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- 12/17/24: Could Satoshi Beat Elon to $1T? 🤑📜💸
12/17/24: Could Satoshi Beat Elon to $1T? 🤑📜💸
Valko
December 17, 2024
Today’s issue is brought to you by Safe — the world’s leading smart account provider on EVM, securing $100B+ in assets (including Vitalik’s).
Top News
Satoshi Nakamoto now ranks 15th richest in the world
EU lawmaker proposes a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve
Ripple officially launches RLUSD stablecoin
Specs’ Insights
1. Satoshi Nakamoto now ranks 15th richest in the world
🔥 NEW: At #Bitcoin's ATH of $107.8K, Satoshi Nakamoto’s net worth flipped Bill Gates, becoming the 15th richest person in the world.
— Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph)
9:02 PM • Dec 16, 2024
⌐◪-◪ → Bitcoin is on a tear!
Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin's pseudo-anonymous creator, is now the 15th richest person in the world, surpassing Bill Gates.
It’s a bit ironic considering Microsoft shareholders recently shot down a proposal to allocate part of their treasury to Bitcoin.
With an estimated net worth of $107.5B, Satoshi is officially a contender in the race to trillionaire status. If Bitcoin hits $1M, and Satoshi’s wallet remains untouched, he (if alive and a single person) could become one of the world’s first trillionaires.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk is well on his way to becoming the first with a staggering net worth of $454.5B. The ultimate showdown: Musk vs. Satoshi — the Trillionaire race is on.
2. EU lawmaker proposes a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve
JUST IN: 🇪🇺 European MP says, “Donald Trump will create a Strategic #Bitcoin Reserve. What is the EU doing?”
“It's time to change the paradigm and protect our people from inflation.”
— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine)
12:03 PM • Dec 17, 2024
⌐◪-◪ → Pump my bags, nation-states.
Sarah Knafo, a French Member of the European Parliament, has proposed creating a 'Strategic Bitcoin Reserve' for the EU.
Knafo criticized the European Central Bank’s digital Euro push, advocating for Bitcoin as a hedge against inflation and central bank control.
Her proposal follows Trump’s promise to establish a U.S. Bitcoin reserve, aiming to acquire 1M Bitcoin over the next five years.
The idea of national Bitcoin reserves is spreading globally, with Russia, Hong Kong, and Japan already exploring similar strategies.
The Great Bitcoin race is on — don’t be left in the dust.
3. Binance Alpha launches to spotlight early-stage tokens
Ripple USD (RLUSD) is now live on global exchanges.
An enterprise-grade stablecoin built for everyone, $RLUSD combines fiat stability with blockchain efficiency:
➡️ Instant global payments, 24/7
➡️ Seamless on/off ramps
➡️ Access value in real-world assets.… x.com/i/web/status/1…— Ripple (@Ripple)
1:26 PM • Dec 17, 2024
⌐◪-◪ → A new stablecoin is born!
Ripple has officially launched RLUSD, now live on the XRP Ledger and Ethereum blockchains.
Anyone can easily purchase RLUSD through MoonPay using Apple Pay, Venmo, PayPal, debit, or credit cards. Ripple ensures the stablecoin remains pegged with a full 1:1 backing of real US dollars.
Availability will vary by jurisdiction, but Ripple’s focus appears clear: helping businesses and institutions access new markets, lower remittance costs, and drive growth for centralized exchange partners.
The big question is: can Ripple carve out market share from the stablecoin giants, Tether and Circle?
Come see what the hivemind has to say in Specs.Chat!
Everything Else
📈 Market Snapshot
⛓️ Crypto & DeFi
Binance Alpha launches to spotlight early-stage tokens
Lido begins phasing out staking for Polygon PoS
Aave mulls exiting Polygon over a risky stablecoin proposal
Ethereum Foundation sells 100 ETH ($12.61M) this year
Revolut extends fraud protections for crypto clients
Mt. Gox transfers $172M in Bitcoin as BTC hovers near $107K
LastPass threat actor drains $5.4M from 40 victims' wallets
AI16z team partners with Stanford to study AI crypto agents
Avalanche launches Avalanche9000 upgrade to reduce subnet costs
Monad Foundation forms to support Ethereum-compatible Layer 1 adoption
Hyperliquid sees $1B in USDC net inflows since its token launch
Ethena launches USDtb stablecoin backed by BlackRock's BUIDL token
🏦 Wall Street & VC
Global crypto inflows quadruple year-to-date, says CoinShares
MicroStrategy buys 15,350 BTC for $1.5B, total holdings to 439,000 BTC
Anchorage Digital expands services with NY BitLicense
Riot Platforms raises Bitcoin holdings to 17,429 BTC
Exodus approved to list on NYSE American Exchange
🏛️ Legal & Regulatory
CyberKongz NFT collection receives a Wells Notice from the SEC
FTX plans to repay customers via Kraken and BitGo in early 2025
Michael Saylor says Trump is serious about a National Bitcoin Reserve
🌎 Rest Of The World
British Columbia maintains Bitcoin mining ban
Tether invests in StableIR to promote stablecoin adoption in Europe
UK FCA proposes strict crypto regulations to address market risks
ESMA publishes MiCA implementation guidance
Bybit will terminate withdrawal and custody services in France
India confirms pre-2022 crypto gains are taxable
Austrian police uncover $1.2M "Rip-Deal 2.0" crypto fraud
Woman avoids jail after kidnapping a Saudi royal and stealing $40K in Bitcoin
🖼️ NFTs & Metaverse
Pudgy Penguin holders receive over $80,000/each in PENGU
Nifty Island unveils Ethereum token and airdrop plans
Idle Mine game offers Bitcoin earning tips on mobile
Web3 gaming sees traditional professionals outnumber crypto specialists
Pixels game expands with play-to-earn dungeon crawler on Ronin