PancakeSwap ($CAKE) plans to redirect unclaimed ZK tokens back into its ecosystem for future development and community initiatives. The popular multi-chain DEX (decentralized exchange) has launched a significant community reward program running between July 5th to August 5th.

A Significant Airdrop

As part of the initiative, PancakeSwap will distribute more than 2.45 million zkSync (ZK) tokens to community members as a gesture of appreciation for their support since the zkSync PancakeSwap deployment in July 2023. The airdrop aims to reward both long-time contributors and new participants active on PancakeSwap.

According to the official blog post, veCAKE holders and previous contributors can participate in the airdrop. Eligible users must connect their wallet to the PancakeSwap platform homepage and follow the instructions in the pop-up notification to claim the ZK tokens. Meanwhile, any ZK tokens that go unclaimed will be redirected to the PancakeSwap ecosystem for future development and community projects.

Showing Gratitude

The PancakeSwap team noted significant advancements since its launch on zkSync Era, an Ethereum Layer-2 network last summer. During this time, PancakeSwap introduced key features like seamless Swaps, Yield Farming, Prediction Markets, Fiat On-Ramp, Position Manager, and Syrup Pools. These efforts have propelled PancakeSwap to exceed $3 billion in trading volume, hold many millions in total value locked (TVL), and serve over 1.9 million traders.

According to a representative, PancakeSwap remains dedicated to nurturing a vibrant community and rewarding users for their loyalty to the platform. The ZK token airdrop further demonstrates this gratitude for the support and engagement of the community members. Lastly, the exchange encourages active participation in this opportunity to benefit via the airdrop and continue shaping the future of DeFi with PancakeSwap.

Solana (SOL) currently shows a negative trend, but remains one of the top performers in the crypto space. Over the past year, SOL, the native currency of the Solana ecosystem, surged more than 15 times in value, swiftly rising to fifth place in cryptocurrency rankings, surpassing XRP, ADA, and even popular meme coins like DOGE and SHIB.

Huge Numbers

GSOL, the Grayscale Solana Trust, is experiencing significant trading activity with a notable 650% premium over its Net Asset Value (NAV). This surge in premium is attributed to the introduction of spot Solana exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the US and Canada, according to Jamie Coutts, Chief Crypto Analyst at Real Vision.

The NAV premium for GSOL reflects the total value of SOL held by the trust divided by the number of GSOL shares outstanding. This premium indicates that investors are willing to pay a higher price for SOL through GSOL shares due to limited availability compared to freely tradable SOL on exchanges like Binance or Coinbase.

Excitement Builds

Anticipation is mounting around potential spot Solana ETFs in the US and Canada, which could outperform Bitcoin and Ethereum in the upcoming months. Despite the filing by VanEck and 21Shares, approval by the stringent US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) remains uncertain due to regulatory complexities.

Crypto ETFs) have become popular because they offer traditional investors a convenient way to enter the cryptocurrency market without directly buying and managing digital assets. These funds comply with regulatory standards, providing oversight that institutional investors require while allowing for diversified exposure across multiple cryptocurrencies or sectors within the crypto market.

By trading on established stock exchanges, ETFs also enhance liquidity and appeal to institutional investors looking for structured, regulated investment options. Overall, they facilitate broader participation in cryptocurrencies and contribute to market stability and transparency.

Joana Cotar, a member of the German Federal Parliament, has voiced strong criticism against the local government recently deciding to liquidate Bitcoin holdings. Cotar argues that this move has heightened market volatility and could potentially harm the long-term prospects of the cryptocurrency market.

Advocating For Bitcoin

Cotar advocates for treating Bitcoin as a strategic national reserve rather than selling it off hastily. The Bitcoins in question were seized via the illegal platform Movie2k.to, amounting to approximately 50,000 BTC.

She believes that integrating Bitcoin into local treasury assets could diversify investments, provide a hedge against inflation, and foster technological innovation. Cotar contends that further sales of Bitcoin by the government are imprudent and could work against Germaninterests. In a letter addressed to four German politicians, Cotar invites them to an upcoming event titled Bitcoin Strategies for Nation States in October, aiming to shift their perspectives on the flagship crypto.

An Informed Opinion

To promote understanding and support for Bitcoin within the German parliament, Cotar initiated the Bitcoin in the Bundestag program. This initiative seeks to educate fellow lawmakers on the various benefits of Bitcoin in order to try and facilitate informed decision-making.

While emphasizing the need to address risks such as money laundering and tax evasion associated with Bitcoin, Cotar advocates for regulatory measures that do not stifle innovation or privacy. She has been vocal about distinguishing Bitcoin compared to other cryptocurrencies and has criticized plans for a digital euro by the European Central Bank, asserting its lack of necessity.

DWF Labs, a market maker and Web3 investment firm, has introduced the $20 million Cloudbreak Fund to bolster projects and founders within Chinese-speaking regions. The Cloudbreak Fund aims to support ventures across sectors such as gaming, social finance, meme coins, derivatives, and Layer-1 or Layer-2 blockchain technologies.

DWF Labs remains a steadfast advocate for the Web3 industry during market fluctuations. To underscore this commitment, they are launching the $20 million USD Cloudbreak Fund to empower promising projects.

International Expansion

Chinese-speaking regions encompass Hong Kong, China, Macao, Taiwan, and Singapore. The intersection of gaming and finance presents ripe opportunities for innovation, leveraging blockchain technology to revolutionize monetization and enrich gaming experiences.

DWF Labs has invested $5 million in LADY DWF Labs has a strong history of investments in the Web3 sector. One recent notable investment is in the Milady Meme Coin (LADYS). The firm has injected $5 million into LADYS, demonstrating confidence in its potential. This investment aims to unlock new development opportunities for the project and expand its ecosystem. According to DWF Labs, this partnership aims to foster collaboration and community engagement within the meme coin and broader Web3 landscape.

Slow And Steady Growth

Support for Milady Meme Coin illustrates an overarching investment strategy by DWF Labs, backing projects with promising potential and a strong community focus. The $5 million investment in LADYS by DWF Labs is poised to open up new avenues for growth and engagement.

The Web3 gaming sector is experiencing rapid expansion in 2024, attracting increased venture capital investment. Last year, funding rounds related to blockchain gaming reached an estimated $1.7 billion, with a significant portion flowing to the 270 blockchain games under development on Immutable.

Earlier this year, King River Capital, blockchain gaming firm Immutable, and Polygon Labs announced a collaboration to launch a $100 million gaming fund. Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), co-founded by Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, disclosed plans to invest $30 million in gaming startups this year.

According to a report by Forbes, former President Donald Trump recently voiced strong support for Bitcoin (BTC), sparking discussions on categorizing the cryptocurrency as a strategic reserve asset. Trump recognized the geopolitical significance of Bitcoin and cautioned against policies that could hinder its growth, arguing that such measures would only benefit China and Russia.

Crypto And Politics

The endorsement marks Trump as the first major political nominee to embrace Bitcoin, drawing attention to its potential as a strategic reserve asset. Leaders in the political sphere have proposed linking the US dollar with Bitcoin. Since January, Vivek Ramaswamy, a former presidential candidate, has been advising Trump on Bitcoin and digital assets. Ramaswamy suggested bolstering the US dollar with a variety of commodities, including BTC, to combat inflation.

Senator Cynthia Lummis, dubbed the Crypto Queen of Congress, has proposed that the Federal Reserve diversify its foreign currency holdings by incorporating BTC into its balance sheet. Lummis believes Bitcoin serves as a strong store of value and sees advantages in the country diversifying its investments.

A Sensible Choice

The conversation surrounding Bitcoin as a strategic reserve asset raises considerations about how the United States could utilize the digital commodity to enhance its fiscal health and geopolitical standing.

Alex Thorn, head of firmwide research at Galaxy Digital, highlighted to Forbes that the highly decentralized nature of Bitcoin alongside its robust properties make it well-suited for an expanding role in geopolitics and global trade. Thorn underscored that the Bitcoin network layer could potentially include nation-states, transforming it into a valuable tool for economic diplomacy.

The recent data breach experienced by Evolve Bank has impacted Bitfinex and other platforms. The crypto-friendly financial institution disclosed a significant security incident involving the theft of 33 terabytes of user data. While customer funds remain secure, sensitive customer information stored in the bank's databases was likely accessed by hackers.

Suspicious Activity

The breach, attributed to the Lockbit ransomware group, apparently compromised personal data of Bitfinex users among others. The stolen data includes personally identifiable information such as names, addresses, social security numbers, tax IDs, dates of birth, account balances, and email addresses, affecting over 155.5k accounts associated with companies like Bitfinex, Nomad, and Copper Banking.

Evolve Bank acknowledged a system malfunction in late May due to unauthorized activity, triggered when an employee unwittingly clicked on a malicious link. The bank claims it contained the attack quickly and observed no further unauthorized activity since May 31st.

Damage Control

Despite encrypting some data within its environment, Evolve managed to mitigate the impact using backups and opted not to pay the ransom demanded by Lockbit. The bank clarified that the ransomware group mistakenly linked the data to the Federal Reserve.

The investigation is ongoing, with early findings indicating potential exposure of names, Social Security numbers, bank account details, and contact information for personal banking customers, as well as employees and Open Banking partners. Concerns have also been raised about Evolve Bank reportedly delaying notifying affected fintech companies and end users about the breach, which only became public knowledge recently.

PostFinance, the Swiss government-owned bank, has broadened its cryptocurrency services by introducing trading and custody options for Ripple (XRP), Solana (SOL), Avalanche (AVAX), Cardano (ADA), and Polkadot (DOT). This development underscores the overall commitment by the bank toward integrating digital assets into its offerings, following an initial collaboration with Sygnum Bank in April 2023.

Meeting Demand

PostFinance clients can now securely purchase, store, and trade major cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum (ETH) and Bitcoin (BTC). Fritz Jost, Chief B2B officer for Sygnum, has highlighted the significant role of the partnership in advancing the local digital asset landscape.

Moreover, the recent announcement of trading and custody services for XRP, AVAX, ADA, SOL, and DOT aims to meet the increasing demand among its 2.5 million customers for diverse cryptocurrency investment options. The inclusion of these assets aligns with a global trend favoring blockchain platforms known for active development, such as Cardano, Solana, and Polkadot, which often exceed Ethereum in GitHub submissions, according to Santiment.

A Global Center

Charles Hoskinson, founder of Cardano, praised PostFinance and their established relationship with Ethereum. PostFinance reiterated its commitment to expanding cryptocurrency services within the rapidly evolving regulatory framework of Switzerland.

Switzerland, renowned for its Crypto Valley in Zug, continues to lead in digital asset adoption, fostering blockchain innovation through progressive regulations. The initiatives by PostFinance exemplify the increasing integration of cryptocurrencies into traditional banking, reinforcing the status of the country as a global center for digital assets.

Coinbase will introduce Shiba Inu (SHIB) futures contracts on July 15th, expanding its cryptocurrency derivatives lineup. These contracts, denominated in SHIB tokens priced at $0.00001 each, will be cash-settled and margined.

Each contract will represent 10 million SHIB and will trade under the code SHB. Daily settlements will occur at 3:00 PM CT, with final settlements on the last Friday of each contract month at 4:00 PM London time. This move is anticipated to increase the potential and attractiveness of SHIB in the crypto market, offering traders a new avenue for investment and speculation.

Futures Contracts

In addition to SHIB, Coinbase has applied to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) for futures contracts tied to other popular altcoins such as Polkadot (DOT), Stellar Lumens (XLM), Avalanche (AVAX), and Chainlink (LINK). These altcoin futures are also slated for launch on July 15th, aiming to provide users with enhanced tools for managing risk and speculating on prices.

Coinbase is prepared to manage the inherent volatility of SHIB by implementing robust risk controls, including price limits, margin requirements, and daily price caps. This strategy draws on the experience of the platform in handling volatility with existing products, ensuring a stable trading environment for SHIB futures.

Capitalizing On Community Engagement

SHIB, launched in August 2020 on the Ethereum blockchain, aims to capitalize on its community-driven origins akin to Dogecoin (DOGE). The upcoming Shibarium Layer 2 solution promises improved scalability and reduced transaction costs, enhancing the utility of SHIB for everyday transactions and decentralized applications.

By diversifying its product offerings, Coinbase seeks to empower traders with strategic opportunities in the cryptocurrency market, requiring lower initial capital investments. This initiative aligns with the broader objective of Coinbase when it comes to enhancing its product range and enriching the overall trading experience. The introduction of these futures contracts is poised to enrich market dynamics and broaden trading options for users.

Digital asset investment products saw their third consecutive week of withdrawals totaling $30 million, with Ethereum (ETH) continuing to experience outflows while there are signs of evolving investor sentiment towards Bitcoin (BTC).

Shifting Market Sentiment

According to the latest Digital Asset Fund Flows Weekly report by CoinShares, most providers reported minor inflows, although Grayscale recorded significant outflows amounting to $153 million. Trading volumes rose by 43% compared to the previous week, reaching $6.2 billion, yet remaining below the annual average of $14.2 billion as highlighted in the report.

During the past week, multi-asset and Bitcoin ETPs led the inflows with $18 million and $10 million respectively. Conversely, products designed to short Bitcoin saw outflows of $4.2 million, indicating a potential shift in market sentiment. Several altcoins attracted investor interest, with Solana (SOL) receiving $1.6 million, Litecoin (LTC) $1.4 million, and smaller inflows noted for Chainlink (LINK) and Ripple (XRP) at $0.6 million and $0.3 million respectively.

A Mixed Bag

Investment products tied to Ethereum witnessed the largest outflows since August 2022, totaling $61 million over the week, contributing to a two-week total of $119 million, positioning it as the worst-performing asset in terms of net flows for the entire year. Despite positive sentiment towards cryptocurrencies this year, blockchain equities faced significant outflows of $545 million, representing 19% of assets under management.

In geographical terms, the US led in inflows with $143 million, followed by Brazil with $7.6 million and Australia with $3 million in weekly inflows. Conversely, Germany, Hong Kong, Canada, and Switzerland saw outflows totaling $29 million, $23 million, $14 million, and $13 million respectively during the same period, with Sweden recording outflows of $4.3 million.

Keith Gill, the stock trader famously involved in the 2021 GameStop short-squeeze, is facing allegations of securities fraud in a recent class-action lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed in late June in the Eastern District of New York, accuses Gill of conducting a pump and dump scheme through a series of social media posts starting May 13th.

Lack Of Transparency

According to the complaint, Gill is accused of committing securities fraud by allegedly not properly disclosing his trading activities involving GameStop options calls. This lack of disclosure purportedly misled his followers and resulted in financial losses for some investors, including the plaintiff Martin Radev, who claims to have suffered due to the alleged scheme after purchasing GameStop shares and call options in mid-May.

Despite these claims, a former federal prosecutor, Eric Rosen, believes the lawsuit is likely to fail. Rosen argued in a blog post that the complaint is fundamentally flawed and could easily be dismissed if Gill files a motion to dismiss. He criticized the assertion that Gill should have disclosed his intentions regarding the sale of his options calls in advance, suggesting that such a requirement would be unreasonable and not typical in the securities market.

The Devil Is In The Details

Rosen also pointed out that the case put forth by the plaintiff relies on the assumption that investors should base their decisions solely on social media posts, rather than on verified financial information. He emphasized that proving fraud typically requires demonstrating intentional deception or false statements, which he believes is lacking in this situation.

In summary, while the lawsuit against Keith Gill alleges securities fraud related to his GameStop trading activities and social media posts, legal experts like Eric Rosen suggest that the case faces significant challenges and may not hold up in court.

A recently established coalition of Bitcoin and alternative cryptocurrency miners in Paraguay has voiced serious concerns over recent increases in energy tariffs imposed by the National Electricity Administration.

The coalition, comprising prominent BTC mining firms like Muiden, Antilia Sur, Archer, Richford, and Bitfarms, was formed recently to advocate for regulatory frameworks that support business growth and innovation in the crypto mining sector. They estimate that Bitcoin mining alone contributes approximately $1.5 billion annually to the Paraguayan economy, underscoring the significant economic impact at stake.

A Significant Threat

According to the Paraguayan Chamber of Digital Asset Mining, these tariff hikes, ranging anywhere between 13% to 16%, pose a significant threat to the sustainability of the mining industry in the country. The chamber emphasized that such increases could potentially lead to the complete disappearance of the sector within Paraguay, citing the profound negative impacts on revenue generation, employment stability, and overall confidence in local economic policies.

Furthermore, members of the mining chamber pointed out disparities in energy pricing, highlighting that crypto miners are being charged notably higher rates compared to other industrial sectors in Paraguay. They argued that these differential tariffs not only disadvantage the mining industry but also undermine the reputation of the country as a stable and favorable destination for investment. This, they asserted, could erode legal certainty and deter both local and foreign investors.

The Importance Of Crypto Mining

Cryptocurrency mining is the process of using powerful computers to solve complex mathematical puzzles that validate and secure transactions on blockchain networks such as Bitcoin. Miners compete to find the correct solution first and are rewarded with newly minted coins and transaction fees. This process plays a crucial role in maintaining the integrity and decentralization of cryptocurrency networks, as transactions are verified without the need for a central authority.

Still, the initial investment in specialized mining hardware can be substantial, potentially limiting participation to those with sufficient financial resources. Lastly, regulatory uncertainty poses a risk to miners, as governments around the world continue to develop and revise policies that may affect the legality and profitability of mining activities.

Astria secured $12.50M in strategic funding via Placeholder Ventures on July 1st, 2024. Astria is building a sequencing layer that can be shared amongst multiple rollups.

Sun Protocol received an undisclosed amount in seed funding by DFG on 30th June, 2024. Sun Protocol brings together the main technological architecture of Web3 and dApps on the same network.

MegaETH raised $20.00M in seed funding with support by Dragonfly Capital on 27th June, 2024. MegaETH is an EVM-compatible blockchain that brings Web2-level real-time performance to the crypto world for the first time.

XProtocol received $800.00K in strategic funding by Cogitent Ventures on 27th June, 2024. XProtocol is an entertainment-focused modular blockchain leveraging OP's Superchain for mass adoption.

Rebar Labs closed a $2.90M seed round with investment by @6th Man Ventures. Rebar Labs empowers Bitcoin's ecosystem to address MEV, ensuring fair and transparent markets for users and miners.

Fenix secured $300.00K in seed funding by Orbs on 27th June, 2024. Fenix is an AMM platform optimizing liquidity pool deployment and trading efficiency.

Bluefin announced an undisclosed M&A transaction with Flow Traders on 27th June, 2024. Bluefin (formerly Firefly) is a decentralized, orderbook-based exchange for financial products.

ORA completed a Series A round with $20.00M led by Polychain Capital 26th June, 2024. ORA is a verifiable oracle protocol that integrates AI and complex computations into blockchain environments.