In response to FinCEN’s proposed rules threatening Bitcoin privacy, Samourai Wallet, a prominent player in the digital asset space, has issued a comprehensive statement through their legal team led by The Crypto Lawyers’ Rafael Yakobi.

Part of Samourai Wallet’s letter — Source

The proposal, signed by 25 unaffiliated Bitcoin companies, seeks to normalize Bitcoin mixing and opposes the bureau’s ideology that deems basic practices, like not reusing addresses, suspicious. Samourai Wallet highlights the serious privacy implications this new ruling could have, and challenges the overreach by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

The proposed regulation identifies routine practices like…

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Tesla, the electric car giant led by Elon Musk, has stood steadfast in its support for Bitcoin (BTC). According to their latest quarterly earnings report released this week, Tesla’s Bitcoin holdings remained untouched in the last quarter of 2023. This means the company neither bought nor sold any BTC during that period, signifying its confidence in the cryptocurrency.

Currently, Tesla holds a substantial 9,720 BTC, making it the third-largest public holder of Bitcoin. Only MicroStrategy and Marathon have larger holdings. Tesla initially ventured into the crypto world with a $1.5 billion investment in February 2021, amassing around 43,000 BTC. Moreover, Tesla had previously declared its intention to accept Bitcoin as a payment method.

The unchanged Bitcoin holdings demonstrate Tesla’s ongoing belief in the world of digital currencies, solidifying its position in the crypto market.

Bitcoin Treasuries

Bitwise, a leading crypto asset manager, has broken ground by becoming the pioneer among the top ten spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) issuers to disclose its digital wallet address publicly. In a noteworthy move, the San Francisco-based firm shared a screenshot showcasing the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF’s (BITB) bitcoin address and holdings, totaling 11,858 bitcoins as of January 23. This transparency initiative allows anyone to verify the fund’s holdings and transactions directly on the blockchain, aligning with bitcoin’s commitment to onchain transparency.

Bitwise emphasized the significance of onchain transparency within bitcoin’s ethos, taking pride in this groundbreaking step with BITB. The company aims to bolster public transparency further by exploring collaborations, including potential partnerships with firms like Hoeski to provide real-time cryptographic attestations. The disclosure of on-chain addresses addresses industry demands for detailed insights, particularly with the advent of spot bitcoin ETFs, mitigating concerns about financial opacity. Industry experts laud Bitwise’s move as a pivotal step toward onchain accounting, emphasizing the convergence of traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi).

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$1M – $10M MarketCap:

1. Virtual Versions (VV): 164%
2. Devomon (EVO): 56%
3. Convergence (CONV): 18%
4. Smart Valor (VALOR): 17%
5. Bork (BORK): 16%

$10M – $100M MarketCap:

1. ritestream (RITE): 62%
2. Aleph.im (ALEPH): 46%
3. Wrapped Ampleforth (WAMPL): 31%
4. Velodrome Finance (VELO): 22%
5. Rarible (RARI): 20%

$100M – $1B MarketCap:

1. Ark (ARK): 51%
2. Lisk (LSK): 40%
3. Prom (PROM): 30%
4. Helium Mobile (MOBILE): 24%
5. LCX (LCX): 22%

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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The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has granted an extension for the review of BlackRock’s proposed iShares Ethereum Trust spot ETF. Initially submitted by The Nasdaq Stock Market on November 21, 2023, the rule change request seeks to provide direct exposure to Ethereum’s price movements. The SEC has moved the decision deadline to March 10, 2024, from the original January 25, 2024, indicating the necessity for additional time to thoroughly assess the proposal and related concerns surrounding a spot Ethereum ETF.

Originally open for public comment on December 11, 2023, the proposal has not yet garnered any public feedback. This extension reflects the SEC’s cautious approach to crypto-based ETFs amidst an evolving regulatory landscape. BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, remains at the forefront of incorporating digital assets into traditional investment vehicles. However, the SEC’s hesitancy underscores persistent concerns over crypto product volatility, security, and regulatory compliance. The prolonged review period signifies the SEC’s commitment to a comprehensive evaluation, ensuring potential risks associated with the iShares Ethereum Trust are adequately addressed.

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Cardano (ADA) is rapidly gaining ground as it seeks to challenge Ethereum’s (ETH) dominance in the cryptocurrency sphere. As of January 24, the Cardano blockchain has recorded an impressive total of 24,050 V1 and V2 Plutus smart contracts. This marks a significant 9,671 contract increase, equivalent to a remarkable 67% growth, from January 1, 2024, when the count stood at 14,379, as per data sourced from Cardano Blockchain Insights.

This surge in smart contracts follows Cardano’s expansion in 2023, during which nearly 10,000 contracts were added, indicating a heightened level of development activity. Furthermore, substantial enhancements in the Plutus Core language, serving as the conduit between smart contracts and Cardano’s settlement layer, have propelled this growth.

Cardano’s commitment to expansion is evident with the launch of 157 projects and active development of 1,319 projects, reported by Cardano builder Input Output Global (IOG) for the week ending January 19.

Cardano Blockchain Insights

Today, Dr Craig S Wright, who claims to be Satoshi Nakamoto despite providing no concrete evidence, has issued a settlement offer to members of the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA) and all other parties involved. The letter, published on Wright’s personal blog, outlines the terms of the proposed settlement.

The letter from Dr. Wright expresses a willingness to reach settlement on multiple cases of prolonged legal confrontations that he started. The proposed settlement offers to waive Wrights database rights and copyrights relating to BTC, BCH and ABC databases, and “to offer an irrevocable license in perpetuity to my opposing parties who collectively control, operate, and/or own those…

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