Bitcoin Price: US$ 69,416.97 (+0.64%)
Ethereum Price: US$ 3,454.81 (+3.04%)
The upcoming Bitcoin halving event, anticipated to occur around April 20 or 21, is viewed as a potential catalyst for increased prices by many crypto traders, although it faces challenges due to historically weak market conditions during this time of year, as highlighted by Coinbase. Despite slowing overall crypto volumes, Coinbase anticipates new investors entering the market, driven by Bitcoin’s growing acceptance as a “digital gold.” On a separate front, the dYdX decentralised exchange community has approved staking 20 million DYDX tokens to enhance security amid surging activity, aiming to guard against control attacks by decentralising voting power. Meanwhile, Aave contemplates activating a “fee switch” to distribute fees to token holders, with discussions ongoing about adjustments to staking fees and loan-to-value ratios. Additionally, Uniswap is preparing for its own fee switch proposal, indicating ongoing evolution and experimentation within the DeFi ecosystem.
Pantera Capital’s Liquid Token Fund has surged by 66% in the first quarter of 2024, driven by investments in crypto tokens like Solana’s SOL, Ribbon Finance (RBN), and Stacks, while decreasing exposure to Bitcoin and Ether during the period, according to a shareholder letter reviewed by Bloomberg. Portfolio manager Cosmo Jiang highlighted a significant reduction in Bitcoin holdings since the beginning of the year. Concurrently, Pantera Capital raised around $250 million to purchase SOL tokens from former crypto exchange FTX at a discounted price. SOL’s price surge has been attributed to its rising dominance in the blockchain market and the meme coins frenzy. In South Korea, political parties are vying for crypto voters’ support ahead of parliamentary elections, with promises including removing restrictions on ETFs holding crypto tokens and delaying taxes on digital assets’ profits. Despite politicians’ pledges, tighter regulations on crypto assets are anticipated, including new rules for token listings on centralised exchanges and the enforcement of the Virtual Asset Users Protection Act starting July 19. In defence of Solana amid recent network congestion issues, Fantom network creator Andre Cronje supported Solana, attributing the congestion to rapid ecosystem growth rather than consensus mechanism flaws, while Solana CEO Anatoly Yakovenko expressed frustration over addressing congestion bugs. Despite Solana’s recent challenges, its token price remains volatile, reflecting its position as the fifth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalisation.
The United States Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has issued a report cautioning against risks in crypto-centric gaming, emphasising scams and inadequate consumer safeguards in virtual realms. Despite trailing mainstream gaming platforms like Roblox and Fortnite, the report highlights the growing presence of crypto assets in virtual worlds, with some gaming publishers exploring the concept of positioning virtual items as crypto-assets tradable outside the game’s economy. This development has sparked concerns about consumer protection, especially regarding hacking attempts, account theft, and lost assets within games, prompting the CFPB to seek regulatory oversight to safeguard consumers from fraud and scams in virtual economies. Meanwhile, bankrupt crypto lending firm Genesis has reportedly sold 36 million shares of the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) to acquire additional Bitcoin, aiming to settle debts with creditors, while the FTX estate has sold over half of its Solana (SOL) tokens at a steep discount, attracting interest from asset managers and venture capitalists but prompting criticism from creditors amid allegations of fraud and property rights violations.
Source: https://cointelegraph.com
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