Vladimir Okhotnikov

  Goodbye, Gary! Goodbye SEC? It seems Gary Gensler, the SEC chair, isn’t stepping down unless Trump takes office. His tenure is set to last until the end of President Biden’s administration, so he’ll stick around for some time. While this might be great news for Gensler himself, it’s far from ideal for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with rumors suggesting the body’s declining influence in the cryptocurrency industry. The rumors circulate that the SEC may lose its regulatory grip on the crypto space, and if it really happens, its authority could be handed over to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). It's worth noting its more crypto-friendly stance. Taking into account the SEC’s strange policy, the CFTC’s relatively accommodating attitude could represent a dream scenario for crypto firms.  The SEC’s antagonistic attitude towards the crypto sector has fostered significant frustration and even toxicity around its brand. It would mark a dramatic and favo...

  The World’s Most Expensive Meal? It’s Just Pizza—Here’s Why If you think Justin Sun paying $6 million for a banana was crazy, what would you say about a pizza worth nearly a billion dollars? Back in 2010, a programmer named Laszlo Hanyecz made history by paying 10 Bitcoins for two Papa John’s pizzas. Who could have guessed at the time that Bitcoin’s value would climb so high? It all started when Laszlo posted an offer on a forum, proposing to trade Bitcoin for pizza. Someone accepted, and an hour later, Laszlo was enjoying what would become the most expensive meal in history. At the time, the order cost $41. Six years later after that transaction, those 10 Bitcoins were worth $4.4 million. Two years later, their value soared to $41 million. By 2020, it had doubled again, and in 2022, it reached an astonishing $300 million. Now, we’re approaching a new threshold and it's almost a billion dollars for two pizzas. That’s some serious hunger! This story has become legendary among cryp...

  It looks like husbands will soon become unnecessary, and we are facing extinction Musk calls his robots "house movers" — imagine a whole squad of Optimuses following you around the shops and carrying boxes. It seems strange now, but in a couple of years, it will become normal to shake hands with the new iron horse in your hallway. I wonder if Musk himself understands that this path could lead first to atrophy, and later to extinction?  #Mask #Optimus #AI #Robot #

  Rent a Volcano to Mine Bitcoins A smart person can profit from everything, even volcanoes! These destructive forces of nature can become powerful allies! Why not use their immense energy hidden beneath the Earth’s surface? We can’t afford to ignore this natural gift in today’s world of energy crises. El Salvador is not only at the forefront of Bitcoin adoption. Its President, Nayib Bukele, wants to introduce sustainable Bitcoin mining practices. This is one of the problems Bitcoin encounters now, so El Salvador wants to offer volcanoes for rent. Bukele wants to launch a "rent your volcano" program for Bitcoin mining operations. He announced it in his X’s feed.  The nation doesn’t have abundant cheap resources for mining, but they have 170 volcanoes. Since 2021, the country has mined 474 Bitcoins using volcanic power. The country has a state-owned geothermal company LaGeo, the operator of two major facilities generating 204 megawatts of power. Considering that 1/4 of the cou...

  Why Did Justin Sun Spend Over $6 Million on a Banana? The contemporary art market might be experiencing a downturn, but that didn’t stop an astonishing purchase last week at a Sotheby’s auction. The centerpiece is a fresh banana duct-taped to a wall, the brainchild of Italian artist and prankster Maurizio Cattelan.  The artwork named Comedian debuted 5 years ago in Miami. Some hailed it as genius, while others perceived it as a joke. However, the artwork became a sensation that few could ignore. But why would anyone, even a cryptocurrency billionaire like Justin Sun, spend over $6 million (paid in TRX cryptocurrency) on something so ephemeral? For Sun, eccentricity isn’t new. Competing against six other bidders, he secured the banana art, not in its assembled state but as a package: a roll of duct tape, instructions for "installing" the artwork, and a certificate of authenticity. The actual banana, however, is not included—because it’s perishable. Sun will need to provide h...

  Polymarket Evaluates Nuclear Strike Odds as Japan Promotes Digital Wills Deep political contradictions reached its critical depth in the modern world. The passions of the election race in the United States have barely died down when the probability of a nuclear strike is already being assessed on the Polymarket crypto market. They estimated it at 11% - quite a lot, considering the threat to life on Earth as a result of it. The idea of betting itself already sounds strange. It is unlikely that winning this bet can be considered a victory.   Life has changed significantly, so many started reflecting on the eternal. The Japanese government is now urging its citizens to consider creating a digital will, or at least, engage in digital end-of-life planning. In today’s interconnected world, it’s possible that loved ones may not know your logins or passwords, which could lead to significant challenges if the unexpected happens. Subscriptions may continue to drain bank accounts,...

  Global Hunger Crisis Ahead? Space Might Be the Solution!  At first glance, there is a huge gap between space and agriculture. They seem worlds apart. What could orbiting satellites possibly have to do with growing crops in fields? But, as it turns out, space innovations significantly simplify agricultural tasks, boosting yields and making farming more efficient than ever before!  Agriculture is on the brink of a transformation,The farming revolution is coming! Everything will change in such issues as: how to grow food and manage farms. Now, specialists integrate precision agriculture, enhancing both crop yields and sustainability. The combination of precision agriculture and high resolution satellite imagery helps to identify pests and protect plants. According to estimates, it can save up to 0.8 billion tons of crops per year. Satellite monitoring involves more accurate weather forecasts and improved ecology through the optimal use of fertilizers and pesticides. They a...

  Solana Races Ahead, Leaving Ethereum Far Behind in Smart Contracts The CoinGecko platform released a report where Solana has emerged as the most popular blockchain platform for smart contracts. It wasn’t just a win as Solana obliterated all competitors leaving them hopelessly far behind in this issue, for instance, Ethereum, which used to be unchallenged leader before. A whopping 39% of investor interest is directed towards Solana. The platform’s dominance is evident, and this surge in demand has propelled Solana’s price back to its 2021 levels. The ecosystem’s growth is driven by the launch of countless memecoins, NFTs, and a thriving DeFi sector. The secret to Solana's success? Speed and affordability. It’s no surprise that Solana has become the go-to choice for smart contracts, especially in DeFi, where high speed is non-negotiable. Trailing behind in second place is the Base platform, capturing 16.8% of investor interest. The platform has shown explosive growth over the past ...

  Blockchain in Supply Chains: A Step Towards a Sustainable Future Blockchain technology is changing the game in supply chains by bringing transparency, efficiency, and incentives for green practices. Giants like Ford, Walmart, Amazon, and UPS are already actively integrating blockchain to track their carbon footprint, optimize energy consumption, and minimize waste. But it’s not just corporate leaders who benefit from this technology: small businesses should consider implementing blockchain to achieve carbon neutrality and reduce costs. An example of an innovative approach is the Internet of Forests (IoF) project, which uses decentralized sensors to monitor the health of tropical forests, highlighting the potential of the technology for environmental purposes. A particularly important element is smart contracts, which can automatically track compliance with sustainability goals and reward suppliers for achieving results. This makes supply chains not only transparent, but also ince...

  Two Can Play That Game! 18 States Strike Back and Sue SEC and Gary Gensler This time, it’s not just companies going after the SEC — it's the states themselves. And that’s a whole new level! It’s one thing when a single company is upset, but when you have 18 states lined up against you, it’s no joke! So, what’s the issue here? The states accuse the SEC of overstepping its authority, seizing control over crypto regulation without Congress’s approval. You might wonder why the states decided to take action only now. But given the expected warming towards the crypto industry with the arrival of a new president, the odds of winning this battle are significantly higher. It looks like the states smelled a potential victory and are eager to capitalize on it. Among the leading states in this lawsuit are Tennessee, Ohio, and Texas. They claim the SEC undermined their authority by overreaching and stripping the states of their rights to regulate the industry within their own jurisdictions. I...

  Bitcoin hype looks like a dесеptive maneuver While everyone is watching Bitcoin rise and smartly trying to predict when it will hit $1,500,000, Tether is launching a platform for tokenizing any asset called Hadron. It sounds like a “landscape-shifting” news story for cryptocurrency. In fact, it is — it is a fundamental shift. While people are “flying” all the way into the crypto market, which they think is going away without them, in reality, capital is being prepared for the flow of capital into the RWA (Real World Assets) sector. The ability to tokenize “anything” means that physical things — real estate, raw materials, works of art, intellectual property rights — can become easily transferable digital assets available on global markets. What does this mean for the system? The moment money can be transferred from “old” assets (for example, from crypto speculation or from unreliable tokens – memecoins) to tokenized real things, a global redistribution of values ​​occurs. In rece...

  From Memes to the White House: How a Japanese Dog Made It and What Heights Are Next? The dire financial situation in the United State is a matter of concern for many, and Elon Musk has repeatedly warned about this problem. Now, the billionaire, CEO of Tesla, SpaceX has become one of the key players in the country’s politics. Musk will head a newly established agency he humorously dubbed "D.O.G.E.", standing for the "Department of Government Efficiency." The main mission of this body is reduction of wasteful government spending. According to Musk, the current state of government finances is catastrophic. For context, DOGE is the ticker symbol for Dogecoin, Musk's favorite memecoin. He frequently mentions it on platform X. It's clear that it sends ripples through the volatile crypto market when someone as influential as Elon Musk does it. So it happened many times in history, when these mentions caused significant price swings. This event led to a lawsuit ac...

  Why Governments Are Targeting Bitcoin A new race is heating up in the world, and this time the target is not gold or oil, but Bitcoin. Governments are actively seeking to accumulate the first cryptocurrency, seeing it as an important strategic asset. This trend is supported by macroeconomic instability and the election of the pro-cryptocurrency US President, Donald Trump. The problem of depreciation of traditional currencies is forcing governments to look for ways to protect their assets. Since 2020, Americans have lost about 25% of the dollar’s purchasing power and this only increases interest in digital assets that are not subject to inflation. This is confirmed by the example of Bhutan and El Salvador, which are already betting on cryptocurrency, using their advantage as relatively small players in the geopolitical arena. National debt problems are also fueling interest in Bitcoin. Over the past 90 days, the US debt has grown by $850 billion, even if these funds were invested ...

  Tyler Winklevoss: Gary Gensler Is Embodiment of Evil The crypto industry continues to be shaken, and this time its defenders did not mince words. The head of the Gemini crypto exchange, Tyler Winklevoss, harshly criticized the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Gary Gensler. In his post on the X platform, Winklevoss bluntly called Gensler "the embodiment of evil" and said that no apology can repair the damage incurred. Winklevoss' criticism came amid rumors about Gensler's possible resignation after Donald Trump's victory in the presidential election on November 5. Tyler did not hide his emotions, calling the actions of the SEC head "a carefully thought-out plan to implement a personal political agenda." He noted that Gensler can no longer be trusted with any authority. During his tenure, Gensler led numerous lawsuits against crypto giants like Binance, Coinbase, and Ripple. According to Winklevoss, these were deliberate actions ...

  Bitcoin is Approaching 100K. What’s on the Horizon?  Crypto traders and investors are celebrating as Bitcoin finally nears the long-awaited $100K milestone. Not everyone made it through the arduous wait. At the time of writing. However, it’s the moment of triumph for those who did.  At the time of writing, Bitcoin briefly surged past its all-time high of $93,000 and then entered a correction phase. It was critical to break through the psychological barrier of $90,000 for further growth. The experts largely agree that the potential of the market is far from tapped out. In fact, talk of "missing the train" would only become relevant if Bitcoin crosses the $500K threshold. Can you imagine that? The fact that such figures are seriously discussed already is impressive. Predicting such astronomical growth in the near future is challenging, even when looking a year  ahead. For now, the sentiment is euphoric. Having analyzed previous halving cycles, the analyst of Rekt Cap...

  Regulation, Instead of Stifling: Crypto Firms Seek a Balanced SEC Approach Donald Trump is known for his unpredictable approach to appointments. However, his plan to fire Gary Gensler, the SEC Chair, wasn't a surprise for the crypto community. He announced his plans to dismiss him long before his victory, and I covered it here , so this was a somewhat anticipated move.  Despite his ongoing regulatory efforts and track record of hefty fines, the SEC head is perceived as a relic of the past. He has still been sticking to the outdated frameworks, which are believed to hinder the growth of the crypto sector.  Daily headlines report on potential new Trump appointments, many of whom are pro-crypto figures. Republicans are increasing their influence on cryptocurrency regulation in the United States. This signals a new era of crypto industry development. It will focus on a shift from limitations imposed on the crypto industry to fostering its development and embracing innovatio...

  Our purchases will soon become "smarter": the EU introduces digital passports for products! By 2027, every product in Europe will receive its own unique QR code or NFC tag. Just scan the label on your jeans or a new smartphone - and immediately learn the entire history of the product: where and how it was produced, what carbon footprint it left, how to dispose of it correctly. No secrets! This is not just a cool feature, but an important step towards conscious consumption. Now manufacturers will not be able to hide "inconvenient" information about their products. And you and I will be able to make a truly conscious choice! I wonder how soon this practice will spread beyond the EU? #SmartShopping #Ecology #ConsciousConsumption #FutureIsClose #DigitalTechnologies

  Singapore and France are Getting Ready for a Quantum Future Do you know what's most impressive? The central banks of these countries are not waiting for quantum computers to become a real threat, but are acting proactively! They are already testing new security systems that can withstand the power of quantum computing. Hackers can already collect encrypted data now in order to decrypt it later, when sufficiently powerful quantum computers appear. Sounds like a plot for a techno thriller, right? But the most interesting thing is that they started with simple things: protecting regular email in Outlook! It's like training for a big marathon. The next step is to protect the entire international banking system. #Cybersecurity #FinTech #QuantumTechnologies #Future #Innovation #DigitalSecurity