Bitcoin (BTC) held by Tesla is still worth 33% less than its 2021 purchase price, the latest data shows. Two years to the day that Elon Musk’s firm added BTC to its balance sheet, most gains continue to evade the auto manufacturer. Tesla and Bitcoin: From $1.5 billion to $225 million Bitcoin and Tesla have proven an explosive combination since CEO Musk announced that it would buy $1.5 billion in BTC. The move in February 2021 came as BTC/USD was on its way to its first all-time high of the year, which it reached in April, topping out at $58,000. …

We all remember what the 2008 subprime mortgage debacle was like. The situation was so destructive and almost brought down the global banking system that words like subprime mortgages, credit default swaps and collateralized debt obligations — which are normally part of investment banker’s jargon — became part of the general vocabulary. Because of this in 2009, Satoshi Nakamoto released the very first Bitcoin genesis block, or block zero. Embedded in it was a quote, “The Times 03/Jan/2009 Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks.” This was roughly at the same time protests to “Occupy Wall Street” displayed the …

Major cryptocurrency data aggregator CoinGecko and crypto investment firm 21Shares have joined forces to launch a global standard for classifying various types of cryptocurrencies. On Feb. 8, CoinGecko and 21Shares released The Global Crypto Classification Standard report, proposing a uniform method to categorize crypto assets. The effort aims to help investors and regulators better understand the specifics of each asset class in crypto, including potential failures like those seen by the industry in 2022. “Since Bitcoin’s inception around 13 years ago, thousands of unique crypto assets and protocols have emerged, each with unique characteristics and different value propositions,” Carlos Gonzalez, …

Gazprombank, a subsidiary of the leading Russian government-owned gas company, Gazprom, publicly proposed giving banks more time before implementing the digital ruble. The country’s central bank digital currency (CBDC) project has been accelerating due to global financial sanctions amid geopolitical tensions. As reported by local media on Feb. 7, Gazprombank, one of the 15 banks participating in the CBDC pilot, issued a public statement with a suggestion to proceed with caution regarding traditional banks’ interests: “It is imperative that banks take measures to mitigate potential losses. Hence, it is crucial to recognize the potential risks associated with the transition to …

Stepping into 2023, the cryptocurrency market seemingly shrugged off the year-long bearish sentiment from 2022. As investors took notice, the long-awaited price corrections had a significant reaction, showcased through on-chain activities on the Ethereum blockchain. According to a data report from Analytex, Ethereum’s average gas price — calculated in terms of the smallest Ether (ETH) denomination, gwei — increased by 29.27% in January 2023. The report compares gas prices in January and December 2022, noting an increase in user activity as a key indicator for the rise in average gas price from 19.2 gwei to 24.82 gwei month on month. …

In an announcement sent to Cointelegraph, the Algorand team said that it partnered with Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad and the Indian School of Business with the intention of launching educational programs. This includes programs for both faculty development and student developer training. In addition, the firm will also be hosting a master class for businesses looking to dive into the Web3 space. Anil Kakani, Algorand's recently-appointed country head for India, said that the partnerships aim to build sustainable impact. He explained: Algorand Foundation announced several partnerships in India, including collaborations with schools to develop educational programs that will help …

Bitcoin (BTC) rebounded to key resistance into Feb. 8 as crypto markets got a boost from a familiar source. Powell: "Disinflationary process" is here Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView showed BTC/USD reaching the important $23,400 zone on Bitstamp overnight. The pair reacted positively to the latest comments from the United States Federal Reserve, these also serving to send equities higher during the Feb. 7 Wall Street trading session. Fed Chair Jerome Powell again mentioned “disinflation” during his appearance, reinforcing market hopes that interest rate hikes could cool more quickly in line with inflation. These stemmed from the latest …

Education is a well-known barrier to entry for many when it comes to crypto and Web3 space. This is particularly true when it comes to understanding the underlying technology that powers these new innovations. Joining in on the effort to spread crypto awareness, on Feb. 8, the New York University School of Professional Studies (NYU SPS) — one of the schools and colleges that compose New York University — announced a partnership with the NEAR Foundation to introduce a new “Web3 Learning Workshop” for students and faculty, along with partners in the industry. The course comes out of NYU SPS …

Wallets linked to now-bankrupt Alameda Research became active again on Feb. 7, transferring out millions worth of FTX exchange’s native token, FTX Token (FTT). The Alameda wallet activity post FTX bankruptcy filing has been a big concern for the crypto community, with many questioning the merits of the law enforcement agencies and how these wallets are being accessed. The Alameda address 'brokenfish.eth' transferred nearly $2 million worth of FTT tokens from BentoBox smart contract on Sushiswap. The smart contract in question serves as the central vault for the whole Sushi ecosystem. Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried has a history with …

The development of blockchain technology and the growing adoption of nonfungible tokens (NFTs) are two factors that have contributed to the proliferation of play-to-earn collectible games. Play-to-earn (P2E) games allow players to gain benefits by participating in the game, such as in-game currency and items. This creates a new dynamic where players can profit from their in-game actions, enhancing the fun and purpose of the gaming experience. Additionally, the usage of NFTs and blockchain technology in play-to-earn games gives players greater ownership and scarcity, which increases demand and can result in higher prices for exclusive in-game commodities. Play-to-earn games like …

Crypto brokers and investment advisors offering or giving advice about cryptocurrencies will be put under the scope of the United States' securities watchdog this year. A Feb. 7 statement from the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Division of Examinations outlined its priorities for 2023, suggesting brokers and advisers dealing in crypto will need to be extra careful when offering, selling or making recommendations regarding digital assets. It stated that SEC-registered brokers and advisors will be closely watched to see if they followed their “respective standards of care” when making recommendations, referrals and providing investment advice. Today we announced the Division …

The hunt for the controversial founder of the now-collapsed Terra ecosystem, Do Kwon, has intensified with South Korean officials reportedly confirming they sent at least two people to Serbia to track him down. According to a Feb. 7 Bloomberg report, the prosecutor’s office in Seoul said the reports “aren’t false” regarding members of its team trekking out to the Balkan state to find Kwon. It appears at least two state officials went — one from the prosecutor's office and the other being a senior member of South Korea’s Justice Ministry. South Korean-based publication Chosun Media confirmed on Dec. 11 that …