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Big win for crypto: US court rules Tornado Cash crossed the line By @nake13 The article discusses a landmark ruling by the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, stating that OFAC exceeded its authority by sanctioning Tornado Cash’s immutable smart contracts. The court ruled that these decentralized, self-executing codes do not qualify as “property” under legal definitions, marking a significant victory for the plaintiffs. This decision highlights the challenges of regulating emerging technologies like blockchain while ensuring technological neutrality. It emphasizes the need for updated legislation to address misuse, such as money laundering, without overextending administrative powers or stifling innovation. Read more

A consensus is starting to form among smart money that $ETHBTC has bottomed and will perform well in Q1.

"Altcoin Season" Hype Starts as Ethereum Looks Bullish, Bitcoin Struggles: A New Era for Cryptocurrency? The cryptocurrency market is no stranger to periods of massive volatility, and 2024 is shaping up to be another year of seismic shifts. While Bitcoin (BTC) has traditionally dominated the space as the first and largest cryptocurrency, we are beginning to see a shift toward altcoins—especially Ethereum (ETH)—leading the charge. The term “Altcoin Season” is being thrown around again as Ethereum’s bullish momentum gains strength while Bitcoin appears to be struggling to maintain its position. For many investors and traders, this signals the start of an exciting and potentially profitable period for altcoins. In this article, we will explore what constitutes an Altcoin Season, why Ethereum is currently outshining Bitcoin, the factors that could drive altcoin growth in the short term, and what this means for the broader cryptocurrency market in 2024. What is “Altcoin Season”? The phrase “Altcoin Season” refers to a period in the cryptocurrency market when the prices of altcoins—cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin—experience significant growth, often outperforming Bitcoin in terms of price gains. During Altcoin Season, investors and traders turn their attention away from Bitcoin and toward promising altcoins that are seen as undervalued or positioned for growth. Historically, Altcoin Seasons occur when the market experiences a bullish trend in general, but the enthusiasm shifts to altcoins after Bitcoin reaches a certain level of maturity or saturation. The driving force behind Altcoin Season is typically a combination of: A strong Bitcoin rally: Bitcoin’s price reaching new highs often ignites investor enthusiasm and drives money into altcoins, which can provide more significant returns. Ethereum’s market dominance: Ethereum’s continued growth, especially with updates like Ethereum 2.0, has allowed altcoins built on its network to flourish. Ethereum’s dominance in the smart contract space and decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem often spurs interest in related altcoins. Innovative developments: New technological advancements, scaling solutions, and unique value propositions from altcoin projects attract attention and investment. FOMO (Fear of Missing Out): As more altcoins start to experience impressive price gains, investors looking for opportunities to diversify their portfolios often flock to the next big winner. When all these elements come together, Altcoin Season can take off in a big way, creating a favorable environment for altcoin prices to surge. The Current Market Context: Bitcoin Struggles, Ethereum Shines As of late 2024, the market has been witnessing some interesting developments. Bitcoin, despite being the dominant force in the cryptocurrency world, has been struggling to break past new highs. This stagnation has left many investors searching for other opportunities, and Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, has stepped into the spotlight. 1. Bitcoin’s Struggle: Why the Leading Cryptocurrency Faces Challenges Bitcoin has long been the king of cryptocurrencies. It led the charge in the crypto revolution and has consistently captured the attention of institutional investors, hedge funds, and retail traders. However, Bitcoin’s recent struggles have left some questioning whether the asset can continue its growth trajectory. Several factors contribute to Bitcoin’s struggles, including: Market Saturation: As the largest cryptocurrency by market cap, Bitcoin has seen a more gradual increase in price due to its larger market saturation. It’s difficult for Bitcoin to post huge percentage gains at its current price level, especially after the enormous rally of the previous years. Regulatory Concerns: Bitcoin, as well as other cryptocurrencies, has faced increasing scrutiny from governments and regulators worldwide. As regulatory bodies implement stricter rules and taxation frameworks, this has created uncertainty for investors. Ethereum's Rise: With Ethereum’s smart contract capabilities and network upgrades, many investors have been drawn to Ethereum’s broader use case and potential for higher returns. Bitcoin’s role as a store of value (digital gold) is being challenged by other projects that aim to provide real utility. Limited Innovation: Bitcoin, while pioneering the cryptocurrency space, has been somewhat stagnant in terms of technological upgrades compared to other blockchain projects. The Bitcoin network is still primarily focused on being a decentralized digital currency, while Ethereum and other altcoins are pushing the boundaries of decentralized applications (dApps), DeFi, and NFTs. These factors have led some investors to move capital away from Bitcoin in search of better returns in the rapidly expanding altcoin market. 2. Ethereum’s Bullish Momentum On the other hand, Ethereum is showing considerable bullish momentum in 2024. Ethereum’s network has undergone significant upgrades over the past few years, culminating in the much-anticipated transition to Ethereum 2.0 and the shift from a proof-of-work (PoW) to a proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanism. This transition promises to make Ethereum more scalable, secure, and environmentally friendly. Ethereum’s bullish momentum is also fueled by: Smart Contracts and Decentralized Finance (DeFi): Ethereum remains the leading blockchain for smart contracts, the foundation of decentralized finance (DeFi). The growing popularity of DeFi platforms, NFT marketplaces, and decentralized applications built on Ethereum has led to increased demand for ETH. Layer 2 Solutions and Scaling: Ethereum’s scaling issues, particularly high gas fees, have been addressed by the launch of Layer 2 solutions such as Optimism and Arbitrum. These solutions reduce transaction fees and improve transaction speeds, making Ethereum even more attractive for developers and users. Institutional Adoption: Ethereum has seen growing institutional adoption, especially in the DeFi and NFT spaces. Financial institutions and enterprises are increasingly looking at Ethereum as a foundational technology for their blockchain strategies. Deflationary Mechanisms: With Ethereum’s transition to PoS and the introduction of EIP-1559 (a burning mechanism that reduces the total supply of ETH), the coin is becoming deflationary. This scarcity model could lead to an increase in ETH’s value over time. These developments have positioned Ethereum as the blockchain of choice for developers and investors alike, spurring a bullish sentiment that is beginning to rival Bitcoin’s dominance. Factors Driving the “Altcoin Season” Hype Several factors are contributing to the growing excitement surrounding altcoins, as Ethereum leads the charge: 1. Ethereum's Continued Development and Network Upgrades As Ethereum continues to innovate with Ethereum 2.0 and Layer 2 solutions, investors are increasingly confident in Ethereum’s potential to scale and support new use cases. The transition to PoS and the ability to stake ETH have made it more appealing to both retail and institutional investors. Additionally, Ethereum’s ongoing development in DeFi, NFTs, and other decentralized applications has drawn significant attention. 2. Diverse and Promising Altcoins Beyond Ethereum, many altcoins are gaining traction. Polkadot (DOT), Binance Coin (BNB), Solana (SOL), Avalanche (AVAX), and Cardano (ADA) are some examples of altcoins that have shown strong growth potential. These projects are introducing new features like interoperability, scalability, and cross-chain functionality to address issues that Ethereum faces, such as high gas fees and network congestion. Polkadot offers interoperability between multiple blockchains, making it a strong candidate for bridging the gap between Ethereum and other networks. Binance Coin (BNB) has become the backbone of Binance’s extensive exchange ecosystem, while also powering the Binance Smart Chain for decentralized finance applications. 3. Rising Institutional and Retail Demand The crypto space has experienced significant interest from both institutional investors and retail traders. As Bitcoin reaches market saturation, investors are turning their attention to altcoins that may offer more significant returns. Additionally, the growing acceptance of DeFi and NFTs has expanded the pool of potential investors and users for altcoins. 4. FOMO and Speculative Trading A common driver of Altcoin Season is the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO). As altcoins start to gain momentum, the “next big thing” becomes highly speculative, with traders flocking to any altcoin that appears to be gaining traction. The speculative nature of the market can fuel rapid price increases, leading to a self-perpetuating cycle where rising prices attract more attention, further driving the altcoin boom. Conclusion: What’s Next for Bitcoin and Ethereum? While Bitcoin continues to dominate as a store of value, Ethereum’s innovative updates and growing ecosystem have positioned it as a formidable competitor in the smart contract and DeFi space. As the market begins to shift its focus from Bitcoin to Ethereum and other altcoins, the long-anticipated Altcoin Season may be upon us. Investors should remain cautious, however, as the volatile nature of the cryptocurrency market means that price fluctuations can occur rapidly. Altcoin Season presents an opportunity for significant profits, but it also carries risks. As always, staying informed and conducting thorough research before investing in any altcoin will be crucial for those looking to capitalize on the market’s next big shift. As Ethereum shines in the spotlight, it’s clear that the market dynamics are changing. Whether this trend will continue or if Bitcoin will reclaim its dominant position remains to be seen, but for now, the Altcoin Season hype is in full swing.

According to ConsenSys lawyer Bill Hughes, the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that the U.S. Department of the Treasury exceeded its authority by sanctioning Tornado Cash’s immutable smart contracts. The court determined that these smart contracts, created through a "trusted setup ceremony," cannot be owned by any entity, and therefore do not qualify as "property" or "services." The ruling clarifies the boundaries of the Treasury Department and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in digital asset regulation, though it does not imply that other parts of Tornado Cash are not subject to sanctions. The key issue was the smart contracts without administrator keys.

#1 smart contract security tip Hire devs who know web3 security fundamentals and common vulnerabilities. This will save you a ton of headaches and possibly lots of $$$ in the long term (can do well with 1-2 security audits instead of 3-4)