Author: Sahil Poudel

UN Launches Blockchain Academy for Global Staff Training

Summary: Everybody on this day and age are starting to understand the importance of Blockchain, United Nations isn’t any different as they’re planning on expanding its blockchain academy to upskill over 24,000 staff worldwide. They’re not doing this alone as this work is being continued as a partnership with the Algorand Foundation. The program aims to leverage blockchain technology for sustainable and equitable development.

Global Upskilling Effort

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced an ambitious and very progressive initiative to train a whopping 24,000 personnel in the latest technology called as blockchain technology. UN aims to equip their staff with the skills necessary to apply blockchain in real-world scenarios and projects which they believe will drastically enhance transparency and efficiency. This development is being conducted in collaboration with Algorand Foundation.

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Blockchain in Action

The blockchain academy launched in late 2023 initially only managed to train and certified only 30 personnel and had introduced 18 hours of allocated time for training. Now, its has seen a drastic and progressive expansion in its curriculum and is accessible to staff across multiple UN bodies. This course isn’t just for UN employees but also for UN Volunteers and the United Nations Capital Development Fund. Till now UN has only used blockchain to track cocoa supply chains and facilitate digital impact investments, hopefully we see more and social use of blockchain from the UN.

Pioneering with a Sustainable Future

This initiative by a global organization like UN puts and adds more and brings these stuffs in spotlight like the Guardian platform, launched with the HBAR Foundation for carbon market verification. Doro Unger-Lee of the Algorand Foundation said blockchain’s transparency and efficiency are key to driving impactful sustainable development programs.

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Bitfinex Hacker Razzlekhan Gets 18 Months in Jail

Summary: Heather “Razzlekhan” Morgan has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for her dirty and notorious role in laundering a massive amount of $10.8 billion from the infamous Bitfinex hack. This is the biggest crypto theft scandal to have ever existed and it’s not finally concluded with Morgan’s partner Ilya Lichtenstein receiving a five-year sentence.

A Crypto Heist Gone Wrong

Morgana and Lichtenstein stole a huge amount of BTC from Bitfinex which counts to 120,000 in 2016. The valuation of said amount of BTC at that time was $17 million but if we calculate it’s value today, BTC was skyrocketed and that amount is valued at $10.8 billion. The couple tried their best to run from the law and authorities but finally got caught up in 2022, which directly led to them pleading guilty for conspiracy and money laundering in 2023.

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The Sentence and Regret

Morgan being speculated as just a helper in the operation received 18-month of prison sentence while her partner whom is believed to be the operation’s mastermind was handed five years which is just fair considering the amount stolen. Morgan very clearly expressed shame and regret that she got involved in this work and claimed that she was only involved in laundering the amount with no clues about the hack. However, the court came to the conclusion that she still played an active role in concealing the fund which is a crime nontheless.

Sophisticated Laundering Tactics

The couple tried to hide their track of money by using crypto mixers, dark web markets and even several gold purchases but in the end authorities got the better of them and the federal investigators took all their ill-gotten assets and stated their story is a cautionary tale about how no amount of on-chain trickery can run away from the justice as the reach of justice is long and it’ll always shine upon every criminal.

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Trump’s Bitcoin Obsession: Is Gold Losing Its Shine?

Summary: Everyone already knows how all around crypto space the thing being talked about the most is our Beloved Bitcoin as it surges to greater and greater heights under a pro-crypto narrative led by Donald Trump. Gold, another highly valued asset is being compared to BTC and it seems to be losing its appeal to Bitcoin. Since the Fed’s polices are getting more and more strict the investor’s primary focus is on Bitcoin with the hopes that it’ll reshape the future of financial assets.

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Gold on the Defensive

It wasn’t all sunshine for Gold as it very recently hit a one-month low of $2,543 following the U.S. inflation report. This decrease in value has raised some eyebrows some of sadness and some of disappointment. Although it managed to get back on it’s feet and recovered slightly, gold’s 30 day decline of 2.6% just perfectly contrasts with sharply increasing Bitcoin’s value.

Bitcoin Hits the Spotlight

Bitcoin smashed and broke all records into pieces with a all time high of around $93,400 in the time where inflation is rising everywhere. People have started calling BTC as the new-age “digital gold” and with this gold’s century-old dominance is being overshadowed by a cryptocurrency. With Donald Trump on the lead, people’s perception has started to change and everyone sees BTC as a new weapon against inflation.

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Gold’s Gilded Era Fading?

It’s not just normal everyday people saying gold might lose it’s charm but experts like Maruf Yusupov says that gold’s allure could fade away as Bitcoin has started to gain mainstream popularity. Not only that but Senator Cynthua Lummi’s also proposed an idea to swap some of the Fed’s gold reserves for Bitcoin further fuel speculation. With this it’s highly believed by analysts hat if U.S. dollar strengthens, the case for traditional hedges like gold might just lose it’s allure.

Semlar Scientific Buys 215 Bitcoin, Raises $21.5M via Equity Offering

Summary: Semlar just few days ago bought some BTC and again it had bought 215 and has expanded its Bitcoin Holdings to 1273 BTC, this astonishing amount is valued at $114M, while it has managed to raus $21.5M thorough equity offering. This move has improved its reserve as BTC trades at $90,400.

Semler Expands Bitcoin Holdings

Semler Scientific is a medical equipment company and has ventured into the crypto space and purchases an additional 215 Bitcoin between a short period of Nov. 6 and Nov, 15 for $17.7M, averaging $82,502 per BTC. This has again drastically increased its total holding to 1,273 BTC, according to recent press release. Since Bitcoin has unreal momentum which is breaking all limit and current trading price of $90,400 gives the company’s holdings a value of $114M.

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Equity Offerings Supports Strategy

Semler raised a high amount of $21.5M through an at-the-market offerings with Cantor Fitzgerald, this could happen because they sold 505,544 shares to fund its Bitcoin purchases and operational goals. The company uses a special metric system widely called BTC yield to track its strategic success and as per the provided data, BTC yield reached 37.3% from July 1 to Nov. 15.

A Strategic Hedge

Semler’s also using the same strategy other companies like MicroStrategy used and it goes hand to hand with its view of BTC as an inflation resilient asset. This company along with several other companies growing crypto treasury shows broader trend amongst corporations and institutions embracing Bitcoin as a reserve asset.

MicroStrategy Hits 331,200 BTC in Holdings with $4.6B Buy

Summary: MicroStrategy didn’t just invest on Bitcoin but now had gone deep into the crypto rabbit hole and bought itself $4.6 Billion worth of BTC making it’s total holding to over 331,200 BTC which is a very very aggressive approach to cryptocurrency by any company.

A Massive BTC Purchase

This move of buying insane amount of BTC was announced on Nov.18, which positions the company as the largest corporate Bitcoin holder globally with some unrealized profits exceeding over $13 billion which is yet another absurd amount. MicroStrategy purchased 51,780 BTC at an average price of $88,627 per coin with total expenditure of $4.6 billion.

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Saylor’s Bold Strategy

Michael Saylor is a madman to some and a Crypto genius to some, he launched his BTC investment strategy in 2020, and ever since the announcement, the strategy has become the central core piece to MicroStrategy economic and financial approach. This company alone has manage to spent a huge amount of $16.5 billion on BTC and still plans to raise $42 billion more for further acquisitions in the next three years.

Industry-Wide Impact

MicroStrategy is now playing a role of a role-model for other companies like Semlar Scientific and AI firm Genius Group, to take and adopt BTC as a treasury asset.

Polish Minister Pledges Bitcoin Reserve for a Crypto-Friendly Future

Summary: We’ve already talked about 2 companies and even states of U.S. moving forward in technology and bringing crypto into their reserves, and now Polish minister Slawonir Mentzen also plans to follow the steps of those pervious cases and plans to establish a Bitcoin reserve and make sure Poland becomes a global Crypto Sensation and leader If he’s elected president in 2025.

Mentzen’s Vision for Poland

Slawomor Mentzen very eagerly and excitedly said how he wants to make Poland a hub for cryptocurrency innovation, backed by friendly policies and infrastructure. His statement regarding bitcoin reserve started as a response to crypto advocacy suggestions and he seems to be fully commited to creating a national Bitcoin reserve which is designed after the Satoshi Action Fund framework.

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A Track Record of Innovation

Mentzen isn’t new to suggesting blockchain’s involvement in governance as he also proposed mining Bitcoin in municipal buildings in his 2018 mayoral campaign. This plan of his was dismissed sadly for all Polish cryto enthusiast but now with Bitcoin nearing $100,000, his forward thinking approach has managed to gain a lot of eyes on him.

Global Implications

This proposal by Mentzen aligns globally with international trend, mostly goes parrel to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s promise of a strategic Bitcoin reserve. Experts on this field suggest and believe such move might spark a digital war, as nations race amongst each other to secure BTC as a reserve asset, which sounds like a doubled edge sword.

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Consensys’ Joe Lubin Launches Platform for On-Chain Sovereignty Declarations

Joe Lubin who’s also CEO of Consensys has just introduced a linea-based platform allowing users to declare personal sovereignty on-chain. This man, Lubin and his company knew that this start supports the decentralized government system and personal autonomy by enabling individuals to affirm commitments like data privacy and economic control.

A Platform for On-Chain Sovereignty

Joe Lubin found a way to unveil sovs.xyz on Nov,15 where every second news of crypto is about Bitcoin. This sovs,xyz is a new layer-2 blockchain on Consensys’ Linea. This platform sounds and seems amazing and fantastic as it allows user to make cryptographically-secured declarations of personal sovereignty in wide wide areas such as technological freedom, data privacy and environmental responsibility.

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Advancing Decentralized Digital Life

Lubin very boldly and proudly claims that this projects is a part of ” progressive prudent decentralization” rally. The very essence and existence of is described to be the one which empowers people to claim personal autonomy while also advertising transparency and self-governance.

Toward Network States

This initiative goes hand to hand with Consensys’s objective to establish “network states”. The company defines network states as decentralized communities with their own separate rules and governance which seems enticing at sight but is it any better than current system ? We have yet to know the answer to this.

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Kaixin Eyes Crypto Mining Expansion Amid Bitcoin’s All-Time High

Summary: Kaixin which is a Chinese EV making company, it aims to shift from it’s actual core business of automobile and plans on controlling stake in Middle Eastern Cryptocurrency mining facility. This project is severely beneficial for Kaixin from sectors such as cost-effective mining machines and stable energy supplies which perfectly aligns with Kaixin’s expertise in sustainable practices.

Strategic Shift for Kaixin

Kaixin isn’t a rookie name in terms of automobile companies and for which Electric Vehicle Manufacturer to shift from it’s major path and step on to this unventured territory is a big risk, but will it also return back at them with big rewards? The company us in advanced talks to acquire a Middle Eastern mining facility, by showing their sustainable background and it’s super and real easy access to stable energy and cost-efficient Bitcoin mining machines as key advantages.

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Leveraging Expertise in Sustainability

Many people believe that Kaixin took this initiative because it always had expertise in sustainable operations. The company aims to make a good use of it’s expertise while continuing to maintain it’s actual and core focus on automobile excellence.

Riding the Crypto Wave

This move came after Bitcoin hit it’s all time high and is still on a rampage streak, this pushed the global crypto cap beyond $3 trillion. Kaixin’s choice of vividly shifting it’s major focus to crypto must have been an affect of BTC’s recent success. The acquisition timeline remains unclear as evaluations continue.

Thumzup Allocates $1M for Bitcoin Treasury Reserve

Summary: Thumzup which is a Los Angeles-based Media Corporation is taking it’s initial step into the crypto world by allocating up to $1M of its treasury to Bitcoin. Robert Steele who’s the CEO of the said company said Bitcoin’s growing institutional acceptance and it’s recent bullish momentum were taken into great consideration while making this decision.

Thumzup Embraces Bitcoin

A social media marketing firm, Thumzup Media Corporation just recently announced to make their treasury diverse by diving deep into the crypto space. Their initial plan includes purchasing up to $1M in Bitcoin. As CEO himself explained, The inflation resistant and finite supply characteristics of Bitcoin really caught their eyes and the company views it as critical advantage for a long-term store of value.

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A Growing Trend in Treasury Assets

Thumzup isn’t the only particular company to do this, recently larger and larger trend of companies are embracing Bitcoin as a reserve asset more than a liability. Just few days ago Pennsylvania’s Bitcoin Strategic Reserve Act also highlighted the increasing interest in integrating Bitcoin into tradFi as it serves as a valuable asset.

Aligning with a Digital Future

Thumzup now joins the group of cool companies which have integrated crypto into their business or in their firm for long-term profit and now people have started considering these companies as “forward-thinking business”. This move goes hand to hand with rising optimism from figures like Senator Cynthia Lummis, who is a crypto witch and envisioned Bitcoin playing a greater role in financial strategies nationwide.

Greenidge Generation Wins Legal Battle to Operate in New York

Summary: Greenidge Generation which is a bitcoin mining company secured a grand and difficult legal victory allowing it Dresden, New York, facility to continue operations. The New York Supreme Court ruled against the state’s department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), calling its falsehood of Title V Air Permit “arbitrary and capricious”. This is a good indication for other mining companies facing such problems but if there’s a problem it must go to legal standpoint and be won like the one Greenidge had.

Court Clears the Way for Greenidge

Greenidge won the legal battle as the New York Supreme Court overturned the DEC’s denial of Greenidge’s air permit, showing a lack of rational basis for its decision. Judge Vincent Dinolfo openly and boldy criticized the DEC’s interpretation of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), which makes sure Greenidge can work without anyone and anything to interuppt, this might just prove to be the most significant win Greenidge has had over the time.

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Legal Battle Overreach

Greenidge had it’s initial plans set as its fresh argument included criticizing DEC for overstepping its authority by denying the permit despite the facility’s following the laws, which shines a truly negative light on DEC. The company stayed on its ground and won the ruling for ” facts and the rule of law” over “politically motivated governmental overreach.”

Looking in the future

This ruling marks Greenidge’s not first not second but seventh favorable decision on operational matters. The company still aims to conduct a partnership with the DEC on a new permit while also improving its contributions to the locals and the economy through job creation and electricity generation. This is a very fascinating case and also a case where everyone can learn something as this case highlights tension between environmental policies and industrial development in New York.

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