CoinDesk’s coverage kicked off in earnest this week as crypto prepares for a new presidency and a new era of regulation.
Some highlights: Senior analyst James Van Straten reported on a wave of companies buying bitcoin for their balance sheetsfollowing a model pioneered by Michael Saylor of MicroStrategy.
Markets reporter Krisztian Sandor follows the rise of Solana’s SOL, XRP and Hedera’s HBAR on rumors that Trump may back an America-first crypto “reserve” to complement the national bitcoin holding.
Markets Co-Managing Editor Omkar Godbole explores why bitcoin is going strong a trough price-wise. But he said the recent selloff won’t hurt long-term institutional adoption.
Ian Allison, senior reporter, spoke with new Binance.US chief Norman Reed, who revealed how SEC officials tried to choke off the exchange banking relationships as part of its 2022 investigation.
Asia reporter Sam Reynolds look at how regulators some countries have recently tried to ban Polymarket as prediction markets battle gambling laws. (However, Kalshi has secured Donald Trump Jnr. as an adviser, showing how the US can be a safe haven for crypto companies.)
In a preview of what is expected to be a lively time for M&A activity, Ctrl Wallet, a self-custody wallet, announced that it is for saleAllison reported.
Meanwhile, crypto ETFs are expected to increase in volume, following a seismic debut in 2024. Litecoin, an early clone of bitcoin, is the next project expected get official approval for ETF tradingsaid reporter Tom Carreras.
Helene Braun followed suit which is a Litecoin ETF could attract $580 million in inflows, if the vehicle proves as attractive as bitcoin last year.
On the regulatory front, Deputy Managing Editor Jesse Hamilton reports that the Trump administration wants to crack down on crypto’s “de-banking” issues a first order of concern.
Meanwhile, the SEC and CFTC continue to crack down on “anti-crypto” officialspaving the way for new administrators to join in the coming weeks, Hamilton said.
As the weekend approaches, the crypto world is set to descend on Washington DC for a series of inauguration parties and balls.
CoinDesk will have full live coverage on Monday, so stay tuned.
