Spot Ethereum ETFs approval likely on May 23: Standard Chartered

  • Standard Chartered Bank says the SEC could approve spot Ethereum ETFs on May 23, the final deadline for applications currently before the regulator.
  • Ethereum price could surge to over $4,000 by then, the bank said in a report.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is likely to give a nod to the first spot Ethereum ETF in May, the Standard Chartered Bank said in a report on Tuesday.

In particular, the bank’s analysts see the regulator approving the ETH spot ETFs on May 23. According to the bank’s note shared with clients and reported on by The Block, the May date is the final deadline for applications before the SEC.

“We expect pending applications for ETH U.S. spot ETFs to be approved on May 23, the final deadline for the first of the ETFs under consideration — the equivalent date to Jan. 10 for BTC ETFs,” Geoffrey Kendrick, Head of Forex and Digital Assets Research at Standard Chartered Bank, said.

ETH price could surge to $4,000

The SEC recently delayed spot Ethereum ETF applications for BlackRock and Fidelity. However, should the regulator approve the ETF proposals before it, the price of Ethereum could skyrocket. In the lead up to the approval, Standard Chartered sees a potential spike to $4,000.

“If ETH prices perform similarly to how BTC prices performed in the lead-up to BTC ETF approval, ETH could trade as high as $4,000 by then.”

Bitcoin price rallied following BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF application, surging from around $25k to hit a a high of $49k. While prices are back to lows of $43k, after rebounding from around $38.6k last week, the market is bullish as the next BTC halving approaches.

Ethereum surged after BlackRock filed for a spot ETH ETF in November, reaching highs above $2,700. The leading altcoin’s price is currently near $2,375, up 3% in the past hour as the altcoin market looks to bounce alongside the benchmark cryptocurrency.

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Binance Labs invests in Ethereum liquid restaking protocol Puffer

  • Binance Labs has invested an undisclosed amount in Ethereum restaking protocol Puffer.
  • Puffer Finance will use these funds to develop its Layer 2 network and to bring ETH staking and restaking rwards to BNB Chain users.
  • Binance Labs on Monday, January 29, denied claims it had participated in a $15 million funding round for SkyArk Chronicles.

Binance Labs, the venture capital and incubation arm of crypto exchange Binance, has made a strategic investment in Puffer Finance, a decentralised liquid restaking protocol on EigenLayer.

Although Binance Labs hasn’t disclosed the invested amount, it revealed in its announcement that Puffer will use the investment to develop its open-source technologies. 

Today’s announcement comes a day after Binance Labs released a statement distancing itself from claims that it had led a $15 million funding round for gaming platform SkyArk Chronicles.

Puffer to use investment on its L2 and restaking rewards

One of the project areas to see funding from the investment will be Puffer’s actively validated services (AVSs) on a Layer 2 network. Puffer will run its upcoming L2 as an AVS on EigenLayer AVS, Binance Labs said on Tuesday.

“As Puffer continues to develop, our unique approach, supported by collaborations with eminent researchers, elevates validator profitability, contributing to Ethereum’s decentralization and securing its infrastructure with EigenLayer,” Amir Forouzani, founder of Puffer, said in a statement.

“We are incredibly excited about laying a robust foundation for the future of decentralized trust, ensuring a resilient and thriving ecosystem for years to come,” Forouzani added.

Also set to receive a boost from Binance’s venture arm is Puffer’s liquid restaking technology that will see the protocol’s native liquid restaking token go live on the BNB Chain. The target here is to bring ETH staking and restaking rewards to users on the BNB Chain.

Puffer has previously received investment funding from various venture firms, both during its pre-seed and seed round. Among investors in the protocol’s $5.5 million seed round were Lemniscap, Lightspeed Faction, Brevan Howard Digital, Animoca Ventures, Canonical Crypto and Bankless Ventures.

The project also secured a grant from the Ethereum Foundation for its first innovation – a remote signing tool dubbed Secure-Signer. Validators on the Ethereum network can tap into this tool to reduce risk of slashing.

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Market focus shifts to Ethereum ETFs after Bitcoin; high expectations for Quant and InQubeta

As the initial excitement surrounding Bitcoin ETFs approved by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) subsides, investors are redirecting their attention to the potential launch of an ETH spot ETF.

This shift in focus sets the stage for Ethereum’s ascendancy. Meanwhile, top crypto coins like Quant (QNT) and InQubeta (QUBE) have emerged as promising contenders in the crypto arena.

Focus shifting to Ethereum ETFs

The initial buzz following the SEC decision on Bitcoin ETF is fading, evidenced by Bitcoin’s recent drop. According to insights from crypto trading firm QCP Capital, the narrative has pivoted towards the prospect of an Ethereum spot ETF, contributing to Ethereum’s recent surge.

QCP Capital shared that they saw $9.8 billion in trading volume covering all 11 ETFs recently. The Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) played a big part, contributing a hefty $4.6 billion to that impressive total. However, since its conversion from a Trust to an ETF, GBTC has seen outflows of $1.17 billion.

Ethereum, represented by the ETHBTC pair, is displaying an upward trend. The medium-term outlook anticipates Ethereum continuing to outperform Bitcoin, driven by the shifting narrative toward potential ETH spot ETF approvals.

Quant (QNT): bridging the gap between blockchains

Quant (QNT) is emerging as a good crypto to buy in blockchain interoperability, offering a comprehensive solution to facilitate seamless integration and communication between diverse blockchain networks. Using its Overledger technology, Quant functions like a bridge, allowing different blockchains, older systems, and centralized networks to communicate seamlessly.

Quant has been staying above $110 in recent days, and what makes it attractive to big institutional players is its ability to work in industries like healthcare, supply chain management, and finance. Quant’s Overledger technology boosts operational efficiency, security, and transparency across different sectors.

As institutions recognize the value of blockchain interoperability, Quant’s technology becomes an enticing solution for navigating the complexities of diverse networks.

InQubeta (QUBE): presale performance sparks investor excitement

In AI investment opportunities and the coolest NFT offerings, InQubeta has become a standout performer, capturing the attention of investors with its unique propositions.

InQubeta’s ongoing presale, currently in Stage 7, offers QUBE tokens at an attractive price of 0.0224 USDT. The platform is gaining serious traction after pulling in a whopping $8.4 million, with over 732 million tokens already grabbed by early investors.

InQubeta’s triumph stems not just from its clever strategy but also from its AI integration. The platform helps AI startups showcase their offerings by listing equity-based NFTs, offering QUBE holders a fresh, affordable avenue to dive into exciting AI opportunities. 

The presale started with QUBE being valued at $0.007, and since then, it has experienced a significant rally, reaching its current price. Projections are pointing towards an additional boost, with expectations set at $0.0308 after the presale ends.

Early investors have already seen their profits soar by 220%, and indications from InQubeta’s crypto ICO performance hint that the platform might undergo an impressive 100x surge in value. After completing the remaining presale stages, the platform’s strategic listing on Uniswap and CoinGecko positions it for increased trading volume and adoption, potentially driving QUBE to new heights throughout the year.

Conclusion

After the Bitcoin ETFs, all eyes are now on Ethereum ETFs. At the same time, altcoins like QNT and QUBE are taking their place among the best cryptos to buy now. Quant, the bridge between blockchains, solves problems for big institutions. InQubeta is making waves with its successful ventures into AI investments and NFT offerings, making it a standout among new DeFi projects.

InQubeta (QUBE) is calling on investors to jump into its community and be part of its game-changing journey. Check out their site or connect with them on Twitter to stay in the loop and discover the awesome opportunities InQubeta is bringing to the table.

If interested in purchasing QUBE, visit InQubeta Presale and/or join the InQubeta Communities for updates.

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Google Bard endorses Arbitrum, Rebel Satoshi, and Filecoin as top tokens for 2024

  • Despite tokenomic issues and reliance on Ethereum, Arbitrum has the potential to be a dominant layer-2 network.
  • Filecoin continues to be the go-to decentralized file storage platform.
  • Rebel Satoshi prepares to blaze a trail as the first rebel-themed meme coin.

While most think of ‘ChatGPT’ when the AI chatbot topic arises, Google Bard is an increasingly popular name. These chatbots have many capabilities, one being to provide endorsements on top crypto coins.

The considerable names include Arbitrum (ARB), the new meme coin Rebel Satoshi ($RBLZ), and Filecoin (FIL). But which option offers the most bang for one’s buck?

Arbitrum remains an excellent Ethereum layer-2 solution

Among the best altcoins to buy for Ethereum layer-2 (L2) solutions is the relatively young Arbitrum. Users have lauded Arbitrum as being faster and cheaper than its competitors like Avalanche and Polygon.

Avalanche has performed exceedingly well when looking at the platform’s statistics. Total value locked (TVL) is the best-performing metric in this regard, a key factor for DeFi companies. Arbitrum’s TVL is worth $2.62 billion, 2.5x higher than the same time last year. 

The main concern for investors is that Arbitrum will release millions of ARB in several token unlocks over time. Finally, Arbitrum is still confronted with the same disadvantage as other L2s – a reliance on Ethereum’s activity.

Regardless, Arbitrum has potential technology and price-wise. Speaking of the latter, ARB is worth $2.24, near its yearly high of $2.42. It could surpass $3.50 by 2025, based on many forecasts.

Rebel Satoshi is next in this comparative review and may prove the best crypto investment.

Rebel Satoshi set to be the first Rebel-themed meme coin

The meme coin market is transitioning away from Dogecoin (DOGE) and Shiba Inu (SHIB) like references. Rebel Satoshi introduces the first rebel-themed meme coin inspired by Satoshi Nakamoto and Guy Fawkes. The project plans to embody its defiant spirit to take on centralized financial systems and advocate for decentralized finance. 

Aside from these revolutionary ambitions, Rebel Satoshi adheres to what is expected of other meme coins: community-building and amusement. Members will realize the power of building a tight-knit collective through virtual gatherings and interactive quests.

Rebel Satoshi plans to reach $100 million in market cap. The project is on track, judging by the presale of its utility token $RBLZ, which has raised over $1.5 million. $RBLZ offers enticing perks like passive income from staking and entry into the Rebel NFT Vault, where users trade almost 10,000 Rebel Satoshi-branded digital art characters and collectibles.

The token is worth $0.022 during the last presale stage (Monarchs Round 4), 120% higher than its price in the first round from November 2023. Thus, it’s only a matter of time before Rebel Satoshi officially launches. $RBLZ will be worth $0.025, with expectations of a value surge once it’s listed on multiple exchanges.

Finally, let’s cover Filecoin, which may suit non-alternative crypto investors.

Filecoin’s dominance in decentralized file storage networks

First-mover advantage is a powerful element when looking at the best crypto to invest in. Even with competitors like Arweave, Siacoin, and Storj, Filecoin reigns supreme. It boasts the number one market cap in decentralized file storage at $2.9 billion, 4.96x higher than Arweave. 

Competitive changes experienced by Filecoin in 2023 include Bitmain’s launch of a powerful ASIC-based mining machine and the Filstation desktop mining app. Still, the most noteworthy is the Filecoin Virtual Machine (FVM). The FVM has made Filecoin a programmable blockchain, attracting higher inflows and increasing the platform’s revenue.

Despite these positives, the regulatory status of Filecoin remains questionable, especially with the Securities and Exchange Commission flagging the project. Otherwise, Filecoin should continue to thrive. While FIL is down 25% from $8.11 (the 2024 high) to $6.06, forecasts suggest it could hit at least $15 by 2025.

For the latest updates and more information, be sure to visit the official Rebel Satoshi Presale Website or contact Rebel Red via Telegram.

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Celsius set to unlock $470M Ethereum for creditor repayments

  • Celsius, in bankruptcy since 2022, begins unstaking 206,300 ETH ($468.5M) for creditor distributions.
  • Market speculates on a potential ETH “dump,” while some see Celsius’s move as relieving pressure on Ethereum.
  • Earlier focused on Bitcoin mining post-bankruptcy, Celsius faces scrutiny for abrupt strategic shift.

Embattled crypto lending platform Celsius is making waves as it unveils plans to recall and rebalance its crypto assets, particularly Ethereum (ETH), in preparation for timely creditor distributions.

With the platform in bankruptcy court since July 2022, customers eagerly await the return of their funds. This development sheds light on Celsius’s strategic moves and their impact on the crypto market.

Celsius initiates asset shift for timely distributions

Celsius has officially commenced the process of recalling and rebalancing its crypto assets, marking a crucial step in the platform’s journey since filing for Chapter 11 in 2022. The primary focus lies on unlocking Ethereum (ETH) holdings, currently staked for valuable rewards income.

As part of its recovery plan, Celsius is set to unstake a substantial 206,300 ETH, valued at an impressive $468.5 million in today’s market. The objective is to offset restructuring costs and facilitate the much-awaited distributions to creditors. This move aligns with the company’s commitment to providing transparency amid its restructuring process.

Market speculations surrounding Celsius’s ETH unlock

With nearly one-third of the pending ETH withdrawal queue belonging to Celsius, amounting to a staggering 206,300 ETH, market speculations arise. Some express concerns about a potential “dump” of Ethereum on the market, fearing adverse effects on its value. However, contrasting opinions highlight the positive long-term impact, anticipating relief for Ethereum as Celsius navigates its restructuring journey.

This strategic shift also follows Celsius’s earlier announcement of a scaled-back post-bankruptcy strategy, focusing on Bitcoin mining. However, the abrupt change in direction drew displeasure from the presiding judge overseeing the company’s bankruptcy proceedings.

In conclusion, Celsius’s move to unstake a substantial amount of Ethereum signifies a pivotal moment in its efforts to navigate the challenges posed by the crypto contagions of 2022. As the crypto lending platform takes concrete steps toward creditor repayments, the industry watches closely to understand the implications of this significant shift in assets. The liberated Ethereum holds the key to unlocking value for creditors, marking a potential turning point for Celsius in its post-bankruptcy strategy.

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