MicroStrategy shows no signs of slowing down with another 6 million purchase of Bitcoins.
MicroStrategy expanded its Bitcoin holdings with the purchase of 11,931 BTC for 6 million in cash “using proceeds from convertible notes,” the firm’s founder Michael Saylor confirmed in a Thursday morning X post.
MicroStrategy has acquired an additional 11,931 BTC for ~6.0M using proceeds from convertible notes & excess cash for ~,883 per #bitcoin. As of 6/20/24, $MSTR hodls 226,331 $BTC acquired for ~.33B at average price of ,798 per bitcoin.https://t.co/jE9dGqqnON
The company also confirmed in a regulatory filing that it acquired the nearly 12,000 BTC between April 27 and June 19 at an average price of approximately ,883 per BTC. With the latest purchase, MicroStrategy, together with its subsidiaries, now hold 226,331 BTC valued at around billion.
The purchase follows less than a week after MicroStrategy announced an 0 million offering in convertible senior notes at a rate of 2.25% per annum, aimed at further Bitcoin acquisitions. Despite the massive purchase, MicroStrategy appears to be second only to BlackRock, which currently holds over 305,000 BTC in its spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund.
Following the announcement, MicroStrategy’s share price (MSTR) increased by 2.3% in pre-market trading, reaching ,503, according to Nasdaq data. As of press time, Bitcoin is trading at approximately ,944, as per CoinMarketCap data.
On-chain sleuth ZachXBT exposed Martin Shkreli, widely known as “Pharma Bro,” as the creator of the new Solana-based meme coin, called TrumpCoin (DJT).
On June 19, Arkham Intelligence announced a 0,000 bounty for exposing the deployer of DJT. A few hours later, ZachXBT claims that Shkreli is the creator of the meme coin after he “panic” messaged the on-chain investigator.
For those who are confused and need additional context.
Earlier today Arkham announced a 0K bounty for the identity of the DJT creator
11:49 pm UTC I reply to Arkham saying I submitted for the bounty 11:57 pm UTC Martin Shkreli panic DM’s me 12:27 am UTC Martin Shkreli… pic.twitter.com/pKCQDOo7AZ
However, Shkreli, who served around seven years in prison with a million fine for committing securities fraud, claims that former U.S. President Donald Trump’s 18-year-old son, Barron Trump, is also involved in the meme coin. He added:
“I did not act alone.”
Moreover, Shkreli said in an X post that the keys to the token’s contract are with “Trump” — pointing out Barron Trump. Screenshots shared by ZachXBT show Shkreli claiming that he has more than “1,000 pieces of evidence” proving the involvement of the 18-year-old Trump in the meme coin’s deployment.
In addition, in an X Spaces on June 18, Shkreli claimed that the former U.S. President also approved the project and a total of 10 people were involved in its launch. He even claimed that Trump has been discussing the potential listing of TrumpCoin with the Kraken crypto exchange.
Despite the drama surrounding the meme coin, DJT surged by 29% in the past 24 hours and is trading at .015 at the time of writing. The asset’s market cap is currently sitting at 5 million with a daily trading volume of million.
DJT price – June 20 | Source: birdeye.so
However, the price movement of the meme coin has some investors worried as TrumpCoin took a sharp fall from its all-time of .038 on June 18.
There have been no updates from the former U.S. President regarding the launch of an official meme coin yet.
Binance has been hit with a .25 million fine in India for operating in the country in violation of local anti-money laundering rules.
India’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) imposed a multi-million fine on Binance as the cryptocurrency exchange failed to register with the FIU to comply with its anti-money laundering (AML) rules.
In an official Jun. 19 statement, the regulator said it imposed a total penalty of 188.2 million rupees (around .25 million) for violating multiple AML rules as well as directives focused on combating the financing of terrorism. As of press time, Binance made no public statements on the matter.
According to a Chainalysis report, India is one of the fastest-growing crypto economies, with the highest adoption rate as of 2023. In mid-April, crypto.news reported that Binance agreed to pay another million penalty following a four-month ban placed on the exchange by the FIU.
Before the January ban, Binance reportedly dominated over 90% of the Indian crypto trading volume. The exchange’s popularity surged as traders sought to bypass tax implications imposed by the Indian government.
In March, India’s Ministry of Finance mandated that all crypto businesses register with the FIU and comply with PMLA provisions. By December 2023, 28 cryptocurrency firms had already registered with the national AML agency, as reported by crypto.news.
Crypto remains a contentious issue in India, with regulators divided on how to approach the emerging industry. India’s Minister of Finance, Nirmala Sitharaman, called on international collaboration toward building a comprehensive crypto framework and urged governments to consider blockchain’s merits. However, the Reserve Bank of India hasn’t changed its stance on crypto and argued for a blanket ban on digital assets.
Fetch.ai (FET), SingularityNET (AGIX) and Ocean Protocol (OCEAN) have recorded impressive gains as the Nvidia stock price hikes.
FET is up by 35% in the past 24 hours and is trading at .71 at the time of writing. The asset’s market cap is currently sitting at .43 billion, making it the 61st-largest cryptocurrency. Fetch.ai’s daily trading volume doubled over the past day, reaching almost 0 million.
FET, AGIX and OCEAN prices – June 20 | Source: Santiment
AGIX recorded a quite similar run. The AI token gained 29% in the past 24 hours and is trading at .68 at the reporting time. Its market cap is hovering close to the 0 million mark with a daily trading volume of 6 million.
The third partner of the Superintelligence Alliance (ASI) token, OCEAN, also recorded a 27% surge over the past day and is currently trading at .68. The asset’s market cap is sitting at 0 million at the time of writing. OCEAN’s 24-hour trading volume increased by 180%, reaching million.
In April, the Artificial Superintelligence Alliance announced that FET, AGIX and OCEAN would be merged into a single token. On June 3, SingularityNET shared the following conversion rates of the tokens to ASI:
FET will be converted to ASI at a conversion rate of 1:1.
AGIX will be converted to ASI at a conversion rate of 1:0.433350.
OCEAN will be converted to ASI at a conversion rate of 1:0.433226.
The surge in the AI tokens comes as the Nvidia stock recorded a 3.51% hike on Wednesday — closing the day with a price of 5.58.
It’s important to note that the California-based graphics processor manufacturer is called one of the “three horsemen of AI” by MarketWatch. Notably, Nvidia has been developing an enterprise-level AI platform.
TON ecosystem’s TVL hits 0m, despite Toncoin’s price dip to , sparking future optimism.
On June 17, 2024, the TON ecosystem achieved a significant milestone by reaching a 0 million in total value locked (TVL).This growth helped the blockchain register a 130% growth in just under a month. The crypto community is of the opinion that the network’s growth and current appeal is largely driven by the success of its mini apps.
However, despite this noteworthy development, Toncoin’s price nosedived on Tuesday. It fell by almost 10%, bottoming at . This happens to be its lowest level since June 12. As a result, Toncoin has slipped by more than 15% from its highest point.
Nevertheless, Toncoin enthusiasts believe that the setback is temporary and anticipate that positive movements are in store for the ecosystem and the coin.
Analysts are also of the opinion that the growing TVL and the upcoming launch of TapSwap, the popular Telegram tap-to-earn platform could catapult Toncoin to new heights.
TapSwap is a Tap-2-Earn Telegram mini app with over 26 million social media followers. The developers of TapSwap stated that they had chose Toncoin for its speed and low transaction costs.
🚀 @tapswapai, the Tap-2-Earn Telegram Mini App with 26M+ social media followers, will launch on #TON!
Launched on Feb 15, 2024, it has seen massive growth. Users earn in-game tokens by tapping and completing missions and tasks. Today, the app boasts over 50M users worldwide and… pic.twitter.com/DJiZi39wDd
Another interesting project that has launched on the TON blockchain is Simple-Ton, a new project that aims for an explosive run on the ecosystem. Simple-Ton Coin, inspired by the beloved SpongeBob universe, leverages the Jetton Smart Contract to bring an engaging experience to its community.
In their commitment to transparency and security, the Simple-Ton team has used two methods to ensure the integrity of Simple-Ton Coin. The first is Renounced Ownership. The contract ownership has been fully renounced, which means no single entity can control or alter the contract.
Second, the team has burned the liquidity pool to eliminate the risk of rug pulls and provide the community with a secure trading environment.
Simple-Ton’s current appeal and growth is comparable to another top memecoin on the TON blockchain – Resistance Dog (REDO). With a market cap of 9.76m and 24-trading volume of .74m, REDO has grown dramatically over the past week, securing its place in the portfolios of both newcomers and veteran investors.
With its current approach and robust security measures, Simple-Ton is moving in a similar direction, aiming for substantial growth. However, it remains to be seen what the future holds for this project.
From cute pictures of chubby penguins, the Pudgy Penguin brand has grown into a full-fledged ecosystem with soft toys and its own game.
Table of Contents
What is Pudgy Penguins NFT collection?
The Pudgy Penguins brand was launched in July 2021 by four college friends who decided to ride the wave of NFT popularity. ColeThereum created 8,888 NFTs of Pudgy Penguins, with a price of about .03 each. The collection sold out in 20 minutes at apiece, bringing its creators over 0,000.
Pudgy Penguins were recognizable compared to other popular NFT collections at the time, whose avatars were usually pixelated or trying to follow new trends. Instead, Pudgy Penguins featured bright colors, tiny beaks, and round faces.
The first Pudgy Penguins collection was so successful that shortly after its debut, the creators released a new collection, Lil Pudgy’s, consisting of 22,222 images of smaller versions of the original penguins.
However, the success could have been more-lived. At the end of 2021, prices for NFTs began to decline along with the decline of the crypto market. In addition, the Pudgy Penguin token holders’ community was disappointed with the attitude of the team of creators towards their collection.
Led by student Cole Wilman (ColeThereum), the team of creators shared grandiose plans and promised to release a book and game about their cute penguins. However, the team never specified a timeline for these projects. Their NFT collection was delisted from the OpenSea NFT marketplace for a while.
The creator, ColeThereum, had no intention of developing the project, and in April 2022, Luca Schnetzler (Luca Netz) appeared. He bought the rights from the developer for 750 ETH, or .5 million at the exchange rate of that time, hired a team of experienced specialists, and began promotion. In a couple of years, Schnetzler managed to turn an initially unpromising resource into a unique ecosystem.
Lil Pudgys holders received the same rights as Pudgy Penguins holders. They have access to IP licensing experiences, events, and perspectives, among other benefits.
However, the collection’s success could have been more-lived. At the end of 2021, prices for NFTs began to decline along with the decline of the crypto market. Moreover, the Pudgy Penguin token holders’ community was disappointed with the attitude of the creators’ team towards their collection.
In 2023, an agreement was signed to collaborate with the LayerZero project, thanks to which Little Pudgys appeared on the Arbitrum and Polygon networks.
Pudgy Rods
Pudgy Rods were offered as a free NFT, and any owner of the Pudgy Penguins NFT could claim mint until Aug. 30, 2021.
In May 2023, the project team revealed the launch of the Pudgy Toys collection. The stuffed animals quickly buzzed the market, reaching 0,000 in sales in just two days.
One feature that sets Pudgy Toys apart is that each toy comes with a digital interface called Pudgy World.
The firm began selling chubby penguins in 2,000 Walmart stores in September 2023. As of April 2024, the company has sold more than a million toys, generating revenue of million, and the total number of toys sold has exceeded 1 million.
Pudgy World Game
In December 2023, the authors of Pudgy Penguins announced that they were developing a game called Pudgy World — a free browser-based blockchain game that tells the story of the adventures of two penguins. The developers ntegrated the Ethereum network scaling protocol zkSync, launched by Matter Labs, into the software.
According to Michael Lee, the company’s senior vice president, the technology invented by his organization’s employees will allow the use of new business models and diversify the gaming experience. In this regard, a system for earning cryptocurrency based on Pudgy World will be implemented.
“The launch of Pudgy World, in collaboration with Walmart, stands as a remarkable testament to the capabilities of our joint development teams. Whether you’re a seasoned NFT collector or venturing into crypto for the first time, Pudgy World aims to welcome millions of gamers into web3 to have fun, as well as forge lasting friendships.”
Michael Lee, SVP of Growth at Matter Labs
Owners of NFT Pudgy Penguins and plush penguin toys can create 3D characters based on their tokens. The developers are also expected to launch a mobile version of the game in 2025.
How to buy Pudgy Penguins NFTs?
There are currently two of the most trusted platforms for purchasing Pudgy Penguins NFTs. First of all, users can buy a token on the official Pudgy Penguins marketplace. It is available on the project’s official website and allows, among other things, to buy a physical penguin toy.
Another most trusted marketplace for purchasing a penguin is OpenSea. Only NFTs are available for purchase on the platform.
What are the dynamics of the Pudgy Penguins now?
Data from OpenSea shows that the minimum Pudgy Penguins price is currently 7.985 Ether (ETH) or approximately ,200 at current rates.
Pudgy Penguin OpenSea page shows the most expensive recent sale was Penguin #6873, which sold for a whopping 400 ETH, or about .4 million.
CryptoSlam platform also suggests that Pudgy Penguins ranks as the 20th most expensive NFT collection in the last 30 days, with million in sales. NFT #5019 was the 13th most expensive NFT sold in the last 30 days. The token was purchased for ,104.
Should users pay attention to NFTs now?
In 2021, NFTs became fashionable on the Internet. The excitement grew so intense that some pictures were sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars. And then people suddenly ran out of easy money. The price of collectible NFTs fell by an average of 90% and of ordinary NFTs by 99.99%.
Prices for some of the most popular NFT collections have dropped noticeably recently. For example, the minimum cost of the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) collection has fallen by 20% in the last 30 days, indicating a possible drop in demand for these assets.
However, some NFT projects, including Pudgy Penguins, seek to maintain interest in their tokens by launching additional collections, games, or even physical goods. Therefore, Pudgy Penguins’ future may seem pretty bright for long-term holders.
Injective, an interoperable Layer-1 blockchain for decentralized finance (DeFi) applications, is eyeing diversification into the nascent Web3 gaming ecosystem.
On Wednesday, Injective announced its partnership with DEGA, a top game builder platform that’s also deployed on Ethereum, Cardano and BNB Chain.
Injective, a provider of a platform for dApps across decentralized exchanges (DEXs), prediction markets, and lending protocols, will leverage DEGA’s ecosystem to launch its next phase of development via Web3 gaming.
With DEGA, game builders will be able to quickly design and publish games – a new era for GameFi, according to Injective.
The Web3 gaming market continues to witness significant growth, with future projections estimating expansion from .9 billion in 2023 to over 3 billion by 2033.
“DEGA and Injective share a lot in common when it comes to our vision for ease of use, financial inclusion, and artificial intelligence,” DEGA CEO Carlos Rene said in a statement. “We expect this integration to benefit all who participate in either of our ecosystems.”
Injective users to benefit from airdrops, tournaments
As well as expansion into the gaming sector, this partnership is also set to benefit Injective across several community initiatives. These include having Injective games on DEGA, airdrops (such as limited edition Elements & Characters) ambassador events and tournaments and X spaces.
DEGA has announced a reactivation of its “Great Benediction” to celebrate this integration. Per details shared in a blog post, the program returns on Wednesday, June 26 and expected to run until July 3, 2024.
Injective’s partnership with DEGA comes after the blockchain platform also revealed collaboration with Tria, a consumer-first actively validated services (AVS) layer-2 for abstracting gas and unifying liquidity from Web3.
According to an announcement, Tria’s launch on Injective helps to enhance user experience for dApps and users. Tria’s Unchained technology allows for complete gas abstraction as well as cross-chain liquidity unification, giving users more control over payments and assets.
Patrick Bet-David, founder and CEO of Valuetainment, says blockchain can greatly improve voting systems around the world.
With the world changing so much amid artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain and Bitcoin, Bet-David wonders if new technology is what the world needs to improve the outdated voting process. It’s not only so as to improve voting systems in terms of transparency and accessibility, but to also get more people to develop confidence in these elections and their results.
The entrepreneur shared his thoughts in a YouTube video. Highlighting blockchain as “a shared immutable ledger that facilitates the process of recording transactions and tracking assets in a business network,” Bet-David says these features are what makes the technology suitable for application in blockchain voting.
U.S. states have piloted blockchain voting
To be fair, the issue of blockchain technology and voting isn’t a new topic. Researchers and experts have previously expounded on how countries can integrate this to greater effect. This has happened amid broader integration across virtually every facet of human life, from education, supply chains, health and agriculture.
It’s this growth that has seen some U.S. states pilot blockchain voting systems.
For instance, West Virginia became the first U.S. state to use blockchain voting through a pilot for federal elections. A publicly verifiable ledger that still maintains the anonymity of voters is key to this push for blockchain technology.
In his view, Bet-David thinks this is the way to go.
Other than a decentralized ledger that records votes, immutability means each cryptographically signed vote “cannot be altered without detection.”
Apart from West Virginia, other U.S. states that have piloted blockchain voting systems are Utah, Colorado, and Oregon.
“In Denver, Colorado, one of the pilot programs allowed overseas voters and active duty military personnel to vote for Municipal elections through a blockchain-based smartphone app,” Bet-David noted.
A voter in Utah also became the first person to vote for president on the blockchain. Meanwhile, blockchain-based voting apps have worked in Switzerland, Japan, Brazil, South Korea and Russia.
Issues with blockchain voting
While he champions the use of blockchain to allow for transparency and accessibility in elections, Bet-David notes that implementation of the technology does face some challenges.
Critics have outlined concerns such as technical and security issues, including scalability and cyber-attacks. There are also legal and regulatory hurdles, particularly around voter anonymity and privacy. U.S. states that have expressed concerns and are uncomfortable with the system include New York, California, and Texas.
But with trust in the U.S. government having gone down from 73% in 1958 to about 16% today, it might be the new technology that brings younger generation onboard.
Toncoin (TON) price has emerged as the best-performing layer-1 token this year. It has soared by over 220%, outperforming other big tokens like Ethereum (ETH), Binance Coin (BNB), Solana (SOL), and Cardano (ADA). The first three have jumped by 55%, 80%, 40%, respectively while ADA has slumped by 30%.
In a note, blockchain analyst maartunn explained two reasons why TON has outperformed most layer-1 tokens. First, he noted that the TON transfer volume had gone through the roof, ranging between billion and billion.
In comparison, Bitcoin’s daily transfer volume stands at about billion. This means that TON has already achieved about 10% of the biggest cryptocurrency in the industry.
There are other popular metrics to prove this theory. For example, the total value locked (TVL) in Ton’s ecosystem has jumped to over 3 million, making it the 12th biggest chain in the industry.
The volume of stablecoins in the ecosystem has soared to over 0 million. Most of these stables are in Ton’s ecosystem networks like DeDust, STON.fi, Tonstakers and Stakee.
TON holders have soared
Second, the expert noted that the number of TON holders has jumped to over 34.5 million, a figure that is higher than 2.9 million a year ago. That is a 10x increase in just one year and the trend could continue in the coming months.
A potential driver for the upcoming surge in TON holders is the upcoming launch of TapSwap. TapSwap, a popular tap-to-earn platform on Telegram, selected Toncoin as its blockchain of choice. That launch will bring over 50 million users to TON’s ecosystem.
Therefore, Toncoin price has surged because of its booming ecosystem and the fact that the number of holders has gone parabolic.
