With wBTC facing scrutiny, Solana-based competitors have an opportunity

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It seems like anyone who’s anyone in New York had their flight home canceled last night — including myself, who is writing this newsletter from North Carolina after being rugged by Spirit Airlines.

This country really needs to build more trains. Anyway:

WBTC controversy could spell opportunity on Solana

Last week, the Ethereum DeFi project MakerDAO cut off lending and borrowing of wBTC — a “wrapped” bitcoin asset issued by the crypto exchange BitGo. 

Maker did so because BitGo said it would begin sharing custody…

Read more on Blockworks

Daily US Bitcoin ETFs Net Flow Analysis (As of August 19, 2024)

The daily net flow of Bitcoin across U.S. ETFs on August 19, 2024, showcases significant activity within the cryptocurrency investment sphere. Fidelity’s FBTC ETF leads with a notable net inflow of 1,027 BTC, pushing its total holdings to 178,000 BTC, indicating strong investor confidence.

BlackRock’s IBIT also saw a healthy increase of 341 BTC, bringing its holdings to a staggering 348,951 BTC. Conversely, Grayscale’s GBTC experienced a considerable net outflow of 448 BTC, reducing its holdings to 230,430 BTC.

Other funds such as Bitwise’s BITB and Invesco Galaxy’s BTCO observed net inflows of 202 BTC and 523 BTC respectively, highlighting their growing attractiveness to investors. ARK Invest’s ARKB added a modest 225 BTC, maintaining steady interest.

On this particular day, the total holdings across all tracked U.S. Bitcoin ETFs reached 908,189 BTC, with a combined net inflow of 2,138 BTC valued at approximately $125.1 million. This data underscores the dynamic nature of the market and the varying investor sentiments across different Bitcoin investment vehicles.

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: Bitwise Acquires Europe’s Largest Bitcoin ETP Issuer ETC Group

Bitwise, a leading digital asset manager, has made a significant move by acquiring ETC Group, a London-based issuer of cryptocurrency exchange-traded products (ETPs). This strategic acquisition propels Bitwise’s total assets under management to over $4.5 billion.

The deal also brings nine European-listed digital asset ETPs into Bitwise’s portfolio, strengthening its foothold in the European market. This expansion reflects Bitwise’s commitment to offering a diverse range of innovative products to meet the growing demand for digital assets in Europe.

Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley emphasized that the acquisition enables the company to better serve European investors, providing clients with global insights and expanding its product suite with cutting-edge ETPs. This move marks a pivotal step in Bitwise’s mission to lead the global digital asset market.

Source

Engineering a New Approach to Bitcoin Mining

Publicly listed UK Bitcoin miner Vinanz is carving out it own niche in the digital asset industry due to the firm’s differentiated mining approach.

The company’s strategy, spearheaded by Chairman David Lenigas and his team, is built on the principles of geographic diversification, debt-free operations, and regulatory compliance.

At the core of Vinanz’s business model is the idea of a decentralized, asset-light Bitcoin mining operation. The company doesn’t own data centers or employ miners directly, instead it’s opting to spread its operations across multiple states in North America.

This approach allows them to minimize risk and maximize efficiency. Lenigas…

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Not Your Keys, Not Your Name: Here’s Why Naming is the Next Killer App for Bitcoin

In the Name of Freedom

Neutral money like bitcoin preserves economic liberty. It respects individual freedom. It silently advocates for property rights. Whether you’re an individual or a business, it gives you complete empowerment over your decisions about production, investment, and consumption without the threat of censorship, confiscation, or debasement. Without the involvement of governments, this encourages self-reliance and contributes to social harmony. Bitcoin, in other words, is essential for maintaining a free, prosperous, and just society. The same is true for naming. If anything is as important to society as money, it’s naming. Names are needed for almost everything and…

Read more on BitcoinMagazine

LATEST: UAE’s RAKBANK Partners with Bitpanda to Offer Crypto

RAKBANK, a leading government-owned bank in the UAE, has teamed up with Bitpanda Technology Solutions to create a digital asset management platform for residents. Describing digital assets as the “future,” RAKBANK emphasized the importance of secure and efficient financial management through digital means. The bank aims to address a market gap by offering a regulated platform dedicated to digital assets, pending approval from the UAE’s Central Bank.

This collaboration eliminates the need for RAKBANK to develop in-house infrastructure for digital assets, leveraging Bitpanda’s expertise instead. Bitpanda’s CEO, Lukas Enzersdorfer-Konrad, expressed support for RAKBANK’s pioneering role in the UAE’s crypto space.

RAK’s commitment to digital innovation is evident, following its earlier announcement to establish a free-trade zone for digital assets. This zone, launched in October 2023 as RAK Digital Assets Oasis (RAK DAO), highlights the emirate’s focus on crypto, Web3, blockchain, and AI advancements.

LATEST: Glassnode Finds 75% of Bitcoin Hasn’t Moved in the Past Six Months

Around 75% of circulating Bitcoin has remained untouched for over six months, signaling a robust holding trend among investors, according to Glassnode’s HODL Waves chart. This figure marks a significant increase from last week, where only 45% of Bitcoin had remained unmoved for the same period.

The large proportion of dormant Bitcoin suggests a decreasing supply available for trading, which could potentially push prices higher if demand continues to rise. Despite Bitcoin’s recent price dip of over 10% in the past month, the cryptocurrency has still seen a 12% surge over the last six months, hovering around $58,000.

While the holding pattern is a positive sign for long-term investors, a CryptoQuant report highlights a potential risk of miner capitulation due to squeezed profit margins. However, if demand remains strong, the reduced liquid supply could still work in favor of Bitcoin’s price recovery.

Data