Block Lore

Markets

Bitcoin Hits $105K Amid Rising Hopes for Trump’s Pro-Crypto Inauguration and Policies

Bitcoin (BTC) reached a 2025 high of $105,000 on Friday, fueled by growing optimism surrounding President-elect Donald Trump’s crypto-friendly administration. With just days before the inauguration, investors are gearing up for potential policy shifts that could reshape the digital asset landscape. Bitcoin Bounces Back Amid Optimism After dipping

Markets

Coinbase Prime Sees OTC Bitcoin Demand Surge Amid Institutional Interest

Coinbase Prime, the institutional arm of the leading U.S. cryptocurrency exchange, is witnessing a notable uptick in over-the-counter (OTC) Bitcoin trading activity. This surge, according to analysts at CryptoQuant, suggests that institutional investors are increasingly utilizing OTC channels to accumulate Bitcoin, often seen as a quieter, more discreet way

Markets

XRP Surpasses Bitcoin in Coinbase Trading Volume Amid Growing US Interest

XRP has overtaken Bitcoin as the most actively traded digital asset on the Coinbase exchange, signaling increased interest from U.S. investors. Data from CoinGecko reveals that XRP/USD trading accounted for 25% of Coinbase’s $6.86 billion trading volume over the past 24 hours, exceeding BTC/USD’s

Blockchain

Ethereum "Pectra" Upgrade: Enhanced UX, Validator Changes in 2025

Ethereum developers are targeting March 2025 for the rollout of the network's next major upgrade, dubbed "Pectra." This ambitious upgrade aims to significantly improve user experience and network efficiency through a series of carefully planned enhancements. Following recent core developer discussions, the timeline is becoming clearer,

Blockchain

Solana Network Considers Proposal to Adjust SOL Inflation Mechanism

A proposal by Multicoin Capital, an early investor in the Solana blockchain, suggests shifting Solana's SOL token inflation from a fixed schedule to a market-based model. This adjustment could potentially lower inflation, impacting both token holders and those who stake their SOL. Currently, Solana issues SOL tokens to

Finance

Funding the Future: Merit's Protocol to Reward Open-Source Developers

Merit Systems, a startup with a mission to reshape the financial incentives within open-source software development, has secured $10 million in seed funding. The round, co-led by Andreessen Horowitz's crypto fund (a16z crypto) and Blockchain Capital, signifies a growing interest in creating sustainable economic models for the vital

Regulation

Tether Eyes U.S. Expansion and Global HQ in El Salvador Amid Record Profits

Tether Holdings Ltd., the issuer of the world's largest stablecoin, USDT, is considering expanding its presence in the United States while simultaneously establishing a global headquarters in El Salvador. This ambitious move follows a year of record profits for the company, fueled by surging cryptocurrency markets and strategic

Regulation

Trump to Prioritize Cryptocurrency with Executive Order, Sparking Industry Optimism

President-elect Donald Trump is set to make cryptocurrency a national priority through a groundbreaking executive order, signaling a new chapter for the digital asset industry in the United States. The order, expected to be unveiled soon, aims to elevate crypto as a strategic focus and establish direct collaboration between government

Security

Sequoia, Paradigm Back Phantom Wallet in $150M Round, Valuation Hits $3B

Phantom Technologies Inc., the company behind the popular cryptocurrency wallet Phantom, has soared to a $3 billion valuation after a $150 million funding round led by venture capital giants Sequoia Capital and Paradigm. This more than doubles the company's previous valuation, highlighting the growing investor confidence in non-custodial

Cryptocurrency

Dubai's "Crypto Tower": A 17-Story Blockchain-Powered Hub for Digital Asset Firms

Dubai is doubling down on its ambition to become a global crypto hub with plans for a new "Crypto Tower," a 17-story building designed to cater specifically to blockchain and Web3 companies. The project, led by DMCC and REIT Development, promises a luxurious and technologically advanced space complete

Regulation

Treasury Nominee Scott Bessent Rejects U.S. CBDC, Backs Crypto Innovation Under Trump

President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, has firmly rejected the idea of a U.S. central bank digital currency (CBDC), aligning with growing skepticism among Republican lawmakers. During his Senate Finance Committee hearing on Thursday, Bessent emphasized his preference for alternative approaches to digital finance, signaling

Finance

Swiss Bank PostFinance Embraces Crypto, Launches Ethereum Staking

PostFinance AG, a major Swiss bank wholly owned by the Swiss government, is deepening its involvement in the cryptocurrency space. The bank announced on Thursday that it will now offer Ethereum staking services to its customers, allowing them to earn passive income by participating in the network's validation

GameFi

Hyve Labs Raises $2.75M to Build Next-Gen Web3 Game Launcher

Hyve Labs, a startup focused on building the next generation of web3 gaming experiences, has raised $2.75 million in pre-seed funding. The investment, led by Framework Ventures, will fuel the development of Hyve Labs' gaming rollup and its vision of a more integrated and accessible gaming ecosystem. Building

Cryptocurrency

Tapestry Lands $5.75M to Build the Future of Social on Solana Blockchain

Tapestry, a social graph protocol built on the Solana blockchain, has secured $5.75 million in Series A funding to further its mission of bringing easy-to-integrate social features to blockchain applications. The funding round, co-led by Union Square Ventures and Fabric Ventures, highlights the growing interest in decentralized social infrastructure

Regulation

Nasdaq Files 19b-4 Form for Canary Litecoin ETF, Advancing Crypto Investment Options

Nasdaq has taken a significant step towards expanding cryptocurrency investment opportunities by filing a 19b-4 form with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the Canary Litecoin ETF. This filing marks an essential phase in the approval process for a spot Litecoin exchange-traded fund (ETF), potentially offering investors

Finance

VanEck Launches ETF for Investing in the Blockchain Economy

Asset management firm VanEck is launching a new exchange-traded fund (ETF) that provides exposure to the cryptocurrency space without directly holding digital assets. The fund, detailed in a January 15 filing, will focus on investing in "Digital Transformation Companies" and "Digital Asset Instruments," offering a unique

Finance

Fidelity Buys $463M in Bitcoin, Crypto ETF Inflows Hit $755M

Fidelity Investments has made a significant move in the cryptocurrency market, purchasing 4,661 Bitcoin, worth a whopping $463 million, on January 15, 2025. This substantial acquisition underscores the growing institutional interest in Bitcoin and contributed to a resurgence in Bitcoin ETF inflows, which totaled $755 million after a period

Finance

MicroStrategy to Issue $2B in Stock for More Bitcoin Purchases

MicroStrategy, the business intelligence firm renowned for its aggressive Bitcoin investment strategy, is planning a new move to raise capital: a $2 billion offering of perpetual preferred stock. This innovative approach, revealed in a recent announcement, signals the company's continued commitment to expanding its massive Bitcoin holdings and

DeFi

Coinbase Launches Bitcoin-Backed Onchain Loans Through Morpho DeFi Protocol

Coinbase has unveiled a new service offering Bitcoin-backed onchain loans, utilizing the decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol Morpho. This initiative allows Coinbase users to borrow up to $100,000 in USDC stablecoin by using their Bitcoin holdings as collateral. The service operates on Base, Coinbase’s Ethereum Layer 2 network, enhancing

Markets

XRP Price Hits 6-Year High Near $3; ETF Approval Buzz Grows

XRP, the cryptocurrency closely associated with Ripple, soared to a six-year high on Wednesday, briefly surpassing the $3 mark. This surge, fueled by a broader crypto market rally and growing anticipation of favorable regulatory changes, has propelled XRP to become the third-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, trailing only Bitcoin and

Blockchain

Ethereum Validators Back Gas Limit Hike to 40M for Improved Scalability

Over 30% of Ethereum validators are now signaling their support for a significant increase in the network's block gas limit, a crucial parameter that determines how many transactions can be processed at once. This growing consensus, highlighted in data compiled by Ethereum Foundation researcher Toni Wahrstätter, points towards

Finance

Blockstream Fuels Komainu's Growth with $75M Bitcoin Deal

Komainu, a digital asset custodian backed by Japanese financial giant Nomura, has secured a significant $75 million strategic investment from Blockstream, a leading Bitcoin infrastructure firm. The investment, funded directly in Bitcoin, will fuel Komainu's global expansion and accelerate the adoption of Blockstream's technologies, marking a

Markets

Bitcoin Tops $100K on Cooling Inflation, Rate Cut Speculation Grows

Bitcoin surged past the $100,000 milestone on Thursday, buoyed by encouraging U.S. inflation figures that have rekindled hopes for further interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. The leading cryptocurrency reached $100,420, marking its most significant gain of the new year and reflecting a broader rally across

Security

Chainalysis: Stablecoins Surpass Bitcoin in Illicit Crypto Activity

Stablecoins, cryptocurrencies pegged to the value of traditional assets like the U.S. dollar, have overtaken Bitcoin as the most used cryptocurrency for illicit transactions, according to a new report by blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis. The firm's 2025 Crypto Crime Report reveals that stablecoins accounted for a significant

Regulation

SEC Postpones Bitwise Top 10 Crypto Index ETF to March 2025

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has postponed its decision on Bitwise Asset Management's proposed "Bitwise 10 Crypto Index" exchange-traded fund (ETF), extending the review period to March 3, 2025. The regulator stated it needs more time to thoroughly evaluate the proposal, which seeks