Sygnum, the crypto banking group, has raised over $40 million in a strategic funding round, surpassing its target of $35 million. The funding was led by asset manager Azimut Holding. This comes as the industry recovers from the 'crypto winter' and investors seek trusted financial institutions. The raised capital will support Sygnum's expansion into new markets, including Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. The bank also plans to develop its regulated products and bank-to-bank digital asset services. With operating licenses in Switzerland, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and Luxembourg, Sygnum currently manages assets worth over $4 billion for more than 1,700 clients across 60 countries.
Thailand's cryptocurrency exchanges are informing their customers about the upcoming changes in crypto taxes implemented by the Thai tax authorities this year. The changes will affect crypto traders, miners, and individuals earning in cryptocurrencies. To comply with these changes, local exchanges like Bitkub have updated their websites' FAQ sections to provide information on the taxes applicable to digital assets. While the tax authorities categorize certain activities as taxable, the exchanges assure customers that their information is not shared with tax authorities unless requested by the customers themselves. This new development comes as part of the Thai government's efforts to generate revenue from the crypto space, following the introduction of the 15% capital gains tax on crypto trading profits in January 2022. It seems that the focus of these tax policies is primarily on income or assets acquired overseas, including citizens engaged in crypto trading activities within the country.
As the Chinese economy and stock markets continue to decline, many Chinese investors, like Shanghai-based finance executive Dylan Run, are turning to cryptocurrencies as a safe haven. Despite the ban on crypto trading and mining in China, people are finding creative ways to invest in bitcoin and other crypto assets through grey-market dealers and overseas bank accounts. Chinese brokers and financial institutions are also exploring crypto-related businesses in Hong Kong to find growth opportunities. While China's crackdown on the property sector and poor performance of traditional assets have left investors searching for alternatives, bitcoin has seen significant gains. This has led to speculation that the Chinese government may be warming up to cryptocurrencies, making Hong Kong a potential testing ground for these efforts. Ultimately, more and more Chinese investors are seeking refuge in cryptocurrencies amid the uncertain and disappointing investment environment at home.
Lido DAO has rebuked LayerZero for deploying a crypto bridge without explicit approval, triggering criticism from the Lido community. LayerZero had asked for endorsement but proceeded before receiving official consent. The move was seen as disrespectful and undermining the seriousness of the DAO. A consortium of crypto infrastructure providers accused LayerZero of attempting to gain a first-mover advantage and lock-in users. In response, Lido DAO members voted in favor of a rival bridge proposal from Axelar and Wormhole. Pending a formal vote, these providers will become Lido's official choice for moving stETH tokens to BNB Chain. The controversy highlights the importance of cross-chain interoperability as blockchains proliferate, and the sensitivity of endorsements from protocols.
The recent developments in the Bitcoin ETF market suggest a potential rebound in the Bitcoin price. With a noticeable slowdown in Grayscale's selling activities, there is hope for Bitcoin bulls as this could stabilize prices and restore investor confidence. Major players like BlackRock and Fidelity have demonstrated their commitment to Bitcoin, with significant holdings in BTC. The dynamics of the recent sell-off, primarily involving FTX, are expected to ease on day 9, contributing to a more stable market environment. The emergence of Bitcoin ETFs as significant holders of the cryptocurrency showcases growing institutional interest. Despite Grayscale's selling spree, Bitcoin ETF managers are acquiring 15 times the daily Bitcoin supply, demonstrating strong demand from institutional investors. The new ETFs have absorbed a net total of 122,000 BTC in just 8 days, overcoming Grayscale's release. The decrease in GBTC volume may indicate exhaustion in selling, while a net inflow of $409 million on the ninth day suggests renewed investor interest.
Despite Bitcoin's struggles in the post-ETF approval market, Ethereum has emerged as a winner in the sector, outperforming both Bitcoin and altcoins. According to Glassnode's latest report, Ethereum has seen a slower relative momentum but has still managed to outperform the wider altcoin space by -17%. Additionally, Ethereum's dominance against Bitcoin has increased by about 2.9% since Bitcoin's spot ETFs were approved. While the altcoin side of the sector has experienced a net rise, Ethereum has consistently outperformed them. This has led to a new narrative in the sector, with the potential for ETH spot ETFs gaining approval and expressing optimism in the market.
The IRS has revised the digital asset question on tax forms, adding it to four additional tax forms. This means that all taxpayers, not just those involved in digital asset transactions in 2023, must answer the question. The IRS defines digital assets as digital representations of value recorded on secure ledgers or similar technology, including cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, and NFTs. The revised question asks if taxpayers received, sold, exchanged, or disposed of a digital asset or a financial interest in one during 2023. The IRS emphasizes that all taxpayers must answer this question when filing their 2023 federal income tax return.
Bitwise, a leading digital asset manager, has made history by becoming the first U.S. spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) to publicly disclose its bitcoin wallet address. This move emphasizes Bitwise's commitment to transparency and aligns with the core ethos of Bitcoin. By publishing their onchain addresses, Bitwise sets a new standard for authenticity in the cryptocurrency industry. They aim to increase public transparency further by exploring partnerships with firms like Hoseki App to provide real-time cryptographic attestations. Other spot bitcoin ETFs may now consider adopting a similar approach to address verification, following Bitwise's groundbreaking example.
Charles Hoskinson Responds to Report Questioning Cardano’s Utility
Cardano co-founder Charles Hoskinson has fired back in response to a report by crypto research firm K33 Research that questioned the utility of Cardano’s native token, ADA.
In a bold retort earlier this week, the founder of Cardano downplayed the credibility of the research firm, setting the stage for a contentious debate within the cryptocurrency community.
Published on Monday, the report, titled “Why you should sell all your ADA (Cardano)”, contended that ADA lacks meaningful use and value. Notably, a smart contract network’s native token needs substantial use to hold any value. The firm, however, argued that ADA lacks such utility, adding that there was no credible path toward achieving it. The firm also highlighted the absence of proof of ADA’s utilization beyond exchange transfers and alleged artificial activity by holders.
One of the critical points in the report revolved around the stablecoin market on Cardano. While other networks thrive with stablecoins like USDT or USDC dominating DeFi altcoin investing, the firm argued that Cardano is lagging. It pointed out the limited presence of Cardano-collateralized stablecoins valued below one dollar, signalling the network’s lack of meaningful decentralized finance (DeFi) activity.
The firm further predicted a bleak future for Cardano akin to past blockchain projects such as IOTA, NEO, and EOS. The firm argued that successful blockchains must grow organically from real use rather than being propelled by inflated hype and subsidized bootstrapping.
“Cardano has an enticing story for newcomers, with Cardano being branded as “the peer-reviewed research-driven blockchain network…still, all price signals also point to Ada gradually disappearing from the crypto map. ADA has not rallied in line with other ‘stronger’ smart contract tokens when markets have improved, which is a strong indicator of a dying coin,” the firm stated.
Meanwhile, in a dismissive response to the criticism, Charles Hoskinson questioned the identity of K33 Research, expressing ignorance with a straightforward, “Who? Never heard of them.”
Hoskinson’s reaction resonated within the ADA community, with some criticizing K33 Research for what they perceived as a targeted attack on the network. Particularly, “ADA Whale”, a prominent ADA commentator, voiced skepticism over the report, stating, “FYI: this is not how a serious research paper reads or looks like.” He went on to invite the firm’s researchers, urging them to examine what he described as “a fact-based thread on Cardano” that he shared last week.
Notably, this recent critique is not the first time Cardano has faced skepticism. Hoskinson has previously defended the network from claims that it is a “ghost chain”, lacks a working product, and is too decentralized.
Nevertheless, despite these challenges, Cardano stands resilient and is currently the eighth-largest cryptocurrency with a market capitalization of $17.9 billion. Moreover, it maintains its status as the second-largest crypto asset by staking market capitalization, underscoring its continued relevance in cryptocurrency.
XRP On The Brink: Urgent Call For Bulls As Analysts Predict Dire Correction Ahead
XRP is currently at a critical juncture, as crypto analyst CoinsKid has pointed out. The analyst has raised concerns about the altcoin’s immediate future and emphasizes the urgent need for bullish momentum to prevent a significant downturn.
Bulls Should Step In Quick
In the post shared on X, CoinsKid stressed that if the bulls don’t step in soon, XRP could face a drastic “macro correction,” potentially plummeting its price toward the $0.38 level. This warning follows a period of declining prices for XRP, which has seen the asset struggle to maintain its value.
The analyst elaborated, “Squeaky bum time. TICK TOCK,” highlighting the urgency and the nervous anticipation surrounding XRP’s price movement in the coming days.
This sentiment reflects a broader concern among XRP investors and market observers. The lack of bullish activity in the recent period has left XRP vulnerable to further losses, raising fears that it could slide to its lowest levels in months.
The potential drop to $0.38 would represent a loss in value and mark a new phase of uncertainty for the cryptocurrency. This comes when the broader crypto market is experiencing its own challenges, with various assets facing downward pressure.
XRP Price Action And Bearish Confirmation
XRP’s recent market performance has been far from reassuring for its holders. Over the past week, the asset has seen a decline of more than 10%, and so far, this bearish trend shows no signs of abating. The altcoin is trading below $0.53, a drop of nearly 5% in the past 24 hours.
This downward trajectory is further corroborated by crypto analyst Ali, who has pointed out that should XRP breach the $0.55 level, the altcoin could tumble down to as low as $0.34. Such a drop would take the altcoin to a price point not seen since April 2023, an alarming prospect for investors and the XRP community.
Despite this downturn, XRP’s daily trading volume has remained relatively stable, fluctuating between $1.4 billion and $1.2 billion over the past week. At the time of writing, Altcoin’s trading volume was around $1.28 billion.
SEC Countdown: Bitcoin ETF Approval Signals - Notifications Incoming! 🚀
Excitement reverberates in the crypto sphere as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) gears up to notify approved ETF issuers, paving the way for potential launches ahead of the looming January 10 deadline. 📅
📆 Decision Day Nears: January 10 Deadline Crucial for Ark Investments and 21Shares!
With the January 10 deadline on the horizon for the SEC to pass judgment on the spot Bitcoin ETF proposed by industry giants Ark Investments and 21Shares, anticipation is high. The SEC is expected to communicate the fate of other ETF applications to asset managers early next week, as reported by Reuters. 🕒
🏁 Sprint to Launch: Asset Managers Eyeing the January 10 Decision Window!
For asset managers who met the year-end deadline, the race is on to launch their ETFs in sync with the critical January 10 decision. Prominent contenders include Valkyrie, Bitwise, WisdomTree, Franklin Templeton, BlackRock, VanEck, and Invesco. Early notifications could pave the way for a synchronized and thrilling launch. 🚦
👥 Elite 14 Spotlight: Asset Managers in the ETF Approval Arena!
Among the 14 asset managers vying for approval of similar ETFs, some have already submitted comprehensive forms to the SEC, outlining sponsor fees and technical intricacies. Fidelity emerges as a frontrunner with the lowest proposed sponsor rate at an impressive 0.39%. While other contenders keep their rates undisclosed, the competition intensifies. 🔥
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@katyperry Wow, that's truly fascinating! It's amazing how the North Star, despite its immense cultural significance, is actually the 50th brightest star. It just goes to show the power of great PR in shaping our perceptions and beliefs.
@BrunoMars Chúc mừng Giáng Sinh!!! Hy vọng bạn đã có một ngày thật vui vẻ và tràn đầy yêu thương bên gia đình và những người thân yêu. Mong rằng năm mới sẽ mang đến cho bạn nhiều niềm vui, thành công và ước mơ trở thành hiện thực.