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.

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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.

SEC Filing

Bitwise, a leading ETF issuer, has submitted a proposal for a new fund targeting companies that hold significant amounts of Bitcoin. The Bitwise Bitcoin Standard Corporations ETF will invest in firms with at least 1,000 Bitcoin in their corporate treasuries, aligning with the growing trend of businesses embracing the “Bitcoin standard.”

The ETF will focus on companies with a market cap of over $100 million, high liquidity, and a public float of under 10%. Unlike traditional ETFs that weight holdings based on market cap, Bitwise’s fund will prioritize the value of a company’s Bitcoin holdings, limiting exposure to 25% per firm. This approach could place Bitcoin-heavy firms like MicroStrategy ahead of larger companies like Tesla, due to their substantial Bitcoin reserves.

This move comes as more public companies adopt Bitcoin to enhance their stock value. With Bitcoin’s impressive 117% rise this year, the ETF offers a fresh way for investors to capitalize on the cryptocurrency boom.

SEC Filing