ChainCatcher news, Satoshi Action Fund (SAF) co-founder and CEO Dennis Porter posted on the X platform that New Hampshire state representative Keith Ammon has submitted a bill proposing the establishment of a "strategic reserve," allowing the state treasury to invest in precious metals (such as gold, silver, platinum) as well as digital assets (including Bitcoin).The bill will introduce new provisions to clarify the definitions of "qualified custodians" and "secure custody solutions" to ensure the safe custody of digital assets and operate through regulated approved trading products.

ChainCatcher news, according to official sources, Grayscale has announced a variety of digital assets it is considering for future investment products, including but not limited to:$KAS, $APT, $ARB, $TIA, $HBAR, $MNT, $SEI, $S, $STRK, $TON, $TRX, $AERO, $BNB, $ENA, $INJ, $JUP, $ONDO, $PENDLE, $RUNE, $DOGE, $IMX, $AKT, $FET, $AR, $EIGEN, $HNT, $JTO, $PYTH, $WLD.In addition, Grayscale has also listed assets that are not included in its cryptocurrency sector as of December 31, 2024:$HYPE, $AI16Z, $VIRTUAL, $FLOCK, $GRASS, Hyperbolic, Prime Intellect, Sentient, Space and Time, Story Protocol.

ChainCatcher news, VanEck's Head of Digital Asset Research Matthew Sigel pointed out that the fintech company Block is expected to become the first publicly traded company in the S&P 500 index to hold Bitcoin.After achieving profitability in the first quarter of 2024, the company has met all the inclusion criteria for the S&P 500, including a market capitalization of over $18 billion, a public float of over 10%, and profitability for five consecutive quarters. According to historical data, eligible companies are typically included within 3 to 21 months (except for LULU, which took 65 months).Sigel noted that the current financial sector's share in the S&P 500 is 13.9%, lower than the overall market level of 14.6%, which is favorable for Block's inclusion as a financial stock in the index.

ChainCatcher news, Fox Business reporter Eleanor Terrett disclosed on social media that U.S. Congressman French Hill announced that the Financial Services Committee has identified several key positions, including:Vice Chair of the Committee: Bill Huizenga (MI-04)Chair of the Digital Assets, Financial Technology and Artificial Intelligence Subcommittee: Bryan Steil (WI-01)Chair of the National Security and Illicit Finance Subcommittee: Warren Davidson (OH-08)

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, Standard Chartered has obtained a Luxembourg license to launch digital asset custody services in the EU.

ChainCatcher news, Binance published a blog post titled "The Long Game of Cryptocurrency: The Utility of Digital Assets Beyond Investment," which explores the practicality of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology beyond finance. It emphasizes their potential and real-world applications in enhancing the unbanked population, providing decentralized identity and privacy, transforming supply chains, healthcare, and social impact innovation. The article states that the true value of digital assets goes far beyond investment, and by focusing on real-world applications and utility, investors can better understand why cryptocurrency is indeed a long game worth playing. When the next bear market arrives, it will be easier to stay steady if one is confident in the utility of the specific investments held.

ChainCatcher news, Yassine Elmandjra, head of digital assets at Ark Invest, announced his departure on the X platform.He stated that today is his last day after more than six years with the company, and he expressed gratitude for the experiences and memories with CEO Cathie Wood and the ARK Invest team.

ChainCatcher News, former vice president of the Bank of China, Wang Yongli, in his article "Rational View on Trump's New Bitcoin Policy" published in the first issue of "China Foreign Exchange" in 2025, pointed out that Bitcoin highly mimics gold at the "currency" level, and is therefore referred to as "digital gold." However, Bitcoin is a purely blockchain-based digital asset, not a natural physical asset. Its value depends on the development space of its application scenarios and the amount of belief and investment from people. Bitcoin can be divided into one hundred million tiny units, providing greater payment flexibility, but it does not have real gold backing and does not belong to the strict definition of "paper gold." Once trust is lost, it will vanish into thin air and become worthless, with risks far greater than those of gold.Moreover, Trump's new Bitcoin policy is difficult to implement. First, it is challenging for the U.S. to have new Bitcoin. The development of quantum computing technology will also pose significant challenges to the security of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Second, the so-called national strategic reserves of Bitcoin, whether as government (fiscal) strategic reserves or the Federal Reserve (central bank) as strategic reserves for the U.S. dollar, carry risks and uncertainties. Replacing gold reserves with Bitcoin reserves is unlikely to have any practical benefits for the U.S. dollar and is difficult to use for repaying government debt. Furthermore, Trump's new Bitcoin policy contradicts his stance of strengthening the U.S. dollar as a global key currency.Therefore, Bitcoin can only be a new type of tradable wealth or digital asset, and it is difficult to become a true currency. It cannot replace sovereign currencies, and whether it can replace gold as a national strategic reserve remains highly questionable. The international community should treat Trump's new Bitcoin policy with calmness and objectivity, and not blindly follow the trend.

ChainCatcher news, according to CoinDesk, as interest in digital assets continues to grow, the corporate adoption of Bitcoin seems to be entering a new phase, with several publicly traded companies following MicroStrategy's lead by incorporating Bitcoin into their balance sheets.In 2024, multiple companies began to emulate and adopt Bitcoin financial strategies, such as Metaplanet (3350), Semler Scientific (SMLR), and MARA Holdings (MARA). The first company in the second wave is KULR Technology Group (KULR), which is listed on the NYSE.As of January 7, it seems that some publicly listed companies have announced Bitcoin financial strategies but have not yet made any Bitcoin purchases. First is Acurx Pharmaceuticals (ACXP), listed on NASDAQ. Its board approved a Bitcoin purchase plan of up to $1 million on November 20. Since November 19, its stock price has dropped by 35%, but it has risen by 30% year-to-date.Similarly, NASDAQ-listed Hoth Therapeutics (HOTH) also had its board approve a $1 million Bitcoin purchase plan on November 20, but it has not completed the purchase. However, since November 19, its stock price has increased by 2%.The third company is NASDAQ-listed LQR House (YHC). The company announced on November 19 that it would accept cryptocurrency payments and retain up to $10 million in Bitcoin payment funds through policy. To date, its stock price has risen by 56% since November 19.The last one is NYSE-listed SOS Limited (SOS), which approved a $50 million Bitcoin purchase plan on November 27. At the time of the announcement, the price of Bitcoin was $93,000 each. Since November 19, its stock price has dropped by 30%.

ChainCatcher news, according to the Financial Times, CFTC Chairman Rostin Behnam will resign from his position on January 20, the day of President Donald Trump's inauguration, and will officially leave office on February 7.Behnam is concerned that regulation of digital assets, including Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, remains insufficient. Behnam stated, "There is still a significant portion of the digital asset space that is unregulated within the U.S. regulatory framework, and given the adoption we are seeing from some traditional financial institutions and the enormous demand from retail and institutional investors for these products, it is very important to fill this gap."He noted that the CFTC is still "well positioned to become the spot regulator for digital commodity assets."

ChainCatcher message, according to the official announcement, Upbit has announced the suspension of STX digital asset deposit and withdrawal services due to network issues. It will resume deposit and withdrawal support once the stability of the deposit and withdrawal of coins is confirmed.

ChainCatcher news, according to a CoinShares research report, global digital asset investment product inflows reached a record high of $44.2 billion in 2024, nearly four times the record set in 2021. Among them, Bitcoin attracted $38 billion in inflows, accounting for 29% of total assets under management (AuM); Ethereum saw inflows of $4.8 billion for the year, making up 26% of AuM. Other altcoins (excluding Ethereum) had a total inflow of $813 million, representing 18% of AuM.The start of 2025 has shown strong performance, with inflows reaching $585 million in the first three days. However, the overall net outflow for the first week, including the last two trading days of 2024, was $75 million. U.S. products dominated, with spot ETFs attracting 100% of the inflows for the year, totaling $44.4 billion. The Swiss market saw inflows of $630 million, while Canada and Sweden experienced outflows of $707 million and $682 million, respectively, reflecting a shift of investors towards U.S. products and some profit-taking behavior.

ChainCatcher news, according to Crowdfund Insider, Bitstamp CEO Jean-Baptiste Graftieaux stated that 2024 will be a transformative year for the digital asset space, as the exchange was acquired by Robinhood last year for $200 million.Jean-Baptiste Graftieaux predicts that by 2025, cryptocurrencies will strengthen, gain global recognition, and the fundamentals of the industry will remain robust. He explained, "The incoming U.S. government has a positive stance on cryptocurrencies, coupled with the anticipated macroeconomic improvements, which could drive up the value of digital assets while maintaining their appeal as an inflation hedge. ETFs in 2024 will change the game, making it easier for both retail and institutional investors to invest in cryptocurrencies. Supported by new regulations in the U.S. and the introduction of Europe’s MiCA aimed at enhancing market transparency, this trend may continue."

ChainCatcher news, OKX has released a brand new movie trailer titled "A Different Western Town," themed around a profound Western story that tells a tale of trust and control.The film vividly showcases the importance of self-custody through a tense and thrilling narrative, conveying the core message of "Not Your Keys, Not Your Crypto." It aims to call on more users to pay attention to the self-custody of digital assets while looking forward to a more decentralized future.It is reported that this film stars internationally renowned actors Vincent Cassel, Chaz Palminteri, and supermodel and actress Chen Bige, bringing audiences an extraordinary visual and intellectual feast. The three leads interpret the subtle balance between trust, power, and freedom with superb performances, further reinforcing the self-custody concept conveyed by the film. Previously, OKX CEO Star has repeatedly tweeted on the X platform, advocating that self-custody is the future of the crypto industry.

ChainCatcher news, according to Bloomberg, following the significant success of the cryptocurrency industry in last year's U.S. elections, Canadian digital asset companies have begun to apply the lessons they learned.It is reported that the Canadian crypto industry hopes to see digital assets become a bigger focus in that election, just like in the U.S. In July, Stand With Crypto expanded to Canada, but the Canadian branch does not intend to support candidates in the upcoming elections. Instead, its goal is to "inspire the cryptocurrency advocacy community" and launch a grassroots movement for supporters to engage in dialogue with other Canadians and their parliamentary members.Although cryptocurrency may not be a political focal point in Canada, the country has played a significant role in the industry. The second-largest cryptocurrency, Ethereum, was born in the country, and Canada is home to the world's first Bitcoin ETF. Other issues that the Canadian crypto industry lobbies for include allowing the use of Bitcoin in retirement savings plans and tax-free savings accounts, as well as incorporating crypto into open banking legislation.So far, no political party in the country has supported the industry, but digital asset companies have been trying to position crypto as a way to enhance affordability—an important focus in Canadian politics.

ChainCatcher news, OSL Chief Business Officer Guoliang Hao stated that a previous report by Chainalysis indicated that the digital asset usage rate in Hong Kong is 24%, which is considered moderate compared to other countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Furthermore, there has been a significant increase in Hong Kong enterprises consulting or registering with OSL for virtual asset investment services in 2024, particularly from traditional companies in sectors such as listed companies, foreign trade, family offices, trust funds, and payments.Guoliang Hao mentioned that as virtual assets are gradually accepted by global investors and mainstream markets, the Hong Kong government continues to strengthen legislative regulation in the digital asset sector. It is expected that by 2025, institutional investors' interest and investment in deploying digital assets will continue to rise, and the demand for custody, over-the-counter trading platform services, and PayFi payment financial solutions will further increase in the future.

ChainCatcher news, according to Bloomberg, the total wealth of the 500 richest people in the world in 2024 has surpassed $10 trillion, with the wealth of tech billionaires growing the most significantly. Tech leaders like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jensen Huang top the list, collectively increasing their wealth by $903 billion.The article mentions that Trump's victory triggered a historic surge in digital assets, with Bitcoin breaking the $100,000 mark for the first time. This wave of growth significantly boosted the wealth of billionaires in the cryptocurrency space: Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) saw his wealth increase by 60%, reaching $55 billion; Coinbase co-founder Brian Armstrong's wealth rose by over 50%, reaching $11.1 billion.