Alpaca Finance 机构简讯第 80 期

Highlights

• Crypto Markets Plunge as Geopolitical Tensions Escalate in the Middle East

• Uniswap Labs Faces SEC Legal Action, Highlighting Regulatory Challenges in DeFi

• BlackRock Hits Record $10.5 Trillion AUM with Strong Quarterly Growth and Strategic Acquisitions

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies took a significant hit following an escalation in geopolitical tensions after Iran attacked Israel. On April 13, Bitcoin’s value plummeted by over 8.4%, dropping from approximately $67,000 to $61,625 in response to the conflict. This sharp decrease in value wiped out over $130 million in market capitalization within minutes. The broader cryptocurrency market also felt the impact, with Ether and Solana experiencing drops of 9.81% and 15.96%, respectively. The global cryptocurrency market capitalization shrank by 8.19% to $2.23 trillion. The sell-off reflects the crypto market’s vulnerability to sudden political crises, underscoring the interconnectedness of global events and digital asset valuations.

Uniswap Labs, a prominent player in the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector, has been served a Wells Notice by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), signaling potential legal action ahead. The Brooklyn-based developer of the Uniswap protocol, a major decentralized exchange, stated its readiness to contest the SEC’s charges in court. This situation marks a significant development in the ongoing regulatory challenges facing the crypto industry, particularly in how decentralized entities are treated under U.S. securities laws. Previously, the SEC has taken action against centralized crypto exchanges like Coinbase and Kraken, and now it appears to be extending its reach to decentralized protocols, a move that could set new precedents for the regulation of digital assets and their creators.

BlackRock has reported remarkable growth in its first quarter of 2024, with assets under management (AUM) reaching a new high of $10.5 trillion, a significant increase from $9.1 trillion in 2023. This growth in AUM was propelled by $76 billion in quarterly long-term net inflows, nearly 40% of the total for the entire previous year. The company also reported increased net income, rising from $1.2 billion in the first quarter of 2023 to approximately $1.5 billion in the same period in 2024, attributed to higher non-operating income and a reduced effective tax rate. Additionally, BlackRock is expanding its portfolio with the planned acquisition of Global Infrastructure Partners, aiming to enhance its infrastructure investment platform. BlackRock’s strategic moves and significant inflows underline its strong position and growing influence in both traditional and crypto financial markets.

News

Bitcoin nosedives as political tensions escalate in the Middle East

The SEC’s Suit Against Uniswap Is an Opening Attack Against DeFi

Winklevoss twins become co-owners of Bitcoin soccer club, inject $4.5M of BTC

Products

BlackRock smashes $10.5T record in Q1 managed assets

GBTC sees $166M outflows despite CEO’s ‘equilibrium’ remark

MarginFi outflows $190M as CEO rage quits amid token controversy

Worldcoin reaches 10M users, 70M transactions and at least 13 goats bought

Regulation

US Treasury official calls on Congress for ‘necessary tools’ to fight crypto-linked illicit finance

Coinbase files interlocutory appeal in its case against the SEC

EU’s MiCA Rules Have Had Little Influence on the European Crypto Market, Regulator Says

Nigeria’s Binance crackdown threatens Web3 industry

Funding

Blockchain Developer Monad Labs Raises $225M Led by Paradigm

Mystiko.Network Completes a $18 Million Seed Funding Round

Blockchain Prediction Layer Azuro Raises $11M After Pre-Launch Funding Round

Estée Lauder Backs $7 Million Raise For This Community-Powered Platform

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