● The Nasdaq 100 Index will include MicroStrategy on December 23
According to Decrypt, MicroStrategy has officially joined the Nasdaq 100 Index. The Nasdaq announced this annual change in a press release, which will take effect before the market opens on December 23.
MicroStrategy's MSTR stock rose 0.57% in after-hours trading, currently priced at $411.00. This move is seen as an important milestone for institutional recognition in the cryptocurrency industry. The Nasdaq 100 Index was established in 1985 and includes top non-financial companies such as Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, and Nvidia.
MicroStrategy was founded by Michael Saylor in 1989 and has become known in recent years for its aggressive BTC strategy. Since 2020, MicroStrategy has begun acquiring BTC, currently holding over 423,650 BTC, valued at over $4.2 billion, making it one of the largest corporate BTC holders in the world.
● JPMorgan: Cryptocurrency miners are adopting the same Bitcoin purchasing strategy as MicroStrategy
According to BlockBeats, JPMorgan stated in a report that MicroStrategy is not the only large corporate Bitcoin buyer, as cryptocurrency miners have also begun adopting a hoarding strategy. This shift is due to increasing profit pressures, primarily stemming from April's Bitcoin mining reward halving and rising network hash rates.
The report states, "This may prompt miners to hoard Bitcoin or seek further investment in Bitcoin, or turn to AI/high-performance computing (AI/HPC) businesses," wrote analysts led by Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou. Mining companies like MARA Holdings have adopted a Bitcoin purchasing strategy similar to MicroStrategy in response to these challenges.
● RIOT Platforms purchased Bitcoin for $510 million, bringing total holdings to 16,728 coins
According to PANews, RIOT Platforms announced a large Bitcoin purchase for $510 million, increasing its total holdings to 16,728 coins.
According to Golden Financial, Coinstash co-founder Mena Theodorou stated in a report this week that Bitcoin's record has "inspired traders' hopes for a continued altcoin season and a potential Christmas rebound."
According to CoinGecko data, in the past 10 years, cryptocurrencies have risen around Christmas in 8 of those years. Additionally, Nexo analyst liya Kalchev expects Ethereum's price to reach $5,000 by early 2025.
● Japanese lawmakers propose establishing a national BTC reserve
According to Decrypt, Japanese lawmaker Akira Hamada submitted a proposal to the National Assembly, suggesting the government consider establishing a national BTC reserve. This proposal was submitted to the National Assembly website on December 11.
Akira Hamada's proposal resonates with similar calls from lawmakers in various countries, including Russia, Brazil, Poland, and the United States. The recent surge in BTC prices, breaching $103,000, has sparked interest in such reserves.
Although Akira Hamada's party holds only two seats in the upper house of the National Assembly, his proposal may gain support within Japan's legislative body. National Assembly member Yuichiro Tamaki also supports BTC and has proposed tax reductions and regulatory reforms for cryptocurrency holders and companies.
U.S. President-elect Trump has pledged to retain all BTC held by the government, and Senator Cynthia Lummis has proposed acquiring 1 million BTC for the U.S. Treasury within five years. Lawmakers in Brazil and Russia have also proposed similar reserve suggestions.
● The Bank of Japan may keep interest rates unchanged at next week's meeting
According to Jin10 data, several Japanese media outlets report that the Bank of Japan may keep interest rates unchanged at next week's meeting. Sources indicate that while economic and price trends are as expected, close attention should be paid to wage changes. Unless there is a significant depreciation of the yen that drives up import prices, policymakers are unlikely to raise rates at next week's meeting. The last rate adjustment was in July, when the target for the short-term policy interest rate was raised to 0.25%. As President-elect Trump pledges to raise tariffs, market concerns about the profitability of Japanese companies have increased. While some officials believe a rate hike is necessary, the majority advocate a cautious approach.
● Analysts predict the Bank of England may keep interest rates unchanged
According to Jin10 data, Pantheon Macroeconomics analysts Rob Wood and Elliott Jordan-Doak stated that despite an unexpected decline in UK output, the Bank of England is unlikely to take action. October GDP fell for the second consecutive month due to weak consumer demand and government budget concerns.
However, analysts predict a rebound in November retail sales and other sectors, ensuring slight economic growth in the fourth quarter. Therefore, the Bank of England may keep interest rates unchanged at next week's meeting and may consider rate cuts next year.
● Report: Asia to become the main source of global crypto developers in 2024, accounting for 32%
According to PANews, a report by Electric Capital shows that Asia will become the main source of global crypto developers in 2024, accounting for 32% of the total number of developers worldwide. North America's share has decreased from 43% in 2015 to 24% in 2024, dropping from first to third place. Europe ranks second.
