• Bitcoin (BTC) is the 12th largest asset worldwide by valuation.
• It has a market capitalization of $469.60 billion, surpassing that of Visa’s.
• BTC’s market valuation is still below that of Meta (formerly Facebook), which is currently at $499.66 billion.

Bitcoin Becomes 12th Largest Asset Worldwide by Valuation

The price of bitcoin, the leading digital asset by market capitalization, dropped below $26,000 per unit but it is still up 9.6% since last week and 6.5% in the last 24 hours. Out of the 7,316 companies, crypto assets, precious metals and exchange-traded funds worth more than $82 trillion in value, bitcoin has become the 12th largest asset worldwide by valuation with a market capitalization of $469.60 billion which surpasses that of Visa’s.

Market Capitalization Comparisons

Crypto assets including bitcoin have increased in value this week due to the collapse of three major U.S banks and its market valuation would need to increase by approximately $12.34 trillion to surpass gold’s market capitalization which is currently at around $12.81 trillion as well as 37.7% of silver’s current market valuation ($1.245 trillion). To surpass silver’s market capitalization, bitcoin’s marke needs to increase by $30 million which would make it the 11th largest asset in terms of its overall value compared with other top assets such as gold, Apple Microsoft Saudi Aramco etc..

Price Decreases against US Dollar

Despite this increase in value against other assets on a global scale its price has decreased 6.5% in comparison with the US dollar over the past 24 hours and was exchanging hands for $24357 per unit at 2:35 pm on March 15th 2021 .

Weekly Metrics Indicate Increase

Most importantly weekly metrics indicate that BTC is up 9 .6 % week over week and it jumped above the 26K zone to precisely 26533 at around 9 am ET on Tuesday 14th March 2021 .

Conclusion

In conclusion Bitcoin has become an increasingly important asset on a global scale even though its price has decreased slightly against USD over past 24 hours ,weekly metrics indicate an overall increase and it now ranks 12th amongst all global assets in terms of its overall value .

• The executive chairman of the asset management firm Iceberg Capital Limited, Mustafa Kheriba, states that adoption of crypto has been skyrocketing in the Middle East and Northern Africa region due to factors such as high inflation and residents‘ desire for high-return investment opportunities.
• According to Kheriba, most experienced software developers are likely working on blockchain projects despite bearish conditions that persisted in much of 2022.
• Some regulators have seized the initiative by establishing or proposing to create frameworks for regulating crypto assets.

Crypto Adoption Skyrocketing in MENA Region

The executive chairman of the asset management firm Iceberg Capital Limited, Mustafa Kheriba, states that adoption of crypto has been skyrocketing in the Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA) region due to factors such as high inflation and residents‘ desire for high-return investment opportunities. Despite bearish conditions that persisted in much of 2022, interest and adoption of crypto and blockchain has not dissipated according to Kheriba who pointed to a report which suggests that most experienced software developers are „most likely to be working on blockchain projects.“

Regulators Seizing Initiative

To further support his assertion, some regulators have seized the initiative by establishing or proposing frameworks for regulating crypto assets within their respective jurisdiction. This is particularly relevant given citizens‘ need for more reliable monetary policy options amidst rising inflation rates throughout certain parts of the MENA region. Moreover, cryptocurrency is increasingly seen as an investment opportunity among those living in more affluent countries within this area.

Future Of SWIFT Network

Kheriba also shared his thoughts on the future of Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) network when asked about it by Bitcoin.com News via Whatsapp messaging system. He believes that it will remain an integral part of global finance but will have to adapt its technology if it wants to remain competitive with new technologies like blockchain networks which offer better security features than traditional banking systems.

Benefits Of Blockchain

The benefits offered by blockchain technology are numerous and include enhanced security measures compared with traditional banking systems as well as increased transparency which can help prevent frauds or other malicious activities from occurring undetected. Additionally, many startups are leveraging this technology’s immutable nature in order to create innovative financial services products without being hindered by legacy infrastructure problems faced when using existing centralized services providers like banks or credit card companies.

Conclusion

In conclusion, cryptocurrency has become increasingly popular within the MENA region due mainly to external factors such as citizens desire for higher returns investments options amidst volatile currency devaluations amongst other reasons while also providing many benefits not found in traditional banking systems thanks largely to its underlying blockchain technology. As a result many governments have begun taking steps towards creating regulatory frameworks which could go a long way towards increasing mass adoption within this sector even further moving forward into 2021 and beyond

• U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen discussed crypto regulation on the sidelines of the G20 meeting for finance ministers and central bank governors.
• She emphasized the importance of establishing a strong regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies while clarifying that the U.S. has not proposed an outright ban.
• Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has been pushing for international cooperation on crypto regulation, and the SEC has recently stepped up its enforcement efforts against crypto firms.

U.S Treasury Secretary’s View on Crypto Regulation

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen talked about crypto regulation in an interview with Reuters Saturday on the sidelines of the G20 meeting for finance ministers and central bank governors under India’s presidency in Bengaluru. Yellen emphasized the importance of establishing a robust regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies while clarifying that the U.S. has not proposed an outright ban: „We haven’t suggested outright banning of crypto activities, but it is critical to put in place a strong regulatory framework.“

India’s Push For International Cooperation On Crypto Regulation

Crypto regulation was among the key topics discussed by the G20 finance ministers and central bankers under India’s presidency this weekend, with Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman pushing for international cooperation on crypto regulation to establish a technology-driven regulator framework or standard operating procedure (SOP) on crypto.

SEC Steps Up Enforcement Efforts Against Crypto Firms

In the U.S., The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has recently stepped up its enforcement efforts against crypto firms, recently charging Kraken over its staking program, Nexo over its Binance USD (BUSD) stablecoin issuance, Terraform Labs, and CEO Do Kwon for defrauding investors.

IMF Managing Director Calls For More Regulation

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva also said during this weekend’s G20 meeting that cryptocurrency needs “more regulation” saying: “If regulation fails, if you’re slow to do it, then we should not take off the table banning those assets, because they may create financial stability risk.“

Conclusion

The discussion between international policy makers at this year’s G20 meeting highlighted how important it is to establish a strong regulatory framework when dealing with cryptocurrencies in order to protect consumers from fraud while still allowing innovation in this space to flourish without creating financial instability risks .

• Polkadot (DOT) remained close to a multi-month high on Saturday, following a breakout above a $7.15 resistance level.
• Chainlink (LINK) also moved higher to start the weekend, with prices climbing to a nine-day high.
• Both tokens rose significantly higher as the day progressed, with Polkadot hitting a six-month peak of $7.42 and Chainlink reaching an intraday high of $7.71.

Polkadot (DOT)

Polkadot (DOT) remained close to its highest level since September on Saturday, after breaking out above a $7.15 resistance level earlier in the session. Prices hit an intraday peak of $7.39 and a six-month peak of $7.42 during the session, indicating that bullish sentiment is still strong for this token. The 10-day (red) moving average is now nearing an upwards cross with its 25-day (blue) counterpart, suggesting that momentum may have shifted in favour of bulls again after last week’s downward cross.

Chainlink (LINK)

Chainlink (LINK) also registered gains on Saturday, with prices climbing to a nine-day high at one point during the session. LINK/USD surged from an intraday low of $7.26 to reach an intraday high of $7.71 as it broke out of a resistance level at $7.60 earlier in today’s session. Although gains have since diminished slightly, the relative strength index (RSI) remains relatively close to its long-term floor at 59 levels, suggesting that there may be more upside potential in store for LINK holders in the near future if bulls are able to maintain their current trajectory over coming days and weeks ahead..

Biggest Movers

Polkadot and Chainlink were among some of the biggest movers in crypto markets over Saturday’s trading session as both tokens rise significantly higher from where they opened late Friday evening local time in Asia Pacific region exchanges such as Binance & Huobi Global respectively . This comes less than a week after DOT/USD dropped below its ten day moving average but now looks set for further upside should buyers be able to maintain their current momentum over coming days ahead while LINK/USD has already broken out past its seven sixty dollar resistance level which could mean further upside potential if buyers can stay consistent going forward as well..

Impact on Markets

The bullish sentiment displayed by both tokens was reflected across much of crypto markets during Saturday’s trading session too with most major coins registering gains against their US Dollar counterparts throughout Asia Pacific exchanges like Binance & Huobi Global amongst others . As such , this could be indicative that overall investor confidence is beginning return towards crypto assets once more , especially considering how positive sentiment appears surrounding both DOT & LINK currently m making this latest rally particularly noteworthy since it stands well above other altcoins present within crypto markets right now .

Conclusion

To conclude , Polkadot & Chainlink saw significant price increases across Saturday’s trading sessions respectively , signalling renewed investor confidence towards these two projects specifically which seem poised for further upside should buyers continue pushing them higher going forward . On top of this , their respective rallies were also reflective across much wider crypto markets too highlighting how robustly bullish sentiment seems at present within cryptocurrency space overall – making this latest rally one worth noting given all factors considered thus far .

• Regulators in Argentina are mulling the inclusion of stringent requirements in their next cryptocurrency regulatory framework.
• This regulation that is currently being worked on will be focused more on the activity of exchanges and less on the classification of crypto and tokens.
• The possible inclusion of this kind of measure in the upcoming Argentine crypto law would have the objective of avoiding a situation like the demise of FTX.

Argentina Mulls Inclusion Of Proof-Of-Solvency Requirements In Crypto Regulation

Regulators in Argentina are mulling the inclusion of stringent requirements in their next cryptocurrency regulatory framework. The regulation that is currently being worked on will be focused more on the activity of exchanges and less on the classification of crypto and tokens.

What Are Proof-Of-Solvency Requirements?

Proof-of-solvency reports register whether an exchange or crypto company has the amount of cryptocurrency it claims to have, while looking directly at its funds in the blockchain, certifying that funds are sufficient to cover liabilities presented to customers.

Objective Of Introducing Requirements

The possible inclusion of this kind of measure in the upcoming Argentine crypto law would have the objective of avoiding a situation like the demise of FTX, formerly one of the biggest cryptocurrency exchanges. After this event, other cryptocurrency exchanges made preparations for carrying out similar initiatives voluntarily.

CNV’s Working Group With Industry

CNV president Sebastian Negri declared that all measures will be taken in a joint effort with crypto companies in Argentina, creating a working group with them to agree on new regulatory parameters which include companies that meet asset and solvency requirements to support risks assumed.

Voluntary Measures By Crypto Exchanges

Binance, Crypto.com, and Kucoin were preparing proof-of-reserves procedures voluntarily after FTX filed for bankruptcy protection last year leaving customers without access to their funds.

• Aptos (APT) reached an all-time high of $19.92 per unit on Jan. 26, 2023, and then lost 20% of its value over the next five days.
• Despite the decline from its all-time high, APT is still up 349% compared to last month’s exchange rate.
• Out of the thousands of cryptocurrencies in the industry, APT is ranked 28th in terms of market capitalization and has a circulating supply of 161,361,143 APT with a global trade volume of $423.74 million.

On Jan. 26, 2023, the cryptocurrency asset aptos (APT) surged to an all-time high of $19.92 per unit, a monumental rise of 400% since late December 2022. The currency has since dropped 20%, trading between $15.89 and $17.48 per coin in the 24 hours leading up to Feb. 1, 2023. Despite the decrease, APT is still up 349% compared to its last month’s exchange rate.

APT is currently ranked 28th in terms of market capitalization out of the thousands of cryptocurrencies in the industry, with a circulating supply of 161,361,143 APT and a total value of $2.55 billion in USD. The global trade volume for APT was $423.74 million in the past 24 hours, with 57.32% of it being exchanged for Tether (USDT) and 18.15% traded for the Korean won (KRW), making the Korean won APT’s largest fiat currency pair. About 1.46% of all APT trades today are exchanged against the Turkish lira.

In the decentralized finance (defi) space, APT has $61.24 million total value locked (TVL) in defi on Feb. 1, 2023. Pancakeswap dominates the APT value locked in defi with 59.76%. The Aptos team and community have been striving to increase the usage of APT in the defi space, with plans to launch a decentralized exchange and introduce more defi solutions in the near future.

Despite APT’s 20% decrease from its all-time high, it is still up significantly from its December exchange rate. With the Aptos team and community continuing to develop and expand the cryptocurrency, APT could continue to gain traction in the crypto market, making it a great investment opportunity for those interested in the blockchain technology.

• A Washington, D.C. townhome tied to FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried has been listed on the market for roughly $3.28 million.
• The property was purchased by Bankman-Fried’s brother’s nonprofit, Guarding Against Pandemics, for the same price it is selling for.
• Photos taken by Pearson Smith Realty show that the home is a four-bedroom Victorian brownstone building crafted in 2017 with five bathrooms, four gas fireplaces, and all bedrooms en suite.

A Washington, D.C. townhome associated with the disgraced FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) has been listed on the market for roughly $3.28 million. The luxurious 4,100-square-foot property was purchased by Bankman-Fried’s brother’s nonprofit, Guarding Against Pandemics, for the same price.

The property is a four-bedroom Victorian brownstone building crafted in 2017 with five bathrooms, four gas fireplaces, and all bedrooms en suite. Photos taken by Pearson Smith Realty show that the home is decorated with a modern style and offers expansive views of the city.

According to the New York Post reporter Mary K. Jacob, two parties were held at the Washington home just before FTX collapsed, specifically for bureaucrat donors. Realtor.com reported that the property was likely used „to serve as a D.C. base for the FTX crew to wine and dine the political elite.“

In addition to the Washington townhome, SBF and his inner circle of deputies reportedly purchased a great deal of real estate, most of which was located in the Bahamas. For instance, Bitcoin.com News reported on the so-called „effective altruist“ SBF’s $40 million penthouse, which was listed for sale three days after FTX’s collapse.

Given the controversies and bankruptcies surrounding FTX and SBF, the Washington townhome is being listed at the same price it was purchased for in April 2022. It remains to be seen if the property will be sold at the current asking price, given the high-profile scandal and bankruptcy associated with its owner.

• Four more members of the team of crypto exchange Bitzlato were detained in Europe as part of the international investigation against the platform.
• The operation involved law enforcement and judicial authorities from several European countries, the U.S., and Hong Kong.
• The exchange is suspected of facilitating the laundering of nearly €1 billion ($1.1 billion) worth of criminal proceeds.

European law enforcement authorities have detained four more members of the team of crypto exchange Bitzlato, Europol announced Monday. The operation, which was led by the U.S. and France, also involved Belgium, Cyprus, Portugal, Spain, and the Netherlands.

The Hong Kong-registered coin trading platform is suspected of facilitating the laundering of nearly €1 billion ($1.1 billion) worth of criminal proceeds, the agency emphasized. Last week, the U.S. announced the arrest in Miami of its co-founder and majority owner Anatoly Legkodymov, a Russian national residing in China. Besides Legkodymov, who is believed to be Bitzlato’s main administrator, four more individuals have been detained in Europe so far.

Among them, the CEO, financial director, and marketing director of the exchange were arrested in Spain, and another person was handcuffed in Cyprus, Europol detailed without revealing their identities. Police have conducted eight home searches, half of which were in Spain, at one address in the U.S., two in Portugal, and one in Cyprus.

Wallets with €18 million ($19.5 million) worth of cryptocurrency, vehicles, and jewelry were seized, Europol’s press release noted. The agency added that the investigation is still ongoing, as authorities are currently assessing the evidence collected on site to determine the exact amount of money laundered through the exchange.

In addition, the agency emphasized that the operation is part of the European Union’s efforts to combat the use of cryptocurrencies for criminal activities. Europol is actively cooperating with law enforcement partners across the world to ensure that cryptocurrency-related crimes are properly addressed.