According to Foresight News, Twitter user @zad1130 has compiled data showing that several of the top 10 projects under the Runes Protocol have been deployed by well-known individuals and project teams. These include the Uncommon·Goods project, deployed by Ordinals founder Casey, and the Z•Z•Z•Z•Z•FEHU•Z•Z•Z•Z•Z project, deployed by the Bitcoin Rollup project FehuLayer. The DOG•GO•TO•THE•MOON project, deployed by Ordinals developer Leonidas, and the THE•RUNIX•TOKEN project, deployed by the modular project Bitcoin Virtual Machine, are also part of this list. The RSIC•GENESIS•RUNE project, deployed by Runecoin, is another notable project under the Runes Protocol. This data highlights the involvement of prominent figures and teams in the development and deployment of projects under the Runes Protocol.

According to Foresight News, RSIC Metaprotocol has seen a significant decrease in its floor price. The floor price fell to 0.037 BTC, marking a drop of over 50% within a span of two hours. This data was provided by Magic Eden. The sudden drop in the floor price of RSIC Metaprotocol has raised concerns among investors and market watchers. However, the reasons behind this drastic drop remain unclear. Further updates and analysis are expected as the situation unfolds.

According to BlockBeats, on April 20th, data from HODL15Capital revealed that BlackRock's IBIT experienced a net inflow of $30 million. Although the BRRR data has not been published yet, it has been confirmed that the overall situation has reversed the continuous net outflow. This significant inflow marks a notable shift in the trend for IBIT, which had been experiencing a continuous net outflow. The exact reasons behind this shift are not yet clear, but it is a positive sign for the fund. Further details, including the BRRR data, are expected to provide more insight into this development. However, the confirmation of the reversal in the net outflow situation is a significant piece of news for IBIT and its investors.

According to CryptoSlate: Chainalysis has put forward a Polkadot governance proposal on April 18, potentially leading to a $10 million collaboration. Under this proposed partnership, Chainalysis will provide services such as monitoring and tracing DOT token activities on the Relay Chain, and ensuring visibility of potentially risky on-chain actions for regulators and institutional entities. The main focus is to upkeep a strong standing with regulatory authorities while cultivating a risk-aware setting. Moreover, Chainalysis will provide on-chain intelligence solutions to cater to the needs of institutions related to the listing of the DOT token, incorporating aspects like investigations, compliance, and usage growth scenarios. The collaboration also implies joint initiatives to promote and highlight the partnership and Chainalysis's contribution to Polkadot's compliance framework. Chainalysis's proposal solicits 1,000,000 of Polkadot's DOT tokens or an equivalent value in USD (approximately $6.82 million as of now) for a three-year contract. However, the proposal appears to have garnered only scant support from the Pokadot community thus far. Despite this, the proposal, if successful, promises significant advantages like enhancing market capitalization, market share, adoption, institutional popularity alongside averting fines and reputation damage deriving from regulatory concerns. The deadline for voting ends on May 16.

According to Foresight News, Antpool, a digital currency mining platform, has announced an upgrade to its BTC transaction acceleration services. This upgrade aims to secure priority for users' transactions on the blockchain. Antpool stated that following the halving of BTC, the network experienced historic congestion. The platform's transaction acceleration services are dedicated to providing a fast track for user transactions, ensuring they are prioritized for confirmation.

On Apr 20, 2024, 01:02 AM (UTC). According to Binance Market Data, BNB has dropped below 550 USDT and is now trading at 549.900024 USDT, with a narrowed 0.92% increase in 24 hours.

Farside Investors' data reported on April 20 indicated that Grayscale's GBTC saw a net outflow of $45.8 million. In the same context, Fidelity's FBTC registered a net inflow of $54.8 million, fully countering GBTC's outflow. While BlackRock's IBIT data hasn't been disclosed as of yet, the overall net inflow has been essentially confirmed by these figures.  

According to PANews, Friend.Tech has announced on Twitter that the relevant audit has been completed and they plan to launch the V2 version on April 29. The announcement did not provide further details about the audit or the upcoming version. It is expected that more information will be released closer to the launch date.

According to Bloomberg, the much-anticipated Bitcoin halving event took place recently, reducing the mining reward by half. This event, which occurs every four years, is designed to limit the number of Bitcoins in circulation to a maximum of 21 million, as per the original cryptocurrency's code. The halving mechanism was introduced by Bitcoin's anonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, to prevent inflation. The halving event, which was the fourth since 2012, reduced the daily reward for miners from 900 to 450 Bitcoins. Despite the reduction, Bitcoin advocates remain optimistic about the cryptocurrency's future. However, market watchers have noted that the halving was already factored into the price, resulting in limited price movement. The impact of Bitcoin mining on the total number of tokens in circulation decreases with each halving. For instance, the number of tokens mined after the first halving represented 50% of the total Bitcoins at the time, while the new supply in the upcoming cycle will only account for 3.3%. The halving event is expected to have a more significant impact on Bitcoin mining companies than on the cryptocurrency's price. Bitcoin mining, which is an energy-intensive process, involves using specialized computers to validate transactions on the blockchain. Large-scale miners are expected to consolidate, with publicly-traded firms gaining market share due to their greater access to funding and ability to invest in more efficient equipment. The next Bitcoin halving is scheduled for 2028, reducing the reward for miners to 1.5625 from 3.125 for successfully processing a block of transaction data. Once the 21 million cap is reached, miners will have to rely on transaction fees, which currently constitute a small portion of their total revenue.

On Apr 20, 2024, 00:24 AM (UTC). According to Binance Market Data, Bitcoin has crossed the 64,000 USDT benchmark and is now trading at 64,158.011719 USDT, with a 1.84% increase in 24 hours.

On April 20, 2024, at 00:09 (UTC) Bitcoin carried out its fourth "halving" event at the block height of 840,000. The mining reward of the Bitcoin network dropped by 50%, from 6.25 BTC to 3.125 BTC. This monumental event follows the previous halving, which happened on May 11, 2020.

According to CoinDesk: The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has offered a preview of what could be the first-ever crypto tax reporting form, known as the 1099-DA. Intended to report brokered digital asset transactions, the draft form includes individual token codes, wallet addresses, and spaces for finding transactions on the related blockchains. The form, labeled for 2025, reveals that the IRS will require brokers to report proceeds from digital asset dispositions to both taxpayers and the IRS. However, the unveiling is preliminary and subject to changes depending on the final crypto tax rule implementation. Industry stakeholders are seeking more clarity, primarily on how the IRS will define digital asset brokers required to comply with the new system, potentially encompassing wallet providers, decentralized platforms, and payment processors. The current draft provides categories for brokers, including kiosk operators, digital asset payment processors, hosted/unhosted wallet providers, and more. Amid this, questions arise about how centralized exchanges or decentralized protocols fit into these categories and how a digital asset registry would function, given that none currently exists. While the form resembles traditional financial reporting forms like 1099-B, public opinion has been invited on this draft, and the final rule's completion date remains unknown.

According to CryptoPotato, Yuga Labs, the creator of the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) NFT collection, has sold the intellectual property rights for two of its games. This decision aligns with Yuga Labs' previously stated commitment to refocus its organizational efforts. The IP rights of HV-MTL and Legends of the Mara have been transferred to Faraway. Spencer Tucker, Yuga Labs’ chief gaming officer, will transition to Faraway’s chief product officer, ensuring continuity in the development of these games under new leadership. Faraway has expressed excitement about the acquisition and plans to build on the strong foundation that Yuga Labs has created. The immediate goal for Faraway is to drive as much utility as possible to the primary NFTs that make up these collections. Faraway also plans to introduce a points system for HV-MTL and Legends of the Mara NFTs to enhance community engagement and reward collectors. This move is in line with Yuga Labs' broader initiative to 'unshackle' its team, which was initiated when co-founder Greg Solano returned to Yuga and took the CEO role in February. Solano emphasized the goal of giving more freedom and flexibility to the BAYC team to pursue its vision, aiming for heightened focus and agility within the organization. HV-MTL is a game centered around NFT-based mech combat, allowing players to manage and upgrade their NFTs within various environments. Legends of the Mara is an adventure game that debuted in the Otherside metaverse on April 30, 2022. This collaboration between Yuga Labs and Faraway builds upon their previous partnership, which saw Faraway develop a Mutant Ape Yacht Club-themed game titled Serum City. The announcement comes at a time when the broader NFT market is experiencing a downturn, with flagship collections such as BAYC facing significant challenges. At the time of this writing, the floor price of the BAYC collection is 11.5 Ether (ETH), equivalent to approximately $34,200, a decrease of over 90% from its all-time high of 153.7 ETH.

According to CryptoPotato, Ethereum, a decentralized network, has generated a profit of $369 million in the first quarter of 2024. If this profit level continues, the blockchain could generate around $1.5 billion for the year. The revenue model of Ethereum is based on network fees, which are the gas users pay for making transactions. Gas costs spiked in early March but have now fallen back to yearly lows. A portion of the ETH is burned and removed from circulation for every transaction, which benefits existing ETH holders as issuance becomes deflationary during times of high demand. The issuance of new ETH to the network’s validators and stakers as an additional economic reward is considered as 'expenses'. The difference between the daily USD value of the burned ETH (revenue) and the newly issued ETH (expenses) represents the daily earnings for existing ETH holders. Crypto investor Ryan Sean Adams stated that Ethereum is unlike other blockchains, having generated almost $1 billion in earnings over the past 18 months. This places Ethereum among the top 20 entities globally in terms of buyback yield at 0.23%. On April 19, venture capitalist Tomasz Tunguz stated that Ethereum was the most profitable software company in Q1 2024, generating $370 million in profit on $825 million in revenue, equating to about a 45% net income margin. If Ethereum were to trade on the New York Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ, it would top the net income margin (%) charts, surpassing Microsoft, Adobe, and Veeva. Despite these impressive figures, ETH markets experienced a dip, with the asset dropping below $3,000 for the first time in two months. However, the trend started to change in the following hours, and ETH bounced off to about $3,100. The asset has now retreated almost 25% from its 2024 peak and remains down 38% from its 2021 all-time high.

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.