Tech
Bipartisan support for cryptocurrency is resurgent in Congress. Here because
Cryptocurrency is having a big moment in Washington D.C. The Senate voted last week to overturn an SEC rule, Personnel Accounting Bulletin 121 (SAB-121), which had imposed onerous accounting standards on cryptocurrency assets held by financial institutions. The Senate vote followed the House’s approval of the same pro-crypto measure.
This week, the House will review financial innovation and technology for the 21st Century Act (FIT21), a bill that would establish a long-awaited U.S. regulatory regime for the cryptocurrency industry. And as of Monday, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) appears to be leaning toward approving Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) for the spot market of a type of cryptocurrency known as Ethereum. If approved, it would be the second type of crypto ETF authorized by the SEC. The tide is changing.
President Biden has said he will veto congressional action to reverse SAB-121. We hope he listens to lawmakers in his own party, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Corey Booker of New Jersey, who were among those who voted 60-38 to repeal the SEC rule.
At the same time, the approval of the spot ether ETF would represent another giant step forward for the cryptocurrency industry on its inevitable path towards large-scale mainstream adoption. In January, SEC-approved ETFs pegged to the Bitcoin spot market began trading.
The cryptocurrency industry requires clarity
Cryptocurrencies earned a bad name with the spectacular implosion of Sam Bankman-Fried’s fraudulent FTX empire, followed by the jailing of Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, the former CEO of Binance, the largest global cryptocurrency exchange.
This stigma masked all the potential positive benefits of the blockchain technology on which cryptocurrency is based. More than 50 million Americans now hold cryptocurrencies. And the variety of Bitcoin-pegged exchange-traded funds that have sprung up this year have attracted Inflows of $12 billion in May—one of the most successful ETF launches in history. No wonder Congress took notice.
The congressional repeal attempt was aimed at the SEC’s Staff Accounting Bulletin 121 (SAB-121), adopted in 2022. The rule required financial institutions holding crypto accounts to treat them as liabilities, which made custody of digital assets simply uneconomical . A recent analysis The bipartisan Congressional Research Service noted that the rules “represent a change from traditional custodial practices, could limit the involvement of some institutions, and could introduce new costs or risks.”
Fundamentally, blockchain technology is here to stay, remains bipartisan, and is building momentum towards mainstream adoption as the country focuses on the November elections.
While the agencies could have reduced ambiguity by working together to clearly and precisely define the boundaries of their respective jurisdictions, they refused to do so. Instead, they have undertaken “regulation through enforcement” campaigns to assert their authority over the asset class and to suppress its adoption and growth.
This approach has proven expensive and expensive for recipients, although recent court rulings are giving the cryptocurrency industry some of the clarity it was seeking. While this is not the preferred policy path, the checks and balances work and this is unlocking pent-up demand for clearly regulated crypto products.
Emerging bipartisan support
As the November US elections approach, a sharply divided electorate has found common ground in support for blockchain technology. For progressives, blockchain-based finance eliminates gatekeepers. Makes finance more accessible and inclusive at a time when cryptocurrency crackdowns alienate communities of color who have it hugged the asset class. Among conservatives, excessive agency intervention violates basic principles of free markets and more limited government.
Regardless, leadership in innovation and technology remains a shared American value. Indeed, 20% of voters Some major battleground states have identified cryptocurrencies as one of the top issues of the 2024 election season, according to a recent survey conducted by Digital Currency Group. As seen recently by the success of pro-crypto candidates primariescandidates who choose to fight cryptocurrencies do so at their own risk.
In a final act of desperation, anti-cryptocurrency crusaders have sought to gain bipartisan support by suggesting that cryptocurrencies harm national security. But cryptocurrencies pose no greater threat to national security than the Internet itself. Indeed, blockchain transparency has emerged as a key forensic tool to better monitor illicit finance.
The greatest threat to national security may be the economic fallout from policies that stymie innovation and send entrepreneurs abroad. For example, it would be difficult to engineer a greater innovation for the US dollar than one-to-one dollar-pegged stablecoins. Stablecoins are already the 16th largest holder of Treasury securities, represent 99% of the money on the Internet, and are destined to preserve the dollar as a global reserve currency for decades to come.
The Senate and House votes to overturn SAB-121 represent a milestone in bipartisan support for the cryptocurrency industry and demonstrate that Congress understands that blockchain technology is the future of the Internet.
One reason the SEC has been able to attempt to apply old-fashioned thinking to regulating the new Internet is that, so far, Congress has not passed nuanced legislation that defines regulatory parameters and encourages U.S. innovation. As a result, regulators have been left to rely on crumbling, decades-old financial rules that do not square with the realities of the new digital asset class.
Today, the House will consider the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act (FIT21), a bill that would establish a long-awaited U.S. regulatory regime for the cryptocurrency industry. The bill has the support of the cryptocurrency industry because it will ensure customer protection and long-sought regulatory clarity.
We hope that congressional bipartisan support for the cryptocurrency industry continues to prevail. And let’s hope the President pays attention to public sentiment.
As House lawmakers prepare for a floor vote on FIT21, the electorate will be watching. History will also be watching.
Chris Perkins is the president of CoinFund, an asset management firm that supports the leaders of the new Internet.
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Tech
Hollywood.ai by FAME King Sheeraz Hasan Promulgates a Complete Ecosystem that Unites Web3, Cryptography, AI and Entertainment for Spectacular Global Tech Innovation
The one and only FAME King Sheeraz Hasan is launching Hollywood.ai, a revolutionary platform designed to integrate the cutting-edge realms of Web3, cryptocurrency, AI, finance and entertainment. This revolutionary initiative is set to create a seamless, interactive and intuitive ecosystem where the world’s leading technology luminaries can collaborate on innovations, ultimately redefining the future of digital interaction.
Hollywood.ai represents the convergence of the most complex technologies of all time. Fusing Web3 principles, cryptocurrency utilities, AI advances, and financial machinery, Sheeraz’s platform aims to become the nucleus for innovation and modernization. It provides a high-tech environment where technology and creativity collide harmoniously, paving the way for new paths in the digital economy.
A defining feature of Hollywood.ai is the integration of cryptocurrency into the AI ecosystem, transforming AI into a tokenized asset with full cryptographic utility. Sheeraz’s novel approach presents new avenues to leverage the myriad capabilities of AI in the financial realm, unlocking unprecedented opportunities for developers and users alike. Through the amalgamation of AI and cryptocurrency, Hollywood.ai is paving the way for an incredibly interconnected digital space unlike anything seen before.
The platform’s design emphasizes the undeniable symbiosis between various technology sectors. Under Sheeraz’s careful orchestration, Web3 technologies facilitate decentralized collaboration, while AI tools offer enhanced potential for data analytics, content creation, and audience engagement. Additionally, the inclusion of financial innovations ensures rapid mobility of both monetization and investments, providing a holistic environment that meets the ever-evolving demands of the technology and entertainment segments.
Sheeraz’s Hollywood.ai is poised to become the premier hub for industry leaders, developers, and creators to support and empower the next generation of digital experiences. This initiative aspires to drive the emergence of new tools, applications, and services that set new standards for advanced engagement and interaction.
Known for making the impossible possible, Sheeraz envisions a future where global audiences actively participate in designing the next A-list stars from scratch. Hollywood.ai will allow users to watch their creations evolve from simple concepts to 3D talents that can act, sing and perform just like human actors.
The Hollywood.ai platform leverages AI technology to deliver personalized fan engagement, real-time sentiment analysis, and informed content creation. By combining cutting-edge AI capabilities with Sheeraz’s deep understanding of celebrity branding, Hollywood.ai gains immense control over public figures.
Undeniably, FAME’s number one strategist Sheeraz Hasan continues to cement his reputation as a pioneer in the fields of FAME and technology. The power and influence of this latest development brings him closer to total world domination.
Tech
Online Broker Futu Offers Cryptocurrency Trading in Hong Kong, With Nvidia and Alibaba Stock as Rewards
Futu Securities International, Hong Kong’s largest online broker, has launched retail cryptocurrency trading in the city, offering shares of Alibaba Holding Group AND Nvidia as a reward in an attempt to attract investors. Futu has begun allowing Hong Kong residents to trade Bitcoin and ether, the world’s two largest cryptocurrencies, directly on the brokerage platform using Hong Kong or U.S. dollars, the company announced Thursday.
The online retail broker said last month that it had received an upgrade to its securities license from the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), allowing Futu to offer virtual asset trading services to both professional and retail clients in the city.
Futu’s move comes as Hong Kong seeks to boost its attractiveness as a business hub for virtual assets, with the city government launching a series of new cryptocurrency policy initiatives over the past two years, including a mandatory licensing regime for cryptocurrency exchanges.
In addition to offering cryptocurrency trading on its flagship brokerage app, Futu is also seeking a cryptocurrency trading license for its new PantherTrade platform. That platform is among 11 in Hong Kong that are currently “deemed licensed” for cryptocurrency trading, an arrangement that allows them to operate in the city while they await full approval from the SFC.
Hong Kong’s progress in becoming a crypto hub has encountered various challenges, including exit of the major global platforms and relatively low trading activity for cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds offered on local stock exchanges.
Futu is now offering a series of incentives to potential investors, amid a cryptocurrency bull market that has seen the price of bitcoin rise 45 percent this year.
Hong Kong investors who open accounts in August and deposit HK$10,000 (US$1,280) over the next 60 days can receive HK$600 worth of bitcoin, a HK$400 supermarket voucher or a single Chinese stock. e-commerce giant Alibaba. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.
By holding 80,000 U.S. dollars for the same period, users can get 1,000 Hong Kong dollars in bitcoin or a share of U.S. artificial intelligence (AI) chip maker Nvidia, whose shares have risen more than 140 percent this year.
A Futu representative said the brokerage firm will also waive cryptocurrency trading fees starting Thursday until further notice.
Futu is the first online brokerage in Hong Kong to allow retail investors to buy cryptocurrency directly on its platform. SFC rules require it to offer this service through a tie-up with a licensed cryptocurrency exchange. Futu is partnering with HashKey Exchange, one of only two licensed exchanges in Hong Kong, according to the representative.
Futu’s local rival Tiger Brokers also said in May that it had begun offering cryptocurrency trading services to professional investors on its platform following a license update. The SFC defines professional investors as those with more than HK$8 million in their investment portfolios or corporate entities with assets exceeding HK$40 million.
Tech
Tech Crash: $2.6 Trillion Market Cap Vanishes as ‘Magnificent 7’ Prices Stumble
A group of seven megacap tech stocks, often called the Magnificent 7, have lost more than $2.6 trillion in value over the past 20 days, or an average of $125 billion per day over the period. In total, these stocks have lost “three times the value of the entire Brazilian stock market.”
This according to the economic news agency Letter from Kobeissiwho noted on the microblogging platform X (formerly known as Twitter) that the Magnificent 7 batch “is worth as much as Nvidia’s entire current market cap in 20 days,” with Nvidia itself having lost $1 trillion from its high.
Source:Letter from Kobeissi on the X
The group, which includes Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Alphabet, Meta and Tesla, has undergone a significant correction: in the last 20 days Nvidia has lost 23% of its value, or about $800 billion, while Tesla has fallen 19%, losing $164 billion.
Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Alphabet and Meta all posted losses of between 9% and 15%, losing between $257 billion and $554 billion in market capitalization, wiping out a total of $200 billion more “than every single German stock market tock combined.”
Tech titans, which have outperformed the broader S&P 500 index since the market bottom of 2022, are now facing a reckoning as investors grow increasingly wary about the sustainability of their meteoric rise, with Nvidia taking the lead soaring 110% since the beginning of the year and over 2,300% in the last five years.
Earnings reports from these companies, starting with Microsoft and culminating with Nvidia in late August, will be closely watched for signs of weakness. Their performance could set the tone for broader market sentiment, with implications for everything from cryptocurrency to other high-risk assets.
Their poor performance comes after a leading macroeconomist, Henrik Zeberg, reiterated his forecast of an impending recession that will be preceded by a final wave in key sectors of the market, but which can potentially be the worst the market has seen since 1929the worst bear market in Wall Street history.
In particular, the Hindenburg Omen, a technical indicator designed to identify potential stock market crashes, began flashing just a month after its previous signal, raising concerns about a possible impending stock market downturn.
The indicator compares the percentage of stocks hitting new 52-week highs and lows to a specific threshold. When the number of stocks hitting both extremes exceeds a certain level, the indicator is said to be triggered, suggesting a greater risk of a crash.
Featured Image via Disinfect.
Tech
Trump Fights for Cryptocurrency Vote at Bitcoin Conference
To the Bitcoin Conference 2024 In Nashville, Tennessee, former President Donald Trump delivered a keynote speech.
Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, used the platform to appeal to the tech community and solicit donations for the campaign. During the conference, He said:
I promise the Bitcoin community that the day I take the oath of office, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ anti-crypto crusade will be over… If we don’t embrace cryptocurrency and Bitcoin technology, China will, other countries will. They will dominate, and we can’t let China dominate. They are making too much progress as it is.
Trump’s speech focused heavily on cryptocurrency policy, positioning it as a partisan issue. He said that if reelected, he would fire SEC Chairman Gary Gensler on his first day in office, a statement that drew enthusiastic applause from the audience. This statement marked a stark contrast to Gensler’s tenure, which has been characterized by rigorous oversight of the cryptocurrency industry.
The former president outlined several pro-crypto initiatives he would undertake if elected. These include transforming the United States into a global cryptocurrency hub, keeping all government-held Bitcoin as a “national Bitcoin reserve,” establishing a presidential advisory council on Bitcoin and cryptocurrency, and developing power plants to support cryptocurrency mining, emphasizing the use of fossil fuels.
Trump’s current embrace of cryptocurrencies represents a reversal from his stance in 2021, when described Bitcoin as a “scam against the dollar.” He also noted that his campaign has received $25 million in donations since accepting cryptocurrency payments two months ago.
The event featured other political figures, including Republican Senators Tim Scott and Tommy Tuberville, as well as Democratic Representatives Wiley Nickel and Ro Khanna. Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also spoke at the conference.
Trump’s appearance at Bitcoin 2024 reflects growing support for his campaign from some tech leaders, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk and cryptocurrency entrepreneurs Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss.
While Trump has described the current administration as “anti-crypto,” Democratic Congressman Wiley Nickel said Vice President Kamala Harris is taking a “forward-thinking approach to digital assets and blockchain technology.”
This event underscores the growing political importance of cryptocurrency policy in the upcoming presidential election.
Kamala Harris and Democrats Respond on Cryptocurrencies
In a strategic move to repair strained relations, Vice President Kamala Harris’ team has initiated a dialogue with major cryptocurrency industry players. This outreach aims to restore the Democratic Party’s stance on digital assets and promote a more collaborative approach.
THE Financial Times reports that Harris’s advisors have reached out to representatives from industry leaders like Coinbase, Circle, and Ripple Labs. This move comes as the cryptocurrency community increasingly supports Republican candidate Donald Trump, reflecting growing dissatisfaction with the current administration’s cryptocurrency policies.
THE disclosure follows a letter from Democratic lawmakers and 2024 candidates urging the party to reevaluate its approach to digital assets. Harris’s team stresses that this effort is less about securing campaign contributions and more about engaging in constructive dialogue to develop sensible regulations.
The move is part of a broader strategy to reshape the Democratic Party’s image among business leaders, countering perceptions of an anti-business stance. Harris’ campaign aims to project a “pro-business, responsible business” message.
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