Summary of important events（09.02-09.08）

1. Top 1 Hot Events of Last Week 

ARK Invest and 21Shares file with SEC for spot Ether ETF 

Asset managers ARK Invest and 21Shares have applied for regulatory approval for an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that would directly hold ether (ETH), according to a filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The Ark 21Shares Ethereum ETF is the first attempt to list such a fund in the U.S. that directly invests in ETH, the second largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization. The fund would custody the assets with Coinbase (COIN) Custody Trust Company.

2. Cryptocurrencies & Exchanges

On September 4, Starknet launched a simplified decentralized protocol proposal.

On September 5, OKX's Global Chief Commercial Officer Li Zhikai: OKX is on the verge of securing its virtual asset service provider (VASP) license in Hong Kong, with approval expected as early as June 2024.

On September 5, Tether became one of the largest buyers of US Treasuries, currently has an exposure of $72.5 billion in Treasury bills. 

On September 6, Bitcoin mining difficulty was lowered to 54.11 T today at block height 806400, a 2.71% decrease.

On September 7, Binance announced to delist privacy coins in Belgium beginning Sept 21including Monero (XMR), MobileCoin (MOB), Firo (FIRO) and Horizen (ZEN).

On September 7, Coinbase top executives sold more than $30 million worth of the company shares since the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a lawsuit against the crypto exchange.

3. Regulatory Updates

On September 4, Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) took the initiative to regulate cryptocurrencies and proposed significant changes to the country’s tax code related to digital assets. 

On September 7, ZA Bank applied for a virtual asset upgrade license with Hong Kong SFC.

On September 7, Taiwan anticipated releasing Virtual Asset Platform and VASP Guidance Principles by the end of this month.

On September 8, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) responded to criticism in the Financial Times regarding the ‘cryptocurrency sandbox,’ clarifying that there is no such ‘cryptocurrency sandbox.’ 

4. Market Updates

On September 4, a survey featuring respondents from all seven continents suggested that Nigeria has the most crypto-aware population globally.

On September 5, BlackRock CEO: Bitcoin“has a differentiating value versus other asset classes.

On September 5, MetaMask announced the latest feature: Sell, which allowed us to cash out crypto for fiat currency easily. The feature is currently available in the US, UK, and parts of Europe.

On September 6, Ethereum's Vitalik Buterin, along with researchers and privacy advocates, published a paper titled "Blockchain Privacy and Regulatory Compliance: Towards a Practical Equilibrium.

On September 8, JPMorgan was exploring Blockchain-Based deposit token for payments, settlements.

On September 8, FBI identified Lazarus Group Cyber actors as responsible for theft of $41 Million from Stake.com.

5. Statements from Individuals/Organizations

On September 3, Vitalik Buterin: Stablecoin RAI's rise as a solution to the “monopoly” issue present in Lido's collateral market.

On September 5, Arthur Hayes: Bitcoin's bull run began on March 10, the day Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) was taken over by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. 

On September 6, AB Bernstein: The first spot Bitcoin ETF could receive regulatory approval between mid-October and mid-March 2024.

On September 8, CZ: Binance had no liquidity issues, all customer funds were safe.