Coin360 Daily Dispatch | Crypto Market Updates & Highlights | April 16, 2024

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Crypto Market Update

Table of Contents

Crypto Market and Platform Updates

• Bitcoin's Supply Threatens to Dry Up Amid ETF Accumulations
• Ethereum Whales Buy Amidst Price Volatility and Market Skepticism
• Trust Wallet Issues Alert on iMessage Zero-Day Exploit
• Puffer Finance Raises $18M, Boosting Ethereum Staking

Blockchain Technology and Integration

• OKX and Polygon Launch X Layer to Speed Up Transactions
• Umoja and Merlin Chain Unveil Innovative Bitcoin Stablecoin
• Arbitrum BOLD Introduces New Security Features on Testnet

Crypto Security and Legal Challenges

• Worldcoin Fined Over $1 Million for Legal Missteps
• Senators Question CFTC Chair Over FTX CEO Relationships

Funding and Market Growth

• Crypto Bigwigs Hold Billions, Yet Millions Locked by Lost Keys
• Homium Leads the Charge in Tokenized Real Estate Lending
• Drift Exchange Introduces Governance Token with Community Focus

Partnerships and Collaborations

• MANTRA Backs Tokenization Startups with New Incubation Program
• Polkadot Eyes Sports Marketing with Inter Miami Sponsorship

New Initiatives and Product Launches

• Major Crypto Tokens to Merge Under ASI Banner
• Saga Launches Massive Airdrop Campaign with Global Partners

NFT and Digital Asset Trends

• Bored Apes NFT Prices Plummet Amid Market Shifts
• PayPal Updates Policies on NFT Transactions and Protection

Bitcoin's Supply Threatens to Dry Up Amid ETF Accumulations

Amid BTC’s drop under $63,000, a Bybit report indicates that Bitcoin supply on exchanges could deplete in nine months due to halving and ETF accumulations. Bitcoin whales have maintained their holdings despite bearish market trends. Forecasts indicate possible drops to $51,000, with $56,000 as a crucial demand zone. However, the forthcoming halving might further constrain supply, potentially driving prices up back, but not in the short-term phase. Current holder activities resemble those from December 2020, according to Bitfinex Alpha’s report, hinting at a potential growth phase. 

Ethereum Whales Buy Amidst Price Volatility and Market Skepticism

Ethereum's price faces instability as it fell to $3,000 with major sell-offs, yet whales continue strategic acquisitions, notably purchasing nearly 24,000 ETH at around $2,942. Despite some recovery, skepticism remains high, underscored by bearish derivatives markets and risk reversals suggesting further potential downturns. 

The Ether derivatives market, notably short gamma near-dated options, predicts amplified price movements. The market is also influenced by the broader crypto downturn and macroeconomic factors such as the Iran-Israel conflict. Additionally, over 380,000 ETH were withdrawn from liquid staking derivatives in April alone, highlighting a significant shift in investor sentiment within DeFi protocols, further compounding the uncertainty surrounding Ethereum's future price stability.

Trust Wallet Issues Alert on iMessage Zero-Day Exploit

Trust Wallet warned of a potential zero-day exploit targeting iMessage, advising iOS users to disable it. The firm's CEO, Eowyn Chen, shared a screenshot of the alleged exploit being sold for $2 million on the dark web. Industry skepticism arose, emphasizing the need for concrete evidence. Over 1.2 million users viewed Trust Wallet's alert.  

Puffer Finance Raises $18M, Boosting Ethereum Staking

Puffer Finance, an Ethereum-based liquid staking project, secured $18M in Series A funding led by Brevan Howard Digital and Electric Capital, with support from major investors. Its technology lowers the entry barrier for Ethereum stakers and offers nLRT tokens for simultaneous yield farming. The protocol's TVL exceeded $1.2 billion, contributing to the robust growth of the liquid staking market.  

OKX and Polygon Launch X Layer to Speed Up Transactions

OKX and Polygon have collaborated to launch the X Layer public mainnet, aiming to enhance transaction speed and cost-efficiency for 50 million users. Utilizing ZK technology and Polygon CDK, the X Layer network supports cross-chain liquidity and EVM compatibility, boasting over 200 dApps and a growing developer community driving Web3 innovation.  

Umoja and Merlin Chain Unveil Innovative Bitcoin Stablecoin

Umoja and Merlin Chain collaborate to introduce the USDb stablecoin, not collateral-backed, on the Bitcoin ecosystem. USDb's innovative approach offers stability, high yields, and passive income through tokenized trading strategies. Merlin Chain boasts a $3.6 billion total value locked and aims to democratize advanced financial tools with the Runes protocol launch imminent.  

Arbitrum BOLD Introduces New Security Features on Testnet

Arbitrum BOLD, launched on a public testnet, brings interactive fraud proofs to enhance security and enable permissionless validation. It allows a single party to efficiently handle multiple challenges, streamlining the validation process and bolstering network resilience. The community-driven approach, pending full integration through a proposal and vote, signals a move towards decentralization and increased security.  

Worldcoin Fined Over $1 Million for Legal Missteps

Worldcoin faces fines exceeding $1 million in Buenos Aires for legal violations. Accusations include unfair contract clauses, mishandling of biometric data, and complexity impeding consumer understanding. Contracts disallow collective claims, impose foreign regulations, and lack clarity. Concerns raised about minors' involvement and data storage in Brazil, reflecting a widespread legal entanglement for the biometric ID project.  

Senators Question CFTC Chair Over FTX CEO Relationships

Senators Warren and Grassley are scrutinizing CFTC Chair Behnam's interactions with convicted FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried due to recent fraud-related sentencing. Behnam's communication focused on LedgerX within FTX, leading to inquiries from senators like Josh Hawley. Bankman-Fried's meetings with SEC Chair Gensler prompted concerns post-FTX collapse, given their relationship and political affiliations.  

Crypto Bigwigs Hold Billions, Yet Millions Locked by Lost Keys

The top five publicly known crypto holders, including Justin Sun and Vitalik Buterin, collectively possess $3.47 billion in digital assets, but 35% ($1.21 billion) is inaccessible due to lost private keys. Notable losses include Rain Lõhmus's $769 million in Ether and Stefan Thomas's 7,000 Bitcoin. The dashboard by Arkham also showcases detailed token holdings and balance histories.  

Homium Leads the Charge in Tokenized Real Estate Lending

Homium, a real-estate equity mortgage lender, tokenized home equity loans on Avalanche, with $10 million raised in a Series A funding led by Sorenson Impact Group and Blizzard. The loans are operational in Colorado, aiming to expand nationwide. Tokenization enhances accessibility for institutional investors and addresses housing affordability concerns by leveraging blockchain technology.  

Drift Exchange Introduces Governance Token with Community Focus

Drift, a Solana-based decentralized exchange, is launching its governance token, DRIFT, with a 100 million token airdrop. The token aims to give users ownership and a voice through the Drift DAO. The airdrop targets loyal users and constitutes 10% of the total supply. DRIFT's total supply will be distributed over five years, with over 50% allocated to the community.  

MANTRA Backs Tokenization Startups with New Incubation Program

MANTRA has launched an incubation program at the Dubai World Trade Center with the support of Virtuzone, aiming to bolster the tokenization sector in the MENA region. The $100,000 seed investment for five projects, comprehensive support, and access to a network of investors underscore the initiative's commitment to accelerating the growth of Web3 startups.  

Polkadot Eyes Sports Marketing with Inter Miami Sponsorship

Polkadot community is considering an $8.8 million sponsorship deal with Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami Football Club. The initiative aims to leverage the team's global exposure, involving training kit sponsorship for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. This move is part of Polkadot's strategy to increase visibility through sports-related marketing endeavors, with strong community support.  

Major Crypto Tokens to Merge Under ASI Banner

The Artificial Superintelligence Alliance confirms the upcoming ASI token merger in early May, unifying FET, AGIX, and OCEAN into ASI. With a projected market capitalization of $7.5 billion, the ASI token is expected to enter the top 20 largest crypto. The merger aims to democratize AI infrastructure, challenging Big Tech's AI dominance.  

Saga Launches Massive Airdrop Campaign with Global Partners

Saga, a gaming-focused layer-1 blockchain, has launched the "Power-Level Over 9000" airdrop campaign in collaboration with over 100 projects across various blockchain networks. Users staking SAGA tokens will be eligible for bundles of token and NFT airdrops from diverse ecosystems including Ethereum, Solana, Cosmos, Polygon, and Avalanche. The mainnet's recent launch and SAGA token listing on Binance have spurred this expansive marketing initiative.