Weekly Crypto News Recap - September 15, 2023

September 15, 2023



TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK

FTX Granted Permission to Sell $3.4B in Crypto Holdings by US Court

CryptoCurrency – Finance Magnates
The US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware granted bankrupt crypto exchange FTX permission to sell, invest, and hedge its crypto holdings, valued at over $3.4b, to settle outstanding debts. While such sales set off worries early in the week, many are taking solace in the restrictions around the sales and the potential for the market impact to be manageable.

Bitcoin Jumps as European Central Bank Signals End to Rate Hikes

Decrypt
The ECB announced its tenth consecutive rate hike to a record 4.0% and revised its 2023 inflation projection higher. However, it also suggested that rate hikes are likely done for now, stating “…the Governing Council considers that the key ECB interest rates have reached levels that, maintained for a sufficiently long duration, will make a substantial contribution to the timely return of inflation to the target”.


SEC Says ‘Stoner Cats’ Are Unregistered Securities in New NFT Enforcement Action

The Daily Hodl

Binance.US cuts third of staff as CEO Brian Shroder leaves

Cointelegraph
Binance.US cut around a third of its staff — or 100 positions — with its president and CEO Brian Shroder also departing the firm. Shroder joined Binance.US in September 2021 and his departure comes amid a slew of regulatory actions taken against the firm in recent months. Shroder has been replaced on an interim basis by chief legal officer Norman Reed.


European Parliament passes DAC8 crypto tax reporting requirements by ten-to-one margin

CryptoSlate

BITCOIN

Arthur Hayes Says Bitcoin (BTC) and Crypto Can Rise With or Without the Fed’s Money Printer
Crypto Blunder: User Accidentally Pays $500,000 in Fees for a $200 Bitcoin Transfer
El Salvador's Education Ministry Introduces Bitcoin Learning in Schools


ETHEREUM

A Year After Ethereum Merge, Net Supply Down Nearly 300K Ether
SSV.network hits mainnet to increase decentralization of Ethereum staking pools
Ethereum’s active addresses second-highest in history: Analysts
Hello Holesky, Ethereum’s Newest Testnet
Ethereum Name Service Allegedly Hacked by SiegedSec – Here's the Latest
Namesake of Ethereum's 'Danksharding' Says 'Data Availability' Too Confusing a Term
Ethereum Turns Inflationary as Gas Fees Plummet to 2023 Lows


ALTCOINS

XRP lawyer John Deaton joins LBRY case as amicus curiae
IOTA Eyes Big Crypto Leagues Again With Series of Network Boosting Plans
Polygon 2.0 — MATIC conversion to POL outlined in preliminary improvement proposals
Lido’s Staked Ether Tokens Can Soon Be Used on Cosmos, IBC Blockchains
Shiba Inu Layer-2 Blockchain Shibarium Continues Explosive Growth, Leading To Spike in BONE Staking
ZRX-backed Loan On Aave V2 Gets Closer To Liquidation
LayerZero Taps Google Cloud Oracle For Message Verification
MobileCoin Appoints New CEO for Global Expansion of Crypto Payments
Justin Sun-linked stUSDT fuels RWA growth despite transparency concerns
Emurgo to invest and fill 21 areas ‘missing’ from Cardano — CEO
Ripple Will do 80% of its Hiring This Year Outside the U.S: Bloomberg
Banana Gun’s failed contract passed 2 audits, but ChatGPT found the bug in seconds
Shocking Sybil Attack Uncovered: Individual Controls Over 21,000 Wallets on zkSync Network
FLOKI Addresses Rumors and Denies Association with PetabyteCapital – What's Going On?
Fabian Vogesteller’s Lukso Blockchain Adds ‘Universal Profiles,’ in Push for ‘Fancy’ Ethereum
Arbitrum (ARB) falls to all-time low as network usage metrics decline
Lido assures LDO, stETH tokens remain safe despite flaw in token contract
Avalanche’s HyperSDK blockchain upgrade hits 143K TPS on testnet
Arbitrum’s fraud proofs haven’t been used in the two years since it launched
Decentralized Exchange Sushi Expands to Aptos Blockchain


STABLECOINS

PayPal PYUSD stablecoin is 100% backed: Paxos transparency report
Opera browser debuts stablecoin wallet MiniPay in Africa
Stablecoin depegging plagued USDC and DAI more than others: Analysts
Crypto Custody Firm Qredo Integrates Circle’s USDC Stablecoin
Coinbase raises USDC interest rate to 5%


CRYPTO ECOSYSTEM

BitGo, Swan to Form Bitcoin-Only Trust Company
Crypto Startup Ramp Adds Brazilian Central Bank's Pix as Payment Method
Bitwave acquires crypto accounting platform Gilded
Former FTX Legal Chief Forms New Law Firm Focused on Crypto Regulation
Former Celsius exec pleads guilty to criminal charges
Genesis to halt all trading services by Sept. 21
Matter Labs steps back as zkSync launches ecosystem portal managed by DappRadar
Islamic Coin in Pact With CoinDesk Indices to Discuss Sharia-Compliant Benchmarks
Crypto Security Firm Certik Warns Over 40% of Telegram Bot Tokens May be Exit Scams
Violet’s Decentralized Exchange Mauve Goes Live for Trading Compliant and Real World Assets
Sui Network Integrates zkLogin Feature with Google and Facebook to Access dApps
Price Cuts at Blockchain Platform Alchemy Reveal Persistence of Crypto Winter
Cosmos Hub upgrades to offer liquid staking
Phishing Attack on Cloud Provider With Fortune 500 Clients Led to $15M Crypto Theft From Fortress Trust
Decentralized exchanges a magnet for crypto wash traders: Solidus Labs
CoinDesk Indices Expands Into Asia-Pacific Through Deal With Major Exchange Operator ICE
Bankrupt FTX reveals $100M weekly crypto liquidation plan in court filing
Nomura-Backed Custodian Komainu Adds Hidden Road to Crypto Collateral Management Platform
BNB Smart Chain Optimism-powered layer-2 opBNB hits mainnet
Petition hopes to stop US government agencies from using Chainalysis’ forensics
Zodia Custody Looks to Drive Institutional Access to Polkadot Ecosystem
Manta Network’s L2 hits mainnet to drive ZK-enabled DApp development
Ethereum Developer Consensys Unveils ‘Snaps’ Add-Ons for MetaMask Wallet
DeFi group petitions to stop ‘patent troll’ targeting DeFi protocols
BaFin-Licensed Crypto Custodian Finoa Will Offer Regulated DeFi
Tron's Justin Sun Considers Buying FTX's Holdings Tokens to Ease Selling Impact on Markets
Former Celsius CEO Mashinsky seeks dismissal of FTC case
Crypto Safekeeping Specialist Fireblocks Introduces Non-Custodial Wallet Service
Bitcoin Drops Below $25K With Altcoins Bracing for Deeper Crash from FTX Crypto Sale
FTX Estate Takes Legal Action Against LayerZero Labs to Recover $86 Million
Digital Currency Group subsidiary Luno to pause certain UK services, citing forthcoming regulations
Ripple to Acquire Crypto Custodian Fortress Trust
Friend.tech faces continued sniper bot issue, pushing price of popular creators before shares hit market
Ex-Algorand Boss Steve Kokinos Tapped as CEO for Firm Buying Celsius
Friend.tech (TVL) Doubles To Reach Over $20 Million After Being Pronounced Dead


NFTS / GAMING / METAVERSE

Web3 Gamer: PUBG devs’ Web3 project, Animoca’s $20M raise, Shardbound review
Web3 company to have balloons featured during Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
LaLiga NFT Fantasy Soccer Games Coming to North America
Christie's Turns Keith Haring Digital Art Into NFC-Equipped Patch
Shrapnel Web3 shooter won’t let US users cash out, thanks to Gensler
Web3 game Gods Unchained releases ‘Sealed Mode’ to mimic paper card games
Google to allow NFT game ads, metaverse ‘hot’ in Asia: Nifty Newsletter
Italian Luxury Brand Panerai to Include NFT-Based "Digital Passport" with All Watches
Aaron Rodgers Injury Sends DraftKings NFTs Soaring for Backup QB
LACMA's Latest NFT Experiment Brings Fresh Eyes to Paul Klee's Art
Unicorn Avatar Startup Genies Reveals $500K Digital Fashion Fund
Diesel Offers Access to Milan Fashion Week Show With Latest NFT Drop
Metaverse is dead in the West, but ‘so hot' in Asia: Sandbox co-founder
NFT collection Milady exploited by developer stealing $1M in fees
NFT startup Rario loses founders after $120M funding last year: Report
Binance drops support for Sandbox NFT staking, will soon end support for all Polygon NFTs
NFT Video Startup Glass Falls to Crypto Bear Market
NounsDAO Barrels Toward Treasury Split After NFT Holders Rally for ‘Rage Quit’
Casio the Latest Japanese Firm to Enter NFT Arena – More to Follow?


MINING

Bitcoin's Energy Consumption Debate: Unpacking the Latest Developments
Bitcoin Miner F2Pool Returns 19.8 BTC to Paxos After Overpaid Fee
Celsius to purchase $45M Core Scientific mining facility as part of bankruptcy settlement


EXCHANGES

SEC pushes for court order against Binance US amid ‘uncooperative’ stance
JPEX hikes withdrawal fee to almost $1k after Hong Kong watchdog warning
Hearing Date Set for Binance vs. SEC Lawsuit Motions in Ongoing Legal Battle – Here's What You Need to Know
Crypto Exchange Updates Marketing and Fees After Hong Kong Regulator Warning
Bull Bitcoin Exchange Expands From Canada to Costa Rica
Remitano exchange allegedly hacked for $2.7M; $1.4M frozen by Tether
Two more top executives depart Binance.US amid layoffs, SEC action: Report
Bybit denies earlier reports that the exchange will exit UK
Canadian Bitcoin Exchange Strikes Local Currency Conversion Partnership with Costa Rica’s Payment System
Surprisingly Few U.S. Customers Want Their Bittrex Money Back
Binance Elevates Rachel Conlan to Chief Marketing Officer to Bolster Global Presence
BitMEX's Prediction Market Is Now Live
Coinbase To Implement Bitcoin Lightning Network For Faster Transactions Amid Growing Competition
Gemini Earn users could recover all funds in new DCG remuneration scheme
Huobi Crypto Exchange Rebrands to HTX to Mark 10-Year Anniversary – Here’s the Latest
Coinbase to Face ‘Reality Check’ as Retail FOMO Is Fading, Mizuho Says
Coinbase Paves Way for Big Institutions to Do More With Web3, DeFi, NFTs
Crypto Spot Trading Volume Drops to $475,000,000,000, Reminiscent of 2019 Bear Market: Analytics Firm
CoinEx Crypto Exchange Hit by $28 Million Exploit, Four Hot Wallets Drained
Class action case against Bitfinex gets dismissed, marking another legal win
Cyprus Regulator Officially Deregisters Local Binance Entity
Bitget Unveils $100M Fund to Expand Ecosystem and Foster Strategic Partnerships
Binance.US Opposes SEC, Calls Requests “Unduly Burdensome” in New Filing
FTX has $222M in Bahamas real estate, 1,300 tokens — Shareholder presentation
Liquidity in Crypto Markets Highly Concentrated Among Eight Exchanges
Crypto Exchange Bitgamo to Open 75 Crypto ATMs in Europe Next Year
OKX Crypto Exchange and Circle Partner to Introduce Fee-Free USDC Transactions
FTX Seeks Payments Recovery from Top Athletes and Clubs


CAPITAL RAISES

Peter Thiel-Backed Founders Fund Invests in Layer N's Ethereum Scaling Tech
Movement Labs raises $3.4M to further develop smart contract language Move
Octav Raises $2.65 Million To Help Label DeFi Transactions
Pahdo Labs Raises $15M to Let Players Make Anime Games With AI Tools
Polkastarter rebrands to GAM3S.GG after successful $2M funding round
Animoca Brands Raises $20M to Pursue ‘Single Native Web3 Project’ Mocaverse


INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

Japan to allow start-ups to raise funds by issuing crypto instead of stocks: Report
Germany's blockchain funding increases 3% amid market downturn: Report
Nasdaq's Hashdex mixed Ether ETF filing joins crypto ETF race
Crypto ahead in fintech investments in France and Germany in 2023: Report
Pantera Capital to Increase VC Reach to Mid-Stage Crypto Firms
Franklin Templeton Joins BlackRock and Fidelity in Spot Bitcoin ETF Pursuit
Dunhill Family Office Makes Bear Market Bet on Crypto
Venture capital exec says ‘lack of innovation’ drives funding away from crypto
GBTC ‘discount’ hits smallest since 2021 despite BTC price at 3-month lows
AI Is Killing Crypto Venture Capital Interest
Strong Dollar and Regulatory Woes Causing Negative Sentiment Among Institutions: CoinShares
1 in 4 investment firms assign senior execs to digital assets: Report


TRADFI / TECH

ANZ Leverages Chainlink’s Protocol to Complete Tokenized Assets Transaction using Native Stablecoin
Deutsche Bank to offer crypto services with Taurus as custody partner
Google Cloud teams up with Web3 startup to make DeFi mainstream
TON Surges 13% after Telegram Integrates Blockchain’s Web3 Wallet
Banking Powerhouse HSBC Working With Crypto Custody Firm Fireblocks: Sources
Sony Reveals Blockchain Plans to 'Connect Souls Across Generations'
Standard Chartered's Crypto Subsidiary Zodia Custody Launches in Singapore
PayPal Launches Crypto to USD Off-Ramps
Tangem applet receives certification from VISA; set to launch self-custodial payment solution
Nasdaq receives SEC approval for AI-based trade orders
Apple Secures Rights for Sam Bankman-Fried’s Story


CBDC

'Cast It Into the Fire': GOP Moves to Advance Bills That Ban CBDC
China May Explore New Silk Road/BRI CBDC Adoption – Digital Yuan Going Global?
Wyoming stablecoin: Are state digital currencies even possible?
Tom Emmer Launches Anti-Surveillance State Act With 49 Republicans in New Push Against CBDCs
SWIFT enrolls 3 central banks in CBDC interoperability beta test, expands sandbox
Israel, Hong Kong complete retail CBDC test emphasizing privacy, inclusivity
Russian Central Bank May ‘Mark’ CBDC Tokens to Track Digital Ruble Transactions
India's Central Bank Explores New Features to Boost Digital Rupee Adoption
Digital Euro Conspiracy Theories and Privacy Concerns Put EU Central Bankers in the Hot Seat


REGULATORY / COUNTRIES

Virtual Currency Chief at NYSDFS Leaves to Pursue a Career in Private Sector
Elizabeth Warren’s anti-crypto bill sees surging support from 9 more Senators
SFC Warns Unregistered Crypto Exchange JPEX of Potential Criminal Liability
3AC’s Su Zhu, Kyle Davies Slapped With 9-Year Finance Ban by Singapore Monetary Authority
South Korean Bitcoin lender Delio plans to sue regulators: Report
India, Nigeria, Thailand top Chainalysis' 2023 Global Crypto Adoption Index
Gensler Hearing Shows Key Senate Democrat Digging in Heels on Crypto
CFTC commissioner plans to modernize investor protection with technology
Incoming BOE Deputy Governor Highlights Crypto Risks, Cites Benefits at Parliamentary Hearing
Tom Emmer Sponsoring Amendment To Prevent Gary Gensler From ‘Weaponizing the SEC’ Against Digital Assets
Crypto companies form Texas blockchain group to advocate for clear regulations
Gensler Decries ‘Wide-Ranging Noncompliance’ In Crypto Ahead of Oversight Testimony
FCA: Crypto Firms Face "Significant Challenges" Ahead of Financial Promotions Regime
Blockchain Association responds to US lawmakers’ request for crypto tax guidance
Fed's Michael Barr: No Word on CBDC and 'Deeply Concerned' About Stablecoins
G20 Leaders Decide on Swift Implementation of Crypto Asset Reporting Framework
India working on 5-point crypto legislation as ban is ruled out
France Moves To License TradFi and Crypto Influencers


ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, GOVERNANCE

ABN Amro issues €5M digital green bond through Polygon-powered Tokeny
Web3 ecosystem made ‘good strides’ in changing climate narrative, exec says
Bitcoin energy use up but carbon emissions drop, Bloomberg crypto analyst reveals
Binance to Airdrop $3M in BNB to Users Affected by Morocco Earthquake
Environmental Concerns and Bitcoin: Exploring Eco-Friendly Solutions
Bitcoin Donation Company Says Gifted Crypto Should Require Less Paperwork
Burning Tires to Fuel Bitcoin Mining: Can it Go Green?


SURVEYS, HACKS, MISC

US Inflation Posts Biggest Monthly Increase in 2023 as CPI Rises 0.6%
Sam Bankman-Fried’s Father Attended Meetings on FTX Token Marketing and Tax Issues
North Korean crypto hacks down 80%, but that could change overnight: Chainalysis
‘Brazilian Crypto Scam Firm Donated $122k to Bolsonaro Election Campaign,’ Lawmakers Told
FTX Co-Founder Sam Bankman-Fried Requests Juror Questions Ahead of Trial – What Was Asked?
Paxos claims responsibility for $500K transaction fee error
Craig Wright's Financial Disclosure Form in $143M Court Case Was Incomplete, Court Rules
US Government Forces SIM Swapper To Forfeit Millions in Bitcoin (BTC) and a Sports Car: Report
'Bitboy' Ben Armstrong Files Suit Against Former Hit Network Colleagues
Sam Bankman-Fried’s temporary release request denied as trial date looms
SBF may not testify in court as lawyers paint ‘altruist’ picture in jury questions
Thai authorities arrest 5 in 3,200-victim, $27M crypto scam
Vitalik Buterin’s X Account Gets Hacked, Victims Suffer $691,000 in Losses From False NFT Promotion
FBI Identifies North Korean Lazarus Group as Culprit Behind $41 Million Stake Casino Hack
Judge Orders Teen Hacker to Return $5.2M Worth of Bitcoin Stolen in 2016






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