ChainCatcher news, Circle announced the establishment of an entity in the Abu Dhabi International Financial Centre, marking an important milestone in its strategic expansion into the Middle East and Africa.Circle has also partnered with LuLu Financial Holdings (LuLuFin) and its subsidiaries, one of the largest financial services groups in the region, to promote the use of USDC for remittances and cross-border payments.

ChainCatcher news, according to Bitcoin Magazine columnist Pete Rizzo, Trump’s new Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff expressed the view that Bitcoin is a "dis-inflationary force," and he also pointed out that the current global allocation to Bitcoin is severely insufficient.

ChainCatcher news, according to official sources, the investment division of the stablecoin issuer Tether, Tether Trade Finance, has completed its first financing for a Middle Eastern crude oil transaction.It is reported that the transaction was completed in October 2024 and aims to facilitate the loading and transportation of 670,000 barrels of Middle Eastern crude oil, valued at approximately 45 million dollars.

ChainCatcher news, according to Caixin reports, former Binance CEO Zhao Changpeng stated at the second Gulf Investment Forum held in Bahrain: "Many people do not know the benefits here."Zhao Changpeng also mentioned that he has learned that Hong Kong peers are actively exploring RWA, but the price fluctuations of real-world assets are relatively small, making it difficult to form sufficient trading volume in the secondary market, and liquidity tends to gradually shrink. We need to wait for innovators to propose use cases that truly bring liquidity.In addition, Zhao Changpeng expressed great optimism about investment opportunities in the Middle East, focusing not only on blockchain investments but also strategically positioning in AI, biotechnology, and other fields in the GCC countries.It is reported that after obtaining the cryptocurrency service provider license granted by the Central Bank of Bahrain, Binance has also received approval for a banking license from the CBB, which means Binance has legal currency entry and exit channels in the region.

ChainCatcher news, OOKC Group announced a strategic investment in Port3 Network, investing millions of dollars to help establish its office in the Middle East and expand into the Middle Eastern and European markets. Port3 Network is an AI-focused Web3 data platform, and its SoQuest has already amassed six million Web3 users and a large database.OOKC Group, headquartered in Dubai, is a comprehensive investment institution that integrates investment and consulting in the Middle East and North Africa, with localized advantageous resources. OOKC Group will assist Port3 Network in various aspects to complete the local resource connection and achieve expansion and deep cultivation in the Middle Eastern and European markets.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes predicts that if tensions between Iran and Israel escalate, the price of Bitcoin will rise alongside the surge in oil and energy prices.

ChainCatcher news, on Wednesday local time, the ADP employment report, known as the "little non-farm," was released, showing employment data exceeding expectations and a significant improvement compared to the previous month. This indicates that despite some signs of weakness in the overall U.S. employment, it remains generally stable, and the market continues to accept the logic that the Federal Reserve does not need to make significant interest rate cuts next time. Meanwhile, tensions in the Middle East have escalated, increasing market concerns.According to 4E observations, U.S. stocks opened lower and then fluctuated slightly upward, with the Dow closing up 0.09%, the Nasdaq up 0.08%, and the S&P 500 up 0.01%. Continuing to be affected by the escalating tensions in the Middle East, risk appetite was suppressed, and Bitcoin briefly fell to $60,000, currently reported at $61,000, while Ethereum dropped over 4.3%, falling below $2,400 to its lowest level in nearly two weeks.In the forex and commodities market, non-U.S. currencies fell broadly, and the U.S. dollar index rose for three consecutive days this week, hitting its highest level in nearly three weeks; spot gold experienced significant volatility, with prices initially dropping sharply before rebounding. Although the "little non-farm" ADP data stimulated the rise of the dollar and U.S. Treasury yields, the tensions in the Middle East provided support for gold prices. The market is concerned about Israel's strikes on Iran's oil industry, with oil prices rising nearly 4% at one point.

ChainCatcher news, on Tuesday local time, Iran launched a missile attack on Israel, escalating tensions in the Middle East once again and triggering cautious sentiment in global markets, with U.S. stocks and the crypto market responding with declines.All three major U.S. stock indices closed lower, with the Dow down 0.41%, the S&P 500 down 0.93%, and the Nasdaq down 1.53%, making technology stocks the worst-performing sector; the crypto market saw a significant drop, with Bitcoin nearly falling below $60,000, currently quoted at $61,523, down 2.75% in 24 hours, and Ethereum down 5.11%, as market sentiment returned to panic. Data shows that Bitcoin fell about 4% in the first two days of October, in stark contrast to the historical average increase of 20% for the entire month of October; in commodities, the safe-haven asset gold was favored, with December gold futures on the NYSE rising 1.16%, and concerns over crude oil supply intensified, causing international crude oil prices to rise more than 4% at one point.The escalation of tensions in the Middle East has led to a rapid increase in market panic, resulting in a sell-off of risk assets and increased market volatility. eeee.com is a financial trading platform that supports assets such as cryptocurrencies, stock indices, commodity gold, and foreign exchange, recently launching a USDT stablecoin wealth management product with an annualized return of 5.5%, providing investors with potential hedging options. 4E reminds you to pay attention to market volatility risks and to allocate assets wisely.

ChainCatcher news, the escalating tensions in the Middle East have triggered a cautious sentiment in global markets, causing the cryptocurrency market to decline. Data shows that Bitcoin fell by about 4% in the first two days of October, in stark contrast to the average increase of 20% in October over the past decade.Sean McNulty, trading director at liquidity provider Arbelos Markets, believes that given the Federal Reserve has started to cut interest rates, this sell-off is a "temporary setback," and the government after the November U.S. presidential election may also be more friendly towards the cryptocurrency industry. "October is often the best month for Bitcoin, and this seasonal trend still exists."

According to ChainCatcher news, as reported by Cointelegraph, a report by Chainalysis states that from July 2023 to June 2024, the Middle East and North Africa region accounted for 7.5% of the global cryptocurrency trading volume. The total transaction amount during this period was $338.7 billion, with the vast majority of the trading volume coming from institutional and professional investors. The report indicates that an estimated 93% of the transaction amounts exceeded $10,000, while small retail investors only accounted for 1.8% of the trading volume in the region. The on-chain traffic in the region is primarily conducted through centralized trading platforms. However, the report also noted that the UAE and Saudi Arabia have shown "high interest" in decentralized platforms.Chainalysis emphasized that the UAE has rapidly emerged as a global cryptocurrency hub due to its regulatory clarity and forward-looking attitude towards digital asset technology. In August 2024, the Dubai Court of First Instance ruled that cryptocurrencies can be a legal means of payment for employment contracts and recognized employees' rights to receive digital tokens as stipulated in legal work agreements.

ChainCatcher news, Hong Kong Web3 venture capital firm Animoca is weighing various options for a potential return to the public market after its delisting from the Australian Securities Exchange in 2020. The company stated that it is considering an initial public offering in Hong Kong or the Middle East by the end of 2025 or early 2026.Animoca Brands Chairman Yat Siu mentioned that the company has not yet selected advisors for a potential IPO, but Animoca intends to conduct a non-deal roadshow in September as part of its preparations. The non-deal roadshow allows investors to learn about the company's current initiatives and future plans, such as the IPO, without selling securities.

ChainCatcher news, according to Jinshi Data reports, an Iranian spokesperson stated that they do not seek to escalate tensions in the Middle East.

ChainCatcher news, according to Coindesk, Indian cryptocurrency exchange CoinDCX has acquired the trading platform BitOasis, with the specific acquisition amount not disclosed. This marks its first entry into the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) market, and the acquisition will help BitOasis expand its business in the region.It is reported that CoinDCX is one of the most well-known cryptocurrency exchanges in India, with over 15 million users and a quarterly spot trading volume exceeding $840 million. Previously, BitOasis had obtained a license to operate brokerage services in Bahrain and has secured operating licenses in its home country, the UAE.

ChainCatcher news, according to The Information, Yat Siu, co-founder and executive chairman of Web3 game software company and venture capital firm Animoca Brands, stated that Animoca Brands is considering going public in Hong Kong or the Middle East as early as next year.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, Nvidia has reached an agreement to deploy its artificial intelligence (AI) technology in data centers in several countries in the Middle East, including Qatar.Nvidia is collaborating with Qatar's telecom provider Ooredoo, and Nvidia will install technology in Ooredoo's data centers, although the specific types of Nvidia technology to be installed have not been disclosed. The installation will depend on customer needs and the availability of technology. Financial details of the deal have also not been revealed.

ChainCatcher news, according to The Block, crypto internet detective ZachXBT stated on his Telegram channel on Monday that the Middle Eastern cryptocurrency exchange Rain was allegedly hacked, resulting in a loss of $14.8 million.The breach occurred on "April 29, 2024, when Rain's BTC, ETH, SOL, and XRP wallets experienced suspicious outflows of funds." The funds were quickly transferred to instant exchanges and converted into BTC and ETH.

ChainCatcher news, according to CoinDesk, the subsidiary of the Singapore-based custody service provider Liminal, First Answer Middle East, has obtained a Financial Services License (FSP) from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), allowing it to operate as a regulated custodian in the Middle East.

According to ChainCatcher news, citing sources from the Financial Times, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is in discussions with Middle Eastern investors and chip manufacturers, including TSMC, to establish a new chip joint venture aimed at meeting the company's growing demand for semiconductors while reducing reliance on Nvidia.Sources revealed that Sam Altman is also negotiating with investors in the UAE, including Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al-Nahyan, chairman of International Holding Company (IHC) and brother of the current President of the UAE. It is still unclear whether Sam Altman's chip venture will be managed as a subsidiary of OpenAI or as an independent entity. According to two informed sources, OpenAI will be the primary customer of the new company.