Blockworks

Consolidation within the crypto ETP space might be indicative of a broader trend. Asset manager Bitwise has been active this month. It revealed deals one week apart to acquire ETP issuer ETC Group and the assets within the Osprey Bitcoin Trust. https://lnkd.in/e3nH9mYT

Delphi Ventures will be at Permissionless. Tom Shaughnessy Jr will bring in-depth coverage about the intersection of AI x Crypto.

Bitcoin ETFs saw $252 million of net inflows on Friday alone — the day of Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s “dovish” speech in Jackson Hole. US investors poured half a billion dollars into spot bitcoin ETFs last week. https://lnkd.in/efzP_DAa

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Friday that he was suspending his independent presidential bid and throwing his support behind Donald Trump, who is seeking a second term as US president. The announcement took place during a speech in Phoenix, Arizona. Kennedy’s team, ahead of the event, said the speech would address his “path forward.” https://lnkd.in/eZ_VxhN6

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday clearly signaled that the central bank will cut interest rates at its next policy-setting meeting in September. He did not indicate as to the size of the cut, but he assured markets that the Fed is committed to preventing additional weakening in the labor market. https://lnkd.in/esZ4nzgX

Opinion: Ignoring Bitcoin’s DeFi potential is a costly mistake. From tokens to NFTs to lending and borrowing markets, Bitcoin now offers a comprehensive and secure DeFi ecosystem. With its unmatched security, stability and emerging layer-2 solutions, the original blockchain is uniquely positioned to lead the DeFi revolution. Opinion by Dr. Chiente Hsu of ALEX https://lnkd.in/egRiy5qK

Bitcoin staking protocol Babylon officially hit mainnet today, opening up the potential for a massive expansion of opportunities to generate yield on otherwise dormant BTC. A prime example of how Babylon will be used: making it easier to bootstrap security on proof-of-stake networks, paying bitcoin holders rewards in exchange for their stake. https://lnkd.in/ejhRHpgg

Former President Donald Trump on Thursday promoted “The DeFiant Ones,” a DeFi project led by his sons Donald Jr. and Eric Trump. The promotion came via a post on Truth Social, the former president’s — and would-be future president’s — social media platform. https://lnkd.in/ekbygFT3

Michelle Bond, the partner of former FTX executive Ryan Salame, was charged with violating campaign finance laws on Thursday. Salame, late Wednesday, filed to void his guilty plea after claiming that officials had gone back on their deal not to pursue an investigation against Bond. https://lnkd.in/e8HrXbVK

ME Foundation, the entity behind the NFT marketplace Magic Eden, announced the launch of its token ME on Thursday. Magic Eden joins a slew of other NFT marketplaces like Blur, LooksRare, X2Y2, Tensor and Sudoswap in launching a token. OpenSea is now the last major holdout in that group. ME will be claimable via the Magic Eden wallet on mobile and desktop, while details around its supply and distribution will be announced at a later date. US users will not be able to claim ME. https://lnkd.in/eWvfT3c9