WAO ART #321

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin outlined his vision for the future of Ethereum, aligning with the cypherpunk ethos of decentralization and privacy. He emphasized the importance of decentralized tools and privacy technologies, including ZKPs, to create a more secure and versatile Ethereum ecosystem.

Data from trading platform Greeks.live suggests that the approval of a Bitcoin spot ETF by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is unlikely to trigger a significant price surge in the crypto market. The platform's data shows little volatility in major term implied volatilities and prices.

Asia's crypto watchdogs are facing a struggle to strike a balance between fraud prevention and fostering innovation in the crypto sector. Countries like China, South Korea, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan are implementing or planning to implement regulations in 2024.

The Nigerian Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) has introduced new cryptocurrency licensing requirements that could negatively impact local crypto exchanges. The core requirement is for exchanges to obtain a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) license, which comes with a steep capital requirement of $556,620.

New Zealand and Australia were among the first nations to ring in 2024 with fireworks displays. In Sydney, Australia, the famous Harbor Bridge lit up for a midnight fireworks display viewed by millions.

Argentina's newly elected far-right President, Javier Milei, has pulled out of plans to join the BRICS bloc of developing economies, stating that the timing is not opportune. Milei aims to align Argentina's foreign policy with Western countries rather than building ties with other developing nations.

Norway's central bank, Norges Bank, has completed its fourth round of CBDC studies and is now focusing on wholesale aspects of a potential digital currency. The bank believes that tokenized deposits could function similarly to a retail CBDC and will explore interbank settlements with tokenized deposits.