the Global Dollar Network include Anchorage Digital, Bullish, Galaxy Digital, Kraken, Nuvei, Paxos, and Robinhood. Pegged to the US dollar and issued out of Singapore by Paxos, the USDG stablecoin comes at a time when there is tough competition in the stablecoin market.

    At present, Tether’s USDT and Circle’s USDC stablecoins make up a majority of the stablecoin market. In September, it was reported that USDT accounted for more than 75%. However, it’s this “lack of competition” in the stablecoin market that’s stopping the “industry from reaching its full potential,” according to Arjun Sethi, Co-CEO at Kraken, adding:

    “USDG upends this dynamic with a more equitable model that will bring mainstream participants into the ecosystem and accelerate new stablecoin use cases.”

    Bitcoin achieves new all-time high above $77,000

    Bitcoin has reached another new high, topping $77,000, continuing from its upward trajectory following Donald Trump’s presidential win.

    Earlier in the week, Bitcoin achieved a new high of $75,315 as the results signalled a Trump win for the White House. Bitcoin’s last all-time high took place in March when it reached $73,000.

    However, Bitcoin wasn’t done there.

    It then pushed higher, topping over $76,000 across major exchanges on November 7. The news of Bitcoin’s new all-time high came as the US Federal Reserve announced it was cutting interest rates by 25 basis points.

    It remains to be seen how far Bitcoin will continue rising to; however, according to Bernstein analysts, Bitcoin could reach between $80,000 and $90,000 by the end of 2024 following Trump’s win.

    BlackRock’s IBIT sets record daily inflows of $1.12 billion

    BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) exchange-traded fund (ETF) set a new record for inflows, reaching $1.12 billion, topping its previous record of $872 million.

    BlackRock’s IBIT net assets now account for $34.29 billion, significantly pushing it ahead of its competitors. The new record follows an October milestone, which saw the company reaching $30 billion in total assets in 293 days.

    Speaking to CoinJournal, Dary McGovern, COO of Bitcoin native Xapo Bank, said that Bitcoin’s new record suggests a “broader shift in institutional confidence, with notable market movements such as BlackRock’s record net inflows into its iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT).”

    A new record was also seen across the 12 US spot Bitcoin ETFs, reaching $1.38 billion since launching in January.

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