NewsBriefs - Ethereum raises gas limit above 31 million to enhance scalability

Feb 4, 8:09 AM The Block

Ethereum raises gas limit above 31 million to enhance scalability

Ethereum's network gas limit has been raised above the 31 million mark, marking the first adjustment under its proof-of-stake system. More than 50% of the validators approved this change, which aims to improve network scalability as transaction demands increase. This adjustment, which did not require a hard fork, reflects ongoing efforts to manage growing demands on Ethereum's decentralized applications.

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• Feb 4, 1:22 PM The Block

  US Ethereum ETFs hit record $1.5 billion trading amid Trump's new tariffs

  US spot Ethereum ETFs achieved a record $1.5 billion in trading volume on February 3, demonstrating a 23% increase from their previous high, coinciding with a significant drop in crypto prices following President Trump's tariff announcements. BlackRock, Grayscale, and Fidelity led the trading volumes. Despite a downturn in crypto prices, US Ethereum ETFs observed net inflows of $83.6 million, the highest since January 16.

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• Feb 4, 8:09 AM The Block

  Ethereum raises gas limit above 31 million to enhance scalability

  Ethereum's network gas limit has been raised above the 31 million mark, marking the first adjustment under its proof-of-stake system. More than 50% of the validators approved this change, which aims to improve network scalability as transaction demands increase. This adjustment, which did not require a hard fork, reflects ongoing efforts to manage growing demands on Ethereum's decentralized applications.

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• Feb 4, 12:50 AM The Block

  World Liberty Financial shifts major ETH and WBTC assets to Coinbase

  World Liberty Financial, a Trump-backed decentralized finance protocol, has transferred the majority of its crypto assets, including substantial amounts of Ether (ETH) and Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC), to Coinbase. This movement involves initial test transactions and subsequent larger transfers primarily to Coinbase Prime and hot wallets. The movement of these assets, particularly ETH, which constituted their largest treasury asset, aligns with typical pre-sale exchange transfers. Additionally, the protocol is receiving small amounts of ETH in numerous transactions from newly created or inactive addresses.

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• Feb 3, 4:47 PM The Block

  Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appointed as acting CFPB chair

  Scott Bessent, the recently confirmed US Treasury Secretary, has been appointed as the acting chair of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) by President Donald Trump. Bessent, known for his positive stance on crypto, will lead the CFPB as it continues to develop rules that may impact the crypto industry, including efforts to curb crypto fraud. This appointment follows the dismissal of former CFPB Chair Rohit Chopra and occurs amid discussions on the role of the CFPB under Trump's administration.

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• Feb 3, 3:40 PM Cointelegraph

  Wintermute CEO attributes recent $2 billion crypto crash to external TradFi events

  Wintermute CEO Evgeny Gaevoy stated that recent crypto market crashes, including a significant $2.24 billion liquidation, were triggered by external traditional finance events, such as new tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump. This contradicts common suspicions within the crypto community about market makers manipulating the market for personal gain. Gaevoy emphasized the connection between global economic actions and the crypto market dynamics, urging traders to consider these broader impacts.

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• Feb 3, 2:00 PM Kraken

  Kraken obtains EU MiFID license to launch regulated derivatives for crypto traders

  Kraken has acquired a Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) license through the purchase of a Cypriot Investment Firm, approved by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC). This license allows Kraken to offer fully compliant and regulated derivatives products to advanced crypto traders in selected EU markets, as part of its European expansion strategy. The products will provide these traders with the opportunity to work with a variety of collateral currencies and asset types, enhancing trading flexibility and efficiency.

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• Feb 3, 11:14 AM TASS

  Russia to mandate registration for all crypto mining equipment

  Russia's Ministry of Energy plans to establish a mandatory registry for all crypto mining equipment to control mining activities, particularly in areas where mining is banned. This initiative, aimed at identifying illegal operations, will make unregistered mining infeasible. Furthermore, the Federal Tax Service now enables miners to report crypto earnings online, aligning with recent taxation frameworks.

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• Feb 3, 10:46 AM Bitcoin Sistemi

  India reevaluates its cryptocurrency policy amid changing global trends

  India is reevaluating its cryptocurrency stance as global trends towards digital assets become more favorable. Economic Affairs Secretary Ajay Seth mentioned this could delay a previously scheduled cryptocurrency discussion paper. This shift in scrutiny aligns with recent regulatory changes in other countries, including the US, influencing India to take a fresh look at its crypto regulations.

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• Feb 3, 7:24 AM The Block

  THORChain to issue TCY tokens in bid to address $200 million debt

  THORChain's governance has approved a strategy to convert approximately $200 million of unserviceable debt into 200 million equity tokens named Thorchain Yield (TCY). Each TCY token, promising stakeholders 10% of the network's perpetual revenue, will be issued in response to the defaulted debt in THORChain's suspended Savers and Lending program. The restructuring includes creating a RUNE/TCY liquidity pool to support token distribution.

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• Feb 1, 9:25 PM The Block

  Bitcoin mempool clears as transaction volume drops to an 11-month low

  Bitcoin network activity has significantly decreased, with transaction counts hitting an 11-month low and a corresponding decline in mempool backlog, leading to several unfilled mining blocks. The drop in transactions began three months ago and has resulted in a decrease of over 43% from the network's peak activity. This reduction in activity has also seen transaction fees reach near-record lows. As a result, the profitability of Bitcoin mining is being challenged, prompting diversification into other computing sectors by major mining firms.

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• Jan 31, 5:21 PM The Block

  MicroStrategy raises $563.4 million for Bitcoin acquisition through preferred stock sale

  MicroStrategy sold 7.3 million shares of 8% Series A perpetual strike preferred stock to raise $563.4 million, which the company plans to use for acquiring more Bitcoin. This offering significantly exceeded the initial aim of selling 2.5 million shares. The company already holds a substantial amount of Bitcoin valued at over $46 billion and plans to continue expanding its crypto assets. Perpetual preferred stock provides fixed dividends indefinitely and can be converted into common shares, adding flexibility for investors.

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• Jan 31, 4:39 PM The Block

  Uniswap Labs rolls out v4, introducing developer-focused upgrades and lower gas fees

  Uniswap Labs has launched version 4 of the Uniswap protocol across several blockchain networks including Ethereum and Arbitrum. Uniswap v4 introduces new developer capabilities through the use of 'hooks' and aims to improve capital efficiency and user experience with a new 'singleton' liquidity architecture. The protocol transition into a developer platform includes enhanced features for liquidity providers and optimized swap routing across existing and new version pools. Uniswap v4 has successfully completed extensive security testing, including nine audits and a $15.5 million bug bounty program.

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• Jan 31, 10:35 AM The Block

  LayerZero settles legal dispute with FTX estate over previous Alameda transaction

  LayerZero Labs has finalized a settlement with the FTX estate after a two-year legal battle involving transactions made with Alameda Research before FTX's bankruptcy. The dispute centered on the reversal of questionable transfers, including Alameda's repurchase of equity and tokens from LayerZero. The terms included LayerZero returning to FTX estate the original repurchases from Alameda.

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• Jan 31, 10:24 AM CoinDesk

  Stablecoin market capitalization surpasses $200 billion, indicating potential growth in crypto prices

  The total market capitalization of stablecoins has reached a new high of over $200 billion, signaling potential upcoming growth in the broader crypto market, as analyzed by CryptoQuant. Stablecoins like USDT and USDC, which are pegged to stable assets such as the US dollar, are increasing in liquidity, indicating a positive shift. This growth comes amid a significant rise in the overall crypto market, now valued at $3.5 trillion.

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• Jan 31, 4:00 AM Diario El Salvador

  Bitfinex Securities prepares to launch Blockstream Mining Note 2 in El Salvador

  Bitfinex Securities plans to issue Blockstream Mining Note 2 (BMN2) from El Salvador, aiming to provide investors with exposure to Bitcoin mining revenues via tokenization. The digital securities exchange, leveraging El Salvador's flexible Digital Assets Law, intends to make BMN2 accessible on its platform in the first quarter. Additionally, BMN2 issuance in El Salvador allows for lower investment entry levels compared to other markets like Luxembourg. The company also launched tokenized US Treasury Notes in El Salvador and is working towards introducing more tokenized financial products, aiming to turn El Salvador into a new capital markets hub.

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