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On May 29th, Bitfarms (NASDAQ:BITF) rejected a $950 million acquisition proposal from Riot Platforms (NASDAQ:RIOT), arguing that the offered value was insufficient. Received on April 22nd, the offer consisted of $2.30 per share in cash and stock. The decision was made after analysis by the Special Committee of Independent Directors, which deemed the offer inadequate considering the company’s growth expectations, in a period already marked by leadership challenges and litigation.
In the last 24 hours, the price of Bitcoin retreated by 1.4%, falling to less than $68,000, after reaching $70,000 earlier in the week. Currently, BTC is trading at $67,320. Concurrently, Ethereum recorded a 2.3% decline, trading at $3,750, while the market awaits news about the listing of Ether ETFs on the US spot market. This expectation arises after the SEC approved, last week, some registrations from potential providers.
Fernando Pereira, an analyst at Bitget, commented on the current market landscape: “The Bitcoin liquidation map over a 1-day period shows a significant liquidity range at higher levels, with about $2 billion up to the $73,000 region, a short-term resistance point. In the lower range, liquidity is lower, with about $1.58 billion up to the $64,000 region, indicating greater resistance to be overcome.”
BlackRock Inc.’s (NYSE:BLK) iShares Bitcoin Trust (NASDAQ: IBIT) has become the world’s largest Bitcoin fund, with nearly $20 billion in assets. Surpassing the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (AMEX:GBTC), the ETF fund demonstrated greater accessibility and attractiveness to investors, contributing to a record increase in the price of Bitcoin (COIN:BTCUSD). The SEC approved the first US spot Bitcoin ETFs in January, boosting confidence in the market.
Investment manager Hashdex has withdrawn its application to launch an Ether spot ETF with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), according to documents dated May 28th. The request was canceled on May 24th, a day after the SEC approved eight similar products. The ETF proposal combined holdings in Ether spot with futures contracts to reduce manipulation risks. Specific reasons for the withdrawal were not detailed.
The Volatility Shares 2x Ether Strategy ETF (ETHU) will be launched on the Chicago Board Options Exchange by June 4th, marking the first leveraged Ethereum ETF in the US. This type of ETF allows investors to amplify their market exposure with smaller initial investments.
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) plans to launch financial products based on the Bitcoin spot price, in collaboration with CoinDesk Indices. Utilizing the CoinDesk Bitcoin Price Index, NYSE will develop cash-settled options, expanding risk management tools for investors as interest in Bitcoin grows. These products are still awaiting regulatory approval.
ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood revealed during the Consensus 2024 event that cryptocurrency became a relevant topic in US elections, influencing the unexpected approval of Ether ETFs. According to Wood, the situation was unlikely, but changes in the political landscape, including former President Trump’s increasing support for cryptocurrencies, played a crucial role. Additionally, the FIT21 legislation, which promotes technological innovation, was instrumental, receiving bipartisan support and signaling cryptocurrency as a key electoral issue.
Ripple (COIN:XRPUSD) announced a new $25 million contribution to the Fairshake super political action committee, reinforcing its support for crypto-friendly candidates in the 2024 US elections. This donation, in addition to the previously donated $25 million, aims to influence a more positive regulatory environment for cryptocurrencies in the United States, emphasizing the critical importance of the upcoming elections for the future of financial and technological innovation.
Ethereum Layer-2 network Celo (COIN:CELOUSD) announced the adoption of Chainlink’s (COIN:LINKUSD) CCIP protocol, aimed at facilitating interoperability between different blockchains. According to Celo CEO Eric Nakagawa, this integration marks a significant step for the ecosystem, offering the highest security in cross-chain communication. This advancement promises to drive adoption and long-term growth of Celo, in an era where real asset tokenization presents an expansive horizon for blockchain.
Mastercard (NYSE:MA) has launched the Crypto Credential system, facilitating the first peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions using aliases instead of complex blockchain addresses. The system aims to make cryptocurrency transactions more accessible to exchange users, integrating verification standards and wallet compatibility. Initially available on exchanges Bit2Me, Lirium, and Mercado Bitcoin, the feature aims to connect corridors between Latin America and Europe, promising to expand access for 7 million users in the coming months.
Stablecoin issuer Circle (COIN:USDCUSD) officially started operations in Brazil and partnered with BTG Pactual (BOV:BPAC11). According to the company, this collaboration aims to expand access to USDC, considering Brazil a leading market in fintech innovation. This move coincides with the plans of the Central Bank of Brazil to introduce cryptocurrency regulations by the end of the year.
PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL) announced the expansion of its PYUSD stablecoin (COIN:PYUSDUSD) to the Solana blockchain, aiming for faster, secure, and cost-effective transactions. The move, also confirmed by Solana, introduces a stablecoin with “high yield and settlement speed” and adds compliance functionalities. This expansion aims to increase adoption of PYUSD, which is already available with no transaction fees on wallet provider Phantom and aims to facilitate trade and payments for its 30 million merchants.
Sui, a Layer 1 blockchain known for its superior performance and unlimited scalability, announced the launch of the AUSD stablecoin for July 2024. The introduction of AUSD, backed by technology and finance company Agora and market leaders like Nick van Eck and Drake Evans, aims to improve liquidity and transaction efficiency on the platform. This release marks the arrival of the second native stablecoin in the Sui ecosystem, consolidating its rapid expansion and strengthening its DeFi environment.
The merger of artificial intelligence protocol tokens Fetch.ai (COIN:FETUSD), SingularityNET (COIN:AGIXUSD), and Ocean Protocol (COIN:OCEANUSD) is scheduled for June 13th. Under the new alliance called the Artificial Superintelligence Alliance (ASI), the tokens will unify on the Fetch.ai platform, which will be renamed ASI. From June 11th, it will be possible to exchange FET tokens for ASI, followed by AGIX and OCEAN after the merger is completed.
Following the success of the v2 upgrade, the Sei Foundation (COIN:SEIUSD) will distribute over 27 million SEI tokens to its community. This airdrop rewards active participants in the Mainnet Pacific-1. Additionally, the upgrade brought technological advancements, making Sei v2 the first parallelized EVM blockchain, with transactions confirmed in less than one second.
Cryptocurrency exchange Gemini has started returning assets to users of its defunct Earn program, refunding $2.18 billion in crypto assets, representing 97% of the total owed. This refund comes after an agreement with Genesis and other creditors during its bankruptcy process. Gemini ensured that users would receive back the same amount of borrowed crypto assets, including any appreciation during the program period.
Yuki Gambaryan, wife of detained Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan, urges Nigerian authorities to comply with a court order to transfer her sick husband to a hospital. Although the court has ordered Gambaryan to receive medical care, he remains in Kuje prison. Yuki has also requested support from the US government to facilitate her husband’s release.
The Bank of Israel announced the launch of the Digital Shekel Challenge, an initiative to explore innovative payment applications with a digital shekel prototype. The challenge aims to integrate payment service providers in developing features such as micropayments and multiparticipant transactions. Still in the research phase, the final decision on issuing the digital currency has not yet been made.
Cristiano Ronaldo launched on May 29th the first phase of his new NFT collection, “Forever Worldwide: The Road to Saudi Arabia,” depicting his journey from his early days in Madeira to success at European clubs. Collaborating with Binance and artists from various cities where he played, the collection offers fans unique digital art and the chance for unique experiences with the idol.
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