Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc. MARA and Riot Platforms, Inc. RIOT shares are trading higher Friday as Bitcoin BTC/USD topped the $30,000 mark for the first time since August.
 

The Details:

Shares of MARA are up by more than 5%, and RIOT shares are up nearly 4% Friday as excitement surrounding the potential approval of a spot Bitcoin ETF approval builds. 

Bitcoin is trading just under $30,000 after breaching the mark and reaching $30,024.42 earlier Friday. 

Earlier this week, Blackrock and Fidelity made amendments to their spot Bitcoin ETF filings, and Grayscale submitted an S-3 filing on similar approval pursuits.

Both Marathon Digital and Riot Platforms have significant short…

Read more on Benzinga

Ras Al Khaimah, celebrated for its cultural heritage, is diversifying its economy by embracing digital assets beyond traditional sectors like tourism. On October 19th, Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi inaugurated the RAK Digital Assets Oasis (RAK DAO). This economic free zone supports digital asset, blockchain, Web3, and AI companies while offering grant programs and specialized support in tech, marketing, and business development. RAK DAO aims to drive innovation and seize global digital asset opportunities, positioning Ras Al Khaimah as a UAE pioneer, alongside tech hubs in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Vienna-based exchange, Bitpanda, a major digital asset exchange in Europe, achieved a significant milestone by becoming one of the first foreign entities to secure a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) license in Norway. This announcement was made via the company’s official social media account on October 19.

Bitpanda has been actively expanding its presence across Europe, holding licenses in several European jurisdictions, including Austria, Germany, France, Sweden, and Czechia. According to Lukas Enzersdorfer-Konrad, the Deputy CEO of Bitpanda, this registration marks a crucial step in their mission to provide a trustworthy investment platform for Europeans. He…

Read more on bitcoinnews

A recent report by CNBC provides new insights into the story of Jimmy Zhong. He made headlines last year when he was arrested for stealing over 50,000 bitcoin from the Silk Road marketplace.

How Jimmy Zhong Got the Police Involved

The story began in March 2019 when Jimmy Zhong called the police in Athens, Georgia, to report that someone had stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of cryptocurrency from his home. This phone call triggered an investigation into the theft. Initially, the police, who were used to college town-type crimes like break-ins, bar fights, and assorted rowdiness, couldn’t suspect Zhong’s crime. According to the report:

“The 911 call…

Read more on bitcoinnews

BitcoinNews.com is not investment advice.

Opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of BitcoinNews.com

For informational purposes only. Individuals and entities should not construe any information on this site as investment, financial, legal, tax, accounting or other advice. Information provided does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement by BitcoinNews.com to buy or sell bitcoin, cryptocurrencies or other financial instruments. Forecasts are inherently limited and cannot be relied upon. Do your own research and consult a professional advisor. The opinion of authors do not reflect those of BitcoinNews.com 

Read more on bitcoinnews

The cryptocurrency world has been abuzz with anticipation. The potential approval of Bitcoin Spot ETFs could trigger a cascade of demand for cryptocurrencies, particularly Bitcoin (BTC) and Bitcoin Spark (BTCS).

The Bitcoin ETF Phenomenon

Bitcoin ETFs, or Exchange-Traded Funds, have become a hot topic in the crypto space. They offer a regulated pathway for investors to gain exposure to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. The primary appeal of a Bitcoin ETF is its ability to democratize investment in the crypto sector.

A Bitcoin ETF could unlock an estimated $600 billion in new demand, based on a report by Bernstein analysts. This figure more than doubles the current market cap of Bitcoin,…

Read more on Benzinga

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a unit of the U.S. Treasury Department, has proposed a new rule aimed at increasing transparency around cryptocurrency “mixers,” calling them a “national security risk.” This move is part of an effort to combat their use by groups such as Hamas.

As reported by Reuters, if the rule is finalized, financial firms will be required to report information about transactions that they suspect involve crypto mixers which are software tools that enable users to hide the source or owner of digital assets.

The proposal by FinCEN highlights the growing concerns among U.S. officials about the use of crypto for financing groups deemed…

Read more on Benzinga

The final phase of jury instructions for Sam Bankman-Fried‘s federal criminal case is in the hands of Judge Lewis Kaplan. The judicial decision is awaited on the proposed instructions presented by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Bankman-Fried’s defense team.

As reported by CoinDesk, these instructions will guide the jury on laws concerning seven charges faced by the defendant.

Both proposals bear similarities, including requests for the judge to address the indictment and elaborate the charges. The defense team and prosecutors have included specific instructions reflecting their unique concerns about the case.

See Also: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Spike As False BlackRock…

Read more on Benzinga

Bitcoin BTC/USD experienced a significant surge on Thursday evening, reaching a price of $29,000. 

What Happened: This surge came shortly after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged the persistence of elevated inflation levels and expressed the need for lower economic growth to address the issue.

Powell stated, “Incoming data over recent months show ongoing progress toward both of our dual mandate goals — maximum employment and stable prices.” However, he also emphasized that “inflation still remains too high.”

On the liquidation side, out of the total $25 million in liquidations that occurred in the last 24 hours, over $20 million worth of BTC shorts was liquidated,…

Read more on Benzinga