Blockchain and Crypto News

Don’t miss real-time updates

Decentral Block Post

Access real-time blockchain and cryptocurrency news updates from around the globe.

How Crypto Twitter reacted to Kim Kardashian’s $1.26M SEC fine

Some pointed out the regulator's supposed hypocrisy, others told crypto-influencers to lawyer up, whilst a few poked fun at the reality TV star.

Covalent CEO: There’s an ‘unresolved backlog’ of unfilled Web3 data roles

Ganesh Swami, CEO of blockchain data aggregator Covalent says there continues to be an “intense demand” for on-chain data analysts, that is yet to be satisfied. 

Speaking to Cointelegraph, Swami said that analysts are in “intense demand” as there’s a “real need” for data experts to “make sense” of on-chain data, explaining:

“There is an unresolved backlog of unfilled data-driven roles. This demand is a testament to how eager blockchain and non-blockchain companies alike are to make sense of their own and competitors’ on-chain data.”

Swami explained that while the demand for on-chain data analysts has yet to eclipse their Web2 counterpart, the growth of stablecoin usage, lending, and decentralized finance (DeFi) products over the last 18 months has led to increasing demand for the job title.

Swami said similar to data analysts in traditional industries, on-chain data analysts can expect to analyze a company's “reach, retention and revenue” metrics, except, in this case, the intelligence would be found on-chain data across multiple blockchains.

Covalent CEO: There’s an ‘unresolved backlog’ of unfilled Web3 data roles

The demand for on-chain analysts is set to further increase with Web3 data outgrowing Web2 data over the next 20-30 years, says Covalent's Ganesh Swami.

The SEC is bullying Kim Kardashian, and it could chill the influencer economy

The feds should have tried to work with Kardashian to establish more transparent norms for influencers rather than slapping her with a $1.26 million fine for promoting EthereumMax.

US Treasury recommends lawmakers decide which regulators will oversee crypto spot market

“The report recommends the passage of legislation in providing a rulemaking authority for federal financial regulators over this market,” said economist Jonathan Rose.

A crumbling stock market could create profitable opportunities for Bitcoin traders

U.S. tech giants are set to report their second quarter earnings throughout October, presenting a scenario that could possibly benefit Bitcoin.

A crumbling stock market could create profitable opportunities for Bitcoin traders

Some of the biggest companies in the world are expected to report their 2Q earnings in October, including electric automaker Tesla on Oct. 18, tech giants Meta and Microsoft on Oct. 24, Apple and Amazon on Oct. 26 and Google on Oct. 30. Currently, the possibility of an even more severe global economic slowdown is in the cards and lackluster profits could further add to the uncertainty.

Given the unprecedented nature of the United State Federal Reserve tightening and mounting macroeconomic uncertainties, investors are afraid that corporate profitability will start to deteriorate. In addition, persistent inflation continues to force businesses to cut back on hiring and adopt cost-cutting measures.

Strengthening the dollar is particularly punitive for U.S. listed companies because their products become more expensive in other countries and the reduced revenue brought in from overseas negatively impacts the bottom line. Google, for instance, is expected to grow revenues by less than 10%, down from a 40% growth in 2021.

The companies that comprise the S&P 500 account for an aggregate $32.9 trillion in value and crypto investors expect some of those bets to enter Bitcoin (BTC) if earnings season fails to sustain a modest growth — signaling the stock market should continue to underperform.

From one side, traders face the pressure from Bitcoin’s correlation to equities, but on the other hand, BTC’s scarcity might shine as inflation concerns arise. This possibly creates an immense opportunity for those betting on a BTC price rally, but extreme caution would also be needed for those opening positions.

Cathie Wood's ARK Invest to offer crypto strategies to investment advisors

Cathie Wood's investment firm, ARK Investment, is making its two actively managed crypto strategies available to registered investment advisors. The strategies will be available as separately managed accounts (SMA) through a collaboration with the digital asset platform Eaglebrook, the companies announced on October 3. 

The ARK Cryptocurrency Strategy aims to capitalize on the monetary revolution, said the companies in the statement, claiming that it "could serve as a strategic allocation in well-diversified portfolios."

Cathie Wood, ARK's founder and CEO, said:

"The strategies will be separately managed accounts (SMAs) designed to meet the needs of financial advisors, wealth managers, and their clients by offering direct ownership, low minimums, and portfolio reporting integration among other benefits."

This collaboration should allow Ark to expand its services beyond exchange-traded funds (ETFs). An SMA is a portfolio created by a financial advisor or investment firm for a single investor. On ETFs, investors own shares of the fund instead of the underlying securities. 

Cathie Wood's ARK Invest to offer crypto strategies to investment advisors

In partnership with Eaglebrook, the strategies will be offered to registered investment advisors.

Upside capped at $980B total crypto market, according to derivatives metrics

It is becoming increasingly challenging to support a bullish short-term view for cryptocurrencies as the total crypto market capitalization has been below $1.4 trillion for the past 146 days. Furthermore, a descending channel initiated in late July has limited the upside after two strong rejections.

Total crypto market cap, USD. Source: TradingView

The 1% weekly negative performance in cryptocurrency markets was accompanied by stagnation in the S&P 500 stock market index, which remained basically flat at 3,650. Uncertainty continues to limit the eventual recovery as worsening global economic conditions have caused trans-Pacific shipping rates to plunge 75% versus the previous year, forcing ocean carriers to cancel dozens of sailings.

Conflicting macroeconomic signals limit risk market upside

From one side, the global macroeconomic scenario improved after the United Kingdom's government reverted plans to cut income taxes on Oct. 3. On the other hand, investors' fear increased as global investment bank Credit Suisse's credit default swaps reached their highest level on Oct. 3. Such instruments allow investors to protect against default, and their cost surpassed levels seen at the height of the 2008 financial crisis.

Below is a list of the winners and losers of the crypto market capitalization's 1% loss to $935 billion. Bitcoin (BTC) stood out with a 1% gain, which led its dominance rate to hit 41.5%, the highest since Aug. 5.

Weekly winners and losers among the top-80 coins. Source: Nomics

Quant (QNT) jumped 15% on speculation that its interoperable blockchain protocol would find adoption across governmental and regulatory bodies.


Upside capped at $980B total crypto market, according to derivatives metrics

A bearish formation in the total market capitalization chart has been gaining strength after two failures to break its resistance level.

Upside capped at $980B total crypto market, according to derivatives metrics

It is becoming increasingly challenging to support a bullish short-term view for cryptocurrencies as the total crypto market capitalization has been below $1.4 trillion for the past 146 days. Furthermore, a descending channel initiated in late July has limited the upside after two strong rejections.

Total crypto market cap, USD. Source: TradingView

The 1% weekly negative performance in cryptocurrency markets was accompanied by stagnation in the S&P 500 stock market index, which remained basically flat at $3,650. Uncertainty continues to limit the eventual recovery as worsening global economic conditions have caused trans-Pacific shipping rates to plunge 75% versus the previous year, forcing ocean carriers to cancel dozens of sailings.

Conflicting macroeconomic signals limit risk market upside

From one side, the global macroeconomic scenario improved after the United Kingdom's government reverted plans to cut income taxes on Oct. 3. On the other hand, investors' fear increased as global investment bank Credit Suisse's credit default swaps reached their highest level on Oct. 3. Such instruments allow investors to protect against default, and their cost surpassed levels seen at the height of the 2008 financial crisis.

Below is a list of the winners and losers of the crypto market capitalization's 1% loss to $935 billion. Bitcoin (BTC) stood out with a 1% gain, which led its dominance rate to hit 41.5%, the highest since Aug. 5.

Weekly winners and losers among the top-80 coins. Source: Nomics

Quant (QNT) jumped 15% on speculation that its interoperable blockchain protocol would find adoption across governmental and regulatory bodies.


Bitcoin price sets October high with $20K in reach as US stocks rally

Traders say Bitcoin is overdue for a breakout, but are also keeping a lid on how optimistic they should be about a macro trend reversal.

Bitcoin price sets October high with $20K in reach as US stocks rally

Bitcoin (BTC) climbed to new October highs at the Oct. 3 Wall Street open as Credit Suisse concerns heightened. 

BTC/USD 1-hour candle chart (Bitstamp). Source: TradingView

Traders close in on rangebound BTC

Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView showed BTC/USD taking aim at $19,500 after starting the month flat.

The largest cryptocurrency reacted positively to lower than expected United States manufacturing data, while in Europe, market turmoil over Credit Suisse gathered pace despite executives’ reassurances.

“We are kicking off October trading in the same congested area we ended September,” on-chain analytics resource Material Indicators wrote in one of several updates on the day.

“The 21 DMA is behaving like a ceiling on BTC price, but expect it to be retested soon. Need it to do so for any shot at reclaiming the 20s.”

image

NYDIG raises $720M as Bitcoin balance hits all-time high

An SEC filing reveals NYDIG’s intent to raise $720 million while a recent press release shows the company’s commitment to HODLing.

XRP price could rally by 50% based off comments from a former SEC director

XRP is hoping that the token could see a massive price rally in 2022 based off the fingers-crossed assumption that Ripple will win its long-running legal battle against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Hinman documents to save XRP bulls?

On Sept. 29, the district court judge in the case, Judge Analisa Torres, ordered the commission to release the documents penned by William Hinman, the former director of the corporation finance division at the SEC. 

Hinman may have written about Ether (ETH), the native token of the Ethereum blockchain, not being a security in the concealed documents, believes Ripple. That is primarily because Hinman had proclaimed the same in his speech at the Yahoo Finance All Markets Summit in June 2018.

Ripple's defense could use Hinman's writing as evidence that its blockchain's native token, XRP, should not be treated as a security, opposite to what the SEC claims in the lawsuit filed in December 2020.

XRP has since been ousted from many regulated crypto exchanges, including Coinbase and Bitstamp. As a result, it is now among the only top cryptocurrencies that have neither reclaimed nor established a record high during the 2020–2021 crypto market boom, reflecting caution from investors.

XRP price could rally by 50% based off comments from a former SEC director

XRP is hoping that the token could see a massive price rally in 2022 based off the fingers-crossed assumption that Ripple will win its long-running legal battle against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Hinman documents to save XRP bulls?

On Sept. 29, the district court judge in the case, Judge Analisa Torres, ordered the commission to release the documents penned by William Hinman, the former director of the corporation finance division at the SEC. 

Hinman may have written about Ether (ETH), the native token of the Ethereum blockchain, not being a security in the concealed documents, believes Ripple. That is primarily because Hinman had proclaimed the same in his speech at the Yahoo Finance All Markets Summit in June 2018.

Ripple's defense could use Hinman's writing as evidence that its blockchain's native token, XRP, should not be treated as a security, which is the opposite of what the SEC claimed in the lawsuit filed in December 2020.

XRP has since been ousted from many regulated crypto exchanges, including Coinbase and Bitstamp. As a result, it is now among the only top cryptocurrencies that have neither reclaimed nor established a record high during the 2020–2021 crypto market boom, reflecting caution from investors.

Japanese prime minister says gov't investment in digital transformation will include Metaverse, NFTs

According to Fumio Kishida, the government of Japan's investment in digital transformation included issuing NFTs to local authorities using digital solutions.

Bitcoin Lightning Network capacity strikes 5,000 BTC

The growth in Bitcoin added to the layer-2 Lightning Network has electrified over the past year, hitting 4,000 Bitcoin less than four months ago.

Kim Kardashian pays SEC $1.26 million to settle EthereumMax charge

The United States SEC charged the American celebrity and influencer for promoting a cryptocurrency asset security without disclosing payments received to her followers.

Image