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Coinbase raises concerns over declining crypto talent in the US, despite rising corporate interest
The growing involvement of major American public companies in blockchain technology has intensified calls for clear regulatory guidelines to retain cryptocurrency developers and talent in the United States.
Coinbase recently expressed concern in a “State of cryptocurrencies” reported on the decline of crypto talent in the US and highlighted the importance of regulatory certainty in ensuring qualified people stay in the country after interviewing with major companies.
The survey of Fortune 500 companies, conducted by The Block on behalf of Coinbase, revealed a 14-point decline in developer share over the past five years, despite an increase in major companies moving on-chain.
As of May 2024, only 26% of cryptocurrency developers are based in the United States.
Industry leaders now see the availability of trusted talent as a major barrier to adoption and urge further regulatory clarity for the industry to ensure the U.S. maintains its competitive advantage.
Lack of skill
The survey highlighted that the lack of qualified developers has a significant impact on the ability of companies to fully exploit blockchain technology. Executives have indicated that on-chain projects and broader blockchain adoption will suffer without a robust talent pool.
Small businesses, 68% of which are exploring crypto solutions, are also suffering. Approximately 50% of respondents plan to look for candidates familiar with cryptocurrencies for finance, legal, or IT/technology roles in the next hiring cycle.
The report finds that these companies need skills to navigate blockchain technology and integrate it into their operations, but the current talent pool is insufficient.
Leaders are calling for clear regulatory guidelines to foster innovation and attract and retain talent in the United States. Former Senator Pat Toomey commented on the report on social media and said that without a stable regulatory environment, the United States risks losing its competitive advantage in the global cryptocurrency industry.
He added that regulatory clarity would provide the foundation for sustainable growth and ensure the United States remains a leader in technological innovation.
The lack of a robust talent pool stems from a significant increase in corporate interest in on-chain projects.
Increased interest
According to the survey, Fortune 100 companies announced 39% more on-chain projects year over year, reaching a record high in the first quarter.
Meanwhile, a survey of Fortune 500 executives revealed that 56% of these companies are currently engaged in on-chain projects, including consumer-facing payment applications.
Major financial institutions and products are at the forefront of this shift. THE demand for spot Bitcoin ETFs has led to collective assets under management exceeding $63 billion for these funds. The SEC’s recent approval of Ethereum spot ETF applications further solidifies traditional financial firms’ growing and enduring interest in the cryptocurrency space.
Tokenization of government bonds is also gaining traction. High interest rates have increased demand for safe, high-yield Treasury bonds on-chain, with the value of tokenized US Treasury products rising more than 1,000% since the start of 2023 to reach 1.29 billions of dollars.
BlackRock’s BUIDL U.S. Treasury tokenized fund, valued at $382 million, recently surpassed Franklin Templeton’s $368 million fund to become the largest.
According to the report, the market for tokenized assets is expected to reach $16 trillion by 2030, equivalent to the current GDP of the European Union.
Small businesses are also exploring crypto solutions, with 68% believing cryptocurrencies can solve at least one of their financial pain points, such as transaction fees and processing times.
Stablecoins and inclusion
Coinbase also noticed the growth of stablecoins in recent years and their potential to improve cross-border payments.
According to the report, global payments giants such as PayPal and Stripe have made stablecoins more accessible in recent months. Through Circle, Stripe merchants can accept USDC payments across multiple networks, with payments automatically converted to fiat currency.
Meanwhile, PayPal facilitates cross-border transfers for stablecoin users in around 160 countries with no transaction fees, compared to average fees of 4.45% to 6.39% in the $860 billion global remittance market.
Annual stablecoin payment volume surpassed $10 trillion in 2023, more than 10 times the amount of global remittances, signifying a massive shift in how money flows across borders.
The survey also found that many executives believe cryptocurrencies offer the potential to increase access to the financial system and create wealth for those with and without access to a banking system. About 48% of Fortune 500 executives believe cryptocurrencies can improve financial inclusion.
Additionally, 79% of these executives expressed a desire to collaborate on initiatives with US partners, while 72% agreed that a dollar-backed digital currency would help maintain the US’ global economic competitiveness.
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How Ether Spot ETF Approval Could Impact Crypto Prices: CNBC Crypto World
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CNBC Crypto World features the latest news and daily trading updates from the digital currency markets and gives viewers a glimpse of what’s to come with high-profile interviews, explainers and unique stories from the ever-changing cryptocurrency industry. On today’s show, Ledn Chief Investment Officer John Glover weighs in on what’s driving cryptocurrency prices right now and how the potential approval of spot ether ETFs could impact markets.
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Miners’ ‘Capitulation’ Signals Bitcoin Price May Have Bottomed Out: CryptoQuant
According to CryptoQuant, blockchain data shows signs that the Bitcoin mining industry is “capitulating,” a likely precursor to Bitcoin hitting a local price bottom before reaching new highs.
CryptoQuant analyzed metrics for miners, who are responsible for securing the Bitcoin network in exchange for newly minted BTC. As outlined in the market intelligence platform’s Wednesday report, multiple signs of capitulation have emerged over the past month, during which Bitcoin’s price has fallen 13% from $68,791 to $59,603.
One such sign includes a significant drop in Bitcoin’s hash rate, the total computing power that backs Bitcoin. After hitting a record high of 623 exashashes per second (EH/s) on April 27, the hash rate has fallen 7.7% to 576 EH/s, its lowest level in four months.
“Historically, extreme hash rate drawdowns have been associated with price bottoms,” CryptoQuant wrote. In particular, the 7.7% drawdown is reminiscent of an equivalent hash rate drawdown in December 2022, when Bitcoin’s price bottomed at $16,000 before rallying over 300% over the next 15 months.
This latest hash rate drop follows Bitcoin’s fourth cyclical “halving” event in April, which cut the number of coins paid out to miners in half. According to CryptoQuant’s Miner Profit/Loss Sustainability Indicator, this has left miners “mostly extremely underpaid” since April 20, forcing many to shut down mining machines that have now become unprofitable.
CrypotoQuant said that miners faced a 63% drop in daily revenue after the halving, when both Bitcoin block rewards and transaction fee revenues were much higher.
During this time, Bitcoin miners were seen moving coins from their on-chain wallets at a faster rate than usual, indicating that they may be selling their BTC reserves“Daily miner outflows reached their highest volume since May 21,” the company wrote.
Among the sales of Bitcoin miners, whales and national governmentsBitcoin’s price drop in June also hurt Bitcoin’s “hash price,” a metric of Bitcoin Miner Profitability per unit of computing power.
“Average mining revenue per hash (hash price) continues to hover near all-time lows,” CryptoQuant wrote. “Hashprice stands at $0.049 per EH/s, just above the all-time low hashprice of $0.045 reached on May 1st.”
By Ryan-Ozawa.
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US Congressman French Hill Doubles Down on Trump’s Pro-Crypto Stance
US lawmaker French Hill has noted that Donald Trump will take a more pro-crypto approach than the current administration. The run-up to the presidential election has seen cryptocurrencies become an issue with lawmakers making huge statements ahead of the polls. Donald Trump has also been reaching out to the industry, making a pro-crypto case.
French Hill Backs Trump’s Pro-Crypto Stance
Republican Congressman French Hill has explained the type of cryptocurrency regulatory framework he believes Donald Trump could adopt in the country. In a recent interview with CNBC, French Hill said that the recently passed FIT21 bill is the type of regulatory framework the Trump administration will adopt in the sector.
#FIT21 passed the House with 71 Democratic votes, it’s exactly the kind of digital asset regulatory framework former President Trump would support if re-elected.
See more on @SquawkCNBC🔽 photo.twitter.com/ceTmU4LApU
— French Hill (@RepFrenchHill) July 3, 2024
THE FIT21 Bill It is intended to protect investors and consumers in the market by establishing clear rules and powers for the various regulators in the sector. According to Hill, Trump will adopt it because it directs the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on the specific regulatory framework needed in the market.
“… for people who are innovating and starting a crypto token, a related business, custody of those assets, how to ensure consumer protection, so I think that framework is the right approach and that’s what I’m going to recommend to the President to pass, which is that we have not passed it between now and the end of this Congress.”
He also called Trump an innovative and pro-growth president in financial matters.
Cryptocurrency is going mainstream
This election cycle saw the cryptocurrency industry taking a place in mainstream issues following broader adoption across demographics. From candidates moving toward enthusiasts to recent pro-Congress legislation, cryptocurrencies have become a rallying point for officials. The U.S. regulatory landscape has been criticized for stifling growth due to frequent SEC LawsuitsThis has led executives to push for pro-cryptocurrency laws and raise money for pro-industry candidates.
Read also: Federal Reserve Predicts “AI Will Be Deflationary” to Stimulate Economy
David is a financial news contributor with 4 years of experience in Blockchain and cryptocurrency. He is interested in learning about emerging technologies and has an eye for breaking news. Keeping up to date with trends, David has written in several niches including regulation, partnerships, cryptocurrency, stocks, NFTs, etc. Away from the financial markets, David enjoys cycling and horseback riding.
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US Court Orders Sam Ikkurty to Pay $84 Million for Cryptocurrency Ponzi Scheme
A federal court has ordered Jafia LLC and its owner, Sam Ikkurty, to pay nearly $84 million to cryptocurrency investors after ruling that the company was operating a Ponzi scheme.
The ruling, issued by Judge Mary Rowland in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, follows a lawsuit filed by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in 2022 after the fund collapsed.
Judge Rowland found that Ikkurty, based in Portland, Oregon, did numerous false claims on his company’s hedge funds.
These included misleading statements about his trading experience and the promise of high and stable profits. Instead, Ikkurty used funds from new investors to pay off previous investors, a hallmark of a Ponzi scheme.
The Ponzi Scheme
The court found that Ikkurty misappropriated investment funds for personal use without the knowledge of the investors. These funds were used for personal use and were reported as Fraudulent Investmentscausing significant financial losses to customers.
This non-transparent operation violated Transparency Commission regulations, which led to the imposition of a hefty fine to compensate defrauded investors and restore some public confidence in the financial system.
Judge Rowland emphasized that fraudulent activity such as this violates the law and undermines the integrity of modern financial markets. The $84 million award seeks to address the financial harm inflicted on investors and reinforce the importance of legal compliance in cryptocurrency trading.
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