Although Bitcoin (BTC) mining remains a controversial topic, it’s becoming more common to hear how Bitcoin mining can help balance grid demand. This is being demonstrated in the state of Texas, as Bitcoin miners are able to participate in demand response programs, which incentivize miners to turn off their operations during peak demand. A spokesperson from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) — the organization that operates Texas’s electrical grid — told Cointelegraph that crypto loads can have impacts on the grid just like any large load. Yet, they noted that crypto miners can help stabilize the grid by …

NFL quarterback Tom Brady and basketball point guard Stephen Curry are reportedly among the celebrities facing a probe from the Texas financial regulator over their promotion of the now-bankrupt crypto exchange, FTX. Joe Rotunda, director of enforcement at the Texas State Securities Board reportedly told Bloomberg in a Nov. 22 report that the Texas State Securities Board is scrutinizing payments received by celebrities to endorse FTX US, what disclosures were made and how accessible they were for investors. Rotunda however noted that while the watchdog was taking a "close look at them," the celebrities’ endorsements of FTX were not an …

Apparently, not everything is bigger in Texas. At least not in the days following a major crypto exchange declaring bankruptcy. The collapse of FTX and the ripples former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried made in the crypto space were on many people’s lips at the Texas Blockchain Summit held from Nov. 17-18 in the state capital of Austin. Unlike at the Texas Blockchain Council’s inaugural conference in October 2021 held over just one day, there were many open seats at the 2022 event, which featured speakers on energy, crypto mining, regulation, and innovations in the space. “Two years ago, this audience was …

Calls for harsher regulations around cryptocurrencies and digital assets will likely grow louder in the aftermath of FTX’s collapse — something former United States presidential candidate Andrew Yang said isn’t conducive to making America a hotbed for blockchain innovation. Speaking at the Texas Blockchain Summit in Austin on Nov. 18, Yang acknowledged that the bankruptcy of FTX and sister company Alameda Research would make common sense crypto regulation harder to pass in the short term. “I've always been in the camp that some intelligent regulation is a good thing. I think it would help the industry mature and make it …

The Texas State Securities Board (SSB) and the Texas Department of Banking (DOB) filed a supplemental declaration Oct. 14 in the Voyager Digital case in which it stated that the SSB is investigating FTX Trading, FTX US and their principals, including co-founder and CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, for allegedly offering unregistered securities in the United States. FTX US won the auction for the remaining Voyager Digital assets on Sept. 26. The supplemental declaration from the Texas regulators is attached to an objection to the sale of Voyager Digital assets to FTX filed by the Texas Attorney General’s office also on Oct. …

The Texas State Securities Board (SSB) and the Texas Department of Banking (DOB) raised an objection in court against Voyager Digital’s disclosure statement, questioning the various methodologies and calculations used to estimate the fair market value of the bankrupt exchange’s crypto assets. In a pleading filed with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, the attorneys for the SSB and DOB objected to the order approving the adequacy of Voyager’s amended disclosure statement. Voyager Digital filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in New York in July 2022, while proposing a recovery plan for investors. The Texas …

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and a group of six other U.S. lawmakers have requested information from the head of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, on the energy usage and potential environmental impact of crypto miners. In an Oct. 12 letter, Senators Warren, Sheldon Whitehouse, and Edward Markey as well as House of Representatives members Al Green, Katie Porter, Jared Huffman, and Rashida Tlaib requested ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas provide details on the impact Texas crypto mining firms have had on the stability of the state’s energy grid, climate change, and subsidies given to companies. According to the …

Bitcoin (BTC) miner Marathon Digital Holdings has revealed $81.3 million worth of exposure to recently bankrupted mining hosting provider Compute North. Marathon provided a breakdown of its exposure on Oct. 6 explaining the majority was in operating deposits worth $50 million, noting these deposits “were primarily related to King Mountain and Wolf Hollow security deposits and prepayments associated with the ongoing operation of those sites.” The remainder is split between $21.3 million allocated to “an unsecured senior promissory note” and $10 million in convertible preferred Compute North stock. It comes weeks after Compute North submitted a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing …

State regulators from Texas and Vermont have filed a motion objecting to embattled crypto lender Celsius’ plans to sell off its stablecoin holdings. Separate motions from both regulators filed on Sept. 29 argue that there’s a risk the firm could use the capital to resume operating in violation of state laws. The filings come after a Sept. 15 notice from Celsius' legal team asking the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York for permission to sell its stablecoin holdings, reportedly worth around $23 million. A hearing to accept or decline the motion will occur on Oct. …

Bitcoin (BTC) mining hosting firm Compute North has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy, amid growing pressure on the firm due to the effects of crypto winter and rising energy costs. The firm’s CEO Dave Perrill has also stepped down but will remain on the board. The company submitted a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas on Sept. 22, which is now pending before Judge David Jones. Under a Chapter 11 filing, the firm is still able to keep its operations going as it works out a plan to repay creditors. The …

The flexibility behind running Bitcoin (BTC) mining operations can be vital to solving the real-world problems that stand in the way of the energy industry, suggests Arcane research. One of the biggest concerns authorities raise when it comes to Bitcoin’s mainstream adoption is its energy requirements. While innovations in chipset manufacturing have helped reduce operational costs related to Bitcoin mining, a report from Arcane reveals the market’s potential to transform the energy industry. Owing to low cost of reacting, Bitcoin mining complements the growth of wind and solar grids, which often produce unstable and non-controllable energy. Arcane research points out …

The wife of crypto evangelist and computer programmer John McAfee has responded to a claim made by an ex-girlfriend that her husband faked his death and was currently in hiding. John McAfee died in a Spain prison cell in June 2021 while awaiting extradition to the United States on charges including allegedly failing to submit tax returns from 2014 to 2018 and not reporting income related to pushing crypto projects and consulting work. He was 75 years old when he passed, and many in and out of the crypto space quickl developed conspiracy theories around his detainment and death. In …