Compiled by: Fairy, ChainCatcher
Important information:
Microsoft shareholders voted against the bitcoin investment proposal
Ripple CEO: Stablecoin RLUSD has been approved by the New York Department of Financial Services
OKX launched the SOL liquid staking token OKSOL
MicroStrategy is expected to officially join the Nasdaq 100 index on December 23
Microsoft CFO: Microsoft has accepted cryptocurrencies as customer payment and has been thinking about the development of cryptocurrencies
The Beam Foundation announced plans to launch Beam Ventures in Abu Dhabi, with a scale of $150 million
What important events have occurred in the past 24 hours
The Beam Foundation announced plans to launch Beam Ventures in Abu Dhabi, with a scale of $150 million
The Beam Foundation announced plans to launch Beam Ventures in Abu Dhabi. This is the first venture capital fund in the Abu Dhabi International Financial Center focused on the gaming sector, with a scale of $150 million.
Beam Ventures' strategic positioning is at the intersection of blockchain, gaming, and artificial intelligence. Beam Ventures is dedicated to fostering innovation in these fields, aiming to redefine gaming experiences and drive industry growth.
Sinopec: Beware of scams selling fuel cards at low prices using virtual currencies; do not fall for traps.
According to a report from Sinopec's official WeChat account, a truck driver in Suzhou, Jiangsu, Mr. Qiu, saw an advertisement on a short video platform selling fuel cards at a low price: 'A fuel card with a face value of 1,000 yuan is only 880 yuan.' The other party stated that the transaction must be done using the virtual currency USDT (Tether), and after transferring the USDT to the 'trading platform' as instructed, it was transferred to the other party's digital account. After a successful first transaction, Mr. Qiu thought he had found a bargain. He then successively transferred over 70,000 yuan in digital currency to the other party, but when he intended to continue purchasing, he found that his digital currency had disappeared, and his WeChat had been blacklisted.
Sinopec reminds consumers not to be tempted to purchase fuel cards from unofficial channels at discounted prices; beware of fuel card offers with significant discounts.
Zhao Changpeng discusses 'buying low and selling high': Does not recommend this method, only succeeded once by buying bitcoin in the 2014 bear market.
Zhao Changpeng commented on Lady of Crypto's view about 'making large profits by buying low and selling high during a bull market' that his own experience was buying bitcoin at the start of a long bear market (in 2014), but due to not having extra fiat currency to buy during the dips and the prolonged bear market, there were no profits to be made, yet he succeeded in the end and stated that he does not recommend this method. Zhao Changpeng said, 'In other words, I only made one purchase.'
Microsoft CFO: Microsoft has accepted cryptocurrencies as customer payment and has been thinking about the development of cryptocurrencies
Microsoft shareholders have voted against the bitcoin investment proposal, but Microsoft CFO Amy Hood stated during the shareholder meeting on Tuesday that Microsoft has accepted cryptocurrencies as customer payment since 2014 and added, 'We have been thinking about the development of cryptocurrencies.' So far this year, Microsoft's stock has risen about 19%, significantly underperforming MicroStrategy.
Previously, it was reported that according to voting results, Microsoft's major shareholders opposed the company's bitcoin investment proposal on Tuesday.
OKX will launch the SOL liquid staking token OKSOL
According to the official announcement, OKX will launch the SOL liquid staking token OKSOL on December 11, 2024, and open OKSOL/SOL and OKSOL/USDT spot trading pairs, supporting OKSOL as collateral.
It is reported that OKSOL is a liquid staking certificate developed by OKX for Solana, representing the SOL staked by users on the platform. By staking SOL, users receive OKSOL in a 1:1 ratio. Holding OKSOL allows users to enjoy native staking rewards and MEV incentives while maintaining asset liquidity. OKSOL can be used for collateral or trading, while the on-chain SOL remains staked. It provides a flexible solution for users who wish to participate in staking without losing liquidity.
Bridgewater founder: Advises investors to stay away from bonds and other debt assets, and turn to gold and bitcoin as 'hard currencies'
According to the South China Morning Post, Ray Dalio, founder of the world's largest hedge fund Bridgewater, stated at a financial conference in Abu Dhabi that he advises investors to stay away from debt assets like bonds and turn to gold and bitcoin as 'hard currencies'.
Dalio pointed out that debt levels in major economies, except for Germany, have reached 'unprecedented' levels, and a debt crisis is unavoidable in the coming years, which will lead to a significant devaluation of currency value. He emphasized that debt, currency, and the economy are among the five key forces influencing future development, along with domestic political order and geopolitical landscape.
MicroStrategy is expected to officially join the Nasdaq 100 index on December 23
According to Crypto Briefing, MicroStrategy is expected to officially join the Nasdaq 100 index on December 23, with an official announcement expected on December 13.
Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart expects that ETFs tracking the Nasdaq 100 index will purchase approximately $2.1 billion worth of MicroStrategy stock, which accounts for about 20% of the company's daily trading volume. The company is expected to become the 40th largest component of the index, with a weight of 0.47%.
Bitcoin mining company BTC Digital announced the completion of a $20 million financing
According to a press release, publicly listed bitcoin mining company BTC Digital (NASDAQ: BTCT) announced that its underwritten public offering has successfully raised $20 million. The funds will be used for infrastructure and energy expansion, computing power expansion, and research and development of innovative mining machines.
The company plans to build and expand multiple mining sites in North America, focusing on improving the efficiency of existing facilities and reducing carbon emissions through the use of green energy. The company expects its self-mining business to reach a scale of 20 megawatts by mid-2025, providing stable support for self-mining and hosting services.
Shareholder rights organization FEP: Previously sought a one-hour private meeting between Microsoft CEO and Michael Saylor but was declined
According to Bloomberg, MicroStrategy co-founder Michael Saylor proposed including bitcoin on the balance sheet at Microsoft's virtual shareholders' meeting, but the proposal was voted down by shareholders. The proposal requested the board to evaluate whether incorporating bitcoin into the balance sheet aligns with the long-term interests of shareholders. Saylor spoke on behalf of the shareholder rights organization FEP (Free Enterprise Project), predicting that the market value of bitcoin will increase from $2 trillion to over $200 trillion within 21 years and emphasized that bitcoin has outperformed Microsoft’s stock price by ten times.
Notably, FEP Deputy Director Ethan Peck revealed that if Microsoft CEO Nadella agrees to a one-hour private meeting with Saylor, FEP would be willing to withdraw the proposal, but it was rejected. Cornell University trade policy professor Eswar Prasad stated that considering the positive outlook for the cryptocurrency industry under the Trump administration, it is a reasonable choice for the company to invest a small portion of its reserves in cryptocurrencies. Currently, FEP has submitted a similar proposal to Amazon and may expand to other companies in the future.
Microsoft shareholders voted against the bitcoin investment proposal
According to voting results, Microsoft's major shareholders opposed the company's bitcoin investment proposal on Tuesday.
Earlier, Microsoft's board urged shareholders to reject a proposal from the National Center for Public Policy Research, which suggested that the company invest 1% of its total assets in bitcoin to hedge against inflation.
At the annual meeting, MicroStrategy founder Michael Saylor gave a three-minute speech attempting to persuade Microsoft shareholders to support the proposal. Data shows that the largest shareholders of Microsoft are institutional investors, including Vanguard and BlackRock.
Ripple CEO: Stablecoin RLUSD has been approved by the New York Department of Financial Services
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse announced on the X platform that stablecoin RLUSD has been approved by the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS), and the list of exchanges and partners will be launched soon.
What are the notable articles worth reading in the past 24 hours
Microsoft shareholders politely declined bitcoin; is the 'crypto stimulant' sustainable?
As the U.S. makes significant progress in the compliance of bitcoin investments, more and more companies are beginning to show interest in crypto assets. With MicroStrategy's success as a precedent, the National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR) formally suggested that Microsoft invest 1% of its profits in bitcoin to hedge against inflation.
On December 10, Microsoft's major shareholders voted against including bitcoin on the company's balance sheet. Market sentiment was also somewhat affected, with bitcoin priced at $97,304 at the time of writing, down from previous highs. Is the 'crypto stimulant' favored by all U.S. stock investors? And why did shareholders politely decline a strategic investment in this emerging asset?
New high for spot listing auction prices, could Hyperliquid become a new choice for listings?
Listing fees have always been a focal point of market controversy, especially as huge listing fees are often seen as major obstacles to market innovation. Therefore, an increasing number of emerging projects are choosing to use DEX (decentralized exchanges) as their launch platform, but at the same time, the risk of rug pulls has also significantly increased.
Recently, derivative DEX Hyperliquid has successfully executed a textbook-style airdrop, and not only has multiple data indicators performed remarkably, but its spot listing auction price has also reached a new high, further strengthening the platform's market advantage. Under strong data, many projects have already turned their sights to Hyperliquid for listings.
Bitwise 2025 Top Ten Cryptocurrency Predictions
2024 is a milestone year for the cryptocurrency market. Bitcoin surged to a historic high of $103,992 (as of the time of writing, up 141.72% year-to-date), mainly due to the record issuance of U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs, which attracted $33.56 billion in assets. Other major cryptocurrencies also saw significant increases: Solana rose 127.71%, XRP rose 285.23%, and Ethereum rose 75.77%. Meanwhile, cryptocurrency-related stocks like MicroStrategy and Coinbase surged 525.39% and 97.57%, respectively.
Record prices are not the only noteworthy development. Cryptocurrencies clearly gained an edge in the 2024 U.S. elections, making the regulatory outlook for cryptocurrencies in the U.S. more favorable. Elected president Trump supported cryptocurrencies during his campaign, promising to establish a strategic reserve for bitcoin and restructure the SEC (which has historically been hostile to cryptocurrencies). He also nominated Scott Bessent as Treasury Secretary, who has stated that 'cryptocurrencies represent freedom and the crypto economy will exist for the long term.' As 2024 approaches, Congress also appears more inclined to support cryptocurrencies, with pro-crypto candidates defeating opponents in several key elections. Legislative support for cryptocurrencies is expected to be seen in the coming months.
With the global stimulus policies of China and other major central banks, increasing institutional adoption rates, and rapid improvements in blockchain technology, the outlook for 2025 looks quite promising.
