Aurelia Butler

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    in Cryptocurrency

    MicroStrategy to Redeem Over $1 Billion in Debt Offering

    MicroStrategy’s announcement means the firm has decided to redeem the notes or settle the $1.05 billion debt before it matures.However, this settlement will come in the form of conversion requests from notes to MSTR shares. Generally, convertible notes are a debt instrument that allows bondholders to convert their holdings to the issuing company’s shares. This is at a predetermined price.According to the bondholders’ notice, all outstanding notes must be redeemed by Feb. 24, 2025. The redemption price equals 100% of the principal amount, in addition to accrued and unpaid special interest.MicroStrategy says the notes are convertible at the applicable conversion rate of $142.38 per share.Primarily, analysts say the decision to settle bondholders in shares and not cash is strategic. It helps MicroStrategy avoid using much-needed funds that can become useful in additional Bitcoin purchases.However, some have expressed concerns that this could dilute MSTR shares. The current value of MSTR stocks could decline, affecting existing shareholders’ stock.Over the years, MicroStrategy has leaned heavily on Bitcoin for much of its corporate strategy and profited massively from it. This development might indicate that the firm is doubling down on its holdings. Hence, investors in MSTR will have to monitor how much impact the move will have on the stock price.This article was originally published on U.Today More

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    in Cryptocurrency

    $60,000,000,000 in Bitcoin: BlackRock Hits Historic BTC Milestone

    BlackRock’s aggressive accumulation of Bitcoin has placed it among the biggest institutional holders of the cryptocurrency, even surpassing MicroStrategy’s well-known holdings.Larry Fink, the CEO, has also got market participants talking about Bitcoin’s potential by suggesting a price target as high as $700,000 if more institutions adopt it. He has been talking with a sovereign wealth fund about allocating 2% to 5% of their assets to Bitcoin, which shows that even entities that usually avoid risk are becoming interested.While Bitcoin is still BlackRock’s main crypto investment, its $4 billion Ethereum ETF (ETHA) shows a bigger plan to spread out into digital assets. The firm is focusing on Bitcoin and Ethereum, showing that they think blockchain will become a big part of the financial world, even though there are still a lot of unknowns when it comes to regulations.But, market analysts say, BlackRock’s huge $60 billion Bitcoin investment — that’s about 2.7% of the whole cryptocurrency supply — could totally change how money flows and how prices are set. The IBIT ETF has been doing better than its competitors, getting steady inflows even with Bitcoin’s recent ups and downs. Fink’s optimistic view lines up with the growing interest from institutions, but there are still some doubters who say that macroeconomic challenges and regulatory scrutiny could still be major factors to watch.This article was originally published on U.Today More

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    in Cryptocurrency

    Here’s What Happens If Bitcoin Falls Under $100,000, Mike McGlone Warns

    At the same time, he expressed a take that the BTC price is likely to keep ascending this year. McGlone also warned how financial markets might react should Bitcoin decline below the $100,000 level.The Bloomberg Intelligence expert believes that the Bitcoin price is likely to continue surging this year. If the opposite scenario takes place, he said, the stock market may also see a downturn, since BTC and stocks are closely interconnected, according to McGlone.A Bitcoin decline below $100,000 might trigger “deflationary pressures and lower bond yields.” In this case, the Bloomberg strategist added, investors may turn their attention to gold as the traditional store of value and a hedge against falling markets.This article was originally published on U.Today More

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    in Cryptocurrency

    Silencio Network Officially Launches, Revolutionizing Noise Data Collection Globally

    Silencio, the world’s first decentralized noise data engine, has officially launched, setting a new standard in environmental data utilization. Powered by community contributions, Silencio transforms smartphones into secure, anonymous sensors that crowdsource real-time, hyper-local noise data. At its launch, Silencio Network is operational with almost 800k members in over 180 countries, covering 43.86 billion square meters (+560 times the size of New York) and recording 8.1 million hours of data collection.$SLC Token Lists on Major Exchanges as Silencio Ecosystem ExpandsCentral to the Silencio ecosystem is the $SLC token, powered by the Blocksound Foundation, which is used for rewarding contributors, transactions, staking, and governance across the network. As of its launch on January 24, 2025, $SLC is available on leading exchanges such as KuCoin, Gate.io, MEXC, Bitmart, and BingX, with more to be added soon. The $SLC token is designed to incentivize the collection of noise data, supporting the network’s expansion with an initial issuance geared towards fostering sustainable growth.Silencio’s Vision: Transforming Noise Into Actionable Insights for a Quieter WorldSilencio’s mission is to harness real-time noise data to enable smarter decisions for individuals, businesses, and governments. With its cutting-edge approach, the network aims to address critical issues such as urban planning, public health, and environmental management, making it especially relevant for sectors aiming for decentralization and enhanced community engagement.Silencio is set to change the way people value real estate, select restaurants, and decide where to live. By providing actionable noise data, Silencio aims to impact the decision-making of millions of people worldwide, offering a new layer of insight that influences everyday choices and long-term planning. This approach ensures that noise levels, often overlooked, are now a central consideration in creating quieter, more enjoyable living and working environments.Leading the Web3 Revolution with Real-World, Decentralized SolutionsBeyond its token utility, Silencio is also pioneering in governance and community engagement through its transparent, blockchain-based ecosystem. The network allows contributors to earn $SLC tokens in reward for their data contributions, ensuring that every user is a stakeholder in the network’s success. Plans are underway to expand into the global personal data market, estimated to be worth more than $300 billion according to a McKinsey report. Silencio aims to commercialize any smartphone-collected data in a transparent and anonymized manner, providing full control and rewards to users.Looking ahead, Silencio plans to further expand its platform to include more diverse data applications, potentially integrating additional environmental variables and enhancing its impact on global data-driven decision-making. With a robust user base and a clear vision, Silencio is poised to lead the Web3 revolution, bringing blockchain solutions to the real-world challenges of noise pollution and beyond.Joining the Silencio RevolutionSilencio paves the way for a quieter, more informed world, it invites individuals and industries to join its network, contribute data, and benefit from the insights generated. With its official launch, Silencio reaffirms its commitment to a sustainable and participatory approach to environmental data, welcoming all to be part of this revolutionary journey.About Silencio NetworkSilencio Network is revolutionizing the global approach to capturing, processing, and utilizing noise intelligence data. By transforming everyday smartphones into real-time noise sensors, Silencio provides hyper-local insights that drive impactful decisions across industries such as urban planning, real estate, and hospitality. Envisioning a future where noise-level data influences real estate pricing and guides daily choices in selecting hotels and restaurants, Silencio is paving the way for smarter, more informed decisions. With operations spanning over 180 countries and a network of almost 800k sensors, the platform generates more than 100,000 daily on-chain transactions, solidifying its position as the world’s largest noise intelligence platform.ContactAlex M.Blocksound Foundationmarketing@blocksoundfoundation.orgThis article was originally published on Chainwire More

  • 163 Shares45 Views

    in Cryptocurrency

    $800 Million Worth of Bitcoin Mysteriously Moved as BTC Soars, Here’s What’s Happening

    Among those transfers were several ones that took a large amount of BTC to new wallets, while Bitcoin demonstrated a 2.43% increase.Three Bitcoin chunks — 1,000 BTC; 1,029 BTC and 1,531 BTC — were moved to three new wallets. This means that either three new crypto whales acquired BTC via OTC purchases or existing whales reshuffled their holdings by moving part of their Bitcoin to new addresses.These massive BTC transfers were spotted as the world’s largest cryptocurrency Bitcoin staged a more than 2% increase today, regaining the $105,700 level after a fall.A pro-crypto senator, Cynthia Lummis, who suggested making a strategic BTC reserve for the U.S. last year, tweeted: “Big things are coming.” The plan she suggested assumed that the U.S. government will be purchasing 200,000 BTC annually over the next five years to buy one million BTC in total for the strategic Bitcoin reserve. As the BTC price soared, renowned Bitcoiner Michael Saylor, MicroStrategy’s executive chairman, tweeted: “We are going to Mars,” clearly hinting at Trump and his ally Elon Musk, who is striving to send spaceships to Mars to make a permanent and self-sustainable human base on the red planet. Both people are largely pro-crypto.However, that price surge was followed by a decline back to $103,000. At writing time, BTC is changing hands at the $105,150 mark.Four days ago, Bitcoin reached a new all-time high, hitting the $109,114 price level on Trump’s inauguration day.This article was originally published on U.Today More

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    in Economy

    EM portfolios add $274 billion of foreign inflows in 2024, IIF says

    NEW YORK (Reuters) – Foreign investors added $273.5 billion to their emerging market equity and debt portfolios last year, nearly $100 billion more than in 2023, according to a bank trade group’s preliminary data published on Friday.The $273.5 billion of inflows for 2024 topped the $177.4 billion in 2023 though it was below the $375 billion average between 2019-2021, according to the report from the Institute of International Finance.Almost all the inflow was money put into fixed income last year with $219 billion added to debt outside China and $54.2 billion to Chinese debt. The picture was more split in stocks, where Chinese equities raked in $11.3 billion while those elsewhere in the developing economies world lost $11 billion, the data show. U.S. growth and the strength of the dollar were headwinds to investing in emerging markets most of the year, and the Federal Reserve itself has downgraded its expectations for rate cuts in 2025 – which in turn provides yet more support to the dollar. Signs of a looser monetary policy in the U.S. would be supportive of EM assets in general.”Throughout 2024, the strong dollar and elevated U.S. yields created significant headwinds for EM equities and certain debt markets, a trend that may reverse if the Fed begins signaling rate cuts in the coming months,” said IIF economist Jonathan Fortun in a statement.”While Fed dovishness would provide a much-needed tailwind, sustained recovery in EM equities will likely require further clarity on global growth prospects and targeted policy measures in key markets like China,” he said.JPMorgan warned on Thursday of a sudden stop of flows to emerging markets as a strong U.S. economy keeps investors away from developing nations seen as riskier.Yet idiosyncrasies will continue to dictate flows, as seen by equity inflows in December to India, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and Taiwan. The breakdown of IIF data by month showed non-residents added a net $14.4 billion to emerging market portfolios in December, with stocks posting net overall outflows.Regionally, Latin America led inflows with $6.6 billion followed by Emerging Asia with $5.3 billion, while Africa and the Middle East, and Emerging Europe pulled in $1.7 billion and $1.1 billion respectively. More

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    in Economy

    Brazil central bank to raise rates another 100bps in January: Reuters poll

    BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Brazil’s central bank will raise its benchmark interest rate by 100 basis points on Jan. 29, with more to increases follow, taking the cost of borrowing to the highest in nearly two decades by mid-year, a Reuters poll showed.The expected increase on Wednesday, firmly signalled by policymakers in recent weeks, would be Banco Central do Brasil’s (BCB) second full percentage point rise after it surprised the markets in December with an increase of that size.As concern mounts in many countries over inflation, Brazil’s rates are now expected to end significantly higher than thought just once month ago.This month’s decision will be the first under newly-appointed bank governor Gabriel Galipolo, who faces rising domestic challenges as well as heightened global volatility.Brazilian policymakers, known as Copom, are expected to raise the benchmark Selic by 100 basis points more to 13.25% from 12.25% on Jan. 29 in view of inflation expectations, according to the median estimate of 38 economists polled Jan. 21-24.Apart from its importance to Latin America’s No.1 economy, Brazil’s Selic has gained relevance as a guide for global monetary policy trends, potentially giving an indication of the future direction of U.S. rates.The BCB first hiked the Selic in March 2021 from a low during the pandemic, preceding a similar shift in the United States by a year. Then, it began easing in August 2023 – again, a little more than a year ahead of the start of the Federal Reserve’s latest rate cuts.THIRD 100 BPS INCREMENT EXPECTEDAll 30 economists who answered extra questions on the bank’s next move said they expected a third 100 basis points increment in March to 14.25%, the highest since Sept. 2016. No Copom meeting is scheduled in February.”BCB has already made clear in its guidance the need to raise the Selic rate by at least another 200 basis points, with 100 basis points coming at the January meeting and 100 more in March,” said Tomas Goulart, economist at Novus Capital.The median forecast from the poll shows the Selic rate peaking at 15.00% next quarter. That would be the highest since June 2006, when it stood at 15.25%.In a December poll, the Selic had been expected to peak at 13.50% in the second quarter, slightly below its 2023 peak of 13.75%.Consumer prices in Brazil are forecast to rise an annual 5.08% at the end of 2025 in the latest weekly survey by the central bank among private economists, advancing further above an official inflation target of 3% +/- 1.5 percentage points.Novus Capital’s Goulart was one of the economists to foresee a bigger inflation challenge for the central bank. “In order for inflation projections to converge, the Selic rate needs to reach at least 15.75% under current conditions, and Copom is saying it will do everything it can to make this happen,” Goulart said.(Other stories from the Reuters global economic poll) (Reporting and polling by Gabriel Burin in Buenos Aires; editing by Barbara Lewis (JO:LEWJ)) More