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Cardano, the eighth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, is experiencing significant growth with numerous developments and upgrades. The latest weekly report from Cardano builder Input Output Global (IOG) reveals that 157 projects have been launched, and there are currently 1,319 projects under development on the Cardano platform. Additionally, there are 9.45 million native tokens across 93,021 token policies, with Plutus v1 scripts totaling 6,332 and Plutus v2 scripts reaching 17,531. The Cardano network has seen a total of 83.4 million transactions. In terms of recent releases and upgrades, the Marlowe team has announced the release of Marlowe 0.3.0, which includes significant milestones. The first Hydra release of the year, version 0.15.0, has also been launched. The Cardano node has been updated to version 8.7.3 to address a minor issue, and the Lace wallet has been upgraded to version 1.8. The ledger team has introduced various features, including new ledger events, an expanded URL length limit, consensus queries, and JSON instances. Furthermore, the Mithril team has completed the client's implementation in Explorer, enabling direct certificate verification from the browser. They have also updated the devnet to support the Conway era and enabled the Mithril era marker reader on the Cardano chain during end-to-end testing. Project Catalyst, an initiative on Cardano, is reaching the end of its community review moderation period, with over 70,000 moderations submitted by approximately 250 active level 2 moderators. To explore quantum technology's potential benefits for financial systems, IOG plans to host a collaborative workshop with the School of Informatics Edinburgh. This workshop will feature prominent industrial and academic specialists, including IOG Chief Scientist Aggelos Kiayias and Ethereum researcher Justin Drake. As of now, Cardano's ADA coin is trading at $0.516, representing a 3.62% increase in the last 24 hours.

What's Going On With Cardano (ADA)? This Latest Report Says Lot Cardano, the eighth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, is booming with several developments and new upgrades. According to the most recent weekly report released by Cardano builder Input Output Global (IOG), 157 projects have been launched, with 1,319 projects now being built on Cardano. What’s going down on Cardano? Check out this week’s development update on Essential #Cardano and stay abreast of all the latest developments in core technology, wallets and services, smart contracts, and scaling and governance. t.co/QfHIL2yUTV— Input Output (@InputOutputHK) January 19, 2024 Native tokens total 9.45 million across 93,021 token policies. Plutus v1 scripts are at 6,332, while Plutus v2 scripts are now 17,531. Total transactions on the Cardano network are now 83.4 million. The beginning of 2024 has seen new releases and upgrades. The Marlowe team just announced the release of Marlowe 0.3.0, which includes many milestones. The first Hydra release of 2024, version 0.15.0, has gone live. Cardano also released node v.8.7.3, which fixes a minor issue with the Ouroboros network. The Lace wallet has also been upgraded to version 1.8. According to IOG, the ledger team has introduced several features in recent weeks, including new ledger events, an increase in the URL length limit, consensus queries and JSON instances. The Mithril team has also finalized the client's implementation in Explorer, allowing for direct certificate verification from the browser. In addition, the team upgraded the devnet to support the Conway era and enabled the Mithril era marker reader on the Cardano chain during the end-to-end testing. In addition, Project Catalyst is nearing the end of its community review moderation period. More than 70,000 moderations have been submitted by around 250 active level 2 moderators. In the last 15 years, a rush of advancements in the field of quantum-enhanced protocols has proposed new ways in which financial systems may benefit from quantum technology. In this regard, IOG will support an upcoming collaborative workshop with the School of Informatics Edinburgh, IOG Chief Scientist Aggelos Kiayias, Ethereum researcher Justin Drake and other prominent industrial and academic specialists. At the time of writing, Cardano's ADA coin was up 3.62% in the last 24 hours to trade at $0.516.

The crypto market, including Bitcoin (BTC), is displaying signs of entering a bull market, supported by key on-chain indicators such as the on-chain value map, realized capitalization, and long/short-term holders' threshold. These factors suggest a shift towards a bullish trend. Altcoins like Hashflow (HFT), NEAR Protocol (NEAR), Cosmos (ATOM), Arbitrum (ARB), and Aptos (APT) are worth considering in this bullish context. These altcoins offer strategic advantages for portfolio diversification and are backed by strong fundamentals and market developments. For example, ScapesMania (MANIA) is leveraging the gaming industry's growth potential, while Hashflow (HFT) is advancing cross-chain trading and DEX aggregation. NEAR Protocol (NEAR) has integrated Polygon to enhance data availability, Cosmos (ATOM) is proposing a reduction in inflation rate, Arbitrum (ARB) dominates the rollup market, and Aptos (APT) is navigating a token unlock phase. It is important to note that the market's response to these developments will ultimately determine the price trajectory of these altcoins.

Astar (ASTR) has made history with its impressive community of 650,000 ASTR enthusiasts and the staking of over 3.4 billion ASTR tokens, showcasing remarkable faith in the network's future. Unlike chasing fleeting trends, Astar focuses on tangible applications, evident through its partnerships with industry giants like Toyota and the Japanese Railway operator. Its dApps, such as DeStore Network, SFY Labs, and Kekkai, actively bridge the gap between theory and practice. ASTR's steady growth is rooted in consistent user adoption and ecosystem development, not speculative hype. The upcoming Astar 2.0 upgrade is a carefully planned evolution to attract more developers and foster user engagement, solidifying ASTR's long-term aspirations. Astar's narrative is about diligently carving its path in the Web3 landscape, one developer, dApp, and staked token at a time. With impressive numbers and strategic collaborations, Astar's journey is far from over, and the groundwork for sustained success is undeniably being laid.

Chris Brunet, an independent investigative journalist, exposed former Harvard President Claudine Gay's history of plagiarism and data fabrication. In an attempt to profit from his findings, he bet on Polymarket that Gay would no longer be president by the end of 2023. Unfortunately, Gay stepped down a few days into the new year, resulting in Brunet's loss. While he admits that he's a better journalist than a trader, Brunet expresses his interest in monetizing his impactful work through trading. However, he questions the ethics of having a personal stake in the outcome of his stories, akin to insider trading. Jane E. Kirtley, a professor of media ethics and law, shares her concerns about journalists betting on the outcome of their stories, as it undermines their responsibility to act independently and prioritize the public's interest. The legality of prediction market betting with inside information is also unclear, as it may potentially constitute insider trading. Despite the complexities surrounding prediction markets, Brunet still believes in monetizing the wisdom of the crowd and sees potential in the industry. He has gained significant traction and subscribers from his investigations, particularly in academia. In the future, Brunet plans to expand his coverage to include central bank digital currencies, critically examining them from a standpoint advocating decentralization.

He Exposed Harvard President's Plagiarism, Then Lost Money Betting on the Story Chris Brunet knew he had a big story, so he bet it would make a big impact.The independent investigative journalist uncovered now-former Harvard President Claudine Gay's history of plagiarism in December 2023 and her data fabrication the year before. For many reporters, publishing such explosive exposés would be its own reward, but Brunet wanted to profit from the fallout of his findings.Late last month, he went to Polymarket, the largest prediction market platform, and made a bet. He stood to win $1,400 worth of cryptocurrency if Gay was longer be president of Harvard at the end of the year.Close, but no cigar. In the end, Gay didn't step down as Harvard President by the end of 2023, as the prediction market asked, but rather a few days into the new year. While he had been directionally correct, Brunet lost."I've never made money on prediction markets. I'm down. It's a hobby rather than something I actually make money on," Brunet said in an interview with CoinDesk. "In the past, when I wrote articles, I used to make firm predictions. But I got fooled so many times with prediction markets, so I'm very humble."By his own admission, he's a better journalist than trader. Even so, Brunet said he'd still love to monetize his otherwise impactful work by trading on it."The only reason I don't bet big on Polymarket right now is that I don't have a lot of money. So I can't really justify putting a huge bankroll in Polymarket," he told CoinDesk. "If I did have a huge bankroll, and there were markets about my ongoing investigations, I certainly would be betting on that."If, like Brunet, you're bold enough to write something that might lead to an arrest and federal charges – he was first to name crypto trader Avraham Eisenberg as the alleged exploiter of Mango Markets, which led to Eisenberg’s arrest in Puerto Rico – or the resignation of one of the most powerful figures in academia, why not enjoy some financial upside?After all, if prediction markets are to become, as their proponents claim, the ultimate arbiters of truth because they harness the power of the crowd, giving people a chance to put their money where their mouths are, they will need somewhere to start.There's also an argument that prediction market journalism isn't all that different from what activist short sellers do: use a process similar to investigative journalism to find dirt on a company, take a short position and then publish the results for the market to digest.A future, prediction market-oriented media could even, as Scott Alexander of Slate Star Codex fame writes, do away with the industry cancer of fake news and clickbait."In a prediction market, once you're wrong a couple of times, traders will stop updating on your reports and you'll lose most of your power to move the market," he wrote.A front-running 1980s journalistYet, lingering on Brunet's mind is whether this is all ethical."One big question I have, still somewhat unresolved, is the ethics of having a personal stake in the outcome of your story, akin to insider trading, or knowing information before the markets do," he said.Can you place a prediction market bet on something you're so closely invested in? Could Gay, or the Harvard Corporation board, hypothetically trade on Polymarket a day before she resigned?"It strikes me that betting on the outcome of one's stories presents a conflict of interest. The journalist now has a stake beyond informing the public or serving the public interest," Jane E. Kirtley, a professor of media ethics and law at the University of Minnesota's Hubbard School of Journalism, told CoinDesk in an email interview.Kirtley says she finds it troubling because it "undermines the compact that journalists have with the public: acting independently and putting the interests of the public first and foremost."Kirtley brings up the 1980s-era case of Foster Winans, a former Wall Street Journal reporter who leaked the contents of upcoming, potentially market-moving "Heard on the Street" columns to a stockbroker."I think from an ethical perspective, it is difficult to argue that Winans' conduct was consistent with ethical norms in journalism," she said. "He had a personal financial interest in the impact of the 'Heard on the Street' columns he wrote, and he did not disclose that to his readers or his employer."At a minimum, Kirtley said, journalists who bet on the outcome of their stories "should be transparent about it -- certainly with the journalist's employer (if any), and also with the public."For his part, Brunet is quite clear with his readers about exactly what he's doing. "I don't believe ‘unbiased journalism' exists, hence why the tagline of my Substack is ''opinionated investigative journalism,'" he posted on X in December, while disclosing exactly how much he'd profit should Gay have been fired before the end of 2023."I wear my bias on my sleeve," he continued.What does the SEC think?And how about the legality? That's where it gets complicated.Winans, in the eyes of the court, had breached the duty of confidentiality he owed the WSJ by front-running its daily publication schedule, finding him and his co-conspirators guilty of mail and wire fraud.The information was still confidential until it was published, the court found.(This did raise significant First Amendment concerns at the time, and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, where Kirtley was a director, was part of an amicus brief arguing these issues).For prediction markets, things are more murky."There is no clear answer as to whether betting on prediction markets with inside information constitutes insider trading under U.S. law," Florida-based digital assets attorney John Montague told CoinDesk in an interview."It may depend on whether prediction markets are considered ‘securities’ for the purposes of insider trading law, and whether the person betting on the prediction market is in possession of material, nonpublic information and is using it for personal benefit," Montague continued.Montague said the current statute on the books (15 U.S.C. § 78u-1) imposes civil penalties for insider trading involving securities.But it's unclear if prediction markets are classified as securities under this law, Montague says, and thus under the purview of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (which has signaled it deems most crypto assets to be securities). If so, using insider information in prediction markets could constitute insider trading."I could foresee a situation in which the SEC establishes such marketplaces as unregistered securities and thus expands the SEC’s jurisdiction to prediction markets at which such time some of the insider trading penalties could be available," he said.…or does someone else have jurisdiction?For its part, Polymarket, which runs on the Polygon blockchain network and settles bets in crypto, prohibits U.S. persons from using the platform and isn't available in the country.On Kalshi, which is registered with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission and settles in dollars, there is a prohibition to trade on material nonpublic information."There is currently no specific instance that I am aware of where the Commodity Futures Trading Commission has exerted its authority over insider trading specifically related to prediction markets. It is certainly a possibility that the CFTC could choose to do so in the future," Montague added."Although no precedent exists yet, it is highly likely that prediction markets could fall within the CFTC's jurisdiction, giving it the potential to regulate such activities under its mandate to combat fraud and manipulation," he continued.Kalshi also prohibits employees of data providers (ranging from the National Weather Service to Billboard magazine), which may have a slight lead on getting data before it becomes public, from trading.It should also be noted that the CFTC only got powers in 2010 to pursue insider trading cases under the Dodd-Frank Act, which was meant to limit financial risk.Prior to the act, the CFTC's authority to regulate insider trading in commodities markets was limited, focusing mainly on its own personnel and those of exchanges, but Dodd-Frank expanded the regulator's powers, allowing it to address a broader range of insider trading activities, including those involving use of confidential information.Since then, the CFTC settled its first insider trading case in 2016 and its fourth in 2020. In comparison, the SEC brought 43 insider trading cases against 93 individuals in 2022.Still a believerDespite not making money so far with prediction markets, Brunet said he is still a believer in the idea of monetizing the wisdom of the crowd – the most accurate gauge of truth, according to proponents of prediction markets – and that it's still early for the industry.Losing bet aside, Brunet said his investigation into Gay has done wonders for his subscriber count – much more than his investigation into Mango Markets' alleged exploiter."I got 300 subscribers from the [Mango Markets] story," he said. "And in comparison, for the Harvard story, I went from 5,700 to 8,500."Brunet said he's become “somewhat pigeonholed" after his success in reporting on academia."I almost wish I could return to writing about other topics. However, I receive many tips about academia, and my audience, which is largely academic, seems very interested in this area," he continued.When he eventually branches out, Brunet said, he plans to launch a Substack newsletter covering central bank digital currencies."We're not approaching it from a right-wing conspiracy perspective, but rather from a standpoint advocating the ethos of decentralization, which contrasts with CBDCs," he said. "We are highly critical of CBDCs, and there aren't many publications specifically opposing them." CoinDeskCrypto Read more from CoinDesk

The recent dip in Bitcoin price after the approval of 10 spot Bitcoin ETF products by the SEC can be attributed to various factors. Contrary to the widely circulated narrative that Grayscale's GBTC selling Bitcoin caused the drop, Julio Moreno from CryptoQuant clarified that GBTC sold about 60,000 Bitcoins, while other Bitcoin ETFs purchased approximately 72,000 Bitcoins, offsetting the sales from GBTC. The volatility in Bitcoin's price is likely due to selling by Bitcoin holders, such as short-term traders and whales, who took profits following the surge in the previous year. Additionally, on-chain analytics firm Glassnode suggests that both derivatives leverage and spot profit taking contributed to the price drop. Despite the interim volatility, Bitcoin's futures and options markets have seen a significant increase in open interest since mid-October, indicating a rise in leverage and its influence on the market. As of now, Bitcoin's price is at $41,543, showing a 0.58% increase in the last 24 hours.

Bitcoin Price Action Explained: Here's Real Reason Why BTC Dipped After ETF Approval 2024 has already proven to be a wild trip for Bitcoin investors. In what was likely the most exciting financial product launch in history, the SEC approved 10 spot Bitcoin ETF products for trading in U.S. marketplaces. In reaction, BTC prices rose to a new multi-year high, reaching $49,102. The market then fell 18% over the weekend, reaching fresh year-to-date lows of $40,236. As with any important event, holders of Bitcoins enjoy debating whether it was priced in or not. In this regard, Julio Moreno, the head of research at CryptoQuant, debunks the widely circulated narrative that the Bitcoin price drop was caused by Grayscale's GBTC selling Bitcoin. There's a narrative circulating that the current Bitcoin price correction is due to GBTC selling Bitcoin. IS NOT. GBTC has sold about 60K Bitcoin. The other ETFs combined have net purchased about 72K Bitcoin. The selling has come from Bitcoin holders (short-term traders and…— Julio Moreno (@jjcmoreno) January 19, 2024 Before being converted to an ETF from a trust, Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) was one of the only options for stock traders in the United States to obtain exposure to Bitcoin price swings without having to purchase the actual cryptocurrency. While GBTC has seen remarkable outflows after its uplisting into an ETF, a chunk of these have been from investors moving to lower-fee ETFs. Moreno highlighted that, while GBTC sold approximately 60,000 Bitcoins, other Bitcoin ETFs net purchased roughly 72,000 Bitcoins, thus offsetting the sales of BTC from Grayscale's GBTC. He attributes the volatility in Bitcoin's price to selling by Bitcoin holders (short-term traders and whales) who took profits following last year's surge, noting that the ETF approval might just be the "sell-the-news" event. What on-chain data says According to on-chain analytics firm Glassnode, Bitcoin's price drop might have been driven by both derivatives leverage and spot profit taking. However, several metrics in both the on-chain and derivatives domains suggest that a non-trivial portion of Bitcoin investors did treat the ETF approval as a sell-the-news event. While there are other key driving factors behind the interim volatility, both futures and options markets have seen a meaningful uptick in open interest (OI) since mid-October, according to Glassnode. Open interest in both markets remains around multi-year highs, showing that leverage is rising and becoming a more dominant force in markets. At the time of writing, BTC was up 0.58% in the last 24 hours to $41,543, per CoinMarketCap data.

Despite the ongoing bearish trend in the crypto market, there are signs of a potential bullish reversal. On-chain data suggests that whales, influential investors, are beginning to accumulate Bitcoin (BTC), Tether (USDT), and USD Coin (USDC). This strategic accumulation by large holders could pave the way for a recovery and potentially reclaim last week's 2-year high. Santiment's analysis reveals that the percentage of wallets with 10-10K BTC is at its lowest level since September 2018, indicating a significant decrease in holdings. Additionally, the supply of BTC is at its smallest quantity since June 2023, with a market value exceeding $530 billion. The dynamics for USDT and USDC also show interesting trends, with decreases in holdings by wallets holding 100,000 to 10 million units of both stablecoins. Despite the current market sentiment, Santiment remains optimistic about the potential for another bull cycle, especially with the Bitcoin halving approaching. The accumulation of BTC, USDT, and USDC by whales is seen as a crucial indicator that many traders are closely monitoring.

Whale Accumulation Signals Bullish Reversal Amid Ongoing Bearish Trend On-chain data suggests whales may soon begin accumulating BTC, USDT, and USDC. This signals a bullish trend despite the current market downtrend. Shark and whale holdings of Bitcoin have reached a six-year low. Amid the current bearish trend sweeping through the crypto market, leading market intelligence platform Santiment has identified a potential key bullish signal. Santiment sees the optimistic signal in the potential activities of influential investors of Bitcoin (BTC), Tether (USDT), and USD Coin (USDC). In a recent tweet, Santiment highlighted that whale accumulation of Bitcoin, USDT, and USDC could be a crucial indicator for a possible recovery. The market sentiment analysis suggested that strategic accumulation by large holders may pave the way for a bullish reversal to reclaim last week’s 2-year high. It examined the current distribution tiers for Bitcoin and the top stablecoins, revealing a slight downturn in the shark and whale holdings. Specifically, Santiment’s analysis highlighted that wallets with 10-10K Bitcoin (BTC) presently constitute 66.27% of the total supply. This marked the lowest percentage since September 26, 2018. Meanwhile, the report underscored that the current supply represents the smallest quantity of BTC since June 20, 2023, with 12.99 million BTC. Notably, these tokens hold a market value exceeding $530 billion. Similarly, the shark and whale tiers for Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC) showed interesting dynamics. Wallets holding 100,000 to 10 million USDT represent 33.98% of the supply. Those holding 100,000 to 10 million USDC account for 35.49% of the supply. Over the past six months, these wallets have decreased their holdings by 4.02% and 3.05%, respectively. Despite the current bearish trend, Santiment remains optimistic about the potential for another bull cycle, as witnessed in late 2023. Significantly, with the Bitcoin halving just under 14 weeks away, whales’ accumulation of BTC, USDT, and USDC is a key indicator that many traders are closely watching.

The upcoming Bitcoin halving has sparked speculation about its impact on altcoins like Ripple, Solana, and Sei. While Ripple is currently facing a bearish trend, there is potential for recovery depending on market dynamics and investor sentiment. Solana, on the other hand, is showing signs of a potential bullish breakout due to technical and fundamental indicators. The approval of Bitcoin ETFs and potential interest rate cuts could drive Solana's price higher. Sei remains bullish with a target of reaching $1 and higher, although market volatility and investor eagerness could lead to a consolidation phase. Overall, the future price movements of these altcoins will be influenced by various factors such as market sentiment, regulatory developments, and macroeconomic conditions. Please note that this information is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as financial advice.

Is Bitcoin Halving a Threat to Ripple (XRP), Solana (SOL), and Sei (SEI) Holders? In today’s crypto market, Bitcoin (BTC) trades below $43,000 after an 8% price drop. This has ushered in an "altcoin season," with the BTC dominance falling to 47.5%. The upcoming Bitcoin (BTC) halving, which historically influenced price increases, is only 110 days away. The event that will reduce mining rewards to 3.125 BTC per block also sparks speculation about its impact on other cryptocurrencies like Ripple (XRP), Solana (SOL), and Sei (SEI). As the market focus shifts towards these altcoins, the potential effects of halving on their value and investor sentiment remain uncertain. Ride The Wave Of Innovation With ScapesMania As the ScapesMania presale nears its completion in February, the team is working hard to secure a quick listing on tier-1 exchange platforms. There is a good probability that the token's value will increase exponentially after the listing. The team behind ScapesMania, with years of expertise, has crafted a robust post-listing marketing strategy. Buyback, burn, staking, and all the perks for holders keep attracting new adopters. Through DAO governance, backers will be able to influence and benefit from a multi-billion-dollar industry. Moreover, the token's utility is impressive. It's not another meme coin whose success relies heavily on trends and hype. ScapesMania (MANIA) is a well-balanced, meticulously designed project that acts as a gaming ecosystem. As the presale is wrapping up, you need to act fast and grab your discounted tokens now! The countdown is on – don't let this chance pass you by. Presale is Live Now – Join Now for a Chance to Benefit with MANIA ScapesMania, a player in the $376 billion gaming industry, leverages the market's growth potential. Post-exchange debut, holders can anticipate greater liquidity and easier trading. The community's excitement about the project is evident so far, with $4,500,000+ raised to date from crowd/retail contributions alone. Notably, the fundraising amount is growing by $50,000+ daily and the follower count has reached 60K+ and showcases a weekly growth of 12%. The growing interest from crypto whales with checks of $20,000+ might expedite ScapesMania's transition from niche to mainstream. ScapesMania's smart contract has received approval from prominent security-ranking firms, ensuring peace of mind for holders. Additionally, the award-winning team behind ScapesMania secured a prestigious grant from a prominent player in the blockchain industry. Furthermore, ScapesMania is notable for putting its community front and center. Driving customer engagement and making sure that everyone benefits through great tokenomics and generous rewards is where ScapesManias stands out. Make sure you don't pass up the opportunity to get the early bird discount as the presale nears its end. Be quick if you want to get your hands on those lucrative tokens before they're all gone. Presale Closing Soon – Seize Opportunities Now! Ripple (XRP): Facing a Bearish Pattern and Uncertain Future Profit-taking and a broader market’s bearish sentiment caused Ripple (XRP) to drop 10% in January. The price broke below a key support level, forming a descending triangle pattern – a bearish pattern characterized by lower highs and relatively consistent lows, often signaling a downward price movement. Ripple's (XRP) current price fluctuates between $0.563 and $0.683. The 10-day Moving Average is at $0.574, while the 100-day Moving Average stands at $0.599. Support levels are found at $0.391 and $0.511, with resistance levels at $0.752 and $0.872. Ripple's (XRP) future is a mix of growth prospects and challenges. The bearish outlook is partly driven by profit-taking as seen in high-risk profit levels in the market. However, there's still potential for recovery supported by exposure from ETFs and other positive developments. The absence of plans for a spot Ripple (XRP) ETF by major asset managers like BlackRock adds to the cautious sentiment. Ripple's (XRP) future price movement will likely be influenced by overall market dynamics and investor sentiment, with a possibility of recovery if it effectively navigates the current challenges. Solana (SOL): A Path to Potential Growth Solana (SOL) is showing signs of a potential bullish breakout driven by technical and fundamental indicators. The price of Solana (SOL) is now testing the upper trendline of a bull flag pattern, which indicates a potentially positive price movement. As of today, Solana's (SOL) price range lies between $64.84 and $132.36. The 10-day Moving Average is at $96.62, while the 100-day Moving Average is at $65.74. Support and resistance levels are set at $27.97 and $163.01, respectively, with the most ambitious target at $230.54. Solana (SOL) could approach $200 as early as March amidst growing anticipation of a spot Solana ETF and expectations of interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. While the approval of Bitcoin ETFs has raised hopes for similar products for Solana (SOL), a dovish Fed could lead to a weaker US dollar, which can also benefit altcoin. However, the price trajectory of Solana (SOL) will be influenced by market dynamics and regulatory developments. Sei (SEI): Bullish Sentiment with a Hint of Caution Sei (SEI) has exhibited a strong bullish outlook on higher timeframe charts, rallying significantly from its December low to an early January peak. Although the price has retraced to a demand zone, the bullish sentiment remains intact. Sei's (SEI) price range is set between $0.582 and $0.808, with the 10-Day Moving Average hovering at $0.758 and the 100-day Moving Average marked at $0.729. Support levels are at $0.244 and $0.471, while resistance levels are at $0.924 and $1.15. Sei (SEI) is expected to continue its bullish trend, with a target of reaching $1 and higher in the coming weeks. The market structure remains firmly bullish, and demand for the token is strong. However, the enthusiasm of market participants could lead to a consolidation phase, potentially trapping Sei (SEI) within a range that could shake out overly eager bulls. The future price movement of Sei (SEI) will depend on market sentiment and the ability of bulls to maintain control amidst short-term volatility. Conclusion The crypto market undergoes significant changes - the coming Bitcoin (BTC) halving is stirring up excitement about its impact on altcoins like Ripple (XRP), Solana (SOL), and Sei (SEI). Ripple (XRP) is currently facing a bearish trend, with technical indicators suggesting a cautious market outlook, but there's potential for recovery highly depending on market dynamics and investor sentiment; Solana (SOL) exhibits signs of a bullish breakout, with expectations of growth driven by market speculation and potential macroeconomic factors; Sei (SEI) maintains a bullish market structure, with strong demand and a positive outlook, though it faces the challenge of market volatility and investor eagerness. Disclaimer: This is a sponsored article and is for informational purposes only. It does not reflect the views of Crypto Daily, nor is it intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, or financial advice.

Amid their bankruptcy processes, cryptocurrency firms FTX and Celsius Network have been divesting their digital asset portfolios. Celsius Network recently moved 56.8 million Polygon (MATIC) tokens, valued at $44.5 million, to crypto exchanges. This comes after the integration of Polygon's CDK and Near's Data Availability platform, which will drastically reduce transaction costs on the Polygon network. FTX and Alameda also liquidated over $15 million in crypto assets, including Wrapped Bitcoin and Ethereum. The US Court of Appeal has approved an independent examiner to investigate the collapse of FTX, addressing potential issues and safeguarding the public's interest.

According to Gabor Gurbacs, a cryptocurrency veteran and strategy advisor at Tether Limited and VanEck, the recent decline in Bitcoin's price and movement of BTC from weak hands to strong hands is nothing new. He believes that this transfer of coins from weak sellers to strong buyers is a regular occurrence in the cryptocurrency market. Gurbacs is excited about the potential impact of Bitcoin ETFs being approved in the US, as it could increase the accessibility of Bitcoin as an investment instrument for various asset managers. On-chain analysts have also determined that long-term holders tend to hold their assets for 1.5-2 years before taking profits. This pattern has remained consistent for at least the past decade, with profits typically realized after 3.5-4 years of holding. Overall, analysts view these developments as positive indicators for Bitcoin in January 2024.

Bitcoin (BTC) Leaving Weak Hands, VanEck's Gabor Gurbacs Says Bitcoin 📷BTCUSD, the largest cryptocurrency, lost 14.3% after setting a two-year high inspired by the long-anticipated ETFs approval in the U.S. Despite some investors deciding to take profits in sub-$50,000 waters, the core bullish trend remains unchallenged, analysts and traders say. Bitcoin 📷BTCUSD flows to strong hands: VanEck's, Tether advisor is not surprised As Bitcoins 📷BTCUSD are changing owners, "strong hands" allocate the coins being sold by weak ones. This situation does not look unusual to cryptocurrency veteran Gabor Gurbacs, strategy advisor at Tether Limited and VanEck, he said on Jan. 19 on X. Bitcoin is flowing from weak hands to strong hands. Same old. Nothing new.— Gabor Gurbacs (@gaborgurbacs) January 19, 2024 The whole situation demonstrates "nothing new," he admitted. As covered by U.Today previously, Gurbacs is excited by the potential effects of Bitcoin ETFs being green-lit by the U.S. regulators. He foresees a 10x-50x increase in the accessibility of Bitcoin 📷BTCUSD as an investment instrument for various classes of asset managers within a single year. As of printing time, Bitcoin 📷BTCUSD is changing hands at $41,539, being up by 0.9% in the last 24 hours. The BTC trading volume saw a 17% decline in the corresponding period. How strong are these hands? Meanwhile, on-chain analysts managed to estimate the "strength" of long-term holders' hands. As per the research of a pseudonymous Bitcoin 📷BTCUSD analyst who goes by @TXMCtrades on X, most of them hold their assets for 1.5-2 years before taking profits. The typical age of a coin (how long it sits idle) spent by a Long-Term Holder is about 1.5 to 2 years old, and it has been this way since as early as 2014. Some of this is an artifact of bull runs being 3.5-4 years apart but the consistency is still interesting IMO. #BTC pic.x.com/7pmufvmexd— 𝐓𝐗𝐌𝐂 (@TXMCtrades) January 20, 2024 The author and host of Alpha Beta Soup channel on trading indicated that this pattern has been valid for at least the past 10 years. By contrast, taking profits after 3.5-4 years of HODLing is an "artifact of bull runs." As covered by U.Today previously, the average long-term holder enjoys a 55% profit on their deposit given the current prices, Glassnode researchers said. This metric looks "meaningfully positive" to analysts in January 2024.

If you missed out on Bitcoin's rise in 2021, don't worry! There are several alternative coins that offer a second chance for investors. Solana (SOL), Aptos (APT), Sei (SEI), Xai (XAI), and Blur (BLUR) are emerging as potential options for those looking for new opportunities. These coins have unique growth prospects and offer avenues for growth in the crypto market. So if you missed out on Bitcoin's rise, consider exploring these alternative coins for potential returns.

Ripple has filed a response opposing the SEC's request for post-complaint discovery, arguing that the SEC's demands are unreasonable and irrelevant to remedies. The SEC seeks audited financial statements, post-complaint contracts, and information on XRP sales proceeds. Ripple contends that the SEC had the opportunity to request this information earlier and lacks good cause to do so now. Additionally, Ripple highlights that the SEC's demands exceed the allowed interrogatories and could result in lengthy ancillary litigation. The XRP community has commended Ripple's stance, hoping for a favorable resolution to the lawsuit in 2024.

@JefferyKayla "Serenity Shield's focus on decentralized solutions is timely. This messaging feature adds another layer of security for users across web2 and web3 platforms."

Paris, France, January 12th, 2024, Chainwire – Decentralized messaging turns StrongBox® into a comprehensive privacy hub for data storage and communication. With fully encrypted data that is never stored on centralized servers, Serenity Shield creates a service for web2 and web3 users alike. Serenity Shield, a multi-chain project delivering secure data storage and digital inheritance solutions, is releasing a brand-new StrongBox® dApp feature — a decentralized private messaging system. This latest addition to Serenity Shield’s suite of products is designed to eliminate central points of data vulnerability, protecting user data from security breaches and unauthorized access. StrongBox’s® new feature is a direct response to the data leaks widely reported on centralized messaging applications last year, such as when Line messaging app leaked over 300,000 personal data entries. #CoinEx

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BlackRock has reportedly bought a staggering 11,500 Bitcoin from the available supply during the latest dip since the launch of its spot Bitcoin ETF. This amount is significant, considering that only 900 BTC are issued daily. The purchase by BlackRock effectively represents about 13 days’ worth of Bitcoin production being absorbed by a single player. #Bitcoin

@AlexReyes10126 Ongoing legal proceedings against Ripple underscore the intricate and time-consuming nature of resolving legal disputes in the cryptocurrency space, prompting a need for patience among stakeholders.

Court cases Obviously the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has had a pretty active year, with lawsuits against Coinbase, Kraken and Binance/Binance.US over the past 12 months (really the past seven). While the regulator's case against Ripple shows us that it may take a while for these cases to resolve, we'll still start seeing how the courts view the arguments being made. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission will likewise have an interesting role next year. CFTC Chair Rostin Behnam has said on a number of public occasions that he's proud of how many enforcement actions his agency's taken, and that's not likely to let up next year. Beyond that, there's also the national security and criminal cases. USA v. Avi Eisenberg, Roman Storm, Alex Mashinsky, Changpeng Zhao and even Samuel Bankman-Fried (round 2) will see federal prosecutors raise some interesting legal questions for the crypto industry. Bankman-Fried and Zhao both have sentencing hearings coming up in the first half of the new year. Zhao is looking at 10-18 months or so when he's sentenced in late February 2024 after pleading guilty to one charge of violating the Bank Secrecy Act as the former CEO of Binance. Bankman-Fried, of course, faces a much longer sentence after a jury convicted him on seven different charges in early November. He also faces a potential second trial. We may not know for a few more months whether the DOJ intends to proceed on the second trial, which is currently scheduled to begin in early March. If prosecutors move forward, Bankman-Fried's sentencing, currently set for later in March, will probably be delayed.

@dipset446 The implementation of certain provisions in the infrastructure bill signed by President Joe Biden now requires the reporting of digital asset transactions exceeding $10,000 to the IRS, as part of the IRS rules. #Bitcoin #Crypto

IRS rules require reporting data from $10k crypto transactions in 2024 Aspects of the infrastructure bill signed into law by United States President Joe Biden are now in effect — including provisions requiring many digital asset transactions worth more than $10,000 to be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). #Bitcoin #Crypto

China's financial elites are quickly establishing funds to track the recently-introduced CSI A50 Index, as it is deemed to be a more accurate representation of the country's economic terrain and governmental objectives, outweighing conventional stock benchmarks. With its superior alignment to China's economic landscape, this index is expected to garner substantial interest from money managers in the Chinese market.

China money managers rush to create funds tracking new A50 index Chinese money managers are rushing to create funds tracking the newly-launched CSI A50 Index, which analysts say is a better reflection of China's economic landscape and government priorities than the country's stock benchmarks #ForexMarket

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released draft norms for banks regarding the declaration of dividends, specifying the eligibility criteria and guidelines for board oversight. These norms require banks to fulfill the regulatory capital requirements for the past three financial years, including the year for which the dividend is being proposed.

RBI reviews eligibility criteria, board oversight norms for declaration of dividend by banks The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on January 2 issued draft norms on declaration of dividend by banks spelling out the eligibility criteria and guidelines on board oversight. As per this, banks need to meet the applicable regulatory capital requirement for each of the last three financial years including the financial year for which the dividend is proposed. #forextrader

Conor Grogan, the director of Coinbase, takes us on a captivating journey down memory lane, recounting the unforgettable events that unfolded in the year 2023. From the highs to the lows, Grogan shares glimpses of a transformative year, shedding light on some of the most remarkable incidents encountered. Among these, he singles out the crowning jewel – the monumental transaction that reverberated throughout the crypto world, a true testament to the unprecedented potential of Bitcoin and Ethereum. #CryptoRevolution

Coinbase Director Recalls Epic Mega Transaction That Dominated 2023 Conor Grogan, director of Coinbase, recounts some remarkable incidents from the year 2023. In a thread of tweets, the Coinbase director recaps some of 2023's high points, including details on the largest transaction of the year. #BTC #ETH

@vanessavaquiz There is a possibility that the US oil market could find some support within the price range of $69.71 to $69.87, according to the latest analysis on #Futures trading.

US oil may seek support in $69.71-$69.87 range #Futures

@vanessavaquiz In the first trading session of the year, sugar prices experienced gains, with arabica also showing an upward trend.

Sugar gains in the year's 1st trading session, arabica also up #Futures