According to CryptoPotato, Core Scientific, Inc., a leading provider of high-performance blockchain computing data centers and software solutions, has announced a $53.9 million investment from Bitmain, a global leader in manufacturing digital currency mining servers. This investment strengthens the existing relationship between the two companies. Bitmain and Core Scientific have agreed to acquire new Bitcoin mining equipment and establish a new hosting agreement, demonstrating Bitmain's ongoing commitment to the North American digital asset mining sector. Max Hua, CEO of Bitmain, expressed enthusiasm about strengthening their strategic partnership with Core Scientific, a trusted U.S.-based collaborator. He praised Core Scientific's professionalism, integrity, and commitment to the success of their hosting customers and their contribution to the growth of the Bitcoin Network. Under the terms of the purchase agreement, Bitmain will provide Core Scientific with 27,000 Bitmain S19J XP 151 TH bitcoin mining servers. In return, Bitmain will receive $23.1 million in cash and $53.9 million in Core Scientific common stock. The per-share value of the stock will be determined in line with a bankruptcy court-approved Chapter 11 reorganization plan, which is expected to receive approval in the fourth quarter of this year. The S19J XP operates at a high-efficiency level of 21.7 Joules per TH/s. Adam Sullivan, CEO of Core Scientific, expressed his honor in expanding their significant partnership with Bitmain. He emphasized their joint efforts to professionalize the industry and pave the way for the long-term growth of the Bitcoin Network, especially in light of increasing Bitcoin adoption worldwide. Core Scientific has managed over 600,000 Bitmain miners across its data centers since its operation. Currently, 99% of the over 200,000 miners in operation, owned by Core Scientific and hosted for customers, are Bitmain S19 models. The 27,000 units from the agreement are expected to be received and activated in the fourth quarter of 2023, potentially adding 4.1 exahashes to Core Scientific's self-mining hash rate. Additionally, the two companies have agreed to collaborate on upgrading Bitmain's prior-generation miners hosted at Core Scientific's data centers with S19J XP servers, further increasing the total hash rate. As of August 31, 2023, Core Scientific operated approximately 206,000 bitcoin miners for colocation and self-mining, generating a total energized hash rate of 22.0 exahashes per second. Its self-mining activities produced 965 bitcoin in August and 9,755 BTC year through August 31, surpassing any other listed bitcoin miner in North America.

According to CryptoPotato, Rashawn Russell, a former investment banker and registered broker at Deutsche Bank, has pleaded guilty to charges relating to investment fraud after orchestrating a cryptocurrency scheme to swindle investors. The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Russell's guilty plea in a press release on Sept. 19, 2023. As part of the plea deal, Russell will pay restitution of more than $1.5 million and could face up to 30 years in prison upon sentencing. Russell operated a cryptocurrency investment fund called R3 Crypto Fund between November 2020 and August 2022, which promised to help investors get handsome rewards for their crypto investments. However, the 27-year-old former investment banker allegedly misappropriated users' assets, using the money gathered to repay older investors and also for personal use and gambling. According to prosecutors, Russell was able to deceive users by creating a fake document falsely showing significant liquidity. The fraudulent crypto fund managed to swindle $1.5 million from unsuspecting investors. In addition to the crypto fund, the ex-Deutsche executive was also involved in an identity theft scheme between September 2021 and June 2023 by fraudulently acquiring credit cards and access to other devices using the names of third parties to carry out unauthorized transactions. Russell also pleaded guilty to engaging in identity theft. While Deutsche Bank was not accused of any wrongdoing and did not offer any comment following Russell's arrest, the German financial institution pledged to cooperate with law enforcement during its investigations. The investment bank recently partnered with Swiss startup Taurus to offer digital asset custody and tokenization services to clients.

According to Foresight News, the Miss Universe Organization has denied any association with a Miss Universe token project announced earlier this month at the Philippine Blockchain Week (PBW) event. The organization stated that they are in contact with all relevant parties and will soon release an update, while also seeking 'all legal options regarding this infringement act'.

According to Foresight News, South Korean National Assembly member Yoon Chang-hyun has proposed an amendment to the Specific Financial Information Act. The amendment stipulates that during the reporting and review process for virtual asset operators, not only should the representatives and registered senior executives be scrutinized, but also the criminal records of major shareholders. If a major shareholder is found guilty, they must either give up their shares or their status as a virtual asset operator.

According to CryptoPotato, the Singapore Police Force has confiscated more assets in relation to an ongoing money laundering investigation, bringing the total value of seized funds to over S$2.4 billion ($1.76 billion). The reported figure has doubled since the first operation in August. In a statement published on September 20, the police force announced that the additional asset seizures occurred following further operations. The assets seized so far include over S$76 million in cash, S$38 million ($27.8 million) worth of cryptocurrency, 294 luxury bags, 546 pieces of jewelry, 68 gold bars, 204 electronic devices, and 164 luxury watches, valued at over S$1.127 million ($825,000). The number of properties and vehicles issued prohibition disposal orders has increased to 110 and 64, respectively, with a combined value of S$1.2 million (~$879,000). The ongoing money laundering case is considered one of Singapore's largest crackdowns, involving 10 foreign nationals of Chinese origin with passports from Cyprus, Turkey, Cambodia, Ni-Vanuatu, and China. In August, authorities raided various residences and arrested the foreigners who allegedly laundered funds from criminal proceeds and committed forgery. While the suspects have been arrested, the police said about eight others were still at large, and 12 people were assisting with the case. At the time, the value of cash and assets frozen was worth more than S$1 billion ($737 million). The figure later increased to S$1.8 billion in September, according to prosecutors, following more investigations.

According to Foresight News, Worldcoin has announced that more than 200,000 Chileans have completed World ID verification, surpassing 1% of the country's total population of 19.5 million.

The global cryptocurrency market cap now stands at $1.05T, down by -0.09% over the last day, according to CoinMarketCap data. Bitcoin (BTC) has been trading between $26,546 and $26,633 over the past 24 hours. As of 09:30 AM (UTC) today, BTC is trading at $26,591, up by 0.14%. Most major cryptocurrencies by market cap are trading mixed. Market outperformers include GFT, CREAM, and DATA, up by 78%, 73%, and 17%, respectively. Top stories of the day: Federal Reserve Releases Working Paper on Asset Tokenization and Risk-Weighted Assets  Russia's Central Bank Plans Nationwide Adoption of Digital Ruble by 2025   Terra Classic Community Votes to Stop Minting USTC  Singapore Police Seize Over S$2.4 Billion in Assets in Money Laundering Probe  South Korean lawmaker proposes amendment to financial information law for virtual asset operators   Market movers: ETH: $1593.87 (+0.15%) BNB: $210.7 (+0.10%) XRP: $0.5094 (-0.55%) DOGE: $0.06163 (+0.16%) ADA: $0.2455 (+0.08%) SOL: $19.61 (+0.87%) TRX: $0.08411 (+1.05%) DOT: $4.024 (+0.37%) MATIC: $0.5193 (-0.35%) LTC: $64.77 (-0.14%) Top gainers on Binance: GFT/BUSD (+78%) CREAM/BUSD (+73%) DATA/BUSD (+17%)

According to Foresight News, MakerDAO's lending protocol, Spark Protocol, has completed a community vote and will expand to the Gnosis Chain. GnosisDAO will initiate liquidity by replacing the D3M module on the mainnet with temporary DAI deposits, allowing Spark Lend to join collateral, establish liquidity, and create liquidation infrastructure.

According to CryptoPotato, a recent CoinGecko report offers a contrasting perspective on the rumored demise of non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The NFT sector has experienced a significant slump due to the broader market downturn, but CoinGecko's data suggests that interest in NFTs remains strong. Nakamigos is currently the most popular NFT on CoinGecko, with 1,234 users adding it to their watchlists. Yuga Labs' Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) follows closely behind with 1,076 users, while CyberKongz and bitmap have 867 and 851 watchlist entries, respectively. Among NFTs launched in 2022, Pixelmon has gained the most attention, particularly after the project's revival, and now sits on 786 user watchlists. CoinGecko's data also reveals that all of the top 30 most sought-after NFT collections have garnered the attention of 400 or more users who have added them to their watchlists. NFTs created in 2021 continue to maintain their strong appeal, occupying 12 out of the top 30 spots on CoinGecko's popularity rankings. The aggregator stated that these 2021 NFTs managed to remain relevant over time, demonstrating resilience in terms of their reputation and community support. As of now, 2023 NFTs hold nine positions within the top 30, edging out their 2022 counterparts, which account for eight slots. This trend may suggest that 2022 was a challenging year for NFT collections, offering a slightly more optimistic outlook for 2023. With several months remaining in the year, it remains uncertain whether more 2023 NFT collections will rise in popularity. Despite the prolonged bear market, CoinGecko's latest report suggests that not much has changed, with a majority of the most popular collections still being Ethereum NFTs, comprising 24 out of the top 30 rankings.

According to Coincu, Cream Finance, a decentralized lending protocol, has seen its token, CREAM, surge by 82% following the release of its 3-Year Staking contract. On September 24, Spot On Chain reported that Cream Finance disbursed 241,415 CREAM tokens, valued at $4.27 million, to 19 different addresses over the past 10 hours. Prominent figure Huang Licheng, also known as Machi Big Brother, received the majority of the tokens, obtaining 215,236 CREAM tokens worth $3.8 million, and subsequently staked them. In addition to Huang's involvement, 13 other addresses have sold 5,409 CREAM tokens, valued at $99,200, through various platforms such as Binance, Gate, or decentralized exchanges (DEX). Cream Finance is part of the expanding decentralized financial ecosystem and is positioned as an open-source, permissionless, and blockchain-agnostic protocol. It aims to provide access to financial services for institutions, individuals, and other protocols. However, caution is advised, as short-term price fluctuations may not signify sustainable growth. Huang Licheng recently withdrew from a lawsuit involving on-chain detective ZachXBT, which brought to light allegations of embezzlement related to Huang's previous involvement in crypto projects. Huang has vehemently denied these accusations. As Cream Finance continues to make waves in the crypto space, investors are advised to exercise prudence in response to volatile price movements and ongoing controversies surrounding key figures like Huang Licheng.

Today’s Fear & Greed Index is 44. The level is Fear. According to Alternative.me, the Crypto Fear and Greed Index stands at 44 (noon, UTC+0), landing in the “Fear” segment. This signifies a high level of pessimism among the majority of cryptocurrency investors. Compared to yesterday, the Greed level has a significant decrease from 47 to 43. Throughout the previous week, the index fluctuated from 46 to 44 indicating a decreasing level of Greed in the market. The Fear & Greed index is measured from 0 to 100, with 0 representing "Extreme Fear" and 100 representing "Extreme Greed." The index calculates the factors of volatility (25%), market momentum/volume (25%), social media (15%), dominance (10%), Google trends (10%), and survey (15% - currently paused).  

According to Foresight News, the Terra Classic community has voted to halt the minting of Terra Classic USD (USTC) in order to protect the community and external investors who are currently destroying USTC to help restore its peg. The proposal passed with a 59% approval rate. USTC, formerly known as UST, has seen approximately 75 billion tokens destroyed by the community since May last year, accounting for nearly 1% of the nearly 6 trillion circulating supply. The current price of USTC is $0.012.

According to Foresight News, interest-bearing stablecoin protocol Lybra Finance has announced the migration deadline for Lybra V1. The deadline is set for October 1 at 8:00 Beijing time. Any V1 LBR tokens that have not been migrated before the deadline will be permanently removed from the circulating supply.

According to Foresight News, the 19th Hangzhou Asian Games officially kicked off with a first-of-its-kind digital torch lighting ceremony. Over 100 million digital torchbearers participated in the event through the Alipay app, culminating in the lighting of a large lotus flower. Following the ceremony, each digital torchbearer received a unique digital certificate, stored on the AntChain using distributed technology, commemorating the moment the torch was lit. The Asian Games' digital main torch tower used Whale Explorer as the issuing platform, with AntChain providing the technical implementation for on-chain confirmation, storage, and issuance. All digital information was recorded on the blockchain, and each collectible was assigned a unique hash value through smart contract technology. These values were then distributed to users who purchased them in real-time, ensuring transparency, immutability, and non-duplicability.

According to CryptoPotato, the Bank of Russia is considering 2025 as the year for widespread adoption of the digital ruble, the country's central bank digital currency (CBDC). This move reflects the central bank's strategic approach to modernizing the nation's payment landscape. Olga Skorobogatova, the first deputy governor of the Bank of Russia, emphasized that the digital ruble is seen as an additional payment method alongside existing options like the Faster Payments System, Mir payment cards, QR code/NFC payments, biometrics-based payments, and cash. The digital ruble is intended to coexist with physical cash, not replace it. The Bank of Russia aims to establish agreements with China, India, and the UAE to connect their payment systems, enabling Russians to use the digital ruble for overseas transactions. The bank initiated CBDC trials in 11 cities across Russia approximately a month ago. However, Russian officials have acknowledged that CBDC trials can only be conducted with technologically capable and friendly nations.

According to Coincu, research by SixdegreeLab has found that after the launch of ERC-4337 account abstraction, AA Wallet Adoption has increased significantly, with over 687,000 AA wallets created across multiple chains in six months. However, 88.24% of these wallets were used five times or less, primarily for basic tasks such as transferring assets or minting NFTs. Approximately 15,000 Bundlers played a crucial role in packaging and processing user operations, with Pimlico dominating the market share. Alchemy generated around $20,000 in revenue, but 97.18% of bundled transactions had only one user operation, leaving about 90% of Bundlers unprofitable. Meanwhile, 117 Paymasters covered users' gas fees, totaling $465,000, with Pimlico accounting for 43.45% of this amount. Wallet Factory deployment through ZeroDev was chosen by 62.63% of the accounts, and the LEGO method was the most preferred approach for constructing AA wallets, using Bundler, Paymaster, and Wallet Factory components from different third-party providers.

According to CryptoPotato, the Federal Reserve has published a comprehensive working paper examining asset tokenization and Risk-Weighted Assets (RWA). As the financial landscape evolves, these innovative financial instruments are attracting significant attention for their potential to transform investment strategies and reshape traditional markets. The paper outlines that tokenization, similar to stablecoins, consists of five core components: a blockchain, a reference asset, a valuation mechanism, storage or custody, and redemption mechanisms. These elements establish connections between crypto markets and reference assets, enhancing understanding of their impact on conventional financial systems. As of May 2023, the estimated market value of tokenized assets on permissionless blockchains is $2.15 billion. This valuation includes tokens issued by decentralized protocols like Centrifuge and established companies such as Paxos Trust. Despite the challenge of obtaining comprehensive time-series data due to variability in tokenization designs and levels of transparency, DeFi Llama data reveals a growing trend in tokenization within the DeFi ecosystem. Asset tokenization offers access to previously inaccessible or costly markets, such as real estate, where investors can acquire shares in specific properties. Its programmable nature and smart contract capabilities allow liquidity-saving mechanisms in settlement processes, enhancing efficiency. Tokenizations also enable lending using tokens as collateral, providing a new financing avenue. Transactions involving tokenized assets settle more quickly than traditional reference assets, potentially revolutionizing settlement processes in the financial industry. However, there are concerns regarding financial stability. The potential for growth in tokenized markets raises concerns about fragility within crypto-asset markets and implications for the traditional financial system. The primary long-term concern focuses on the interconnections between the digital asset ecosystem and the traditional financial system through tokenization redemption mechanisms. In instances where reference assets lack liquidity, stress transmission vulnerabilities may arise. This risk mirrors concerns raised in the ETF market, where the paper explains that liquidity, price discovery, and volatility of ETFs closely align with their underlying assets. As tokenization expands, traditional financial institutions may become increasingly exposed to crypto-asset markets through direct ownership or collateralization, introducing new dynamics and interconnections that could influence market behaviors in unforeseen ways.

According to Coincu, Bitcoin analyst Willy Woo recently discussed the ratio between paper BTC and highly liquid real BTC used for spot trading at the Token2049 event. Woo suggested that the paper BTC to real BTC ratio falls in the 20%-30% range. However, Twitter user therationalroot revisited Woo's original chart and stated that Woo's reevaluation indicated a 'dilution' of 20-30%. When considering Liquid Supply, therationalroot suggested that the range narrows to 10-20%, providing a more accurate estimate of actively traded supply. To gauge the division of liquidity supply, analytics platform Glassnode employs a metric based on cumulative outflows and inflows throughout an entity's life cycle. This approach offers valuable insights into the evolving dynamics of paper BTC versus real BTC. It is important to note that the information provided is general market commentary and does not constitute investment advice. Individuals are encouraged to conduct their own research before investing.

According to Coincu, Lumerin has launched a decentralized Bitcoin hash rate market on the Arbitrum network, aiming to disrupt the Bitcoin mining industry by offering decentralization, operational risk management, and dynamic hashpower control. The choice of Arbitrum ensures a superior user experience, faster transactions, and reduced gas fees, making Bitcoin hash rate trading more accessible and liquid while promoting decentralization in the mining sector. Lumerin's hash rate marketplace offers several benefits that can reshape the landscape of Bitcoin mining, including decentralization, operational risk management, dynamic hashpower management, and arbitrage opportunities. By opening a market where anyone can seamlessly buy, sell, and trade computing power, Lumerin's platform reduces the dominance of a few major players in the Bitcoin mining space. Businesses operating within the sector can now manage operational risk more effectively by setting fixed prices, providing predictability in earnings, and reducing the need for substantial investments in rapidly depreciating mining equipment. The selection of Arbitrum as the platform for Lumerin's hash rate marketplace is strategic, offering several advantages such as a superior user experience, faster transaction processing, and reduced gas fees. These benefits contribute to making Bitcoin hash rate trading more liquid and accessible to a broader range of participants. By launching this pioneering platform, Lumerin aims to usher in a new era of transparency, efficiency, and inclusivity in the Bitcoin mining sector, empowering a wider community of participants and reducing the centralized control that has historically dominated the industry.

According to Foresight News, AntPool Chief Operating Officer Eda spoke at the 2023 Global Digital Mining Summit, hosted by Bitmain, about the ongoing development and increasing sophistication of mining equipment in anticipation of the Bitcoin halving event in April next year. Currently, the United States accounts for 50% of global mining activity in terms of Bitcoin's hashrate distribution. The scale of mining companies in North America continues to expand, with a growing trend towards compliant operations. Additionally, some companies are investing more in the energy sector, making Bitcoin mining increasingly energy-intensive.