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The defense team of Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of FTX, has raised concerns over the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) proposed juror questions in a late Friday filing. They argue that some of these questions could potentially bias jurors or predispose them to view Bankman-Fried as guilty before the trial begins. Attorney Mark Cohen, representing the defense, criticized the government’s proposed voir dire, asserting that it discourages full disclosure from potential jurors and fails to uncover potential biases adequately. Cohen noted that omitting the word “allegedly” when describing the crimes Bankman-Fried is accused of could improperly suggest guilt. He also highlighted that certain questions may not reveal if jurors have preconceived notions about the case, such as a predisposition to agree with prosecutors due to their federal government affiliation or financial losses in cryptocurrency. Furthermore, Cohen objected to a question that sought irrelevant ...

Investment firms Invesco and Galaxy Digital allegedly filed for a spot Ethereum ETF with the U.S. SEC on Sept. 29. Asset managers keep pursuing digital asset products, with Invesco and Galaxy Digital allegedly filing for a spot Ether exchange-traded fund (ETF) on Sept. 29.  Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart disclosed the filing on X (formerly Twitter), even though the application hadn’t been uploaded to the SEC’s public database at the time of writing. A spokesperson for Invesco declined to confirm the application , stating that products still being registered cannot be commented on. Cointelegraph reached out to Galaxy but did not immediately receive a response. With the Sept. 29 filing, Invesco and Galaxy join a growing line of investment managers seeking regulatory approval for a spot ETH ETF. On Sept. 27, the SEC delayed decisions on previous applications from ARK 21Shares and VanEck, extending the deadline until Dec. 25–26. “The Commission finds it appropriate to design...

The development team behind meme asset Shiba Inu (SHIB) is warning traders to do their own research and be cautious of suspicious actors who claim to be a part of the SHIB ecosystem. In a new announcement, the SHIB team says that just because someone is using the name “Shibarium,” it doesn’t mean they are associated with the project and that all official partnerships would be announced through the ecosystem’s Discord channel or official blog. “Reminder: It’s important to note that nothing is official and no one is endorsed. Just because people use the name ‘Shibarium’ or journalists write about the Shiba Inu project, it doesn’t necessarily mean it has any connection to the Shiba Ecosystem developers. Always remember to DYOR (Do Your Own Research). Official partnerships will be promoted and introduced through official channels like the https://blog.shib.io/. Stay informed and rely on verified sources for accurate information. Keep expl...

Su Zhu, co-founder of the bankrupt crypto hedge fund, Three Arrows Capital (3AC), has been detained by law enforcement in Singapore over a year after the hedge fund collapsed in 2022. Zhu, who was believed to be in Dubai at some point following the collapse of 3AC, was reportedly arrested at Singapore’s Changi airport. [DB] Three Arrows Co-Founder Zhu Apprehended in Singapore: Statement: Bloomberg — db (@tier10k) September 29, 2023 A Singapore court ordered Zhu’s imprisonment for four months. The same order was issued for Kyle Davies, Zhu’s co-founder, although his whereabouts remain unknown at press time. This is a developing story. Follow Us on Google News Source: https://thebittimes.com/breaking-3ac-s-su-zhu-reportedly-arrested-in-singapore-tbt64559.html?utm_source=blogger_source&utm_medium=blogger_medium&utm_campaign=blogger_cam Category: Cryptocurrency News Post by: TheBitTimes.com

Universal Pictures will launch a digital experience for its upcoming “The Exorcist: Believer” movie in collaboration with Aptos Labs, a web3 company. According to a Sept. 28 Fortune report, Universal Pictures has announced a partnership with web3 company Aptos Labs to create an interactive digital experience for the upcoming horror film “The Exorcist: Believer.” The film, set for release on Oct. 6, is a sequel to the classic 1973 horror film “The Exorcist.” Through the partnership, fans who purchase tickets to the new film through Fandango will receive a redemption code that unlocks access to the digital experience. The experience, powered by Aptos Labs‘ blockchain technology, will allow fans to collect exclusive digital artwork, view behind-the-scenes footage, and use an augmented reality filter themed around the movie . Fans will also have opportunities to enter contests to win prizes related to the film. You might also like: Ap...

Sam Bankman-Fried’s lawyers made a third attempt to secure his temporary release from prison, but a New York court denied their request just days before his trial begins in October. District Court Judge Lewis Kaplan ruled that Bankman-Fried must stay at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) since his defense attorneys were unable to provide sufficient reasons for his release. With the trial slated to start Oct. 3, SBF lawyers argued that his release would be crucial in preparing an adequate defense against seven criminal charges including wire fraud. Judge Kaplan found the bid for Bankman-Fried’s release insufficient, siding with government prosecutors who wrote that the court already approved several considerations for SBF that are not accorded to most individuals facing federal prosecution. The fallen crypto tycoon is reportedly allowed to review documents on an air-gapped laptop and meet with his lawyers frequently in jail. Docketed: Sam Bankman-Fried will NO...

VanEck is expanding its crypto offerings with an Ethereum-focused fund, albeit stopping short of direct exposure. The prominent investment manager filed for an actively managed ETF investing in Ethereum futures contracts on Thursday. The proposed VanEck Ethereum Strategy ETF (ticker: EFUT) marks the company’s latest attempt to quench investor demand for crypto assets within regulatory bounds. VanEck noted the new fund follows the model of its existing Bitcoin Strategy ETF, which similarly invests in futures tracking the leading cryptocurrency. Also read: Shiba Inu: SHIB Digital ID All Set For October Debut VanEck’s EFUT will trade on CBOE The structured approach allows exposure to Ether’s volatility while avoiding direct cryptocurrency ownership associated with heightened risks. EFUT will trade on CBOE and actively manage futures positions to balance profit potential and downside protection. VanEck’s global head of active trading, Greg Krenzer, ...

Altcoins face a daunting “reckoning,” as cautioned by analyst Benjamin Cowen. ETH/BTC pair hints at a potential sharp descent driven by historical patterns. Bitcoin’s future remains uncertain, with diverse predictions in play. Prominent cryptocurrency analyst Benjamin Cowen has voiced a cautious perspective on the journey ahead for many altcoins. In a recent video shared with his vast YouTube audience of over 787K, Cowen alluded to an impending “altcoin reckoning.” This downturn, he believed, might leave numerous digital assets in the dust, with scant chances of rebounding soon. Cowen harbored a nuanced stance on the altcoin market’s potential revival. He acknowledged the possibility of a market upswing, albeit without many current altcoins aboard. He suggested a few may touch new peaks, yet a significant chunk may plummet or stagnate. Moreover, he envisioned a scenario where the altcoin market might linger around the $3...

Crypto.com has partnered with PayPal and Paxos. Through this tie-up, Crypto.com has been established as a “preferred” PayPal USD [ PYUSD ] exchange. A month ago, PayPal rolled out PYUSD for payments and transfers. Issued by Paxos Trust Company, the stablecoin is backed by U.S. dollar deposits, short-term U.S. Treasury bonds, and other cash equivalents. Crypto.com has already listed PYUSD on its platform for both retail and institutional users. In fact, the latest blog post highlighted that it is currently the crypto trading platform with the “deepest liquidity” for PYUSD trading pairs across the world. Thrilled to partner on driving the global adoption of crypto together with @PayPal & @Paxos 🤝 https://t.co/Hjf9AhbUeg — Kris | Crypto.com (@kris) September 28, 2023 Also Read: Ethereum Creates ‘Bullish’ Divergence: 12% Rally to Follow? Commenting on the latest development, Crypto.com ’s CEO, Kris Marszalek, asse...

Improbable, a London-based metaverse company, has shifted its focus from virtual experiences for video games and defense to becoming a “venture builder” after cutting losses by 85%. In a press release on Tuesday, Sep. 26, the firm said it would focus on the “metaversal experiences” development and venture building, supported by an experimentation arm, Improbable Labs.  In 2022, Improbable reduced its losses by 85%, from £131 million (~$159 million) to £19 million (~$23 million). Over the past year, the company grew its revenue by 2.6x to £78 million (~$95 million). “The focus is now on industrializing what we are doing by being involved in more events with more people where there is scope to drive and monetize engagement levels.” Dan Odell, Improbable CFO You might also like: Metaverse poses ‘unprecedented’ privacy threats, report says 2022 was a challenging year for Improbable as the British firm reportedly reduced its he...

Author: Ming Zeng Source:  https://www.wu-talk.com/index.php?m=content&c=index&a=show&catid=6&id=18555#backTop This article is the full transcript of the keynote speech titled "The Future of Web3?" delivered by former Alibaba Chief Strategic Officer, Ming Zeng, at the 9th Annual Blockchain Global Summit hosted by WanXiang Blockchain Lab on September 19th. The following is the complete speech: Today, I'd like to share some thoughts on Web3. I've spent some time contemplating the theme of this speech and finally decided to name it with a question mark. This is because we all know that the next destination is Web3, but where will this stop be? How long will it take to get there? Will it be in 2 years or 5 years? This question, in reality, has many confusing aspects, including the ambiguity surrounding the specific definition of "Web3." However, two main sources of Web3, namely Cryptocurrency and the Metaverse, are driving the concept of Web3 for...

OKX’s eleventh Proof-of-Reserves report reveals marked growth in user-held assets and incorporates ETH 2.0 staking data for the first time. Leading crypto exchange OKX has unveiled its eleventh Proof-of-Re serves (POR) certificate. The latest disclosure reveals significant uptrends in user-held assets, especially in the realm of Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH). For the first time, the exchange’s POR report incorporates figures related to ETH 2.0 staking , accounting for a staggering 41.8% surge in user ETH assets. A deeper dive: understanding the numbers The current disclosure shows the exchange holds a BTC reserve ratio of 102%. The total BTC assets held by users stood at 142,635, marking an increase of 7,376 BTC since the previous report.  Most notably, the report includes ETH 2.0 staking data for the first time. The ETH reserve ratio is 103%. User-held ETH assets have skyrocketed to 1,370,982, a 41.8% growth driven in part by the inclusion of ETH 2.0 stakin...

BRICS member Russia is evading US sanctions by accepting local currencies as payment for exports and not the US dollar. Russia ’s third-biggest Oil producer, ‘Gazprom Neft‘ announced that the company has completely stopped accepting the US dollar as payment. The Oil exporter has ditched the US dollar and switched to accepting local currencies for cross-border transactions. This is the first Oil -producing firm to completely switch from the US dollar to local currencies in 2023. Also Read: BRICS Countries Dump $123 Billion in U.S. Treasuries in 2023 The development comes on the heels of the de-dollarization efforts initiated by the BRICS alliance. Just recently, BRICS members India and the UAE settled an Oil trade using the Rupee and not the US dollar. Saudi Arabia also confirmed recently that it is open to accepting local currencies for Oil trade across the world. Read here to learn how the American economy will be impacted if BRICS stops using the US dolla...

Key takeaways Binance Japan is exploring the possibility of issuing a stablecoin in Japan by the end of 2024. The crypto exchange is working with MUTB, a unit of Japan ’s MUFG.  Binance Japan plans to issue a stablecoin in Japan Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation (MUTB) and Binance Japan Inc ( Binance Japan ) are currently working together to explore the possibility of issuing a stablecoin in Japan . MUTB is a unit of Japan ese bank MUFG. This  latest cryptocurrency news comes as Binance looks to strengthen its position in the region after it re-entered the Japanese market.  The stablecoin will be pegged to fiat currencies, including the Japanese Yen and other foreign currencies. In November 2022,  Binance acquired a 100% stake in Sakura Exchange BitCoin (SEBC), a regulated cryptocurrency exchange in Japan, marking its re-entry into the Japanese market.  According to the press release, MUTB is currently l...

Worldcoin’s World ID gains traction in Chile as 200,000 Chileans have created a World ID. If bearish momentum recoups market control, the potential support level lies at $1.50 and $1.30. WLD surges to $1.70, eyeing $2.00, with increased market cap and trading volume indicating strong investor interest. Worldcoin recently revealed a pivotal achievement as over 200,000 Chileans have created a World ID, representing 1% of the country’s population. The initiative utilizes the “Orb,” a device designed for privacy-conscious digital identification. Consequently, once verified, users can confidently prove their unique human identity. More than 200K Chileans have now verified their World ID 🫡https://t.co/KOfcq8yh53 — Worldcoin (@worldcoin) September 24, 2023 Moreover, Worldcoin’s development company, Tools For Humanity (TFH), champions the World ID’s “Proof of Personhood, ” distinguishing between humans and bots. W...

The global cryptocurrency market cap dropped 1.12% over the past 24 hours. While the majority of the market recorded losses, APT, CRV, AXS, and CFX were able to achieve notable gains. Technicals suggested that AXS and CRV may enter into strong price movements soon. The total market cap for the cryptocurrency market dropped 1.12% during the past 24 hours. This brought the total down to around $1.04 trillion, according to CoinMarketCap. While the majority of the cryptocurrency market suffered a drop in value, CRV, AXS, CFX, and APT were able to break free from the overwhelming trend. Curve DAO Token (CRV) CRV continued its weekly streak with an impressive gain over the past 24 hours. Data from CoinMarketCap indicated that the altcoin saw its price rise 8.11% throughout the past day of trading. Subsequently, CRV’s weekly performance was pushed deeper into the green zone to +16.45%. At press time, CRV was valued at $0.5105. Daily chart for CRV/USDT (Sourc...