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Spot Bitcoin ETF: Why this time is different

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The latest Cointelegraph Report explains everything you need to know about a potential spot Bitcoin ETF approval in the U.S., its impact on the market, and its significance for the crypto industry. A wave of optimism around the potential approval of a spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) in the United States has ignited bullish price action in the crypto market in recent weeks.  But that could be just the beginning: If a spot Bitcoin ETF receives a greenlight by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), it would mark a major milestone in the history of digital assets. The spot Bitcoin ETF will provide institutional investors with a simple and regulated way to get exposure to Bitcoin with potentially explosive consequences for the Bitcoin market. According to many analysts, a spot Bitcoin ETF could spark a demand shock that, coupled with next year's Bitcoin halving event, could spark the new crypto bull market. The SEC has so far rejected all spot Bitcoin ETF applicat...

SpaceX sold $373M worth of Bitcoin acquired in 2021-2022: Report

Elon Musk announced in 2021 that SpaceX had some Bitcoin holdings following an SEC filing showing Tesla planned to purchase $1.5 billion worth of the cryptocurrency. Aerospace technology firm SpaceX reportedly sold roughly $373 million worth of Bitcoin (BTC) it acquired starting in 2021. According to an Aug. 17 report in the Wall Street Journal, SpaceX recorded $373 million worth of Bitcoin holdings on its balance sheet in 2021 and 2022, but has since sold the crypto asset. The news outlet reportedly viewed documents on the firm’s financials showing roughly $5.2 billion in total expenses for 2022, and $5.4 billion in 2021 and 2022 for acquiring property and equipment in addition to research and development costs. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk publicly announced in 2021 that the firm had acquired a certain amount of Bitcoin. This followed a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing showing Tesla — another company co-founded by Musk — planned to purchase $1.5 billion worth of the crypt...

Coinbase celebrates art, music and gaming with a three-week blockchain event

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One of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges to hold a multi-week event on blockchain where the community celebrates art, music, gaming and more. Presented by Coinbase, the Onchain Summer festival will bring the community together for three weeks in August to build, socialize, play and celebrate innovation. The inclusive nature and global reach of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology have given rise to a diverse community of individuals from various nationalities, cultures, backgrounds and socioeconomic statuses. The influence of crypto and blockchain expands beyond financial technologies, and the community reflects that by spanning across different sectors, including health care, gaming, retail, social and political domains. For this vast network of enthusiasts, estimated to surpass 420 million people worldwide in 2023, touching base and socializing about common interests is crucial. This is why the crypto and blockchain ecosystem is never short of conferences, festivals and sum...

South Korean Bitcoin lending platform Delio pauses withdrawals

The virtual asset manager and lending platform suspended withdrawals following challenges at Haru Invest, a similar entity. Delio, a virtual asset manager and lending platform based in South Korea, has announced the temporary suspension of customer withdrawals “in order to safely protect the assets of customers currently in custody.” The company made the decision in response to the recent suspension of digital asset deposits and withdrawals at Haru Invest, which has led to heightened market volatility and increased confusion among investors within the region. According to Delio, the suspension will remain in effect until “the situation and its aftermath are resolved.” A translation of the announcement read: “In order to safely protect the assets of customers currently in custody, Delio will inevitably suspend withdrawals temporarily as of June 14, 2023, 18:30." Delio has reassured its clients that it will do its best to protect their assets “while quickly grasping the facts ...

Polygon 2.0 introduces upgrades to tap into 'Value Layer' of internet

According to Polygon Labs, Polygon 2.0 will enable users to create, exchange, and program value on the internet. On June 12, Polygon Labs announced “Polygon 2.0,” a set of upgrades that seeks to establish the "Value Layer" of the internet , which the company says will allow users “to create, exchange, and program value.” 1/ Our vision for Polygon is simple: to build the Value Layer of the Internet. The Internet allows anyone to create and exchange information. The Value Layer allows anyone to create, exchange, and program value. Enter Polygon 2.0: a blueprint to build the ultimate Value Layer. pic.twitter.com/9eYSr3H1L5 — Polygon (Labs) (@0xPolygonLabs) June 12, 2023 According to an announcement shared on Twitter, “Polygon 2.0 is a set of upgrades that radically reimagine almost every aspect of Polygon, from protocol architecture to tokenomics to governance. It is a roadmap for how Polygon will become the Value Layer, offering unlimited scalability and unified liquidity...

Australian ‘Big 4’ bank begins trial for cryptocurrency payment blocks

One of Australia’s Big Four banks announced efforts to combat crypto fraud activities aimed at reducing losses from scams. Westpac, one of Australia’s ’Big Four’ banks, is launching its first trial of scam protection measures designed to combat fraudulent activities related to cryptocurrencies. The protection measures aim to mitigate losses from scams and reduce potential risks. According to the announcement, investment scams account for approximately 50% of all customer losses linked to scams, while around one-third of all scams involve direct transfers to cryptocurrency exchanges, making them extremely difficult to trace. The Westpac ban comes on the same day Binance customers were told they could no longer use PayID to transfer Australian dollars to their accounts. Binance said a “third-party provider” had placed restrictions on the exchange, affecting bank transfer withdrawals for now. According to Scott Collary — Westpac’s group executive of customer services and technology — whi...

Justin Sun issues apology after Sui LaunchPool clash with Binance CEO

Nearly $4 billion has been staked in Binance's Sui farming pools in anticipation of the layer -1 blockchain's airdrop. On May 1, Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) issued a warning to Tron founder Justin Sun regarding a deposit of 56.1 million TrueUSD to Binance. The Binance executive wrote:  "Our team told Justin, if he uses any of these to grab the LaunchPool Sui token, we will "take action against it". SMH. Binance LaunchPool are meant as air drops for our retail users, not just for a few whales." In response, Sun said that Tron DAO's primary objective in depositing TrueUSD "is to facilitate market-making between leading TUSD exchanges." Nevertheless, Sun said some team members "inadvertently used a portion of them to participate in exchange campaigns." Upon discovery, Tron DAO immediately contacted Binance and arranged for a full refund. "We sincerely apologize for this oversight," the Blockchain personality wrote.  Sui i...

Coinbase CEO says Bitcoin Lightning is 'something we’ll integrate'

“Lightning is great and something we’ll integrate,” Armstrong said in response to an allegation that he was “ignoring” the network. Bitcoin (BTC) layer 2 scaling solution Lightning may feature on the cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase in some capacity, according to its chief Brian Armstrong. In a tweet on April 8, Armstrong said that “Lightning is great and something we’ll integrate” in response to a tweet criticizing him for “actively ignoring” the network. My tweets auto-delete after some number of months, so there is no search history. Lightning is great and something we ’ll integrate . — Brian Armstrong (@brian_armstrong) April 8, 2023 Armstrong provided no further details on what a Lightning integration with Coinbase would involve or when it could be expected. Coinbase, along with Binance and the now bankrupt FTX, has been called out in the past for not integrating the Lightning network which enables faster and cheaper BTC transactions than the Bitcoin base network. Accordi...

Crypto exchange FTX Japan to resume withdrawals on Feb. 21

"We are very sorry for the concern and inconvenience caused to our customers due to the suspension of our services," the exchange wrote. According to a press release on Feb. 20, FTX Japan, the Japanese subsidiary of troubled cryptocurrency exchange FTX, announced that the withdraw al of users' fiat currency and crypto assets would commence via the Liquid Japan web platform at 12:00 p.m. on Feb. 21.  In Nov. 2022, FTX Japan halted operations after its parent firm, FTX, filed for bankruptcy along with its 134 subsidiaries, freezing the assets of an estimated nine million customers and billions of dollars locked in legal proceedings. Per FTX Japan, customers who have assets in their accounts would need to confirm their balance and transfer them to their Liquid Japan account. Liquid Japan is a licensed Japanese crypto-asset exchange that was acquired by FTX in April 2022. FTX Japan customers who do not have a Liquid Japan account are required to open one before receiving ...

Zipmex says it may resume 100% of Z wallet withdrawals subject to conditions

The creditors have until February 21, 2023, to vote on a new scheme proposed by the company. According to a new press release on Feb. 15, Thai cryptocurrency exchange Zipmex stated that it sent a new scheme to all firm's eligible creditors through its scheme manager KordaMentha. As told by Zipmex, the creditors have until Feb. 21, 2023 to vote on the scheme and "will receive 100% of their digital assets in the Z Wallet" if the scheme is approved and the cryptocurrency closes its pending investment deal.  Last July, Zipmex filed for debt relief in Singapore after its counter-party and crypto lending firm Babel Finance halted withdrawals , citing "unusual liquidity pressures." The exchange was also impacted by the bankruptcy of crypto lending firm Celsius. Together, the two counterparties owe Zipmex $48 million and $5 million, respectively.  Zipmex subsequently paused withdrawals on its platform after the revelations last July. However, withdrawals were resume...

Top 7 blockchain courses and certifications for beginners

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Blockchain courses and certifications help individuals understand the underlying principles and applications of blockchain technology. Blockchain courses and certifications can play an important role in helping individuals gain a comprehensive understanding of blockchain technology and its applications. By completing these courses, individuals can develop technical skills, stay current with industry developments, enhance their career opportunities and increase their earning potential. Here are seven blockchain courses and certifications for beginners. INE’s Blockchain Security INE’s Blockchain Security course is an online course offered by Internetwork Expert (INE) that provides a comprehensive overview of the security aspects of blockchain technology. The course covers various topics such as consensus algorithms, cryptography, network security, smart contract security, and blockchain attacks and defenses. Related: What is a smart contract security audit? A beginner’s guide This cours...

Bitcoin price surge: Breakthrough or bull trap? Pundits weigh in

Bitcoin nearly broke its record for the longest streak of daily green price candles this month, but many believe its recent surge could be short-lived. While Bitcoin (BTC) has experienced a strong price pump to kick off the new year, many industry pundits are not convinced the cryptocurrency will continue its upward trajectory — at least in the short to mid-term.  The impressive price surge — which saw BTC experience 14 days of consecutive price increases earlier this month — has called on many to consider whether the surge marks a significant “breakthrough” or is indicative of a “bull trap.” Speaking to Cointelegraph on Jan. 23, James Edwards — a cryptocurrency analyst at Australian-based fintech firm Finder — said the argument for a “bull trap” is stronger, warning the recent surge could be “short-lived.” He stated that while the BTC price moved upwards over the weekend, the NASDAQ Composite and the S&P 500 also made similar rallies: “This suggests to me that the rally in crypto...

4 ‘emerging narratives’ in crypto to watch for: Trading firm

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The crypto trading firm sees NFTs becoming more intertwined with brand IP, while Web3 apps with "real world utility" gain traction. Despite an eventful year fraught with crypto collapses and price drops, Steven Goulden, a senior research analyst at crypto trading firm Cumberland has pointed to several “green shoots” to break the surface in crypto in 2023. In a 14-page “Year in Review” report released on Dec. 24, Goulden said he saw four “ emerging narratives ” in 2023 that will lead to “significant progress” for crypto over the next six to 24 months. These include non-fungible tokens (NFTs) becoming a “go-to method” of tokenizing a brand's intellectual property (IP), Web3 apps and games becoming “genuinely popular,” while Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) could become more commonly used as a nation’s reserve asset. In 2023, we anticipate that we’ll see meaningful green shoots break the surface in several key areas, which will pave the way for significant progress in the...