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The NFT market, which peaked at $526 billion in May 2022, has shrunk to $18 billion, a 97% drop. NFTs dominated the market between 2021 and 2022, with collections like CryptoPunks and Bored Apes coveted by celebrities and investors. For example, CryptoPunk #5822, sold for $23.7 million in 2022, has seen its value drop significantly. Similarly, Bored Ape #8817, sold for $3.4 million in 2021, was followed by recent Bored Ape sales at much lower prices, like $665,000, reflecting significant market devaluation. Investors who acquired NFTs during the peak are facing substantial losses, with many assets losing nearly all value: 95% of people holding NFT collections have an investment valued at zero, according to an analysis by DappGambl.
Bitfarms (NASDAQ:BITF) agreed to acquire Stronghold Digital Mining (NASDAQ:SDIG) for $125 million in equity value and $50 million in assumed debt. The merger, approved by both companies and expected in Q1 2025, will see Stronghold shareholders receive 2.52 Bitfarms shares for each share held. The merger will increase Bitfarms’ capacity to 307 MW, advancing its goal of 950 MW by 2025.
A cryptocurrency trader lost $55.47 million in DAI after falling victim to a phishing attack. The victim, identified as ‘0xf2B8,’ mistakenly transferred ownership of their collateralized debt position (CDP) in DeFi Saver Proxy to a phishing address. The attacker used the Inferno Drainer kit to gain control of the contract and drain the funds. So far, 27.5 million DAI have been exchanged for 10,625 ETH, highlighting the ongoing risks of phishing in the crypto sector.
The U.S. job market was revised to show 818,000 fewer jobs than expected between March 2023 and March 2024, indicating a weaker economy. The revisions suggest the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy may become more flexible, benefiting Bitcoin. Bitcoin (COIN:BTCUSD) surged to $60,535, a 2.6% increase in the last 24 hours. Ethereum (COIN:ETHUSD) gained 2.45% to $2,635.
On Wednesday morning, the defunct exchange Mt. Gox made its largest transaction in weeks, transferring over $700 million in Bitcoin to unknown wallets. A total of 12,000 BTC and 1,265 BTC were moved, totaling around $784 million. This transfer may signal new refunds to creditors affected by the 2014 hack.
Bitcoin is celebrated for its ability to guarantee finality in transactions, making them technically irreversible after six block confirmations. However, without strong privacy, this guarantee can be compromised by legal and social interventions. Privacy prevents third parties from identifying the involved parties, protecting transactions from external coercion. Technologies like Silent Payments promise to enhance this privacy, ensuring Bitcoin transactions can achieve their true potential of final, irreversible, and intervention-resistant settlement, solidifying Bitcoin as a revolutionary form of money. With reusable payment codes or stealth addresses, Silent Payments allows users to receive payments at a single static address without compromising privacy.
BlackRock’s Ether ETF, the iShares Ethereum Trust (NASDAQ:ETHA), is close to reaching $1 billion in net inflows, according to Morningstar data. As of August 21, the fund had raised $992 million, maintaining its lead among cryptocurrency ETFs. Although net assets are below $1 billion due to Ether’s underperformance, the fund continues to attract significant interest, especially among investment advisors.
The Tron blockchain, led by Justin Sun, achieved a record daily revenue of $3.84 million, driven by the SunPump memecoin generator. The success of SunPump, which enables memecoin creation on the Tron network, highlights the platform compared to Ethereum and Solana. SunPump’s revenue reached $1.39 million, with a significant peak of $400,000 on August 20. Tron’s stablecoin volume, exceeding $60 billion, also contributes to the project’s success.
The Aptos Foundation (COIN:APTUSD) has partnered with Myco, a Web3 streaming platform, to integrate its infrastructure into the Aptos blockchain, aiming for the complete decentralization of the service. The collaboration includes launching a native utility token on Aptos in Q4 2024. Myco views this integration as a crucial milestone in making Web3 streaming widely accessible, aligning with Aptos’ mission of technological advancement.
Tether, the issuer of USDT (COIN:USDTUSD), announced the launch of a new stablecoin pegged to the UAE Dirham (AED) in partnership with Phoenix Group and Green Acorn. The new stablecoin will be pegged 1:1 to the AED and backed by reserves in the Emirates. This launch aims to facilitate regional and international transactions, boost trade, and offer protection against currency fluctuations, aligning with the growing regulation and expansion of the crypto market in the UAE.
PKT, a decentralized media network, is launching on Coinbase’s (NASDAQ:COIN) Base blockchain. The project aims to bring transparency to film production using blockchain and smart contracts. Starting with its BIA streaming platform, PKT seeks to align incentives and facilitate access for the general public. Additionally, it will offer a token airdrop in three phases throughout 2025.
EigenLayer and associated projects like Renzo and Ether.Fi attempted to avoid U.S. regulation by allocating tokens via offshore entities and blocking U.S. residents. However, analyses show that Seattle-based Eigen Labs employees were able to claim these restricted tokens using strategies like VPNs. This behavior reveals selective compliance and a possible deviation from regulatory practices, highlighting the challenge of maintaining effective geo-blocking.
BlackRock’s BUIDL tokenized funds (NYSE:BLK) and Franklin Templeton’s FOBXX (TG:TESL) have nearly $1 billion in assets. However, they use blockchain only for digital records while retaining traditional transfer agents. According to a CoinDesk report, this approach results in redundancy and inefficiency, as blockchain could entirely replace intermediaries. True financial innovation requires assets to be issued directly on the blockchain, eliminating the need for digital receipts and intermediaries, offering greater transparency, efficiency, and cost reduction.
Prometheum, a U.S.-regulated crypto broker, has aligned with the SEC’s vision by adding Uniswap (COIN:UNIUSD) and Arbitrum (COIN:ARBUSD) tokens to its custody service, which already includes Ether (COIN:ETHUSD). The company plans to treat these tokens as securities, reinforcing its commitment to regulatory compliance. While much of the industry challenges the SEC, Prometheum is taking a distinct path, preparing to onboard institutional clients by the end of the month.
Cardano’s (COIN:ADAUSD) Intersect organization has proposed the Chang hard fork for August 27, subject to final confirmation on August 23. The proposal follows 80% adoption of Node 9.1 by stake pool operators, although exchange liquidity remains a concern. Named after Phil Chang, the upgrade will enable greater ADA holder participation in network governance and introduce smart contract enhancements, marking a step forward in Cardano’s decentralization.
Palo Alto-based startup PIP Labs raised $80 million in a Series B round led by 16z Crypto and Polychain Capital to advance the Story Protocol, a layer 1 blockchain focused on intellectual property (IP) management. The funding brought the company’s total to $140 million, raising its valuation to $2.25 billion. The technology allows for the tokenization and protection of IP, promising compensation for creators when AI is trained using their work.
El Salvador’s National Bitcoin Office (ONBTC) has launched a Bitcoin training and certification program for 80,000 public servants. This program is part of a governance initiative created by President Nayib Bukele, aiming to elevate administrative standards. The course covers nine modules, including Bitcoin, Blockchain, and Cybersecurity, and is part of El Salvador’s ongoing effort to promote cryptocurrency education, aligning with its national Bitcoin adoption strategy.
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