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Bitcoin Surges to Yearly High as BlackRock’s ETF Plans Ignite Institutional Interest Amid Regulatory Scrutiny”

Bitcoin reaches a new high as BlackRock’s ETF announcement sparks institutional interest amid regulatory challenges

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Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency in the world, soared to a more than one-year high on Friday, propelled by a series of positive developments that sparked renewed investor interest.

The cryptocurrency’s gains were aided by BlackRock, the world’s leading asset manager, unveiling its intention to launch an exchange-traded fund (ETF) dedicated to Bitcoin, despite the intensified regulatory scrutiny surrounding the digital asset sector in the United States.

BlackRock’s filing last week for the iShares Bitcoin Trust, an ETF that will enlist Coinbase Custody as its custodian and offer institutional investors exposure to the cryptocurrency, breathed new life into the market.

Notably, this move was accompanied by an announcement from EDX Markets, a crypto exchange supported by investment powerhouses Charles Schwab, Fidelity, and Citadel Securities, stating that it would facilitate trading in select cryptocurrencies.

These developments mark a turning point for cryptocurrencies, which have struggled amidst the aftermath of several industry meltdowns, including the sudden collapse of the FTX exchange in late 2022.

The regulatory landscape has further exacerbated negative sentiment, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s recent lawsuits against crypto giants Coinbase Global and Binance, accusing them of rule violations—allegations that both companies vehemently deny.

Since BlackRock’s filing, Bitcoin has surged by nearly 25% in value, reaching a high of $31,458 on Friday, the highest level recorded since June 7, 2022. At present, Bitcoin stands at $30,872, reflecting a 3.29% increase.

Kate Laurence, general partner of Bloccelerate VC, a crypto project investment firm, said, “The dark clouds overshadowing crypto have lifted in recent days amid a burst of institutional interest. The likes of BlackRock, Charles Schwab, Fidelity, and Citadel throwing their hats into the crypto ring is hugely significant because it shows that institutions are very serious about the space—despite the recent regulatory crackdown.”

The surge in institutional interest indicates a reversal of fortunes for cryptocurrencies. Investors had initially flocked to the market during a period of low interest rates, propelling its value to a peak of $3 trillion in 2021. However, caution prevailed as rates rose, causing the market’s current value to stand at approximately $1.24 trillion, according to CoinGecko data.

Ethereum, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency, has also experienced a notable uptick, rising by over 16% since last week. On Friday, it stood at 1,903.20, marking a 1.63% increase.

According to Doug Schwenk, CEO of Digital Asset Research, “The SEC lawsuit has created opportunities for robust, regulated players, so I’m cautiously optimistic that this BlackRock event will have some sustainability.”

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Non-Fungible Token

NFT Sales Plummet 9.91% in Latest Weekly Report

The aggregate NFT sales figure of $72.76 million is nearly 10% lower than the preceding week’s numbers, raising concerns among enthusiasts and investors in the digital collectibles market.

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Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) have once again taken a nosedive, marking the sixth consecutive week of declining sales. According to the latest data, NFT sales dropped by a significant 9.91% over the past week, casting a shadow on the vibrant and ever-evolving crypto market, Investors King gathered.

The figures, spanning from September 24 to October 1, 2023, reveal that the total value of NFT sales during this period amounted to approximately $72,767,450. While this might seem like a substantial amount, it represents a notable downturn compared to the previous week’s figures.

Despite the broader crypto economy experiencing an upswing during the same period, NFT sales seem to be struggling to regain their previous momentum. The aggregate NFT sales figure of $72.76 million is nearly 10% lower than the preceding week’s numbers, raising concerns among enthusiasts and investors in the digital collectibles market.

Interestingly, the number of NFT buyers has surged by 17.77% during the past week, reaching a total of 569,407 buyers. Similarly, the number of NFT sellers also saw a notable increase of 15.82%, totaling 714,889 sellers.

Among the various blockchain networks, Ethereum emerged as the clear frontrunner with $37.27 million in NFT sales, representing 51.22% of the week’s total NFT commerce. However, even Ethereum’s dominance couldn’t escape the overall downtrend, as it experienced a modest 1.16% dip in NFT sales compared to the prior week.

Following closely, the Mythos NFT sales secured the second position with an impressive $7.83 million in sales, marking a 13.12% increase from the previous week. Polygon and Solana also made their presence known, securing the third and fourth spots in NFT sales with $7.12 million and $5.86 million, respectively. Immutable X claimed the fifth spot, amassing $5.47 million in sales.

As the NFT market faces headwinds in the face of a broader crypto resurgence, analysts and enthusiasts are closely watching for signs of a potential rebound or a continued decline in the weeks to come.

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Cryptocurrency

Mixin Network Halts Services After $200 Million Security Breach; Recovery Plan in Progress

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Mixin Network, a prominent decentralized wallet service provider, has been rocked by a massive security breach resulting in a loss of $200 million.

The breach, attributed to vulnerabilities in its cloud service provider’s database, has raised questions about the platform’s dependence on centralized infrastructure.

Mixin Network, known for its support of 48 public blockchains and an impressive total network asset value exceeding $1 billion, halted deposit and withdrawal services following the breach.

This incident has prompted discussions within the crypto community regarding the risks associated with centralization in decentralized platforms.

In response to the breach, Mixin Network has taken swift action, enlisting the expertise of blockchain security specialists from SlowMist.

The company has pledged to resume services only after thoroughly addressing identified vulnerabilities, a decision reached through consensus among all network nodes.

The plan for asset recovery will be announced in due course, and Mixin founder Feng Xiaodong will provide a detailed explanation in a public livestream.

The Mixin incident follows closely on the heels of the JPEX cryptocurrency exchange scandal in Hong Kong, which has left countless individuals reeling from financial losses totaling $178 million.

Experts now speculate that these recent setbacks may lead the Hong Kong government to reconsider its enthusiastic promotion of Web3 technologies, as concerns over security and public sentiment cast a shadow on the region’s cryptocurrency ambitions.

Carlton Lai, head of blockchain and cryptocurrency research at Daiwa Capital Markets, said, “I think this scandal will have a pretty sizeable negative impact on retail sentiment, given its significant local presence and the various celebrities involved.”

As Hong Kong grapples with the fallout from these high-profile incidents, the future of cryptocurrency in the region remains uncertain, with questions of regulation and security taking center stage.

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Cryptocurrency

Dallas Mavericks Owner and Billionaire Tech Investor, Mark Cuban, Falls Victim to Phishing Attack, Losing $870,000 in Crypto Assets

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Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks and a prominent billionaire technology investor, recently fell prey to a phishing attack, resulting in a loss of approximately $870,000 worth of tokens.

The incident occurred over the weekend after months of inactivity on Cuban’s crypto wallet.

Phishing attacks, a prevalent threat in the crypto industry, deceive users into revealing sensitive information, downloading malicious software, and exposing their private data.

These attacks exploit users’ trust, often causing them to overlook the authenticity of incoming requests on their crypto wallets or unwittingly download counterfeit applications designed solely to pilfer their assets.

Cuban’s crypto wallet was emptied of various assets, including U.S.-pegged stablecoins, staked ETH (stETH), SuperRare (RARE) tokens, and some Ethereum Name Service (ENS) domains, according to blockchain data.

The initial discovery of these suspicious transactions was made by the vigilant on-chain investigator @wazzcrypto.

Fortunately, Cuban was alerted to these transactions, and he managed to safeguard over $2.5 million worth of Polygon’s MATIC tokens.

He accomplished this by promptly logging into his wallet and transferring the tokens to a secure Coinbase exchange address.

Cuban revealed that the phishing attack was apparently initiated through a fraudulent MetaMask wallet application that he had unwittingly downloaded.

This incident marks the second high-profile phishing attack in as many weeks, following Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin’s experience in early September. Buterin’s X account was compromised in a phishing attack, although he did not appear to lose any of his own funds.

Nevertheless, unsuspecting users collectively suffered losses of up to $700,000 by sending tokens to a malicious link that falsely appeared to have Buterin’s endorsement.

As the crypto industry continues to thrive, it is crucial for users to exercise caution and remain vigilant to safeguard their digital assets from the ever-present threat of phishing attacks.

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