The Web3 Foundation, which supports the Polkadot protocol, has again presented its argument that its native DOT (DOT) token is not a security. In a Twitter thread, the foundation emphasized its efforts to comply with U.S. securities laws, as well as Securities and Exchange Commission guidance on digital assets, and declared that DOT had successfully “morphed” and is software, not a security. The Web3 Foundation reposted an excerpt from a December Twitter Space where Angela Dalton, identified as an adviser to the foundation, described how representatives accepted the SEC’s invitation to “come in and talk to us.” Subsequently, the foundation …

Bitcoin (BTC) has been consolidating near $23,000 for the past few days. The next big question troubling investors is whether the rally is over or if Bitcoin resume its recovery. The strong year-to-date rally in Bitcoin has turned several analysts bullish in the short term. They anticipate Bitcoin to extend its up-move and reach $25,000 and even $30,000. However, for the slightly longer term, analysts seem to be divided. In comments to Cointelegraph, economist Lyn Alden said Bitcoin could face “considerable danger” in the second half of 2023 as liquidity risks rise. On the other hand, ARK Invest CEO and …

Bitcoin’s (BTC) price has risen about 37% year-to-date and is not showing any signs of slowing down. The S&P 500 index (SPX) has also made a winning start to the year but has seen a relatively muted rally of roughly 4%. While the price of risky assets are rising, the United States dollar index (DXY), perceived as a safe haven, extended its downtrend and declined more than 1% in January. The change in sentiment toward risky assets may have been triggered by expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve could slow down its rate hikes as inflation cools off. Some analysts …

The United States producer price index (PPI) fell 0.5% for the month, which was much more than the 0.1% decline estimated by economists surveyed by Dow Jones. The largest monthly decline since April 2020 was also aided by a sharp drop in energy prices. Another report showed that the retail sales data dropped 1.1% in December, a tad bit more than the anticipated 1% decrease. Although both data points show inflation is cooling off, the U.S. stock markets failed to hold on to their initial gains. Similarly, several cryptocurrencies sold off from their intraday highs, indicating that traders may have …

The notion that bear markets are good for builders appears to be true with the total number of monthly active Web3 developers increasing 5.4% to more than 23,300 over the last 12 months despite a near 70% drop in crypto prices. According to a Jan. 16 report from Electric Capital, “full-time” developers — categorized as those who contribute to 76% of Github commits — also increased 15.2% to over 7000, while “one-time” builders fell 6.2% to over 3,500 during the same time period between December 2021 and December 2022 Despite the crypto market capitalization beginning its long plunge from from …

Risk assets have started the new year on a strong note. The S&P 500 (SPX) and the Nasdaq closed in the positive for the second successive week and also notched their best weekly performance since November. Bitcoin (BTC) led the recovery in the crypto markets with a sharp 21% rally last week. That sent the Bitcoin Fear and Greed Index into the neutral territory of 52 on Jan. 15, its highest since April 5, 2022. However, the index has given back its gains and is again back into the Fear zone on Jan. 17. The strong rally in Bitcoin has …

When I entered crypto, I succumbed to the contest between blockchain ecosystems, believing one had to be “better” than others. I have since realized the future of cryptocurrency is bringing with it a variety of platforms that will excel at different things. With the Inter-Blockchain Communication Protocol (IBC), I’ve left behind the days of thinking chains have to compete and embrace a connected interchain future. Let me explain. Solana, Polkadot, etc. — what do they have in common? They are individual state machines, each trying to achieve something only one has done before: create a sustainable, robust ecosystem of developers, …

Bitcoin (BTC) rose above $19,000 on Jan. 12, the highest level since Nov. 8. Although a bull market may not start in a hurry, Glassnode data suggests that the foundation for a macro bottom in Bitcoin may be in place. The on-chain analytics firm tweeted on Jan. 12 that “13% of the Circulating Supply” returned to profit when Bitcoin rallied to $18,200. This suggests a large phase of accumulation took place in the $16,500 to $18,200 range. Along with Bitcoin, Ether (ETH) is also witnessing signs of accumulation. The number of Ethereum sharks, holding between 100 and 10,000 Ether, has …

Crypto and stock markets are usually forward-looking. Meaning, traders tend to ignore the near-term negatives and focus on the positives down the line. With Bitcoin’s (BTC) next halving in 2024, analysts are shifting their attention to this event. Independent market analyst Rekt Capital highlighted this unique market dynamic in 2015 and 2019, a year before halving, Bitcoin rallied 234% and 316% respectively. If history repeats itself, Bitcoin’s price action may spring a surprise in 2023. However, the near term remains uncertain and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) data on Jan. 12 may lead to a sharp uptick in volatility. Some …

The United States December nonfarm payrolls report showed a growth of 223,000 jobs, above the market's expectation of an increase of 200,000 jobs. While this shows that the economy remains strong, market observers shifted their focus to the slower wage growth of 0.3% for the month, below economists’ expectation of 0.4%. In addition, the euro zone’s headline inflation dropped from 10.1% in November to 9.2% in December. Both economic data boosted hopes that the central bank’s aggressive rate tightening may slow down. This triggered a rally in the U.S. and European stock markets. However, the reaction in the cryptocurrency space …

The blockchain space has long been an attractive medium for creators of all kinds. From digital artists to software developers, blockchain tech has something to offer. However, one big challenge still remains in the space - most blockchains follow the ‘to each their own' concept. Interoperability in web3 is still scarce, which limits creators and makes the entry point for many a bit steeper. One of the main elements that creators of all areas are still seeking is the opportunity to collaborate freely and effortlessly. What needs to improve? As things stand at the moment, blockchain developers scarcely have the …

Gold made a strong start to the new year and is trading close to a seven-month high on expectations that the United States Federal Reserve may slow down and hike rates only by 25 basis points in its next meeting on Feb. 1. Cryptocurrency markets have also shown a mild uptick but are yet to make a decisive move higher. One of the reasons could be renewed fears regarding Digital Currency Group’s liquidity issues, which again came into focus after Gemini co-founder Cameron Winklevoss penned an open letter to DCG CEO Barry Silbert on the alleged $900 million that Genesis …