<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



The price of bitcoin dropped below $80,000 Friday, its lowest level since last November, amid a crypto selloff that has wiped out nearly all of the token’s post-election gains as concerns mount about the economic impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Facts</h2>



The price of bitcoin, the world’s most valuable cryptocurrency, stood at $78,949 early on Friday—after falling more than 8.5% over the past 24 hours.



In the past seven days, bitcoin’s price has plummeted nearly 20%.



Bitcoin’s slump comes amid a wider crypto market selloff, with the price of Ether—the second most valuable token by market cap—dropping more than 11% in the past 24 hours to around $2,100.



The price of the Ripple Labs-linked XRP, Binance’s BNB and Solana’s SOL have tanked 9.2%, 7.3% and 9% respectively in the past day.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Big Number</h2>



27.3%. That is how much the price of bitcoin has dropped since it hit an all-time high of $109,114 on Jan. 20, the day of President Donald Trump’s inauguration.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Background</h2>



The crypto market selloff comes on the backdrop of a major crypto exchange hack and concerns about the economic impact of Trump’s tariffs. Last week, hackers managed to steal Ether holdings worth nearly $1.5 billion from the exchange Bybit—the largest ever cryptocurrency heist. On Wednesday, the FBI&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA250226" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">accused</a>&nbsp;North Korea-backed hacker groups, TraderTraitor and the Lazarus Group, of carrying out the theft. The agency said the hackers were “proceeding rapidly and have converted some of the stolen assets to Bitcoin and…It is expected these assets will be further laundered and eventually converted to fiat currency.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Tangent</h2>



Trump’s official meme coin,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2025/01/19/donald-trump-launches-trump-meme-coin-token-exceeds-12-billion-market-cap/">launched</a>&nbsp;just days before his inauguration, has also continued its downward slide amid the market wide rout. On Friday, the price of the $TRUMP meme coin fell to $11.30—a nearly 15% drop in the past 24 hours and 85% below its all-time high of around $75. The token peaked just two days after its official launch, with $TRUMP’s market cap briefly crossing $15 billion, but its price has steadily declined since then. The $TRUMP launch appeared to spur other world leaders to boost similar meme tokens. Earlier this month, Argentinian President Javier Milei promoted $LIBRA token, causing its market cap to surge to $4 billion, before early backers began dumping their holdings. The following crash in LIBRA’s price, which appeared to resemble a pump-and-dump scheme, has triggered lawsuits against the Argentine leader. In a similar move, the president of the Central African Republic—one of Africa’s poorest nations—launched a CAR meme token to raise his country’s profile. The coin’s value has slumped by more than 97% since its launch.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Further Reading</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2025/02/25/bitcoin-slips-below-90000-down-nearly-20-from-trumps-inauguration-day-all-time-high/">Bitcoin Slips Below $90,000—Down Nearly 20% From Trump’s Inauguration Day All-Time High</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)

Bitcoin on digital circuit board and graph

Bitcoin Slumps Below $80,000 As Crypto Rout Wipes Nearly All Post-Election Gains

As traditional banking remains out of reach for many still unbanked and underserved In Africa, is Cryptocurrency slowly beginning to take a share of African wallets. 



The continent is anticipated to reach $2.9 billion in cryptocurrency revenue this year, and this growth is only going to grow exponentially as crypto becomes increasingly relevant to a digital-savvy population that’s distrustful of traditional banking services. In 2022, the World Bank reported that well over 50% of adults in 16 economies across 36 surveyed have a bank account. While account ownership has increased, the continent remains a financial playground where innovative solutions and transformative approaches to money management flourish.



Mobile money, says the World Bank, has redefined financial inclusion in countries like Kenya – M-PESA, for example, is the continent’s biggest success story and the lingo around its transactions has crept into local dialect.



And cryptocurrency, says the 2024 Geography of Crypto Report by Chainalysis, has equally found its footing in developing economies where millions opt into alternative banking and financial management solutions. The report found that sub-Saharan Africa is currently in the lead for decentralized finance (DeFi) adoption because people are craving accessible financial solutions and while the region only accounts for 2.7% of global cryptocurrency transaction volumes, Nigeria comes second in global cryptocurrency adoption while Ethiopia, Kenya and South Africa made the top 30. Middle East and North Africa (MENA) account for 7.5% of global transaction volumes and was the seventh largest crypto market in 2024.



In these markets where crypto opens up doors often held shut by traditional banking systems, these digital assets have evolved to become essential to economic survival. No longer just for use by wealthy investors exploring crypto’s potential on a digital playground, these currencies are being adopted by digital-savvy users from informal sectors who want to bank, invest and spend within a trusted and accessible ecosystem.



As Frank Leonette, Founder and CEO of AFRIDAX, tells FORBES AFRICA: “It’s not the white-collar individuals who are driving crypto, it’s people from informal sectors. They’re using their mobile devices to transact in crypto because the beauty of this technology is that it is peer-to-peer. It doesn’t need a bank or intermediaries. If I send you 10 bitcoins, you will receive them immediately on your device and it removes the barrier-to-entry significantly.”



Instead of proof of address – a challenge in most rural areas – and identification and other complex paperwork hurdles, crypto users can move into the market easily.



Leonette highlights how Zimbabwe was a superb example of how bitcoin transcended the challenges of local currency because it was so easily transactable in the country.



“Cryptocurrency also makes it easier to do cross-border transactions and send money home – users don’t have to pay the astronomical fees associated with legacy systems nor do they have to wait three to four days for money to clear. It’s an instantaneous transaction.”



Financial institutions are paying attention to this shift.



In South Africa, Auguste Claude-Nguetsop, Partner and Southern Africa Head of Financial Services at KPMG, tells FORBES AFRICA that digital banks like Bank Zero and TymeBank have evolved to meet the needs of the unbanked population, structuring their costs and services to deliver what these users need. However, he believes that while cryptocurrencies do lower the barrier to entry with regards to access, cost and borders, they aren’t that easy to use or understand.



“We have a growing digital banking sector which is now also experimenting with crypto, especially as it’s attractive to those looking for cross-border payments,” he explains. “However, the complexity of crypto makes it a barrier for a large part of that market.”



He’s right. Cryptocurrencies aren’t simple – there are multiple types, different levels of performance, an abundance of crypto exchanges and the increasing risks around fraud and cybersecurity.



Thomas Lobban, Tax Legal Specialist at Latita Africa, tells FORBES AFRICA that while the walls have come down regarding crypto and it has become increasingly easy to use and access, there are dangers, and it isn’t quite as useful as perhaps pundits would have you believe.



“People aren’t abandoning their bank accounts in favor of crypto because what you can purchase is still limited, even in areas that have a primarily informal economy they prefer cash, which has a tangible value to it in their hands, as opposed to crypto which is still volatile,” he says. “Where you’ve really seen an explosion of crypto is in places that have hyper-inflationary currencies. If your local currency isn’t going to hold its value between today or tomorrow, crypto becomes an incredibly attractive prospect.”



This is exactly one of the reasons why crypto has found its feet in countries like Zimbabwe and Turkey. According to Kaiko Research, Turkey’s inflation and currency devaluation alongside bitcoins growing value has led to the country’s rapid adoption of cryptocurrencies to offset this financial instability. These digital assets are being further enhanced by the fact that in 2024 there was a swathe of regulatory changes that have shifted the narrative around crypto. Standardized regulations and licensing are building more secure and trusted digital financial environments – South Africa was the first African nation to introduce licensing for crypto exchanges which, the Crypto Council for Innovation calls a “significant leap forward”.



Perhaps crypto’s expansion in Africa is less about the unbanked and more about finding smart ways of managing money across the financial solutions that best fit the environment. In Kenya, mobile money remains king, in Nigeria and Turkey, crypto is gaining significant traction, while in South Africa, regulations are placing crypto firmly in the investor space. That said, however, there are still challenges around regulations in Africa that are inhibiting uptake and that may yet put the brakes on the digital currency’s growth aspirations. As Claude-Nguetsop concludes: “Regulators are potentially not fully comfortable about the size of the risks and the instruments are not very liquid, but it’s worth noting that things are changing, and Africa isn’t left behind. The U.S., which is quite sophisticated, only allowed listings in January 2024. It will all be allowed on the continent; it’s just a matter of time because crypto is here to stay.”

Young Asian man managing finance and investment online, analyzing stock market trades with smartphone and laptop. Making financial plans. Banking and finance, investment, financial trading, mobile banking with technology concept

Africa’s Crypto Cred: Transacting With The Future

January 3, 2024, marked 16 years since the first Bitcoin block was mined by its pseudonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. What began in 2009 as an experimental peer-to-peer digital currency has since grown into a financial powerhouse, boasting a market capitalization of over $2 trillion at its peak.



Bitcoin’s disruptive journey is defined by key moments, from its early association with online marketplaces like Silk Road to its 2024 high of $108,135, driven by the first-ever approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs in the United States. These ETFs, which attracted $21 billion in net flows in less than a year, solidified Bitcoin’s position as a mainstream asset.



The Rise of Digital Gold



Bitcoin’s evolution into “digital gold” has been a defining narrative, particularly in the aftermath of the 2020 pandemic. As central banks flooded markets with liquidity to counter economic fallout, Bitcoin emerged as a hedge against inflation, attracting retail and institutional investors alike.



Major corporations such as MicroStrategy and Tesla have since embraced Bitcoin, with the former amassing over 446,000 coins as of December 2024. These endorsements have underscored Bitcoin’s appeal not just as a speculative asset, but as a strategic reserve for companies seeking alternatives to fiat currencies.



Challenges Along the Way



Bitcoin’s meteoric rise has not been without its challenges. The “crypto winter” of 2022, triggered by the collapse of Terra-LUNA and the FTX exchange, saw Bitcoin’s price plummet below $20,000, shaking investor confidence. Scalability issues and high transaction fees during periods of peak demand remain key hurdles.



Moreover, the regulatory landscape continues to evolve. While some nations like El Salvador have embraced Bitcoin as legal tender, others remain skeptical, imposing restrictions or bans. The lack of clear global regulatory standards has created uncertainty for both investors and businesses operating in the cryptocurrency space.



Landmark Achievements in 2024



This past year was pivotal for Bitcoin. Apart from crossing the $100,000 mark for the first time, its inclusion in 401(k) retirement plans in the U.S. marked another milestone in mainstream adoption. Financial institutions like BlackRock and Fidelity have also entered the crypto market, signaling growing confidence in blockchain’s potential to revolutionize finance.



As Bitcoin enters its 17th year, its future appears as promising as it’s uncertain. The inauguration of crypto-friendly U.S. President Donald Trump in 2025 is expected to bolster market optimism, while advancements like the Lightning Network aim to address Bitcoin’s scalability issues.



What remains clear is Bitcoin’s enduring influence on global finance. From its fixed supply of 21 million coins to its decentralized nature, Bitcoin continues to challenge the traditional banking system and offer new possibilities for financial freedom.



As the world’s first cryptocurrency celebrates its 16th anniversary, its legacy is far from written. Bitcoin has not only weathered the storms of volatility but has also redefined how we perceive value and money in the digital age.

Ripple And Other Crypto Photo Illustrations

Bitcoin At 16: A Milestone For The World’s Most Disruptive Digital Asset

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



Bitcoin set several new records throughout 2024 and eclipsed the six-digit threshold for the first time, leading the charge amid a broader crypto rally after Donald Trump’s election victory—but its milestone surge to $100,000 wasn’t even the most impressive outperformance of the market by a cryptocurrency in 2024, thanks to several altcoins and meme coins also rising dramatically.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



Bitcoin—surging by 47% since Election Day—has added about $1.2 trillion to its market capitalization this year as of Dec. 19, surging by 130% to just over $102,000.



But it was Pepe, a token named for the meme frog linked to far-right groups, that was the top performer among coins with market capitalizations over $5 billion, gaining about 1,570%, according to CoinMarketCap.



SUI, the native token for Sui’s blockchain network, is the next best performer with a 509% gain, while dogecoin, a cryptocurrency touted by Elon Musk in recent years, outgained bitcoin with a 333% surge, during which the meme coin reached highs not seen since the pandemic.



The token used by Ripple, a digital asset firm cofounded by billionaires&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/chris-larsen/">Chris Larsen</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/jed-mccaleb/">Jed McCaleb</a>, similarly outpaced bitcoin this year as XRP jumped nearly 304%.



Stellar, used by the Stellar blockchain network, and Toncoin, the native cryptocurrency for a blockchain developed by Telegram, increased by 233% and 155%, respectively, trailing the Hedera network’s token, which grew about 248%.



Another Shiba Inu-inspired token, Shiba Inu, and Tronix’s cryptocurrency TRON just beat out bitcoin this year by climbing 150% and 155%, respectively.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-10-best-performing-cryptocurrencies-in-2024-market-cap-over-5-billion">The 10 Best-Performing Cryptocurrencies In 2024 (market Cap Over $5 Billion)</h2>



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Pepe: up 1,570.7%, market capitalization $9 billion</li>



<li>SUI: up 509%, market cap $13.7 billion</li>



<li>Dogecoin: up 333.1%, market cap $56.9 billion</li>



<li>XRP: up 303.9%, market cap $142.3 billion</li>



<li>Hedera: up 247.7%, market cap $11.5 billion</li>



<li>Stellar: up 233.4%, market cap $12.9 billion</li>



<li>Toncoin: up 155.6%, market cap $14.6 billion</li>



<li>TRON: up 155.1%, market cap $23.7 billion</li>



<li>Shiba Inu: up 150.1%, market cap $15.2 billion</li>



<li>Bitcoin: up 135.9%, market cap $2 trillion</li>
</ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-much-did-the-crypto-market-grow-in-2024">How Much Did The Crypto Market Grow In 2024?</h2>



About $1.8 trillion was added to the global crypto market’s aggregate market value in 2024, surging from just below $1.8 trillion to $3.6 trillion as of Dec. 18,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coingecko.com/en/global-charts" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">according</a>&nbsp;to CoinGecko. Bitcoin holds more than a majority of the market at 56.8% and accounted for roughly two-thirds of the overall market growth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-meme-coins">What Are Meme Coins?</h2>



Meme coins are a form of cryptocurrency often tied to a viral internet joke, and their prices are often&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/meme-coins" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">more volatile</a>&nbsp;than any other token because they react to moments in pop culture. Dogecoin&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2024/11/13/dogecoin-jumps-toward-three-year-high-after-trump-announces-department-of-government-efficiency/">rose</a>&nbsp;in November after Trump announced Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy would lead the Department of Government Efficiency, whose acronymized name shares the name of the coin. Musk subsequently posted images of a “DOGE” logo and a Shiba Inu that appear to refer to dogecoin, which features the dog’s face. He previously embraced dogecoin on social media in 2021, sending the token to a peak of nearly $0.70, before Musk’s comment on “Saturday Night Live” that the coin was a “hustle” sent its price back down to just above $0.05. Altcoins, or cryptocurrencies viewed as an alternative to bitcoin, also tend to be more volatile as some analysts say the market has become&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/what-are-altcoins" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">oversaturated</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-did-trump-s-election-boost-crypto">How Did Trump’s Election Boost Crypto?</h2>



Trump was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2024/10/23/these-pro-crypto-billionaires-have-endorsed-trump-or-harris-as-election-day-nears/">backed by</a>&nbsp;several billionaires with ties to the cryptocurrency industry, including Gemini cofounders Tyler Winklevoss and Cameron Winklevoss and Ripple’s Larsen. Trump claimed he wanted the U.S. to become the “crypto capital of the planet” and has supported bitcoin mining. His election win sent bitcoin to new record highs as the token eclipsed the $80,000, $90,000 and $100,000 thresholds within a month of Election Day. Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap ($418 billion) rose by 43% while adding more than $118 billion to its capitalization. In total, the global crypto market’s aggregate market value has increased by more than $1 trillion since Election Day, according to CoinGecko.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



The crypto market reached new highs in 2024, beginning with the Securities and Exchange Commission <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2024/01/10/sec-approves-spot-bitcoin-etfs-first-crypto-funds-of-kind/?sh=2ca4ef81417a">approving</a> the first bitcoin exchange-traded funds in the U.S. in January. Spot bitcoin ETFs allow investors to invest in the cryptocurrency without paying higher fees associated with buying the token directly on exchanges like Coinbase. That decision brought in about $15 billion in capital within the first five months, according to an analysis from Bernstein. Since then, the crypto market benefitted from becoming a focus of the recent presidential election, including Trump’s embrace of the industry despite his earlier criticism.

Bitcoin Wasn’t Even The Best-Performing Cryptocurrency Of 2024—Despite Breaching $100,000

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



Shares of MicroStrategy rallied Monday after the corporate bitcoin holder earned a spot in a key stock index, an apparent institutional vote of confidence in the company whose stock has been red hot amid the cryptocurrency boom.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



MicroStrategy stock gained 4% at market open, enjoying a bump from the Nasdaq&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nasdaq.com/press-release/annual-changes-nasdaq-100-indexr-2024-12-13" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">announcing</a>&nbsp;after Friday’s close that the Virginia-based company would join its Nasdaq 100 stock index next Monday.



The inclusion on the Nasdaq 100, which is the basis for the popular Invesco QQQ exchange-traded fund, should result in about $2.1 billion in net buying of MicroStrategy shares as portfolios adjust to the move, according to Bernstein analyst Gautam Chhugani.



Also boosting the share price of MicroStrategy, which trades under the ticker MSTR, was a weekend rally for bitcoin, which hit a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/currencies/bitcoin-powers-above-105000-first-time-2024-12-15/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">fresh</a>&nbsp;all-time high Monday of over $106,000; almost all of MicroStrategy’s underlying value is tied to its bitcoin horde rather than a more traditional revenue-based business model.



MicroStrategy stock has gained a robust 573% in 2024, outstripping bitcoin’s 150% gain and the S&amp;P 500’s 29% return.



Shares of the other two new Nasdaq 100 entrants, Axon Enterprise and Palantir, had less stark reactions, with Taser stun gun maker Axon stock up 1% and analytics-based defense contractor Palantir trading flat.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-does-mstr-do">What Does Mstr Do?</h2>



MicroStrategy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.microstrategy.com/investor-relations" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">describes</a>&nbsp;itself as the “world&#8217;s first and largest Bitcoin Treasury Company.” Part of the dot-com boom at the turn of the millennium, MicroStrategy shifted its focus beginning in 2020 from its software business to becoming the most prominent voice advocating for bitcoin as a long-term store of value akin to gold. The company owns 439,000 bitcoins in its strategic reserve, equivalent to $46 billion, or 2.2% of the world’s total bitcoin supply. Some 40% of MicroStrategy’s bitcoins have been acquired over the last 40 days, according to Chhugani, dating back to the election of Donald Trump, an outspoken bitcoin ally. MicroStrategy has taken the rare step of issuing debt to fund its bitcoin purchases. “If you are not a Bitcoin believer, this is scary, but MSTR’s Bitcoin strategy is a long term high-conviction ‘buy &amp; hold’ strategy with the view to hold Bitcoin till it surpasses Gold and beyond,” Chhugani wrote Monday.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-contra">Contra</h2>



MicroStrategy certainly has its critics, including investment firm Citron Research, which&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/CitronResearch/status/1859608654590202325?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1859608654590202325%7Ctwgr%5E285e05254ab72981c19f7dd4fb2010b21edd4c81%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ffinance.yahoo.com%2Fnews%2Fmicrostrategy-stock-plummets-16-after-new-short-bet-with-bitcoin-trading-at-record-highs-151747801.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">announced</a>&nbsp;a short position on MicroStrategy stock last month, calling the stock “overheated” and “completely detached” from bitcoin fundamentals. With a market capitalization of about $100 billion, MicroStrategy trades more than two times higher than its bitcoin holdings, with its other operations hardly offering much further support, as its software business brought in less than $120 million last quarter.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">Big Number</h2>



2,700%.&nbsp;That’s how much MicroStrategy stock has returned over the last five years. That easily outranks the roughly 2,200% and 1,600% gains from the S&amp;P’s top performers during that stretch in artificial intelligence darling Nvidia and Elon Musk-led electric vehicle company Tesla, respectively, according to FactSet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forbes-valuation">Forbes Valuation</h2>



MicroStrategy’s outspoken founder and chairman Michael Saylor is worth more than $10 billion, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/michael-saylor/">making him</a> the 254th-richest person in the world. His net worth has more than doubled <a href="https://www.forbes.com/billionaires/">since</a> March.

Key Speakers At The Bitcoin 2024 Conference

MicroStrategy Stock Jumps On Nasdaq 100 Inclusion—Bitcoin Giant Up 570% This Year

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



Bitcoin prices eclipsed $90,000 for the first time Wednesday, the latest milestone for the world’s largest cryptocurrency in its massive post-election rally.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



Bitcoin climbed to over $90,000 by about 9:30 a.m. EST, or 2:30 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time (prices for the constantly traded crypto market are most commonly referenced in GMT).



The digital asset quickly ripped further, trading at more than $91,000 by 10 a.m. EST.



Bitcoin is up more than 30% since election night, when it sat below $70,000.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">Big Number</h2>



$1.8 trillion. That’s the total market value of bitcoin, more than doubling since the end of 2023, <a href="https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/bitcoin/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a> to CoinMarketCap.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-fact">Surprising Fact</h2>



Bitcoin crossed the $90,000 threshold just three days after surpassing $80,000 for the first time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



2024 was already a strong year for bitcoin prices, with the token up 7o% by the end of October. Much of those gains were concentrated early in the year as the Securities and Exchange Commission’s approval of spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), opening the door for new institutional capital into the digital asset. The post-election rally came as crypto traders celebrated the election of Donald Trump, who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/10/investing/bitcoin-record-trump/index.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">championed</a>&nbsp;bitcoin and the broader crypto industry on the campaign trail.

Over the shoulder view of young woman making financial plans and investment analysis via laptop and smartphone

Bitcoin Price Crosses $90,000 For First Time Ever Amid Trump Crypto Surge

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



Bitcoin just hit its priciest level since the spring as several market conditions, including next week’s U.S. presidential election, impact the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/digital-assets/assets/bitcoin-btc/">$1.4 trillion</a>&nbsp;cryptocurrency.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Facts</h2>



Bitcoin rose about 6% to as high as $72,338 at about 12 p.m. EDT, or 4 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time, Tuesday, the highest price for the token since April 8 (price movements in the 24/7 bitcoin market is most commonly measured in GMT).



That moves bitcoin’s October gain to 12%, outstripping the leading American stock index S&amp;P 500’s 1% advance this month.



Other major digital assets rallied Tuesday, with ethereum up 4% to a 10-day high of $2.637, Binance coin up 2% to an eight-day high of $608 and Solana up 2% to a three-month high of $182.



Also rallying were stocks of companies involved in bitcoin mining, the energy intensive process in which bitcoins are unlocked from the digital blockchain: Shares of Core Scientific, Marathon Digital and Riot Platforms each gained Tuesday and are up at least 15% apiece in October.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why Is Bitcoin Up?</h2>



The bitcoin-led crypto rally is a confluence of several factors. Investors such as hedge fund billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://cnbc.com/2024/10/22/tudor-jones-is-long-gold-and-bitcoin-as-hedge-fund-titan-believes-all-roads-lead-to-inflation.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Paul Tudor Jones</a>&nbsp;have called on bitcoin as a hedge against inflation as the government and presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump support policies that economists&nbsp;<a href="https://www.crfb.org/papers/fiscal-impact-harris-and-trump-campaign-plans" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">project</a>&nbsp;will add trillions of dollars to the national debt. And with the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates last month, skeptics believe monetary policy may be ill-equipped to correct inflation. Prices for the more conventional safe haven asset, gold, have also jumped, with gold up 6% since the Sept. 18 rate cut. The rise in bitcoin prices have also coincided with climbing betting market odds for a Trump victory, as the previous bitcoin skeptic Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2024/07/16/are-trump-and-vance-good-for-bitcoin-heres-why-the-market-thinks-so-even-though-trumps-called-it-a-scam/">positions</a>&nbsp;himself as the pro-bitcoin candidate, calling for a “strategic national bitcoin stockpile.” And there’s continued upward pressure from the spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds approved by U.S. regulators in January, which attracted billions of dollars of inflows from institutional investors into the digital asset, according to Bernstein research.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Big Number</h2>



$66 billion. That’s how much bitcoin is held by the spot bitcoin ETFs operated by legacy asset managers BlackRock and Fidelity and more digital-focused players like Grayscale, or about 5% of the global bitcoin market.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Background</h2>



Bitcoin is by far the most valuable crypto token with an aggregate market value more than four times that of the next biggest digital asset, ethereum, which in turn is more than three times larger than the third largest crypto token, Binance coin, excluding the stablecoin Tether. Bitcoin hit an all-time high of $73,750 in March, and is up more than 300% from its late 2022 nadir during the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanponciano/2022/08/18/crypto-winter-watch-all-the-big-layoffs-record-withdrawals-and-bankruptcies-sparked-by-the-2-trillion-crash/">“crypto winter,”</a>&nbsp;when a string of high-profile bankruptcies for one-time titans in the industry, including the exchange FTX, shook confidence.

Economy And Business In Poland

Bitcoin Tops $72,000—A 6-Month High—As Election, Inflation Questions Swirl

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Set to occur on Saturday is the highly anticipated bitcoin halving event, a somewhat mysterious phenomenon that occurs every four years, which should theoretically provide a major tailwind to bitcoin prices flatlining in recent weeks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



The halving event refers to the 50% reduction in the new bitcoins available daily to digital miners who unlock tokens on the blockchain via a complex, energy-intensive process.&#8221;



Halving previously occurred in 2012, 2016 and 2020, and is programmed directly into the bitcoin ecosystem to occur every four years, with the fourth instance widely expected to come Saturday, or within a few days, cutting the amount of bitcoins available for mining each day from 900 to 450.



Between 19 million and 20 million bitcoins now exist, with only&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/article/the-21-million-question---is-bitcoin-supply-really-capped/?sh=16f31a4a7984">21 million</a>&nbsp;tokens ever programmed to exist, and halvings are designed to keep the supply of bitcoin limited, and maintaining the decentralized currency’s storage of value.



By lowering the supply, some expect the 2024 halving will drive demand for bitcoin, and therefore its price, which happened in the immediate aftermath of the three other events.



Bitcoin&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coindesk.com/learn/bitcoin-halving-explained/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">rose</a>&nbsp;8,069% in the 12 months after the 2012 halving, 284% following the 2016 halving and 559% after the 2020 halving.“It’s pretty much Economics 101” that bitcoin prices go up after halving, according to Sevens Report analyst Tom Essaye, who explained that so long as demand doesn’t decrease and new supply goes down, the “only thing left to move is price.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-contra">CONTRA</h2>



It’s far from a given that bitcoin demand will stay steady or increase, and three halving data points hardly make enough of a trend to definitively declare how bitcoin prices will behave during this halving cycle. It’s often hard to sift through the opinions of bitcoin revilers and zealots, but the former will tell you that bitcoin is already overvalued considering its limited use cases. But bitcoin’s ludicrous market-beating returns in recent years are hard for even the biggest pessimist to dismiss: The $61,000 per token bitcoin fetched Wednesday is roughly seven times its price at the 2020 halving, 90 times its 2016 level and 4,000 times its 2012 level.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-so-why-are-bitcoin-prices-down">SO WHY ARE BITCOIN PRICES DOWN?</h2>



Bitcoin is about 17% below its all-time high of $73,768 set last month, with Saturday’s flash&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2024/04/13/bitcoin-plummets-after-iran-launches-attack-on-israel/?sh=14a5c6681f70">10% crash</a>&nbsp;as Iran launched a drone attack on Israel exemplifying the fragile nature of the rally. Bernstein analyst Gautam Chhugani explained to clients Wednesday that it’s actually “new demand catalysts” overlapping with prior halvings that helped drive price increases, explaining that the current cycle’s catalyst actually already happened: January’s approval of spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds, which unlocked billions of dollars of new capital into bitcoin and contributed most strongly to the positive price action, as bitcoin remains up nearly 300% dating back to the beginning of last year. Chhugani expects bitcoin to reach as high as $150,000 next year, a highly bullish forecast that is more than double even its all-time high.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



Halvings are likely a boon for bitcoin holders, but it’s a major challenge for miners, considering it quite literally halves their potential revenue stream – imagine if regulation allowed McDonald’s to sell Big Macs but no fries. Shares of CleanSpark (up 38%), Marathon Digital (down 36%) and Riot Platforms (down 48%), the three most prominent publicly traded American bitcoin miners, have all underperformed bitcoin this year, Chhugani noted, adding that the halving may actually be a good thing for investors as the pressure can lead to consolidation and more profitable companies.

Crypto in Tbilisi as Devotees Begin to Contemplate a Market Bottom

Bitcoin Halving: Here’s Why Some Expect Prices To Soar

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



The price of bitcoin dropped by 7% on Saturday over the course of less than an hour, as prices for other cryptocurrencies also sharply declined after Iran launched an attack on Israel.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



The price of bitcoin was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/digital-assets/assets/bitcoin-btc/?sh=57fc0c8a4357">down</a>&nbsp;7% to $62,570 as of 4:40 p.m. Saturday afternoon, after the cryptocurrency briefly fell to a low on the day of $60,908 minutes earlier.



The price of ethereum fell over 9% to $2,923, while prices for Binance coin and solana dropped 9% and nearly 18%, respectively.



Prices for several less-traded cryptocurrencies dropped by at least 15%, including avalanche (20%), XRP (20%) and the meme token dogecoin (18%).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



$73,750. That’s what the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/advisor/in/investing/cryptocurrency/bitcoin-down-to-64000-after-record-high/">price</a>&nbsp;for bitcoin was on March 24, the all-time high price for the cryptocurrency.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Concerns over increased geopolitical conflict in the Middle East have impacted U.S. markets in recent days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/12/investing/stocks-oil-banks-geopolitics/index.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">dropped</a>&nbsp;by 475 points Friday, after the White House said the U.S. and Israel were preparing for a potential attack by Iran. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon told investors geopolitical conflict was cause for concern, noting it could “be determinative on what happens to the global economy if oil and gas prices go too high,” CNN&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/12/investing/jpmorgan-chase-bank-earnings-q1/index.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reported</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesfarrell/2024/04/13/iran-launches-drone-attack-on-israel/?sh=343044cb2130">Iran Launches Drone Attack On Israel</a> (Forbes)<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/"></a>

Iran-Reaction, IRGC Missile And UAV Attack On Israel

Bitcoin Plummets After Iran Launches Attack On Israel

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



A Binance executive detained in Nigeria last month escaped from custody over the weekend, as the West African country filed charges of tax evasion against the cryptocurrency exchange and some of its executives in the latest public scandal for the firm.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



Binance executives Tigran Gambaryan, a U.S. citizen, and Nadeem Anjarwalla, British-Kenyan citizen, were both taken into custody in Nigeria in February but not charged with any crimes until Monday.



The executives and the crypto company were charged with alleged non-payment of value-added tax (VAT) and company income tax, failure to file tax returns, and complicity in assisting customers to evade taxes through its platform, Nigeria’s Federal Inland Revenue Service announced Monday, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-25/nigeria-announces-charges-against-binance-after-executive-flees" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">multiple</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/25/binance-executive-escapes-nigerian-custody-as-authorities-file-new-tax-charges.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">outlets</a>.



The charges come days after Anjarwalla reportedly escaped from where he was being detained after guards watching him took him to a nearby mosque for prayers, The Premium Times, a Nigerian news outlet,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/680617-nigerian-govt-confirms-escape-of-binance-executive-arrests-personnel-guarding-him.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reported</a>.



Nigeria is in talks with Interpol to get an international arrest warrant for Anjarwalla, Nigeria’s national security adviser&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/nigeria-files-tax-evasion-charges-against-binance-tax-agency-says-2024-03-25/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">told</a>&nbsp;Reuters.



Binance confirmed Anjarwalla was no longer in Nigerian custody.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



“Our primary focus remains on the safety of our employees and we are working collaboratively with Nigerian authorities to quickly resolve this issue,” Binance told Forbes in an email.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Gambaryan and Anjarwalla have been in Nigeria since Feb. 26 when they&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/binance-executives-remain-detention-after-nigeria-court-appearance-families-say-2024-03-20/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reportedly</a>&nbsp;arrived to discuss the country’s decision to ban some cryptocurrency trading websites, including Binance, Coinbase and Kraken. The office of the National Security Adviser in Nigeria detained the pair and seized their passports,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/1507509b-7bbc-48a1-9828-d777036fff2b" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">according to</a>&nbsp;the Financial Times. Both of their families have since&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/binance-executives-remain-detention-after-nigeria-court-appearance-families-say-2024-03-20/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">pleaded</a>&nbsp;with authorities to release the executives. Ahead of their detention, Olayemi Cardoso, Nigeria’s central bank governor,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/1507509b-7bbc-48a1-9828-d777036fff2b" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">told</a>&nbsp;reporters in February officials were concerned about “illicit flows” going through a number of crypto platforms, according to the Financial Times. He went on to say that in one year, $26 billion passed through Binance Nigeria “from sources and users who we cannot adequately identify.” Days later, the Binance executives were detained. The concerns about crypto trading come as Nigeria struggled with currency devaluation. In the past year, the value of the Nigerian currency, the naira, has fallen 70%&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/currency/ngnusd" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">against</a>&nbsp;the U.S. dollar.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



The tax evasion charges and detentions follow high-profile problems Binance has faced in recent years. In November, Changpeng Zhao, the company’s founder, pleaded guilty to Justice Department charges of breaking anti-money laundering laws and violating sanctions and <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2024/02/23/judge-approves-binances-43-billion-settlement-for-anti-money-laundering-sanctions-violations/?sh=9d34b8d44758">agreed</a> to pay more than $4.3 million in fines and restitutions for doing so. In June, the Securities and Exchange Commision <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/2023/06/05/sec-sues-binance-for-multiple-us-rule-violations/?sh=74a7467d7fcb">sued</a> Binance for operating an illegal exchange in the U.S. Months before that, in March, regulators <a href="https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/8680-23" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">alleged</a> that Binance and Zhao evaded Commodity Futures Trading Commission rules. The crypto company <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-06-06/us-probes-binance-over-token-that-is-now-world-s-fifth-largest" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reportedly</a> remains under investigation from the SEC over whether the company illegally sold digital coins when it started out in 2017. Binance isn’t alone: other crypto firms, including Beaxy and Kraken, have also been hit with civil lawsuits recently as regulators crack down on the industry.<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/"></a>

In this photo illustration, the Binance logo is displayed on

Binance Executive Flees Nigerian Prison Amid New Charges

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Bitcoin slumped to its lowest price in weeks Tuesday, as the world’s largest cryptocurrency’s all-time high achieved last week looks to be fleeting.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



Bitcoin fell 7% to below $63,000 by 2 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time (10 a.m. EDT), the time zone typically used for cryptocurrencies as the digital assets are traded constantly.



Tuesday was bitcoin’s lowest price since March 5.



Bitcoin is now down about 15% from its all-time high of nearly $73,800 set last Thursday.



Other cryptocurrencies have similarly slumped, and prices of the next three largest digital assets – ether, Solana and Binance coin – are down more than 7% apiece over the last 24 hours.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-behind-bitcoin-s-price-drop">WHAT’S BEHIND BITCOIN’S PRICE DROP?</h2>



There’s no singular catalyst for the recent bitcoin selloff, but several factors are likely at play. Bitcoin’s price is historically much more volatile than stock prices, which combined with traders’ tendency to take profits following a massive runup in asset prices can cause notable downward swings. There’s also significantly elevated trading activity for bitcoin as spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) flooded institutional money into crypto, with daily dollar-value bitcoin volumes registering their 10 largest values over the last three weeks alone, according to Yahoo Finance&nbsp;<a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/BTC-USD/history?p=BTC-USD" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">data</a>. Finally, there’s been a noticeable uptick in liquidations for bitcoin futures contracts,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theblock.co/data/crypto-markets/futures/btc-liquidations" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">according</a>&nbsp;to Coinglass, which can send bitcoin prices lower as exchanges force users to close their leveraged bitcoin positions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



$320 billion. That’s about how much the combined market capitalization of the global crypto market is down over the last week,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coingecko.com/en/all-cryptocurrencies" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">according</a>&nbsp;to CoinGecko. Bitcoin’s $180 billion slide accounts for much of the decline.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Bitcoin’s returns remain eye popping, as its roughly 40% gain over the last six months and 130% year-to-date far outpace those of leading stock indexes. The rally, which erased the steep decline suffered by bitcoin in 2022 as the crypto industry turned sideways amid higher borrowing costs and revelations of high-profile bad actors like FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried, came as equity prices rose and investors grew excited about the prospects of the ETFs, which went live in January, attracting billions of dollars of fresh capital.<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/"></a>

Hand holding bitcoin

Bitcoin Falls Another 7%—Down 15% From Last Week’s Record

Last week, on Thursday, February 15, the Ethiopian Government&#8217;s investment arm, <a href="https://eih.et/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ethiopian Investment Holdings</a> (EIH), signed a memorandum of understanding with Hong-Kong-based West Data Group&#8217;s Center Service PLC to commence mining bitcoin.



The partnership is under a general agreement for a groundbreaking $250 million data mining project &#8220;that is dedicated to establishing cutting-edge infrastructure for data mining and artificial intelligence training operations in Ethiopia,&#8221; according to the EIH. Ethiopia is positioning itself as a leader in the data centre space in Africa, which is estimated to grow to $5.4 billion by 2027, according to Aritzon Advisory and Intelligence.



As noted by Kal Kassa, CEO for Ethiopia at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hashlabsmining.io/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hashlabs Mining</a>, “the development is part of the Ethiopian Government&#8217;s aim to drive economic growth by leveraging technology and energy sources to attract foreign investments.”



The EIH has yet to confirm the details of its bitcoin mining operations or respond to requests for comment by other publications. Nevertheless, as the project matures, we can expect to get more clarity from them on the particulars of the arrangement.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bitcoin-mining-in-ethiopia">Bitcoin Mining In Ethiopia</h2>



Despite the ban on crypto trading in the country, 2022 saw the ratification of favorable data mining laws that permit &#8220;high-performance computing&#8221; and &#8220;data mining,&#8221; which is where bitcoin mining falls under. In the last two years, this has opened the floodgates to miners seeking its comparatively positive reception to bitcoin mining, coupled with its abundance of energy sources—chiefly hydro—to its optimal weather and cheap energy costs.



According to data from Bitcoin mining services company Luxor Technologies, in 2023, Ethiopia ranked fourth behind the USA, Hong Kong, and Asia as one of the top destinations for Bitcoin mining rigs. Russian bitcoin mining company Bitcluster has already built the first 120 MW bitcoin mining facility, and companies such as Hashlabs Mining have started building bitcoin mines in Ethiopia for their global clients.



In a few years, according to a forecast by a senior executive at Bitmain and reported by Bloomberg, Ethiopia&#8217;s energy potential could rival Texas&#8217;s generation capacity, which currently accounts for an astounding 28.5% of the US&#8217;s 40% global hash rate.



Nevertheless, bitcoin miners are cautious about the future of regulation in the country. As other regions have shown, bitcoin mining has no permanent regulatory cushion. It is also too early to predict whether Ethiopia will switch its stance on bitcoin mining as Iran and Kazakhstan did when it started competing with domestic energy demand.



Regardless, the government is keen on expanding its inflow of foreign currency to mitigate its economic challenges and views mining as a compelling investment opportunity to realise that goal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-nation-state-mining-in-africa">The Future Of Nation State Mining In Africa</h2>



With the energy infrastructure yet to match demand on the ground for electricity in several African countries, using bitcoin mining has continued to become an attractive avenue to bring electricity to millions.



In Ethiopia, for example, over 40% of its population, roughly 120 million people, are without electricity. Yet, the country has an installed capacity generation of over 5,000 MW and anticipates a projected additional install capacity generation of ~5,150 MW following the completion of the Grand Ethiopia Renaissance Dam (GERD), the largest hydroelectric project in Africa.



Following the examples of mining projects elsewhere in Africa, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/abubakarnurkhalil/2023/05/24/africans-are-pioneering-the-bright-yet-complicated-green-future-of-bitcoin-mining/?sh=6d70d31654ac">Gridless</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2023/11/20/nigerian-bitcoin-miner-trojan-mining-launch-500kw-hydro-mining-site/">Trojan Mining</a>, Ethiopia too can leverage its abundant excess green energy to provide electricity to its citizens via bitcoin mining. It can serve as a blueprint for other African countries with comparable energy sources to follow and navigate similar economic problems.



Further, the inclusion of bitcoin mining into the Ethiopian economy could contribute $2 &#8211; $4 billion to its GDP, according to data from&nbsp;<a href="https://projectmano.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Project Mano</a>, an open collective seeking to educate the government on the potential benefits of bitcoin to the country’s economy.



The economic benefits of Ethiopia strategically leveraging its abundant energy resources for Bitcoin mining are vast and far-reaching. It is only a matter of time before other African nations join the bandwagon.



Bitcoin mining will ultimately be a pivotal tool in addressing the economic challenges of various African countries.

aaaxxxxx

Ethiopia To Become The First African Country To Start Bitcoin Mining

Two years ago, non-fungible tokens were sizzling hot, as art aficionados and speculators pushed blockchain-based images to $27 billion in value. Now that the market has crashed, a much less ambitious version of NFTs are finding a welcome home in the marketing departments of corporate America.



<abbr>I</abbr>n the first week of October, non-fungible token (NFT) trading fell to its lowest weekly level since 2020, according to data from TheBlock, with only $50 million worth of digital collectibles exchanged on secondary markets. It was a bleak month for NFTs, whose trading volume plummeted from a record $3.2 billion a week in 2022 as prices slid to fractions of their crypto-boom highs.



The tepid activity came two weeks before Nike planned to sell more than 30,000 pairs of its popular Dunks sneakers in a collection linked to NFTs, with an increasingly popular twist that allowed non-blockchain buyers to get in on the action. Unlike virtually all of the previous efforts, buyers could pay by credit card instead of using cryptocurrency, snagging a custom-sized pair of Dunks in one of three color combinations, white and blue, black and purple and black and red.



Appealing to its traditional youthful buyers worked out for Nike, with the sale bringing in $7 million, or an average of about $230 a pair, and each Dunk owner would own a digital version of the sneaker on the ethereum blockchain. It’s a release model that has proven to be a useful marketing maneuver—in August 2022 Nike offered a 10-piece leisure apparel collection through its CloneX NFT line. The Beaverton, Oregon company, famous for its long relationship with Michael Jordan, has been selling NFT-related apparel since December 2022, when it released the auto-lacing CryptoKicks iRL collection of sneakers. Pieces from that inaugural offering that sold for about&nbsp;<a href="https://etherscan.io/tx/0x85e587dd74fa74b6b2e9fed91cf7be33b58ba79b6052db978c16e83d84af2bf6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">$900&nbsp;</a>can now fetch up to $3,000 on sneaker resale sites like&nbsp;<a href="https://stockx.com/nike-rtfkt-cryptokicks-irl-ice" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">StockX</a>.



The Dunk Genesis collection “was a huge success,” says Steven Vasilev, co-founder of NFT studio RTFKT (pronounced “Artifact”), which was purchased by Nike in December 2021. “Even though the market is still down, our products are still bringing in new people.”



Non-fungible tokens are created, bought and sold on blockchains, like cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and ether. But while each currency’s tokens are alike, every NFT is unique and can be used to reward users with various perks or be linked to objects in the real world. They can also be traded on numerous secondary markets like OpenSea.



The NFT landscape has drastically shifted in the two years since the tokens became part of mainstream art and pop culture. Barely more than a year ago, CryptoPunks, a collection of thousands of pixelated head shots and the cartoon simians of Bored Ape Yacht Club commanded multi-million-dollar price tags at auction. Now, the most expensive rarely trade for over $100,000. NFTs selling for over $10 million disappeared last year and companies born out of NFT collections, like Rektguy and Bored Apes purveyor Yuga Labs, are struggling to pivot their business models away from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2023/09/17/requiem-for-royalties-nft-exchanges-abandon-recurring-compensation-for-artists/?sh=5574c80d65da">royalty payments&nbsp;</a>generated by secondary sales. The overall market shrank to $9.5 billion of revenue last year from $26.7 billion in 2022, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cryptoslam.io/nftglobal?headerPeriod=all&amp;timeFrame=year" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CryptoSlam.</a>&nbsp;Emerging from the aftermath of the NFT craze are major companies that are embracing the tokens as a cutting-edge marketing device, helping them get closer to existing customers and woo new ones.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wither-nfts">Wither NFTs</h2>



Non-fungible token sales peaked in 2022 as digital images inscribed onto blockchains were at the center of pop culture. Two years later, sales are languishing.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



“Where Nike serves athletes, we serve creators,” says Vasilev, who is a member of the Forbes 2023&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/steven-vasilev/?sh=754795392b81">30 Under 30 Retail and E-Commerce&nbsp;</a>list. “We don’t like the word NFT,” he adds, “We believe it&#8217;s too technical and confuses a lot of customers. So we prefer to call them ‘digital collectibles.’”



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Sneaker companies like&nbsp;Nike are at the forefront of NFTs’ second coming, but they are not alone.



While eking out meaningful revenue or profit is a long way off, Corporate America is finding useful ways to employ the unique blockchain-based tokens in their marketing arsenals.



Some companies like Nike are incorporating NFTs into their products, bringing virtual images to physical reality. Credit-card giant Mastercard, for example, partnered with crypto neobank Hi to allow NFT users to showcase their own NFTs on the plastic cards in their wallet.



“The card designs and cards you use for payment are a reflection of who you are,” says Christian Rau, head of Mastercard’s crypto and fintech operations in Europe when the partnership launched in October 2022. Digital art on a credit card “basically allows consumers to display a physical manifestation of an NFT they really care about.”



Beyond physical branding, others have included blockchain elements into existing marketing strategies. Coca-Cola added NFTs to its global Masterpiece advertising campaign in June, in which the company’s iconic red-and-black bottles were passed around by animated versions of well-known artworks like Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” and Vincent Van Gogh’s “Bedroom in Arles.” In August, the company launched a series of digital artworks on Coinbase’s Base blockchain that put combinations of the famous paintings and contemporary works onto its soda bottles in a series of digital images linked to NFTs. Coca-Cola’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coca-colacompany.com/media-center/coca-cola--masterpiece--collection-fetches-more-than--500-000-in" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">drop</a>&nbsp;brought in $543,000 from the sale of 80,000 tokens.



The virtual tactic taps into the existing markets of Coca-Cola superfans and vintage container collectors, some of whom are willing to spend up to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coca-colacompany.com/about-us/history/collecting-coca-cola-bottles" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">$4,000 at auction</a>&nbsp;for the rarest bottles. Coke’s NFTs, in comparison, allowed collectors the chance to buy in for $25 worth of ether to collect at the time of August 2023 sale.



There are also companies that are using NFTs to breathe new life into their loyalty programs. Starbucks, for example, launched a test version of its Odyssey loyalty program in December 2022, giving a select group of users access to online games and quests that generate NFT rewards. The tokens offer holders exclusive programs, including bonus Starbucks stars (the company’s loyalty points), access to specialty drinks, online cocktail-making classes and vacations.



Rewards are already coming in for existing Odyssey members. The top 20 points holders as of January 2024 will be invited to go on an all-expense paid trip to Costa Rica, where Starbucks owns its only coffee farm, according to a post on X by Odyssey executive&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFTbark/status/1740080645588889872?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Steve Kaczynski</a>.



Germany’s Lufthansa has taken a similar approach to loyalty, delivering commemorative NFTs for certain trips or destinations to users of the airline’s Uptrip platform, acting somewhat like digital stamps for passenger’s digital wallets. The service creates NFTs on the Polygon blockchain that can be&nbsp;<a href="https://lh-innovationhub.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/uptrip_pr_en.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">redeemed</a>&nbsp;for free in-flight WiFi, access to airport lounges and airline miles.



Technically, this kind of loyalty programs does not need to rely on blockchain technology to run, but using it could make the process cheaper, plus it gives Lufthansa&#8217;s customers the impression that the company embraces the latest tech. “Companies can have a lot of the tools of a loyalty program without having to build as much infrastructure,” says Paul Brody, global blockchain lead at consulting firm Ernst &amp; Young.



Because the goal of these collectibles is largely to keep users loyal to the issuing company, trading is discouraged, so you won&#8217;t see many of these NFTs racking up volume on marketplaces like OpenSea and Blur.



Still, Brody says, “it can turn out to be really great advertising…Your blockchain wallet is gonna become a bit like your public trophy case.”



The biggest hurdle companies may face in marketing– and expanding their markets–using NFTs may come from the nature of crypto assets. Getting hold of NFTs often includes adding browser extensions, obtaining a crypto wallet, creating lengthy passwords and transacting in digital currencies like ether, which can be daunting for the uninitiated.



That is part of the reason Nike’s Vasilev avoids the term NFT. It is also why RTFKT added an option to buy the physical sneaker first (without the NFT) using traditional credit card payment options instead of crypto. Doing so in the Dunk Genesis drop brought in new customers, Vasilev says, as 93% of buyers who bought the physical sneakers before the NFTs were first-time customers to RTFKT products. “We think this is a huge way to onboard new people,” he adds.



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Sneaker companies may&nbsp;represent the perfect marriage of NFT technology and brand marketing, in particular because top brands already cultivate young buyers via an active collectibles market. Following Nike, Adidas and Puma are launching their own blockchain-compatible collections.



German athleticwear giant Adidas has taken a combined physical and digital approach to using NFTs. In August, the company partnered with Japanese streetwear brand BAPE to release a limited 100-pair edition of virtual white sneakers that could be used to buy the physical counterpart. In partnership with MoonPay, a crypto payment platform, users bid on the 100 items for 72 hours, before collecting their digital pair. Each NFT was tradeable, but they could also be redeemed for Adidas’ Forum Low 84 sneakers in an exclusive Triple White color pattern for holders willing to burn, or destroy, the NFT. The highest bid for a single pair of sneakers was almost $4,000, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://etherscan.io/tx/0xce3e4c4da6d1835dd0730df56bba440843d2e68a56b43a6512f010d62d9cd378" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Etherscan</a>.



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<abbr>M</abbr>ost of Adidas’ NFT&nbsp;explorations have remained within the virtual walls of the metaverse, releasing goods on gaming platforms and participating in<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mariagraciasantillanalinares/2023/04/02/as-a-list-designers-peddle-metaverse-merch-decentralands-fashion-week-makes-a-muted-return/">&nbsp;Metaverse Fashion Week&nbsp;</a>in 2023.



Puma has adapted strategies used by both of its rivals. After experimenting with made-to-order sneakers for physical versions of an NFT collection it released earlier in 2022, it pivoted to first selling tokens that could be redeemed for a limited editions version of an existing running shoe called Fast-RB. For now, however, it is focusing on uses for its Puma Pass, a token that gives users early access to more NFT collections and on digital wearables to be used on gaming platforms.



“Just creating a profile picture collection or a loyalty program is low-hanging fruit,” says Ivan Dashkov, head of emerging technologies at Puma, who sees creativity as the key to blockchain success. “You really need to think of new, novel ways to use [blockchain] technology to reach, to interact with your customer.”



The use of NFTs as a marketing tool is still in its infancy. Almost no existing corporate marketing program has taken steps to implement permanent NFT programs, says Brody.



The emphasis is on experimentation and consumer use and, as trading on once-sizzling hot marketplaces like OpenSea continues to languish, no one is talking about the secondary market for NFTs.



Says Brody, “We&#8217;re headed for a future that is more and more NFTs as souvenirs and as public trophies and not as transferrable financial assets.”

BRITAIN-BLOCKCHAIN-NFT-TOKENS

Forget BoredApes And CryptoPunks, NFTs Are Making A Corporate Comeback

Nigeria has eased its stringent stance on cryptocurrency transactions, introducing guidelines to govern operations after two years.



The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently released comprehensive guidelines to govern the operations of bank accounts for Virtual Assets Service Providers (VASPs), signaling the end of a two-year ban on cryptocurrency transactions. This information is detailed in a circular titled Guidelines on Operations of Bank Accounts for Virtual Assets Service Providers, issued by Haruna B. Mustafa, Director of the Financial Policy and Regulation Department at the CBN.



While the ban lasted, Nigerians defied the odds with the volume of crypto transactions in Nigeria growing 9% year-over-year to $56.7 billion between July 2022 and June 2023, according to New York-based blockchain research firm Chainalysis in a September report. Nigeria is also reported to have the highest peer-to-peer (P2P) exchange volume, according to the 2023 Geography of Cryptocurrency Report. A recent study from KuCoin found that 35% of Nigerians aged between 18 and 60 are investing or trading bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies.



In February 2021, the CBN initially imposed restrictions on banks and financial institutions, preventing them from engaging with cryptocurrency service providers reportedly due to concerns related to money laundering and terrorism financing risks.



In the latest circular, the CBN acknowledges global trends indicating the need to regulate the activities of VASPs, including cryptocurrencies and crypto assets. &#8220;Following this development, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in 2018 also updated its Recommendation 15 to require VASPS to be regulated to prevent misuse of virtual assets for ML/TF/PF.&#8221;



&#8220;Furthermore, Section 30 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 recognizes VASPs as part of the definition of a financial institution. In addition, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in May 2022 issued Rules on Issuance, Offering and Custody of Digital Assets and VASPS to provide a regulatory framework for their operations in Nigeria,&#8221; adds the CBN.



In response to these developments, the CBN explained that it issued the new guidelines to provide clear directives to financial institutions under its regulatory purview regarding their banking relationships with VASPs in Nigeria.



The guidelines supersede previous circulars. However, it emphasizes that &#8220;banks and other financial institutions are still prohibited from holding, trading, and/or transacting in virtual currencies on their own account&#8221;.



The directive concludes with a firm call to action, stating, &#8220;Accordingly, all banks and other financial institutions are hereby required to immediately comply with the provisions of the Guidelines.&#8221;



Nigerian analyst, Kolawole Oyebola, expresses his views on the CBN&#8217;s decision, highlighting the positive implications for the burgeoning cryptocurrency market in the country. Oyebola commends the regulatory clarity provided by the comprehensive guidelines, stating that it will instill confidence among investors and industry players.



&#8220;This move by the CBN is a welcomed and long-awaited step in the right direction. The comprehensive guidelines not only signal a pragmatic approach to regulating the cryptocurrency space but also demonstrate the recognition of the importance of digital assets in the evolving global financial landscape,&#8221; Oyebola tells FORBES AFRICA.



The CBN&#8217;s ban, during its implementation period, had raised concerns within the cryptocurrency community and sparked debates about the future of digital currencies in Nigeria. Analysts had been vocal about the need for a balanced regulatory framework that encourages innovation while addressing potential risks associated with cryptocurrencies.



&#8220;Now that the ban has been lifted, we can anticipate increased interest and participation in the cryptocurrency market. The guidelines provide a roadmap for both VASPs and investors, promoting transparency and accountability,&#8221; Oyebola adds.



Already, pan-African cryptocurrency trading platform, Yellow Card, is exploring opportunities to capitalize on its first-mover advantage by pursuing licensing.



While Oyebola opines that challenges may persist, noting the need for continuous dialogue between regulators and industry stakeholders, he remains optimistic about the future of cryptocurrency in Nigeria.



&#8220;The CBN&#8217;s decision to lift the ban and introduce comprehensive guidelines reflects a proactive stance that could pave the way for a more robust and inclusive digital financial ecosystem in the country.&#8221;

Cryptocurrency Mining In Africa As Poor Sheperdherder Proves A Point

Nigeria Resumes Cryptocurrency Transactions With New Guidelines For VASPs

The Himalayan Kingdom quietly spent millions building its own bitcoin mining operation. Now, using satellite imagery, Forbes has uncovered the secret locations of the world’s largest state-owned mines.



Dozens of shipping containers lie hidden behind a hillside south of Thimphu, the Himalayan capital of Bhutan, one of the world’s most isolated nations. Inside, millions of dollars of bitcoin mining machines work unceasingly to amass the valuable currency that now fascinates the country’s monarch — and his kingdom. Under the reign of Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the “Dragon King,” Bhutan has been quietly transformed into a crypto Shangri-La with its government dedicating land, funding and energy to operations like these, which it hopes will avert a looming economic crisis.



But Bhutanese officials have never disclosed the location or scope of these facilities. And when it became the first country to have founded a sovereign bitcoin mine approximately four years ago, few outside of Bhutan knew. Its government only began commenting on its digital asset investments after&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/iainmartin/2023/04/15/the-tiny-kingdom-of-bhutan-secretly-held-millions-of-dollars-in-cryptocurrency/">Forbes&nbsp;first reported details</a>&nbsp;of its multi-million-dollar portfolio earlier this year, which were exposed by the bankruptcies of fallen crypto lenders BlockFi and Celsius, with whom it had banked significant holdings.



Now, Forbes has identified the sites of what appear to be four mines run by the Thunder Dragon kingdom, based on sources with knowledge of Bhutan’s crypto investments and confirmed through satellite imagery from Planet Labs, Satellite Vu and Google Earth. They show long rectangular mining units, data center cooling systems and high capacity power lines and transformers that run from Bhutan’s hydroelectric plants to the sites. They have never been publicly disclosed.



One facility — the pilot location for Bhutan’s bitcoin mining efforts, a source said — was built near Dochula Pass, an area that holds cultural and political significance for its 108 memorial shrines dedicated to fallen Bhutanese soldiers. Planet Labs and Google Earth satellite imagery indicate that earthmoving began on the site in 2020 with construction appearing to have finished in late 2022. Aerial views show a cluster of green and white-roofed mining units enclosed by miles of forest. Though just steps from a busy highway, Google Street View suggests it is completely hidden from unknowing passersby. A second source told&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;that the ground has been leveled along this stretch of road to provide additional cover for the site.



A second mine is located near Trongsa, a town east of Thimphu and ancestral seat of the current Wangchuck dynasty. A third is situated in the heavily forested district of Dagana, near a middle school that caters to children in the rural community.



What appears to be the kingdom’s fourth and largest mine sits on the bones of a contentious — and failed — $1 billion government megaproject called “<a href="https://www.nationalcouncil.bt/assets/uploads/docs/acts/2014/Bhutan_Education_City_Act_2012_eng9th.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Education City</a>,” an effort to establish an international center “for education and knowledge” in Bhutan. The mine runs alongside the country’s first paved road, Phuentsholing-Thimphu national highway, but is concealed behind mountainous terrain. Only transformers and power lines betray the fact that a bitcoin mine now occupies the site. Historical satellite imagery shows that its construction began around December 2021, coinciding with the import of $193 million in “processing units,” according to customs data from the Ministry of Finance. The imports were appended with the same tariff code used by bitcoin mining hardware companies.



Bhutan had pitched the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalcouncil.bt/assets/uploads/docs/acts/2014/Bhutan_Education_City_Act_2012_eng9th.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Education City</a>&nbsp;project to its citizens as a means to secure their future amid rising youth unemployment,&nbsp;<a href="https://kuenselonline.com/migration-of-bhutanese/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">surging emigration numbers</a>&nbsp;and brain drain. Roughly 1.5% of Bhutan’s population&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/bhutans-jobs-woes-drive-an-exodus-australia-2023-07-28/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">emigrated last year</a>&nbsp;to Australia alone, many seeking job opportunities and better pay. In Bhutan, the minimum wage is set at just $45 per month and approximately 12% of its population lives below the poverty line, according to local newspaper&nbsp;<a href="https://kuenselonline.com/labour-ministry-reviewing-the-national-minimum-daily-wage/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kuensel</a>.



Education City was supposed to change that. In 2009, Bhutan’s government paid consulting firm McKinsey &amp; Co. some $9 million to help design a $1 billion &#8220;world-class regional hub for health, education, finance, ICT services.&#8221; Nestled between the confluence of two rivers, the 1,000-acre campus would be a beacon of the country’s experimental Gross National Happiness economic model, and a higher ed hub for Asia. It was to host satellites of some of the most prestigious universities in the world, as well as R&amp;D facilities, laboratories, hotels and event centers. And according to the Bhutanese government, it would promote &#8220;Brand Bhutan,&#8221; creating a &#8220;green and sustainable economy,&#8221; &#8220;culturally and spiritually sensitive industries&#8221; and a &#8220;knowledgeable society.&#8221;



It did none of those things. Plagued by political scandals, mismanagement and innumerable delays, Education City was scrapped in 2014. But left behind were roads, bridges, a water supply and, crucially, power lines — building blocks for a bitcoin mine.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://imageio.forbes.com/specials-images/imageserve/655cdfb1f26e45135e0fe07a/Infrastructure-consistent-with-that-of-a-bitcoin-mine-in-the-rural-region-of-Dagana-/0x0.jpg?format=jpg&amp;width=1440" alt="Infrastructure consistent with that of a bitcoin mine in the rural region of Dagana. " style="width:750px;height:auto"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Infrastructure consistent with that of a bitcoin mine in the rural region of Dagana.&nbsp;IMAGE © PLANET LABS PBC</figcaption></figure></div>


The kingdom’s sovereign investing arm, Druk Holdings &amp; Investment (DHI), confirmed the mines’ existence. “Sites for bitcoin-mining related facilities in Bhutan have been selected based on the logistical needs of the operations such as power supply and a variety of other factors,” it told&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;through an outside communications firm. It declined to comment on their locations, however, stating that “DHI does not disclose commercially sensitive details of its operations.”



Bitcoin was a Hail Mary addition to Bhutan’s economic masterplan. The kingdom’s finances have long been underpinned by tourism revenues and the export of a massive surplus of hydropower to its neighbor India. But the Covid pandemic tanked the&nbsp;<a href="https://jp.reuters.com/article/bhutan-tourism-environment-climate-idAFL8N3A93GD#:~:text=In%202019%2C%20before%20the%20pandemic,earn%20the%20country%20foreign%20exchange." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">$88.6 million</a>&nbsp;annual revenue the country collected from $65-a day visa fees, requiring an urgent course correction. According to multiple sources, Bhutanese government officials began holding talks with bitcoin miners and suppliers sometime in 2020.



DHI, which oversees Bhutan’s bitcoin operations, told local newspaper&nbsp;<a href="https://thebhutanese.bt/dhi-confirms-that-it-is-mining-digital-assets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Bhutanese</a>&nbsp;that it “entered the mining space” when the cryptocurrency’s price was $5,000 (it was last valued at this level in April 2019 but is now worth $36,000). Bhutan’s own import data and satellite imagery suggest that its operations truly ramped up in 2020. In May, when&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;asked DHI to confirm that timing, a spokesperson for the fund would say only that a series of bitcoin investments were made “in a period in 2019.” They added that DHI was “currently net positive in our digital asset position.”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/23/bitcoin-price-calls-in-2022-how-the-market-got-it-wrong.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin’s price collapsed</a>&nbsp;from $69,000 in November 2021 to under $17,000 last December.



<a href="https://thebhutanese.bt/bitcoin-powers-a-50-hike-for-public-servants/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Bhutanese</a>&nbsp;reported in June that DHI was planning to sell down its bitcoin stockpile to fund a 50% salary hike for government officials worth $72 million, as Bhutan faces an economic and political crisis with a trade deficit running down its&nbsp;<a href="https://thebhutanese.bt/bitcoin-powers-a-50-hike-for-public-servants/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hard currency reserve</a>&nbsp;to just $689 million. (This will cover just 14 months of imports while the country’s constitution requires 12 months of reserves.)



Several sources inside Bhutan told&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;that the mines are now an open secret, though neither the Bhutanese government nor DHI have formally disclosed their existence. In emails to&nbsp;Forbes, DHI has consistently declined to comment on the scope or financing of its cryptocurrency regime.



DHI, which also operates the nation’s flagship airline, hydroelectric power plants and a cheese factory, does not provide any breakdown of revenues or investment in bitcoin mining in its annual accounts beyond noting it had raised foreign currency bonds to fund the project. Bhutan’s Ministry of Finance has been equally quiet. Outside academics and insiders who specialize in monitoring global bitcoin activity told&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;that the country’s mining activities remain a conundrum. DHI claimed that it was “not involved in decisions as to the use of funds that DHI pays out to the Government.”



But the kingdom left a breadcrumb trail. Trade data accessed through the Observatory of Economic Complexity, an open source platform that visualizes global trade patterns, indicates that more than $220 million in chips used for bitcoin mining were shipped from China to Bhutan between 2021 and 2022. DHI declined to answer questions about them, citing “NDAs with contractual parties.” And Bhutan’s Ministry of Energy data reveals a massive 63% spike in power usage by industry in 2022.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://imageio.forbes.com/specials-images/imageserve/655cdf7af7758dcd00342f24/Green-roofed-units-in-Trongsa--the-ancestral-seat-of-the-Wangchuck-dynasty-/0x0.jpg?format=jpg&amp;width=1440" alt="Green-roofed units in Trongsa, the ancestral seat of the Wangchuck dynasty." style="width:728px;height:auto"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Green-roofed units in Trongsa, the ancestral seat of the Wangchuck dynasty.IMAGE © PLANET LABS PBC</figcaption></figure></div>


Meanwhile, Bhutan, which has for years sold off surplus energy to India, has massively ramped up imports, purchasing $20.7 million worth of electricity in 2023, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://kuenselonline.com/growing-domestic-demand-cuts-electricity-export-revenue-by-27-percent/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kuensel</a>. Government officials&nbsp;<a href="https://kuenselonline.com/growing-domestic-demand-cuts-electricity-export-revenue-by-27-percent/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recently</a>&nbsp;warned that this bill would balloon to $72 million over the coming winter with imports needed for five months to cover demand.



The Asian monsoon season means that Bhutan has always experienced droughts when its hydropower plants stand largely idle for three months, requiring it to import electricity from India’s largely coal-powered grid. Bhutan’s investment in bitcoin mining has, however, hinged on reliable access to cheap and clean energy.



“Bhutan prioritises power supply for domestic consumption. Industry and business — including projects related to bitcoin mining — are accorded lower priority,” DHI’s spokesperson said. In the winter months when hydropower generation typically decreases, “mining activity may be shut down subject to electricity availability.”



However, the four state-owned mines&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;believes it has identified might not even be Bhutan’s largest. In 2022, the country entered a partnership with Singaporean bitcoin mining giant, Bitdeer, which made Bhutan the seat of its Asian expansion. In March,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.planet.com/stories/gedu-XyMPiYu4g" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitdeer broke ground</a>&nbsp;on a mine in the southern town of Gedu, according to satellite imagery from Planet Labs, bringing 100 megawatts (MW) online in August, the company said. DHI, which owns Bhutan’s national power company, will be supplying electricity to the site. Bitdeer disclosed in a July update that it was already running 11,000 miners and had ordered an additional 15,000 machines. When completed, the 600 MW facility will consume more energy than the rest of the nation,&nbsp;<a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Bhutan-puts-Bitcoin-mining-plan-in-motion-to-power-up-economy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nikkei</a>&nbsp;reported.



Recently, Bitdeer staff have been approaching investors at industry conferences such as Mining Disrupt for a $500 million “<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-05-03/bhutan-plans-500-million-fund-for-bitcoin-btc-and-crypto-mining-in-himalayas" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">green crypto mining</a>” fund. DHI&nbsp;<a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Bhutan-puts-Bitcoin-mining-plan-in-motion-to-power-up-economy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimates</a>&nbsp;it will support 300 to 400 jobs and a new computing sector in Bhutan — echoing the country’s moonshot pitch for the defunct Education City. Bitdeer CEO Matt Linghui Kong told Forbes in a statement that the company is “getting a lot of interest” in the fund and is currently in negotiations with multiple investors who it declined to name.



The new fund and jobs could be desperately needed, with the Asian Development Bank forecasting that Bhutan’s economy would slow to 4.6% this&nbsp;<a href="https://kuenselonline.com/bhutans-economy-to-slow-down-to-4-6-percent-this-year-adb/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">year</a>. The government’s own economists called for economic reforms and budget cuts to stave off a&nbsp;<a href="https://kuenselonline.com/bhutans-economy-to-slow-down-to-4-6-percent-this-year-adb/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">financial crisis</a>.



For now, Bhutan’s appetite for blockchain-based solutions seems undimmed by these challenges. Earlier this month, on the king and queen’s 12th wedding anniversary, it unveiled an experimental&nbsp;<a href="https://kuenselonline.com/bhutan-national-digital-identity-application-launched-in-thimphu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">decentralized digital identity app</a>. Its first test subject and digital citizen? The crown prince.



With additional reporting and satellite imagery analysis by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stimson.org/ppl/eyler/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brian Eyler</a>, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center and director of its Southeast Asia Program and its Energy, Water, and Sustainability Program.

Bhutan

Bhutan Built A Bitcoin Mine On The Site Of Its Failed ‘Education City’

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried was convicted of multiple fraud and conspiracy charges Thursday, bringing an end to a month-long trial in which prosecutors accused Bankman-Fried of stealing and using billions of dollars from his own customers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



Bankman-Fried, 31, was found guilty of seven counts of fraud and conspiracy and faces a maximum possible sentence of up to 110 years in prison.



Jurors in Manhattan federal court returned the verdict after less than five hours of deliberation.



Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Roos said in his closing argument there was “no serious dispute” that $10 billion worth of customers’ money went missing from FTX’s crypto exchange, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/11/02/sam-bankman-fried-found-guilty-on-all-seven-criminal-fraud-counts.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBC News</a>, adding that the main issue was whether Bankman-Fried acted with criminal intent.



Bankman-Fried’s defense attorney, Mark Cohen, said Wednesday the prosecution was trying to paint his client as a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/11/02/sbf-ftx-trial-closing-arguments-defense" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">movie villain</a>&nbsp;and argued that Bankman-Fried’s business collapsed through no fault of his own.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chief-critic">CHIEF CRITIC</h2>



“We respect the jury’s decision. But we are very disappointed with the result,” Cohen said in a statement. “Mr. Bankman Fried maintains his innocence and will continue to vigorously fight the charges against him.&#8221;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Bankman-Fried, who pleaded not guilty to all of his charges, was first charged in late 2022 with money laundering and multiple fraud counts. The charges revolved around allegations that Bankman-Fried was putting customers’ money into FTX’s sister trading firm, Alameda Research. The disgraced cryptocurrency executive resigned from FTX about a month before he was hit with the charges. At the same time, FTX filed for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/11/23453164/ftx-bankruptcy-filing-sam-bankman-fried-resigns" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chapter 11 bankruptcy</a>&nbsp;while attempting to pay back investors, customers and creditors—a decision the exchange took after experiencing a liquidity crisis caused by a selloff of its own tokens.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2023/11/02/sam-bankman-frieds-final-hours-in-court/?sh=6e810e3337f1">Sam Bankman-Fried’s Final Hours In Court</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2023/10/27/sam-bankman-fried-testifies-a-lot-of-people-got-hurt-by-ftx-as-he-denies-defrauding-customers/?sh=64b1b675720d">Sam Bankman-Fried Testifies: ‘A Lot Of People Got Hurt’ By FTX As He Denies Defrauding Customers</a> (Forbes)<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/"></a>

Key Speakers At The Bloomberg Crypto Summit

Sam Bankman-Fried Found Guilty Of Fraud And Conspiracy

OpenSea, once the leading marketplace for non-fungible tokens, was built on a promise of perpetual royalties for digital artists. Then came upstart Blur, whose no-fee, trader-friendly platform put the focus on pricing and costs.



It only took a few months to kill the art world’s <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2023/03/17/what-blurs-success-reveals-about-nft-marketplaces/?sh=19e61c2a189f">utopian dream</a> of long-lasting income streams for content creators.



As of September 1, OpenSea, once the leading marketplace for art linked to non fungible tokens, rescinded its policy of mandatory royalty payments to NFT creators. The decision came after it lost its dominance to no-fee competitor Blur, which only appeared on the scene in October but then quickly gobbled up market share by not charging platform processing fees and became the top NFT trading site in February. Overall NFT trading volume has plummeted from about $5.36 billion in January 2022, according to The Block, to $410 million in August. OpenSea’s share of the struggling NFT market has plummeted to under 30%.



Besides the lack of platform fees, Blur does not force sellers to abide by royalty agreements, which creators who launch their works on OpenSea and a few smaller marketplaces can require on transactions in their artworks after the initial sale. OpenSea, which did police such arrangements, said it would no longer do so after August 31, and it seems unlikely that many buyers will offer the payments.



Without the guarantee of a long-term royalty stream, the appeal of creating works linked to NFTs lessens, and prices for the kind of computer-generated art often linked to the tokens are plunging anyway. So why should artists bother with NFTs?



“Making art is an act of risk-taking,” says Amy Whitaker, associate professor of art business at New York University. “It makes sense, therefore, for artists to share in the upside that they helped to create.” She termed OpenSea’s decision to abandon royalties “unfortunate.”



Digital works encoded onto blockchains rose in popularity in 2021 after the artist Beeple sold a collection of images previously published on his Instagram page for $69 million. Seeing the big bucks to be made in a seemingly simple process–just upload a digital file to an NFT marketplace, which would encode it, for a fee, onto a blockchain–hundreds, if not thousands of artists joined in. NFT aficionados, including artists and collectors, claimed that blockchain-linked art would democratize access to a murky and difficult-to-break-in market, making the opaque system of well-connected galleries and deep-pocketed buyers obsolete. The decentralized system for royalty payments, they contended, would also ensure that artists would directly participate in the appreciation of their works, typically earning a 10% cut on each subsequent sale.



Each marketplace maintained its own policy for awarding royalties to artists. Beeple for example, famously would sell his “drops” for $1 each, but as they were bid up and resold on NFT marketplace Nifty Gateway for hundreds of thousands of dollars, he earned tens of thousands in royalties on each transaction.



In its brief life, NFT-linked art has largely been digital, often in series of similar images with various unique features that make some more collectible than others. But anything can be linked to a token–traditional art, real estate, even musical instruments–and then tracked on its associated blockchain. So, the technology could speed transactions and cut out middlemen in many industries.



<abbr>T</abbr>he fight for royalty payments has largely played out in the court of NFT marketplaces, websites that allow creators and sellers to list their pieces in primary and secondary transactions. In order to better compete with Blur, OpenSea launched what it called its operator filter, which allowed creators of NFTs to prohibit their tokens from being sold in marketplaces that did not enforce royalties. In other words, the filter blocked OpenSea’s competitors and required collections to trade either on its own marketplace or others that did enforce royalty payments, keeping them away from Blur.



Market forces did not cooperate with OpenSea’s strategy. Free trades and optional royalty payment policies quickly drew sellers, which in turn attracted buyers. Since prices and volume were controlled by traders, seeking quick, if marginal, returns, voluntarily paying royalties to artists were easily dismissed by them.



OpenSea’s trading volume plummeted to 27% in August as Blur’s skyrocketed from a mere 5% to 60% in the same time frame, according to data from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theblock.co/data/nft-non-fungible-tokens/marketplaces" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Block</a>. Even OpenSea Pro, OpenSea’s no-fee aggregator and direct competitor to Blur which launched in April, has been unable to take market share from Blur, accounting for only 33% of trading volume on NFT aggregators in August (63% of trades happened on Blur), according to data from<a href="https://dune.com/hildobby/nft-aggregators" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;Dune Analytics</a>.



But the playing field is not level for OpenSea. With no marketplace fee, Blur is living mostly on its $11 million in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2023/04/13/forget-art-lets-trade-how-a-10-person-startup-came-to-dominate-nft-markets/?sh=227ffacc2680">venture capital funding</a>&nbsp;and a&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.blur.foundation/tokenomics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hefty</a>&nbsp;supply of blur tokens, reward tokens given out to its founding team and traders as rewards for using the platform. While Blur has attempted to grow its customer base with the launch of its lending products (Blend) and more uses for its token, how long its dominance will last will depend on its reliance on its token model, which could make it susceptible to regulatory action.



Ultimately, OpenSea has not only lost market share to Blur, but it is taking a smaller piece of a smaller pie. After peaking at $16 billion in January 2022, NFT trading has plummeted, with only $559 million worth exchanged in August in 3.2 million transactions, a more-than-<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2023/08/03/stan-lee-becomes-nft-superhero-illustrating-a-downward-shift-in-prices/?sh=6de9fb6d5ae5">60% volume decrease</a>&nbsp;from last year, according to industry research firm&nbsp;<a href="https://dappradar.com/blog/blockchain-industry-regains-traction-as-2-million-unique-active-wallets-interact-daily/#Chapter-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DappRadar</a>. Even then, only 15% of unique active wallets contributed to August’s NFT transactions. In July, only 4% of wallets traded the NFTs.



Few transactions and even fewer users (measured by the number of unique wallets) points to a new normal in NFT trading which is bad news for digital artists: traders rule the market, and most refuse to pay royalties.



Blur’s predecessors, aggregators like X2Y2 and LooksRare which listed NFTs available in various marketplaces, set the standard for royalty-free marketplaces geared toward traders by offering quick no-fee transactions. Others, like Magic Eden, the largest marketplace for NFTs on the Solana blockchain, and Ethereum-based OpenSea, had to respond to draw customers back to their platforms, lowering costs one way or another. Magic Eden took the first step, moving to a royalty-optional model in&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MagicEden/status/1581101016686399491?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1581101016686399491%7Ctwgr%5E9d190b061a3b95519526e7d4bab1ea7a5ea8bfbb%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.coindesk.com%2Fbusiness%2F2022%2F10%2F15%2Fmagic-eden-moves-to-optional-royalty-model%2F" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">October</a>&nbsp;as trading declined, preceding OpenSea by two weeks.



<abbr>T</abbr>he royalty policy changes at OpenSea and other marketplaces should send a loud wake up call to Bored Ape Yacht Club maker Yuga Labs. Since it debuted in April 2021, Yuga has received $58 million in royalties from the resales of its Bored Ape collection. Its Mutant Ape Yacht Club and “Otherdeed” collection brought in nearly $100 million more. Chiru Labs, which designed the anime-inspired Azuki collection, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mariagraciasantillanalinares/2022/09/13/reddits-ohanian-leads-54-million-doodles-capital-raise/?sh=84266a63bf38">Doodles</a>, purveyor of pastel-forward illustrations are also likely to take big revenue hits.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-top-10-royalty-generating-nft-collections">TOP 10 ROYALTY GENERATING NFT COLLECTIONS</h2>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-through-august-2023-profile-picture-collections-have-received-the-most-in-total-royalties-since-launch-garnering-millions-in-fees-from-secondary-trading-but-when-it-comes-to-effective-royalty-rates-metaverse-and-gaming-nfts-with-rates-of-8-to-9-are-the-winners">Through August 2023, profile picture collections have received the most in total royalties since launch, garnering millions in fees from secondary trading. But when it comes to effective royalty rates, metaverse and gaming NFTs, with rates of 8% to 9%, are the winners.</h4>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Even prior to OpenSea scrapping royalty payments, 10% royalties were more of a goal than a reality. According to Nansen, the average royalty for the highest earning collections was between 2% and 4%. Top-performing gaming collectibles were earning 5% to 10%.



Though they stand to have the most dollars to lose, some big creators are insulated by the brand recognition they’ve garnered, including shows at traditional&nbsp;<a href="https://www.centrepompidou.fr/en/magazine/article/the-centre-pompidou-in-the-age-of-nfts" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">museums</a>, and can still claim the big bucks on primary sales. Chiru Labs, for example, raised $38 million ahead of its much-anticipated “Elementals,” although investors ultimately thought that collection of characters with&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/wizardofsoho/status/1673772462289350657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1673772462289350657%7Ctwgr%5E1f3046daac6098742355f02bd7c2633d1e660522%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fdecrypt.co%2F146464%2Fazuki-nft-prices-plummet-collectors-blast-identical-elementals-art" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">almost identical designs</a>&nbsp;was a flop.



The most dire consequences of the loss of royalties are likely to fall on the smaller creators whose monthly payments have been in the hundreds or low thousands of dollars but who have included the income in their financial planning, according to Calderon.



At the $6.7-million collection Rektguy, the loss of royalties is having tangible results, says co-founder Ovie Faruq. “We&#8217;ve used royalties to pay a moderator, to put-on real-life events, to build different competitions and build our website and community,” he says. “So, when you strip that out, it changes the business model.”



Combined with the evaporating royalties, NFT participants face new U.S. regulatory issues. The Securities and Exchange Commission last month required Los Angeles-based&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2023/08/31/sec-opens-a-new-can-of-worms-with-nft-enforcement-action/?sh=4aba9c3921ab">Impact Theory</a>, a digital media studio which raised $30 million from its NFT sales since 2021, to revise the smart contract underlying its Founders Keys NFTs to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sec.gov/files/litigation/admin/2023/33-11226.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eliminate</a>&nbsp;any royalty payment the company may receive from future secondary market transactions. The SEC alleges the company sold unregistered crypto securities through its sale. Because Impact collects and profits from the royalties (set at 10%), rather than the digital artist, the SEC contends, its NFTs are securities. This week, the SEC also fined the creators of the Stoner Cats collection&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2023-178" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">$1 million</a>&nbsp;over the sale of unregistered securities.



Impact Theory’s NFTs offered a number of exclusive opportunities to holders, including discounts and early access to videos and gaming content. To settle charges that it was selling unregistered securities–the first SEC enforcement action against an NFT issuer–Impact Theory also agreed to destroy its remaining supply of the tokens and pay a $6 million fine.



If the SEC is looking at royalty payments as a potential criterion for treating the tokens like securities, NFT studios, collectors and even the marketplaces they’re traded on could be susceptible to the same kinds of enforcement actions the agency has been taking against cryptocurrency companies. The way the Impact Theory NFTs were structured may have made them especially susceptible.



“There&#8217;s a pretty good argument for the artists receiving royalties downstream, based on certain case law,” says James Walker, co-lead of Perkins and Coie’s fintech enforcement and compliance team referring to the way the entertainment industry compensates musicians, actors and screenwriters, for example. “But there’s a stronger argument [that NFTs are securities] when you have a company [like Impact Theory] that isn’t involved in the creation that is getting royalties downstream from certain NFTs issued.&#8221;

Collage of woman falling through the metaverse

Requiem For Royalties: NFT Exchanges Abandon Recurring Compensation For Artists

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



The price of Bitcoin fell below $26,000 Thursday—its lowest level since June—amid a broader crypto market slump after the&nbsp;Wall Street Journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/behind-the-curtain-of-elon-musks-secretive-spacex-revenue-growth-and-rising-costs-2c828e2b?mod=hp_lead_pos5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>&nbsp;that SpaceX has taken a significant write-down on its Bitcoin holdings and sold the cryptocurrency.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



The price of the world’s most valuable cryptocurrency stood at $26,400 early on Friday, down nearly 8% in the previous 24 hours and 10% compared to last week.



Earlier on Thursday evening, the price of Bitcoin had dropped even lower, to around $25,400 before a slight recovery.



Ether, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency, also took a similar hit and fell to $1,680—down 6.6% in the previous 24 hours.



Other major tokens like Binance’s BNB, Cardano and Solana are also down more than 6%



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



16%. That’s how much the price of Ripple’s XRP token has fallen in the past 24 hours, significantly worse than all other major cryptocurrencies. XRP’s steeper fall is a result of a federal judge’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-dow-jones-08-17-2023/card/judge-in-sec-ripple-case-opens-path-to-partial-appeal-after-july-ruling-Qj9YAsJsOP72ufpmQfCx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">decision</a>&nbsp;on Thursday to allow the SEC to partially appeal a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2023-07-13/what-does-ripple-xrp-ruling-in-sec-case-mean-for-crypto" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ruling</a>&nbsp;in its case against Ripple.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Thursday evening’s crypto selloff began after the&nbsp;Wall Street Journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/behind-the-curtain-of-elon-musks-secretive-spacex-revenue-growth-and-rising-costs-2c828e2b?mod=hp_lead_pos5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>&nbsp;that Elon Musk’s SpaceX wrote down the value of its bitcoin holdings by a total of $373 million in the previous two calendar years. The company has also sold off its crypto holdings, the report added, although it is unclear when this sale happened. Musk and his companies have been a key mover of cryptocurrency prices, with the market often seeing significant movement based on the billionaire’s tweets. However, the SpaceX selloff follows a similar move by Musk’s other company, Tesla, which&nbsp;<a href="https://tesla-cdn.thron.com/static/EIUQEC_2022_Q2_Quarterly_Update_Deck_J8VLIK.pdf?xseo=&amp;amp;response-content-disposition=inline%3Bfilename%3D%22tsla-q2-22-update.pdf%22" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">disclosed in an earnings report last year</a>&nbsp;that it had sold 75% of its Bitcoin holdings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/behind-the-curtain-of-elon-musks-secretive-spacex-revenue-growth-and-rising-costs-2c828e2b?mod=hp_lead_pos5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">A Rare Look Into the Finances of Elon Musk’s Secretive SpaceX</a>&nbsp;(Wall Street Journal)



Forbes Daily: Get our best stories, exclusive reporting and essential analysis of the day’s news in your inbox every weekday.Sign Up



By signing up, you accept and agree to our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/terms-and-conditions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Terms of Service</a>&nbsp;(including the class action waiver and arbitration provisions), and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/privacy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Privacy Statement</a>.



<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-08-18/bitcoin-plunge-spurs-liquidations-as-spacex-s-token-sale-weighs?srnd=premium" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin Plunge Spurs Liquidations as SpaceX’s Token Sale Weighs</a> (Bloomberg)

Bitcoin Drops To Lowest Level Since June Amid Wider Crypto Sell-Off

Exploring the emerging trend of using cryptocurrency as a hedge against inflation, highlighting real-world applications and driving economic growth in South Africa.



Cryptocurrencies have had a tumultuous history, often marred by speculation and fraudulent activities. However, the recent decline in public interest has allowed for more realistic applications to emerge, along with appropriate regulation. This maturation of the crypto space has led to an exploration of cryptocurrencies as a potential hedge against inflation.



Ahren Posthumus, CEO of Momint, a tech startup based in Cape Town, believes the reduction in hype has allowed for a focus on real-world projects that are auditable and have a real background. &#8220;We&#8217;re seeing this [crypto as a hedge against inflation] quite a lot&#8230; But not only is it being used as a hedge, it’s also being used as a mechanism to drive the bottom line and solve real problems that South Africa is facing right now,” he says to FORBES AFRICA.



Another notable advantage of cryptocurrency as a hedge against inflation is stablecoins. Since stablecoins are backed by the US dollar, owning them is equivalent to saving in dollars. Storing funds in USDT or earning in other stable tokens like USDC can help keep finances protected from devaluation.



According to Peter Mureu, Marketing Director at Yellow Card, “The rand has dramatically lost its value over the past decade. From ZAR10 for $1 in 2010 to almost ZAR20 for the same amount now, the purchasing ability of the rand has nearly been cut in half. Investing in crypto, especially USDT will allow for that risk to be halved and increase the ability to purchase alternative power sources to deal with the current power issues/load-shedding. For those earning in USDT, even the lack of power is an easily surmountable problem because the USDT is constantly appreciating regardless of the state of the rand.”



One such problem is South Africa’s current energy crisis. The combination of large tax rebates for investments in renewable energy, coupled with platforms such as Momint, has seen large growth in realistic applications for cryptocurrencies. “Our tokenized, fractionalized solar investments qualify for Section 12 rebates… this is massive,” continues Posthumus.



Lerato Lamola, consultant and crypto specialist at Webber Wentzel, notes that South Africa’s legislative process seems to be in line with this, with the country classifying crypto as a financial product rather than a security. This allows crypto to be managed more easily within the framework of existing financial instruments.



“South Africa is really focusing on the man in the street,” says Lamola. “South Africa is now focusing more on how crypto is impacting retail consumers.”



Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology are emerging as potent tools for socio-economic development in Africa, particularly South Africa. By facilitating low-cost remittances and microloans, they&#8217;re creating meaningful changes that uplift the economy.



Posthumus sees the burgeoning sector as a vehicle for innovation and economic growth, asserting that cryptocurrencies could engender a more equitable financial system by enabling secure and cost-effective transactions.



In Africa, cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology are no longer theoretical concepts; they have become practical tools driving tangible change. Platforms such as Momint are already realizing this – one such example is the ability for users to fractionally invest in renewable energy projects, allowing investors to generate returns, take advantage of renewable investment tax breaks, and invest in sustainable development.



Cryptocurrencies in South Africa and Africa are increasingly seen as more than just volatile investments, but as powerful tools.



&#8220;The biggest thing for us is about having a product that people can use and understand. It’s about education, and we need to be building that trust with the consumer,” adds Posthumus.

Crypto As Inflation Hedge: South Africa’s Innovative Approach To Digital Assets

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Bitcoin rose sharply Wednesday and surpassed $30,000 for the first time in months, continuing a days-long increase in the cryptocurrency’s price, despite economic uncertainty and a regulatory crackdown on some crypto exchanges.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



Bitcoin’s price rose as much as 9.8% on Wednesday, peaking at $30,749.45 at around 12:35 p.m. ET, the first time Bitcoin has topped the $30,000 mark since mid-April.



As of 2:30 p.m. ET, bitcoin was trading at $30,222.52.



The surge Wednesday extended a rally that has caused bitcoin prices to shoot up almost 20% over the last week, along with a smaller 13% jump in ethereum.



Bitcoin took a dive just last week, when the price fell below $25,000 for the first time since March, amid lawsuits from regulators against Binance and Coinbase and after the Federal Reserve&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/katherinehamilton/2023/06/15/bitcoin-drops-to-3-month-low-following-fed-rate-decision/?sh=400085da4dde">announced</a>&nbsp;it would not hike interest rates this month but could return to aggressive increases later in the year, both of which led to uncertainty about what the market’s future would look like.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Bitcoin’s price has nearly doubled since last December, when the cryptocurrency industry was left reeling from the collapse of exchange FTX and arrest of its founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, on fraud charges. Since then, several other crypto firms have faced scrutiny from regulators. Prices of bitcoin are still well below their all-time peak of more than $64,000 in late 2021.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



The recent increase in bitcoin prices came six days after BlackRock, the world’s largest money manager,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2023/06/15/blackrocks-spot-bitcoin-etf-plan-appears-to-be-a-case-of-perception-bending-reality/?sh=5aa055684afe">requested</a>&nbsp;to register a spot-market bitcoin ETF, despite the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission not yet approving any applications for spot bitcoin ETFs. The ETF would own bitcoins that are held in custody by Coinbase, the largest U.S.-based crypto exchange. In the past, the SEC has rejected ETF applications and said the product is not safe enough to be sold to investors and that prior applicants hadn’t proven they could prevent fraud and protect investors, CNBC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/20/bitcoin-hits-new-high-for-june-as-more-financial-incumbents-signal-commitment-to-crypto.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>. Meanwhile, a crypto exchange backed by Fidelity, Charles Schwab and Citadel Securities&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/crypto-exchange-backed-by-citadel-securities-fidelity-schwab-starts-operations-597f6d46" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">launched this week</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-contra">CONTRA</h2>



U.S. regulators of late have been cracking down on crypto firms and several have been hit with civil lawsuits, leading some to question the timing of BlackRock’s application. The request came just one week after the SEC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanponciano/2023/06/06/sec-charges-coinbase-alleges-crypto-trading-platform-operated-as-unregistered-exchange-since-2019/?sh=5f53d79b606e">sued</a>&nbsp;Coinbase, alleging the platform had been operating an unregistered broker since at least 2019. Just one day earlier, the SEC also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/2023/06/05/sec-sues-binance-for-multiple-us-rule-violations/?sh=71839e407fcb">sued</a>&nbsp;Binance, another crypto exchange, for allegedly misusing customer funds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/katherinehamilton/2023/06/15/bitcoin-drops-to-3-month-low-following-fed-rate-decision/?sh=3dbe7d0e4dde">Bitcoin Drops To 3-Month Low Following Fed Rate Decision</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2023/06/15/blackrocks-spot-bitcoin-etf-plan-appears-to-be-a-case-of-perception-bending-reality/?sh=5aa055684afe">BlackRock’s Spot Bitcoin ETF Plan Appears To Be A Case Of Perception Bending Reality</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/21/bitcoin-rallies-to-highest-level-in-over-a-month-on-etf-news.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin rallies 10% to highest level in over a month as traders get bullish on ETF news</a> (CNBC)

gettyimages-932503482-170667a

Bitcoin Surges Past $30,000 For First Time In Months

​​The Securities and Exchange Commission is suing Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, its U.S. affiliate and founder Changpeng Zhao.



Among the reams of evidence provided by the agency, which include employee text messages, testimonies of former executives and Binance’s audit reports, some accusations seemed especially bizarre. Here are five that caught our eye:



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-former-chief-compliance-officer-said-there-s-no-fking-way-we-are-clean">The former chief compliance officer said “there’s no fking way we are clean”</h2>



In a&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.256060/gov.uscourts.dcd.256060.17.5_1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">text exchange</a>&nbsp;with another employee, Binance’s former chief compliance officer, Samuel Lim, said he did not believe the company was “clean.” As an example, he said that the exchange’s customer service is teaching users how to circumvent sanctions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-binance-is-accused-of-hijacking-more-user-funds-than-ftx">Binance is accused of hijacking MORE user funds than FTX</h2>



The SEC alleges Binance and Binance.US&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.256060/gov.uscourts.dcd.256060.21.0_2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">redirected</a>&nbsp;over $12 billion in clients’ assets to entities controlled by Zhao between 2019 and 2021. That’s $4 billion more than the $8 billion shortfall initially claimed in the case of FTX, formerly the second-largest crypto exchange and the subject of a spectacular collapse in November. Additionally, millions of dollars of customer and corporate funds were commingled in accounts of Merit Peak, a British Virgin Islands trading firm owned by Zhao, according to the agency.



In a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/cz_binance/status/1666848861497831449?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Twitter post on</a>&nbsp;Thursday, Zhao denied the claim but only addressed the Binance.US part of the allegation. &#8220;To the best of my knowledge, Binance.US had in total roughly $2 billion in user funds. This number in USD equivalent fluctuates a little as crypto prices change. And declining as users withdraw due to recent news. All user funds are accounted for, and never left the Binance.US (unless users withdraw themselves of course), ever.&#8221; he wrote.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-binance-received-damning-audits">Binance received damning audits</h2>



Since Binance.US’s inception and through at least 2022, auditors from Armanino have&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.256060/gov.uscourts.dcd.256060.20.8.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">identified</a>&nbsp;“significant deficiencies that aggregated to material weaknesses” relating to Binance’s control over the operation of the Binance.US Platform and custody and control of customer assets, and the fact that Binance’s custody of U.S. customer assets was completely opaque” to employees of BAM Trading, Binance.US’s operator. Drawbacks listed in the 2019 audit included commingled customer and company funds, reliance on the parent for financial data and the lack of a disaster plan.



A separate&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.256060/gov.uscourts.dcd.256060.19.10_1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">audit</a>&nbsp;from FGMK shows that Binance.US lost $181 million in 2022.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-former-ceos-of-binance-us-claimed-that-zhao-ran-the-american-unit">Two former CEOs of Binance.US claimed that Zhao ran the American unit</h2>



Brian Brooks, former chief executive of Binance.US who resigned three months after taking the job,&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.256060/gov.uscourts.dcd.256060.20.3.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;that “what became clear to me at a certain point was CZ was the CEO of BAM Trading, not me.” Binance has maintained that it operates independently from its American affiliate.



Brooks added that during his tenure Binance.US had a group of Shanghai-based employees who received part of their compensations in Binance’s BNB<a href="https://www.forbes.com/digital-assets/assets/bnb-bnb/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BNB</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/digital-assets/assets/bnb-bnb/">+0.9%</a>&nbsp;token and were part of a company called “Boran.”



Catherine Coley, the first chief executive of Binance.US–who abruptly left the company in 2021 and has been little heard from since– also revealed the subsidiary was not independent. The SEC alleged that for at least the first year of its existence, the parent company Binance.com insisted that Zhao and Guangying Chen, a close associate of Zhao also known as Heina, had to control the bank accounts of BAM Trading, the U.S. exchange. Coley&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.256060/gov.uscourts.dcd.256060.18.16_1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;company lawyer Wei Zhou in an electronic exchange: “I’m confused why we go through all of these measures with separating BAM vs. .com and then have a non-U.S. resident, non employee on the bank applications.” Zhou replied “You know what HQ Finance’s position is, right?… They want to have Heina as signatory on US BAM bank accounts”



He advised: “No need to pound the separation thing too much. I think most people understand that by now.”



Coley dubbed an effort to escape Zhao’s control as “Project 1776,” a reference to the American Revolution. She told a fellow employee it was “for our independence,” according to the suit.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wash-trades-occurred-with-employees-knowledge">Wash trades occurred with employees’ knowledge</h2>



The SEC&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.256060/gov.uscourts.dcd.256060.1.0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">alleges&nbsp;</a>that wash trading, or self-dealing, which typically results in an inflated trading volume that creates a false appearance of market interest, regularly took place on the Binance.US platform. Much of it occurred through accounts affiliated with Sigma Chain, an entity owned and controlled by Zhao, essentially making it a market maker on the Binance.US Platform.



In an online discussion in January 2021 about a drop in trading volume from Sigma Chain, the company&#8217;s sales director&nbsp;told other employees that 20 other accounts were fronts: &#8220;fyi, these are ALL sigma chain.&#8221; Later that month, an employee found he could trade with himself.



The SEC’s 13-count&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sec.gov/files/litigation/complaints/2023/comp-pr2023-101.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">suit</a>&nbsp;alleges that the crypto exchange, its American branch and Zhao “enriched themselves by billions of dollars while placing investors’ assets at significant risk” and “designed and implemented a multi-step plan to surreptitiously evade U.S. laws.”



Binance.US&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/BinanceUS/status/1666996908651323393" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;late on Thursday that it would suspend deposits and withdrawals in U.S. dollars on its platform. In a message to customers, the company said it was “taking necessary actions” in a transition to a crypto-only exchange after the SEC suit discouraged banks from working with it



Zhao, Binance and two U.S subsidiaries have until June 28 to <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.256060/gov.uscourts.dcd.256060.23.0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">respond</a> to the suit, which was filed in the federal court for the District of Columbia. A hearing on an SEC request to freeze the assets of Binance.US is set for June 13 at 2:00 PM Washington time.



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ninabambysheva/"></a>

SEC Targets $120 Billion of Tokens With Coinbase And Binance Suits

5 Most Surprising Revelations From The SEC’s Binance Lawsuit

After the MtGox hack, Tokyo put in place tough rules that later protected FTX customers. Now, from that secure base, it’s moving to allow blockchain technologies to flourish.



More than a million investors around the world were left stranded when FTX suddenly collapsed in November with an astonishing hole, estimated at $8.7 billion, in its balance sheet. The cryptocurrency exchange and its 130-plus affiliates have been operating in bankruptcy for five months, and a new management team claims to have recovered $7.3 billion of the missing cash and tokens. Yet only one component of the company has returned money to clients.



FTX’s Japanese unit allowed all verified accounts to resume withdrawals on February 21. As of April 25, nearly 10,000 individual and corporate clients had withdrawn crypto and cash worth approximately 23.4 billion yen ($175.4 million),&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.liquid.com/ja/%E5%87%BA%E9%87%91-%E5%87%BA%E5%BA%AB%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%81%AE%E9%80%B2%E6%8D%97%E7%8A%B6%E6%B3%81%E3%81%AB%E3%81%A4%E3%81%84%E3%81%A6-1682390331847?_ga=2.70873552.1915823815.1682596738-1460639900.1681400607&amp;_gl=1*1be4ztb*_ga*MTQ2MDYzOTkwMC4xNjgxNDAwNjA3*_ga_KM66WLZ8WM*MTY4MjU5NjczOC4yLjEuMTY4MjU5Njc4Mi4xNi4wLjA." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to</a>&nbsp;the company.



Count this as a victory for Japan’s financial regulators and the strict rules they’ve put in place to protect consumers in the wild and wooly world of crypto.



Japan cracked down with safety and soundness rules from a unified regulator after two big exchange hacks. But now, from that stable (and some in the industry would say overly restrictive) base, it’s seeking to come up with a strategy to become a leader in the collection of mostly decentralized, blockchain-based technologies known as web 3. The U.S., by contrast, has arguably been open to more innovation, but its dueling oversight agencies and lack of rules have created gaps in oversight and a culture of regulation by enforcement that makes strategic planning perilous.



Japan, an early adopter of digital assets, learned the value of regulation early and the hard way, through what remains arguably the most notorious crypto hack ever–the 2014 plunder of 800,000 bitcoins from MtGox, which had been the world’s largest bitcoin exchange. Four years later, Coincheck, another cryptocurrency exchange based in Tokyo, was robbed of $500 million worth of NEM blockchain’s xem coins.



“The drama and shakeup that the U.S. is experiencing around Sam Bankman-Fried, FTX, the Bahamas situation is not relevant in Japan,” says Sheila Warren, CEO of the Crypto Council for Innovation, a Washington, D.C.-based group that advocates for the industry worldwide. That’s because Japan has already been there and done that.



After the MtGox and Coincheck shocks, Japan’s primary financial regulator, the Financial Services Agency (FSA), tightened rules on crypto exchanges, notes Ananya Kumar, associate director of digital currencies at the Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Center, the think tank’s unit addressing foreign policy, finance, and economics.



The FSA’s rules include:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Customer and company assets must be held separately, with holdings verified in annual audits.</li>



<li>Investors can&#8217;t borrow more than twice their investments for leveraged trades on exchanges. (Many cryptocurrency exchanges, including Binance, allow trading at 100x leverage.)</li>



<li>Exchanges must hold at least 95% of customer funds in cold wallets, which are not connected to the internet.</li>
</ul>



The measures proved instrumental in enabling clients of the Japanese subsidiary of FTX to withdraw their assets after its parent filed for bankruptcy in November. It remains unclear when other FTX clients will be able to get their money back, and how much of it they’ll get.



Japan has thus become a customer-friendly crypto haven but at the expense of stringent supervision of the freewheeling digital assets industry.



Now, Japan is building on that secure base, with a national economic strategy and a bid to lead its allies in creating rules that will effectively govern the industry.



“The FSA contributes to international policy discussion, including the one at the Financial Stability Board—an international organization that monitors and makes recommendations about the global financial system—on crypto-assets by leveraging its experience as a global forerunner in the regulation and monitoring of crypto-asset activities and markets,” the agency told&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;in written comments.



On April 6, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s web3 project team, tasked with drafting crypto-focused policy proposals, released a&nbsp;<a href="https://note.com/akihisa_shiozaki/n/n669dee962b15" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">white paper</a>&nbsp;outlining several recommendations, including a call for Tokyo to take the lead.



“After crypto winter, Japan may be the first to welcome spring,” the 35-page document predicts. “As a country that has overcome many hardships in the cryptocurrency industry, we are in a position to persuade the world about the immeasurable potential of web3.”



Suggestions in the paper cover tax reform, improved accounting standards, and regulation of blockchain-based finance. There’s even a recommendation for the government to drive the conversation about digital assets at the next Group of Seven (G7) summit, scheduled to be held in Hiroshima later this month.



“While Western financial regulators appear to be single-mindedly focused on tightening regulations in the midst of what is being called a crypto winter, I assess that Japanese financial regulators correctly understand the potential of blockchain and other technologies and are working to design regulations in a forward-looking manner,” Masaaki Taira, the team’s leader and a member of the House of Representatives, said in written comments to&nbsp;Forbes.



In February, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okslrifMl4M" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the Budget Committee of Japan’s House of Representatives</a>&nbsp;that there are “various possibilities for using web3” in Japan. He said that the Japanese government could employ blockchain-based mechanisms like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/article/what-are-nfts/?sh=609abead296f">non-fungible tokens</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffkauflin/2022/02/03/daos-arent-a-fad-theyre-a-platform/?sh=210b8c1719d0">decentralized autonomous organizations</a>&nbsp;to revitalize regions and promote “Cool Japan” — a national strategy aimed at promoting the country’s innovations and culture to the rest of the world that dates back to the early 2000s and echoes the U.K.’s “Cool Britannia” policies of the 1990s.



According to Taira, his team–including about 10 members of the Diet (Japan’s national legislature), six lawyers from the private sector with expertise in web3 and 10 leading Japanese digital influencers acting as advisors–works directly with Kishida and several government bodies. “The policy proposals compiled by the project team are adopted almost directly by the LDP, and a significant portion is adopted into government policy. It is an extremely powerful team,” he says.



“The way they talk about crypto is very crypto-native in terms of what the technology enables and what aspects of current regulation are just not workable,” says the Crypto Council’s Warren. “They are saying analogue regulation doesn&#8217;t work in digital environments.”



Japan does not have a long history of being hospitable to blockchain entrepreneurs. In addition to its heavy-handed regulation, Japan&#8217;s tax code is particularly hostile to the industry. It&#8217;s also hard to get new cryptocurrencies approved. After founding their gaming company Murasaki on home shores last year, Shinnosuke Murata and Shunsuke Sasaki recently decided to move their business to the Netherlands. “Why would two Japanese entrepreneurs with considerable experience starting companies in their own country go halfway around the world to set up a new business? wrote Murata in a&nbsp;<a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/Why-I-had-to-leave-Japan-to-launch-my-gaming-company" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nikkei op-ed</a>&nbsp;in October. “Simply because it just was not feasible to do so in Japan.”



With a corporate tax rate set around 30% on unrealized gains from cryptocurrency holdings, it is a real struggle to get a new blockchain-based business off the ground, Murata tells&nbsp;Forbes. “Suppose you issue 100 tokens each worth $1 million. Even if you don’t realize gains, you will need to pay $30 million next year. Practically no startup founders can issue a token,” Murata explains.



Major U.S. crypto exchanges like Kraken and Coinbase have recently shut their subsidiaries in Japan,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coinbase.com/blog/halting-operations-in-japan" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">citing</a>&nbsp;“market conditions”. Overall, there are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsa.go.jp/en/regulated/licensed/en_kasoutuka.xlsx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">37</a>&nbsp;crypto exchanges registered in the country, according to the FSA.



Additionally, the agency can take months to review proposals to list new tokens, which results in Japan&#8217;s trading market growing much slower at lower levels of liquidity than those of other countries, says Murata.



“Japan loses entrepreneurs that could build $100 million businesses because of those barriers,” he laments.



The existing framework makes it difficult for local entrepreneurs, agrees Roi Hirata, head of a new Japanese subsidiary of the Avalanche blockchain’s main developer company, New York-based Ava Labs. Avalanche’s brand recognition in Japan is exploding, Hirata says, which has prompted Ava Labs to start building a presence in the island nation. As a first step, his team has partnered with Japanese media giant GREE on a new blockchain game.



“I see a huge opportunity for both intellectual property providers and traditional businesses in Japan to adopt a blockchain like Avalanche, providing both decentralization and compliant service,” Hirata noted in an email to&nbsp;Forbes.



For now, its deep-pocketed tech giants that are leading the blockchain push in Japan.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ninabambysheva/2023/02/07/forbes-blockchain-50-2023/?sh=577ea334319d">This year’s&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;Blockchain 50</a>, an annual list highlighting the best enterprise applications of the distributed-database technology, features three Japanese companies, Fujitsu, LINE and NTT.



Social media giant LINE helps create NFTs for 26 big customers including SoftBank, South Korea’s Naver search engine and Visa. According to the company, more than two million wallets have registered on its DOSI NFT platform since September. NTT Docomo, the country’s dominant mobile-phone service provider,&nbsp;has&nbsp;<a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Technology/NTT-Docomo-to-invest-4bn-in-Web3-using-mobile-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pledged&nbsp;</a>to invest up to $4 billion in web3 infrastructure.



Electronics powerhouse Fujitsu teamed up with financial-services giants including Mitsubishi UFJ Mizuho and Sumitomo Mitsui to build the “Ryugukoku,” or the “Japanese Metaverse Economic Zone.” The initiative,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/2023/0227-02.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a>&nbsp;in February, seeks to build a shared metaverse infrastructure for large enterprises.



Meanwhile, the FSA is planning to lift its ban on the domestic distribution of stablecoins later this year. The exact date and the coins that will be allowed have not been determined, but decisions are scheduled for June.



“This does not mean that all foreign issued stablecoins will be allowed without any restriction,” the agency told&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;via written comments. “We will allow stablecoins to be handled after individual examination, if there are no problems from the viewpoint of user protection, etc. Examples include: foreign issuers in their countries being subject to the equivalent regulations as in Japan, and underlying assets being preserved appropriately.”



Late last year, the ruling party’s tax committee approved a proposal to exempt crypto startups that issue their own tokens from paying corporate taxes on unrealized gains. New proposals introduced in the white paper include tax exclusions for companies holding tokens issued by other companies that aren&#8217;t going to be traded short term and to limit taxable events only to instances when the assets are exchanged for traditional currencies.



“I think it is not only really exciting, but it&#8217;s actually paving the way to demonstrate to the rest of the world here is how you create forward-thinking flexible regulation that can navigate this tricky balance of preserving a wide space for innovation while also protecting consumers,” says Warren.



The overarching <a href="https://note.com/akihisa_shiozaki/n/n669dee962b15" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">message</a> is “Japan is back, Again.”\<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ninabambysheva/"></a>



By Nina Bambysheva, Forbes staff

financial technology flowchart and basic income mining cryptocurrency with blockchain startup unicorn crypto money virtual diagram.businessman hand working with new modern computer.

What Japan Could Teach The U.S.—And The World—About Regulating Crypto

These coins are designed to protect stablecoin holders from inflation. But they are complicated and it’s not clear whether they will actually work.



Stablecoins are digital tokens created to mirror the value of hard currencies like the U.S. dollar. They are critical for liquidity in the $1.2 trillion crypto market because investors need a steady, predictable place to park cash, in part because bitcoin, which will swing as much as 10% in a single day, has largely failed as a store of value. There are $120 billion in stablecoins outstanding. Unfortunately, their history is anything but stable.



In May 2022, TerraUSD, a stablecoin dreamed up by a Stanford-educated South Korean programmer named Do Kwon, famously collapsed because its value was based on an algorithm that proved to be unreliable in the face of an asset run. More than $45 billion in market value evaporated in a single day setting off a crypto market plunge. After being on the lam for nearly a year, Do Kwon was recently arrested in Montenegro. Then, there is the world’s largest stablecoin issuer Tether, which has $80 billion outstanding, but has long avoided even the most basic disclosures (like where it is located) and has been in trouble with regulators numerous times. On several occasions Tether’s U.S. dollar coin (USDC) has “broken the buck” and dipped below $1.00 in value.



Even the most regulatory compliant and transparent stablecoin, Circle’s USD Coin (USDC), which has $30 billion outstanding, has disappointed investors. When Silicon Valley Bank collapsed on March 10, USDC’s Boston-based issuer Circle admitted to having $3.3 billion on deposit at the bank, mostly uninsured. The price of USDC lost its peg, nosediving to $0.88 cents on March 11.



But stablecoins are still essential for serious players in the digital asset world, and hope springs eternal in crypto, so a new product has hit the market called promising an inflation-adjusted version of stablecoins. Dubbed “flatcoins” these new tokens are designed to to maintain purchasing power parity with a basket of goods by keeping up with inflation.



So far only about $100 million in flatcoins have been minted but with inflation stubbornly stuck at 4.6%, demand for these novel tokens is growing. Already Coinbase is actively looking to seed flatcoins on its new Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain Base.



“We are fascinated by the deep thought we’re seeing in decentralized stablecoin design and are particularly interested in ‘flatcoins’ – stablecoins that track the rate of inflation, enabling users to have stability in purchasing power while also having resiliency from the economic uncertainty caused by the legacy financial system,” wrote Coinbase in a recent post.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Flatcoins are the brainchild of former Coinbase Chief Technology Officer Balaji Srinivasan and an Iranian born programer Sam Kazemian, who came up with a stablecoin protocol named Frax in 2021, and an inflation tracking index called Frax Price Index (FPI).



“The term flatcoin was basically meant to signify by me and Balaji that it stays flat to a standard of living, &#8221; says Kazemian who notes that his new flatcoin would be partially backed by collateral like USDC, and partially “stabilized” algorithmically.



Here are the basics mechanics of the new inflation-protected stablecoins. The first thing the Frax programmers set out to do is identify a targeted standard of living to track. Kazemian built a feed with a blockchain data provider called Chainlink to publish each month’s CPI from the Federal Reserve’s Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) onto the Ethereum blockchain. With the current 12-month trailing inflation rate at 5%, Frax has a set of smart contracts programmed to automatically conduct algorithmic trading with a goal of profiting enough to match the monthly inflation print sent from Chainlink.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



In theory, this would mean that if a single tether or USDC is still worth $1.00, in a 5% inflation world an FPI would be redeemable for $1.05 of collateral. In order to earn the necessary amounts to cover the inflation premium, Kazemian’s team invests collateral in DeFi lending protocols such as Aave and Convex, which primarily focus on stablecoin markets. These DeFi protocols earn yield for letting borrowers access their tokens. These returns then become available for FPI minters to withdraw. However, FPI is run by a Decentralized Autonomous Organization, which could make changes to its risk parameters in the future.



If this sounds complicated and risky, it is, especially relative to simply owning a stablecoin like USDC and simultaneously hedging with something like a gold ETF or even Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS), where the U.S. government effectively covers the inflation risk.



Even more complicated is another flatcoin called Nuon. Rather than simply matching the BLS’ inflation reading, it joined up with a sister company called Trustflation to produce real-time inflation data based on a proprietary methodology. For instance, while the BLS inflation has eight main categories: food and beverages, housing, apparel, transportation, medical care, recreation, education and communication, and other goods and services, Trustflation has 12. Additions include clothing/footwear and alcohol/tobacco. The company also weights categories differently than the BLS and pulls in data real-time through service agreements with various providers instead of just relying on monthly updates.



“When we studied inflation we realized that it was calculated by 477 people on a monthly basis in a nebulous fashion,” says Trustflation and Nuon CEO Stefan Rust. “We decided to use a developer approach, take the same metrics, pull it from API&#8217;s, and have it updated in real time.”



While no one would argue that the collection and indexing of official inflation data doesn’t have numerous flaws, including an antiquated monthly production schedule, Trustflation’s Moneyball-esque approach to calculating real time inflation data does not come without drawbacks.



“When inflation is between 1.5%, and 2.5% per annum, it&#8217;s probably a bit of overkill, but when topline inflation is 8% to 9% those numbers may be meaningful on a day-to-day basis,” says Peter C. Earle, an economist at the American Institute for Economic Research. “I think it&#8217;s interesting to capture daily or intraday inflation data, but I also think there&#8217;s a lot of statistical noise.”



That noise could become deafening if the data feeds which determine prices and return targets , known in the crypto world as oracles, become corrupted. Crypto forensics firms report that so called oracle manipulation attacks cost investors $362 million last year. It is not impossible to foresee a scenario where an oracle gets manipulated to force one of these platforms to employ a riskier trading strategy than anticipated.



But data collection is not the only worry flatcoin buyers need to worry about. Behind Nuon’s inflation-protection guarantee is a complicated and potentially risky proposition. When an individual “mints” Nuon, he must deposit ether in its protocol, which then automatically buys the same amount of Nuon on the open market and deposits it in a DeFi protocol such as Uniswap or Pancakeswap. Income generated from this deposit, known as “yield farming,” is added to a user’s collateral position (which is the original ether) essentially as an “insurance.” Thus unlike FPI, nuon positions are overcollateralized &#8211; for instance a user must deposit $1.30 worth of ether to mint $1 of nuon.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



So far both FPI and nuon are having trouble tracking inflation (see charts). According to CoinGecko, FPI is currently priced at $1.08, but in its almost 12 months in existence it has traded as high as $1.18 and as low as $0.92, which would imply that in the last 12 months, inflation has spiked as high as 18% and below 1%. Nuon has dramatically outperformed inflation in its short existence; it only launched in March. Right now it is priced at $1.24, but it has been as high as $1.44.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Ifflatcoins are meant to be the next evolution of digital “safe money&#8221;, stablecoin’s biggest player’s have yet to sign on. Circle, which issues USDC, has no plans to issue a flatcoin. Circle already has more than $25 billion in short Treasury bills backing its USDC tokens, but it is precluded from buying TIPS, because they are not issued in durations shorter than five years. Tether did not respond to requests for comment.



Flatcoins are so new they do not yet appear in any of the current stablecoin regulation bills circulating around Capitol Hill. The bi-partisan draft introduced in April proposed a ban on new algorithmically derived stablecoins such as TerraUSD/LUNA, where the stablecoin was backed by a sister token. Flatcoins use computer algorithms to derive their valuations, however, in their current incarnation do not fit neatly into the bill’s specific description. Still, any new stablecoins would have to be issued by a licensed entity at the state or federal level, so these products would need a bank backer if they expect to ever go mainstream.



Rust says that there are no restrictions on users in the U.S. from minting Nuon right now. “I guess, they are in a bit of a gray zone [with regards to how flatcoins fall under securities regulation]&#8230;At the moment, all the indications are that stablecoins pegged to the dollar or euro will fall under some regulation.”



Forbes called various legislators and regulators involved with the recently proposed stablecoin legislation to ask about flatcoins but most hadn’t even heard of them yet. Said Representative Brad Sherman (D-CA), a noted crypto critic, “We already have something like that. They’re called TIPS.”



By Steven Ehrlich, Forbes Staff

Mid-section of young Asian woman using smartphone in city at night, against illuminated street lights bokeh, working with Bitcoin technologies, investing or trading Bitcoin on cryptocurrency. Business on the go

Beware Of Flatcoins, Crypto’s Inflation Busting Fad

Coinbase, Binance and other exchanges hold at least $2.25 billion of shadow ether, as the latest lucrative innovation in digital assets ramps up.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Cryptocurrency exchange&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenehrlich/2023/03/01/coinbase-blockchain-plan-gets-warm-reception-success-hinges-on-converting-crypto-diehards/?sh=2113589f1fab">Coinbase</a>&nbsp;is sitting on a $1.5 billion pile of phantom cryptocurrency pegged to the price of ether. Binance has a similar $750 million stash. These tokens, created to be used in what are essentially lending programs, are just entries in the exchanges’ computers, but to outside observers they appear as assets sitting in their corporate crypto wallets.



Binance’s 400,000 tokens would suddenly come to life if investors decide to use the exchange as an intermediary in posting ether (ETH) collateral to the Ethereum blockchain through a process called liquid staking. But until they do, anybody seeking to determine the amount of Binance’s assets would have to subtract the value of the spectral crypto from the visible total, now $2.77 billion, according to data from Arkham Intelligence. Things might be clearer if Binance actually published its balance sheet, which would be expected to show a corresponding liability. However, despite 70 million customers worldwide, it doesn&#8217;t share financial details with the public.



“Those [tokens] not in circulation are held in a specific reserve account with strict controls and multi-party approval,” says a Binance spokesperson.



Coinbase–which declined to comment for this story and is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2023/03/22/coinbase-crypto-exchange-faces-possible-sec-charges-company-says/?sh=659b5b0912fc">facing a likely enforcement action</a>&nbsp;from the Securities and Exchange Commission related to its staking offerings–does not count its unreleased assets on its balance sheet, but does disclose them in its SEC filings.



Welcome to the fast-growing world of liquid staking. Staking in crypto parlance involves posting a digital asset like ether to a blockchain as collateral in exchange for the right to process transactions and earn in-kind rewards like tokens. Staked tokens are normally locked up for a period of time so they can&#8217;t be immediately withdrawn and cause a run on the platform. Liquid staking, by contrast, allows holders of tokens like ether the opportunity to use a tracking token of sorts for trading while the underlying token is still sitting “staked” on the blockchain, continuing to earn yield. In some ways it allows crypto investors the chance to have their cake, or “stake,” and eat it too.



There is already more than $18 billion committed to platforms that offer the service, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://dune.com/hildobby/eth2-staking" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data</a>&nbsp;from Dune. Investors can earn annual returns of 2% to 12% depending on the platform, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/staking/?page=1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Staking Rewards</a>, and they keep control of their crypto. But they have to trust the integrity of the intermediaries and the security of the platforms to safeguard their assets.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



In December of 2020 Binance minted an astounding 100 million Binance ETH, known as “beths”, each representing one ether at a time when there were only 120 million ETH in existence. Until June 2022, if counted, that hoard would have added about $483 billion to Binance’s visible wallet assets, multiplying them fivefold. However last year it started destroying these phantom tokens and now only 1.5 million remain according to Binance’s own BNB Smart Contract (BSC) Chain&nbsp;<a href="https://bscscan.com/token/0x250632378e573c6be1ac2f97fcdf00515d0aa91b" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">explorer</a>.



It’s almost as if Charles Schwab manufactured a massive amount of an ETF like Invesco’s QQQ Trust and simply held the shares on its books without acquiring the corresponding stocks in the Nasdaq 100 index and putting them in a trust, the way ETF shares are normally created. And since there is no SEC or regulator involved, no one would care if those ETF shares fluctuated in value or amount or were simply discarded. This is effectively what Binance and Coinbase have been doing with the special staking ether they have created since 2020.



A Binance spokesman would not say exactly why so many tokens were minted in 2020, other than it was cheaper to manufacture them in bulk.



“There are no accounting standards that speak to any of this stuff specifically, and even the related standards are not specific,” says Francine McKenna an accounting lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. Staking can take many forms, she adds, and existing rules do not contemplate “all the details of all these different variations on all these products.”



Creating billions worth of staking tokens out of thin air and then destroying them, is just the latest example of a crypto company playing by its own rules. Disgraced former crypto exchange FTX, played fast and loose with disclosure rules, and more recently Binance has come under scrutiny. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67092867/1/commodity-futures-trading-commission-v-zhao/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">civil complaint</a>&nbsp;by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission in March claimed that Binance consists of “an opaque web of corporate entities.” Last February, a&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/javierpaz/2023/02/27/binances-asset-shuffling-eerily-similar-to-maneuvers-by-ftx/?sh=7e80d91bccd4">investigation</a>&nbsp;showed that the exchange appropriated more than $1 billion of collateral meant to back stablecoins in August, shifting the assets to other uses without alerting the customers who were affected.



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Liquid staking joins&nbsp;a long list of dubious crypto industry innovations that have included initial coin offerings, algorithmic stablecoins and decentralized finance. Like its predecessors, liquid staking is a creative solution to a key pain point: the illiquidity that comes with staking ether.



Although digital assets–like traditional currencies–do not generate income by themselves, there are ways that investors can earn passive revenue from their holdings, similar to making a loan. Posting assets to blockchains such as Ethereum, Solana, Algorand and Polkadot as collateral, give lenders (known as stakers) the right to earn fees by processing blockchain transactions. Ethereum for example, currently brings about 4.8% of annual return, and there is always the chance that a digital asset you have staked appreciates, magnifying your return. But this process has drawbacks.



Depending on the platform, it could take weeks to withdraw crypto once it has been staked. The situation has been even more extreme with Ethereum. Although staking was enabled for the blockchain in December 2020, withdrawals were not permitted until a major upgrade, known as the “Shapella update”, was completed on April 12, 2023.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-binance-asset-balance-history">BINANCE-ASSET BALANCE HISTORY</h4>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-billions-ethereum-and-bnb-chains">In $billions, Ethereum and BNB Chains</h4>



This chart erroneously shows the value of Binance&#8217;s digital assets, which were inflated by BETH tokens despite little actual ETH staking &#8211; only 2% of the value claimed.&nbsp;SOURCE: ARKHAM INTELLIGENCE



This illiquidity has been a major impediment for many would-be stakers and in response, a cottage industry of service providers, including Coinbase and Binance, have surfaced, willing to exchange an investor’s staked ether for a different tracking crypto token (such as beth). The ether is locked on the blockchain, while the new token is available for use in applications such as decentralized finance; it also can be sold. The blockchains available for liquid staking vary by geography and provider, with some like U.S. regulated Coinbase accepting Cardano, Cosmos, Ethereum, Solana and Tezos, while international investors using exchanges like OKX exchange and Huobi exchange can stake dozens of tokens.



Exchanges like Coinbase profit by taking a cut of the fees earned by staking customers. This has been a lucrative and growing business for Coinbase. In its quarterly filings, it includes staking fees within “blockchain rewards.” In 2022 these fees amounted to $275 million, or nearly 9% of revenue, up from $223 million or 3% of 2021’s top line.



While the idea seems simple, the reality is more complex, which can create risks for investors. For one, stakers have to trust centralized exchanges not to use these pools of new tokens themselves, effectively adding duplicative cryptocurrency to the market.



Then there is the issue of exchanges making up new rules as they go along. Until April 24, Binance limited the use of beths to deposits on its Binance Launchpool, essentially an initial public offering platform that allowed users to participate in unproven crypto-related projects that the global cryptocurrency exchange was endorsing. Now Binance offers a way for users to use beths for a wider variety of investments on the Binance Smart Chain and Ethereum, bringing the currency more in line with other liquid-staking tokens but in a unilateral action that can create additional security risks.



Coinbase has been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2023/03/22/coinbase-crypto-exchange-faces-possible-sec-charges-company-says/?sh=15acd57712fc">told</a>&nbsp;it is likely to face enforcement action by the U.S. SEC that may involve its staking service. Like Binance, it minted a token for staking, this one called Coinbase wrapped staked ETH (CBETH). But in contrast to Binance, it began with a modest 500,000 units.



Some of the spare tokens minted are essential for an exchange’s liquidity. Exchanges need to keep a reserve available to satisfy regular daily staking volume. There are minor costs involved in minting tokens, and without a supply on hand it might not be possible to immediately provide liquidity to potential stakers. But having too many can create questions for customers and regulators.



How many is enough?



“If I’m an exchange with $1 billion in staked ether and I’m minting my internal tokens in $10,000 batches that&#8217;s not material,” says Paul Brody, principal and global blockchain leader at Ernst &amp; Young. “I would want to know, are they sitting on $1 billion in undistributed tokens or $10,000, $50,000?”



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



An alternate approach&nbsp;to liquid staking does away with the temptation to misdirect spare tokens, but creates problems of its own. Smart contracts–agreements that are automatically executed under specified conditions–address the problem of too many tokens on hand. There are decentralized liquid-staking providers such as Liquid Collective, Lido, Stakewise and RocketPool that exist almost entirely as sets of smart contracts. Lido is the world’s largest liquid staker, with $11 billion in deposited assets.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-liquid-staking-total-value-locked">LIQUID STAKING TOTAL VALUE LOCKED</h4>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tvl-in-eth-staked-may-1-2023">TVL in ETH staked, May 1, 2023</h4>



Select firms providing staking services ranked by total value locked, measured in ETHs, May 1, 2023SOURCE: FORBES, DUNE



Smart contracts can automate the process, staking the original token on the appropriate blockchain, then minting the liquid version for the customer. “The transparency that is associated with more decentralized staking protocols is definitely a plus because users can verify for themselves that the protocol has a corresponding amount of ether for its liquid token supply,” says Christine Kim, vice president of research at Galaxy Digital, a New York-based investment management and technology firm. Among the drawbacks is that the immediate minting of staking tokens is that the process is more expensive than minting the tokens in advance the way “centralized” exchanges Binance and Coinbase have.



An even larger issue is that decentralized finance protocols are more susceptible to hacks. According to Chainalysis, DeFi hacks accounted for 82% of all stolen digital assets last year, totaling $3.1 billion. Of this sum, 64% was taken from software programs known as cross-chain bridges, which allow users to move assets between decentralized-finance&nbsp;protocols. They work by having owners lock up tokens in smart contracts in exchange for a new corresponding token replica. Although there are key differences between bridges and liquid-staking protocols–such as the locked up tokens sitting in a blockchain rather than crypto wallets–this type of arrangement can expose liquid staking holders to more risks. This is especially true when tokens are moved from Ethereum validators into other wallets for distribution.



With the Shapella update to Ethereum complete, the metaphorical stakes are going to rise. The ability to withdraw funds is bound to make the market more attractive to institutional investors. Nikos Panigirtzoglou, managing director for global market strategy at JPMorgan told&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;that “Over the medium to longer term we expect Ethereum staking to grow and converge with that of other blockchains.” Cardano, Solana, Algorand and Polkadot have 35-70% of their tokens staked. Ethereum is at 15%, so even just doubling this percentage would add $35 billion in staked tokens at current prices. A good portion of those funds would likely be liquid staking protocols because of the ability to put these tokens to other uses while the underlying asset is staked.



Buyer beware.



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/javierpaz/"></a>By Javier Paz, Forbes Staff

Liquid Staking: Crypto’s New Phantom Money Machine

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



The price of bitcoin rose past $30,000 for the first time since June on Tuesday, as the cryptocurrency continues a rally that has seen its price nearly double since the start of the year.



Bitcoin breached the $30,000 mark for the first time since June 2022 on Tuesday.GETTY IMAGES



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



The price of the world’s most valuable cryptocurrency stood at $30,100 early on Tuesday morning, up more than 6.5% in the previous 24 hours.



The value of bitcoin has risen by more than 80% since the start of the year.



Ether, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency, also saw its value climb on Tuesday as it moved past $1,900 for the first time since August.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



The price of bitcoin nosedived sharply last year after the crypto industry became mired in multiple scandals, including the collapse of the Terra/Luna tokens, the bankruptcies of crypto lender Celsius, and crypto exchange FTX. The reason behind bitcoin’s current recovery is partially attributed to the expectation that upcoming inflation numbers could prompt a pause in the Federal Reserve’s ongoing rate hikes,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/11/bitcoin-tops-30000-for-the-first-time-since-june.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to</a>&nbsp;CNBC. In addition to this, Bloomberg&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-11/bitcoin-btc-climbs-to-30-000-for-the-first-time-since-june?srnd=premium-asia" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>, the cryptocurrency’s current lower volume of trading of the cryptocurrency may also be magnifying the surge in prices.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



$68,789.63. This was the price of bitcoin in November 2021, when its value was at an all-time high.



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/"></a>By Siladitya Ray, Forbes Staff

Digital Composite Image Of Cropped Hands Using Computer Keyboard By Bitcoin Icons

Bitcoin Breaches $30,000 For The First Time In Ten Months

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Bitcoin hit a two-month high over the weekend as crypto continues to rebound from a crash following the stunning collapse of industry titans FTX and Alameda Research, though looming macroeconomic concerns may soon eat into crypto’s gains.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



Bitcoin traded as high as $21,325 late Sunday, its first time over $21,000 since November 5, the day before Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/cz_binance/status/1589283421704290306?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;his exchange sold all of its holdings in rival cryptocurrency exchange FTX’s token following a report on the questionable finances at FTX and Alameda, setting forth the firms’ unraveling.



Relatedly, the combined market value of all cryptocurrencies passed the $1 trillion threshold for the first time since early November, <a href="https://www.coingecko.com/en/global-charts" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a> to CoinGecko, sitting at $1.02 trillion on Monday.



Bitcoin—the world’s most valuable digital asset—pared gains slightly Monday, trading at $21,108 as of Monday at 12:45 EST, but bitcoin is still up 27% since the start of 2023, while Ether, the second valuable crypto coin by market value, is up 30% year-to-date.



The jump comes during a broader boom for equities, with the S&amp;P 500 up 4.6% in 2023, as more and more data <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanponciano/2023/01/12/inflation-fell-01-in-december-but-prices-still-spiked-65-over-the-past-year/?sh=42795b633997">indicates</a> inflation is cooling, which investors hope will cause the Federal Reserve to in turn take its foot off the interest rate hike pedal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



Crypto is the “biggest winner” during the current “boost in risk appetite,” OANDA analyst Craig Erlam wrote in a Monday note, cautioning it remains unclear if this is a true “resurgence or just a brief rebound.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Bitcoin peaked at over $65,000 in November 2021, while the total crypto market peaked at just over $3 trillion at the same time. Digital assets cratered in value in 2022 during a broader downturn caused by several interest rate hikes from the Fed, causing investors to largely turn their back on risk-sensitive assets, and a breakdown in trust in the crypto industry as several major crypto players went bankrupt. Despite its recent spike, Bitcoin is still down 51% from this point in 2022.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CONTRA</h2>



The recent spike in equity prices will soon “hit an air pocket and end up looking premature,” JPMorgan Chase analysts led by Mislav Matejka wrote in a recent note, adding the “market is behaving as if we were in an early cycle recovery phase, but the Fed has not even concluded hiking yet.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanponciano/2023/01/13/recession-now-seems-more-likely-than-not-heres-what-big-bank-earnings-revealed-about-the-economy/?sh=625481fc4896">Recession Now Seems More Likely Than Not—Here’s What Big Bank Earnings Revealed About The Economy</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidjeans/2023/01/15/ftx-deltec-bank-jean-chalopin-moonstone/?sh=72d3ad1211e4">FTX Secretly Channeled A $50 Million Loan To Its Bahamian Bank Through An Executive’s Company</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/javierpaz/2023/01/10/binance-is-bleeding-assets-12-billion-gone-in-less-than-60-days/?sh=57a2e20953c3">Binance Is Bleeding Assets, $12 Billion Gone In Less Than 60 Days</a>(Forbes)



By Derek Saul, Forbes Staff

Business fund investor planning for investment in crisis

Crypto Market Crosses $1 Trillion For First Time In Months As Bitcoin Recovers From FTX-Driven Crash

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Yet another major cryptocurrency player is in serious danger of going under, as sources&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/crypto-lender-genesis-lays-off-30-of-staff-11672939434?mod=hp_lead_pos6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;the&nbsp;Wall Street Journal&nbsp;the embattled lender Genesis is weighing filing for bankruptcy, while the firm said Thursday it had drastically reduced its headcount.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



Genesis laid off 30% of its employees, a person familiar with the matter told&nbsp;Forbes, matching an earlier report&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coindesk.com/business/2023/01/05/crypto-lender-genesis-lays-off-30-more-of-its-staff/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">from</a>&nbsp;CoinDesk, which along with Genesis is also owned by one-time billionaire Barry Silbert’s Digital Currency Group (Genesis didn’t immediately respond to&nbsp;Forbes’ request for comment).



Though Genesis has yet to publicly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/us-crypto-broker-genesis-says-it-is-working-avoid-bankruptcy-filing-2022-11-30/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">indicate</a>&nbsp;it will file for bankruptcy, its outlook is bleak: The firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanponciano/2022/11/16/crypto-lender-genesis-suspends-withdrawals-ftx-collapse-created-unprecedented-market-turmoil/?sh=65bfdc67782d">suspended withdrawals</a>&nbsp;from its lending unit November 16 and has not&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coindesk.com/business/2023/01/04/genesis-ceo-says-solution-requires-more-time/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">unveiled a plan</a>&nbsp;to resume withdrawals in the seven weeks since.



Genesis owed creditors $1.8 billion as of December, a person familiar with the matter&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnhyatt/2022/12/24/these-crypto-founders-and-bitcoin-moguls-lost-116-billion-in-2022/?sh=3f9e886f42b2">told</a>&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;at the time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



The disclosure&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2023/01/05/silvergate-stock-crashes-nearly-50-as-bank-grapples-with-crypto-crisis/?sh=219b1c0a3c89">comes</a>&nbsp;the same day as leading crypto bank Silvergate Capital’s disclosure of $8.1 billion in net withdrawals over the last three months of 2022. Genesis had lent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/genesis-lent-2-4-billion-to-hedge-fund-three-arrows-capital-11658170583" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">$2.4 billion</a>&nbsp;to the Three Arrows Capital crypto hedge fund that went insolvent in June, and Genesis&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/GenesisTrading/status/1590836594382032896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1590836594382032896%7Ctwgr%5Ecfd87cfddbbdc349e403421e436c21257f1872cb%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Ftechnology%2Fblockfi-genesis-crypto-firms-reel-exposure-ftx-2023-01-05%2F" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>in November that it had $175 million in funds locked on its FTX accounts but had no outstanding loans to FTX or Alameda Research, the firms founded by the billionaire turned pariah Sam Bankman-Fried.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">SURPRISING FACT</h2>



Genesis would join a long list of one-time crypto giants in bankruptcy: Alameda, BlockFi, Celsius, FTX, Three Arrows and Voyager all filed for insolvency last year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">TANGENT</h2>



Cameron Winklevoss, the billionaire president of the crypto exchange Gemini&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/cameron/status/1609913051427524608" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wrote</a>&nbsp;a scathing open letter to Silbert Wednesday, accusing him of engaging in “bad faith stall tactics” regarding Gemini’s outstanding $900 million loan to Genesis, allegations Silbert subsequently denied.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FORBES VALUATIONS</h2>



We&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnhyatt/2022/12/24/these-crypto-founders-and-bitcoin-moguls-lost-116-billion-in-2022/?sh=3f9e886f42b2">estimate</a>&nbsp;Silbert, worth $3.2 billion as of last April, to now be worth $0, largely due to Genesis’ mountain of debt. The Winklevoss twins are each worth $1.1 billion, according to our estimates, down from $4 billion apiece in April 2022 as the crypto industry tumbled.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanponciano/2022/11/16/crypto-lender-genesis-suspends-withdrawals-ftx-collapse-created-unprecedented-market-turmoil/?sh=65bfdc67782d">Crypto Lender Genesis Suspends Withdrawals: FTX Collapse Created ‘Unprecedented Market Turmoil’</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2023/01/05/silvergate-stock-crashes-nearly-50-as-bank-grapples-with-crypto-crisis/?sh=219b1c0a3c89">Silvergate Stock Crashes Nearly 50% As Bank Grapples With Crypto Crisis</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



By Derek Saul, Forbes Staff

Cryptocurrency ATMs in Hungary’s Capital

Crypto Broker Genesis Cuts 30% Of Staff, Reportedly Mulls Bankruptcy

A methamphetamine and cocaine gang operating across the U.S., Mexico, Europe and Australia used the world’s biggest cryptocurrency exchange Binance to launder tens of millions in drug proceeds, according to an ongoing investigation by the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Between $15 and $40 million in illicit proceeds may have been funneled through Binance, the DEA alleged.



The previously-unreported case provides rare insight into how Mexican-based narcotics dealers are increasingly looking to cryptocurrency as a means to obscure illicit business transactions. At the same time, it shows federal agencies moving to track illegal use of cryptocurrency &#8211; once touted as untraceable &#8211; and how closely they work with exchanges like Binance to track organized crime (though Binance itself is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/us-justice-dept-is-split-over-charging-binance-crypto-world-falters-sources-2022-12-12/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">facing a federal probe</a>over concerns about money laundering on its platform).



According to a search warrant obtained by Forbes, the investigation into the unnamed Mexican gang’s use of Binance began in 2020 when multiple DEA informants using localbitcoins.com, a crypto trade forum, interacted with a user offering to exchange cryptocurrency for cash. The transaction appeared to be simple: send Bitcoin or USDC (a “stablecoin” whose value is pegged to the U.S. dollar) to the seller’s account and then meet him or a contact to collect the cash in person. The trader &#8211; Mexican national Carlos Fong Echavarria &#8211; told them the cash came from “ family restaurants and cattle ranches,” according to the government’s account.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-text-align-center is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">This is actually an example of where the transparency of blockchain transactions works against criminal actors.<cite>Matthew Price, senior director of investigations at Binance </cite></blockquote>



By surveilling the alleged couriers of the cash, and having an undercover agent deal directly with Echavarria, the DEA said it tracked the money back to drug sales. In August, Echavarria, who was arrested last year, pleaded guilty to two charges, one of drug dealing, the other of money laundering. He awaits sentencing.



The DEA’s investigation continued during his prosecution. With assistance from Binance, the agency tracked Echavarria’s crypto across 75 transactions he made with the undercover agent, totalling $4.7 million. One account appeared to be taking money from Echavarria and continuing the laundering process, the DEA said. In 2021, the owner of that account made 146 purchases of cryptocurrency worth nearly $42 million and sold over $38 million across 117 sell orders, according to the warrant. The DEA said it believed at least $16 million of that was derived from drug proceeds. It didn’t offer any explanation for the source of the remaining funds.



Thanks to information provided by Binance, the DEA was able to identify the owner of that second account. Though he’s named in the warrant, Forbes is withholding his name from publication as he is yet to be charged.



Binance senior director of investigations Matthew Price, a former IRS cybercrime agent, told&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;the Echavarria case was notable as it showed a Mexican-based operation laundering significant drug money through cryptocurrency wallets. Previous&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/mexico-bitcoin-insight-idUSKBN28I1KD" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">investigations have found evidence of cartel use of cryptocurrency</a>, but transactions were only in the tens of thousands.



“This is actually an example of where the transparency of blockchain transactions works against criminal actors,” Price told&nbsp;Forbes. “The bad guys are leaving a permanent record of what they&#8217;re doing.



This isn’t the first time Binance has helped the DEA. Earlier this year, it&nbsp;<a href="https://www.binance.com/en/blog/ecosystem/crypto-and-money-laundering-an-inconvenient-truth-421499824684903925" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;it worked with the agency to seize over 100 accounts linked to suspected drug money laundering in Mexico.



Those seizures pointed to a trend identified in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.incb.org/documents/Publications/AnnualReports/AR2021/Annual_Report/E_INCB_2021_1_eng.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.N. report</a>&nbsp;earlier this year claiming the Jalisco New Generation and Sinaloa cartels were increasingly looking to bitcoin as a laundering mechanism. That said, some experts believe Mexican gangs will likely continue to move cash proceeds across the border in bulk to stop American cops following their money. “On a larger scale, [crypto laundering] is still completely dwarfed by cash and other means just because of the volume of money involved,” Prince explained.



This story was first reported in my newsletter, The Wiretap. With exclusives on surveillance and cybercrime, as well as all the security and privacy you need, it comes out free every week. Sign up <a href="https://www.forbes.com/newsletter/thewiretap/">here</a>.



By Thomas Brewster, Forbes Staff

Daily Life In Edmonton During The Covid-19 Pandemic

Global Drug Conspiracy Used Binance To Launder Millions In Crypto, DEA Investigation Finds￼

In its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mitchellmartin/2022/11/28/blockfi-seeks-bankruptcy-protection-points-out-obligations-owed-by-ftx/?sh=226d4cfc2560">bankruptcy filing</a>&nbsp;last week, New Jersey-based BlockFi attempted to paint itself as a responsible lender hit by plummeting crypto prices and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidjeans/2022/11/12/the-devil-in-nerds-clothes-how-sam-bankman-frieds-cult-of-genius-fooled-everyone/?sh=11f555e1d269">collapse of crypto brokerage FTX</a>&nbsp;and its affiliated trading firm,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffkauflin/2022/11/19/how-did-sam-bankman-frieds-alameda-research-lose-so-much-money/?sh=18dec10444c9">Alameda</a>. But a closer look at the company’s history reveals that its vulnerabilities likely began much earlier with missteps in risk management, including loosened lending standards, a highly concentrated pool of borrowers and unsustainable trading activity.



Like so many digital asset companies, crypto lender BlockFi let itself get swept up in the 2021 crypto frenzy. As bitcoin’s price rose sharply that year, BlockFi started expanding aggressively to meet investor demand. As of March 2021, BlockFi’s assets under management swelled to more than $15 billion, up from $1 billion the year before. In the first six months of 2021, it hired an average of more than 75 people per month, according to LinkedIn data, as its valuation hit $4.25 billion.



While the company regularly <a href="https://blockfi.com/in-depth-look-at-blockfis-risk-management" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">touted</a> a sophisticated risk management team, current and former employees indicate in interviews that risk professionals were dismissed by executives preoccupied with delivering growth to investors. As early as 2020, employees were discouraged from describing risks in written internal communications to avoid liability, a former employee states. This picture stands in contrast to last week’s <a href="https://restructuring.ra.kroll.com/blockfi/Home-DocketInfo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bankruptcy filing</a>, in which the company states that “since its founding, BlockFi has been focused on providing best-in-class financial services and offering (sometimes creating) industry-leading protections.”



BlockFi positioned itself as a bank-like institution that was a&nbsp;<a href="https://blockfi.com/in-depth-look-at-blockfis-risk-management" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">safe place</a>for retail investors to store their funds and earn interest, but the company used retail deposits for questionable lending and unsustainable trading activities, says Ram Ahluwalia, CEO of digital asset investment advisor Lumida. “What they were really doing, these retail depositors, is they were financing a hedge fund,” says Ahluwalia, who worked in credit risk analysis and management before crypto.



Until August 2021, BlockFi advertised that loans were typically over-collateralized. But large potential borrowers were often unwilling to meet those requirements, a <a href="https://www.sec.gov/litigation/admin/2022/33-11029.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cease and desist order</a> brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission against BlockFi in February states. The availability of <a href="https://cases.stretto.com/public/x193/11753/PLEADINGS/1175310172280000000106.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">uncollateralized capital</a> from competing companies like Voyager created stiff competition in the lending field.



Under pressure to continue growing and delivering yields, BlockFi began lending to these parties with less collateral than publicly stated without informing customers on the amount of risk involved with interest accounts, according to the SEC order which resulted in a $100 million fine for the company. As a result, BlockFi paused access to its interest accounts in the U.S. (The company agreed to entry of the cease and desist order and payment of the fine without admitting or denying the SEC’s findings.)



“From inception, BlockFi worked to constantly evolve and refine all corporate governance practices, including bringing in specialized and seasoned risk expertise as the firm grew,” a BlockFi representative said in response to Forbes’ request for comment.



In addition to lowering its collateral requirements, BlockFi’s due diligence process had flaws, former borrowers say. Available credit for borrowers was decided based on their assets, but BlockFi and other lenders failed to investigate both the size and quality of potential borrowers’ holdings. Like&nbsp;<a href="https://cases.stretto.com/public/x193/11753/PLEADINGS/1175310172280000000106.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Voyager</a>&nbsp;and other crypto lenders, BlockFi accepted unaudited balance sheets from hedge funds and proprietary trading firms former borrowers say, leaving room for manipulation on the borrower side.



In the due diligence process, lenders like BlockFi and Voyager did not examine whether borrowers’ balance sheet assets were denominated in dollars or less liquid tokens like FTX-issued FTT. When asked to address detailed questions about these failings, a BlockFi representative responded with a statement that: “BlockFi’s institutional counterparties undergo a full due diligence and underwriting analysis which includes a review of their operation and financial statements, with focus on leverage and liquidity.”



The revelation that Alameda’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coindesk.com/business/2022/11/02/divisions-in-sam-bankman-frieds-crypto-empire-blur-on-his-trading-titan-alamedas-balance-sheet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">balance sheet was mostly FTT tokens</a>&nbsp;was the news that set off the unraveling of both Alameda and FTX and triggered contagion effects across the industry. In early November, Alameda defaulted on $680 million in loan obligations to BlockFi, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://restructuring.ra.kroll.com/blockfi/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bankruptcy filing</a>.



An internal team at BlockFi also raised concerns that the borrower pool was too concentrated among a pool of crypto whales, including mega hedge funds Three Arrows Capital and Alameda, another former employee states. Management responded that the loans were collateralized, according to the employee.



In addition to lending to institutions, a large revenue driver for BlockFi before this year was a popular arbitrage trade leveraging an investment vehicle called Grayscale Bitcoin<a href="https://www.forbes.com/digital-assets/assets/bitcoin-btc/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BTC</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/digital-assets/assets/bitcoin-btc/">-1.5%</a>&nbsp;Trust, which is designed to offer investors bitcoin exposure on traditional markets. For years, GBTC traded at a premium relative to the value of underlying bitcoin. Investment firm Grayscale let institutional investors contribute bitcoin to the trust in return for shares. The shares could eventually be sold to profit from the difference between their price and bitcoin. At one point, BlockFi&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1588489/000149315220019975/sc13g.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">held over 5%</a>&nbsp;of the trust&#8217;s shares.



That strategy began to unravel in February 2021 when GBTC shares began selling at a discount, while a portion of BlockFi’s holdings were locked up by an SEC rule that prohibited holders from selling their GBTC until six months after their purchase. This turned the profitable arbitrage into a money loser, leading to big losses for BlockFi.



The next month, BlockFi began cutting yields on interest-bearing accounts holding bitcoin, reducing the highest promised interest rate from 6% to 4% between&nbsp;<a href="https://blockfi.com/our-btc-and-eth-rates-are-changing-and-heres-why" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">March</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://blockfi.com/blockfi-interest-account-bia-rates-are-changing-based-on-latest-market" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">June</a>&nbsp;of 2021. Shortly after, the company&nbsp;<a href="https://blockfi.com/blockfi-appoints-yuri-mushkin-as-chief-risk-officer" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">replaced</a>&nbsp;Bank of America<a href="https://www.forbes.com/companies/bank-of-america" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BAC</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/companies/bank-of-america">-0.2%</a>&nbsp;veteran Rene Van Kesteren as chief risk officer with another traditional finance hire, Yuri Mushkin. By July 2022, BlockFi CEO Zac Prince stated the company&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/BlockFiZac/status/1546609720051499016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1546609720051499016%7Ctwgr%5Ecdd07721b76cbe707c93226515d631ee8763b5ad%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fblockworks.co%2Fnews%2Fblockfi-winds-down-loans-backed-by-gbtc-stock-ceo-says" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">no longer held</a>&nbsp;GBTC shares and was unwinding loans where shares of the fund were held as collateral.



In BlockFi’s bankruptcy filing and in <a href="https://twitter.com/BlockFiZac/status/1546492678698844163" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">public statements</a> made by its CEO, Zac Prince, the company points to its survival through the collapse of the Terra/Luna ecosystem and subsequent shuttering of Three Arrows Capital as evidence of strong management. But that endurance four months ago was made possible through a $400 million credit line from now-defunct FTX, which allowed the firm to meet panicked withdrawal requests from depositors. When FTX folded in early November, BlockFi lost its lending back stop and could no longer meet fresh waves of withdrawal requests.



By Emily Mason, Forbes Staff

BlockFi Photo Illustrations

BlockFi Employees Warned Of Credit Risks, But Say Executives Dismissed Them

Like stock certificates sprinkled with pixie dust, inflated exchange tokens were at the core of FTX’s spectacular collapse. They are still in widespread use at major cryptocurrency exchanges around the world. Will they be crypto’s undoing?



In2017, cryptocurrency exchange Binance created the first of a new kind of blockchain-minted digital asset: BNB coin, designed to reward customer behavior such as trading or referring friends to its own platform. “A model for building a scalable, and impactful cryptocurrency business,” heralded CoinDesk editor Pete Rizzo in 2019, after Binance moved the coin to its own proprietary blockchain. “Unbelievable brilliance.”



Today, the only unbelievable thing about the whole cloth of crypto inventions known as exchange tokens, like BNB, is that they have inflated to tens of billions of dollars in value and in large part have become the foundation upon which the fast-growing digital-assets markets rest.



The weakest link in former billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried’s crypto empire was FTX’s own exchange token, which traded under the symbol FTT. According to Reuters, Bankman-Fried had lent his trading company, Alameda,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/currencies/exclusive-least-1-billion-client-funds-missing-failed-crypto-firm-ftx-sources-2022-11-12/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">billions of dollars</a>&nbsp;in FTX customer funds, collateralized by these FTT tokens, which were essentially invented as a way to offer trading discounts and other perks.



“The way that FTT works,” said Bankman-Fried in an August 2022 interview with&nbsp;Forbes, “It is not that you get free FTT for doing things. The way to think about it is that you get free shit for having FTT. So, there&#8217;s a bunch of doo-hickeys.”



At the peak in 2021 FTT had a market value of $9.6 billion, but unlike a common stock, which represents legal ownership in the assets of a corporation, FTT does not represent any equity ownership in the FTX company. If FTT had any intrinsic value, it was in the form of discounts that FTX customers using these tokens could get trading on the exchange–as much as 60% for active traders. You can think of these exchange tokens as being akin to loyalty or reward points you might get as a frequent customer of Starbucks or the UnitedMiles by flying on that airline. They have value, but it&#8217;s unlikely that a bank would allow you to use them as collateral if you wanted to purchase a home.&nbsp;



However, in the highly speculative and often bizarre world of digital assets, these loyalty tokens trade on numerous crypto exchanges just as stocks do on the New York Stock Exchange, and FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried reportedly used them as collateral for the loans his company made. Up until a week ago FTT traded at $26 and had a market capitalization of $3.5 billion. But after Bankman-Fried’s rival Changpeng Zhao, Binance’s billionaire founder, went on Twitter to say he was planning to sell over $500 million of FTT, it sparked the crypto equivalent of a bank run. Today FTT sells for $2.70, and given FTX’s recent bankruptcy filing, it is likely headed to zero.



But the story of exchange tokens in cryptoland is far from over. Forbes counts more than 16 global crypto and DeFi (decentralized finance) exchanges currently using these tokens for a combined market value of no less than $62 billion. 



In fact, so-called exchange tokens are an important underpinning to the crypto exchange ecosystem because they are effective in creating customer loyalty–especially when token prices are rising. Virtually all such tokens offer holders exchange-specific perks such as trading fee discounts, preferential margin loan terms, enhanced rewards for staking (lending) and exchange-branded cashback Visa cards. Exchange tokens are also awarded to customers that refer new traders to a platform, in a system similar to multi-level marketing organizations like Amway. Exchange tokens function as the fuel for crypto’s self-fulfilling bubbles.



Binance–the largest crypto exchange in the world–has its own token, BNB, which by itself has a market capitalization of $45.9 billion, though it does not represent any equity in Changpeng Zhao’s company nor has it been registered as a security with the U.S. SEC.&nbsp;



Anyone who opens an account on Binance and starts trading can buy or earn these BNB tokens, which offer 25% discounts on spot and margin transaction fees and 10% on futures. If you refer friends, you can get up to 40% commission every time they make a trade on Binance. Also, because Binance has created its own blockchain that mints BNB coins, you can use BNB to pay for goods and services, book airfare and hotels on sites like Travala for instance, participate in exclusive token sales and even earn free tokens by completing surveys and tasks. You can also put BNB to use by staking, earn a flexible percentage yield by depositing it on BNB Chain-based projects and apply for crypto loans. Notably, these digital assets are also essential for anyone who want to use Binance’s decentralized exchange (DEX), which theoretically can’t be shut down by U.S. regulators.



Unlike bitcoin, which is mined every ten minutes, all of the 350 million FTT tokens that would ever exist were created in what is known as a pre-mine. “There will never be any more minted,” said Bankman-Fried recently. In fact, over a period of about three months starting around June of 2019 almost all of FTT’s premined tokens were sold prior to getting listed on crypto exchanges. “Effectively, all of the FTT tokens were owned by a collection of people and entities,” said Bankman-Fried.



In order to create scarcity and essentially bolster the value of its exchange tokens, FTX and Binance conduct what are known as token burns. Periodically both exchanges send tokens to irretrievable addresses reducing the float, similarly to a share buyback, and thus increasing the value of the exchange tokens outstanding. Since 2019 FTX has burned 21 million FTT tokens. In total, Binance has burned more than 42 million BNB, which would be worth $11.6 billion at today’s prices. CZ has said Binance doesn’t borrow money and has never used BNB as collateral on loans. He recently began advocating that exchanges undergo a “proof” of funds.&nbsp;



In terms of governance, exchange tokens, like loyalty reward programs, are completely under the control of the entity that issues or redeems them, even if they profess to stick to pre-arranged schedules for issuance or burning. DeFi tokens, by contrast, claim to offer holders the ability to propose and vote on platform changes. But in reality, many large DeFi platforms concentrate governance in the hands of big investors and founding teams. Additionally, just as FTT did not give holders stakes in FTX, purchasing a DeFi token does not necessarily convey ownership rights into the underlying platform.&nbsp;



The table below offers details on some 16 different cryptocurrency and DeFi-platform exchange tokens representing more than $60 billion in market value. Conspicuously absent are Coinbase and Kraken, which are U.S.-based and have avoided issuing exchange tokens, presumably because they would likely be deemed securities by the SEC. All of the tokens listed trade on exchanges daily like stocks–most of them have plummeted in value in the last year—but not a single one offers any ownership in the companies that they are affiliated with. Buyer beware.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-token-values">TOKEN VALUES</h4>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-16-crypto-and-defi-exchanges-below-created-exchange-tokens-to-attract-and-retain-customers-though-they-trade-like-stocks-and-have-a-value-of-over-60-billion-none-represent-ownership-in-their-affiliated-platforms">The 16 crypto and DeFi exchanges below created exchange tokens to attract and retain customers. Though they trade like stocks and have a value of over $60 billion, none represent ownership in their affiliated platforms.</h4>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Exchange </td><td>Token Symbol</td><td>Headquarters</td><td>MARKET CAPITALIZATION ($ million)</td><td>12-MONTH PRICE CHANGE </td><td> TOKEN UTILITY AND PERKS </td></tr><tr><td>Binance</td><td>BNB</td><td>none, &#8220;remote first&#8221; </td><td>$45,977 </td><td>-55% </td><td> Trading discounts, access to earning higher rewards and token sales, VISA card rewards from VISA merchant network, better loan terms </td></tr><tr><td>OKX</td><td>OKO</td><td>Seychelles</td><td>$4,651 </td><td>-31% </td><td> Trading discoounts, access to token sales, payment from crypto to network of merchants </td></tr><tr><td>Uniswap **</td><td>UNI</td><td>New York</td><td>$4,188 </td><td>-78% </td><td> UNI tokens govern a platform that rewards members through revenue sharing of fees earned. </td></tr><tr><td>Crypto.com </td><td>CRO</td><td>Singapore</td><td>$2,024 </td><td>-78% </td><td> Trading discounts, Crypto.com VISA rewards on purchases, higher yield on staking, revenue sharing, access to buy rare collectible NFTs </td></tr><tr><td>Tokenize Xchange</td><td>TKX</td><td>Singapore</td><td>$803 </td><td>-16% </td><td> Trading discounts and possibly free trading when combined with VIP program, double earning program access, zero fee withdrawals </td></tr><tr><td>Huobi</td><td>HT</td><td>Seychelles</td><td>$699 </td><td>-47% </td><td> Trading discounts of up to 65% when combined with VIP program, HT staking yield of 2.5%, network revenue sharing </td></tr><tr><td>Kucoin</td><td>KCS</td><td>Seychelles</td><td>$693 </td><td>-68% </td><td> Trading discounts, KuCoin VISA rewards on purchases, higher yield on staking, earn KCS based on network activity </td></tr><tr><td>Whitebit</td><td>WBT</td><td>Lithuana</td><td>$682 </td><td>na</td><td> Trading discounts up to zero cost trading with higher WBT balances </td></tr><tr><td>PancakeSwap **</td><td>CAKE</td><td>Japan</td><td>$590 </td><td>-78% </td><td> Earn CAKE for free with high interest rates, stake CAKE and earn free tokens, access to win collectible NFTs </td></tr><tr><td>BTSE</td><td>BTSE</td><td>British Virgin Islands</td><td>$562 </td><td>-41% </td><td> Trading discounts, referral bonus boost, chances to earn bonuses, access to select asset management offers </td></tr><tr><td>Gate.io</td><td>GT</td><td>none, 100% remote</td><td>$538 </td><td>-52% </td><td> Zero trading fee, access to exclusive offers, voting activities, liquidity mining benefits </td></tr><tr><td>Synthetix Network **</td><td>SNX</td><td>Australia</td><td>$392 </td><td>-83% </td><td> SNX staking generates rewards through the network&#8217;s &#8220;inflationary monetary policy&#8221; and through transactions in staked US dollars (sUSD). </td></tr><tr><td>FTX</td><td>FTT</td><td>Bahamas</td><td>$262 </td><td>-97% </td><td> Trading discounts, staking benefits include higher referral rates and revenue sharing, earn and burn FTT weekly </td></tr><tr><td>MEXC Global</td><td>MX</td><td>Seychelles</td><td>$87 </td><td>-69% </td><td> Trading discount, MX burn program participation, referral rewards, access to M-Day events and new MEXC launchpad projects. </td></tr><tr><td>Bidget</td><td>BGB</td><td>Singapore</td><td>$27 </td><td>na</td><td> Trading discount, earn KOL partnership rewards </td></tr><tr><td>BitMart</td><td>BMX</td><td>Grand Cayman</td><td>$16</td><td>-76% </td><td>Trading discount, deflationary token</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption>*A decentralized exchange. Source: Coinmarketcap, CoinGecko, Forbes, exchange sites.</figcaption></figure>



By Nina Bambysheva, Javier Paz, Michael del Castillo and Steven Ehrlich, Forbes Staff

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