BTC ETF Speculation Reaches New Heights As Google Allows Crypto Ads

A recent report by Aspen Digital indicates that 76% of private wealth in Asia has engaged with digital assets, with an additional 18% intending to invest in the future. Interest in digital assets has surged since a 2022 survey conducted by the Hong Kong-based wealth management platform, which revealed that only 58% of respondents had explored this space.

Renewed Enthusiasm

The report gathered insights via 80 family offices and high-net-worth individuals across Asia, primarily managing assets between $10 million and $500 million. Among those already investing in cryptocurrencies, 70% have dedicated less than 5% of their portfolios to digital assets, although some have raised their allocations to over 10% in 2024.

The attraction to blockchain-based technological benefits is evident, with two-thirds of participants expressing interest in decentralized finance (DeFi) and 61% showing enthusiasm for artificial intelligence and decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN). Aspen Digital also highlighted that respondents are generally optimistic about Bitcoin for the rest of 2024, with 31% forecasting a price of $100,000 by year-end.

Growing Interest

The recent approval of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) has enhanced interest in digital assets among Asian investors, as 53% of participants are now exposed through funds or ETFs. This trend mirrors global shifts noted in the recent Global Crypto Hedge Fund Report by AIMA and PwC.

Their survey of nearly 100 hedge funds managing a combined $124.5 billion reported an increase in crypto exposure to 47% in 2024, driven by clearer regulations and the introduction of crypto ETFs in the United States and Asia. Spot Bitcoin ETFs began trading in the US in January 2024, followed by the launch of spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs in Hong Kong in April.

World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a newly launched DeFi token backed by Donald Trump, kicked off with impressive momentum, generating $5 million within its first hour. Nevertheless, the initiative has encountered technical challenges that have hindered its operations.

These issues have also raised doubts among the crypto community, particularly due to the former United States President himself being notably absent during the launch in addition to the timing of the launch as it is very close to the upcoming election.

Long Term Viability

Initially, WLFI was available exclusively to whitelisted investors, aiming to raise $300 million in its first round. Despite strong interest, the debut of the token was marred by operational setbacks, including a website crash and transaction issues affecting ongoing sales. These technical hurdles, along with Trump being absent, have led to worries regarding the longevity of the project alongside its capacity to fulfill its commitments.

Various crypto leaders and experts have additionally expressed skepticism about what kind of technical strategy the project seems to be adopting. Manuel Ferrari, Co-Founder of Money On Chain, suggested that many investors might find greater value in Bitcoin (BTC) instead of participating in the Trump-themed DeFi venture.

Optimistically Cautious

Access to sales was limited, as the initial round catered solely to accredited investors, defined by the SEC as individuals with a net worth over $1 million or an annual income of $200,000. Even with this exclusivity, World Liberty faced difficulties in managing these sales efficiently, further questioning the readiness of the project.

Currently, the World Liberty website remains down, yet on-chain data shows that staggered transactions continue to be processed. It is uncertain whether these technical issues will persist, but the strong interest in WLFI indicates a sustained demand, even as the crypto community approaches the initiative with caution.

The competition between the leading meme coin, Dogecoin (DOGE), and its rival, Shiba Inu (SHIB), is heating up. Shiba Inu Chief Marketer, Lucie, has hinted that SHIB might soon outshine DOGE, especially with the backing of companies like DeLorean Motors, which has teased accepting SHIB payments for its upcoming electric vehicles. This comes as Tesla, led by Elon Musk, continues to champion Dogecoin.

Copying Tesla

In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), DeLorean Motors suggested they might incorporate SHIB as a payment option, playfully referencing how Tesla has implemented similar support for DOGE. This sparked excitement within the crypto community, particularly among Shiba Inu fans.

Lucie believes that if DeLorean adopts SHIB, it could drive significant growth for the coin, positioning it as a serious contender against Dogecoin, something which the SHIB community has wanted for a long time.

A Big Deal

The rivalry is further intensified by the involvement of major car brands like Tesla and DeLorean. If DeLorean copies Tesla and actually accepts SHIB, it could transform the meme coin landscape. The kind of optimism shared by Lucie is also infectious, as she argues that this move would not only boost the value of SHIB but also greatly expand its global reach.

While the integration of SHIB at DeLorean remains speculative, there is excitement nonetheless. The potential acceptance of SHIB by DeLorean Motors is stirring interest in the crypto world, and if it happens, it could be a pivotal moment for Shiba Inu, giving it a real chance to eclipse Dogecoin for the very first time in its history.

At the Miami Ripple Swell 2024 conference, Ripple unveiled exciting news about RLUSD, its upcoming dollar-pegged stablecoin, alongside new exchange partners and market makers. The news comes after the company previously announced it would be utilizing XRP to expand cross border payment services earlier in the year.

Sheila Bair, former FDIC Chair, and David Puth, ex-CEO of CENTRE Consortium, have joined the advisory board for RLUSD. The stablecoin is operationally ready and is currently awaiting regulatory approval by the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS).

Seamless Transactions

Various Ripple partners, including Bitstamp, Bitso, and MoonPay, will facilitate the distribution of RLUSD, while market makers B2C2 and Keyrock will enhance liquidity across global markets. The stablecoin will initially operate on the XRP Ledger and Ethereum, allowing seamless transactions between fiat and digital currencies.

CEO Brad Garlinghouse envisions RLUSD as a leading stablecoin for enterprise applications, essential for cross-border payments and asset tokenization. This move aligns with a broader strategy by Ripple to bridge traditional finance and blockchain technology, building on its existing network that spans over 90 markets and has processed $70 billion in transactions.

Compliance And Safety

In a related development, Garlinghouse recently announced that Ripple has officially acquired Standard Custody, reinforcing its commitment to compliance. RLUSD aims to simplify crypto-to-fiat conversions and support real-world asset tokenization, providing a secure gateway for users to engage with digital finance without price volatility concerns.

With a focus on compliance, RLUSD is issued under a New York Trust Company Charter and will be backed by dollar deposits and U.S. Treasuries. After a significant victory over the United States SEC, Ripple plans to maintain transparency through monthly independent audits of its reserves while also ensuring responsible innovation and consumer protection.

Hyperliquid, a decentralized exchange specializing in perpetual derivative trading, is set to introduce its new HYPE tokens ahead of the HyperEVM mainnet launch. The Hyper Foundation shared this news on X, highlighting a potential airdrop where eligible users can choose to receive HYPE tokens and a Hypurr NFT during the initial distribution.

Additionally, Hyperliquid saw its daily transaction volumes recently surpass $1 billion, highlighting the excitement surrounding the upcoming token distribution.

A Key Role

The introduction of the HYPE token will coincide with user anticipation for the HyperEVM mainnet launch. The Hyper Foundation stated that this new token will play a vital role in the Hyper BFT proof-of-stake consensus mechanism and the ongoing development of HyperEVM.

In its announcement, the foundation mentioned that as part of the Genesis distribution, qualifying users can opt to receive HYPE tokens and a Hypurr NFT to celebrate the imminent HyperEVM mainnet release. They urged users to review and accept all Genesis event conditions on their website by November 11th, 2024, to be eligible for any new tokens.

Robust Liquidity

The Hyper Foundation praised Hyperliquid and its order books for providing the deepest and most robust liquidity across a wide range of assets. They believe that the launch of HyperEVM will enhance overall liquidity and various native financial tools, making finance both efficient and accessible.

Hyperliquid already facilitates perpetual derivatives trading by aggregating liquidity via multiple sources and offers several native tokens on its Layer 1 application-specific blockchain. As of April 16th, Hyperliquid began spot trading for the inaugural HIP-1, making its native token PURR available. At that time, it announced that approximately 50% of the total cumulative supply would be airdropped to holders, while the remainder would support the PURR/USDC liquidity pool.

Ethereum (ETH) co-founder Vitalik Buterin has introduced a major update to the PoS (Proof-of-Stake) consensus system which the blockchain utilizes, advocating for a reduction in the validator lockup requirement to just 1 ETH compared to 32 ETH. This proposal is part of various alternative strategies aimed at improving the overall efficiency and user experience within the Ethereum ecosystem for 2024 and beyond.

Buterin argues that lowering the minimum stake to 1 ETH would address the barriers preventing more individuals when it comes to solo staking, thus promoting democratization of the staking process and enhancing the overall decentralization of Ethereum.

Solving Affordability Issues

Currently, the 32 ETH requirement for becoming a validator is intended to maintain a balance among security, decentralization, and operational costs. However, Buterin believes this high threshold hinders smaller participants and solo stakers who wish to help secure the network but find the substantial lockup unaffordable.

By decreasing the threshold to just 1 ETH, the entry barrier would be significantly lowered, inviting more solo stakers to engage with the network and potentially reducing staking centralization. Buterin envisions this change aligning with the long-term goal of being more accessible to a diverse user base.

One challenge associated with this threshold reduction is ensuring efficiency without overloading the network. Buterin noted that increasing the number of validators could slow down finality or elevate operational costs for running a node.

Enhancing User Experience

To tackle the aforementioned issues, Buterin also introduced the idea of single-slot finality, which would expedite block confirmations, cutting finalization times to approximately 12 seconds as compared to the current timeframe of 15 minutes. This improvement would enhance user experience while preserving security, even with a larger validator pool.

The Ethereum community has long discussed the accessibility of staking. Many solo stakers have voiced their dissatisfaction with the 32 ETH requirement, and the proposal might be transformative in empowering smaller contributors. Nonetheless, implementing this change will necessitate thorough testing and research to ensure that overall stability remains intact.

The United States Department of Justice (DoJ) has initiated a crackdown on fraud within the meme coin market, which is primarily aimed at key players to restore trust in the sector and safeguard investors against manipulative practices.

Currently, the meme coin market is among the fastest-growing segments in all of crypto, boasting a market value exceeding $47 billion as of October 10th. Most recently, NEIRO, a popular meme coin on Ethereum (ETH) known for its vibrant online community, experienced a remarkable rise of over 40% in just 24 hours. 

Rife With Fraud

Leading coins such as Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, and Pepe dominate this space, with significant trading volumes and valuations. Despite its rapid expansion, the meme coin sector is rife with fraudulent activities. Recently, the DoJ targeted four cryptocurrency companies and 14 individuals engaged in illicit trading operations, recovering over $25 million in crypto assets and highlighting the manipulation prevalent in the market.

One of those implicated was Aleksei Andriunin of GoBit, a prominent market maker for meme coins. GoBit and others faced allegations of wash trading, a method employed to fabricate market activity and deceive investors. Such market manipulation is prohibited in the US and various other countries. By artificially inflating trading volume, these firms misled traders, leading to substantial financial losses.

A Long Way To Go

Some analysts, including those at Santiment, view the actions taken by the DoJ as a beneficial move for the industry. They argue that eliminating manipulative entities like GoBit could enhance market confidence in the future, signaling that deceptive tactics will face consequences and potentially attracting cautious investors.

While short-term confidence might wane, the long-term prospects for meme coins could improve with greater transparency and reduced manipulation. Should GoBit re-enter the market, it is likely to operate more transparently, fostering a fairer trading environment for all participants.

Chinese researchers recently claimed to have successfully breached encryption algorithms used in banking and cryptocurrency with a quantum computer. Led by Wang Chao at Shanghai University, the team utilized a technique called quantum annealing to target algorithms like Present, Gift-64, and Rectangle, all of which are foundational to the advanced encryption standards (AES) that secure crypto wallets.

A Significant Threat

AES-256 is considered one of the most secure encryption methods, but experts warn that quantum computing could soon challenge this status, threatening established password protections. Wang and his team likened their approach to an AI algorithm that optimizes solutions on a global scale. Unlike traditional algorithms that explore every option, quantum tunneling allows particles to pass through barriers, enabling quantum computers to find solutions more efficiently.

This is the first time a true quantum computer poses a significant threat to full-scale SPN structured algorithms currently in use, the team stated. As quantum computing looms as a concern for the crypto industry, it raises fears of exposing user funds to theft at unprecedented speeds.

Still Some Limitations

While the breakthrough is significant, researchers noted that various limitations, such as environmental factors and hardware constraints, currently prevent a full-scale quantum attack. They also confirmed that the attack did not reveal specific passwords but achieved greater gains than before.

The findings were published in The Chinese Journal of Computers through The China Computer Federation on September 30th. Ethereum (ETH) co-founder Vitalik Buterin has suggested a potential remedy, proposing a hard fork of the blockchain to mitigate future quantum risks, which could be implemented swiftly to protect user funds.

Fission Labs raised $1.60M in Pre-Seed funding with support by Kraynos Capital. Fission is a DeFi application built for venture capital products on Ethereum. It integrates tokenization, trading, lending, and automated liquidity provisioning into a simple, end-to-end solution.

AiGO Network secured an undisclosed amount in Strategic funding with Waterdrip Capital providing assistance. AiGO Network is an AI-powered, decentralized platform designed to address challenges in urban mobility by capturing mobility data and encouraging community contributions.

Ithaca raised $20M in Undisclosed funding with support by Paradigm. Ithaca is a project focused on building a Layer 2 blockchain solution to enhance scalability and efficiency in decentralized networks while also providing faster and more efficient transactions without compromising security.

PiP World obtained $10M in Seed funding with help by Exinity. PiP World is a Web3 gaming and educational ecosystem designed to make financial markets education engaging and accessible. It has also launched a tapping game called Gold Rush on Telegram Messenger.

Infinitar secured $9M in Series A Funding with assistance by AccelByte. Infinitar is an integrated Moba game that combines team competition, NFT collection, game asset trading, and a social system, aimed at providing an unprecedented Web3 gaming experience.

Apex Fusion acquired $6M in Undisclosed funding. Apex Fusion is a multi-chain Layer-1 network that aims to provide a seamless experience for blockchain builders and developers by combining the transaction execution methods of UTXO and EVM into a single decentralized ecosystem.

Yala Finance raised $8M in Seed funding with help by Polychain Capital. Yala Finance leverages the Yala modular infrastructure to offer a lending protocol enabling users to borrow over-collateralized stablecoins ($YU) by depositing BTC or UTXO assets.

Solv Protocol secured $11M in Strategic funding with assistance by Blockchain Capital. Solv is a decentralized platform focused on providing liquidity and yield infrastructure for digital assets. It offers products like SolvBTC, which allows users to earn DeFi yield and participate in cross-chain point farming.

Scallop obtained an undisclosed amount in Strategic funding with support by Sui Foundation. By emphasizing institutional-grade quality, enhanced composability, and robust security, Scallop is dedicated to building a dynamic money market that offers high-interest lending, low-fee borrowing, AMM, and digital asset self-administration tool on a unified platform.

Trendies raised $1.75M in Pre-Seed funding with help by Archetype Ventures Inc.. Trendies is the first launchpad built for holders, where holders are rewarded for being active in their communities.

After several days of disappointing price movements, bulls seem to be making a comeback. The cryptocurrency market experienced an increase of nearly $70 billion in total capitalization over the last 24 hours. This surge coincided with Bitcoin (BTC) showing a significant recovery, rising to $63,000. 

Bitcoin Recovers
Just a few days prior, Bitcoin had fallen below $60,000, briefly dipping under $59,000. Fortunately, bulls reacted swiftly, orchestrating an impressive rally that reached about $63,400 earlier today. Although the price has since retraced slightly, BTC still recorded a 3.4% increase over the last day.

It is important to highlight that Bitcoin has outperformed the other top 10 cryptocurrencies by market cap, which also saw around $120 million in liquidated leveraged positions, mostly short positions. Sentiment has significantly improved compared to yesterday, currently sitting at a neutral stance, up 17 points today.

Altcoins on the Rise
Altcoins are thriving, with all trading in the green. Notable cryptocurrencies like ETH, BNB, SOL, XRP, DOGE, TRX, TONCOIN, and ADA are experiencing modest gains ranging between 0.5% to 3%. Bitcoin has managed to surpass all of these.

One of the standout performers today is NEIRO on ETH, a popular meme coin known for its vibrant online community, which experienced a remarkable rise of over 40% in just 24 hours. Overall, WhiteBIT Coin (WBT) ranks as the second-best performer among the top 100, up nearly 30%, followed closely by Ethenea (ENA), which has increased by 25%. Conversely, Uniswap (UN) is down 2% today, although it has gained 17% over the past week.

Other Markets

Chinese economists express a desire for more decisive action to combat deflation, as the finance minister has not specified the expected fiscal stimulus amount. Despite this lack of new measures, efforts are underway to reassure investors. Inflation in China has come in lower than anticipated, and factory prices are decreasing. Key insights emerge as China reveals strategies aimed at revitalizing the economy and addressing the housing crisis.

Meanwhile, the European Central Bank plans to implement an unexpected rate cut, intensifying global easing. SpaceX has secured approval sooner than anticipated to launch its fifth Starship and is starting to feel pressure due to rising competition.

Reports indicate that the U.S. anticipates Israel will target Iranian military and energy facilities. Additionally, Iraq acknowledges it produced below its OPEC+ oil quota last month. In the electric vehicle sector, significant disagreements persist between China and the EU regarding EV tariffs, following eight rounds of discussions in Brussels that have yet to yield an agreement.

A man under home detention for his alleged role in a $180 million cryptocurrency fraud scheme is reportedly evading capture after tampering with his ankle monitor, according to New York prosecutors.

Horst Jicha, the former CEO of the alleged crypto mining and trading firm USI-Tech, is thought to have altered his ankle bracelet on October 4th and subsequently violated his pretrial conditions by going on the run, as detailed in a court filing dated October 10th.

The Hunt Is Afoot

Pretrial Services informed the authorities about 12 hours after the monitor attached to Jicha stopped functioning, quickly pursuing an arrest warrant for the fugitive. Jicha, a German citizen, was apprehended on December 23rd, 2023, in Miami, Florida, after returning to the United States for the first time in over five years for a vacation. He had left the U.S. in 2018 following cease-and-desist letters issued by US officials.

He was placed under home detention in New York on a $5 million bond secured by his domestic partner and children, as reported by CNBC on October 11th. John Marzulli, a spokesperson for the Brooklyn United States Attorney Office, stated that an active investigation is ongoing to locate him.

The 64-year-old also surrendered his German passport in December, complicating any attempts to escape abroad. His trial was set for March 31st, where he faces multiple charges related to securities fraud and money laundering connected to USI-Tech.

Alleged Fraud

Prosecutors allege that Jicha assured investors a daily return of 1% on their investments through participation in various mining and trading operations related to USI-Tech. Authorities claim that 1,774 BTC and 28,589 ETH, valued at over $180 million, are unaccounted for in the alleged fraud scheme, with the funds reportedly sent to a crypto exchange deposit address controlled by Jicha.

USI-Tech was said to have been established in Europe in May 2017 before being aggressively marketed to U.S. investors a few months later. Following increased regulatory scrutiny, the firm shut down on January 8th, 2018, citing misleading remarks by investors regarding its products, which left investors unable to withdraw funds via the platform.

Singapore, October 10, 2024 Libra Capital is pleased to announce the addition of David Lim, a seasoned professional with over two decades of investment banking, hospitality, and IT experience.  This strategic addition enhances the capabilities of the firm when it comes to delivering value to its current portfolio and investors while simultaneously expanding its reach in the Real World Assets (RWA) and tokenization sectors.

David brings a robust background that spans over two decades in traditional finance, encompassing corporate finance, capital markets, and mergers and acquisitions. He is now pivoting towards the transformative opportunities presented by blockchain and Web3 technologies.

Moreover, throughout his career, David has advised on a diverse range of deals across hospitality, technology, and real estate sectors, and he will now focus on driving innovation within Web3 by identifying and supporting emerging projects. 

"As Web3 evolves and increasingly shapes the world, I am excited to leverage my experience in RWA to drive the tokenization of assets to unlock new financial and ownership models", said David. The potential for blockchain and DeFi applications to transform industries is immense and David wants to contribute toward the continued success of Libra Capital in this space. 

"We are excited to welcome David to our team as we continue to deepen our commitment to blockchain and Web3 ventures", said Kanny Lee, Co-Founder of Libra Capital, before adding that his extensive experience in RWA will be invaluable as the team continues to drive growth for the company.

 About Libra Capital

Libra Capital is a leading fintech and Web3 venture capital firm focused on accelerating innovation in the decentralized economy. With deep roots and a strong track record in TradeFi and fintech, the firm consistently invests in blockchain startups and decentralized applications that are transforming industries globally.

For more information and updates, visit the official website and X (Twitter) account of Libra Capital.