#2024

PayPal suspends crypto buying services in the UK Starting October 1, 2023, PayPal will no longer support cryptocurrency purchases for it's users from the United Kingdom. This action is consistent with the company's obligation to comply with local financial legislation. While the measure is planned to last until the start of 2024, PayPal remains hopeful about restoring the service. During the suspension, users are free to either hold their existing cryptocurrencies without any associated fees or sell them if they choose.

John Reed Stark, ex-chief of the SEC's Office of Internet Enforcement, believes the current SEC won't approve a Bitcoin spot ETF due to various reasons. However, Stark suggests that if a Republican wins the 2024 presidential election, the SEC might ease its crypto-enforcement and be more open to a Bitcoin spot ETF. He also speculates that SEC chair Gary Gensler might resign, potentially paving the way for Hester Peirce, known as "Crypto Mom", to take a leading role.

According to Blockstream CEO Adam Back, Bitcoin is set to hit $100,000 before its 2024 halving. He's wagered against a Twitter user, Vikingobbitcoin, who believes it won't happen until 2025. The loser of the bet will owe 1 million sats.

The service is built on the Stellar blockchain and activated by the MoneyGram retail agent network, allowing the exchange's clients to convert digital currency into cash. You can exchange USDC for hryvnias, dollars, and euros at respective MoneyGram branches throughout Ukraine. Currently, the service is available only to users residing in Ukraine who have completed KYC verification with Ukrainian documents. There are no fees for this service until June 2024! For the user, the entire process consists of several steps, which are thoroughly described in the comprehensive exchange instructions on the WhiteBIT website.

Beginning on August 31, the popular NFT marketplace OpenSea will not charge royalties for NFT secondary transactions, signaling a change in artist earning policy. Previously, creators were able to set a commission of 2.5% to 10% and earn from every resale. However, with the new update, the creator fee is left up to the discretion of the buyer. For collections on non-Ethereum blockchains, the creator fee will only remain mandatory until February 29, 2024. After this date, the entire platform will make royalties optional.

Their economists anticipate a reduction in interest rates by late June next year, following a gradual quarterly decrease pattern. “The cuts in our forecast are driven by the desire to normalize the funds rate from a restrictive level once inflation is closer to the target,” says Jan Hatzius, a senior economist at Goldman. Goldman forecasts rate cuts in Q2 2024, expecting 25 basis point reductions per quarter with pace uncertainties. “We expect the funds rate to eventually stabilize at 3-3.25%,” say their economists.

DeBank has introduced a new Layer-2 solution based on OP Stack for user experimentation. It's now live for testing, and the mainnet is slated for 2024. According to an official briefing, developers have accomplished cost reductions ranging from 100 to 400 times for specific transactions, all the while targeting gas expenditure. Besides, to fortify user defense and trim L1 data leaks, transactions will be signed with a specially devised second-tier private key.

Representing Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate, she's forcefully advocating for immediate steps to plug the gaps in cryptocurrency tax provisions, gaps that are believed to be worth roughly $50 billion. Warren's argument rests on the Infrastructure Investment Act, which is set to take effect on January 1, 2024. Still, disappointingly, no preliminary guidance has been put forth by the Department of Treasury on this concern.

A Twitter user (@hufhaus9) has created a visual timeline outlining the SEC’s response deadlines for the approval of BlackRock’s Bitcoin spot ETF. Just 10 days ago, the renowned global investment firm with $10 trillion in assets applied for a groundbreaking Bitcoin spot exchange-traded fund in the United States. First deadline: August 12, 2023 Second deadline: September 26, 2023 Third deadline: December 25, 2023 Final decision: February 23, 2024 If granted approval, BlackRock will be able to purchase BTC directly from the spot market, potentially utilizing platforms like Coinbase, on behalf of its clients. With the BTC halving and these deadlines coinciding, the first quarter of 2024 promises to be an exciting period!