Seeds of Wisdom RV and Economic Updates Sunday Morning 9-15-24

15/09/2024

Good Morning ,

BREAKING: RIPPLE CLO CONFIRMS XRP VS. SEC CASE IS FINALLY OVER-$5 NEXT?

▪️Ripple’s legal battle with the SEC concludes, marking a significant moment for the cryptocurrency industry.

▪️Future SEC cases involving digital assets may take into account the fair notice defense that Ripple used.

Stuart Alderoty, Ripple’s Chief Legal Officer, has officially declared the end of the company’s long-running legal battle with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), as has been highlighted by blockchain researcher Collin Brown.

Alderoty recently announced that the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, presided over by Judge Analisa Torres, issued its final ruling on August 7, 2024. This ruling is a key milestone for Ripple because the court cut the SEC’s first proposed penalty of over $2 billion to a much more manageable $125 million.

Furthermore, the verdict imposes restrictions on Ripple’s future XRP sales to institutional clients in the United States, indicating a partial triumph for the business.

Ripple Legal Win May Shape Future Crypto Regulation
The outcome of this high-profile case not only brings closure to Ripple, but it also has a long-term consequence on the cryptocurrency sector. Alderoty noted that Ripple’s fair notice defense, a cornerstone of their legal strategy, is still relevant for other cryptocurrency startups facing regulatory problems from the SEC.

This approach has the potential to set precedent in future cases, particularly those involving whether some digital assets qualify as securities under US law. This outcome may influence how authorities handle enforcement actions in the rapidly expanding digital asset industry, where clarity is sometimes missing.

Prior to this statement, as we previously reported, Coinbase’s Chief Legal Officer, Paul Grewal, expressed public concerns about the SEC’s inconsistent treatment of multiple cryptocurrencies.

Grewal specifically addressed the ambiguity surrounding Ethereum’s treatment, which continues to perplex the crypto community.

His critique emphasized the SEC’s shifting posture, leaving market participants unsure about which tokens would be investigated as securities. This broader regulatory picture has made many companies and token holders nervous, as being designated a security can have serious financial ramifications.

Investors Eye the $5 Target
The conclusion of Ripple’s legal battle with the SEC, however, does not eliminate well the uncertainty for XRP holders. But the crypto has been gaining market traction, with XRP last trading at around $0.5859, up 2.76% over the last 24 hours and 10.10% over the last week.

This price increase coincides with newfound hope among many in the XRP community, also known as the XRP Army. According to CNF, analysts, notably Captain Faibik, expect that XRP will achieve a mid-term target of $2.5, igniting hopes for even bigger rises.

Some investors are hoping to break through the $5 mark, which has long been a target but has remained out of reach.

@ Newshounds News™

Source: Crypto News Flash

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BRICS NEWS

CHINA AND IRAN CALL FOR ‘DURABLE CEASEFIRE’ IN GAZA AT BRICS SECURITY CONFERENCE

China’s top diplomat Wang Yi meets Russia’s Vladimir Putin and national security chiefs of Iran and India on sidelines of forum

China and Iran jointly called for a “durable ceasefire” in Gaza and resumption of talks for a “two-state” solution on the sidelines of the Brics security conference in Russia.

In a Thursday meeting in St Petersburg, China’s top diplomat Wang Yi and Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Ahmadian discussed the situation in Gaza as tensions between Iran and Israel escalated.

According to a Chinese foreign ministry readout, Wang and Ahmadian both called for “a full withdrawal of troops” from Gaza and Palestinian sovereignty and self-governance.

China advocates a “two-state” solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Iran, which has long denied Israel’s legitimacy as a state, has shown some signs of a shift in its policy, including voting in favour of a UN resolution on a humanitarian truce in Gaza last year, which also called for a two-state solution.

Iran promised revenge on Israel after Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Iran in July.

@ Newshounds News™

Source: SCMP

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GLOBAL BANKING NETWORK SWIFT PAVES WAY FOR TOKENIZED ASSET INTEGRATION

SWIFT, the global banking communications network, not the wildly popular American popstar, has announced plans to integrate digital assets.

On Sept. 11, the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) announced that it was “paving the way towards real-world solutions that will enable our members to access and transact with regulated digital assets and currencies.”

The organization has a vision of enabling its members to transact with both traditional and emerging crypto assets on its interbank network.

SWIFT is a cooperative established in 1973 in Belgium and owned by the banks and other member firms that use its services.

Ethereum Connections?
VanEck’s head of digital assets research, Matthew Sigel, observed that the only layer-1 blockchain SWIFT has ever mentioned in such communications is Ethereum.

He also noted that their experiments focus on interoperability between traditional finance and emerging technologies such as tokenized assets and CBDCs.

The announcement acknowledged the growth in tokenized real-world assets (RWA), citing Standard Chartered research that estimated their market size would reach $30 trillion by 2034.

It added that market sentiment is certainly strong, with 91% of institutional investors interested in investing in tokenized assets.

SWIFT noted that there are currently fragmented “digital islands” due to divergent platforms, technologies, and regulations. There is also a high level of complexity for institutional investors dealing with multiple tokenization platforms.

SWIFT has been experimenting with blockchain transfers and RWA, noting:

“Our successful blockchain interoperability experiments showed how Swift’s infrastructure can facilitate the transfer of tokenized value across public and private blockchains.”

However, it plans to evolve its infrastructure to offer access to digital assets and currencies across various use cases and enable securities investors to simultaneously pay for and exchange tokenized assets in real time.

“The payment leg will initially be made using existing fiat currencies, but will later be able to use tokenized forms of money, such as CBDCs, tokenized commercial bank money, or regulated stablecoins.”

In the coming months, SWIFT plans to continue developing technical solutions with the financial community.

No Crypto on SWIFT
While the announcement sounds promising for crypto, it is highly unlikely that users will be able to send decentralized digital assets such as Bitcoin or Ethereum using the network. However, it could be a boon for the underlying infrastructure, such as Ethereum and Chainlink.

In September 2023, SWIFT conducted an experiment with banks leveraging Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP).

Earlier that year, SWIFT announced a collaboration with Chainlink, which included several financial institutions to assess the feasibility of integrating with diverse blockchain networks.

@ Newshounds News™

Source: Crypto Potato

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CRYPTO MARKET AWAITS FOMC & POWELL’S SPEECH AMID US FED’S 0.5% RATE CUT BETS

The crypto market awaits the FOMC meeting and Powell’s speech, with soaring bets on a 0.5% US Fed rate cut fueling optimism over a potential recovery.

▪️The crypto market expects a 0.5% US Fed rate cut in September, boosting optimism and potential rallies.

▪️The FOMC meeting and Powell’s speech are likely to impact the crypto market’s upcoming stance and trends.

▪️The soaring bets over the 50 bps Fed rate cut helped Bitcoin price to hit $60K last week.

The crypto market is bracing to enter a crucial week, amid soaring bets over a 50 bps US Fed rate cut. This marks a significant phase for the broader financial market, let alone the crypto space, with the US FOMC interest-rate decision in focus. In addition, Fed Chair Jerome Powell is also scheduled to speak following the FOMC meeting, which would provide cues on the central bank’s upcoming stance with their policy rate plans.

Crypto Market To Enter A Crucial Week
The crypto market eagerly awaits the much-awaited September FOMC meeting on the policy rates. With the latest cooling US CPI and PPI inflation figures, bets are recently soaring over a 0.5% Fed rate cut at the upcoming meeting.

Notably, this optimistic view has also fueled a rally in the broader financial market, with the US stock market noting its best trading week since November last year. In addition, Bitcoin soared past the $60K mark last week, indicating the increasing risk-bet appetite of the market participants.

According to the CME FedWatch Tool, there is a 50% probability of a 50 bps rate cut by the US Federal Reserve at their upcoming meeting. Simultaneously, the same bets are also there towards a smaller rate cut of 0.25%. Besides, the market is anticipating a 100 bps cut in the policy rates with three rate cuts this year. This development appears to have bolstered the broader market sentiment.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s Speech In Focus
Following the FOMC interest-rate cut decision on Wednesday, September 18, Fed Chair Jerome Powell is also expected to hold a press conference on the same date. The crypto market will keep a close watch on the speech for cues on the potential move of the central bank going forward.

Although it is expected that Powell would signal a dovish stance, given the recent economic data, any other move could dampen the market sentiment. It’s worth noting that last week Bitcoin and the top altcoins noted a recovery following the soaring bets over a larger interest rate cut.

Having said that, any hawkish comment could hinder the recovery phase of the crypto market, potentially triggering a massive selloff in the broader financial sector.

Meanwhile, September tends to be a bearish month for the crypto sector, especially Bitcoin. However, market expert predicts that with soaring bets over an easing policy rate plan, the market may witness a strong rebound ahead. In addition, the fourth quarter is also expected to bring a bullish sentiment among investors, potentially triggering a rally in the market.

@ Newshounds News™

Source: CoinGape

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Circle predicts stablecoins will become mainstream global payment method

Stablecoin issuer Circle expects internet payment firms and other financial services companies will attempt to enter or expand in the space.

Circle, the issuer of the world’s second-largest stablecoin USDC, feels “confident” that stablecoins will become mainstream money. Simultaneously, regulations should be harmonized globally to ensure compliance for all payment stablecoin issuers.

“Circle is confident that there will be mainstream adoption of stablecoins as the money for the internet age,” Dante Disparte, chief strategy officer and head of global policy at Circle, told Cointelegraph in an exclusive interview.

“We expect there will be internet payments firms and other financial services companies that (will) attempt to enter or to expand in this space, which is a strong signal that stablecoins are here to stay,” Disparte pointed out.

However, Disparte feels it is equally important that rules and regulations be harmonized globally. He said that the essential principles of conservative reserving and financial crime compliance should be applied equally to any company claiming to issue a payment stablecoin.

Circle moves to New York
Disparte’s comments come as the stablecoin issuer prepares to move its global headquarters to New York by early 2025 after filing for an initial public offering (IPO) in January.

Disparte pointed out that the US framework empowers state banking and money transmission supervisors to develop and regulate the payments industry at the state level. Other countries regulate payments or electronic money (e-money) activities at a national level.

“A key question now is whether the US will finally enact federal stablecoin rules or maintain the status quo of uncertainty, which policymakers in both US political parties say is unacceptable,” Disparte said. He explained:

“The absence of a US regulatory framework for dollar-referenced stablecoins represents a threat to American interests. This vacuum could incentivize the creation of products that exploit trust in the dollar while bypassing US regulations, potentially becoming a refuge for illicit actors.”

Federal legislation for payment stablecoins is essential to promote safe competition for how Americans send, spend, save, and secure their money in an increasingly technology-dependent market, according to Disparte.

The stablecoin bill, advanced by the House Financial Services Committee in July 2023 has generated significant policy momentum and support, he said.

“Congress should approve such a bill on a bipartisan basis, and the President should sign it if it comes to his desk. The legislation would create a floor for all issuers to comply with US anti-money laundering, countering terrorist financing and sanctions obligations,” Disparte said.

He added that these norms should be applied to US issuers of payment stablecoins, as well as their international counterparts, many of whom are being licensed to issue dollar-denominated stablecoins from jurisdictions including the EU and UAE.

Will EU’s MiCA 2.0 fill gaps in the regime?
The European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) came into partial effect in June, with new rules concerning stablecoins coming into force on June 30.

On July 1, Circle said it had become the first global stablecoin issuer to achieve compliance with the MiCA regulatory framework after it got the Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license from the French banking regulatory authority. Circle’s USDC (USDC) and EURC are regulatory compliant under the new rules.

“With MiCA, Europe succeeded in doing what other jurisdictions, including the U.S., have yet to achieve: provide legal and regulatory clarity for not one piece of the digital asset market, but all of it,” Disparte said. However, he pointed out:

“Like all novel rules or comprehensive regulations, MiCA is imperfect, and in places overly prescriptive, so much so that EU policymakers are already contemplating MiCA 2.0, which would potentially fill certain gaps in the regime, such as non-fungible tokens, decentralized finance and other areas.”

Stablecoin market sees increasing competition
Competition in the stablecoin market is heating up with new entrants like PayPal’s USD-pegged stablecoin, PayPal USD , which has already surpassed $1 billion in market cap. Ripple Labs has started testing its USD-pegged stablecoin, Ripple USD (RLUSD), on both the XRP ledger and Ethereum, and it plans to expand to more blockchains.

Tether’s USDT remains the largest stablecoin with a market cap exceeding $118 billion, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Tether has also announced plans for a new stablecoin pegged to the UAE dirham (AED).

On Aug. 26, the market cap for stablecoins, excluding algorithmic ones, reached a record $168 billion. The market hit an all-time high of $167 billion in March 2022 but fell to $135 billion by the end of that year.

“We invite any competitors to come to America, the EU, Singapore, and beyond, to submit themselves to a vigorous licensing process, to follow the same standards that are the bedrock of our company, and to join us as regulation-first, compliant companies so that this ecosystem can grow and thrive long into the future,” Disparte added.

@ Newshounds News™

Source: CoinTelegraph