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NBA star Thompson missed out on a potential gain of $31.75 billion by not cashing in on his $82 million contract in Bitcoin in 2015

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, NBA Cleveland Cavaliers player Tristan Thompson recently revealed that his $82 million contract signed in 2015 would be worth $3.175 billion if paid in Bitcoin at current prices. The price of Bitcoin on the day of signing in October 2015 was $270. Thompson admitted that although friends had suggested buying Bitcoin at the time, he did not take action due to concerns about volatility.Thompson is currently deeply involved in the crypto space, serving as a brand ambassador for the crypto betting platform Sportsbet.io and hosting the basketball data analysis project TraceyAI. He revealed that he is actively promoting Bitcoin to NBA players but is firmly against the issuance of celebrity meme coins: "Tokens that promise quick profits are like dark clouds; athletes should support the ecosystem rather than exploit it."Industry data shows that if Thompson had sold Bitcoin nine months after signing, its value would have doubled to $175 million. Despite missing the opportunity, Thompson stated that his current income from basketball and the crypto space is sufficient, and he is now more focused on the long-term value of blockchain technology. According to on-chain records, American athletes such as Odell Beckham Jr. and Klay Thompson have chosen to receive part of their salaries in Bitcoin.

Pakistan plans to create a legal framework for cryptocurrency trading to attract international investment

ChainCatcher news, according to Bloomberg, the CEO of the Pakistan Crypto Council, Bilal bin Saqib, stated in an interview that the country aims to establish a clear regulatory framework to manage digital asset activities to promote the development of the local ecosystem.Saqib said, "Pakistan will no longer stand by; we want to attract international investment because Pakistan is a low-cost, high-growth market, with 60% of the population under 30 years old. We have a local workforce ready to build Web3." Saqib pointed out that he hopes to make Pakistan the cryptocurrency capital of South Asia, competing with Dubai, Singapore, and Hong Kong for leadership in the blockchain space.This legalization plan was proposed after Saqib was appointed as the chief advisor for digital asset management to the finance minister earlier this month. He will also provide advice on exploring the use of artificial intelligence to improve government efficiency, optimize decision-making processes, and drive innovation in public sector operations. Saqib said, "Trump is making cryptocurrency a national priority, and every country, including Pakistan, will have to follow suit."According to Chainalysis data, Pakistan ranks ninth globally in cryptocurrency adoption rates. Saqib mentioned in the interview that there are approximately 15 to 20 million cryptocurrency users in Pakistan.
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