Coin360 Daily Dispatch | Crypto Market Updates & Highlights | June 19, 2024

Crypto Market Update

Table of Contents

Cryptocurrency Market Updates

• Bitcoin Price Recovers Amid ETF Outflows
• SEC Confirms Ethereum Is Not a Security
• Bitwise Updates Ethereum ETF Application
• Kraken Suffers $3 Million Hack
• LayerZero Launches ZRO Token Airdrop Checker
• Nvidia’s Market Cap Boosts AI Cryptos
• Sandbox Reveals Significant Meme Coin Holdings
• Martin Shkreli Admits Involvement in DJT Token

Investments and Fund Launches

• Kraken Ventures Plans $100M Second Fund
• Pantera Capital to Inject $1B into Market
• Curve DAO Surges Amid Whale Accumulation

Regulatory and Legal Developments

• Montenegrin PM's Secret Investment in Terraform Labs
• Crypto Community Raises $2.3M for Tornado Cash Defense
• KPMG Canada Predicts Tokenized Shares Dominance

Blockchain and DeFi Innovations

• Binance Labs Invests in Rango DEX Aggregator
• Mode Integrates Chainlink’s CCIP
• dYdX Introduces Isolated Margin and Markets
• World's First Hedera ETP Launched
• Helium Mobile Launches Tech Stack Licensing
• Marathon Digital's Anduro Integrates Portal to Bitcoin
• SynFutures TVL Surges with Coinbase Expansion

NFT and Market Trends

• NFT Market Sees Price Drops, New Projects Emerge

Bitcoin Price Recovers Amid ETF Outflows

The BTC price recovered from monthly lows, despite continuous Bitcoin ETF outflows totaling over $600 million in recent days, with Fidelity and Grayscale leading these outflows. Bitcoin dipped below $65K following the German Federal Criminal Police Office’s transfer of $425M in BTC to exchanges, sparking market volatility, before reclaiming this level. In the past two weeks, whales sold over $1B BTC, and crypto hedge funds’ Bitcoin exposure dropped to the lowest levels since October 2020. However, old Bitcoin addresses hit an all-time high, indicating long-term holders are still accumulating, while new addresses are at their lowest since 2018.

SEC Confirms Ethereum Is Not a Security

The SEC closed its investigation into Ethereum 2.0, confirming ETH is not a security, boosting its price by 4.9% to $3,541. This led a whale to withdraw 16,604 ETH ($58.6 million) on Binance. Ether's volatility, driven by spot ETF anticipation, saw its implied volatility index surpass Bitcoin's by 17%. However, experts suggest this may not persist as institutions might use ETFs for non-directional basis trades. Despite Ethereum's market optimism, skepticism remains about sustained volatility and mainstream acceptance compared to Bitcoin, which has drawn significantly higher futures interest.

Bitwise Updates Ethereum ETF Application

Bitwise revealed updates to its Ethereum ETF S-1 form, including a $2.5 million seed investment and Pantera Capital's $100 million interest. ETF issuers, like Bitwise, BlackRock, and VanEck, are addressing SEC comments, aiming for final approval by July 2. Analysts, including Bloomberg’s James Seyffart, predict ETFs could launch by early July. Key factors influencing SEC approval include regulatory clarity from ConsenSys vs. SEC investigation, amendments to S-1 filings, and SEC Chair Gary Gensler’s positive summer approval hints.

Kraken Suffers $3 Million Hack

Kraken reported hackers exploited a bug discovered by a security researcher, resulting in nearly $3 million stolen from their funds. The exchange confirmed that the stolen cryptocurrency was from its internal reserves, not user. After fixing the issue, Kraken accused the researchers of extortion for not returning the funds unless offered a bounty, contrary to program rules. Law enforcement is now involved in recovering the assets.

LayerZero Launches ZRO Token Airdrop Checker

LayerZero has launched its airdrop claim checker page, preparing for the distribution of ZRO tokens. With a market cap of $2.48 trillion and a 24-hour volume of $87.43 billion, this move aims to ensure fair token allocation amidst challenges like sybil attacks. Eligible users can check their status ahead of the June 20th token generation event, which promises broader accessibility and liquidity through major exchanges like Kucoin and Binance.

Nvidia’s Market Cap Boosts AI Cryptos

Nvidia's market cap reached $3.33 trillion, surpassing Microsoft and Apple, driving up AI-themed cryptos like Fetch.AI (FET) and Render (RNDR). FET surged 24.52%, while RNDR rose 13.37%, driven by retail investors. Additionally, 0x0, PAAL, and Turbo saw gains of 22%, 19%, and 18%, respectively. RNDR's price climbed to $7.76, with retail investors increasing their holdings by 14.54%. AI cryptos collectively reached a market cap of $28.7 billion, showing significant recovery and growth potential.

Sandbox Reveals Significant Meme Coin Holdings

Sandbox revealed its significant meme coin holdings (PEPE, SHIB, MEME, DEGEN, DOGE, and BONK) to boost Web3 influence. Despite SEC ending its Ethereum probe, causing Base meme coins to surge up to 116%, trading volumes remained low, highlighting volatility. DOGE faced its largest liquidation since 2021, with $60M in longs wiped out. Meanwhile, GME meme coin on Solana plummeted over 58% as GameStop hype cooled, reflecting erratic behavior and reduced trading volumes.

Martin Shkreli Admits Involvement in DJT Token

Martin Shkreli has claimed responsibility for the DJT token, initially denying involvement but later admitting to creating it with Barron Trump. This revelation sparked controversy in the crypto community, affecting DJT token prices which dropped significantly amid the revelation. Despite this, the Trump campaign has not officially commented on the matter.

Kraken Ventures Plans $100M Second Fund

Kraken Ventures, led by Brandon Gath, plans to launch a $100 million second fund later this year. Gath anticipates a rebound in cryptocurrency and Web3 startup valuations. The fund will focus 80% on equity and 20% on tokens, targeting large asset management houses, family offices, and venture capital firms.

Pantera Capital to Inject $1B into Market

Pantera Capital announced plans to inject $1 billion into the market, with $200 million allocated to AI-related startups. Portfolio manager Cosmo Jiang emphasized the future ubiquity of AI in crypto, with projects aiming to integrate AI to enhance blockchain activities. Pantera’s portfolio includes Coinbase, Circle, and Bitstamp.

Curve DAO Surges Amid Whale Accumulation

Curve DAO (CRV) has seen a significant price surge, jumping over 10% to reach $0.35 amid recent whale accumulation. Following a sharp drop to $0.23 due to founder Michael Egorov's CRV-backed loan liquidation, CRV rebounded as whales purchased 55.26 million CRV, valued at $19.4 million. This uptick coincides with broader altcoin gains driven by positive Consensys news on Ethereum 2.0's SEC investigation closure.

Montenegrin PM's Secret Investment in Terraform Labs

Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajic's hidden investment of $75,000 in Terraform Labs, purchasing 750,000 LUNA tokens before its Singapore registration, was revealed in a recent court document. This contradicts his previous denials of personal involvement in the failed crypto project, potentially impacting his credibility amid the project's $40 billion market collapse in 2022.

Crypto Community Raises $2.3M for Tornado Cash Defense

The crypto community has raised over $2.3 million for tegal defense of Tornado Cash developers, who face charges of money laundering and sanctions violations. The fund, which includes contributions from Vitalik Buterin, aims to challenge the legal precedent that holds developers responsible for the criminal use of their technology. The case highlights the tension between privacy-focused tools and regulatory efforts to combat financial crime. 

KPMG Canada Predicts Tokenized Shares Dominance

KPMG Canada anticipates blockchain-based tokenized shares to dominate institutional DeFi, revolutionizing real estate ownership. This move aims to democratize access to commercial properties like Toronto’s skyline. Despite potential, concerns linger over reputational risks and regulatory compliance. Yet, the trend towards on-chain asset tokenization is set to reshape the financial landscape.

Binance Labs Invests in Rango DEX Aggregator

Binance Labs has invested in Rango, a cross-chain DEX aggregator, aiming to enhance DeFi growth by enabling secure token swaps across multiple blockchains. Rango processes over 2.5 million swaps, partners with BNB Chain, and supports various DApps like TrustWallet and Binance Web3 Wallet. This investment underscores Binance's commitment to advancing blockchain interoperability.

Mode Integrates Chainlink’s CCIP

Mode integrates Chainlink's Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) into its Ethereum Layer 2 platform, enhancing security and interoperability. CCIP supports Programmable Token Transfers and cross-chain messaging, critical for DeFi and real-world asset applications. The integration aims to bolster trust with advanced risk management and has facilitated over $12 trillion in transactions.

dYdX Introduces Isolated Margin and Markets

In its latest upgrade, dYdX introduced isolated margin and markets, alongside support for Raydium Markets. This includes segregated collateral for specific trades, enhancing trader options and protocol stability with dedicated insurance. The update also integrates decentralized exchange price feeds and facilitates trading on Solana's Raydium platform, expanding market access significantly.

World's First Hedera ETP Launched

The launch of the world's first Hedera (HBAR) ETP on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange by Valour Inc. and The Hashgraph Association offers investors direct exposure to blockchain technology. This innovative product simplifies access to Hedera's network, aiming to attract institutional investors and diversify portfolios with regulated digital assets.

Helium Mobile Launches Tech Stack Licensing

Helium Mobile has launched a tech stack licensing program aimed at enhancing DePin connectivity for global wireless infrastructure. This initiative targets device manufacturers, simplifying integration with tools like the Builder App and Hotspot Dashboard. Despite recent challenges, Helium's HNT token surged 10%, now trading at $3.47, though it remains significantly below its peak.

Marathon Digital's Anduro Integrates Portal to Bitcoin

Marathon Digital's Anduro is a Layer-2 platform on Bitcoin, launched in February to support multiple sidechains. Recently integrating with Portal to Bitcoin, it facilitates atomic swaps via Lightning Network, enabling users to convert assets like ETH into BTC directly. This move aims to enhance Bitcoin's utility and offers potential revenue streams for miners.

SynFutures TVL Surges with Coinbase Expansion

SynFutures' Total Value Locked (TVL) surged to $62 million following plans to expand onto Coinbase's Layer-2 network, Base. The decentralized derivatives protocol aims to bolster support for meme coin projects, offering incentives like a 100,000 USDC allocation and future airdrops. This move underscores its rapid growth and commitment to decentralized finance innovation.