Bitcoin News and Finance: What You Need to Know

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) could make a decision regarding the approval of spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on Tuesday or Wednesday, according to a report. Anticipation for the first-ever U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs intensified last week as prominent asset managers updated their filings with the SEC. Green Light Imminent? SEC Could Make a Decision by Tuesday/Wednesday Market participants are buzzing with anticipation as major asset management firms scramble to secure regulatory approval for the first-ever spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the U.S. Applicants, including Blackrock, Vaneck, Valkyrie, Bitwise, Invesco, Fidelity, Wisdomtree, and the Ark Invest/21shares joint venture all submitted revised filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Friday. The first deadline is Jan. 10 for the proposed spot bitcoin ETF by Ark Invest/21shares. Many people are expecting the securities regulator to approve multiple spot bitcoin ET...

Crypto exchange Coinbase says that it has “extensively prepared” for spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) approvals by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Most spot bitcoin ETF applicants have named the Nasdaq-listed crypto platform as the custodian for their bitcoin. Coinbase Gets Ready for Spot Bitcoin ETF Launches As the deadline approaches for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to decide whether to approve a spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF), Coinbase (Nasdaq: COIN) says it has extensively prepared its systems to custody BTC for spot bitcoin ETF issuers. Most spot bitcoin ETF applicants have named the Nasdaq-listed crypto platform as the custodian of their bitcoin, including Blackrock, the world’s largest asset manager, Ark Invest, Bitwise, Wisdomtree, and Invesco. A Coinbase spokesperson told Bloomberg Friday: We have extensively prepared for ETF approval … Our systems have been designed and tested to handle added trading volume, incre...

The Avalanche Foundation, an institution that funds avalanche initiatives, has recently announced that it will start investing in meme coins. These purchases will be made using funds from the $100 million Culture Catalyst fund launched in 2022, and the tokens will be selected based on their number of holders, liquidity thresholds, and project maturity, among other elements. Avalanche to Invest in Meme Coins Using $100 Million Culture Catalyst Fund The Avalanche Foundation has announced that it is taking a position in meme coins. In a recent X post, the foundation revealed that it will invest in selected meme coins, broadening its portfolio as part of a comprehensive move to embrace “a more complete spectrum of possibilities.” This investment will be made using Culture Catalyst, a fund launched in 2022 during the Avalanche Summit in Barcelona. The institution will use part of the $100 million fund, initially focused on “helping to cultivate and support the many new forms of creati...

Arthur Hayes, CIO of Maelstrom and former CEO of Bitmex, discussed the eventual demise of Tether and other stablecoin companies. Hayes explained that Tether’s business model, which consists of taking dollars and investing in treasuries, will eventually be cannibalized by big banks like JPMorgan when they get allowed to issue fiat-backed stablecoins. Arthur Hayes Warns About Banks Replacing Tether and Other Stablecoin Companies Arthur Hayes, the former CEO of Bitmex and CIO of Malestrom, a crypto-focused early-stage investment fund, has stated that he expects big banks to take over the stablecoin business, now dominated by Tether, the company behind USDT . At Laura Shin’s Unchained podcast, Hayes explained that while Tether has configured itself to be a great product in the crypto market, it has only achieved its status due to the refusal of the U.S. banking system to offer a similar product. On Tether’s business model, Hayes declared: The people who own Tether make something li...