Acting SEC Chair Uyeda announces new crypto task force

  • SEC acting chair Mark Uyeda has announced a crypto task force dubbed “SEC Crypto 2.0”
  • The task force will look to establish a clear regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies.
  • SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce will lead this task force.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission has announced the formation of a new crypto task force.

Acting SEC Chair Mark Uyeda launched the “SEC Crypto 2.0”, a task force the agency says will be “dedicated to developing a comprehensive and clear regulatory framework for crypto assets.”

The announcement comes days after it emerged the agency was looking for a crypto regulatoy approach reboot under President Donald Trump.

SEC acting chair forms crypto task force

According to a press release the regulatory published on Jan. 21, Commissioner Hester Peirce is set to lead the new task force. Crypto 2.0 aims at offering a path to regulatory clarity for the crypto industry, the SEC said in the release.

“To date, the SEC has relied primarily on enforcement actions to regulate crypto retroactively and reactively, often adopting novel and untested legal interpretations along the way. Clarity regarding who must register, and practical solutions for those seeking to register, have been elusive,” the statement reads in part.

SEC plans to coordinate with other federal agencies, including the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Collaboration will also involve both state and international counterparts.

“This undertaking will take time, patience, and much hard work. It will succeed only if the Task Force has input from a wide range of investors, industry participants, academics, and other interested parties. We look forward to working hand-in-hand with the public to foster a regulatory environment that protects investors, facilitates capital formation, fosters market integrity, and supports innovation,” Commissioner Peirce stated.

SEC’s move comes a day after former chair Gary Gensler exited following his resignation. President Donald Trump appointed Uyeda the acting chair.

With Gensler heavily criticised for the commission’s regulation by enforcement approach and a lack of clear path to registration for crypto companies, the main goal of the task force is to clear the confusion. It will also help put in place “sensible disclosure frameworks” with the SEC eyeing public input on this. The Peirce-led team will also undertake roundtable meetings.

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New memecoin Pengu Unleashed raise $1.5M in first day of presale

Pengu Unleashed (PUNGU) has officially announced the successful launch of its cryptocurrency token, marking a groundbreaking entry into the meme coin market by raising an impressive $1.5 million on the first day of its presale.

What makes PUNGU stand out?

At its core, Pengu Unleashed is about more than just hype. The project integrates advanced Layer 2 rollup technology like zk-rollups and optimistic rollups to cut down gas fees and speed up transactions. This means users can trade, stake, and build on the platform with minimal costs, all while staying secure.

But that’s not all. PUNGU is also on a mission to do good, pledging $1 million to penguin habitat conservation and climate change initiatives.

It’s a win-win: contribute to a greener planet while riding the next big wave in crypto.

Pengu Unleashed presale gains momentum as staking goes live

The early interest in Pengu Unleashed is reflected in its presale performance.

Launched this week, the presale has attracted over $1 million within the first 24 hours of going live.

The total raise now stands at almost $1.7 million.

Early investors can buy PUNGU tokens for $0.015 each during the current stage of the presale.

The Pengu Unleashed team accepts purchases in ETH and USDT.

$PUNGU is already making moves, securing listings on Tier 2 exchange BitMart and a soon-to-be-revealed Tier 1 exchange. These partnerships will make it even easier for investors to jump in and trade.

Meanwhile, presale participants are already staking their tokens to earn rewards ahead of the official launch.

Where to buy and what’s next

A growing community

PUNGU is already attracting attention online, with its Telegram channel reaching 4000+ members in 72 hours. Early adopters are locking in their positions, staking tokens, and preparing for the next steps in the roadmap.

With strong early momentum and an eye toward innovation, PUNGU is positioning itself as a standout player in the meme coin space.

Why investors are paying attention

PUNGU isn’t just a token, it’s an entire platform designed for decentralized applications (DApps). Developers can build with Ethereum-compatible tools, while PUNGU holders gain governance rights to shape the ecosystem’s future.

A lead developer summed it up perfectly:
“Memes are cultural artifacts, and Pengu Unleashed is building infrastructure to make them scalable and meaningful. By lowering the entry barrier for creators and developers, we’re enabling a new wave of decentralized creativity.”

However, its early presale success and positioning in the Pungu space make it a project that many investors are watching closely.

Media:

Twitter (X): https://x.com/pengu_unleashed

Telegram: http://t.me/pengu_unleashed  🐧

Where to buy PUNGU: pungu.io

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US government’s DOGE website launches with Dogecoin logo

  • Department of Government Efficiency website launches with logo of Dogecoin.
  • DOGE price reacts higher to hit $0.40.

The price of Dogecoin rose sharply on Tuesday before paring some of the gains. This came as the US government officially launched the website for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Notably, the Doge.gov site currently only showcases the Dogecoin token logo.

Elon Musk will lead the department, and the website’s featuring of the Dogecoin meme dog avatar quickly catalysed a significant surge in DOGE price. Per CoinGecko, dogecoin’s price reached highs of $0.40, having traded near $0.33 earlier in the day.

Trump unveiled DOGE

US president Donald Trump officially unveiled the Musk-led DOGE during his first speech following the inauguration on Jan. 20.

“To restore competence and effectiveness to our federal government, my administration will establish the brand-new Department of Government Efficiency,” Trump said.

Dogecoin and other cryptocurrencies had dipped post Trump’s recent speech, with the market reacting lower amid the lack of any crypto related remarks in the speech. Bitcoin fell to lows of $100k, while Trump’s meme coin TRUMP and the one by First Lady Melania Trump MELANIA dumping hard.

DOGE, the original meme coin cryptocurrency that features the iconic shiba inu dog, also crashed. The latest news has however seen bulls curtail the downward action with a spike above $0.37 to reclaim highs seen ahead of the inauguration.

What next for DOGE price?

If bulls manage to hold above $0.37, they could target the resistance at $0.41 seen last week and likely attempt to push past Dec. 2024 highs around $0.46.On the flipside, a decline could see bears eye $0.30.

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iDEGEN price prediction as BTC, SOL hold key support levels

While cryptocurrencies have pared most gains seen this week as the market rallied ahead of President Donald Trump’s inauguration, analysts are upbeat about potential upside breakout for Bitcoin (BTC) and altcoins.

The past 24 hours have seen BTC retrace to support above $100k, while Solana held above $230 after a double digit dip. What does the outlook for BTC and SOL suggest for iDEGEN (IDGN), the AI agent crypto project that’s raised more than $17.4 million in presale?

Bitcoin, Solana prices dip after Trump inauguration

On Jan. 20, the day Donald Trump was inaugurated into office as the 47th US president, Bitcoin rose to a new all-time high of $109k. The gains however paled compared to the staggering pumps that Trump family’s meme coins witnessed.

OFFICIAL TRUMP (TRUMP) and Official Melania (MELANIA) pumped so hard, their respective market caps instantly put them among the top 100 crypto projects. Despite the bullish anticipation, these meme coins have crashed in the past 24 hours, with TRUMP down more than 30% at the time of writing.

Trump not mentioning crypto on the inauguration day acted as a downward catalyst for most altcoins. Bitcoin also shed gains to reach lows of $100,101. Meanwhile, Solana retreated to $231 – losing the uptrend after it hit the all-time high of $294 on Jan.19. Incidentally, SOL rose as TRUMP and MELANIA meme tokens took the market by storm.

BTC, SOL price prediction

According to crypto analyst DonAlt, an executive order around Bitcoin could send BTC flying out of the blocks to a new ATH. The analyst says BTC holding above $100k despite the downward pressure is a key indicator of the market’s resilience.

SOL could rally to a new all-time high if buyers breakout above $245, another crypto analyst has predicted.

What is iDEGEN?

Meme coins aside, a crypto segment that has in the past few months attracted massive attention include AI agents. iDEGEN stands out as one of the projects looking to dominate as both the presale and AI agent gather pace.

iDEGEN started with a premarket auction before adopting a stage-based presale for the IDGN token. In both approaches, the project witnessed a remarkable surge in community support, with the raised amount quickly surpassing the $10 million mark.

iDEGEN price forecast

While an AI experiment in the ilk of other top agentic projects, iDEGEN’s standout proposition is its “degen raised” feature. Being an AI agent with an unfiltered access to interaction and training via X has nonetheless landed iDEGEN in trouble.

But the potential the project has within the ecosystem means successive bans on X have only hyped it further. IDGN price has increased to $0.0121 and will rise to $0.0133 in the next stage. By the time iDEGEN lists on major exchanges, IDGN will be priced at $0.038. This indicates a potential 214% return from the current level.

So far, those that entered the presale when iDEGEN’s token offering went live are looking at an increase of 10,900%

Where iDEGEN trades after it launches in the market will depend on multiple factors, including market conditions. As noted here, the IDGN presale will end on Feb. 26 and project listing on Feb. 27.

To learn more about iDEGEN and its presale, check out the official website.

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The state of Utah proposes investing public funds in crypto

  • Utah bill aims to allow state funds in crypto.
  • The bill limits investments to high-cap or stablecoins.
  • Security is assured through encrypted key storage.

In a groundbreaking move towards embracing digital finance, Utah has introduced a bill titled “Blockchain and Digital Innovation Amendments (H.B. 230)“, which would allow the state’s treasury to invest in cryptocurrencies.

The bill, presented by State Representative Jordan Teuscher, seeks to integrate blockchain technology into the state’s financial strategy, marking Utah as a potential pioneer in state-level cryptocurrency investment.

10% of key state accounts to be invested in crypto

Under the proposed legislation, the Utah State Treasurer would be empowered to allocate up to 10% of several key state accounts into digital assets.

These accounts include the State Disaster Recovery Restricted Account, General Fund Budget Reserve Account, Income Tax Fund Budget Reserve Account, and Medicaid Growth Reduction and Budget Stabilization Account.

This move is aimed at diversifying state investments and potentially reaping benefits from the volatile yet lucrative crypto market.

To qualify for investment, digital assets must either have a market capitalization exceeding $500 billion, averaged over 12 months, or be stablecoins with stringent backing requirements, like being supported by the US. dollars or high-quality liquid assets, alongside regulatory approval. This criterion effectively narrows down the investment options to major players like Bitcoin or select stablecoins.

To cater for the security of the investments, the H.B. 230 bill mandates that cryptographic private keys be stored in highly secure, encrypted environments accessible only through end-to-end encrypted channels. Additionally, hardware containing these keys must be housed in at least two geographically diverse secure data centres, ensuring robust protection against cyber threats.

The legislation also champions individual rights by prohibiting any state or local government entity from restricting the use of self-hosted or hardware wallet solutions for personal custody of digital assets.

This initiative aligns with a growing trend across the US, where states like Oklahoma, New Hampshire, and Texas are also exploring similar avenues for crypto investment or donation.

If passed, H.B. 230 would come into effect on May 7, 2025, positioning Utah at the forefront of state-led crypto investment in America. The bill reflects a broader commitment to technological innovation and fiscal sovereignty in the face of evolving financial landscapes.

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