SEC's Hester Peirce responds to Bitcoin ETF denials + more
Plus everything else you need to know this week about crypto
GM! This week: SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, a.k.a. ‘Crypto Mom,’ told Coinage she’s confused about why Bitcoin spot ETFs keep getting denied. Plus, the Azuki NFT project melted down amidst the disastrous launch of a secondary collection, international jurisdictions continue to clarify their crypto regulations, and more.
In Bitcoin ETFs…
Following the SEC’s denials of Fidelity and BlackRock’s applications for a spot-Bitcoin ETF, SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce told Coinage in an exclusive interview to be published on Wednesday, that she’s confused why the SEC is treating Bitcoin exchange-traded products differently from others.
Analysts, like brokerage firm Bernstein, still predict that there’s a significant likelihood of a Bitcoin ETF getting approved.
In Azuki’s meltdown…
In case you missed it, the blue-chip NFT project Azuki, created by Chiru Labs, released a secondary collection called ‘Elementals.’ The collection raked in $38 million dollars in 15 minutes. Soon after that, things started to go downhill.
Floor prices on the original collection began to slide following the reveal of the Elementals, which are difficult to distinguish from the original collection visually. The Azuki team has apologized for the launch, saying it “missed the mark.”
A group of Azuki holders formed a DAO and are threatening to sue the creator Zagabond, who previously had come under fire for abandoning prior projects. Unfortunately, the governance contract for the DAO has already been exploited. Can this story get any messier?!
In International Markets…
Let’s take a look at some headlines from around the globe, shall we?
China
Crypto’s Dream of an Embrace by China Gets a Reality Check
Hong Kong
Hong Kong Sets Up Task Force for Web3 Development
Belarus
Belarus wants to ban P2P cryptocurrency transactions
Singapore + Thailand
Singapore Regulator Bans Crypto Exchanges from Lending, Staking for Retail Investors
Thailand Follows Singapore, Bans Crypto Exchanges From Offering Lending Services
South Korea
South Korea Passes Crypto Bill for User Protection
Our Latest Feature…
In March, a hacker stole $200 million from the DeFi protocol Euler Finance. By April, he had returned nearly everything he stole. The identity of the hacker was a total mystery to the public… until now.
In our latest feature, Coinage brings you an exclusive interview with the hacker, who was just 19 years old at the time of the attack on Euler Finance — 2023’s biggest crypto hack so far. He said his intention was never to keep the funds, but can we really trust him? And why did he send 100 ETH to North Korean hackers before returning the funds?
For the answers to those questions and much, much more, read all about it in our latest feature. If you have a Coinage NFT, you can also unlock a discussion with the author on reporting this story, what we’ve learned so far, and what we might never know.
Check out the full story here.
In Other Headlines…
Poly Network Attacker Issues 'Worthless' Billions in SHIB, BNB, BUSD in Latest Crypto Hack
Crypto ATM Operator Bitcoin Depot Debuts on Nasdaq Following SPAC Merger
Crypto VC Investment Drops 70% In One Year: Report
Ubisoft Reveals Next Blockchain Game, Champions Tactics
Ethereum Founder Vitalik Buterin Says He Feels 'Bad' for Solana
That’s everything we’re taking a look at this week!
If you haven’t heard, Coinage is expanding from the show you know and love to an entire media operation, posting and curating news on our site. If you have a membership pass, you can even help us out by submitting stories you’d like to see included on our site.
If there’s something we missed, come chat with us in our Discord, and keep an eye on our YouTube channel for this week’s episode.
See you next Monday!