Interoperability needs its ERC-20 moment

Undoubtedly, one of the prerequisites for the mass adoption of blockchain technology is secure and seamless cross-chain interoperability. Many potential applications, particularly in complex and regulated sectors, simply can not be deployed without common guidelines and interface definitions. Without these, as is currently the case, applications that aim to go cross-chain must rely on custom…

Short-term holder realized price nears $50,000

Quick Take Realized price, a metric reflecting the collective price at which each coin was last utilized on-chain, experienced significant fluctuations over the past week. The short-term holder (STH) realized price, showing the average on-chain acquisition price for coins moved outside exchange reserves within the past 155 days, is inching towards $50,000 – a notable…

Arizona Senate proposes adding Bitcoin exposure to state pension funds

The Arizona State Senate passed a resolution to consider digital assets — specifically Bitcoin exposure — as potential investments for the state’s retirement systems. The 56th legislature — Senate Concurrent Resolution 1016 (SCR 1016) — proposes that the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) and the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS) examine the viability of…

Record highs, sharp drops, and rapid recovery trigger $1 billion market liquidation

Quick Take In an extraordinary 24-hour period, Bitcoin soared to a new all-time peak of around $69,200, then experienced a rapid sell-off, dropping the price to near $59,500. Following this tumultuous drop, Bitcoin has since rebounded and is now stabilizing at approximately $67,000. BTCUSD Bitstamp: (Source: Tradingview) This precarious and sudden market volatility triggered a…

Bitcoin slides almost 9% to $63,150 after setting new ATH

Bitcoin experienced a notable price adjustment, declining nearly 9% following its ascent to a record-setting pre-halving all-time high. The leading digital currency, which captured significant attention for its surge to $69,324, subsequently corrected to roughly $64,580 within an hour — illustrating the market’s volatility. Bitcoin price action has remained subdued under pressure, with the flagship…

Exploring SynFutures V3 and the Oyster AMM

SynFutures, a decentralized perps exchange, has been waking waves in DeFi for the past few years. It has prominent investors, a large user base, and an impressive trading volume, which means it has all the factors that could make it a project to watch in 2024 and beyond. In this article, let’s dive into SynFutures…

El Salvador and pro-Bitcoin businesses reaping rewards after years of skepticism

El Salvador and several forward-thinking corporations, including Nexon and Tahini’s, are witnessing substantial returns on their Bitcoin investments, challenging the wave of skepticism they faced from the media and financial analysts. Despite enduring a barrage of negative press when they made their investments over the last few years, the Bitcoin stacks they built up are…

Ethereum devs confirm Dencun upgrade’s mainnet deployment, Grayscale calls it ETH’s ‘coming of age’ moment

Ethereum Foundation said the highly anticipated Dencun upgrade has been “successfully activated on all testnets” and is scheduled for deployment on the mainnet by Mar. 13 — at epoch 269568, according to a Feb. 27 statement. According to the Foundation, the upgrade will usher in significant changes, including introducing ephemeral data blobs with EIP-4844. This is…

Optimizing customer onboarding and KYC processes with Checkin.com’s AI and data-driven UX modules

In virtually any industry, from traditional retail to cutting-edge technology, the significance of customer onboarding remains a constant and critical factor in shaping the trajectory of a business. It’s the handshake, the warm welcome, and the guiding light that ushers new customers into a world of products or services. This initial experience defines a company’s…

South Africa advances financial inclusion with crypto and digital payment reforms

South Africa announced plans to weave digital payments and crypto into its financial fabric to boost the economy for marginalized groups. The announcement was made in the country’s 2024 budget and underlines the government’s drive to build a digital economy through active collaborations between public and private sectors to enhance financial innovation. The budget targets…

Nvidia posts record $60 billion in revenue amid increased demand for AI, accelerated computing

Nvidia reported increased demand for generative artificial intelligence (AI) and accelerated computing in its latest earnings report on Feb. 21. Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of Nvidia, said: “Accelerated computing and generative AI have hit the tipping point. Demand is surging worldwide across companies, industries and nations.” Huang added that Nvidia RTX has become a…

Binance’s FDUSD market cap hits record high, dethrones USDC in Bitcoin trading volume

The First Digital USD (FDUSD) stablecoin has overtaken Circle-issued USD Coin (USDC) as the second-most popular pair for Bitcoin during the last five months, thanks to the zero-trading fee program on Binance. CCData’s latest stablecoin report revealed a significant uptick in FDUSD’s trading volume on centralized exchanges — primarily Binance — which has taken its…

Notes from Davos: 10 things you should know about AI

The following is a guest post from John deVadoss. Davos in January 2024 was about one theme – AI. Vendors were hawking AI; sovereign states were touting their AI infrastructure; intergovernmental organizations were deliberating over AI’s regulatory implications; corporate chieftains were hyping AI’s promise; political titans were debating AI’s national security connotations; and almost everyone…

MicroStrategy chair Saylor says Bitcoin represents the “digital transformation of capital”

In a recent interview with Fox Business, MicroStrategy Executive Chairman Michael Saylor delved into the transformative potential of Bitcoin, positioning it as a pivotal force in the shift from analog to digital capital. Saylor’s insights come at a critical time when the flagship crypto is experiencing renewed interest and growth, highlighting its role in the…

Oreo parent company Mondelēz International joins Hedera Council to drive DLT adoption

Mondelēz International, the global food and snacking powerhouse behind iconic brands such as Oreo, Cadbury, and Toblerone, has officially joined the Hedera Council, according to a Feb. 14 press release. Under the partnership, Mondelēz will leverage the Hedera blockchain to enhance digital transformation, supply chain management, and customer engagement. The Hedera Council, consisting of over…

Not all blockchains need to be pseudonymous

Blockchain technology holds the potential to enhance various industries, particularly in the financial sector. Layer one protocols, which are essentially the base layer of any blockchain network, serve as key components of a blockchain system. Examples of layer one blockchains include Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Binance Smart Chain. These blockchains serve as the base layer for…

California’s 8.2 million crypto owners poised to influence 2024 elections – Coinbase

A recent study conducted by Toluna for Coinbase reveals that crypto users in California are poised to significantly influence the state’s political direction in the 2024 elections. With an estimated 27% of California adults, or about 8.2 million individuals, owning digital assets, this demographic represents a substantial and potentially decisive voting bloc. According to the…

Bakkt says it is ‘confident’ about continuing operations after disclosing liquidity issues in SEC filing

Bakkt Holdings said in a press release on Feb. 8 that it is “confident” it will continue operating despite expressing concerns earlier over its liquidity in a regulatory filing. Bakkt wrote that “management remains confident” and intends to continue serving clients and moving toward profitability. The exchange added that its filing with the SEC for…

Korean FSC mandates crypto exchanges keep 80% in cold storage, criminals face up to life in prison

The Financial Services Commission of South Korea has announced that the implementation date of its Virtual Asset User Protection Law is July 19, 2024. Last year, the law was established to safeguard users in the digital asset market and instill a regulated environment. This legislation embodies provisions aimed at curtailing unfair trading practices and enforcing…

Trump calls CDBCs “very dangerous” and labels the power of AI “scary”

Former President Donald Trump expressed significant concerns about central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) during an interview on Fox’s Sunday Morning Futures. With the Republican Party potentially nominating him for the 2024 presidential election, Trump’s critical views on these issues are capturing widespread attention. CBDCs: A Pathway to Government Surveillance…

Super Bowl won’t feature crypto ads in 2024, but two AI ads are planned

This year’s Super Bowl will most likely exclude cryptocurrency-related advertisements, CNN reported on Feb. 2. Paul Hardart, a clinical professor of marketing for New York University’s Stern School of Business, said audiences will likely see a “notable shift away” from tech-related advertisements, especially those featuring crypto and AI. Hardart said in a statement to CNN:…

Trac Core launches ‘Trac Core for TAP Protocol’ to revolutionize Bitcoin data indexing

In a groundbreaking development for Bitcoin’s data indexing landscape, Trac Core has announced the launch of “Trac Core for TAP Protocol,” according to a Jan. 26 press release. Trac Core’s journey began in May 2023, focusing on developing decentralized data indexing technologies based on Ordinal-based metaprotocols. The TAP Protocol launch marks a pivotal moment in…

China’s underground crypto market thrives despite harsh trading ban: WSJ

Despite Beijing’s 2021 ban on crypto trading, a thriving underground market reportedly continues to operate in China. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that investors circumvent the country’s stringent regulations through informal networks through VPNs, social media, and physical trading. China is one of the world’s most stringent regions for crypto trading. Authorities actively pursue…

Bitcoin accumulation trend hits lowest point since October, signaling widespread distribution shifts

Quick Take The Accumulation Trend Score, a metric that measures the relative strength of Bitcoin (BTC) accumulation by different entity wallet cohorts, has registered a significant shift. Notably, the trend score has plummeted to 0.5, the lowest level since October 2023, just prior to Bitcoin’s monumental rise from $25,000 to $49,000, spurred by the launch…

Speculation on potential Bitcoin ETF rejection causes market stir as focus shifts to ordinals’ potential: SlateAsia Episode #4

The recent episode of SlateAsia brought together prominent voices in the space to discuss the tumultuous start of 2024 for Bitcoin and the rising interest in Ordinals. The podcast featured Liam Wright, Senior Editor of CryptoSlate, Nate Whitehill, the CEO of CryptoSlate, and Jason Fang from Sora Ventures. Their conversation centered on the SEC’s potential…

Strategies for redemption and market impact

It has been widely accepted that Bitcoin ETF applications have been the main driver for Bitcoin’s return to the April 2022 level at above $40k. The thesis is simple: with a new layer of institutional legitimacy, the capital pool for Bitcoin inflow would deepen. From hedge funds and commodity trading advisors (CTAs) to mutual and…

Vertex Protocol | CryptoSlate

What is CryptoSlate Alpha? A web3 membership designed to empower you with cutting-edge insights and knowledge. Learn more › Connected to Alpha Welcome! 👋 You are connected to CryptoSlate Alpha. To manage your wallet connection, click the button below. Oops…you must lock a minimum of 20,000 ACS If you don’t have enough, buy ACS on…

Mastercard backs Fideum Group’s vision to merge crypto with traditional finance

Fintech company Fideum Group said its collaboration with traditional payment giant Mastercard would enable it to “integrate digital assets into everyday financial activities.” In an interview with CryptoSlate, CEO Anastasija Plotnikova explained how the company’s status as the overall winner of the Mastercard Lighthouse FINITIV 2023 Fall Program will bolster its business and help serve…

Ethereum MEV-relay bloXroute to deny OFAC-listed transactions, escalating crypto censorship debate

Ethereum MEV-relay bloXroute labs said it will reject blocks containing transactions from addresses listed on the Office of Foreign Assets Control’s (OFAC) Specially Designated Nationals And Blocked Person List (SDN) list starting Dec. 18. In a Dec. 18 statement on X (formerly Twitter), the firm said: “Effective immediately, all bloXroute relays will reject block bids…