Kategorie: Crypto Markets

• The Cboe is officially attempting to make SOL ETFs happen.
• It is doing this through VanEck and 21Shares.
• If approved, this will mark a new wave in cryptocurrency trade.

After previous unsuccessful attempts to introduce Solana (SOL) exchange-traded funds (ETFs), new attempts are being made to list the highly traded cryptocurrency. According to CoinGecko, SOL is the most popular blockchain ecosystem this year with Ethereum coming in a close second.

Chicago Board Options Exchange (Cboe) Global Markets, an exchange operator, has filed a request with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to list EFTs that are tied to Solana; specifically, products from the asset managers, VanEck and 21Shares. This has kickstarted the timeline for the Commission to either approve or deny the operator’s 19b-4 application. According to the Commission’s rules, it has 240 days to decide on the application.

Rob Marrocco, the global head of ETP listings at Cboe Global Markets recently released a statement in which he mentioned that they are attempting to address the “increasing investor interest in SOL, one of the most actively traded cryptocurrencies after Bitcoin and Ether”. This, he says, is after Cboe successfully listed the “first U.S. Spot Bitcoin ETFs” and secured SEC approval for rule filings to list spot Ether ETFs.

VanEck had applied with the SEC by filing the S-1 form for SOL in June and 21Shares did the same the day after. The S-1 form is required when an entity wants to offer a new security on the market. Securities must have an S-1 filing before they can be listed on a national exchange platform. The 19b-4 form is for self-regulatory organizations to inform the SEC of a change in their rule and they must justify it before they can get approval.

It is important to note that Cboe isn’t just focusing on SOL. They had their 19b-4 filings for Ethereum approved by the SEC in May 2024 and they are set to start trading ETH ETFs soon. However, they still need the final go-ahead as these products often require a two-stage approval process.

Experts believe that SOL’s liquidity will shoot up should the EFT get approved as Spot SOL ETFs are expected to witness about $3 billion in inflows over time. A significant portion of this predicted amount is also expected to flow through ETFSwap. The current price of Solana is hovering around $139.55.

The post Solana ETF Plan Officially Confirmed by Cboe SEC Filing appeared first on CoinJournal.

• Nishad Singh and Gary Wang to be sentenced for FTX fraud on Oct. 30 and Nov. 20.
• Their cooperation in Sam Bankman-Fried’s trial may lead to reduced sentences.
• Ryan Salame got 90 months for non-cooperation; Bankman-Fried got 25 years.

Former FTX executives Nishad Singh and Gary Wang, key figures in the dramatic collapse of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange, are scheduled to be sentenced later this year.

US District Judge Lewis Kaplan has set Singh’s sentencing for October 30 and Wang’s for November 20.

Both played pivotal roles in the events leading up to and following the downfall of FTX, one of the most high-profile failures in the cryptocurrency industry.

The fall of FTX

FTX, once a leading cryptocurrency exchange, crumbled in 2022 amidst allegations of massive fraud and financial misconduct.

Nishad Singh, the former engineering director, and Gary Wang, FTX co-founder, were instrumental in the company’s operations. Their actions, along with those of other executives, contributed to significant financial losses for users and investors.

Singh and Wang pleaded guilty to multiple felony counts, including fraud and money laundering, with Singh’s guilty plea recorded in February 2023. They have cooperated extensively with US authorities, which might influence their sentencing outcomes.

During the criminal trial of former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), their testimonies were crucial.

Singh and Wang’s revelations about the inner workings of FTX and Alameda Research provided valuable insights into the extent of the alleged fraud.

Singh testified that Bankman-Fried had unilateral control over Alameda’s funds and highlighted his growing distrust of the former CEO.

Wang’s testimony shed light on the exchange’s use of hidden code to misrepresent the value of its insurance fund, which failed to cover user losses.

Singh and Wang’s cooperation has led to speculation that they might receive reduced sentences.

Singh and Wang’s testimonies contributed to SBF’s conviction

The testimonies of Singh and Wang, along with that of Caroline Ellison, former CEO of Alameda Research, significantly contributed to the conviction of Sam Bankman-Fried.

Judge Kaplan sentenced Bankman-Fried to 25 years in prison, marking one of the harshest penalties in the cryptocurrency industry to date.

The detailed accounts from Singh and Wang painted a picture of systemic fraud and gross mismanagement at FTX, leading to Bankman-Fried’s downfall.

Ryan Salame, the former co-CEO of FTX Digital Markets, also faced legal repercussions. Unlike Singh and Wang, Salame did not cooperate with authorities, resulting in a 90-month prison sentence. His lack of cooperation and subsequent sentencing underscore the potential benefits of aiding investigations, which Singh and Wang might experience.

As Singh and Wang await their sentencing, the cryptocurrency community remains watchful. Their cooperation and the outcomes of their cases could set significant precedents for how justice is administered in complex financial fraud cases.

Meanwhile, Sam Bankman-Fried remains incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, with his legal team preparing to appeal his conviction.

In the meantime, the FTX saga continues to unfold, with bankruptcy proceedings and class-action lawsuits still in progress, as affected parties seek justice and restitution.

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• TAC and Polygon Labs partner to bring EVM-compatible DApps to TON.
• Integration boosts DApp access within Telegram, increasing real-world applications.
• Despite success, rising phishing attacks challenge user security on the TON network.

The Ton Application Chain (TAC) and Polygon Labs have announced a groundbreaking partnership aimed at enhancing the TON ecosystem with a new Layer 2 (L2) solution.

This collaboration promises to bring Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) functionality to TON, thereby expanding the range of decentralized applications (DApps) available to its users.

The new L2 will have EVM compatibility and expanded DApp ecosystem

According to the collaboration announcement, Polygon CDK and the interoperability protocol Agglayer will be integrated into the new TON L2. This strategic move is designed to introduce EVM-compatible DApps to the TAC, significantly broadening the scope of applications available to the TON network’s users.

The key areas that the new L2 chain will focus on include decentralized finance (DeFi), gaming, and identity solutions.

Pavel Altukhov, CEO of TAC, highlighted the importance of this integration, stating that it enhances their ability to bridge the gap between TON and Ethereum ecosystems.

Altukhov also stated that by leveraging applications like Wallet within Telegram, Ethereum developers can now reach a vast user base, facilitating the implementation of real-world crypto applications.

The integration is expected to significantly enhance DApp integration within Telegram, one of the most popular messaging platforms globally.

With the new EVM-compatible layer, developers can create and deploy a wide array of DApps that Telegram users can access seamlessly. This opens up numerous possibilities, from DeFi applications and gaming to decentralized identity solutions, thereby driving innovation and adoption within the TON ecosystem.

TON has seen significant uptick in user activity

Even before the unveiled collaboration the number of daily active addresses on the TON network surpassed those on Ethereum during June according to a July 6 post by Messari on X.

This surge in activity underscores the growing interest and engagement within the TON community. However, despite the positive momentum, the chain’s ecosystem has not been without challenges. A rise in phishing attacks has accompanied the recent success.

On June 24, SlowMist founder Yu Xian warned that the Telegram ecosystem was “too free,” making it a fertile ground for phishing links spread through message groups, airdrops, and other deceptive methods.

The heightened phishing risks are particularly concerning for users with anonymous numbers not linked to SIM cards, as these accounts are more vulnerable to being compromised by malicious actors.

As Telegram boasts of approximately 196 million daily active users and 800 million monthly active users as of April, safeguarding user security remains a top priority.

The post TON Application Chain and Polygon Labs partner for TON L2 appeared first on CoinJournal.

• Meme coins are surging again, with Bonk and Dogwifhat the Solana ecosystem.
• Excitement is also high ahead of new Solana meme coin Tequila (JULIO) launching.
• JULIO expects to have its fair launch on July 10.

The Solana meme coin market has seen a sudden spike in upside action, with Bonk leading the top gainers as traders seek fresh opportunities.

While top dog-themed meme coins like Shiba Inu and Dogwifhat are rising, the biggest anticipation is around the launch of Tequila (JULIO), the new Solana meme coin that arrives on July 10.

Solana meme coins surge

Meme coins are currently outperforming the broader crypto market. The gains for the sector have seen its market cap rise 8.5% in 24 hours to over $45 billion.

Meanwhile, Solana meme coin’s market cap has increased over 14% in the same period. Narrowing to top presale meme coins currently trading on top crypto exchanges, Book of Meme and Slerf are up as the overall market cap jumps 10%.

Although these tokens are seeing decent upward moves, market attention is on Tequila (JULIO), which will launch on July 10 to potentially herald the next breakout meme coin.

Tequila launches amid big moves for Solana meme coins

Tequila is a new Solana meme coin inspired by the distilled Mexican beverage tequila. The algave tequilana is an important plant in Mexico’s Jalisco state, the heart of an industry that could see $32 billion worth of tequila exported this year

Amid this outlook is Tequila (JULIO)’s quest to bring the tequila tradition and fun to Solana.

The meme coin is a fair launch, with 90% of tokens for the community and 10% for marketing and development.

Per details on the project’s website, the total supply of JULIO tokens will be 100 million, which means 90 million will be available to the community on launch day. With interest skyrocketing amid a meme coin resurgence, demand for this new beverage-inspired token could send its token’s value vertical.

JULIO is set to list on Solana-based DEX and AMM Raydium, before other exchanges and platforms follow as part of the Tequila meme coin’s roadmap.

The development phases also include the launch of themed parties, a layer 3 platform, and a Tequila spirit drink- which will have JULIO as the payment token.

Learn more about Tequila meme coin and its upcoming launch on the official website.

The post Meme coins surge ahead of new Solana token Tequila launch appeared first on CoinJournal.

• The Chicago Board Options Exchange (Cboe) has submitted two applications to list spot Solana ETFs on its platform
• The exchange has asked the SEC to approve the listing of the 21Shares and VanEck spot Solana ETFs
• The SEC needs to decide by March 2025
• One analyst believes that the ETF approval depends on whether Donald Trump is re-elected as US President in November

The Chicago Board Options Exchange (Choe) has filed applications with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to list 21Shares and VanEck spot Solana exchange-traded funds (ETFs), requiring the regulator to decide by March 2025.

Cboe filed two 19b-4 form applications on July 8: 21Shares Core Solana and the VanEck Solana Trust. Now that the SEC has received the filings, and under its rules, it must decide within 240 days.

The Cboe  filings come a few weeks after VanEck filed an S-1 for a spot Solana ETF with the SEC, making it the first company in the US to file for one. Following the news, the trading volume of Solana increased 26% to more than $2.8bn.

21Shares also filed its own S-1 application with the SEC in June, stating on X that they “believe this is a necessary step for the crypto industry.”

According to the Cboe, a potential Solana ETF is similar to spot Bitcoin and spot Ethereum funds, adding “much like bitcoin and ETH, the Exchange believes that SOL is resistant to price manipulation and that “other means to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices” exist to justify dispensing with the requisite surveillance sharing agreement.”

Outcome of a Solana ETF

Cboe already lists six of the 10 spot Bitcoin ETFs available: ARK/21Shares, Fidelity Wise, Franklin, Invesco Galaxy, VanEck, and Wisdom Tree. If, and when spot Ethereum ETFs are approved by the SEC, Cboe would list five.

It remains to be seen whether or not spot Solana ETFs receive the green light.

However, according to senior Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas, the possibility of a Solana ETF depends on whether Donald Trump is re-elected as the US President. Balchunas believes that if Biden wins, the applications are likely “dead on arrival.”

This was a view he shared in June following 21Shares application for a Solana ETF when he said “the odds of a Solana ETF being approved” in the next 12 months may improve significantly if Trump wins this year’s election.

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