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$1.7M of Bitcoin tied to QuadrigaCX reawakens after years of dormancy
Five wallets tied to the defunct Canadian cryptocurrency exchange QuadrigaCX, previously thought to be inaccessible, have just been spotted moving around $1.7 million worth of Bitcoin after years of dormancy. Crypto researcher ZachXBT alerted the crypto community in a Twitter post on Dec. 19, highlighting the five wallets have transferred around 104 Bitcoin (BTC) on Dec. 17 to various wallets. Blockchain records show the wallets had not sent BTC since at least April 2018. Five wallets attributed to QuadrigaCX unexpectedly moved ~104 BTC on Dec 17 for the first time in years. 1ECUQLuioJbFZAQchcZq9pggd4EwcpuANe1J9Fqc3TicNoy1Y7tgmhQznWrP5AVLXj9R1MhgmGaHwLAvvKVyFvy6zy9pRQFXaxwE9M1HyYMMCdCcHnfjwMW2jE4cv9qVkVDFUzVa1JPtxSGoekZfLQeYAWkbhBhkr2VEDADHZB — ZachXBT (@zachxbt) December 19, 2022 Once Can...
Harvey Weinstein Found Guilty of Rape in L.A. Trial as Jury Reveals Mixed Verdict
Harvey Weinstein on Monday (Dec. 19) was found guilty of rape in a Los Angeles trial. The conviction further cements his plunge from one of the most influential producers in Hollywood to the face of the #MeToo movement. But the jury acquitted Weinstein of sexual battery by restraint against a different Jane Doe accuser. Jurors also couldn’t reach a decision on three sexual assault charges, including rape. This trial centered on testimony from four women, all known as Jane Does in court, who accused Weinstein of raping or sexually assaulting them from 2004 to 2013. Four others also testified that they were assaulted, though their claims didn’t lead to charges. In total, prosecutors called 44 witnesses to the stand to make their case against the former movie mogul. Weinstein faced two c...
Axelar launches $60M startup ecosystem program
The proof-of-stake (PoS) blockchain Axelar launched on Dec. 19 a $60 million startup funding program dedicated to accelerating the development of decentralized applications and protocols that can replace centralized exchanges. The initiative is backed by over 15 blockchain investors. Dubbed Axelar Ecosystem Startup Funding Program, the initiative was designed to foster the development of Web3 applications addressing global issues that cannot be solved by the centralized internet. To qualify for funding, projects must also safeguard digital sovereignty, security and privacy, and work to onboard masses easily without unnecessary friction between specific blockchains or tokens, noted the company. Sergey Gorbunov, Axelar co-founder and CEO, told Cointelegraph about the development: “2021...
What is the relationship between blockchain and Web3?
Cryptocurrencies and blockchain are the building blocks of Web3. However, the decentralized web also relies on technologies like AR, VR, IoT and others unrelated to blockchain or digital currencies. The third generation of the internet, known as Web3, is based on blockchain technology. However, technologies like machine learning, big data, artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and others enable decentralized apps (DApps) to analyze information in a sophisticated human-like manner in a Web3 environment. For instance, virtual reality headsets will create an exceptional shopping experience, allowing customers to interact with the products before making a purchase. However, these technologies are not based on cryptocu...
Grayscale CEO highlights 20% GBTC share buyback option if ETF conversion fails
The proposed offer would require both SEC relief and shareholders’ approval. According to an end-of-year letter to investors published on Dec. 10, Grayscale Investments’ CEO Michael Sonnenshein said that the firm may consider “a tender offer for a portion of the outstanding shares of GBTC [Grayscale Bitcoin Trust]” if the latter’s exchange-traded fund conversion process is ultimately unsuccessful. Sonnenshein stated that “such tender offer would be for no more than 20% of the outstanding shares of GBTC” and would require both regulatory “relief” from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as well as shareholder approval to approve such offer. Grayscale and its subsidiary over-the-counter traded fund GBTC is currently embroiled in a...
BTC price faces 20% drop in weeks if Bitcoin avoids key level — Analyst
Bitcoin (BTC) stayed rigid below $17,000 at the Dec. 19 Wall Street open as skeptical traders feared more downside. BTC/USD 1-hour candle chart (Bitstamp). Source: TradingView BTC traders call time on upside potential Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView showed BTC/USD lingering around the $16,700 mark, practically unmoved over the weekend. The pair saw only fractional volatility at the open, as United States equities fell slightly. At the time of writing, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite Index were down 0.5% and 1%, respectively. For Bitcoin traders, there was little to celebrate, with consensus forming around the potential for testing lower levels next. “Bearish as long as it stays below the $19k,” Crypto Poseidon summarized alongside a chart. BTC/USD annotated chart. ...
How Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ Became a Christmas Hit Decades After Its Release
Since the business of Christmas music is growing so fast – it occupies five of the top 10 places on the Billboard Hot 100 this week – we are re-presenting some of our stories from Christmas past. This piece, about how Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” came to be considered a holiday song, originally ran in 2019. The story of the song is recounted in the recent documentary Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song. Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” with its ambiguous, imagistic lyrics about sex and spirituality, was once described by Jeff Buckley, perhaps the song’s most famous interpreter, as “the hallelujah of the orgasm.” So how did an a cappella version by Pentatonix get to No. 21 on the Billboard Holiday 100 in 2018 — after peaking on that chart at No. 2 in 2016...
These Two Former Billboard Staffers Produced One of Rap’s Biggest Christmas Hits
Since the business of Christmas music is growing so fast – it occupies five of the top 10 places on the Billboard Hot 100 this week – we are re-presenting some of our stories from Christmas past. This piece, about how two former Billboard staffers produced the holiday hit “Christmas Rappin’” for then-up-and-coming rapper Kurtis Blow, originally ran in 2019. Since then, in 2020, Robert Ford passed away. One groundbreaking Christmas hit didn’t just make the Billboard charts — it was produced by two former employees. In 1979, J.B. Moore and Robert Ford left the magazine to produce “Christmas Rappin’ ” for an up-and-coming rapper named Kurtis Blow. Released on Mercury Records, the single went gold, and Blow became the first rapper to sign a major-label deal. At Billboard, Moore ...
Revered Nashville Venue Exit/In Gets New Talent Buyer Under AJ Capital Partners
AJ Capital Partners, the new owners of revered Nashville music venue Exit/In, have named a new talent buyer for the iconic entertainment hub and plan to re-open the shuttered venue as early as this Spring after it temporarily closed in late November. Though there had been local speculation and concern that AJ Capital would turn to a large promoter such as Live Nation to book the 51-year old independent venue, the new owners are utilizing an in-house team with Dan Merker serving as Exit/In’s lead talent buyer. Merker, who oversees talent buying for all AJ Capital properties, has previously worked at Outback Presents, HUKA Entertainment and Tortuga Music Festival. “We are honored to carry on the legacy of this iconic venue and raise the bar for both the fan and artist experience,” Merker sai...
Elon Musk Asks Users if He Should Step Down As CEO in Twitter Poll
Twitter may soon be on the lookout for a new CEO as Elon Musk has just asked users in a poll if he should step down as the head of the company. After 17.5 million votes, the response showed that 57.5% of users wished for Musk to step down while 42.5% were happy with him as Twitter CEO. While many of Musk’s recent actions have had adverse effects on Tesla’s stock, including his mass selling of shares — Musk recently sold $3.5 billion USD worth of tesla stock — the release of this poll sent Tesla stock up 5% after the result came through. With a track record of staying true to his poll results, Musk followed up with the cryptic Tweet, “As the saying goes, be careful what you wish, as you might get it.” Should I step down as head of Twitter? I will abide by the results of this poll. — Elon Mu...
Nigeria set to pass bill recognizing Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies
The Nigerian government will reportedly soon pass a law that will recognize the usage of Bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptocurrencies as a means to keep up to date with “global practices.” The news was reported by Nigerian-based masthead Punch Newspapers on Dec. 18 following an interview with House of Representatives Committee on Capital Markets Chairman Babangida Ibrahim. The report stated that if the Investments and Securities Act 2007 (Amendment) Bill is signed into law it would allow the local Securities and Exchange Commission to “recognize cryptocurrency and other digital funds as capital for investment.” Ibrahim stressed the need for Nigeria to keep up to date with trends and developments in capital markets: “Like I said earlier during the second reading, we need an efficient and vibran...
Nifty News: Building bridges in the Metaverse, elaborate Apes scam and more
South Korea’s Gyeongbuk Province has announced plans to use Web3 technology to expand its economic relations with Vietnam. In a Dec. 19 announcement, the province’s governor Lee Cheol-woo said the metaverse project would focus on “growing economic, cultural, commercial, and people-centered contacts with Vietnam.” Back in June, the province announced it would invest $13.8 million to establish itself as a hub for metaverse innovation in the hope of growing the local economy. South Korea has been very active in metaverse development since the beginning of 2022 and it aims to become the fifth most metaverse-ready country in the world. It has allocated $186.7 million to create an all-encompassing metaverse platform known as the Expanded Virtual World. 14 Bored Apes stolen in phishing scam ...
