LATEST: US Government Holds Major Bitcoin Stash, Arkham Reveals

Arkham, a leading crypto intelligence platform, has unveiled startling revelations about government involvement in cryptocurrency. Their latest dashboard exposes the United States, alongside stalwarts like the United Kingdom and Germany, as significant holders of digital assets. According to Arkham’s real-time tracking, the U.S. government stands out as the largest Bitcoin holder among global states, boasting a staggering 212,847 BTC, valued at approximately $15 billion. This revelation underscores a notable shift in traditional financial dynamics as governments increasingly embrace the burgeoning crypto market.

The disclosure extends beyond the U.S., shedding light on the UK’s ownership of 61,245 BTC (worth $4.5 billion) and Germany’s 49,858 BTC (approximately $3.5 billion). While these figures highlight a growing governmental interest in cryptocurrency, they also raise questions about the future of financial regulation and geopolitical power dynamics in the digital age. As nations maneuver to secure their positions in the crypto sphere, the landscape of global finance undergoes a transformative evolution, with Bitcoin emerging as a pivotal asset in the portfolios of major governments worldwide.

Arkham

The Technical Architecture of the Quantum Cats

Quantum Cats is a collection of 3333 Ordinals Inscriptions that evolve over time, to reveal different artwork.This is the first ever collection of Inscriptions that will evolve over time, and was created in a time of high fees and an unpredictable future fee market. This is not an article about the aesthetic virtues of the artwork (I think they look cool) or reasons to participate in the market for them; this is an article about the technical implementation of Quantum Cats. I think the engineering challenges we faced and the techniques we implemented to meet those challenges are interesting and potentially useful to both future Ordinals creators and to other Bitcoin application…

Read more on BitcoinMagazine

Bitcoin Block Reward Halving Timeline

The Bitcoin halving is a significant event that occurs approximately every four years, reducing the block reward for miners by half. This deflationary mechanism is designed to control the issuance of new bitcoins and mimic the scarcity and value preservation of precious metals like gold.

The timeline begins in 2010 with the original reward of 50 BTC per block. We’ve experienced several halvings since then, with the reward decreasing to 25 BTC, and then to 12.5 BTC. Currently, we are in the era of 6.25 BTC rewards per block. Future halvings will further reduce the reward to 3.125 BTC, and eventually to less than 1 BTC per block as we approach 2040.

This reduction in supply issuance theoretically increases scarcity and has historically preceded significant price increases for Bitcoin. The cap of Bitcoin’s total supply is set at 21 million coins, ensuring that the asset remains scarce and deflationary, contrasting with traditional fiat currencies susceptible to inflation.

Disclaimer: Market capitalizations and data can vary in real-time. The information provided here is intended purely for educational purposes and should not, under any circumstances, be construed as financial advice.

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LATEST: Hong Kong Set to Approve Bitcoin, Ether ETFs by Monday

Hong Kong is poised to make a significant leap in the cryptocurrency market by potentially approving new exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) as early as Monday. Bloomberg sources suggest that if the Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing finalizes the listing details swiftly, these pioneering products could be launched by the month’s end. Harvest Global Investments, alongside Bosera Asset Management and HashKey Capital, are at the forefront, possibly becoming the first to receive these crucial approvals.

This development could mark a pivotal moment, positioning Hong Kong as a frontrunner in Asia’s digital-asset sector. The approval of such ETFs, notably in a financial hub like Hong Kong, not only underlines the growing acceptance of cryptocurrencies but also forecasts a robust future for digital assets in the region. With major players like BlackRock increasingly focusing on Bitcoin ETFs, the financial landscape appears set for an exciting transformation.

Bloomberg

Ethereum Edges Lower; Pendle, Bittensor Among Top Losers

Bitcoin BTC/USD moved higher, with the cryptocurrency prices trading above the key $70,000 level on Friday.

Ethereum ETH/USD edged lower, but remained above the key $3,500 mark this morning.

BitTorrent (New) BTT/USD was the top gainer over the prior 24 hours, while Pendle PENDLE/USD turned out to be the biggest loser.

At the time of writing, the global crypto market cap rose to $2.63 trillion, recording a 24-hour gain of 0.1%. BTC was trading higher by 0.7% at $70,802 while ETH fell by around 0.5% to $3,534 on Friday.

Here are the top ten crypto gainers and losers over the past 24 hours:

Gainers

 

BitTorrent (New) BTT/USD
Price: $0.000001628
24-hour gain: 9.5%

Cronos CRO/USD
Price:…

Read more on Benzinga

Itaipu Dam Energy | Paraguay Senate

Paraguayan senators are now opting to pause the development of a proposed Bitcoin mining ban. They have shifted their focus towards the potential economic advantages of leveraging excess energy from the country’s Itaipu dam hydropower plant to fuel bitcoin mining operations rather than exporting it to neighboring Brazil and Argentina.

SourceInitial Mining Ban Proposal

The decision to reassess the proposed ban comes just a week after lawmakers introduced a draft bill on April 4, suggesting a 180-day prohibition on Bitcoin mining. The rationale behind the ban stemmed from allegations of illegal digital asset mines silently consuming power and disturbing the country’s electricity…

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Bitcoin Mining Difficulty | Surge To ATH As Halving Nears

As the highly anticipated Bitcoin halving event draws near, the mining landscape witnesses a significant surge in complexity, with Bitcoin mining difficulty hitting a new all-time high of 85.51 trillion, as per data by BitInfoCharts.com.

The latest adjustment which occurred on April 10, reflected a 3.4% increase from the previous difficulty level of 83 trillion, set on March 28.

Bitcoin mining difficulty historical chart — Source

Analysts expect this adjustment to be the last one before the upcoming halving. The next Bitcoin mining difficulty adjustment is projected to happen in around 13 days, on April 24. Meanwhile, CoinMarketCap data indicates the Bitcoin halving is scheduled for April…

Read more on bitcoinnews

Bitcoin Options Trading | SEC Delays Decision For Spot ETFs

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the United States has hit the brakes on a crucial decision regarding the introduction of options trading for spot Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs). This delay could have significant implications for investors and the digital assets market as a whole.

Bitcoin Options Trading: SEC’s Decision Delayed

The SEC has delayed its decision on whether to allow the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to offer options for trading on spot Bitcoin ETFs. The delay extends the period for deciding on a proposal to permit the listing and trading of options on ETFs like Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB) and Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC).

The SEC mentioned in the…

Read more on bitcoinnews

LATEST: BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF Exceeds $15 Billion Inflows Milestone

Just three months after its launch, BlackRock’s IBIT spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) has become a phenomenal success, securing $15 billion in total inflows, a milestone that underscores the surging interest in cryptocurrency investments. The IBIT fund, which soared over 50% in value, not only doubled the performance of any other ETF in BlackRock’s extensive portfolio of 421 funds but also led the inflow charts yesterday with a whopping $192.1 million. This robust influx highlights the investor confidence in bitcoin, particularly as traditional funds like Grayscale’s GBTC saw significant outflows.

BlackRock’s strategic push in marketing their spot bitcoin ETFs is paying off handsomely as competition in the crypto space intensifies. With a sustained trading volume and assets under management nearing $20 billion, IBIT is setting a new standard in the ETF market. The success of IBIT, coupled with the overall asset growth in the nine new spot bitcoin ETFs to $37 billion, signals a strong market endorsement for bitcoin and its burgeoning role in investment portfolios.

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Check Out the Top Crypto Gainers of the Day

$1M – $10M MarketCap:

  1. Serenity Shield (SERSH): 32%
  2. Berry (BERRY): 25%
  3. Minu (MINU): 13%
  4. PolkaBridge (PBR): 5.6%
  5. Sinverse (SIN): 5.2%

$10M – $100M MarketCap:

  1. Dypius [OLD] (DYP): 58%
  2. Cosplay Token (COT): 40%
  3. Niza Global (NIZA): 19%
  4. OmniCat (OMNI): 17%
  5. SLG.GAMES (SLG): 13%

$100M – $1B MarketCap:

  1. Chintai (CHEX): 40%
  2. Ontology Gas (ONG): 31%
  3. Syntropy (NOIA): 25%
  4. Propy (PRO): 24%
  5. BitMart Token (BMX): 18%

Disclaimer: Market capitalizations can vary in real-time. The information provided here is intended purely for educational purposes and should not, under any circumstances, be construed as financial advice.

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