IceCoin

2023-06-11 17:58:27 SEC Chair Gary Gensler Tried To Land a Job at Binance, the Exchange’s Lawyers Allege

Before becoming head of the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Gary Gensler offered to serve as an adviser for Binance, according the crypto exchange, which is now facing heat from the regulator.

In a letter directed towards the SEC’s division of enforcement, counsel for Binance and the exchanges CEO Changpeng Zhao, said Gensler should have been recused from the agency's enforcement actions against Binance.

Binance said they conveyed that about four months ago and argued that Gensler could be a “material fact witness.”

“To date, the Staff has never confirmed whether Mr. Gensler has recused himself, and if he has not, the Commission’s explanation for why not. We remain deeply troubled by this history and the Staff’s refusal to acknowledge it, which compounds our concern about the course of action threatened by the Staff in this matter,” Binance’s lawyers said. Open / Comment

2023-06-10 15:55:46 BTC / USDT - Long

Leverage : 10X

Entry : 26370 - 26400

Targets : 26900 / 27380

Stop Loss : 26090 Open / Comment

2023-06-09 18:16:28 'Black Swan' Author Destroys Bitcoin (BTC): 'Cult-Like, Useless, and Dangerous'

In a scathing critique of the crypto industry, Nassim Taleb, the renowned author of "Black Swan," launched a blistering attack on Bitcoin (BTC), dismissing it as a useless and dangerous phenomenon, reports Business Insider.

Speaking at the Bloomberg Invest conference, Taleb denounced Bitcoin, asserting that it offered no haven and failed to serve even the purpose of money launderers. According to the former options trader and statistics expert, Bitcoin investing had transformed into cult-like behavior that clashed with the pragmatic world of finance.

Taleb's disdain for BTC is not new. The writer has consistently condemned cryptocurrency, previously labeling it a "speculative island" and a "very fragile commodity."

He debunked the notion that Bitcoin facilitated money laundering, arguing that its traceability made it unsuitable for such illicit activities. In his view, unlike gold that can be melted down to conceal its origins, Bitcoin's digital nature left a clear paper trail that could be easily deciphered by anyone with basic statistical knowledge.

The main difference between bitcoin and the mafia is that the mafia tended to deliver on its promise to offer protection.
— Nassim Nicholas Taleb (nntaleb) June 6, 2023

Furthermore, Taleb criticized the intertwining of money and cult-like behavior, a combination he deemed incompatible. He highlighted the fallacious assumptions that BTC served as a refuge and was suitable for transactions, contending that cryptocurrencies could swiftly be supplanted by the Federal Reserve.

Taleb's critique strikes at the core of Bitcoin's reputation, casting doubt on its viability and highlighting the potential risks associated with the growing influence of the crypto industry. As the debate surrounding cryptocurrencies continues, it remains to be seen how these criticisms will impact the perception and adoption of Bitcoin in the long run. Open / Comment

2023-06-08 16:54:15 Mint Square NFT Marketplace to Discontinue Trading Services By June’s End

The Mint Square NFT marketplace will shut down on June 3. The team has yet to explain the decision, but it could be due to poor traction.

The Mint Square NFT marketplace will stop trading services from June 30, the team announced over Twitter on June 6. The team explained that buying and selling would continue until that date, after which trading would no longer be possible.

Mint Square NFT Marketplace Shuts Down
Mint Square did not offer an explanation for why it was shutting the marketplace down. It could possibly be because of poor performance. There have been several NFT marketplaces that have shut down in recent times.

In February, WazirX shut down its NFT marketplace because of poor traction. Around the same time, the Solana NFT marketplace Formfunction also shuttered. Then there’s CNN, the broadcaster which abandoned its NFT project late last year.

Mint Square is an NFT marketplace that runs on Ethereum layer-2 ZK-rollups-based networks like StarkNet and zkSync Era.

Being on a layer-2 network, NFTs on Mint Square were cheaper and were confirmed faster. Top collections on Mint Square include Stark Agents, Starkpunks, and StarkRock. Open / Comment

2023-06-06 17:26:15 Solana’s Blockchain May Become 'Apple of Crypto', Says Co-founder

Speaking in a recent interview with TechCrunch, Gokal likened Solana to Apple, saying the Mac and iPhone maker’s “relentless focus on simple interaction” is something Solana has learned from.

Solana has the potential to be the Apple of crypto,” Gokal said in the interview while pointing to the fact that Apple “worked for close to a decade on latency for touchscreens to allow for the iPhone to come out and it just felt like magic.

“There were a lot of things to be built on top of that platform to get the iPhone and App Store and app ecosystem to where it is today. But it all started with one relentless focus on a simple interaction that had to work perfectly,” the Solana co-founder said. Open / Comment

2023-06-05 17:06:44 Peter Schiff Twitter Apparently Hacked, Shills Gold Crypto, Son Spencer Warns

The Twitter account of Bitcoin critic Peter Schiff was found advertising a gold-branded token as a result of an apparent hacking. His son, crypto enthusiast Spencer Schiff, warned users in a tweet not to follow the link posted by the unknown attackers trying to lure victims using his father’s name.

Hackers obviously took control of economist Peter Schiff’s Twitter account to promote the supposed launch of a “groundbreaking cryptocurrency token” called $GOLD.

“Claim your $GOLD,” as it is “extremely close to selling out,” the perpetrators of the apparent scam urged followers of Schiff, who is a well-known gold proponent but also a vocal critic of cryptocurrencies like bitcoin (BTC).

“Do not click this link,” Schiff’s son Spencer tweeted after seeing the suspicious activity of his father’s account.

Nevertheless, the financial commentator announced last week his participation in an art sale featuring non-fungible tokens (NFTs) minted on the Bitcoin blockchain.

However, Schiff took to Twitter to point out that the collection, to be auctioned in June, is a “tribute to gold” and that he is “still not a member of that club.” Unlike his father, Spencer Schiff is a supporter of cryptocurrencies who describes himself as a Bitcoiner. Open / Comment

2023-06-04 17:37:29 Mercado Bitcoin Granted License to Operate as Payment Institution in Brazil. Open / Comment

2023-06-03 16:01:45 Ethereum managed to close 1D candle above the Falling Wedge resistance!

Great sign of a strength, Ethereum is absolutely ready to strongly outperform Bitcoin during the upcoming rally. Open / Comment

2023-06-02 18:42:02 Arbitrum (ARB) on Solid 8% Rise as Whales and Andrew Kang Chipping In

Arbitrum (ARB), the token associated with the popular Layer 2 scaling solution, is witnessing a solid 8% surge in its price. Interestingly, the rise comes amid prominent cryptocurrency investors, including Andrew Kang, significantly increasing their holdings. This bullish activity offers a glimmer of hope following a challenging market period for ARB, which had seen its value dip by 29% over the last few days.

Andrew Kang, known for his acumen in spotting and backing promising projects, has made a significant move toward ARB. He sold all of his holdings in RDNT, only to reinvest the proceeds in ARB, purchasing a total of 723,311 ARB, equivalent to $867K, at an average price of $1.2 per token.

Notably, he then proceeded to deposit all of his newly acquired ARB tokens into RDNT Capital, suggesting an optimistic outlook on the token's future performance.

Additionally, another whale, known by the address "0xf59b," has also decided to capitalize on ARB's rise. This entity deposited 1.2 million ARB ($1.5 million) into OKX.

The fact that these tokens were withdrawn from OKX on May 8 and potentially purchased at around $1.2 indicates the whale was waiting for a price increase to take advantage of their holdings.

It seems that Andrew Kang is leveraging his position to go long on ARB through RDNT Capital. By buying ARB, depositing it, borrowing USDC and then buying more ARB, he is effectively doubling down on his investment, illustrating strong confidence in ARB's potential growth.

These recent large-scale investments reflect increased optimism toward Arbitrum's Layer 2 solution, despite its recent challenges on the market. With the slowly rising activity on Ethereum network after the most recent drop, L2 networks might go through another bullish cycle. Open / Comment

2023-06-01 18:25:57 Sotheby's Second 3AC NFT Auction Includes Landmark Dmitri Cherniak Work

Sotheby's is set to auction off more non-fungible tokens (NFTs) seized from bankrupt crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital (3AC), bringing high-value NFTs like Dmitri Cherniak's Ringers #879 (often referred to as "The Goose") out from the vault for the first time since 2021.

The second sale of 3AC collectibles from the "Grails" collection will be held in New York on June 15 and will feature 37 works from generative artists like Dmitri Cherniak, Tyler Hobbs, Jeff Davis and more.

In a press release, the auction house said that the sale will mark the largest-ever live auction of digital art.

"For the live auction, we specifically wanted to focus on showcasing generative art, and the sale was curated to reflect not only the collection’s deep holdings of some of the most sought-after and renowned generative artists in the movement, but also to spotlight the wider community of artists pushing the boundaries of the algorithm-based art," Micahel Bouhanna, Sotheby's head of digital art and NFTs, told CoinDesk.

Highlights from this batch of NFTs include Cherniak’s Ringers #879, a seminal generative artwork that has become known as "The Goose" for its resemblance to the bird. The collectible was purchased by 3AC co-founders Su Zhu and Kyle Davies in August 2021 for about 1,800 ETH – worth roughly $5.8 million at the time.

Bouhanna called this piece a major highlight of Cherniak's portfolio and "one of the most significant works from the generative art movement."

"What makes it so special is the unique variation caused by the randomness of its generation, creating the goose-like image at the center, and perfectly encapsulating the realm of possibilities inherent in algorithmic art," he explained.

In addition, Hobbs’ Fidenza #216, a swirling, colorful piece that last sold for 320 ETH (about $1 million) in 2021, will be made available for purchase Open / Comment