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Top Crypto News Roundup – Dec 18th to 23rd

Published by
Qadir AK

The world of cryptocurrency continues to evolve at a breathtaking pace, with this week seeing a flurry of activity across regulatory landscapes, market trends, and innovative leaps. Here’s a comprehensive look at the significant developments from December 18 to 23, 2023.

Bitcoin ETF Updates

  • Dec 18 – Bitwise Sparks Interest – Bitwise Asset Management stirred excitement in the crypto market with an engaging commercial for its proposed spot Bitcoin ETF, signaling bullish sentiment ahead of the SEC’s decision.
  • Dec 21 – Spot ETF Verdict Anticipation – A report by QCP Capital indicates a crucial period between January 5-10, 2024, for the announcement of the Spot Bitcoin ETF, a significant event awaited by investors.
  • Dec 23 – BlackRock’s Bold Step – BlackRock is set to inaugurate its Bitcoin ETF with a $10 million investment on January 3, 2024. This strategic move precedes the SEC’s expected ETF approval on January 10.

Crypto Regulation

  • Dec 19 – Binance’s Historic Settlement – Binance and its ex-CEO, CZ, reached a $2.7 billion settlement with the CFTC for violating rules by targeting U.S. customers. The outcome sets a precedent for digital currency market oversight.
  • Dec 20 – Senator Warren Raises Concerns – Senator Elizabeth Warren critiqued the crypto industry’s lobbying tactics, emphasizing the need for transparent regulations to combat illegal activities and safeguard legitimate businesses.
  • Dec 22 – SEC’s Admission – The SEC acknowledged errors in enforcement proceedings, mandating staff training to ensure accuracy and transparency in future cases.
  • Dec 23 – Nigeria’s Progressive Crypto Regulation – Nigeria has taken a significant step in crypto by lifting the ban on cryptocurrency firms.
  • Dec 18 – Ripple’s XRP Movement – A substantial transfer of XRP tokens to Bitstamp during a market dip raised speculations of a potential price drop amid ongoing lawsuit concerns and regulatory uncertainties.
  • Dec 19 – Stablecoins’ Stagnation – Contrasting the dynamic crypto market, the total value of stablecoins has remained relatively static, a trend highlighted in the SixdegreeLabs study.
  • Dec 21 – Bullish Projections for Bitcoin – Reports suggest Bitcoin’s value could soar to $50K following an ETF approval, with the 2024 halving event potentially pushing it to $160K. However, analysts advise caution against market volatility.
  • Dec 22 – Fetch.ai’s Impressive GrowthFetch.ai (FET) has seen a remarkable 620% yearly growth, with projections indicating a potential new all-time high.
  • Dec 22 – Solana’s Remarkable Surge – Solana’s recent performance has been nothing short of impressive, as it briefly entered the top 5 cryptocurrencies by market cap, surpassing XRP and Binance Coin (BNB).

Other Notable Events

  • Dec 18 – NFT Heist – Two major NFT platforms, Flooring Protocol and NFT Trader, suffered a combined loss of $4.54 million in NFTs due to a sophisticated cyber heist, underscoring security vulnerabilities.
  • Dec 19 – Coinbase and Ripple’s Political Move – Coinbase and Ripple pledged $78 million to support pro-crypto candidates in the 2024 U.S. elections, aiming to shape favorable blockchain regulations.
  • Dec 20 – Shiba Inu’s Web3 Initiative – Shiba Inu announced the launch of the ‘.shib’ domain for SHIB holders, marking a significant step in bridging Web2 and Web3 technologies.
  • Dec 21 – 3AC Founders’ Asset Freeze – The founders of the collapsed hedge fund Three Arrows Capital faced a global asset freeze, with $1.1 billion seized amid ongoing investigations.
  • Dec 22 – Paxos’ Expansion to Solana – With regulatory approval, Paxos is set to offer its stablecoin USDP on the Solana blockchain starting January 17, 2024.
Qadir AK

Qadir Ak is the founder of Coinpedia. He has over a decade of experience writing about technology and has been covering the blockchain and cryptocurrency space since 2010. He has also interviewed a few prominent experts within the cryptocurrency space.

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