Ethereum
The SEC’s fight with Consensys over Ethereum 2.0 is not over
Consensys, the maker of the popular MetaMask crypto wallet, announced this week that the Securities and Exchange Commission has dropped its unpopular campaign to investigate developers who use Ethereum. The move comes amid the growing legal consensus that Ethereum is a commodity and not a security, putting it outside the agency’s jurisdiction. The announcement, however, also contained a glimmer of hope that reveals that SEC Chairman Gary Gensler’s crusade against Ethereum is far from over.
You may recall that things between Consensys and the SEC came to a head when the company made the bold move continue in April, asking a federal judge to force the agency to reverse course. The lawsuit came as a preemptive strike after the SEC telegraphed that it was poised to file charges against the company following a yearlong campaign of issue subpoenas to developers who use Ethereum.
The SEC’s legal position became precarious after the agency, under increasing political pressure, approved Ethereum ETFs – a recognition that currency is indeed a commodity. In response to a request from Consensys, the SEC then informed the company was “closing its investigation into Ethereum 2.0.” The phrase “2.0” appears to be a reference to blockchain’s new proof-of-stake system that came into effect in 2022.
This was all good news for the market and the price of Ethereum jumped around 3%. But one line from Consensys’ announcement suggested that all was not as well as it seemed, namely that its lawsuit with the SEC was ongoing. This seems strange given that if Ethereum is not a security, the SEC has no jurisdiction and there is nothing to discuss in court.
I asked Consensys’ lawyers what was going on and they told me that the SEC is still going after MetaMask because it can be used to trade tokens on the DeFi market, and also because it provides access to staking, a key part of Ethereum that pays users to help secure the network. Here’s how lawyers put it:
“The SEC’s theory is that because the Swaps offering allows users to trade various tokens using DeFi platforms, it is a securities broker because at least some of those tokens are titles. They also claim that providing a user interface to two liquid staking protocols also constitutes brokerage activity and that it also constitutes the offering of securities of unregistered crypto assets. Closing the Ethereum 2.0 investigation does not resolve these issues.
In other words, the SEC is trying to argue that Consensys – and by extension other companies – is an unlicensed brokerage firm engaged in securities trading. That’s probably a losing argument, too, but it’s the mark of Gensler, who has treated the crypto regulatory process as a personal vendetta, to dig in all the way. The result for the crypto industry is that it has won another battle, but the war continues.
Jeff John Roberts
jeff.roberts@fortune.com
@jeffjohnroberts
DECENTRALIZED NEWS
Commodity Futures Trading Commission investigates LeapCrypto trading activities. (Fortune)
S&P wrote that Ethereum recovery, carried out by Clean diaper and others, could resemble an “Internet bond market”. (Bloomberg)
World Currency has resumed iris scanning in Kenya after regulators abandoned a year-old privacy investigation that had halted operations. (TechCrunch)
The price of private shares of crypto companies like Kraken, Circle, On-Chain AnalysisAnd Ripple have surged this year amid rumors that the bull market would lead to long-awaited IPOs. (Bloomberg)
Bitcoin is down about 10% this month as the price has fallen below $64,000, although some technical analysts predict a rally is underway. (CoinDesk)
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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.
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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
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