Cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrency

Grayscale has bridged traditional finance and decentralized crypto by launching the first publicly traded staking investment vehicle. Its staking-enabled ETPs allow investors to earn blockchain rewards without running validator nodes or managing complex technical and custody risks. Grayscale's Ether and Solana ETPs are the first in the US to combine spot crypto exposure with staking rewards, paying yields through the fund's NAV or direct payouts.

"blockchain is real."

The payment is far below the nearly $4.5 billion Celsius originally sought in bitcoin.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently adopted updated standards for ETF listings. Under these rules, ETFs that meet predefined criteria no longer require individual regulatory review, significantly reducing approval times. Industry sources report that the approval process could shrink to 75 days or less, compared with up to 270 days under previous procedures. The new standards are designed to streamline market entry for ETFs tied to a broader range of cryptocurrencies, including solana, XRP, and cardano.

Starting Oct. 15, financial advisors will be able to offer bitcoin and crypto funds to any client - including those with retirement accounts - according to reporting by CNBC. Until now, only investors with more than $1.5 million in assets and an aggressive risk profile could participate. In other words, Morgan Stanley will soon let all its wealth management clients, including those with retirement accounts, invest in crypto. No asset-cap required.

Cryptocurrency exchange Gemini has initiated operations in Australia, expanding its digital currency exchange services to meet increasing local demand. The firm aims to offer a platform tailored for Australian users and institutions, enhancing accessibility and regulatory compliance. The expansion represents part of Gemini's broader strategy to strengthen its presence in international markets and cater to regions with growing cryptocurrency adoption.

The broader crypto market is under pressure. Bitcoin slipped roughly 2% over the past 24 hours, retreating from recent highs. That drop is rippling into crypto-linked equities - Strategy is one of the most exposed. Strategy (MSTR) is currently trading at $319.84 Strategy, co-founded by Michael Saylor, reported $3.9 billion in fair value gains for the third quarter of this year.

The firm specializes in fixing errors that automated crypto tax software misses. Research shows that 90% of the time, crypto tax software overestimates capital gains because it misclassifies DeFi transactions, NFT mints, liquidity pool activities, and cross-chain bridges. What sets them apart is their flat-rate pricing model. Most accounting firms charge $300-500 per hour, but Crypto Tax Made Easy provides transparent quotes upfront. No surprise bills at tax time.

The morning sun was warm, and the air buzzed with excitement and laughter. Children who had rarely strayed beyond their rural village in Bugiri, Uganda, were now getting off buses, eyes wide at the expectation of giraffes and elephants. Many of these kids had never even heard of a zoo before, let alone seen one. Yet here they were, grinning ear to ear after breakfast, ready to celebrate a quirky Bitcoin holiday.

The meteoric rise of crypto has not only been the greatest creation of wealth in the last decade but also an incredible harbinger of wealth destruction. While numerous fortunes were built on the buy and hodl strategy, some of these were lost to time or technology, depending on your point of view. Investors that haphazardly tried their hand at crypto found out quick that this isn't for weak hands or weak minds.

Harris highlighted the "borderless nature" of the crypto market, suggesting that a passporting system - where companies regulated in one jurisdiction can operate in another without undergoing a full authorization process - could enhance investor protection, reduce compliance costs, and improve market interoperability.

Bitcoin treasury companies have become one of the most important demand drivers in this cycle. Collectively, 86 publicly traded firms now hold more than 1 million BTC on their balance sheets. What began with MSTR (Strategy) in 2020 has since spread across the corporate landscape, with new entrants joining seemingly every week. But a closer look at their purchase history reveals a surprising insight that many of these companies could be holding considerably more Bitcoin today if they had followed a simple, rules-based strategy for accumulation.