Silicon Valley wants in on memecoin craze

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Following a string of high-profile collapses and bad press in 2022, crypto largely felt like its own market sector from which the rest of the tech world kept a cautious distance. With a memecoin-brandishing President Trump now in office, that seems to be shifting: The techies like memecoins. 

Since Trump came to office, several more-mainstream tech players have either launched or endorsed memecoins — a couple of which have seen major price drawdowns, like the TRUMP token. It’s perhaps a sign that animal spirits are back in crypto, and tech players want a seat at the table, past qualms be…

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Q4 GDP declined, consumer spending grew 

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Advance Q4 GDP estimates show growth slowed more than expected at the end of 2024, but annual growth still came in at a healthy level. 

The Bureau of Economic Analysis says the US economy grew by 2.8% in 2024, down slightly from 2023, which saw a 2.9% increase. 2% is the accepted threshold for developed countries. 

Inflation-adjusted GDP for the final months of 2024 came in at 2.3%, lower than projections of 2.4%. Q3 GDP was adjusted to 3.1% growth. 

Personal spending in Q4 was up again, coming in at 4.2% annualized. Consumers spent the most on healthcare and recreational goods…

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Will Trump’s Executive Order Break Bitcoin’s Four-Year Market Cycle?

The Bitcoin market has long been defined by its seemingly immutable four-year cycle, a pattern of three years of surging prices followed by a sharp correction. However, a seismic shift in policy from Washington, led by former President Donald Trump, may shatter this cycle and usher in a new era of prolonged growth for the cryptocurrency industry.

Matt Hougan, Chief Investment Officer at Bitwise Asset Management, recently posed an intriguing question: Can Trump’s Executive Order break crypto’s four-year cycle? His answer, though nuanced, leans towards an emphatic yes.

The Four-Year Cycle: A Recap

Hougan clarifies his personal belief that the four-year Bitcoin market cycle is not driven…

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How Bitcoin Empowers Women

I was recently having a conversation with a friend in Kenya who described how difficult it was for women in that country to stand in local elections due to the complexity of setting up a bank account. The first challenge is to obtain identification documents, which is a process that is complicated by cultural attitudes in certain communities in which the men may object to women seeking independent documents. Many women also live far from registration centres, have limited literacy to complete the forms and may not be able to afford the journey and the documentation fees. Furthermore, many women lack birth certificates, do not have proof of residence if they live with a male relative and…

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LATEST: World’s Largest Sovereign Wealth Fund Gains $355M Indirect Bitcoin Exposure

Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global, managed by Norges Bank Investment Management, has significantly increased its bitcoin exposure. According to K33 Research, by the end of 2024, the fund’s indirect holdings in bitcoin reached 3,821 BTC, marking a 153% increase from the previous year. This growth is part of a larger trend starting from 796 BTC in 2020, showcasing the fund’s escalating commitment to cryptocurrency.

In addition to its bitcoin investments, NBIM holds substantial stakes in several key crypto-related public companies. The end of 2024 saw the fund owning 0.72% of MicroStrategy and 1.1% of Tesla, alongside investments in Coinbase, Metaplanet, and MARA Holdings. These stakes align with NBIM’s strategy to diversify its portfolio, which also benefited from the recent artificial intelligence boom, yielding a record profit of $222.4 billion for the year.

This strategic shift towards cryptocurrencies, especially bitcoin, reflects a broader acceptance of digital assets in traditional investment portfolios. As sector values rise, the fund’s increasing bitcoin allocation not only diversifies its investments but also capitalizes on the growing financial technology sector.

Source

Grayscale Investments Launches Bitcoin Miners ETF

Grayscale Investments LLC has officially launched the Grayscale Bitcoin Miners ETF (MNRS), providing investors with a unique opportunity to gain exposure to the Bitcoin mining industry. This ETF is designed for those who want to invest in Bitcoin miners without directly purchasing Bitcoin itself, making it an attractive option for traditional investors looking to diversify their portfolios.

Introducing the Grayscale Bitcoin Miners ETF ($MNRS) ⛏️ , offering investors targeted, pure-play exposure to Bitcoin Miners and the Bitcoin Mining Industry, available directly in your investment account. Learn more below. Brokerage fees and other expenses may still apply.

— Grayscale (@Grayscale)… Read more on BitcoinMagazine

Ethereum holds the line between ‘in it for the tech’ and ‘for the money’

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Can you still be in crypto “for the tech?”

The idealist in me would like to say yes — but it’s an increasingly tricky question to answer.

Cryptocurrency and blockchain, in the most general sense, are money technologies. That’s quite different from something like media software, where being in it “for the tech” can be more easily expressed by keeping the software free to use.

Jean-Baptiste Kempf, the creator of VLC media player, has over the years refused tens of millions of dollars from advertisers in order to do exactly that. 

In crypto, it’s not so clear. If you’re in…

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The Bitcoin And Cypherpunk Spirit Is Alive And Well In Africa

In the past two months, I’ve attended the Adopting Bitcoin Cape Town conference in South Africa and the African Bitcoin Conference in Kenya. I’ve also visited Bitcoin circular economies in both of these countries including Bitcoin Ekasi, Afribit Kibera and Bitcoin Witsand.

These experiences have opened my eyes to the fact that developers, community leaders and everyday plebs across Africa are harnessing the power of Bitcoin to catalyze change in their lives, and they’re doing so while carrying on the spirit of the early cypherpunks.

An African Bitcoiner’s Manifesto

In “A Cypherpunk’s Manifesto,” Eric Hughes wrote:

“Cypherpunks write code. We know that someone has to write…

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Announcement of Bitcoin Treasury and Payment

Nuvve Holdings Corp., a publicly listed green energy company focused on electric vehicle (EV) charging, announced that it will invest up to 30% of its excess cash in bitcoin.

The company’s Board of Directors has approved the move, which marks Nuvve’s entry into the growing trend of public companies adding bitcoin to their balance sheets.

In a January 28 press release, Nuvve explained its Bitcoin strategy, saying it will diversify its treasury and prepare to accept bitcoin as a form of payment. The company says it believes bitcoin is a valuable asset and will improve payment options for customers and suppliers.

Gregory Poilasne, Nuvve’s CEO and founder, said, “BTC…

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