Coin360 Daily Dispatch | Crypto Market Updates & Highlights | June 29, 2024

Crypto Market Update

Table of Contents

Market Analysis

• Bitcoin Market Faces Bearish Pressures
• Bitcoin Declines Post-Halving While Ethereum Rises

Regulatory and Legal Updates

• SEC Requires Revisions for Ethereum ETF Issuers
• ConsenSys Responses to SEC’s Unregistered Brokerage Lawsuit
• Judge Dismisses Parts of SEC's Binance Lawsuit
• Judge Affirms XRP’s Secondary Sales Aren’t Securities

Crypto Exchanges and Platforms

• Coinbase Derivatives to Launch Futures Trading for Altcoins

Country-Specific Developments

• Toncoin Gets Regulatory Approval in Kazakhstan

Whale Activities and Market Impact

• Whale Sell-Off Causes CVX Token Price Drop

Financial Regulations and Taxation

• New Tax Rules for Crypto Brokers Finalized

Technological Advancements and Partnerships

• Horizen Labs Partners with ApeChain for zkVerify Integration
• Igloo Acquires Frame to Enhance Ethereum Layer 2 Blockchain

Bitcoin Market Faces Bearish Pressures

The Bitcoin market faced bearish pressures with factors including a decline in Bitcoin demand, increased BTC supply from long-term holders, Mt. Gox payout panic, government sales, and a bullish DXY trend. Analysts predict possible drops to $55,000 or even $56,000 if Bitcoin falls below $60,000. Support levels are at $56,000-$58,000, with resistance at $63,000-$68,000. Despite volatility, potential regulatory easing and Ethereum ETF developments could stabilize the market.

Bitcoin Declines Post-Halving While Ethereum Rises

In Q2 2024, Bitcoin saw a 12.8% decline post-halving as miners sold off reserves. Conversely, Ethereum's 3.1% drop was tempered by the approval of US spot ETH ETFs, boosting its price by 10%. Layer-2 blockchain activity surged, with transactions quadrupling following EIP-4844 integration, reducing fees and fostering long-term network growth potential, according to IntoTheBlock.

SEC Requires Revisions for Ethereum ETF Issuers

The SEC has returned S-1 forms to Ethereum ETF issuers for revisions before they can proceed. Issuers received light comments and must address them by July 8, anticipating at least one more filing round. Initial hopes for a July 4 launch are now unrealistic, pending SEC timelines. Chair Gary Gensler suggested ETF approvals could happen "sometime over the course of this summer," though specifics remain unclear. This process marks a crucial step towards Ethereum ETFs going live, following earlier approvals of 19b-4 forms in May. The SEC's feedback underscores ongoing regulatory scrutiny in the crypto investment landscape.

ConsenSys Responses to SEC’s Unregistered Brokerage Lawsuit

The SEC sued ConsenSys for acting as an unregistered broker, alleging MetaMask facilitated unregistered securities sales, including Lido and Rocket Pool staking services, accumulating $250 million in fees. ConsenSys responded, defending MetaMask as a software interface, not a broker, and planned to contest the SEC's claims in Texas court. Following the announcement, Lido DAO (LDO) and Rocket Pool (RPL) tokens saw significant price drops, with LDO falling from $2.30 to $1.88 and RPL from over $20 to $18.89 before recovering.

Judge Dismisses Parts of SEC's Binance Lawsuit

Judge Amy Berman Jackson dismissed parts of the SEC’s lawsuit against Binance, including claims about BNB’s secondary market sales. However, most claims, including those related to staking, BNB sales, and anti-fraud violations, will proceed. The SEC's allegations against former CEO Changpeng Zhao as a “control person” and the need for Binance to register under the Exchange Act were also upheld. The court’s decision was influenced by a similar ruling in the Ripple case.

Judge Affirms XRP’s Secondary Sales Aren’t Securities

Judge Torres' ruling that XRP's secondary sales aren't securities has been affirmed by Judge Jackson in the Binance lawsuit. This decision challenges the SEC's stance on cryptocurrency sales under the Howey Test, potentially impacting ongoing cases involving major exchanges like Coinbase and Kraken. Following this ruling, XRP's price has surged, currently aiming to surpass the $0.5 mark.

Coinbase Derivatives to Launch Futures Trading for Altcoins

Coinbase Derivatives is set to launch CFTC-regulated futures trading for five altcoins: Avalanche (AVAX), Chainlink (LINK), Polkadot (DOT), Stellar (XLM), and Shiba Inu (SHIB). These margined futures contracts, slated for July 15, aim to provide market participants with tools for risk management and speculative trading with reduced capital requirements. Despite the announcement, the tokens showed minimal price impact, mirroring broader market trends. As of now, Coinbase Derivatives has seen significant trading volume, highlighting growing interest in crypto derivatives.

Toncoin Gets Regulatory Approval in Kazakhstan

Toncoin has received regulatory approval from Kazakhstan's AFSA, becoming the 107th cryptocurrency authorized for trading on certified platforms in the country. This milestone underscores Toncoin's compliance with local financial regulations, joining other approved assets like AVAX, MATIC, and ADA. Kazakhstan continues to expand its crypto market amidst growing global adoption.

Whale Sell-Off Causes CVX Token Price Drop

Convex Finance's CVX token saw a significant 5% drop in price due to a major sell-off by a whale associated with the Fantom Foundation. This transaction involved over 357,000 CVX tokens, totaling $1.15 million, leading to increased selling pressure. As a result, CVX's trading volume decreased by 14%, and its total value locked (TVL) declined to $1.24 billion, down 1.59% from the previous day's $1.26 billion. These events underscore the impact of whale activities on cryptocurrency markets.

New Tax Rules for Crypto Brokers Finalized

The U.S. Treasury and IRS have finalized new tax rules for crypto brokers, effective 2025, requiring reporting similar to traditional brokers. Notably, regulations for DeFi and unhosted wallets are deferred pending further review of public feedback, aiming to balance compliance with concerns over regulatory burden and privacy. The rules exempt small NFT and stablecoin transactions but aim to enhance tax enforcement in the crypto sector.

Horizen Labs Partners with ApeChain for zkVerify Integration

Horizen Labs has partnered with ApeChain to integrate zkVerify technology, aiming to slash proof verification costs for Web3 gaming. This collaboration promises faster transactions and lower operational expenses, bolstering ApeChain's position in blockchain gaming. zkVerify's efficiency in handling complex game mechanics marks a significant advancement in blockchain scalability and privacy solutions.