Mind The Block | December Week 4

Mind The Block: Your Weekly Dose of Web3 News and Insights

Mind The Block Headlines This Week

• Australia sees a 29-month rise in Bitcoin ATMs
• Grayscale launches Optimism Trust for DeFi
• Blockchain Association sues IRS over DeFi rules
• Beam raises $72M in node sales
• BitGo CEO expects firms to hold Bitcoin
• Nifty Island launches on-chain rewards for gaming
• Solana hit $263 ATH in November 2024
• How can you buy gold with Bitcoin in 2025?

News

• Australia has maintained a 29-month streak of consistent increase in Bitcoin ATMs, accounting for 3.5% of the world’s total.
• Bitgert has partnered with Comet Protocol to enhance blockchain interoperability.
• Web3Bay is transforming e-commerce with blockchain innovation, transforming the retail industry.
• Nano Labs has launched FPU3.0, an advanced ASIC design architecture to enhance AI inference and blockchain performance.
• Bybit and SOLV Protocol have partnered to launch the bbSOL Maxi Rewards campaign, allowing users to win 1,300,000 SOLV tokens via airdrop.
• FixedFloat has launched a FixedFloatBot on Telegram, aiming to simplify crypto trading by combining simplicity, speed, and privacy.
• Tether’s USDT delisting from EU exchanges has sparked fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) in the crypto market.
• Unmarshal has partnered with HyperGPT to integrate AI and blockchain technology for cutting-edge Web3 solutions.
• AGII has introduced self-learning decentralized networks, combining AI and blockchain for dynamic adaptation and autonomy.

Extras By Mind The Block

• A LinkedIn scam targeting crypto professionals is posing as recruiters from reputable companies to distribute malware.
• Helm Capital Group is launching the Kowalski Project, a Broadway-bound production paired with the innovative Benefit Block model.
• Janover, a real estate AI platform, is set to accept Bitcoin and crypto payments for select services.
• AdEx has launched AdEx AURA, an AI-powered blockchain analyzer, to enhance Web3 ad experiences.
• Illuminex, a privacy-focused platform for Bitcoin and Ethereum, has partnered with Dash, a digital cash solution.
• Ai16z plans to overhaul its token economics to improve the value of its native token and position itself as a leader in decentralized AI.
• CSharpCorner has launched a new Certification Program to empower developers and simplify hiring.
• David Holtzman warns that centralized data systems threaten privacy due to their single control point and advanced AI and quantum computers.
• Acurast has launched Processor Lite for iOS, enabling users to set up nodes in under three minutes.
• HeLa Labs has partnered with Digitalabs to revolutionize AI and cloud computing.

Major Companies Making Moves

• Grayscale has launched the Grayscale Optimism Trust, offering users greater deFi access and exposure to the Ethereum ecosystem.
• Binance has added Solv Protocol (SOLV) to its 3rd Megadrop project to establish a Bitcoin-centric financial ecosystem.
• Bybit Web3 Wallet integrates Tonstakers, the leading liquid staking protocol on the TON blockchain.
• A16z Crypto is suing the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Treasury Department over new DeFi rules.
• Bitwise has filed for approval to launch an ETF tracking bitcoin-holding companies’ performance.

Government, SEC & Regulation

• The Blockchain Association has filed a joint lawsuit against the US IRS over its stringent regulations affecting the DeFi sector.
• MoonPay has secured Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) approval in The Netherlands, allowing it to offer services to Dutch investors.
• The UK has a significant regulatory advantage in cryptocurrency due to its global financial hub status.
• The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) has highlighted global efforts to regulate crypto-related activities in its 2024 Financial Stability report.
• Former German Finance Minister Christian Lindner urged the German Central Bank to consider Bitcoin a reserve asset.
• Malaysia’s Securities Commission has ordered Bybit Technology Ltd. to disable its website and mobile applications because it violated Malaysian securities laws.
• The Bank of Russia (BoR) has shared its central bank digital currency (CBDC) business model, which includes free consumer-to-consumer payments.
• Hong Kong legislator Wu Jiexhuang proposes adding Bitcoin to its national reserve for financial stability.
• Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) plans to change its classification of crypto, viewing tokens like Bitcoin as “financial assets.“
• South Africa’s Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) has approved 248 crypto licenses for 248 firms, with another 56 applications in the pipeline.
• Israel will launch six Bitcoin mutual funds on December 31, allowing Israelis to gain exposure to crypto without direct investment.

Raises & Major Investments rounds

• Blockchain-powered gaming ecosystem Beam raised $72M in a node sale.
• ChainOpera AI raised $17M in a Seed funding round led by Finality Capital, Road Capital, and IDG Capital.
• Oak Grove Ventures has invested $5 million in DuckChain, a blockchain platform that aims to enable decentralized apps within Telegram’s ecosystem.
• Nodepay raised $7M in a funding round led by IDG Capital, Mythos Venture Partners (MVP), with participation from IBC Group and Elevate Ventures.

Trends& Narrative

• BitGo CEO Mike Belshe predicts a growing trend among companies to include Bitcoin in their reserve portfolios.
• BingX has introduced the Futures Martingale Strategy, a new trading solution designed to simplify advanced trading techniques and optimize users’ crypto profits.
• Justin Sun advocates for cryptocurrency as a trustworthy financial haven amid geopolitical instability and financial risks.
• Anthony Sassano argues that Bitcoin is less decentralized than Ethereum because it relies on Bitcoin Core.
• DeFi developers often prioritize accessibility over transparency and security for web3 adoption.

NFTs, Gaming, Metaverse

• Nifty Island has launched User Generated Quests, an on-chain rewards system for web3 gaming communities.
• SEND Arcade has launched an NFT entry pass for Squad Game Season 2, inspired by Squid Game.
• Gamerge will launch on December 15th, 2024, merging entertainment with real-time cryptocurrency earnings.
• Ashes of Mankind has partnered with Intel Gaming to integrate new XeSS 2 upscaling technology.
• Shiba Inu is expanding its ecosystem by integrating Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) into SHIB: The Metaverse.
• Nine Chronicles will transition to a Proof of Stake (PoS) system in 2025 to improve security, decentralization, and participant rewards.
• A phishing scam targeting Pudgy Penguins NFT holders poses a new threat to crypto security.

Onchain Data

• Solana has experienced explosive growth, reaching an all-time high of $263 in November 2024.
• Ondo has seen a re-entry with $7.87M in transactions. The token is trading at $1.43, down 2.15% in the last 24 hours.
• Toncoin (TON) experienced an 80% increase in whale activity as the market faced selling at year’s end.
• XRP’s $2 level is under pressure due to a sudden 5% drop. Its price has dropped 5.18% in the last 24 hours.
• VIRTUAL’s Open Interest has dropped 18% in 24 hours, and outflows of $4.80 million have occurred.

Educational Guides and Tips from Mind the Block

• What are crypto debit cards? How do they work, and where do they use them?
• How to buy gold with Bitcoin in 2025.
• What is an NFT drop? Your simple guide to participation.
• Decentralized order books vs. Amms: A comprehensive comparison.

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