Bitcoin dipped to a weekly low of $94,430 but has since rebounded above $100k, with analysts predicting further gains. Notably, wallets holding less than 1 BTC are expected to grow by about 9% as small investors continue to accumulate.
Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency, is nearing $4,000. Forecasts suggest it could surpass its all-time high of $4,891.70 in Q1 2025.
The Melega community is also creating excitement with a 50,000 MELEGA ($MARCO) giveaway for 100 random wallets. This ongoing giveaway will end on December 22 at 23:59 UTC.
Overall, last week was filled with significant developments in the crypto space! Here are the key highlights you may have missed.
Visit our website for transparent and decentralized crypto trading and to list your crypto token for free. For more on all things cryptocurrency, follow Melega Finance (@meleganews) on X.
TOP CRYPTO NEWS RECAP (December 8 - 14, 2024)
● MicroStrategy Joins Nasdaq-100, Boosting Bitcoin Exposure
● Coinbase Faces $1 Billion Lawsuit Over wBTC Delisting
● Ripple’s RLUSD Stablecoin Approved by NYDFS
● Bitwise Predicts 2025 as Crypto’s Breakout Year
● Texas Investor Sentenced for $4M Bitcoin Tax Evasion
● Solana Surpasses Ethereum as Top Choice for New Developers
MicroStrategy Joins Nasdaq-100, Boosting Bitcoin Exposure
Nasdaq announced that Michael Saylor's MicroStrategy (MSTR) will join the Nasdaq-100 Index on Dec. 23, reflecting its position among the 100 largest stocks by market cap. MicroStrategy, known for its massive Bitcoin holdings, will be added alongside Palantir (PLTR) and Axon (AXON), while Illumina (ILMN), Super Micro Computer (SMCI), and Moderna (MRNA) will be removed. The inclusion integrates MSTR into the Invesco QQQ ETF, indirectly exposing global investors to Bitcoin. Analysts see this as a pivotal step for broader institutional Bitcoin adoption.
Coinbase Faces $1 Billion Lawsuit Over wBTC Delisting
BiT Global is suing Coinbase for $1 billion, accusing it of delisting Wrapped Bitcoin (wBTC) in November to promote its competing product, cbBTC. The lawsuit alleges attempted monopolization and predatory practices under the Sherman Act, claiming significant financial losses and damaging consumer confidence in wBTC. BiT Global's lawyers argue the move sets a dangerous precedent in the crypto industry. Coinbase maintains the delisting was due to wBTC failing to meet its listing standards. The lawsuit seeks damages and an injunction to prevent further harm.
Ripple’s RLUSD Stablecoin Approved by NYDFS
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse announced that the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) has approved the RLUSD stablecoin, and exchange listings are expected soon. Ripple launched RLUSD in April as a competitor to USDT and USDC, focusing on institutional use. The stablecoin is pegged 1:1 to the US dollar and will be backed by USD deposits and short-term Treasury bonds. Ripple has already tested RLUSD on the XRP Ledger and Ethereum mainnets and partnered with exchanges like Uphold and Bitstamp. Executives project a potential $2 trillion market cap by 2028.
Bitwise Predicts 2025 as Crypto's Breakout Year
Bitwise forecasts a transformative 2025 for crypto, predicting at least five major IPOs, including Circle and Kraken, alongside Bitcoin potentially reaching $500,000. The firm also anticipates Ethereum climbing to $7,000 and Solana surging to $750, driven by growing adoption and innovative projects.
Institutional investments are expected to flow into Bitcoin ETFs, surpassing $50 billion, while real-world asset tokenization could grow to $50 billion. Additionally, AI-driven memecoin trends may spark a new frenzy. Bitwise labels 2025 as the “Year of the Crypto IPO,” with Coinbase set to join the S&P 500.
Texas Investor Sentenced for $4M Bitcoin Tax Evasion
Frank Richard Ahlgren III, a Texas Bitcoin investor, was sentenced to two years in prison for failing to report over $4 million in crypto gains. This is the first criminal tax evasion case focused solely on cryptocurrency. Ahlgren underreported his Bitcoin sales from 2017 to 2019, inflating cost bases to reduce taxable gains and hiding transactions using crypto mixers. He reinvested $3.7 million in real estate while evading taxes. In addition to prison time, Ahlgren must pay $1.1 million in restitution and serve one year of supervised release.
Solana Surpasses Ethereum as Top Choice for New Developers
For the first time since 2016, Solana onboarded more new developers than Ethereum, with 7,625 joining its ecosystem in 2024 compared to Ethereum's 6,456, according to Electric Capital. This growth, driven largely by Asia, reflects an 83% year-over-year increase in Solana's activity.
Despite this, Ethereum remains the leader in total developer activity globally, with 6,244 active monthly developers and strong growth in its layer-2 networks. Crypto development is also expanding worldwide, with Asia emerging as the largest hub, driven by India's rapid onboarding of new developers.
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