TL;DR

• Trump to Speak at Bitcoin Conference

• Asia's MicroStrategy Metaplanet Acquires ¥400M in Bitcoin

• CFTC Chairman Declares Bitcoin and Ethereum as Commodities

• Vitalik Buterin's Bold Ethereum Vision Unveiled at EthCC

• Solana's Firedancer Launches $1M Bug Bounty

• Solana ETF Hinges on 2025 Deadline & Election Drama

• Sei v2 Mainnet Beta Revolutionizes EVM Performance

• Telegram's First Layer 1 Mini App TabiZoo Launches

• ContinuumDAO Joins Avalanche for Instant Transactions

• Avalanche (AVAX) Gains with Gaming and Protocol Boosts

• FDIC Nominee Advocates Bank Custody of Crypto Assets

• BlackRock's BUIDL Fund Surpasses $500M AUM

And much more!

Premium Content of the Week

Sponsor of the Week

Bitcoin Highlights of the Week

Australia's ASX Approves Second Bitcoin ETF

Australia's leading stock exchange, the ASX, has approved DigitalX to launch a spot Bitcoin ETF, set to trade under the ticker BTXX on July 12th. This follows the recent approval of the VanEck Bitcoin ETF in June and the Monochrome Bitcoin ETF in April, signaling increasing demand for regulated Bitcoin investment vehicles in Australia.

These developments reflect a growing trend among investors seeking Bitcoin exposure through ETFs rather than direct ownership. The ASX's approval marks a positive shift in attitudes towards Bitcoin assets, aligning with global regulatory acceptance and the successful launch of Bitcoin ETFs in the U.S. earlier this year.

Trump to Speak at Bitcoin Conference

Former U.S. President Donald Trump will speak at the upcoming Bitcoin Conference in Nashville later this month, joining independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. This move is part of Trump's campaign strategy to engage crypto voters ahead of the November election. Trump, who recently started accepting crypto donations, aims to convert Bitcoin enthusiasts into his supporters.

The conference, running from July 25-27, will also feature keynotes from Michael Saylor and Edward Snowden, with Kennedy participating in a fireside chat. Trump's participation highlights his shift towards supporting Bitcoin, aligning with the Republican Party's stance against the current administration's crypto policies.

Asia's MicroStrategy Metaplanet Acquires ¥400M in Bitcoin

Japanese company Metaplanet purchased another ¥400 million ($2.5 million) in Bitcoin on July 8th, continuing its strategy of using Bitcoin as a treasury reserve asset. This acquisition of 42.466 Bitcoin brings Metaplanet's total holdings to around 203 Bitcoin, valued at ¥2.05 billion ($12.7 million). Despite Bitcoin market fluctuations, Metaplanet remains committed to this strategy, similar to U.S.-based MicroStrategy.

By adopting Bitcoin, Metaplanet aims to hedge against the weakening yen and provide domestic investors access to Bitcoin through a public firm. The yen's dramatic decline in 2022 has prompted this approach, positioning Metaplanet to benefit from future Bitcoin adoption.

Block and Core Scientific Partner on Advanced Bitcoin ASICs

Block, Inc. and Core Scientific have partnered to decentralize Bitcoin mining using Block's advanced 3 nanometer (3nm) ASIC chips. Core Scientific, a leader in Bitcoin mining, will integrate these cutting-edge ASICs, which offer about 15 EH/s of hashrate, into their large-scale operations. This collaboration is a significant industry milestone, enhancing operational efficiency and sustainability.

The partnership focuses on creating a modular mining platform to optimize resources and simplify infrastructure demands. The initiative, co-designed with ePIC Blockchain Technologies, aims to increase the decentralization, transparency, and resiliency of the Bitcoin network, supporting significant hashrate growth and providing new miner options for the industry.

German Government's $354M BTC Sell-Off Sparks Volatility Concerns

The German government has initiated another round of Bitcoin sell-offs, moving 6,000 BTC worth $354 million to various exchanges. This follows a recent sale of 3,100 BTC and reflects ongoing efforts to liquidate seized funds from illegal activities linked to Movie2k.

Despite these substantial sales totaling over $1 billion, Bitcoin's price has shown resilience, rebounding to around $58,000 after dipping to $53,900. Questions linger about the efficiency of Germany's sales strategy, with experts suggesting auctions or OTC deals might offer better outcomes amidst concerns over market stability and Bitcoin's role as a global asset.

Daily Alphas of the Week

Ethereum Highlights of the Week

Ethereum Launches 'Attackathon' for Protocol Security

The Ethereum Foundation, in partnership with Immunefi, has initiated the first-ever Ethereum protocol Attackathon, a month-long crowdsourced security audit competition. With a seeded reward pool of $500,000 and a goal to raise over $2 million by August 1, 2024, the event aims to bolster Ethereum's security by identifying vulnerabilities through community engagement and expert scrutiny.

This initiative underscores Ethereum's proactive approach to enhancing its security posture despite being nearly a decade old in the crypto space. By harnessing the collective intelligence of security researchers and fostering continuous improvement, the Attackathon sets a precedent for ongoing vigilance and innovation in safeguarding one of the largest blockchain networks globally.

Subscribe to WAGMI Premium to read the rest.