🔔 MARKET MOVING NEWS! (18/12/24)
1️⃣ Tether Invests In StablR To Promote Stablecoin Adoption In Europe ⚡️
Stablecoin issuer Tether is reportedly strengthening its presence in the European market by investing in Malta-based stablecoin provider StablR. The investment highlights Tether’s focus on the region, especially with the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation coming into force later this month. StablR operates two stablecoin projects: the euro-backed StablR Euro (EURR) and the United States dollar-pegged StablR USD (USDR). As part of the recent investment, both EURR and USDR will utilise Tether’s tokenisation platform Hadron.
StablR CEO Gijs op de Weegh stated,
Source
2️⃣ US Imposes Sanctions On North Korea’s Crypto Laundering Network ▶️
The United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has reportedly sanctioned two individuals and one entity for laundering cryptocurrencies for the North Korean Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). According to the statement, OFAC worked closely with the government of the United Arab Emirates to impose sanctions on the individuals. Notably, the two sanctioned individuals Lu Huaying and Zhang Jian worked at Green Alpine Trading, a front company in the United Arab Emirates which allegedly served as a core component of the money laundering network. The company has also been designated as a sanctioned organisation alongside the individuals.
Source
3️⃣ Ohio Representative Derek Merrin Introduces Bill to Establish State Bitcoin Reserve 💸
Derek Merrin, an Ohio House of Representatives member, has reportedly introduced a bill that would authorise the state’s treasury to invest public funds in Bitcoin. This would make Ohio the third US state to do so in just over a month. The bill amends section 2981.12 and enacts section 135.146 of Ohio's Revised Code but does not mandate any specific Bitcoin purchases or portfolio allocations.
Merrin stated,
Source
4️⃣ Parody X Account Donates $69K To Charity After Gifted Memecoins Peak At $1M 💰
Richard E. Ptardio, a parody X account claiming to be a former trader, reportedly received 700 million Richard Ptardio (PTARDIO) tokens on Dec. 17. The gifted tokens, which were created on Pump.fun, reportedly reached a peak value of nearly $1 million earlier today. Shortly after the pump, the X account stated that he had no relation to the token creator and that he was selling the tokens to donate the entire proceeds of 313.4 SOL (worth $69,000) to the ‘Save the Children’ charity which funds education, health and other programs for children worldwide.
Source
5️⃣ Hong Kong's HashKey Group launches Ethereum Layer 2 HashKey Chain on mainnet ‼️
Hong Kong-based financial services provider HashKey Group has announced the mainnet launch of the HashKey Chain just eight months after first revealing plans to introduce its own Ethereum Layer 2 network. The firm claims that the HashKey Chain generated nearly 25 million transactions, 860,000 wallet addresses and achieved 400 transactions per second during the testnet phase. A total of 50 projects were reportedly deployed successfully, with 300,000 community members actively participating. HashKey Chain is part of the Superchain — a network of interoperable Layer 2 blockchains built using Optimism's OP Stack.
Source
1️⃣ Tether Invests In StablR To Promote Stablecoin Adoption In Europe ⚡️
Stablecoin issuer Tether is reportedly strengthening its presence in the European market by investing in Malta-based stablecoin provider StablR. The investment highlights Tether’s focus on the region, especially with the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation coming into force later this month. StablR operates two stablecoin projects: the euro-backed StablR Euro (EURR) and the United States dollar-pegged StablR USD (USDR). As part of the recent investment, both EURR and USDR will utilise Tether’s tokenisation platform Hadron.
StablR CEO Gijs op de Weegh stated,
From the outset, StablR has been laser-focused on delivering unmatched compliance, liquidity, and flexibility for institutions and merchants. With the support of these new investors, that’s exactly what we’re delivering. This is a new era for stablecoins and StablR is very much at the helm.
Source
2️⃣ US Imposes Sanctions On North Korea’s Crypto Laundering Network ▶️
The United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has reportedly sanctioned two individuals and one entity for laundering cryptocurrencies for the North Korean Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). According to the statement, OFAC worked closely with the government of the United Arab Emirates to impose sanctions on the individuals. Notably, the two sanctioned individuals Lu Huaying and Zhang Jian worked at Green Alpine Trading, a front company in the United Arab Emirates which allegedly served as a core component of the money laundering network. The company has also been designated as a sanctioned organisation alongside the individuals.
Source
3️⃣ Ohio Representative Derek Merrin Introduces Bill to Establish State Bitcoin Reserve 💸
Derek Merrin, an Ohio House of Representatives member, has reportedly introduced a bill that would authorise the state’s treasury to invest public funds in Bitcoin. This would make Ohio the third US state to do so in just over a month. The bill amends section 2981.12 and enacts section 135.146 of Ohio's Revised Code but does not mandate any specific Bitcoin purchases or portfolio allocations.
Merrin stated,
The U.S. Dollar is being rapidly devalued, and our State Treasurer should have the authority and flexibility to invest in Bitcoin when determining proper asset allocation. Ohio must embrace technology and protect tax dollars from eroding.
Source
4️⃣ Parody X Account Donates $69K To Charity After Gifted Memecoins Peak At $1M 💰
Richard E. Ptardio, a parody X account claiming to be a former trader, reportedly received 700 million Richard Ptardio (PTARDIO) tokens on Dec. 17. The gifted tokens, which were created on Pump.fun, reportedly reached a peak value of nearly $1 million earlier today. Shortly after the pump, the X account stated that he had no relation to the token creator and that he was selling the tokens to donate the entire proceeds of 313.4 SOL (worth $69,000) to the ‘Save the Children’ charity which funds education, health and other programs for children worldwide.
Source
5️⃣ Hong Kong's HashKey Group launches Ethereum Layer 2 HashKey Chain on mainnet ‼️
Hong Kong-based financial services provider HashKey Group has announced the mainnet launch of the HashKey Chain just eight months after first revealing plans to introduce its own Ethereum Layer 2 network. The firm claims that the HashKey Chain generated nearly 25 million transactions, 860,000 wallet addresses and achieved 400 transactions per second during the testnet phase. A total of 50 projects were reportedly deployed successfully, with 300,000 community members actively participating. HashKey Chain is part of the Superchain — a network of interoperable Layer 2 blockchains built using Optimism's OP Stack.
Source