Author: Sam Bourgi

Value of WisdomTree’s crypto holdings fell 61.9% in Q4

Sam Bourgi

United States fund manager WisdomTree saw the value of its digital asset holdings decline sharply in the fourth quarter, reflecting the prolonged bear market in Bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptocurrencies.  WisdomTree’s cryptocurrency funds held $136 million worth of assets as of Dec. 31, 2022, down from $163 million at the beginning of the quarter and marking a $23 million depreciation, the company disclosed in its quarterly earnings report on Feb. 3. The funds witnessed only $4 million worth of redemptions or outflows during the quarter. Twelve months earlier, WisdomTree’s cryptocurrency…

Contagion engulfs Bitcoin miners as bear market continues

Sam Bourgi

Never underestimate how quickly things can deteriorate in a sector as volatile as crypto, especially in a bear market. Prices can always go lower in the depts of crypto winter and casualties can multiply overnight. 2022 has been a year of never-ending contagion; with everyone focused on Binance, high-profile Bitcoin (BTC) miners were going bust.  This week, mining company Core Scientific filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Greenridge, another miner, received a $74 million debt restructuring lifeline from New York Digital Investment Group. Bitcoin is the most valuable commodity in a…

$138B investment manager Man Group to launch crypto hedge fund: Report

Sam Bourgi

London-based investment manager Man Group Plc is preparing to launch a cryptocurrency hedge fund, signaling continued investor appetite for digital assets in the wake of FTX’s monumental collapse earlier this month.  Bloomberg reported on Nov. 18 that Man Group is preparing to launch its crypto-focused hedge fund through its computer-led trading unit AHL. Citing private sources, Bloomberg disclosed that the new hedge fund could be ready by the end of the year.  A spokesperson for Man Group declined to comment on the matter when asked by Cointelegraph.   Man Group already…

Polygon founder Sandeep Nailwal launches $50M Web3 fund

Sam Bourgi

Cryptocurrency entrepreneur and Polygon founder Sandeep Nailwal has raised $50 million for a new startup fund dedicated to Web3 companies, underscoring venture capital’s growing interest in the blockchain-powered internet.  Nailwal’s venture firm, Symbolic Capital, is backed by cryptocurrency protocols, exchanges, crypto-focused auditing firms and other venture capital investors, the company disclosed Thursday. Symbolic’s fund has already invested in three blockchain-focused gaming startups: BlinkMoon, Planet Mojo and Community Gaming. The initial funding received by these startups was not disclosed. In perhaps a new take on venture funding, Nailwal said his company…

Korean crypto startup Uprise to compensate investors after disastrous LUNC short trade

Sam Bourgi

South Korean crypto investment company Uprise plans to compensate investors for damages incurred during its futures bet on Luna Classic (LUNC) — a token that was built on the ruins of the failed Terra ecosystem.  Uprise is making arrangements to compensate 40% of the loss incurred by customers tied to its disastrous short bet on the token, according to the Korean newspaper Soul Economic Daily. The short position was placed in May using client funds that were deposited in a $20.3 million (26.7 billion won) discretionary investment vehicle. As reported…

Amid sanctions, Russia weighs crypto for international payments: Report

Sam Bourgi

The Russian Federation is reportedly considering accepting cryptocurrencies for international payments in response to Western sanctions against the country that were prompted by its full-scale invasion of Ukraine earlier this year.  The Moscow-based Interfax news agency and Reuters reported Friday that Ivan Chebeskov, who heads the Financial Policy Division within Russia’s Finance Ministry, is actively considering the possibility of incorporating crypto payments. “The idea of using digital currencies in transactions for international settlements is being actively discussed,” he said. According to local newspaper Vedomosti, the Finance Ministry is considering adding…

FCA-regulated Fasanara Capital raises $350M crypto and fintech VC fund

Sam Bourgi

London-based asset manager Fasanara Capital has launched a $350 million investment fund to back fintech and cryptocurrency startups that can deliver new use cases for the emerging Web3 economy.  The company, which manages $3.5 billion in assets, is targeting early-stage startups in the fintech and crypto spheres, where it plans to establish long-term relationships with project founders and other industry veterans. This includes potentially larger equity commitments than traditional venture capital firm. Founded in 2011, Fasanara Capital is a fintech investment firm increasingly specialized in digital assets and lending technologies.…

Luna Foundation Guard acquires additional 37,863 BTC as part of reserve strategy

Sam Bourgi

Luna Foundation Guard (LFG), a Singapore-based nonprofit tied to the Terra Luna ecosystem, has raised another $1.5 billion to further expand its already hefty Bitcoin (BTC) reserves. The raise allowed LFG to acquire 37,863 BTC via over-the-counter swaps with broker Genesis Trading and an additional purchase from Three Arrows Capital, a leading crypto venture capital firm. The specific breakdown of the deal included a $1 billion over-the-counter swap with Genesis for $1 billion in UST and a $500 million BTC purchase from Three Arrows Capital, the company disclosed Thursday.  LFG…

Polkadot launches cross-chain messaging system to solve blockchain’s bridge problem

Sam Bourgi

Blockchain platform Polkadot has launched a new cross-chain communications protocol, saying it will do away with cumbersome bridging mechanisms that have cost the crypto industry billions in cyber attacks.  The newly launched XCM messaging system is intended to promote Polkadot’s multichain ecosystem, which is being built on the premise of full interoperability. XCM channels are said to be secured at the same level as Polkadot’s central hub, dubbed Relay Chain, and are also available for use by parachains. In other words, XCM will enable communication between parachains themselves as well…