Author: Ethan Carter
Ethan is a seasoned cryptocurrency writer with extensive experience contributing to leading U.S.-based blockchain and fintech publications. His work blends in-depth market analysis with accessible explanations, making complex crypto topics understandable for a broad audience. Over the years, he has covered Bitcoin, Ethereum, DeFi, NFTs, and emerging blockchain trends, always with a focus on accuracy and insight. Ethan's articles have appeared on major crypto portals, where his expertise in market trends and investment strategies has earned him a loyal readership.
Today marks the official trading debut of Twenty One Capital, the Bitcoin-native company co-founded by Jack Mallers, on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker XXI, after merging with Cantor Equity Partners. The firm launched with a BTC treasury of 43,514 BTC, approximately valued at $3.9 billion, instantly making it the third-largest public Bitcoin holder globally. In a live appearance on CNBC, Mallers stated that the company intends to “acquire as much Bitcoin as [they] possibly can.” He highlighted that the firm’s vision extends beyond merely holding a treasury; they aim to develop businesses around BTC, including capital markets…
The US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has confirmed that national banks can act as intermediaries in cryptocurrency trades as riskless principals without needing to hold the assets on their balance sheets, advancing traditional banks toward providing regulated crypto brokerage services.In an interpretive letter issued on Tuesday, the regulator stated that banks can function as principals in a crypto trade with one customer while simultaneously entering an offsetting trade with another, resembling riskless principal activities in traditional markets.“Numerous applicants have expressed how executing riskless principal crypto-asset transactions would benefit their proposed bank’s clients and operations, including through the…
Tidal Trust has recently filed a new regulatory proposal to list and trade an exchange-traded fund that will hold Bitcoin during off-market hours. In a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday, Tidal Trust II submitted a Form N-1A registration statement to include two Nicholas Wealth Management ETFs related to Bitcoin (BTC) in its existing portfolio. The proposed offerings, namely the Nicholas Bitcoin and Treasuries AfterDark ETF, will purchase BTC only after US market trading hours conclude and will sell it at market opening, effectively holding it throughout the day. “By utilizing Bitcoin Futures, the Fund trades…
Key takeaways:Activity on Ethereum’s base layer has diminished, with both fees and TVL declining, indicating reduced demand despite a recent price surge.Layer-2 networks are experiencing rapid growth, providing support to Ethereum even as base layer usage falters and traders adopt a cautious stance.Ether (ETH) surged to a three-week peak near $3,400 on Tuesday following disappointing US job data, which solidified expectations for a potentially less stringent US monetary policy sooner than anticipated.Despite a weekly gain of 11.2%, traders remain concerned that the sluggish activity on the Ethereum network and limited demand for bullish leverage may restrict short-term gains. Blockchains ranked…
Senator Cynthia Lummis, a Republican U.S. senator, is at the forefront of discussions regarding the crypto market structure bill, a key policy issue for the industry. She indicated that the White House has pushed back against the ethics provisions she developed in collaboration with Democrats.This situation has positioned the Wyoming lawmaker as a mediator, attempting to meet the demands of her Democratic peers while persuading the White House to engage, as she mentioned during her remarks at the Blockchain Association’s policy summit in Washington. Nevertheless, Lummis is optimistic that the negotiators will reveal a working draft by week’s end and…
Since the inception of Bitcoin, the count of addresses holding over 0.1 BTC has consistently increased throughout various market cycles, up until now. Recent data indicates that the number of addresses in this category has stagnated over the past two years, breaking a trend that persisted for more than a decade. This stagnation highlights a shift in how smaller and mid-sized investors interact with Bitcoin, despite an ongoing increase in broader institutional activity within the market. Small Holder Participation Hits A Plateau The 0.1 BTC benchmark has traditionally marked a significant milestone for retail holders, providing enough volume to indicate…
Polygon has launched its latest protocol upgrade, termed the Madhugiri hard fork, which seeks to enhance network throughput by 33% and reduce block consensus time to one second.According to Polygon core developer Krishang Shah stated on X, the update incorporates support for three Fusaka Ethereum Improvement Proposals: EIP-7823, EIP-7825, and EIP-7883. These EIPs optimize heavy mathematical operations by limiting their gas consumption, making them more efficient and secure.Additionally, they help prevent individual transactions from monopolizing computing power, facilitating smoother and more predictable network performance.The upgrade introduces a new transaction category for Ethereum to Polygon bridge traffic and includes a built-in…
A second round of on-chain US Treasury financing has been successfully completed by Digital Asset and a consortium of financial institutions on the Canton Network, enabling real-time collateral reuse and increasing the variety of stablecoins involved.The latest phase included five transactions, building on the July pilot, which first demonstrated the potential to combine US Treasurys with the USDC stablecoin for financing and settling transactions on the blockchain.During this trial, multiple stablecoins were utilized to finance positions against tokenized US Treasurys, enhancing the on-chain liquidity available for financing operations.The trial illustrated that tokenized US Treasurys could be transferred between parties and…
Wall Street’s top Bitcoin optimists are revising their short-term price targets following the recent market decline, although their long-term projections remain steady. Standard Chartered, a key player in the crypto space, has reduced its Bitcoin forecasts in a note released on Tuesday. The bank now anticipates Bitcoin will hit $100,000 by the end of 2025, a decrease from its previous forecast of $200,000, and predicts $150,000 by the end of 2026. Its long-term goal of $500,000 remains unchanged, although the target date has been adjusted from 2028 to 2030. This downgrade indicates a shift in demand dynamics. The significant corporate…
A second round of onchain US Treasury financing has been successfully completed by Digital Asset and a coalition of financial institutions on the Canton Network, incorporating real-time collateral reuse and increasing the variety of stablecoins involved.The latest phase involved five transactions, building on the pilot from July which first showcased the integration of US Treasurys with the USDC stablecoin for financing and settling blockchain transactions.In this recent trial, various stablecoins were utilized to finance positions against tokenized US Treasurys, thereby expanding the onchain liquidity accessible for financing activities.The trial demonstrated that tokenized US Treasurys could be seamlessly transferred between parties…