Ethereum
SEC Ends Investigation into Ethereum 2.0, But Staking Unclear
SEC Won’t Pursue Enforcement Against Ethereum 2.0, But Why? What role did politics play? And what about staking and lawsuits involving companies like Consensys and Coinbase?
Posted June 25, 2024 at 12:00 PM EST.
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pods, Fountain, Covered, Addicted to podcasts, Pocket castings, Amazon Musicor on your favorite podcast platform.
Last week, Consensys revealed that the SEC had concluded an investigation into Ethereum 2.0, referring to when Ethereum moved from a proof-of-work consensus mechanism to a proof-of-stake mechanism.
In this episode, Laura Brookover, Senior Attorney and Head of Litigation and Investigations at Consensys, and Sam Enzer, Partner at Cahill Gordon & Reindel, explore the implications of this decision on Ether’s status as a commodity versus a title, and why the SEC dropped the suit, including whether changing political winds played a role. For example, to what extent was the decision influenced by ETH ETF endorsements, Democrats crossing party lines to vote for FIT21 and the repeal of SAB 121, and/or the resignation of the leader of SEC Crypto Enforcement, David Hirsch?
During this discussion, they also explained why the shutdown does not necessarily mean that staking, or re-staking, is safe from the SEC. Additionally, how does this shutdown impact other major crypto cases, such as Coinbase, Kraken, Uniswap, and Ripple?
Show highlights:
- How Consensys managed to convince the SEC to reveal that it had concluded its investigation into Ethereum 2.0, and the importance of this decision
- The SEC’s possible reasoning behind investigating Ethereum after its move to proof of stake
- Is it rare for the SEC to send a letter concluding an investigation like the one into Ethereum?
- While recent events around crypto as an election issue, the ETH ETF approvals, votes for FIT21 and the repeal of SAB121, as well as the resignation of David Hirsch, could be linked to the decision to close this investigation.
- Has the Biden administration changed its stance on crypto and whether Gensler should remain president?
- How the SEC Could Still Proceed After Staking
- If the readjustment, such as that launched by EigenLayer, is sheltered from regulatory measures
- Why the SEC Could Pursue Different Judgments in Various Jurisdictions for MetaMask and Coinbase Wallet
- What Crucial Evidence From the Closed Ethereum 2.0 Investigation Could Bolster Coinbase’s Defense in Its Ongoing Lawsuit
- Why the SEC’s aggressive stance on various crypto enforcement actions appears to remain unchanged despite the closure of the Ethereum 2.0 investigation
- Why Sam and Laura think Solana should not be considered a security, although the SEC has designated it as such in various crypto cases
- Why the SEC’s ‘ecosystem’ argument is absurd, according to Laura Brookover
- What are the implications of the closed investigation for the cases of Kraken and Ripple
- What Sam and Laura B. are watching out for in terms of regulations and ongoing lawsuits
Thank you to our sponsors!
Guests:
- Laura BrookoverSenior Attorney and Head of Litigation and Investigations at Consensys
- Sam Enzerpartner at Cahill Gordon & Reindel
- Previous appearances on Unchained:
Connections
Ethereum “survives the SEC”
Consensys lawsuit against the SEC
Ether ETF
Latest on other SEC enforcement actions
Ethereum
QCP sees Ethereum as a safe bet amid Bitcoin stagnation
QCP, a leading trading firm, has shared key observations on the cryptocurrency market. Bitcoin’s struggle to surpass the $70,000 mark has led QCP to predict Selling pressure is still strong, with BTC likely to remain in a tight trading range. In the meantime, Ethereum (ETH) is seen as a more promising investment, with potential gains as ETH could catch up to BTC, thanks to decreasing ETHE outflows.
Read on to find out how you can benefit from it.
Bitcoin’s Struggle: The $70,000 Barrier
For the sixth time in a row, BTC has failed to break above the $70,000 mark. Bitcoin is at $66,048 after a sharp decline. Many investors sold Bitcoin to capitalize on the rising values, which caused a dramatic drop. The market is becoming increasingly skeptical about Bitcoin’s rise, with some investors lowering their expectations.
Despite the continued sell-off from Mt. Gox and the US government, the ETF market remains bullish. There is a notable trend in favor of Ethereum (ETH) ETFs as major bulls have started investing in ETFs, indicating a bullish sentiment for ETH.
QCP Telegram Update UnderlinesIncreased market volatility. The NASDAQ has fallen 10% from its peak, led by a pullback in major technology stocks. Currency carry trades are being unwound and the VIX, a measure of market volatility, has jumped to 19.50.
The main factors driving this uncertainty are Value at Risk (VaR) shocks, high stock market valuations and global risk aversion sentiment. Commodities such as oil and copper have also declined on fears of an economic slowdown.
Additionally, QCP anticipates increased market volatility ahead of the upcoming FOMC meeting, highlighting the importance of the Federal Reserve’s statement and Jerome Powell’s subsequent press conference.
A glimmer of hope
QCP notes a positive development in the crypto space with an inflow of $33.7 million into ETH spot ETFs, which is giving a much-needed boost to ETH prices. However, they anticipate continued outflows of ETHE in the coming weeks. The recent Silk Road BTC moves by the US government have added to the market uncertainty.
QCP suggests a strategic trade involving BTC, which will likely remain in its current range, while ETH offers a more promising opportunity. They propose a trade targeting a $4,000-$4,500 range for ETH, which could generate a 5.5x return by August 30, 2024.
Ethereum
Ethereum Whale Resurfaces After 9 Years, Moves 1,111 ETH Worth $3.7 Million
An Ethereum ICO participant has emerged from nearly a decade of inactivity.
Lookonchain, a smart on-chain money tracking tool, revealed On X, this long-inactive participant recently transferred 1,111 ETH, worth approximately $3.7 million, to a new wallet. This significant move marks a notable on-chain movement, given the participant’s prolonged dormancy.
The Ethereum account in question, identified as 0xE727E67E…B02B5bFC6, received 2,000 ETH on the Genesis block over 9 years ago.
This initial allocation took place during the Ethereum ICOwhere the participant invested in ETH at around $0.31 per coin. The initial investment, worth around $620 at the time, has now grown to millions of dollars.
Recent Transactions and Movements
The inactive account became active again with several notable output transactions. Specifically, the account transferred 1,000 ETH, 100 ETH, 10 ETH, 1 ETH, and 1 more ETH to address 0x7C21775C…2E9dCaE28 within a few minutes. Additionally, it moved 1 ETH to 0x2aa31476…f5aaCE9B.
Additionally, in the latest round of transactions, the address transferred 737,995 ETH, 50 ETH, and 100 ETH, for a total of 887,995 ETH. These recent activities highlight a significant movement of funds, sparking interest and speculation in the crypto community.
Why are whales reactivating?
It is also evident that apart from 0xE727E67E…B02B5bFC6, other previously dormant Ethereum whales are waking up with significant transfers.
In May, another dormant Ethereum whale made headlines when it staked 4,032 ETHvalued at $7.4 million, after more than two years of inactivity. This whale initially acquired 60,000 ETH during the Genesis block of Ethereum’s mainnet in 2015.
At the time, this activity could have been related to Ethereum’s upgrade known as “Shanghai,” which improved the network’s scalability and performance. This whale likely intended to capitalize on the price surge that occurred after the upgrade.
Disclaimer: This content is informational and should not be considered financial advice. The opinions expressed in this article may include the personal opinions of the author and do not reflect the opinion of The Crypto Basic. Readers are encouraged to conduct thorough research before making any investment decisions. The Crypto Basic is not responsible for any financial losses.
-Advertisement-
Ethereum
Only Bitcoin and Ethereum are viable for ETFs in the near future
BlackRock: Only Bitcoin and Ethereum Are Viable for ETFs in the Near Future
Bitcoin and Ethereum will be the only cryptocurrencies traded via ETFs in the near future, according to Samara Cohen, chief investment officer of ETFs and indices at BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager.
In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Cohen explained that while Bitcoin and Ethereum have met BlackRock’s rigorous criteria for exchange-traded funds (ETFs), no other digital asset currently comes close. “We’re really looking at the investability to see what meets the criteria, what meets the criteria that we want to achieve in an ETF,” Cohen said. “Both in terms of the investability and from what we’re hearing from our clients, Bitcoin and Ethereum definitely meet those criteria, but it’s going to be a while before we see anything else.”
Cohen noted that beyond the technical challenges of launching new ETFs, the demand for other crypto ETFs, particularly Solana, is not there yet. While Solana is being touted as the next potential ETF candidate, Cohen noted that the market appetite remains lacking.
BlackRock’s interest in Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs comes after the successful launch of Ethereum ETFs last week, which saw weekly trading volume for the crypto fund soar to $14.8 billion, the highest level since May. The success has fueled speculation about the next possible ETF, with Solana frequently mentioned as a contender.
Solana, known as a faster and cheaper alternative to Ethereum, has been the subject of two separate ETF filings in the US by VanEck and 21Shares. However, the lack of CME Solana futures, unlike Bitcoin and Ethereum, is a significant hurdle for SEC approval of a Solana ETF.
Despite these challenges, some fund managers remain optimistic about Solana’s potential. Franklin Templeton recently described Solana as an “exciting and major development that we believe will drive the crypto space forward.” Solana currently accounts for about 3% of the overall cryptocurrency market value, with a market cap of $82 billion, according to data from CoinGecko.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin investors continue to show strong support, as evidenced by substantial inflows into BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (NASDAQ: IBIT). On July 22, IBIT reported inflows of $526.7 million, the highest single-day total since March. This impressive haul stands in stark contrast to the collective inflow of just $6.9 million seen across the remaining 10 Bitcoin ETFs, according to data from Farside Investors. The surge in IBIT inflows coincides with Bitcoin’s significant $68,000 level, just 8% off its all-time high of $73,000.
Ethereum
Ethereum Posts First Consecutive Monthly Losses Since August 2023 on New ETFs
Available exclusively via
Bitcoin ETF vs Ethereum: A Detailed Comparison of IBIT and ETHA
Andjela Radmilac · 3 days ago
CryptoSlate’s latest market report takes an in-depth look at the technical and practical differences between IBIT and BlackRock’s ETHA to explain how these products work.
-
Ethereum4 months ago
Ethereum Posts First Consecutive Monthly Losses Since August 2023 on New ETFs
-
Ethereum6 months ago
Scaling Ethereum with L2s damaged its Tokenomics. Is it possible to repair it?
-
Videos6 months ago
Nexus Chain – Ethereum L2 with the GREATEST Potential?
-
Videos6 months ago
Raoul Pal’s Crypto Predictions AFTER Bitcoin Halving in 2024 (The NEXT Solana)
-
Bitcoin6 months ago
‘Beyond’ $20 trillion by 2030 – Jack Dorsey’s plan to boost Bitcoin price
-
Videos6 months ago
BREAKING: Coinbase wins BIG cryptocurrency legal battle [Bitcoin to $170k]
-
Ethereum6 months ago
Comment deux frères auraient dérobé 25 millions de dollars lors d’un braquage d’Ethereum de 12 secondes • The Register
-
News6 months ago
Solana ranks the fastest blockchain in the world, surpassing Ethereum, Polygon ⋆ ZyCrypto
-
Videos6 months ago
The cryptocurrency market is in trouble | SEC vs. Uniswap
-
Videos6 months ago
How I would invest $1,000 in cryptocurrencies in 2024 | Best Altcoin Wallet of June
-
Videos6 months ago
Historic steps for US cryptocurrencies! With a shocking majority vote!🚨
-
Regulation6 months ago
How ‘hostile’ US crypto regulations will benefit Coinbase, according to executive