News
May 28, 2024

Crypto Weekly Digest: Ethereum ETFs Approved, Farewell Kabosu, Algorand Ad Controversy & More

Welcome to this week's edition of Crypto Weekly Digest! ๐Ÿงพ

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Weโ€™ve got a thrilling roundup of the latest happenings in the crypto world, from major regulatory approvals to groundbreaking partnerships and innovative technological advancements. Grab your digital wallets and dive into the hottest news, shaking up the crypto sphere! ๐ŸŒ 

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SEC Greenlights Ethereum ETFs: A Crypto Game Changer! ๐Ÿš€

SEC Greenlights Ethereum ETFs

Hold onto your hats, crypto enthusiasts! The US SEC has just given the thumbs up to not one, not two, but eight Ethereum (ETH) ETFs from major players like BlackRock and Fidelity. ๐Ÿฆ

This monumental approval signals a big win for the crypto industry, hinting at a new wave of acceptance for Ethereum and potentially drawing in more institutional investors. ๐ŸŒ Trading will kick off after a few more regulatory checks, but the excitement is already palpable!

What's the buzz all about? Well, this approval could spark a supply crunch. Big transactions are booming, suggesting a surge in demand. With only 12.78 million ETH sitting on centralized exchanges, investors are bracing for a price jump. ๐Ÿ“Š Analysts predict that institutional interest could pull a whopping $20 billion out of the market, shaking up the supply-demand balance.

Ethereum's on-chain trading volume has hit a two-year peak at $15.98 billion. With growing confidence from institutional investors, we might see some unprecedented market movements. ๐ŸŒŸ This SEC approval is set to flip the crypto game on its head, so buckle up for an exciting ride! ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿ“ˆ

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Farewell to Kabosu

Farewell to Kabosu: The Doge Meme Legend ๐Ÿถโœจ

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Kabosu, the beloved Shiba Inu and the iconic face of the Doge meme and Dogecoin, peacefully passed away at the age of 18.๐Ÿฅบ ย 

Famed for her adorably skeptical yet curious expression, Kabosu won hearts across the globe and became a cornerstone of internet culture. But she was more than just a meme; she was a symbol of community spirit and sparked numerous charitable initiatives.

The crypto community and fans worldwide are coming together to share tributes, celebrating the extraordinary life of a pup who truly made internet history. ๐Ÿ’– So much wow, so much love. Farewell, Kabosu, you will always be our Doge. ๐ŸŒŸ

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Algorand Spices Things Up with a Sassy Ad Dissing Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana ๐ŸŒถ๏ธ

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In a bold move, the Algorand Foundation released a cheeky ad that pokes fun at the "big three" crypto networksโ€”Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solanaโ€”claiming they're too slow, too costly, or prone to failure. The ad, featuring frustrated shoppers at a supermarket checkout, contrasts these issues with Algorand's speedy and low-fee transactions. ๐Ÿ“ธ

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Not everyone is amused, though. Critics argue that this negative marketing could backfire by leaving a bad impression of crypto in general. Meanwhile, others found the ad hilarious and a clever jab at the competition. Love it or hate it, Algorand has everyone talking! ๐Ÿ’ฌ

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According to their website, on Algorand, blocks are produced every 3.3 seconds and can hold up to 25,000 transactions, which results in a throughput of about 7,500 transactions per second (7500 TPS).

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Fantom Unveils Sonic Chain: Speeding Up the Crypto World!

Fantom Foundation has just dropped a bombshell with the unveiling of the Sonic Foundation, ready to launch their brand-new Sonic Chain. ๐ŸŒ CEO Michael Kong is hyped, and for good reasonโ€”Sonic aims to turbocharge industries like DeFi, payments, and gaming with its lightning-fast and high-throughput capabilities. โšก๏ธ

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Picture this: Sonic will feature a shiny new layer-1 solution paired with a built-in layer-2 bridge to Ethereum. This means users can zip through Ethereumโ€™s vast ecosystem like never before. Fantomโ€™s unique consensus model boasts a finality time of just 1-2 seconds per block, making it a real game-changer for high-transaction applications. Keep your eyes peeledโ€”this one's set to shake things up big time! ๐Ÿฅณ

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Curious about DeFi? Dive deeper with our ย blog post. ๐Ÿ“š

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Ready, set, Sonic! ๐Ÿš€

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Open Libra: Shaking Up Blockchain with Community Spirit!

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Get ready for a breath of fresh air in the crypto world! Open Libra is here to revolutionize blockchain, setting humanist values front and center instead of corporate interests. ๐ŸŒฑ Originally a fork of Facebook's Libra project, Open Libra aims to build a permissionless, open-source platform free from venture capitalist pressures. ๐Ÿ’ผ

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Contributor Zaki Manian highlights that the project prioritizes long-term growth and community involvement, with 80% of the network locked in slow wallets that nonprofits like the Danish Red Cross hold. By treating blockchain assets as votes, Open Libra empowers its community to shape its future, creating a platform that tells better stories and serves humanity. ๐Ÿ—ณ๏ธโœจ

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StarkWare's ZKThreads: The Hero Blockchain Needs? ๐Ÿฆธโ€โ™‚๏ธ

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StarkWare has introduced ZKThreads, a new scaling framework designed to prevent fund lockups and enhance the scalability of decentralized applications (DApps). ๐Ÿ—๏ธ According to Louis Guthmann, head of product/market strategy, this tech could avert disasters like the FTX fiasco by ensuring users can keep trading even if a centralized exchange goes down. ๐Ÿ”„

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ZKThreads aims to unify fragmented systems by creating a standardized, easily verified environment for DApps. This innovation builds on StarkWareโ€™s fractal scaling vision, promoting a secure and seamless integration of applications with horizontal scaling. ๐ŸŒ This breakthrough could revolutionize how we build and trust DApps, ensuring efficiency and safety in the crypto world. ๐Ÿš€ In related news, the New York Attorney General secured a $2 billion settlement with Genesis for defrauded investors. This settlement, part of a lawsuit addressing fraudulent activities related to the Gemini Earn program, marks a significant step in regulating the crypto industry and protecting investors. ๐ŸŒ

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StarkWareโ€™s innovative ZKThreads and the substantial legal victory for crypto investors highlight the ongoing evolution and regulation in the blockchain world. ๐Ÿš€

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Diamonds Are Forever... and Now Theyโ€™re Digital! ๐Ÿค‘ ๐Ÿ’Ž

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Shine bright like a diamond, crypto fans! Diamond Standard Co. has just rolled out CARATS, an innovative blockchain payment system thatโ€™s literally sparkling with potential. ๐Ÿ’ Imagine trading, transferring, or cashing out diamond tokens that are backed by actual physical gems embedded in coins and bars. Talk about a gem of an idea!

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This glittering approach dodges regulatory hurdles faced by traditional payment systems and crypto exchanges by shifting receipts for a physical commodity instead of functioning as a cryptocurrency. ๐Ÿš€

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Unlike Elon Musk's X platform, which needs numerous money transmitter licenses, CARATS offers a streamlined and secure way to facilitate global payments and wealth transfers. Sparkle on, crypto world! ๐Ÿ’Žโœจ

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Chainlink and Arta TechFin Tokenize Real Estate: The Future of Property Deals! ๐ŸŒ

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Chainlink is teaming up with Hong Kong's Arta TechFin to bring real-world assets like real estate onto the blockchain. ๐Ÿข Tokenizing assets could revolutionize markets by making traditionally illiquid assets like real estate electronically tradeable. ๐Ÿš€

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Chainlinkโ€™s real-time price feeds and CCIP protocol enable seamless asset transfer between chains, tackling the inefficiencies of traditional real estate transactions, which can take 30 to 60 days. This partnership aims to simplify and expedite these processes, making asset trading faster and more accessible. ๐ŸŒŸ

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Bitcoin Developers Dive into DeFi: The Next Crypto Revolution? ๐ŸŒ

Bitcoin Developers Dive into DeFi

Bitcoin developers are venturing into decentralized finance (DeFi) to enhance Bitcoinโ€™s programmability and compete with Ethereum. ๐Ÿ”ง Innovations like Layer 2 networks, Runes, BRC-20 tokens, and software upgrades aim to transform Bitcoin from โ€œdigital goldโ€ into a versatile platform. ๐ŸŒŸ

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Toby Lewis, co-founder of the Ordinals project, believes Bitcoinโ€™s DeFi ecosystem could grow to trillions in market cap, driving significant crypto growth. ๐Ÿš€ Currently, Bitcoinโ€™s total value locked (TVL) is $1.137 billion.

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Traditionally, Bitcoin has been seen as a store of value with limited functionality. However, developers are closing this gap. Layer 2 networks like Lightning improve scalability and transaction speed. Runes enable more complex transactions, allowing developers to build decentralized applications (dApps) directly on Bitcoin. BRC-20 tokens allow for the creation and Trading of fungible tokens, paving the way for various DeFi applications.

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Despite challenges, these innovations are committed to making Bitcoin more adaptable and functional. As Bitcoin evolves into a more dynamic asset, its role in the crypto ecosystem could expand significantly, driving the future of digital finance. ๐ŸŒ

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Cristiano Ronaldo Launches 4th NFT Collection Amid Legal Battle ๐Ÿ’Ž

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The one and only Cristiano Ronaldo is set to kick off his fourth NFT collection with Binance on May 29. This new drop is all about celebrating his legendary football career, featuring jaw-dropping highlights and unforgettable moments. ๐Ÿ†

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Despite being in the middle of a $1 billion lawsuit over previous NFT sales, Ronaldo is charging forward with his latest digital venture.

Each "Normal NFT" will have the same price, while the "Super Rare NFT" will have a different pricing. This launch continues Ronaldo's venture into the digital realm, offering fans unique memorabilia and exclusive experiences. ๐Ÿš€

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So, lace up your boots and get ready to dive into the digital realm with CR7โ€™s newest collection. Game on! โšฝ๏ธโœจ

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Tech Titans Unite to Tackle Online Fraud! ๐Ÿ’ป

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Coinbase, along with Meta, Ripple, Gemini, Kraken, Match Group, and GASO, has launched the 'Tech Against Scams' initiative to combat online fraud. This coalition aims to protect users and educate the public about the pervasive issue of scams across various tech platforms.

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By sharing best practices and threat intelligence, these industry leaders are working together to disrupt financial scams and safeguard consumers. With global financial scam losses hitting $1.4 trillion annually, this initiative marks a significant step towards a safer digital world. ๐Ÿš€๐Ÿ”’

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Scarlett Johansson vs. OpenAI: The Battle Over AI Voices! ๐Ÿค–

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Grab your popcorn, folks, because Hollywood drama just met high-tech controversy!

The glamorous Scarlett Johansson is gearing up for a legal showdown against OpenAI. The star claims that OpenAI's chatbot, Sky, is using a voice suspiciously similar to hers, despite her saying "no, thank you." The voice, she argues, mirrors her iconic role in the 2013 film "Her," and sheโ€™s not happy about it. ๐ŸŽฌ๐Ÿ”ฅ

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Following the uproar, OpenAI has paused the use of Sky's voice, claiming it was never intended to resemble Johanssonโ€™s and was cast from different voice talent. Nevertheless, Johansson's legal team is pushing for transparency and better protection against the misuse of celebrity likenesses in AI, highlighting the need for new legislation in this rapidly evolving tech landscape. ๐ŸŒŸโš–๏ธ

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Marathon Digital and Kenya Partner for Green Energy Revolution! ๐ŸŒฟ

Marathon Digital and Kenya Partner for Green Energy Revolution

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Marathon Digital Holdings has teamed up with Kenya's Ministry of Energy and Petroleum to optimize renewable energy projects. This partnership, guided by a Joint Steering Committee, aims to harness surplus energy from intermittent and seasonal sources, boosting Kenya's economy and attracting over $80 million in foreign investments. ๐ŸŒŸ

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Marathon's CEO, Fred Thiel, emphasizes their commitment to sustainable growth and innovative energy solutions. This collaboration marks Marathonโ€™s first direct government partnership, highlighting their expanding global presence in sustainable energy. โšก๏ธ๐ŸŒฑ

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News Corp and OpenAI Join Forces: Elevating Digital Journalism! ๐ŸŒ

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News Corp and OpenAI have struck a groundbreaking multi-year partnership to bring reliable news content to OpenAI's platform. ๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ

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This agreement allows OpenAI access to current and archived content from major News Corp publications like The Wall Street Journal and MarketWatch, ensuring users can make informed decisions based on trusted sources. ๐Ÿ“Š

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Additionally, News Corp will share journalistic expertise to maintain high standards in OpenAIโ€™s offerings. Both companies express excitement about this collaboration, aiming to set new benchmarks for digital journalism. ๐Ÿš€

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SoftServe and Continental Drive Digital Innovation in the Automotive Industry! ๐Ÿš€

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SoftServe and Continental have teamed up to enhance automotive digitalization using OpenUSD and generative AI. ๐ŸŒŸ Their collaboration has led to the development of Industrial Co-Pilot, a virtual agent designed to optimize maintenance workflows for engineers.

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By integrating OpenUSD on the NVIDIA Omniverse platform, they enable seamless, efficient operations with immersive 3D visualization. This innovative solution is expected to boost productivity and reduce downtime by 10%, showcasing the power of AI in revolutionizing automotive manufacturing. ๐Ÿ› ๏ธโœจ

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OKX Delays STARL and ANT Trading Pair Delisting! โณ

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Crypto exchange OKX has postponed the delisting of STARL/USDT and ANT/USDT margin trading pairs and perpetual futures, originally set for May 27, 2024. ๐Ÿ“…

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The new delisting dates will be announced later, allowing traders more time to adjust. OKX warns users to repay borrowings to avoid forced repayment and potential losses. Additionally, the discount rates for both STARL and ANT have been adjusted to 0 for all tiers, reflecting the dynamic nature of the crypto market.

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Cryptos Revolutionize Forex Trading! ๐Ÿš€

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Cryptocurrencies are shaking up the forex trading world by offering fast, secure, and anonymous transactions. โšก Bitcoin and Ethereum are increasingly accepted by forex brokers, providing quick settlements and lower costs without intermediary banks. ๐ŸŒ

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However, regulatory challenges and the infamous volatility of cryptos pose risks. Despite these hurdles, the integration of blockchain technology and crypto wallets into forex platforms is streamlining processes and enhancing user experience, paving the way for future growth in the industry. ๐Ÿ“ˆ

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That's all for this week's Crypto Weekly Digest!

Stay tuned for more updates and keep an eye on the evolving landscape of cryptocurrency. Whether it's regulatory changes, technological innovations, or iconic figures making headlines, weโ€™ll keep you informed. Until next time, happy trading, and may your crypto journey be ever prosperous! ๐Ÿš€๐Ÿ”’

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May 28, 2024