Crypto liquidations hit $1B as traders were ‘unprepared for bad news’

    More than $1 billion was liquidated in the crypto market over the past 24 hours as participants were caught off guard by the strong momentum of crypto over the past 30 days. Still, one analyst suggested the market downturn may be short-lived. “We’ve had such a bullish narrative over the last month that the market…

    Deutsche Bank builds L2 blockchain on Ethereum: Bloomberg

    Deutsche Bank, Germany’s largest lender, is reportedly developing its own layer-2 (L2) blockchain on Ethereum using ZKsync technology to address compliance challenges associated with using public blockchains in regulated finance. The L2 solution, part of Project Dama 2, looks to improve transaction efficiency and secure regulatory safeguards, integrating directly with Ethereum, according to Bloomberg. Project Dama 2…

    BlackRock sparks Bitcoin 21M debate, saying ‘no guarantee’ it won’t change

    The debate over whether Bitcoin’s 21 million supply cap is truly fixed has resurfaced after BlackRock posted a three-minute Bitcoin explainer video, which added a disclaimer saying there’s no guarantee it won’t be changed. Bitcoin’s fixed supply is one of its strongest propositions as a store of value, and uncapping it would impact how investors…

    Trump’s inauguration may trigger crypto sell-off, says Arthur Hayes

    Cryptocurrency market commentators and observers have predicted positive market trends associated with United States President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration in January 2025, but BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes has a different perspective. Hayes cautioned against the high expectations of quick crypto policy changes promised by Trump, highlighting a gap between market anticipation and the realities of policy implementation….

    Stablecoins will see explosive growth in 2025 as world embraces asset class

    The stablecoin market is set to close 2024 with exceptional developments and records. What should we expect in 2025? Even more achievements as mass adoption begins to take hold. Before looking to the future, however, we must examine what we are leaving behind. 2024 stablecoin market During 2024, the trends of the previous years have…

    EU Securities and Markets Authority publishes final guidance for MiCA

    The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has released its final guidance report for member states making the final transition to the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation. Laws formed under MiCA regulations began taking effect in June 2024, with final implementation scheduled for Dec. 30. The latest and final guidance from the ESMA is meant to…

    Crypto trends shaping the Middle East’s blockchain future

    The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is positioning itself as a global hub for blockchain and cryptocurrency innovation, with key trends emerging in Shariah-compliant services, dirham-pegged stablecoins and international talent migration, according to industry leaders. At the recent Bitcoin MENA and Abu Dhabi Finance Week events held in the UAE, crypto professionals discussed the key trends…

    Increased gas limits on Ethereum L1 come with risks… but big rewards

    The Ethereum community is going head to head in a debate over whether or not to raise the gas limits on the Ethereum mainnet by as much as 100%. The gas limit refers to the maximum amount of gas that’s allowed to be spent for transactions to be included in a single Ethereum block. One…

    104 whale wallets now hold 57% of all Ether in bullish sign: Santiment

    Ethereum whale wallet holdings have reached their highest levels of all time — holding an estimated 57% of all Ether in existence, according to onchain analytics platform Santiment. In a Dec. 16 post to X, the platform said that 104 whale wallets holding more than 100,000 Ether each, together hold $333 billion. At the same time,…

    Bitpanda receives in-principle approval for UAE expansion

    Bitpanda, a European digital asset platform, has received in-principle authorization from the Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) as it prepares to expand its footprint into the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The regulatory approval sets the stage for Bitpanda to solidify its presence in the Middle East, aligning with its strategy to grow beyond Europe, where…