BlackRock deposits $391M in Bitcoin to Coinbase Prime

Bitcoin (BTC) has surged past the $96,000 mark this week, driven by significant inflows into U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and a favorable U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, which alleviated inflation concerns. This price movement marks the end of a prolonged consolidation phase, leading to a wave of bearish liquidations as short sellers exited their positions.

Bitnomial has launched the first-ever U.S.-regulated futures market for Aptos, a significant milestone that could enhance institutional adoption of blockchain technology and pave the way for future cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (ETFs). This launch marks a critical development in the evolving landscape of cryptocurrency trading in the United States.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has concluded its investigation into the Zcash Foundation, which was initiated in 2023 following a subpoena regarding certain crypto asset offerings. This decision marks the end of scrutiny for the privacy-focused cryptocurrency, Zcash.

Bitcoin's price has surged past $97,000, reaching $97.3K, which has contributed to an increase in the overall cryptocurrency market cap to $3.34 trillion. This rally is accompanied by Polymarket odds indicating a 72% chance of Bitcoin hitting the $100,000 mark within the month.

The Sui mainnet has experienced a significant network stall, which halted all on-chain activity for six hours, leaving validators unable to process transactions. This disruption raises concerns about the reliability of the Sui blockchain and its infrastructure.

The Algorand Foundation has announced its return to the United States and appointed a new board to spearhead strategic blockchain initiatives, signaling a renewed commitment to enhancing blockchain innovation. This move comes amid a more favorable regulatory environment for cryptocurrencies.

Solana has publicly criticized Ethereum's Layer 2 solution, Starknet, highlighting a significant disparity between its high valuation and low user activity. This critique raises concerns about the sustainability of such valuations in the cryptocurrency market.

Rhode Island lawmakers have proposed a bill to eliminate taxes on small Bitcoin transactions, aiming to exempt payments up to $20,000 annually from state income and capital gains taxes. This initiative is seen as a significant step towards enhancing local cryptocurrency adoption.