BlackRock bullish on Bitcoin, Gemini CEO’s ‘delusion,’ and CEXs’ unhappy staff: Hodler’s Digest, July 2-8

10 July 2023

Cointelegraph By Editorial Staff

Top Stories This Week

Larry Fink, the CEO of BlackRock, has recently delivered pro-crypto remarks, claiming “Bitcoin is an international asset” and suggesting U.S. regulators consider how an ETF directly linked to Bitcoin could democratize finance in the country. Under Fink, BlackRock has attempted to launch a spot BTC ETF with crypto exchange Coinbase acting as a surveillance partner. It’s unclear if the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will approve the investment vehicle, given its track record of rejecting all previously filed spot BTC ETF applications to date.

Gemini files lawsuit against Digital Currency Group and Barry Silbert over Genesis and Earn program

Gemini has announced legal action against the conglomerate Digital Currency Group (DCG) and its CEO, Barry Silbert, claiming “fraud against creditors.” Genesis, a DCG subsidiary, had been the crypto lender responsible for operating an Earn program in partnership with the crypto exchange. The suit follows an open letter published by Gemini co-founder Cameron Winklevoss, which slammed Silbert for allegedly trying to play the victim card while owing over a billion dollars to Earn’s investors. “Not even Sam Bankman-Fried was capable of such delusion,” Winklevoss wrote in the letter.

Bitcoin bull run incoming: Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao reveals when

Binance CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao has delivered his prediction for the next Bitcoin bull market. In a July 5 “ask me anything” session on Twitter, CZ gave his thoughts on the next bull run, explaining that the price of Bitcoin has historically moved in four-year bull cycles, and his best bet was that this would continue to occur. While admitting he couldn’t predict the future, Zhao emphasized the upcoming Bitcoin halving event in 2024 and declared 2025 to be the most likely year for the next bull market, stating: “The year after Bitcoin halving is usually the bull year.“

Lawmakers in the United Kingdom are moving forward with legislation aimed at expanding authorities’ ability to target cryptocurrencies used for illicit purposes. A June 27 version of the bill included provisions to allow authorities greater flexibility in the confiscation and civil recovery of crypto assets. In addition, the legislation clarified the government’s authority over digital assets “intended to be used for the purposes of terrorism” or related reasons. The lawmakers will consider all amendments to the bill before it can be made law by royal assent.

Binance, Coinbase and Gemini staff are among the least happy, data suggests

According to a quadrant chart by tech recruitment firm TrueUp using data from Glassdoor, crypto exchanges, including Gemini, Binance and Coinbase, are home to some of the least happy employees in the industry. The chart shows the happiest and least happy workers across over 27 of most valuable crypto firms on different stages of maturity. The defunct crypto lender Celsius, crypto exchange Gemini and trading firm Amber Group top the list of least satisfied employees, followed by Binance and Coinbase. Binance said its “hardcore” work culture could explain some of the results, while Crypto Recruit founder Neil Dundon warned that the data should be taken with a grain of salt.

Winners and Losers

At the end of the week, Bitcoin (BTC) is at $30,321, Ether (ETH) at $1,868 and XRP at $0.46. The total market cap is at $1.18 trillion, according to CoinMarketCap.

Among the biggest 100 cryptocurrencies, the top three altcoin gainers of the week are Bone ShibaSwap (BONE) at 40.88%, Maker (MKR) at 12.94% and Flow (FLOW) at 11.73%. 

The top three altcoin losers of the week are ApeCoin (APE) at -15.13%, Stellar (XLM) at -13.31% and Fantom (FTM) at -12.63%.

For more info on crypto prices, make sure to read Cointelegraph’s market analysis.

Read also


Features

How smart people invest in dumb memecoins: 3-point plan for success


Features

Building community resilience to crises through mutual aid and Web3

Most Memorable Quotations

“The year after Bitcoin halving is usually the bull year.“

Changpeng Zhao, CEO of Binance

“Decentralized perpetuals and futures trading is much newer, so there is a high growth opportunity to be had with on-chain derivatives.”

Henrik Andersson, chief investment officer at Apollo Crypto

“Let’s be clear: Bitcoin is an international asset.”

Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock

“The future tells me that we are going toward augmented intelligence that will end up with AI co-mingling with normal brains. Maybe that is the future of humanity.”

Paolo Ardoino, chief technology officer at Tether

“It takes a special kind of person to owe $3.3 billion dollars to hundreds of thousands of people and believe, or at least pretend to believe, that they are some kind of victim.”

Cameron Winklevoss, CEO of Gemini

“Bitcoin-related startup investment, I think particularly at an early stage, had doubled in the last year. So that’s a positive.”

Adam Back, CEO of Blockstream

Prediction of the Week 

BTC price remains ‘undoubtedly bullish’ as $30K Bitcoin buyers emerge

Bitcoin bulls had hopes that new yearly highs would allow BTC/USD to exit its months-long trading range for good, but ended up disappointed. The largest cryptocurrency saw rejection at $31,500 this week, falling below the $30,000 mark just hours later to challenge the lower part of the range.

Longer-term perspectives likewise continued the overall bullish narrative, with short-term retracements and sideways movement below resistance expected.

Pseudonymous trader TraderKoz dispelled fears over a deeper comedown challenging Bitcoin’s uptrend. “With a lot of people talking about shorter-term pullbacks, it’s important to keep the bigger picture in mind and not lose focus,” he wrote on July 6, adding, “Whether we pullback to 28k, 29k, or wherever else, this weekly chart is undoubtedly bullish (in my opinion). And I will be looking to bid dips.”

FUD of the Week 

Multichain MPC bridge sees $100M+ outflows, sparking fears of exploitAbnormally large outflows from the Multichain multi-party computation (MPC) bridge platform are sparking fears of a multimillion-dollar exploit. On July 6, observers noticed that over $102 million worth of crypto had been withdrawn from Multichain’s Fantom bridge on the Ethereum side, as well as $666,000 from Dogechain and $5 million from Moonriver. Several on-chain sleuths took to Twitter to label the event as a possible exploit. Multichain said the movements were abnormal and the team “is not sure what happened and is currently investigating.”Coinbase domain name reportedly used by scammers in high-profile attacksCoinbase’s users have been turning to Twitter to report scams and phishing attacks involving the company’s services and applications in the recent weeks, including claims that scammers are using the crypto exchange’s domain name. According to reports, perpetrators have been using the email “help@coinbase.com” to deceive users and gain access to accounts. Coinbase said anyone scamming its customers will be prosecuted.BarnBridge DAO calls halt to ‘all work’ on DeFi protocol amid SEC probeBarnBridge DAO members have been told to pause “all work” related to the project after a reported probe by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Douglas Park, a lawyer for the decentralized autonomous organization, revealed the news to members in a post on the platform’s Discord channel. All BarnBridge-related products are currently on hold, including its liquidity pools. DAO members are not receiving compensation for work flowing from the investment efforts of the organization.Best Cointelegraph FeaturesShould you ‘orange pill’ children? The case for Bitcoin kids booksHow young is too young to introduce kids to Bitcoin? Parents and the authors of Bitcoin kids books weigh in.Super Mario: Crypto Thief, Sega blockchain game, AI games rights fight — Web3 GamerGods Unchained and My Pet Hooligan join the Epic Games Store and a look at a cute tropical island blockchain game.Natalie Brunell sees a “six figure” Bitcoin price on the horizon, but she’s not in a rush for the bull market to appear anytime soon.AIBinanceBitcoinBitcoin ETFBlackRockBlockchainChangpeng ZhaoCoinbaseCryptocurrenciesDeFiEthereumGary GenslerGeminiHackmemecoinNFTRegulationSECStablecoinsTetherTwitterUnited KingdomUnited SatesUnited StatesUSDCRead also

  

You might also like

US Rep. Byron Donalds to introduce bill codifying Trump’s Bitcoin reserve  
US Rep. Byron Donalds to introduce bill codifying Trump’s Bitcoin reserve  

A new bill set to be introduced in Congress aims to formalize President Donald Trump’s executive order establishing a US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, a move that could further integrate Bitcoin into the nation’s financial strategy.Trump signed an executive order on March 7 to use Bitcoin (BTC) seized in government criminal cases to establish a national reserve.The legislation, introduced by US Representative Byron Donalds, seeks to ensure the Bitcoin reserve becomes a permanent fixture, preventing future administrations from dismantling it through executive action.Source: Margo Martin“For years, the Democrats waged war on crypto,” Donalds, a Florida Republican, said in a statement to Bloomberg. “Now is the time for Congressional Republicans to decisively end this war.”If the bill is passed, it would ensure that the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and the US Digital Asset Stockpile could not be eliminated via executive actions by a future administration.The bill will require at least 60 votes in the Senate and a House majority to pass. With Republicans holding a Senate majority — and amid a generally more crypto-friendly environment —the bill has a chance of passing.US states with Bitcoin reserve bill propositions. Source: BitcoinlawsAccording to Bitcoinlaws data, at least 23 US states have introduced legislation supporting a Bitcoin reserve, reflecting growing state-level interest in integrating crypto into fiscal policy.Related: Trump turned crypto from ‘oppressed industry’ to ‘centerpiece’ of US strategyA “pivotal moment” for US crypto regulationsThe introduction of the Bitcoin reserve-related bill marks a pivotal moment for the wider crypto industry, not just BTC.The legislation “aims to cement the reserve as a permanent fixture, shielding it from reversal by future administrations,” according to Anndy Lian, author and intergovernmental blockchain expert.The bill signals the US government’s intent to integrate Bitcoin into its financial framework, Lian told Cointelegraph, adding:“It builds on Trump’s earlier executive action by providing a statutory backbone, potentially clarifying the government’s stance on digital assets. If passed, the bill could reduce uncertainty that has long plagued the crypto space, where agencies like the SEC and CFTC have often clashed over jurisdiction.”“A codified reserve might encourage a more cohesive regulatory approach, offering businesses and investors a clearer path forward,” he added.However, identifying the right funding mechanisms and custody solutions for the Bitcoin reserve is a challenging step for governmental entities that may delay the fund’s creation.Related: European lawmakers silent on US Bitcoin reserve amid digital euro pushThe bill may also provide more clarity on the government’s future Bitcoin acquisition strategies. Although the current plan does not involve government Bitcoin purchases, the order does not rule them out.The order authorizes the US Treasury and Commerce secretaries to develop “budget-neutral strategies” to buy more Bitcoin for the reserve, provided there are no additional costs to taxpayers.Magazine: SCB tips $500K BTC, SEC delays Ether ETF options, and more: Hodler’s Digest, Feb. 23 –March. 1

Hong Kong fintech sector sees 250% blockchain growth since 2022  
Hong Kong fintech sector sees 250% blockchain growth since 2022  

Hong Kong anticipates the continued growth of its fintech ecosystem, with blockchain, digital assets, distributed ledger technology (DLT) and artificial intelligence playing a central role in shaping its future.Hong Kong is home to over 1,100 fintech companies. This includes 175 blockchain application or software firms and 111 digital asset and cryptocurrency companies, which marked 250% and 30% increases, respectively, since 2022, according to the Hong Kong Fintech Ecosystem report by InvestHK, a government department overseeing Foreign Direct Investments.Participants of the Hong Kong Fintech Ecosystem. Source: InvestHKExploring deeper fintech revenue streamsThe expansive growth of Hong Kong’s Web3 industry is attributed to proactive government policies and an active licensing regime for crypto exchanges or virtual asset trading platforms.“The revenue for the Hong Kong fintech market is projected to reach US$606 billion by 2032, with an anticipated annual growth rate of 28.5% from 2024 to 2032,” the report stated.InvestHK, along with other Hong Kong authorities, surveyed 130 fintech companies operating in Hong Kong and identified talent shortage as the top concern in the region, cited by 58.8% of respondents, followed by access to capital at 43.9%. Related: Coinbase to add 1,000 more US jobs in 2025, thanks to Trump — Brian ArmstrongAddressing these hurdles will be critical to sustaining Hong Kong’s momentum to become the top financial hub.Over 73% of the surveyed fintech companies operate in the AI subsector, far exceeding the 41.5% focused on digital assets and cryptocurrency.China’s “one country, two systems” policy at playThe InvestHK report highlighted Hong Kong’s advantage in adopting China’s “one country, two systems” policy, allowing it to maintain a free-market economy, unrestricted capital flow and strong global trade relations while benefiting from its proximity to mainland China.As a result, the Hong Kong government was able to roll out several Web3 innovations, including a licensing regime, spot Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) exchange-traded funds, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s stablecoin sandbox and tokenized finance and AI integration.Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s five-step “Fintech 2025” strategy. Source: HKMAIn 2021, the HKMA unveiled a strategy to establish itself as a financial hub by 2025. The strategy included encouraging fintech adoption among banks, increasing Hong Kong’s readiness in issuing central bank digital currencies at both wholesale and retail levels, enhancing the city’s existing data infrastructure and building new ones, increasing the supply of fintech talent and formulating supportive policies for the Hong Kong fintech ecosystem.Magazine: Vitalik on AI apocalypse, LA Times both-sides KKK, LLM grooming: AI Eye

FTX liquidated $1.5B in 3AC assets 2 weeks before hedge fund’s collapse  
FTX liquidated $1.5B in 3AC assets 2 weeks before hedge fund’s collapse  

Newly revealed court documents show that FTX secretly liquidated $1.53 billion in Three Arrows Capital (3AC) assets just two weeks before the hedge fund collapsed in 2022. The disclosure challenged previous narratives that 3AC’s downfall was solely market-driven.Once valued at over $10 billion, 3AC collapsed in mid-2022 after a series of leveraged directional trades turned sour. The hedge fund had borrowed from over 20 large institutions before the May 2022 crypto crash, which saw Bitcoin (BTC) fall to $16,000.However, recently-discovered evidence shows that the FTX exchange liquidated $1.53 billion worth of 3AC’s assets just two weeks ahead of the hedge fund’s collapse.3AC “asked a bankruptcy court to let it increase its claim against FTX from $120 million to $1.53 billion,” according to “Mbottjer,” the pseudonymous co-founder of FTX Creditor, a group FTX creditors and bankruptcy claim buyers.“3AC says it only recently discovered evidence that FTX liquidated $1.53B of 3AC’s assets just two weeks before 3AC itself went into liquidation, much more than the $120M originally claimed,” they stated.Source: MbottjerThe crypto hedge fund claims it was never notified of these liquidations due to FTX’s own bankruptcy proceedings. A court ruled that 3AC acted in good faith, allowing it to pursue its full $1.53 billion claim in FTX’s bankruptcy case.On Dec. 21, 2023, a British Virgin Islands court froze $1.14 billion worth of 3AC co-founder Kyle Davies and Su Zhu’s assets. Teneo has since estimated that 3AC creditors are still owed roughly $3.3 billion following the hedge fund’s collapse in 2022.Davies claimed that allegations from Teneo — the firm in charge of 3AC’s liquidation — that he and co-founder Su Zhu were “not cooperating” were exaggerated.Related: US court gives Three Arrows nod to increase its FTX claim to $1.53BMissing $1.5 billion not enough to avoid 3AC collapseWhile the $1.53 billion sum is significantly larger than FTX’s previously disclosed liquidations, it may not have been enough to save 3AC from bankruptcy, according to Nicolai Sondergaard, research analyst at Nansen:“From what I can see, even if they in 2022 had the additional $1.5 billion they still would not have been able to meet creditor claims/debt repayments.”“Without being a legal expert, it seems to me that 3AC, while being allowed to pursue a much larger amount, likely won’t get the full $1.53 billion claim. It seems realistic that they will get more, but how much is uncertain,” the analyst added.Related: 3AC liquidators file $1.3B claim against Terraform LabsBinance co-founder and former CEO Changpeng Zhao called the revelations an “interesting turn of events.”Source: CZ BNB“I am curious if FTX had anything to do with the LUNA/UST crash/depeg in May 2022,” Zhao said in a March 14 X post.The collapse of 3AC occurred a month after that of Terraform Labs’ Terra (LUNC) and TerraClassicUSD (USTC) tokens and shortly before crypto lender Celsius paused all user withdrawals after its native token Celsius (CEL) dropped 90%.Magazine: ‘Hong Kong’s FTX’ victims win lawsuit, bankers bash stablecoins: Asia Express

Open chat
1
BlockFo Chat
Hello 👋, How can we help you?
📱 When you've pressed the BlockFo button, we automatically transfer to WhatsApp 🔝🔐
🖥️ Or, if you use a PC or Mac, then we'll open a new window to load your desktop app.
BlockFo
BlockFo