Crypto Startup Funding Hits $2.4 Billion in Q1

Crypto startup funding rose to $2.4 billion in the first quarter of 2024, driven by expectations of lower interest rates and the launch of the first U.S. bitcoin spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs), according to Pitchbook data. This funding, spread across 518 deals, marked a 40.3% increase from the previous quarter, even as global venture capital … Read more

Grayscale Leadership Change: Sonnenshein Steps Down — Goldman Sachs’ Peter Mintzberg Appointed New CEO

Crypto asset manager Grayscale Investments has appointed Peter Mintzberg as CEO, effective August 15, 2024. Mintzberg, currently Global Head of Strategy for Asset and Wealth Management at Goldman Sachs, will also join Grayscale’s Board of Directors. He succeeds Michael Sonnenshein, who steps down to pursue other interests. CFO Edward McGee will serve as interim principal … Read more

Balaji Srinivasan Highlights China’s Dedollarization and Envisions Post-Dollar Economy

Balaji Srinivasan, former CTO of Coinbase, recently shared his insights on the global economy and the future of the U.S. dollar on social media. He discussed the concept of dedollarization, suggesting that China and other countries are moving away from U.S. debt and investing in gold instead. He argued that this shift could potentially lead … Read more

Gold Prices Break Record Highs, Silver Also Rallies

Gold has continued rising in financial markets, hitting new all-time high (ATH) prices against the U.S. dollar. The precious metal’s price rose to levels close to $2,450 per ounce this Monday, fueled by geopolitical tensions and the expectations of a Federal Reserve dovish move on interest rates. Other motives propelling gold prices would be the … Read more

Coinbase Highlights Key US Regulatory Developments Driving Crypto Prices

The latest Coinbase Weekly Market Commentary, dated May 17, highlights the crucial influence of regulatory developments on U.S. cryptocurrency markets. Coinbase stated: “Macro continues to be a key driver for crypto performance, though we think upcoming major catalysts may be regulatory driven.” Upcoming regulatory events include the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s decisions on spot … Read more

Paraguay Proposes Harsh Penalties for Illegal Bitcoin Mining

The Paraguayan government is urging lawmakers to pass a bill that would impose up to 10 years in jail for illegal bitcoin miners, in response to the large amounts of electricity theft threatening the state-owned National Electricity Administration (ANDE). The bill includes provisions for Paraguayan police and prosecutors to seize and sell off mining equipment … Read more

Novogratz Predicts Bitcoin Trading Between $55K-$75K This Quarter

Bitcoin is expected to trade within a narrow range this quarter, according to Michael Novogratz, founder of Galaxy Digital Holdings Ltd. “Bitcoin, ethereum and everything else, solana will consolidate,” he said last week, adding that it means BTC will probably trade “somewhere between $55,000 and $75,000 until the next set of circumstances, the next set … Read more

Tether CEO Hints at Development of Global P2P Financial Markets Terminal

Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino stated that the stablecoin company might put “significant resources” into developing a global peer-to-peer (P2P) financial markets terminal. Ardoino explained that decentralization in the payments area, where humanity is “getting rid” of the monopolistic intermediaries, could also improve the financial markets data industry. This would also allow exchanges to monetize their … Read more

Western Banks Face Major Asset Seizure in Russia Amid Gazprom Subsidiary Dispute

In a significant move against western banks, a St Petersburg court has seized over $763 million of assets from Unicredit, Deutsche Bank, and Commerzbank, following a dispute with a subsidiary of Gazprom. This seizure, one of the largest since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, includes $504 million of Unicredit’s assets, equivalent to about 4.5% of its … Read more

UK Shuts Down Crypto Advisory Firm for Misleading Investors and Poor Financial Records

The UK government announced this week that the Insolvency Service has secured a winding-up order against cryptocurrency advisory firm Amey Finance Academy Ltd at the High Court. The company, created by Desmond Amey in 2018, claimed to offer investment advice and financial education. However, complaints emerged that consumers lost money, and the Financial Conduct Authority … Read more