Global payment giant PayPal holds a significant part of its financial liabilities in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) offered to its customers. As of Dec. 31, PayPal held a total of $604 million in various cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ether (ETH), Litecoin (LTC) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH), according to the annual report filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Feb. 10. Bitcoin has the largest share in PayPal’s crypto assets, accounting for $291 million in the firm’s asset breakdown, while $250 million is held in ETH. The remaining $63 million includes Litecoin and Bitcoin Cash combined. The amount …

Bitcoin (BTC) held by Tesla is still worth 33% less than its 2021 purchase price, the latest data shows. Two years to the day that Elon Musk’s firm added BTC to its balance sheet, most gains continue to evade the auto manufacturer. Tesla and Bitcoin: From $1.5 billion to $225 million Bitcoin and Tesla have proven an explosive combination since CEO Musk announced that it would buy $1.5 billion in BTC. The move in February 2021 came as BTC/USD was on its way to its first all-time high of the year, which it reached in April, topping out at $58,000. …

The development of blockchain technology and the growing adoption of nonfungible tokens (NFTs) are two factors that have contributed to the proliferation of play-to-earn collectible games. Play-to-earn (P2E) games allow players to gain benefits by participating in the game, such as in-game currency and items. This creates a new dynamic where players can profit from their in-game actions, enhancing the fun and purpose of the gaming experience. Additionally, the usage of NFTs and blockchain technology in play-to-earn games gives players greater ownership and scarcity, which increases demand and can result in higher prices for exclusive in-game commodities. Play-to-earn games like …

Crypto brokers and investment advisors offering or giving advice about cryptocurrencies will be put under the scope of the United States' securities watchdog this year. A Feb. 7 statement from the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Division of Examinations outlined its priorities for 2023, suggesting brokers and advisers dealing in crypto will need to be extra careful when offering, selling or making recommendations regarding digital assets. It stated that SEC-registered brokers and advisors will be closely watched to see if they followed their “respective standards of care” when making recommendations, referrals and providing investment advice. Today we announced the Division …

2023 is off to a tepid start for crypto venture capital, as the industry continues to emerge from a prolonged bear market. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t deals. In January, Cointelegraph reported a $125 million raise from Blockstream, a $60 million allocation to QuickNode and pair of ecosystem funds from Injective and SSV worth $150 million and $50 million, respectively. The latest edition of VC Roundup brings you seven smaller venture deals that may have slipped through the cracks. Related: Venture capital investments into blockchain continue to free-fall: Report =nil; Foundation closes $22M fundraise In January, Polygon Capital led …

Three financial watchdogs in the United States have issued a warning to investors considering certain individual retirement accounts with exposure to cryptocurrencies. In a Feb. 7 notice, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy, the North American Securities Administrators Association, and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority said self-directed individual retirement accounts, or IRAs, may include assets with potential risks, including cryptocurrencies. According to the agencies, some of the aforementioned IRAs could offer exposure to crypto assets that qualify as securities “without SEC registration or a valid exemption from registration” and without providing the information necessary …

Bitcoin (BTC) rebounding 40% in January sparked the largest inflows of institutional cash since June 2022, data shows. In its "Digital Asset Fund Flows" Weekly" report on Jan. 30, digital asset investment and trading group CoinShares confirmed $117 million headed into crypto in the last week of the month. Institutions "not sold" on post-merge Ethereum Bitcoin is still on the radar as an institutional investment opportunity. As demonstrated by CoinShares’ latest data, it took a matter of weeks of BTC price action recouping prior losses to spark a major turnaround in investment habits — and not just in the United …

The CEO of crypto miner Layer1 Technologies has filed a lawsuit against the firm’s two other board members — including co-founder Jakov Dolic — for allegedly commandeering Layer1's operations for their own gain. Chief executive John Harney and DGF Investments Inc — a British Virgin Islands-based investment firm — filed the lawsuit against Dolic and fellow board member Tobias Ebel in Delaware’s Chancery Court on Feb. 2. The lawsuit alleges that both Dolic and Ebel used a power vacuum at Layer1’s equity parent Enigma to seize control of the Bitcoin mining company and operate it as their own personal fiefdom.” …

On Feb. 6, European cryptocurrency investment firm CoinShares published its “Digital Asset Fund Flows Report,” which revealed that investors are showing a strong interest in digital asset investment products, with inflows totaling $76 million last week, marking the fourth consecutive week of inflows. The report indicates a change in investor sentiment for the start of 2023, with year-to-date inflows now at $230 million. This growth has led to an increase in total assets under management (AUM), which now stands at $30.3 billion — the highest since mid-August 2022. Investors are primarily focusing on Bitcoin (BTC), with weekly inflows of $69 …

United States fund manager WisdomTree saw the value of its digital asset holdings decline sharply in the fourth quarter, reflecting the prolonged bear market in Bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptocurrencies. WisdomTree’s cryptocurrency funds held $136 million worth of assets as of Dec. 31, 2022, down from $163 million at the beginning of the quarter and marking a $23 million depreciation, the company disclosed in its quarterly earnings report on Feb. 3. Twelve months earlier, WisdomTree’s cryptocurrency portfolios held $357 million worth of assets. The fund manager posted a net loss of $28.3 million in the fourth quarter, though operating revenues …

A whopping 72% of institutional e-traders have signaled “no plans to trade crypto/digital coins” in 2023, according to a new survey conducted by JPMorgan. The seventh edition of JPMorgan’s e-Trading Edit surveyed 835 traders from 60 different “global locations” about the technical developments and macroeconomic factors that will influence trading performance in 2023. The survey was conducted between Jan. 3 to Jan. 23, 2023. The survey revealed hesitation among traders around digital assets. Only 14% of respondents said they will either continue to trade in the digital asset market or begin trading this year. The remaining 14% of respondents, said …

Blockchain startup accelerator Cronos Labs has announced the opening of applications for its second cohort of the $100 million-backed Cronos Accelerator Program. The program, which begins on April 24, 2023, will last for 12 weeks and provide selected projects with upfront seed funding of $30,000. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to secure up to $300,000 in seed funding from Cronos Labs and receive mentoring, masterclasses and support from industry experts. The program is focused on the decentralized finance (DeFi), GameFi, SocialFi, and Infrastructure verticals and will accept applications until March 24, 2023. The selection of projects for the …