Author: CoinDesk

The case showed Tether and Bitfinex’s track record of misleading statements and dubious practices, but gave no credence to claims that tethers were printed to manipulate markets. 

This episode is sponsored by Nexo.io.

On today’s episode, NLW breaks down the final settlement of the New York Attorney General’s case against Tether. He argues that the outcome is extremely positive for the industry, discussing:

• Why Tether risk became a major source of FUD in 2021
• How conspiracy theories overtook legitimate concerns
• The history of the NYAG’s case against Tether
• Specific findings of the NYAG’s case around two times that Tether was not backed 1-to-1 by U.S. dollars held in Tether bank accounts 
• Why there was never any accusation of Tether printing USDT out of thin air to manipulate markets 
• The specifics of the settlement
• Why this conclusion clears risk from institutional investors 

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The Purpose Bitcoin ETF BTCC could be Canada’s biggest ETF in a matter of weeks.

This episode is sponsored by Nexo.io.

Today on the Brief:

• Welcome back to the price rollercoaster
• The latest from China’s digital yuan trial
• A 3-week sprint to a stimulus package

Our main discussion: Canada’s first bitcoin ETF

NLW discusses:

• ETF 101
• Pros and cons of a bitcoin ETF
• History of bitcoin ETF proposals 
• Early performance for Canada’s BTCC ETF 
• Implications for a U.S. BTC ETF in 2021

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Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at nexo.io.

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A reading of Alex Treece’s recent CoinDesk op-ed, “Why the US Needs Bitcoin.”

This episode is sponsored by Nexo.io.

On this week’s “Long Reads Sunday,” NLW reads Alex Treece’s recent essay “Why the US Needs Bitcoin.” The piece argues the U.S. will inevitably adopt bitcoin as a treasury reserve asset, but by doing so sooner rather than later it can enjoy geopolitical advantages. 

NLW follows with a discussion of his assessment of the prospects of a digital dollar backed by digital gold. 

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Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at nexo.io.

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What we learned from the congressional hearing featuring representatives from Reddit, Melvin Capital, Citadel Securities and Robinhood.

This episode is sponsored by Nexo.io.

This week, instead of our normal Weekly Recap, NLW digs into Thursday’s congressional hearings around GameStop, Robinhood and WallStreetBets. 

He explores: 

• Why there was a significant focus on T+2 settlement 
• Bipartisan agreement on retail investors getting screwed, but different diagnoses on how to address
• Why Keith Gill, aka Roaring Kitty, aka DeepF***ingValue is a new American folk hero

Ultimately, NLW argues that any congressional action needs to make it easier for retail investors to be full participants in the market, rather than further limiting their options.

This week on The Breakdown:

Monday | The Mainstream Media Narrative Shifts as Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley Come to Bitcoin

Tuesday | Is $50,000 BTC the Beginning of a Bitcoin Supercycle?

Wednesday | Coinbase Trades at a $77B Valuation as BTC Heads Towards a $1T Market Cap

Thursday | How 2,000 Years of Monetary History Led Us to Bitcoin, Feat. Nik Bhatia

Friday | Bitcoin Is Now a Trillion-Dollar Asset: Where Do We Go From Here?

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Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at nexo.io.

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The milestone isn’t just psychological, and potentially opens entire new groups of investors who couldn’t participate previously.

This episode is sponsored by Nexo.io.

Bitcoin is officially a $1 trillion asset. As the price surged over $54,000, the total market cap of bitcoin reached the new all-time high. 

In this episode, NLW explores the significance of the milestone, arguing:

• There has been a slate of good news, from BlackRock rumblings to Canadian ETFs that have been driving recent price action
• There are a variety of institutions that couldn’t allocate to the space before because it was too small but which are now in play
• In the wake of the milestone, we’re likely to see more research house FUD
• We’re also likely to see a number of major bitcoin positions announced in the days to come

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Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at nexo.io.

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A conversation with the author of the new book “Layered Money: From Gold and Dollars to Bitcoin and Central Bank Digital Currencies.”

This episode is sponsored by Nexo.io.

Nik Bhatia is a financial researcher, a CFA charterholder and an Adjunct Professor of Finance and Business Economics at the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business. 

Nik’s new book “Layered Money: From Gold and Dollars to Bitcoin and Central Bank Digital Currencies” puts the rise of bitcoin into a larger historical context - from the first coinage of Rome to the introduction of credit in Renaissance Florence to the beginnings of interest rate trading in Antwerp to the genesis of the central bank system that shapes money today. 

In this conversation, he and NLW do a rapid tour across those two millennia of economic history, ultimately helping reframe what it means when we say that bitcoin is the new “digital gold.”

Find our guest on Twitter: @timevalueofbtc

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Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at nexo.io.

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An overview of key news, from a new DeFi Index fund for accredited investors to bitcoin shrugging off growing Treasury yields.

This episode is sponsored by Nexo.io.

Today’s episode of "The Breakdown" analyzes a number of topics across the bitcoin and crypto industry, including:

• Bitcoin reclaims $50,000 and looks towards a $1 trillion market cap
• Treasury yields rise, hammering gold but so far having no impact on BTC
• Bitwise launches a new DeFi index fund for accredited and institutional investors
• Christie’s is auctioning off NFTs
• Coinbase is trading at a $77 billion valuation on the private markets 

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Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at nexo.io.

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As bitcoin reaches a new milestone all-time high, NLW asks whether we’ve broken out of a traditional halving-based market cycle to something bigger.

This episode is sponsored by Nexo.io.

Early this morning, bitcoin reached a new all-time high above $50,000. While the market quickly retraced, the psychological barrier was breached. On today’s episode, NLW explores what it means, including whether there is any technical value in the number and Michael Saylor and MicroStrategy’s new $600 million debt offering to buy more bitcoin. 

He also explores Dan Held’s concept of a bitcoin supercycle, looking at the three pillars of the argument:

• Perfect macro backdrop
• Singular narrative 
• Availability and ease of use

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Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at nexo.io.

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As another wave of major financial institutions announce bitcoin plans, it’s getting harder for the MSM to simply print the same old FUD. 

This episode is sponsored by Nexo.io.

Today on the Brief:

• A follow-up on celebrity in crypto
• Dapper Labs and BlockFi raising at multibillion dollar valuations
• Cathie Wood and ARK increase their bitcoin position

Our main discussion looks at the latest institutional bitcoin news:

• Deutsche Bank – the world’s 21st largest – quietly revealed a digital asset custody program with much bigger ambitions in a December 2020 World Economic Forum report 
• Bloomberg is reporting that Morgan Stanley’s $150B investment unit is considering a direct bitcoin position

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Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at nexo.io.

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A reading of Nic Carter’s latest essay for CoinDesk on the inappropriateness of comparing the energy consumption of bitcoin and Visa transactions. 

This episode is sponsored by Nexo.io.

This week’s “Long Reads Sunday” is a reading of Nic Carter’s latest essay for CoinDesk “What Bloomberg Gets Wrong About Bitcoin’s Climate Footprint.”

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Earn up to 12% APY on Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD, EUR, GBP, Stablecoins & more. Get started at nexo.io.

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