Transaction URL: https://blockchain.com/btc/tx/8411748bd8d1876a5451bd6ab01b565267a59ca7810111f67c6d3a7d87e4df22
- Crunch
- Global
Follow Frank on X.
On a recent episode of the Galaxy Brains podcast, Michael Saylor made the case that bitcoin isn’t a currency and that it’s best to think of it as capital and capital only.
He also shared that Tether (USDT) and Circle’s USD Coin (USDC) are the real digital currencies and unveiled his “evil genius strategy” (his own words) to get the world to adopt the U.S. dollar stablecoins as opposed to bitcoin.
In this Take, I’ll cite some of…
Read more on BitcoinMagazine
This is a segment from the Empire newsletter. To read full editions, subscribe.
We’ve written about some pretty bullish calls on Empire (some of which you’ll find below). Why not keep that trend going?
So far this year, crypto venture capital looked a lot like a roller coaster. Third-quarter activity was slightly down, PitchBook’s Robert Le told me, but that could be associated with the summer lull.
“There was a lot of momentum and positive sentiment at the beginning of the year, and then … around the summer time … there was a slowdown in investments. And I think the thing with … the crypto native VCs who are supposed to … only invest in crypto, they…
Read more on Blockworks
Cardano (ADA) has cemented its status as a leading blockchain platform in 2024, experiencing explosive growth in its Plutus-based smart contract ecosystem. The evolution of its infrastructure, particularly with the introduction of Plutus V2, has led to a remarkable increase from 8,083 to 104,606 scripts in just one year. This development highlights Cardano’s technical prowess and its appeal to developers in the rapidly expanding digital economy.
Despite the dominance of Plutus V2, the earlier version, Plutus V1, also saw growth, adding 573 new contracts. This underlines the platform’s versatility and ongoing relevance in supporting a variety of blockchain applications. The launch of Plutus V3 has introduced further enhancements in efficiency, interoperability, and security, significantly reducing development costs and broadening its use in DeFi and dApp sectors.
With a total increase of 97,534 contracts in 2024, Cardano’s innovative strides have set a new benchmark in the blockchain space. The platform continues to attract developers and investors alike, driven by its cutting-edge capabilities and robust infrastructure improvements initiated by the Alonzo Hard Fork. This year’s success positions Cardano at the forefront of blockchain innovation, promising even greater advancements in the future.
Strive Asset Management, founded by Vivek Ramaswamy, has filed with US regulators to launch the Strive Bitcoin Bond ETF. This new fund aims to offer exposure to Bitcoin-backed convertible bonds issued by companies like MicroStrategy. These bonds are used to finance Bitcoin purchases, with the companies often seeing significant returns on their crypto investments.
The ETF will be actively managed, focusing on financial instruments such as swaps and options to gain exposure to Bitcoin Bonds. Strive’s filing aligns with a growing trend of crypto-focused investment products. MicroStrategy, for example, has spent around $27 billion on Bitcoin since 2020, seeing its stock rise by over 2,200%.
With industry expectations of a more favorable regulatory environment for crypto under a Trump administration, this move reflects the increasing interest in Bitcoin and other digital assets. Strive’s new ETF could help investors tap into the potential growth of Bitcoin bonds and corporate crypto investments.