Tumultuous 2022 Wraps Up As 2023 Gets Underway, Meanwhile Crypto ATMs Continue To Skyrocket

Donald Trump has appointed Mark Uyeda, a senior official at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), to temporarily lead the agency until a permanent chair is confirmed.

The move came shortly after Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States during his inauguration.

An Unsustainable Environment

Uyeda, a Republican commissioner, has repeatedly criticized the SEC and its crypto enforcement under former Chair Gary Gensler, calling it a poorly conceived crypto policy and advocating for clearer regulations.

The environment which has been created for crypto markets, especially in secondary trading, is unsustainable, Uyeda said in March, alongside fellow Commissioner Hester Peirce. With Gensler leaving and a Republican majority, the SEC is expected to significantly shift its approach to crypto.

Clarity Is Key

Uyeda and Peirce are considering starting a process for clearer crypto guidance, which could include reviewing pending enforcement cases. Uyeda previously served as counsel to former Rep. Pat Toomey and SEC Commissioners Michael Piwowar and Paul Atkins.

Interestingly, Atkins, a crypto supporter, was recently named to lead the SEC, pending Senate confirmation. Trump also appointed Travis Hill as the acting Chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), following remarks by Hill concerning clearer crypto regulations for banks.

David Lawant, the Head of Research at FalconX, reported that Bitcoin (BTC) saw an astounding $46 billion in spot trading volume this past Monday.

This marks the largest holiday/weekend trading volume ever recorded, according to Lawant, and it also ranks as the fifth-highest volume in the entire history of Bitcoin.

BTC Hits New ATH

In related news, Bitcoin recently hit an all-time high of $109,356. However, the rally was brief, with the flagship crypto quickly retracing to below $100,000 on the same day, forming a bearish candlestick pattern. Meanwhile, the stock markets were closed on Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

At the time of writing, Bitcoin was trading at around $101,650. Over the last 24 hours, a total of $747.71 million worth of crypto has been liquidated, according to data by CoinGlass.

Strategic Reserve Woes

The market reaction was partly influenced by the lack of an announcement regarding the establishment of a U.S. Bitcoin reserve, which had been anticipated by many. With the chances of such a reserve being implemented in the next 100 days now reduced to just 33%, this disappointment likely contributed to the significant Bitcoin pullback.

Still, with Donald Trump finally being sworn in as the 47th President of the United States earlier this week and officially firing Gary Gensler as SEC Chair, many are hopeful that Bitcoin can reach new heights before long.

The X account @TrumpDailyPosts has been compromised by hackers who are using it to promote fake meme coin addresses. The breached account has been persistently pushing fraudulent meme coins, including the $POWER token.

An Organized Attack

Scam Sniffer reports that hackers are repeatedly creating and deleting scam-related posts. Users should remain cautious about the credibility of any investment claim coming through this account and should always double-check any offers.
It has also come to light that the gas source for the creator of the fraudulent $POWER token address matches the same platform involved in a recent hack targeting a MetaMask co-founder. In that incident, hackers were promoting meme coins and were believed to have made over 1,000 SOL. This suggests that a highly organized cyber-criminal group is now targeting well-known crypto figures and organizations.

A Growing Threat
The rise in scammers using social media accounts to promote fraudulent tokens is worrying. The trust followers place in these accounts can easily be exploited by hackers, allowing them to generate significant profits. The @TrumpDailyPosts hack serves as a stark reminder that cybercriminals are evolving their tactics, utilizing meme coins and social media to carry out their schemes.

As these trends increase, detecting fake tokens and scams is becoming more challenging. Mobile platforms and their users must take proactive measures to safeguard against these threats. Users should exercise caution when encountering meme coins and remember that security should always take precedence over potential gains.

El Salvador has acquired 12 Bitcoin (BTC) for its reserve over the past 24 hours, despite a previous agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to scale back certain crypto-related policies in the country.

More Bitcoin

On January 19th, the El Salvador National Bitcoin Office announced it had purchased 11 Bitcoin for its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, valued at more than $1 million. Additionally, the country bought 1 more Bitcoin on January 20th for $106,000.

El Salvador now holds a total of 6,044 BTC, with an approximate value of $610 million based on Bitcoin trading around $101,000, according to CoinGecko. The overall Bitcoin holdings are now worth over $617 million.

The IMF Deal

Back in December, President Nayib Bukele and his administration reached a $1.4 billion financing agreement with the IMF, which included a commitment to reduce certain Bitcoin-related activities as part of the deal.

As part of the agreement, El Salvador made Bitcoin acceptance by the private sector voluntary and began unwinding government involvement in the Chivo crypto wallet. However, just one day after signing the deal, El Salvador purchased $1 million worth of Bitcoin. National Bitcoin Office Director Stacy Herbert reiterated that the Bitcoin strategy remains unchanged, despite the purchase.

Melania Trump has launched her own meme coin, $MELANIA. The launch not only coincides with her husband, Donald Trump, about to be inaugurated as United States President, but also comes shortly after he launched his own meme coin, $TRUMP.

A 2,000% Increase

Unsurprisingly, many are eager to learn how to purchase the brand new meme coin. $MELANIA, like other meme coins can be traded or exchanged for other cryptocurrencies or fiat currencies on exchanges like Raydium or Meteora.

Like $TRUMP, it has been created and is tracked on the Solana (SOL) blockchain, known for its fast transaction speeds and lower fees compared to other networks like Ethereum (ETH). As of 8:00 AM on January 20th (IST), $MELANIA was trading at $0.1261, marking an astounding 2160.31% increase in value since its launch.

A Rapid Rise

With a market capitalization of $5.71 million, $MELANIA has quickly gained attention, reflecting the ongoing interest in meme coins as a speculative investment opportunity. According to CoinMarketCap, the rapid rise of the meme coin has quickly placed it on the radar of traders and investors looking to capitalize on this volatile but potentially lucrative market.

Renowned hacker George Hotz recently made a provocative statement, humorously claiming that no crypto assets are truly safe.

The Quantum Effect

The statement by George follows the release of the new o3 model by OpenAI, which allegedly discovered a polynomial time factoring algorithm that could break down large numbers and potentially compromise the security of cryptographic systems.

However, experts argue that it is highly unlikely crypto security would be threatened in this way without the development of large-scale quantum computing, with such an algorithm potentially being one of the greatest inventions of the century.

More Than Meets The Eye

Hotz also linked to an Axios article discussing concerns among computer science students about AI potentially replacing their roles, given the impressive programming capabilities of the o3 model that surpass most developers.

Regardless, Blockstream CEO Adam Back described the claims about the cryptography-breaking algorithm as highly dubious, noting that the Axios article does not mention the algorithm at all. Some have even suggested the statement might be a misunderstood joke, possibly aimed at the sensational headlines surrounding AI development.

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra revealed that a cryptocurrency sandbox is set to be launched in Phuket by October, 2025. He also mentioned that Thailand will not accept high-risk cryptocurrencies such as meme coins like $TRUMP and $MELANIA.

A Proactive Approach

In a discussion about the ASEAN economy, Thaksin emphasized the proactive approach that Thailand has adopted toward cryptocurrency development, especially in contrast to other regional nations, particularly after Donald Trump once again became U.S. President.

He pointed out that due to this approach, many other ASEAN countries are eager to collaborate with Thailand on cryptocurrency discussions, seeing it as an opportunity to inject capital into their respective economies.

TIme Is Of The Essence

When asked about his recent statements on inviting ASEAN countries to join in talks, Thaksin confirmed that such discussions are ongoing. He stressed the importance of adopting cryptocurrencies swiftly to prevent the migration of top talent to the United States.

Thaksin further clarified that cryptocurrencies should not be mistaken for gambling, explaining that they represent a new type of currency, supported by assets like gold or government bonds, referred to as stablecoins, which carry less risk compared to traditional currencies.

Only a day after it was banned in the U.S., TikTok revealed that it has successfully reached an agreement with Internet service providers to restore its services, following disruptions.

Multiple core features of the TikTok app had been reinstated, and its website was back up and running smoothly by Jan 20th. The decision was reached after countless U.S. citizens complained about their freedom of speech being curtailed.

Increasing Scrutiny

TikTok, much like other major tech platforms, has been trying to navigate increasing scrutiny by regulators and governments across the globe. In particular, concerns around data privacy and security have been central to these discussions, with some experts drawing parallels between the scrutiny of TikTok and the regulatory challenges faced by the crypto industry.

In both sectors, the tension between innovation and government oversight continues to escalate, with both facing pressure to balance user freedoms and security alongside maintaining an edge in technological innovation.

Crypto And Social Media

For the crypto space, the restoration of services on a platform like TikTok might hold significance beyond just social media. TikTok has millions of users worldwide and has routinely featured crypto-related content such as tutorial videos and meme coin related investments by influencers.

This intersection of social media and crypto regulation will likely be a critical area to watch, as it could set important precedents for how digital economies interact with traditional regulatory frameworks.

MultiPlan raised a whopping $4.5B in Post-IPO Debt Funding. MultiPlan strives to make healthcare more transparent, fair, and affordable for all.

Micron Biomedical secured $16M in Series A Funding with support by J2 Ventures. Micron Biomedical is a clinical-stage life science company committed to expanding access to vaccines and therapeutics globally.

Hyperline obtained $10M in Seed Funding with assistance by Index Ventures. Hyperline focuses on unifying billing, forecasting, and cash collection with powerful automation, thereby reducing manual effort while eliminating errors.

Winrate acquired $1.2M in Pre-Seed Funding with support by York IE. Winrate replaces frantic pre-call research with the custom insights that users need to win more deals.

Impetus raised $350M in Private Equity Funding with support by Kedaara Capital. With a proven track record with many Fortune 500 clients, Impetus drives growth, enhances efficiency, and ensures a competitive edge through continuous innovation and flawless, zero-defect delivery.

Astrosure ai secured $6M in Seed Funding with assistance by Netmeds. AstroSure.ai is a consulting company that provides an AI-powered astrology companion.

Komainu acquired $75M in Series B Funding. Komainu is a regulated digital asset custodian that offers decentralized and secure custody services tailored for institutional clients.

BeZero Carbon obtained $32M in Series C Funding with support by GenZero. BeZero Carbon is a carbon ratings agency that equips world-leading organizations with the knowledge, tools and confidence to make better climate decisions.

College Possible secured $1M in Grant Funding. Since 2000, College Possible has helped empower more than 80,000 students in under-represented communities on their path to a college degree.

Moment Energy raised $15M in Series A Funding with assistance by Climate Pledge Fund. Moment Energy provides a clean, affordable, and reliable battery energy storage system (BESS) by repurposing retired electric vehicle batteries.

Bitcoin (BTC) continued to rise over the past 24 hours, reaching $106,000 for the first time this year, before pulling back by around $2,000.

BTC Hits $106K

Bitcoin began the week with a sharp drop to a low of $89,200. After this decline, the bulls stepped in, pushing Bitcoin back above $97,000. Positive US CPI data on Wednesday led to further gains, and Bitcoin surged past $100,000.

The flagship crypto eventually reached $106,000, its highest since mid-December, but could not surpass $108,000 and has since dropped to $104,000. Its market cap is now nearly $2.05 trillion, with dominance approaching 55%.

Meanwhile, while most altcoins are retracing, SOL has risen 10%, reaching its highest level since early December, nearly $240. Other altcoins, like XRP, Ethereum, BNB, and ADA, have all seen losses, with TRUMP continuing to impress. Despite this, the total crypto market cap remains above $3.7 trillion.

Other Markets

Donald Trump recently met with Republican Senators on Capitol Hill, while traders are preparing to navigate the risks due to his trade policies in Asia. Meanwhile, San Francisco faces a record-high office vacancy rate, and regional banks are grappling with the effects of rising Treasury yields.

Elsewhere, port closures have been enacted in Western Australia because of a cyclone warning, and Kantar plans to sell its media division to H.I.G. for $1 billion. In Nigeria, inflation has surged to nearly an 18-year high, prompting a planned tax overhaul by July.

Commerzbank is considering job cuts as part of a strategy revamp, and U.S. Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti is in discussions with Indian leaders about easing nuclear liability laws. Additionally, China is scouring the globe for new food suppliers, actively preparing for potential trade wars and the return of Trump as United States President.

Vitalik Buterin has announced major leadership changes at the Ethereum Foundation to prioritize technical expertise and improve communication with Ethereum (ETH) builders.

Supporting Devs

On January 18th, the Ethereum co-founder outlined the goals of supporting decentralized app developers and advancing decentralization, censorship resistance, and privacy. He also confirmed that the Foundation would avoid political lobbying or taking a central role in ecosystem development.

The Dencun upgrade in March 2024 led to a 99% drop in transaction fees on Ethereum, spurring a rapid increase in rollups. While this raised concerns over base-layer revenue loss, the base layer revenues, which had fallen 99% in mid-2024, rebounded by the end of the year.

Dealing With Criticisms

These changes follow a rocky 2024, marked by the Foundation being repeatedly criticized over various issues such as budgeting, roadmap, and staffing.

In May 2024, the Ethereum Foundation introduced a conflict of interest policy after several researchers, including Justin Drake and Dankrad Feist, took paid advisory roles at EigenLayer. Drake later apologized and stepped down in November.

Just days before his second inauguration, President-elect Donald Trump and his social media team announced the launch of a Solana-based meme coin called TRUMP.

Seems Legit

The announcement generated hundreds of millions in trading volume, with on-chain analysts and security experts initially raising concerns over potential scams. However, with many of these concerns eventually clearing up, the launch appears legitimate.

While the launch initially triggered skepticism due to the resemblance to past celebrity meme coin scams, the follow-up post on X alleviated many concerns. At present, the meme coin has only seen upward movement, with no signs of a dump.

A Massive Surge

On-chain analysts noted that the project had been seeded with funds by Binance and Gate.io, two exchanges that do not serve U.S. customers. However, further investigation diminished these concerns, especially as the official website of the meme coin mirrored previous Trump NFT launches, which are managed by CIC Digital, his official NFT partner.

The meme coin surged to $7.31, with a market cap of around $7.1 billion, although 80% of the 1 billion coins are locked for the next three years. This means the circulating supply is closer to 200 million tokens, bringing the market cap to around $1.5 billion. So far, the coin has seen $680 million in trading volume.