Block Lore

Blockchain

Algorand (ALGO): Pure Proof-of-Stake Blockchain Enhancing Scalability and Efficiency

Since its launch in June 2019, Algorand has emerged as a promising platform in the blockchain space, offering a fresh approach to financial technology. Designed to improve upon existing systems like Ethereum, Algorand aims to enhance scalability, security, and transaction finality while providing a robust environment for decentralized applications. A

Cryptocurrency

Sol Strategies Expands Solana Holdings with 190K SOL Acquisition

Toronto-based crypto holding company Sol Strategies has significantly increased its Solana holdings with the recent purchase of additional SOL tokens, while also announcing the departure of its chief investment officer. Between January 19 and January 31, the company acquired 40,300 SOL for approximately $9.93 million, at an average

Regulation

US Weighs Bitcoin Reserve for Sovereign Wealth Fund

In a recent joint press conference in Washington, DC, David Sacks—President Trump’s newly appointed crypto czar—detailed a broad pro-crypto agenda for the new administration. Sacks revealed that assessing the feasibility of including bitcoin as a reserve asset in a proposed U.S. sovereign wealth fund is among

Finance

Healthcare Tech Firm Semler Scientific Invests $88.5M More in Bitcoin

Semler Scientific, a Nasdaq-listed healthcare technology company, has significantly increased its Bitcoin holdings, purchasing an additional 871 BTC for approximately $88.5 million. This latest acquisition brings the company's total Bitcoin holdings to 3,192 BTC, reflecting a growing trend of corporate adoption of Bitcoin as a treasury

Finance

Coinbase Urges U.S. Bank Regulators to Clarify Crypto Rules, End "Debanking" Practices

Coinbase, a leading U.S. cryptocurrency exchange, is escalating its efforts to address what it calls the "debanking" of the crypto industry. In a letter to top banking regulators, Coinbase is demanding clearer guidelines on how banks can engage with crypto firms, arguing that current practices are stifling

Blockchain

Ethereum's Gas Limit Gets a Boost: Validators Approve Increase to Enhance Network Capacity

In a significant development for the Ethereum network, validators have reached a consensus to increase the block gas limit, a key parameter that determines the network's transaction processing capacity. This marks the first time the gas limit has been raised since Ethereum's transition to proof-of-stake, signaling

Regulation

Hong Kong's Securities Regulator Plans Crypto Team Expansion to Support Hub Ambitions

Hong Kong's Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) is planning to significantly expand its team dedicated to cryptocurrency regulation, reflecting the region's ongoing efforts to establish itself as a major crypto hub. The proposed increase in staffing comes as part of the SFC's budget plan

Markets

Bitcoin Dips Below $100,000 as China Announces Retaliatory Tariffs on US Goods

Bitcoin's price dipped below the $100,000 mark on Tuesday, influenced by China's announcement of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, including coal, crude oil, and agricultural machinery. The move by China's finance ministry, which will see tariffs ranging from 10% to 15% starting

Markets

US Tariffs on Canada, China, Mexico Rattle Markets: BlackRock Weighs In

The United States is poised to implement new tariffs on imports from Canada, China, and Mexico, ranging from 10% to 25%, marking a significant escalation in trade protectionism. This move, a key policy tool for the incoming administration, has injected a dose of uncertainty into global markets, with potential implications

Innovation

OpenAI's New "Deep Research" AI: Your Assistant for Complex Online Research

OpenAI is expanding its suite of AI-powered tools with the launch of "Deep Research," a new service designed to act as a personal research assistant. Available to select paying customers through the ChatGPT chatbot, Deep Research promises to automate time-consuming online research tasks, providing in-depth reports on a

Regulation

Trump Signs New Executive Order to Launch Official U.S. Sovereign Wealth Fund

President Donald Trump took a decisive step toward reshaping America’s economic strategy by signing an executive action on Monday that directs officials to create a sovereign wealth fund for the United States. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump expressed his optimism: “We have tremendous potential.” The new directive places

Regulation

Super Bowl Bets Under the Microscope: CFTC Probes Crypto Event Contracts

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is taking a closer look at Super Bowl-related betting contracts offered by Crypto.com and Kalshi Inc., two prominent players in the digital asset space. The regulator is examining whether these "event contracts," which allow traders to wager on the

GameFi

Telegram-Based Web3 Gaming Platform GOAT Gaming Raises $4 Million to Fuel AI Integration

GOAT Gaming, a Web3 gaming platform that operates directly within the Telegram messaging app, has secured $4 million in a strategic funding round. The investment, which brings GOAT Gaming's total funding to $15 million, will be used to integrate autonomous AI agents into its games, enhancing the overall

Finance

MicroStrategy Pauses Bitcoin Buying Streak, Holdings Remain at 471,107 BTC

After twelve consecutive weeks of accumulating Bitcoin, business intelligence firm MicroStrategy has paused its buying spree, leaving its total holdings at 471,107 BTC. The company, known for its aggressive Bitcoin investment strategy, made no new Bitcoin purchases between January 27 and February 2, according to a recent SEC filing.

DeFi

TON Foundation Veteran Launches $100 Million Fund, TVM Ventures, to Boost TON Ecosystem

Steve Yun, a former president and current board member of the TON Foundation, has launched a new venture capital firm, TVM Ventures, with a $100 million fund dedicated to supporting startups within The Open Network (TON) ecosystem. The firm's focus on decentralized finance (DeFi) and payment finance (PayFi)

Regulation

Russia to Mandate Registration of Crypto Mining Equipment, Introduces Tax Reporting for Miners

Russia is tightening its grip on the cryptocurrency mining industry with plans to create a mandatory registry for all mining equipment. This move, announced by the Ministry of Energy, aims to enhance oversight of domestic mining activities and comes alongside the introduction of a new tax reporting system for crypto

Cryptocurrency

Solana's Raydium Dethrones Uniswap in Monthly DEX Volume, Fueled by Memecoin Surge

Raydium, a decentralized exchange (DEX) built on the Solana blockchain, has achieved a major milestone, surpassing Ethereum's Uniswap in monthly trading volume. This shift, fueled by a surge in memecoin activity and Solana's growing popularity, marks a significant moment in the ongoing competition between blockchain ecosystems.

Finance

UBS Tests Blockchain for Digital Gold Investments, Eyes Enhanced Privacy and Scalability

Swiss banking giant UBS is exploring the potential of blockchain technology to revolutionize digital gold investments for retail investors. In a recent proof-of-concept, UBS leveraged ZKsync's Validium, an Ethereum Layer-2 network, to enhance the scalability, privacy, and interoperability of its fractional gold investment product, UBS Key4 Gold. Modernizing

Markets

US Dollar and Oil Prices Surge as Trump's New Tariffs Rock Global Financial Markets

The financial world is witnessing dramatic shifts as the U.S. dollar surges and oil prices jump nearly 4%, while stock markets around the globe take a hit following President Donald Trump’s imposition of new tariffs. These measures, which include a 25% levy on goods from Canada and Mexico

Blockchain

Bitcoin Network Activity Slows, Mempools Clear as Transaction Count Hits 11-Month Low

The Bitcoin network is experiencing a significant slowdown, with the number of daily transactions dropping to an 11-month low. This decline in activity has led to a near-complete clearing of Bitcoin's mempools – the waiting areas for unconfirmed transactions – and has miners processing blocks that are not fully filled,

Finance

Crypto Exchange Kraken Posts $1.5 Billion Revenue, Touts Transparency and Long-Term Growth

Kraken, one of the world's oldest and largest cryptocurrency exchanges, is celebrating a year of remarkable growth, reporting $1.5 billion in revenue for 2024. In a rare move for a privately held crypto exchange, co-CEO Arjun Sethi highlighted the company's focus on sustainable growth, deep

Finance

Bitcoin Miner Bitfarms Explores AI and High-Performance Computing to Diversify Revenue

Bitfarms, a major publicly traded Bitcoin mining company, is looking beyond its core business to explore opportunities in the burgeoning fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC). This strategic shift reflects a broader trend among Bitcoin miners seeking to diversify their revenue streams and leverage their existing infrastructure

Finance

Coinbase Acquires Ad Tech Startup Spindl to Boost On-Chain App Discovery and Growth

Coinbase is making a strategic move to enhance the on-chain ecosystem by acquiring Spindl, a startup specializing in on-chain advertising and attribution. This acquisition signals Coinbase's commitment to supporting developers building on-chain applications and accelerating the adoption of Web3 technologies, with a particular focus on its own Layer

Cryptocurrency

21Shares Applies for First U.S. Spot Polkadot ETF, Fueling Altcoin ETF Hopes

21Shares, a leading issuer of cryptocurrency exchange-traded products (ETPs), is making a bold move in the U.S. market, filing for the first-ever spot Polkadot exchange-traded fund (ETF). This pioneering application, submitted on Friday, aims to offer investors direct exposure to DOT, the native token of the Polkadot network, through

Markets

Blocklore Weekly: Bitcoin, AI Coins & Memes - Crypto Market in Limbo, What's Next?

The cryptocurrency market is currently in a period of consolidation, with Bitcoin fluctuating between $100,000 and $110,000 after a brief dip to $98,000. This sideways movement has left many investors wondering if a multi-month period of choppy trading lies ahead. Market sentiment remains complex, influenced by factors