On Apr 19, 2024, 19:56 PM(UTC). According to Binance Market Data, Ethereum has crossed the 3,100 USDT benchmark and is now trading at 3,100.800049 USDT, with a 1.37% increase in 24 hours.

According to CryptoPotato, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has reiterated the company's commitment to global expansion, despite facing regulatory challenges in the United States. Garlinghouse recently unveiled the company's strategy for the near future, assuring that global expansion remains a top priority. He stated, 'We are going to keep expanding even though the US market, partly from a regulatory point of view, has been slow to adopt. The non-US market has been really, really strong for us.' Garlinghouse also highlighted Ripple's goal of dominating the new financial infrastructure, emphasizing the potential role of XRP in the future monetary landscape. He said, 'We think that opportunity is huge, we think that’s going to be great for Ripple, we think it’s going to be great for XRP so I’m very very optimistic about that. I just think that the US needs to figure it out.' Furthermore, he touched upon the company's intentions to launch a stablecoin pegged to the American dollar, stating that this move would bridge the gap between traditional finance and the cryptocurrency sector. The future progress of Ripple and a potential rally of XRP largely depend on the outcome of the ongoing trial between the company and the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The legal dispute began over three years ago when the commission accused Ripple of illegally raising more than $1.3 billion in an unregistered securities offering by selling XRP. Ripple, however, maintains that its native token should not be considered a security. The lawsuit is set to move to a grand trial on April 23. So far, Ripple has achieved three partial court wins, with many industry participants expecting a decisive victory in the coming months.

On Apr 19, 2024, 16:19 PM(UTC). According to Binance Market Data, Bitcoin has dropped below 64,000 USDT and is now trading at 63,975 USDT, with a narrowed 0.81% increase in 24 hours.

According to BlockBeats, Fjord Foundry, a prominent platform, has successfully raised $15.35 million on April 19. The funds were raised through a Liquidity Bootstrapping Pool (LBP). The Fully Diluted Valuation (FDV) calculated at the end of the fundraising period was $232 million. The successful fundraising event marks a significant milestone for Fjord Foundry. The funds raised will be used to further develop and expand the platform. The Liquidity Bootstrapping Pool is a novel fundraising method that allows for a fair and efficient distribution of tokens. It has been gaining popularity among blockchain platforms due to its efficiency and transparency. The FDV of $232 million indicates the potential value of Fjord Foundry. It is calculated based on the current token price and the total number of tokens, including those not yet in circulation. This high valuation reflects the confidence of investors in the future growth and success of Fjord Foundry. This news comes as a positive development for Fjord Foundry and its stakeholders. The successful fundraising and high FDV indicate a promising future for the platform. The funds raised will be instrumental in driving the platform's growth and expansion in the coming years.

According to CryptoPotato, a federal jury has found Avraham Eisenberg, a cryptocurrency trader, guilty of fraud and market manipulation. The charges were related to Eisenberg's exploitation of Mango Markets, a decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol built on the Solana blockchain. This is the first criminal case by the U.S. Department of Justice targeting cryptocurrency market manipulation. Eisenberg, 28, was convicted in a federal court in Manhattan on charges of commodities fraud, commodities manipulation, and wire fraud. Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, stated that Eisenberg executed a manipulative trading scheme on a cryptocurrency exchange, defrauding the exchange and its investors out of $110 million. Mango Markets is a decentralized platform managed by Mango DAO that facilitates the lending, borrowing, swapping, and leveraged trading of cryptocurrencies. During the trial, it was revealed that Eisenberg used two accounts to execute simultaneous buy and sell orders for futures contracts tied to the value of Mango’s native token, MNGO, and the stablecoin USD Coin on October 11, 2022. These manipulative trades inflated the value of his contracts by 1,300% in just 20 minutes, enabling Eisenberg to borrow against his artificially inflated holdings and withdraw approximately $110 million worth of various cryptocurrencies. Despite Eisenberg’s claims that his trades were lawful and transparent, the jury’s deliberations concluded in less than a day. Eisenberg’s attorney, Brian Klein, expressed disappointment and announced plans to pursue post-trial motions to advocate for his client. Eisenberg has agreed to return $67 million on the condition that other token holders refrain from pursuing legal action against him or freezing his assets. Following his arrest on December 26, 2022, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Eisenberg has remained in custody after prosecutors argued that he posed a flight risk. Timothy Langan, Executive Assistant Director of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch, commented on the case, emphasizing the agency’s commitment to holding individuals accountable for fraudulent activities. Eisenberg’s sentencing is scheduled for July 29, with potential penalties including a maximum of 10 years in prison for commodities fraud and manipulation and up to 20 years for wire fraud.

On Apr 19, 2024, 15:30 PM(UTC). According to Binance Market Data, BNB has crossed the 560 USDT benchmark and is now trading at 560.200012 USDT, with a 1.80% increase in 24 hours.

According to Foresight News, the Polygon Staking address has reportedly received a transfer of 40 million MATIC tokens. The transaction, which took place around 23:09, is estimated to be worth approximately $27,237,208. This significant transfer indicates a substantial investment in the Polygon network, further solidifying its position in the cryptocurrency market. The MATIC tokens are integral to the operation of the Polygon network, used for payment services and transaction fees. The transfer of such a large amount of tokens could potentially influence the network's overall performance and value.

According to Foresight News, Tether, the largest issuer of the cryptocurrency USDT, has sold 90 million USDT to Cumberland DRW. This transaction took place 50 minutes ago, as monitored by @ai_9684xtpa. Over the past six months, Tether has minted 5.88 billion USDT for this address. Cumberland DRW is a significant player in the cryptocurrency market, and this recent transaction further solidifies its position. The sale of such a large amount of USDT indicates the growing demand for this cryptocurrency. Tether's role as the largest issuer of USDT is significant in the crypto market, and transactions like these are closely watched by investors and market analysts.

According to BlockBeats, on April 19, MyShell, a decentralized AI content platform, announced the launch of the world's first AI consumer Layer2 network. The network aims to connect users, creators, and open-source AI model researchers. The technology for this network is provided by EigenDA and Optimism, and it has partnered with AltLayer. Currently, over 50,000 creators are building innovative AI applications on MyShell. However, in this frontier field of decentralized AI, various parts are still scattered and lack unified deployment and interaction channels. MyShell Layer2 aims to break through this barrier, achieve seamless docking of various protocols, and unleash the infinite potential of AI Dapps. MyShell has accumulated 1.2 million users, and such a large ecosystem needs a secure, open network to support it. MyShell Layer2 uses EigenDA technology to achieve scalable and secure data availability sampling, providing a throughput of 10 MB/s and achieving a five-fold expansion, while maintaining consistency with Ethereum consensus. In addition, by utilizing Optimism's modular Rollup technology stack, MyShell Layer2 can provide low-cost, high-throughput services for all AI protocols and Dapps while inheriting Ethereum's security. It is reported that the MyShell Layer2 test network will be launched next week, with security deployment provided by AltLayer.

According to PANews, Telegram Wallet, a custodial wallet bot on Telegram, has announced several updates. These include supporting users to transfer USDT to their Telegram contacts for free and allowing free withdrawals of USDT to external TON wallets until the end of June. From next week, participants in Wallet Earn can earn an annual interest rate of 50% on their balance. Additionally, starting next week, users will be able to set passwords in their wallets to enhance security. The updates also include support for users to directly send tokens and NFTs to their Telegram contacts. These updates aim to improve the user experience and provide more financial opportunities for Telegram Wallet users. The introduction of free USDT transfers and withdrawals, as well as the ability to earn interest on balances, are significant steps towards this goal. The addition of enhanced security measures and the ability to send tokens and NFTs directly to contacts further enrich the platform's offerings.

According to PANews, Tether, a stablecoin issuer, has partnered with the TON Foundation to allow customers to send encrypted payments using Telegram's instant messaging service. This was revealed by Tether's CEO, Paolo Ardoino, during an interview at the Token2049 crypto conference held in Dubai on Friday. Ardoino stated that they could create the first truly powerful application that can serve as both a communication system and a bank account. Ardoino further disclosed that Tether closely collaborates with 124 law enforcement agencies from 40 different countries and complies with the sanction rules of the Office of Foreign Assets Control. The company has the capability to freeze assets when required by law enforcement agencies. Since its establishment in 2014, Tether has cooperated with law enforcement departments and frozen $1.1 billion in funds. The company now releases proof of assets supporting its reserves every quarter, with over $90 billion in US Treasury bonds backing USDT. The stablecoin's circulating supply coverage rate is 106%. The company made a profit of $6 billion last year, of which $5 billion was used for its reserves, as the company prioritizes redeemability. Steve Yun, Chairman of the TON Foundation, expressed his desire to introduce more of Telegram's 900 million users to the TON blockchain and crypto wallet during an interview at the conference. He stated that many users are looking for simple and effective remittance methods, and there is a huge demand for storing wealth in dollars in emerging markets. Earlier, Tether's CEO announced that USDT would be launched on the TON network on April 20, and XAUT would be launched on the TON network in the coming months.

According to Foresight News, Ton Wallet users are now able to transfer USDT to their contacts for free. As of the end of June, withdrawals to external TON wallets are also free of charge. In addition, Ton Wallet, in collaboration with the TON Foundation, is distributing TON tokens worth $30 million to USDT holders. Starting next week, participants can also earn a 50% annual rate through their balance.

According to BlockBeats, concerns over the rapid increase in US government debt have been identified as a partial reason for the recent surge in the prices of Bitcoin and gold. Despite this, the US Treasury market remains relatively optimistic about the country's fiscal prospects. The US budget deficit for the fiscal year 2023 has expanded to $1.7 trillion and is expected to reach $2.6 trillion by 2034. Concurrently, US public debt is projected to reach 106% of GDP by 2028, higher than the 97% in the fiscal year 2023. Since 2007, the scale of US debt has soared from $5 trillion to $27 trillion. The growing US government debt has garnered more attention, with interest payments occupying a larger proportion, sometimes even exceeding defense spending. This deteriorating trend has driven demand for Bitcoin and gold, which are often used as tools to hedge against inflation and the decline in the purchasing power of the dollar. Brad Bechtel, Global Head of Foreign Exchange at Jefferies, stated that concerns about the US debt cycle and the devaluation of legal currency have driven the narrative for Bitcoin and gold, leading investors to allocate more to these assets. Lawrence H. White, an economics professor at George Mason University, believes that interest in Bitcoin and gold also stems from intensified inflation turbulence. More worryingly, debt and deficits are still rising in times of peace and full employment, which could trigger a larger increase in debt during the next recession. In addition to hedging risks, the rise in Bitcoin prices is also influenced by the launch of new ETFs and the upcoming halving event. Gold, on the other hand, has reached a historic high due to expectations of interest rate cuts by central banks and the demand for diversification of foreign reserves. Despite this, the rapid deterioration of the US fiscal situation remains a major concern for some investors. Market strategist Michael Hartnett pointed out that the recent highs in gold and tech stocks indicate that the US may have to adopt policies such as yield curve control to prevent a debt crisis. However, Nicholas Colas, co-founder of DataTrek Research, stated that several indicators in the current Treasury market show that bonds have not yet reflected the expected deterioration in fiscal prospects. Investors still regard the dollar as a reserve currency and US bonds as relatively safe assets. If seeking large-scale risk-free assets, the US bond market remains the first choice.

According to Foresight News, the Injective token economics upgrade proposal, INJ 3.0, has opened for voting. The proposal aims to reduce the issuance of new INJ by decreasing on-chain parameters, making it a more deflationary cryptocurrency than before. The plan is to gradually decrease the INJ inflation rate over two years and increase the responsiveness to staking activities, making INJ a more inflation-resistant cryptocurrency. The voting will conclude on April 23.

According to BlockBeats, on April 19, Leonidas, a developer of the Ordinals Protocol, shared some advice on Rune casting on social media platforms. The advice aims to help participants avoid risks and participate in Rune casting wisely. Leonidas pointed out that due to the slow block time of Bitcoin, when a Rune is about to be cast, users need to pay significantly higher fees than others to ensure the transaction is quickly added to the blockchain. Otherwise, not only will the casting fail, but the fees will also be lost. He suggested treating the Mempool as an auction house, where the transaction of the highest bidder will be prioritized. Furthermore, if it is anticipated that a Rune will not be cast quickly, it is wiser to choose a time when the fees are lower for casting. Additionally, it is important to understand the casting mechanism before casting. For instance, the casting window for UNCOMMON•GOODS, initiated by Casey, lasts for four years. Participating at a time when Bitcoin fees are at a historic high is undoubtedly unwise. Leonidas also reminded to pay attention to the pre-casting volume of the Rune initiator. Usually, anything over 10% is considered greedy, while around 5% is reasonable. He advised treating Rune casting as a purchase and estimating the market value in advance. For example, if a Rune requires 100,000 casts, and the cost of a single cast is $100, it is equivalent to purchasing the Rune at a market value of $10 million. Finding the Rune that requires the least number of casts allows one to obtain a Rune with a number less than 100 at the lowest market value.

According to PANews, Injective's Layer 1 blockchain network has announced a proposal for a significant upgrade. If approved, this upgrade could transform the INJ token economy, making it one of the most deflationary assets to date. INJ stakeholders and validators have four days to vote in support of proposal IIP-392. The proposal includes two main points. Firstly, it suggests reducing the inflation rate limit. The current lower limit is set at 5%, with a recommendation to decrease it by 25% quarterly over the next two years. The upper limit is currently set at 10%, with a suggestion to reduce it by 30% over the same period. Secondly, the proposal aims to increase the inflation rate change parameter from 0.1 to 0.5, enhancing its responsiveness to staking activities. This proposal represents a significant shift in the INJ token economy, potentially making it one of the most deflationary assets. The decision now lies with the INJ stakeholders and validators, who have a four-day voting period to decide on the future of the INJ token economy.

According to Foresight News, blockchain analysis platform Arkham has announced its integration with Manta Pacific. This new development allows Arkham to support data from Manta Pacific, including the ability to inspect addresses and entities on Manta Pacific. Furthermore, it enhances Arkham's monitoring capabilities of Decentralized Finance (DeFi) activities such as bridging, swapping, and lending. This integration is expected to significantly improve Arkham's functionality and its ability to provide comprehensive blockchain analysis.

According to PANews, a report by BleepingComputer has revealed that threat actors have found a way to promote a counterfeit version of Whales Market. The fake version is presented as a sponsored link, positioned at the top of Google search results. Despite the domain address displayed on the search results page appearing legitimate, users are redirected to a counterfeit website upon clicking. The malicious actors have registered multiple domains imitating Whales Market, including inactive ones such as www.whaless.market. The counterfeit version replicates the interface of the genuine Whales Market website, deceiving users into connecting their digital wallets. However, once the malicious script is activated, it steals cryptocurrency from the victims' wallets.

According to PANews, MicroStrategy founder Michael Saylor signed a stock sale agreement last year that allowed him to sell up to 400,000 shares by April this year. The latest documents reveal that over 90% of the plan has been completed as of this week, meaning that Saylor has sold 370,000 shares, netting him approximately $370 million. Despite a slight dip in the past month, MicroStrategy's stock price has still seen a significant increase this year, rising over 90% following a 346% surge in 2023.

According to Foresight News, Paolo Ardoino, the CEO of Tether, made a statement at Token 2049, claiming that Tether has a 106% reserve backing and holds excess liquidity. He further elaborated that Tether has quickly become one of the largest holders of US Treasury bonds. Ardoino compared Tether's holdings to China's US debt, which was approximately $3 trillion 2 to 3 years ago and is around $700 billion today. He stated that the US Treasury bonds held by Tether are 12% to 13% of what China currently holds. This indicates that Tether has rapidly ascended to become one of the major holders of US debt.