Solana funds logged $39M in outflows last week

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If you’re in need of a little brain break, today might be a good day to head over to Dunkin’. Drinks of any size are $2 there after 12 pm today and tomorrow if you order on the app. 

Welcome back to Lightspeed, your go-to newsletter for fast food alpha. And crypto alpha, sometimes:

Someone in Switzerland is selling Solana ETPs

Yesterday, CoinShares’ weekly digital asset fund flows report revealed something interesting: Solana saw $39 million in outflows, marking the largest week of outflows on record for Solana…

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Wall Street Eases, Bonds Rises, US Dollar Falls To 8-Month Low: What’s Driving Markets Tuesday? – Boeing (NYSE:BA)

It’s a relatively uneventful session on Wall Street, but with a slightly worsening risk sentiment as all U.S. equity indices traded in the red at around midday trading in New York. If the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 close lower today, it will break their current eight-day winning streak, a run that has nearly erased the losses sustained earlier this month.

Traders remain cautious as they await key economic events later this week. On Wednesday morning, the Bureau of Labor Statistics will release its “2024 Preliminary Benchmark Revision to Establishment Data,” which will include non-farm payroll revisions covering the period from April 2023 to March 2024.

Later in the day, at 2 p.m….

Read more on Benzinga

Daily US Bitcoin ETFs Net Flow Analysis (As of August 20, 2024)

The daily net flows of Bitcoin ETFs in the U.S. on August 20, 2024, provide a snapshot of the changing dynamics in Bitcoin investment. Leading the charge, BlackRock’s IBIT saw a notable influx, gaining 1,571 BTC, which highlights strong investor confidence and brought its total holdings to 350,521 BTC.

Conversely, Grayscale’s GBTC experienced a significant outflow of 1,249 BTC, adjusting its holdings down to 229,181 BTC. This could indicate a shift in investor sentiment or a rebalancing of portfolios within the ETF.

Other notable movements include Bitwise’s BITB and Invesco Galaxy’s BTCO, which saw net outflows of 436 BTC and 226 BTC respectively. Meanwhile, Fidelity’s FBTC had a modest net inflow of 66 BTC, suggesting stable interest.

Overall, the total net flow across all listed U.S. Bitcoin ETFs showed a net decrease of 274 BTC, summing to a total of 906,914 BTC held. This reflects a day-to-day volatility in ETF movements, with a total value change of approximately -$33.9 million, indicating how fluid and responsive the Bitcoin ETF market can be to underlying market conditions and investor behavior.

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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L2 centralization is a ticking time bomb for blockchain

Layer-2 sequencers have become dangerously centralized, introducing significant risks that undermine the foundational principles of blockchain. To safeguard network integrity and prevent the erosion of trust, we must urgently transition to a model that does a better job at eliminating single points of failure.

Failing to do so jeopardizes network security and exposes entire ecosystems to serious threats including transaction censorship, security breaches and the potential compromise of customer data and funds.

Since Q2 2024, layer-2 solutions built atop the Ethereum network have been processing an average of 12x more transactions than the base layer. Similarly, on June 6, the total…

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Breaking Down Dirty Coin: The Documentary That Shatters Bitcoin Mining Myths

Bitcoin mining has long been embroiled in controversy. From Greenpeace’s high-profile “Change the Code, Not the Climate” campaign to Alex DeVries’ exaggerated claims about Bitcoin’s growing “water footprint,” the media often portrays Bitcoin mining as an environmental disaster in the making. For the general public, who are genuinely concerned about environmental preservation but lack in-depth knowledge of Bitcoin mining, these narratives are alarming. As a relatively young and seemingly complex industry, much of this misleading negative publicity sticks, while the significant societal benefits of Bitcoin mining are often ignored. This persistent fud has fueled a political crusade…

Read more on BitcoinMagazine

Bitcoin ETF Investments by Leading Hedge Funds

An increasing number of hedge funds are diversifying their portfolios by integrating Bitcoin, reflecting its growing acceptance in the mainstream investment landscape. Millennium Management leads the pack with a significant holding of 27,263 BTC. Close behind, Schonfeld Strategic Advisors holds 6,734 BTC, showcasing their robust confidence in Bitcoin as a valuable asset.

Goldman Sachs Asset Management also makes a notable entry with 6,202 BTC, underlining the traditional financial sector’s increasing involvement with cryptocurrency. Meanwhile, Fortress Investment Group and Elliott Investment Management have taken more conservative positions with 1,181 BTC and 1,092 BTC, respectively.

These holdings not only highlight the varied levels of engagement these prominent hedge funds have with Bitcoin but also underscore the cryptocurrency’s evolving role as a serious investment vehicle in the global market. This trend is indicative of Bitcoin’s potential to be integrated into diverse financial strategies, bridging the gap between traditional finance and the burgeoning field of digital assets.

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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LATEST: 60% Of Leading Hedge Funds Report Bitcoin ETF Investments

As the cryptocurrency market continues to show signs of volatility, 60% of the largest hedge funds have now disclosed holdings in Bitcoin ETFs. This emerging trend is highlighted by the significant investments from giants like Millennium Management, which currently holds over 27,000 BTC, according to the latest data as of June 30, 2024. Such substantial investments from leading funds underline the growing confidence in digital assets as a legitimate investment vehicle.

Notably, new entrants like G.S. Asset Management and Schonfeld Strategic Advisors have made impressive entries, with holdings amounting to 6,202 and 6,734 BTC respectively. This shift suggests a robust appetite for cryptocurrency exposure despite the ongoing regulatory and market uncertainties.

The increasing interest in Bitcoin ETFs by major hedge funds is reshaping the landscape of institutional investments in cryptocurrencies. As these funds continue to allocate significant resources towards Bitcoin, the market may see increased stability and maturity, positioning cryptocurrencies as a permanent fixture in the investment portfolios of major financial institutions.

How Monad and Berachain stand out in a sea of L1s

Today, enjoy the Empire newsletter on Blockworks.co. Tomorrow, get the news delivered directly to your inbox. Subscribe to the Empire newsletter.

Is there an app for that?

One thing we’ve talked about a lot here is that some in the venture capital space are now looking past the infrastructure raises.

PitchBook’s Robert Le told me just last week that there are “too many L1s,” for example. 

Though he noted that, throughout last quarter and earlier this year, “blockchain infrastructure such as layer-1s, scaling solutions and staking/restaking remained areas with strong investor interest in Q2” in his second quarter report earlier this month.

There are, as always, some…

Read more on Blockworks