Today's news tips:
1. US court preliminarily approves Binance.US to acquire Voyager assets for $1 billion
2. The digital RMB's no-network and no-electricity payment function is officially launched
3. AEX founder: Will actively take responsibility, the main task is to promote asset exchange to solve user demands
4. Dutch crypto exchange Bitvavo rejects DCG's proposal to repay 70% of debt
5. Options trading firm Group One acquires 13.5% stake in MicroStrategy
6. Not Boring Capital launches a new fund of $30 million to invest in areas such as Web3
7. Web3 social wallet The Easy Company completes $14.2 million seed round financing
8. Data: CME three-month Bitcoin futures have a positive premium for the first time since FTX bankruptcy
Regulatory News
US court grants preliminary approval to Binance.US to acquire Voyager assets for $1 billion
On Tuesday, bankrupt crypto lender Voyager Digital received preliminary court approval to sell its assets to Binance.US for $1 billion and said it would seek to expedite a U.S. national security review of the deal, Reuters reported.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Michael Wiles ruled in favor of Voyager in a $1 billion asset purchase agreement with Binance.US and asked creditors to vote on the sale, which will not become final until a future court hearing. Voyager's attorney Joshua Sussberg said of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS)'s concerns over the holiday period: "Voyager intends to address any issues that may cause CFIUS to oppose this transaction. We are coordinating with Binance and its counsel to not only handle this investigation, but also to proactively file applications to move this process forward."
In addition to CFIUS, Voyager's proposed sale also faced opposition from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and state securities regulators. Despite those objections, the judge allowed Voyager to proceed and said securities regulators would be allowed to object to final approval of the sale in the future.
NFT
Warner Bros.' official "Game of Thrones" NFT is now available on Nifty
According to the official Twitter, Warner Bros.' official "Game of Thrones" NFT "Game of Thrones: Build Your Realm" has been launched on the NFT platform Nifty, priced at US$150 (approximately 0.11 ETH), with a total of 4,950 pieces (3,450 pre-sale pieces and 1,500 public sale pieces).
It is reported that this release is the first series of "Game of Thrones: Build Your Realm" NFT, which currently only supports the Nifty platform. It is reported that the second series will be launched soon and will be launched on OpenSea.
Earlier last year, it was reported that Warner Bros. will cooperate with Nifty's to launch the "Game of Thrones" NFT series, which is scheduled to be released on January 10, 2023.
Porsche China's "911 – Dreamer" series of digital collections will be available for sale on January 23
According to official news, Porsche China's "911-Dreamer" series of digital collections will be sold publicly from 9:11 on January 23 to 24:00 on January 31. This 911-Dreamer series of collections is limited to 996 pieces. The collector's dreamer journey will start with a white Porsche 911 digital collection. After owning this "Departure" digital collection, the collector can change the theme of this dream canvas in the future. Choose your favorite theme from the six different themes of Dream, Eternity, Exclusive, Extreme, Adventure and Pioneer to add color to your dream and finally get a 911 digital collection with a unique skin.
At the same time, collectors will have additional benefits including physical gifts and offline event spots. Porsche China hopes to build a deeply co-created Web3.0 community with collectors in the future. Currently, the priority purchase channels for Porsche owners and Porsche employees and partners have been opened and will be closed at 24:00 on January 22.
Previously, Porsche launched a whitelist registration for the 911 model-themed NFT series for overseas users in late December last year, and the minting date was set for January 23.
original universe
Axie Infinity launches Origins Season 2 with 112,000 AXS rewards
According to the official announcement, the blockchain game Axie Infinity launched Origins Season 2. The duration of this season will be shortened to 42 days, and a new leaderboard tool Eras will be introduced. Leaderboard rewards will be distributed in four installments, with a total reward of 112,000 AXS (worth approximately $819,000). Origins Season 2 has a total of 100 levels, and will update many runes and cards. In addition, a daily login reward system will be added this season.
Project News
Barry Silbert: DCG subsidiary funds were never mixed, and DCG executives had no decision-making power related to the Genesis restructuring
According to CoinDesk, DCG CEO Barry Silbert introduced more details about Genesis Capital's lending division in a letter to investors. He noted that DCG has laid off employees and is closing the headquarters of its crypto asset management company. DCG subsidiaries have never mixed funds, and its relationship with Three Arrows Capital is limited to a loan and trading agreement, and Three Arrows Capital has also invested in some grayscale products. In the Q&A session, Silbert talked about the controversy surrounding Genesis and its client Gemini. He said that DCG did borrow money from Genesis Capital, but "these loans were established on a fair basis and priced at the market interest rate at the time." DCG has a $1.1 billion promissory note with Genesis Capital due in 2032, and DCG currently owes Genesis $447.5 million and 4,550 bitcoins. As for DCG's role in the restructuring of Genesis Capital, Silbert said that because DCG owed Genesis Capital outstanding loans and promissory notes, DCG executives, including those on the Genesis board, had no decision-making power related to the restructuring of Genesis Capital. According to previous news, Gemini co-founder Cameron Winklevoss stated in an open letter to the DCG board of directors that on behalf of Gemini's 340,000 Earn product users, he asked the DCG board of directors to remove Barry Silbert and appoint a new CEO.
According to The Block, Gemini said in an email to customers that it would terminate its customer loan agreement with Genesis. At the same time, the wealth management product Earn will also end.
ConsenSys plans to lay off at least 100 employees
According to CoinDesk, according to a person familiar with the matter, ConsenSys, the developer of the crypto wallet MetaMask, plans to lay off at least 100 people. The company currently has about 900 employees. It is reported that the layoff plan is being finalized, and the specific number is not yet clear. According to previous news, Coinbase also announced on Tuesday that it would lay off 950 people, accounting for 20% of the total number of employees. CoinDesk estimates that the entire industry has laid off nearly 27,000 people since April last year.
Options trading firm Group One buys 13.5% stake in MicroStrategy
According to CoinDesk, Chicago options trading company Group One Trading disclosed in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Tuesday that it holds nearly 1.3 million shares of MicroStrategy (MSTR), accounting for 13.5% of the company's total shares. Based on MSTR's current price of $188 per share, it is worth about $237 million. As Bitcoin plummeted last year, MicroStrategy's stock fell more than 70% last year, and its share price has rebounded 30% so far this year. MicroStrategy is one of the largest holders of Bitcoin, holding a total of approximately 132,500 Bitcoins as of December 28.
Digital RMB's no-network and no-electricity payment function is officially launched
According to Beijing Business Daily, the reporter learned that the digital RMB's off-network and off-electricity payment function has officially been launched. Among some Android phone users, the "Payment Settings" of the digital RMB App hard wallet has added a "off-network and off-electricity payment" entrance. In addition, the reporter learned that this innovative function will be opened to more models and scenarios in an orderly manner in the future.
Not Boring Capital launches $30 million new fund to invest in Web3 and other fields
According to an official announcement, venture capital firm Not Boring Capital has launched Not Boring Capital Fund III with a scale of US$30 million, and investment applications are now open. The fund has a hard cap of US$50 million and will invest in fields such as biotechnology, energy, education, Web3 and supply chain, as well as funds launched by VCs such as a16z and Sequoia Capital.
In 2022, Not Boring Capital invested in projects including the Solana-based real estate digital investment platform Parcl, NFT infrastructure startup Co:Create, digital museum Arkive, AR NFT project Onlybots developer Anima, and Web3 creator tool Bonfire.
Dutch crypto exchange Bitvavo rejects DCG's proposal to repay 70% of debt
According to Cryptoslate, the Netherlands-based crypto exchange Bitvavo disclosed in a statement that it has rejected Digital Currency Group (DCG)'s proposal to repay 70% of its debt, saying that it believes DCG has sufficient funds to repay all debts. Bitvavo insists that it is confident that it can find a solution that satisfies all parties involved.
Bitvavo said that debt repayments will not be affected by the reported investigation into DCG or the potential bankruptcy of crypto lender Genesis. However, the process could affect repayment deadlines.
On December 17 last year, the Dutch cryptocurrency exchange Bitvavo said that it had lost access to 280 million euros (about 297 million U.S. dollars) of assets stored in DCG, but services would not be interrupted and customers could continue to withdraw funds. The exchange also stated in its latest announcement that its customers could continue to withdraw funds.
Technology blogger: Twitter may support the purchase of Twitter Coin with fiat currency through cooperation with Stripe
Well-known technology blogger Jane Manchun Wong tweeted yesterday that Twitter is developing a Twitter Coin purchase page. The webpage shows that the purchase of Twitter Coin will be completed through the payment processor Stripe. Twitter is also developing a "Coins" menu item to take users to the purchase interface. Wong also said in a tweet on January 5 that it looks like Twitter rewards will be paid in fiat currency with a minimum payment threshold of $50 (that is, those who receive the reward must wait until they earn at least $50 before they can cash it out). However, Wong told Decrypt: "I don't see any clear signs that Twitter Coin is encrypted."
Decrypt reported that while Twitter Coin is unlikely to exist on the blockchain, it is possible to add cryptocurrency as a payment method through Stripe, allowing users to purchase Twitter Coin with cryptocurrency in the future. Stripe was inclined to support crypto payments last year, and Twitter also tested USDC payments through Stripe last year to allow creators to monetize their content through its social media site.
Earlier in December last year, Jane Manchun Wong disclosed that Twitter may launch the Twitter Coin reward feature, which can be enabled in the function list. The token icon is a golden Twitter logo.
AEX founder: Will actively assume responsibility, the main task is to promote asset exchange to solve user demands
Huang Tianwei, founder of crypto trading platform AEX, said on Twitter: "The situation has improved, not as pessimistic as imagined, but it is not time to be optimistic yet. Since things are not over yet, many things are not convenient to say, but my attitude has always been clear-cut, and I will actively assume my due responsibilities. The main task in the future is to strive to push AUSD closer to USDT and exchange the assets on hand to solve everyone's demands faster and better. Although it is not something that can be solved in the short term, I believe that one day the goal will be achieved."
Earlier in July last year, AEX said it had suspended platform services at the request of the police; in January this year, AEX Anyin released Solution 2, intending to transfer part of the platform assets to customers at a discount in order to destroy AUSD.
Goldman Sachs' digital asset platform GS DAP™ is now officially launched
According to Businesswire, Goldman Sachs announced that its digital asset platform GS DAP™ has been officially launched. The platform is based on the Daml smart contract language developed by software company Digital Asset and is developed on the privacy-supported blockchain Canton. In November 2022, the European Investment Bank (EIB) used the platform to issue a two-year digital bond of 100 million euros.
Gitcoin Alpha quadratic funding round will be held from January 17 to January 31
According to the official announcement, Gitcoin announced that the Gitcoin Alpha round of quadratic funding will be held from January 17 to January 31, 2023. This round of financing will support 200 grantees committed to open source software, Ethereum infrastructure and climate solutions, with a total matching fund of US$1 million. Gitcoin invites users to use wallet voting to help it allocate matching pools to their selected grantees, which will help test and improve the protocol user experience, thereby providing Gitcoin grant programs for the entire Web3 and the broader network.
During the Alpha round, donors can claim one POAP for each round they participate in, and users who collect all POAPs will be eligible to participate in a draw to win a Schelling Point VIP package, including $150 in Gitcoin products.
Additionally, in 2023 Gitcoin will transition to a blockchain-based grant protocol that will allow anyone to start a quadratic funding grant program. The protocol will enable funders to set up a grant program at any time, adding flexibility for grantees who can apply across different rounds and donors who wish to provide small amounts of funding.
Financing News
Web3 social wallet The Easy Company completes $14.2 million seed round of financing
According to TechCrunch, the "social" crypto wallet The Easy Company has completed a $14.2 million seed round of financing, with participation from Lobby Capital, Relay Ventures, 6th Man Ventures, Tapestry, Upside and Scribble, as well as angel investors from traditional social media and web3. The funds will be used to continue building social products and will also be used to expand blockchain support. After completing a 30-day private testing phase, the company also released a public beta version of the wallet on iOS and Android today.
Easy aims to combine user-curated profiles with engaging social features so that people can search, navigate, and discover the world of web3 on their own. Easy is designed with cross-chain capabilities and is currently compatible with Ethereum and Polygon NFT, with plans to support more blockchains in the future.
Mining News
Northern Data produced a total of 2,798 BTC in 2022, with annual revenue exceeding 190 million euros
According to EPS News, data released by German listed mining company Northern Data showed that in 2022, the company produced a total of 2,798 BTC, a year-on-year increase of 315%. The computing power reached 3.6 EH/s. 3,005 BTC were sold at an average price of 23,849 euros, generating cash income of 71.7 million euros. Adjusted EBITDA was 40 million to 50 million euros, with annual revenue of 190 million to 194 million euros.
Important data
Data: CME three-month Bitcoin futures see positive premium for first time since FTX bankruptcy
According to CoinDesk, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) three-month Bitcoin futures have an annualized premium of 0.2%, the first time since the bankruptcy of FTX that the premium has been higher than the spot market price of cryptocurrencies. The report said that the re-emergence of positive premiums shows that institutional activity is no longer focused on short selling. In mid-November last year, Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) Bitcoin futures fell to a record discount level as experienced traders made bearish bets to hedge against further declines in Bitcoin caused by FTX.
However, Arcane Research said that the CME futures term structure is still in a backwardation or spot premium. That is, long-term contracts continue to trade at a lower price than short-term contracts, which is an abnormal situation. Although the CME basis has recovered, the term structure is still in a spot premium because institutional investors are cautious about Bitcoin and less liquid forward expiration dates.
Changpeng Zhao: Binance plans to increase headcount by 15% to 30% by 2023
According to The Block, Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao said the exchange will continue to expand in 2023, with a target of 15% to 30% growth in headcount. Plans for the coming year include improving technology and increasing the efficiency of the expanded cryptocurrency exchange operator, as well as investing in customer support.