Standard Chartered has launched a new entity in Luxembourg, marking a significant step in its strategy to extend crypto and digital asset custody services across the European Union. This initiative follows the implementation of the Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) Regulation, positioning Luxembourg as the bank’s EU regulatory hub for digital finance.

The establishment of this new entity enhances Standard Chartered’s global digital asset offerings, building on the recent introduction of similar services in the UAE. Luxembourg’s balanced financial and regulatory environment provides an ideal foundation for expanding the bank’s digital asset services to meet increasing demand within the EU.

Laurent Marochini has been named CEO of the Luxembourg entity, bringing extensive expertise from his previous role as Head of Innovation at Société Générale. “We are incredibly proud to support our clients as they navigate the evolving landscape of digital finance, offering a secure and regulated platform for accessing the digital asset ecosystem,” stated Margaret Harwood-Jones, Global Head of Financing & Securities Services at Standard Chartered.

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Oklahoma State Senator Dusty Deevers has introduced the Bitcoin Freedom Act, a bold legislative move allowing residents and employees to receive payments in Bitcoin. Filed on January 8, the bill highlights Bitcoin as a safeguard against inflation, enhancing the purchasing power of Oklahomans. Deevers asserts that with the dollar’s value diminishing, adopting Bitcoin can secure a stable financial future, respecting the choice of businesses and individuals in monetary transactions.

The act not only facilitates Bitcoin for salaries and investments but also aims to position Oklahoma as a leader in financial technology by establishing a secure framework for Bitcoin’s use across the state. Senator Deevers emphasized the voluntary nature of the initiative, championing free-market principles and providing more financial options to citizens.

With the legislative session set to consider this bill on February 3, Deevers continues to advocate for economic measures that combat inflation and government overreach, asserting that Bitcoin empowers individuals with financial sovereignty and protection against central control.

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Follow Frank on X.

With bitcoin’s price dipping significantly below $100k again, the “buy the dip” cheerleaders are out in full force.

But I’m here to offer a different perspective, which is simply: Don’t buy the dip.

Before I continue, let me please make it clear that nothing that I write in this Take is investment advice.

Why would I say such a thing? Is it that I hate bitcoin all of a sudden?

No.

I have other reasons for making such a statement.

The…

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One of the secondary benefits of how the Lightning Network works as a scaling solution is privacy. It’s by no means perfect or undefeatable privacy, but it is a better than naive use of the base layer blockchain itself. It’s also not perfectly balanced. The sender learns a good many details about the receiver, but the receiver learns nothing about the sender.

For casual payments it is a big improvement for consumers over on-chain payments. It does have…

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In less than two weeks, the United States will have a new administration in office, but there’s already much debate about President-elect Donald Trump and his policies.

One of the most controversial — his expressed interest in purchasing Greenland for strategic, economic and political reasons.

Trump claims that buying Greenland would be vital to U.S. national security, both for monitoring and defense purposes…

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On January 8, 2025, the U.S. Bitcoin ETFs observed a net inflow of 2,587 BTC, translating to approximately $247.9 million in market value, indicating a day of mixed investor sentiment but overall positive capital inflow. BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF (Ticker: $IBIT) led the inflows, significantly adding 6,078 BTC to its holdings. Grayscale’s GBTC (Ticker: $GBTC) also saw a positive change, with an inflow of 713 BTC, and Grayscale’s BTC fund (Ticker: $BTC) gained 735 BTC.

Other ETFs experienced varied movements: VanEck’s (Ticker: $HODL) increased by 170 BTC, whereas Invesco Galaxy’s Bitcoin ETF (Ticker: $BTCO) faced a notable decrease, losing 742 BTC. ARK’s Bitcoin ETF (Ticker: $ARKB) saw a substantial reduction, with a net outflow of 2,206 BTC. Bitwise’s Bitcoin ETF (Ticker: $BITB) also faced a decrease, losing 1,181 BTC.

Smaller changes were observed in Valkyrie’s (Ticker: $BRRR) and Franklin Templeton’s (Ticker: $EZBC) ETFs, which saw minor reductions of 27 BTC and 58 BTC respectively.

This day’s trading underscores a dynamic environment within the Bitcoin ETF sector, with significant net inflows in some funds contrasting with notable outflows in others, reflecting complex investor behaviors and market conditions.

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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