Crypto Surge: Nasdaq Considers Listing, SEC Drops Case, Trump Backs Crypto

Cryptocurrency markets have seen a surge in regulatory wins, with multiple positive developments occurring in recent weeks. The Nasdaq stock exchange is considering listing digital assets, while the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has dropped a broker-dealer case against decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms and is set to issue guidance on staking. Former U.S. President Donald Trump has signed executive orders aimed at ending the "war on crypto," and the European Central Bank (ECB) is considering a blockchain-based payment system.

The SEC has also launched a new crypto fraud unit and is expected to provide further guidance on the staking process. Meanwhile, Australia has criticized the SEC's looser stance on cryptocurrencies, while new coins such as IP and BERA have seen significant weekly gains. The Pi network has gone live with a market capitalization of $9 billion, and major exchanges Kraken and Coinbase are in talks to acquire Deribit, a crypto derivatives platform.

In other news, Brazil is set to launch a spot XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF), and Binance US has restarted its USD offramps. The governor of the Czech National Bank has urged investors to consider Bitcoin (BTC) as a potential investment option, while Metaplanet has purchased an additional $6.6 million worth of BTC. There has been an increase in chatter about a potential community takeover of the APT token, and Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has criticized the "casino culture" in the crypto industry.

Nigeria has filed a lawsuit against Binance, seeking damages of over $80 billion. Special guest Sam Spratt joined the live session to discuss these developments and provide insights into the crypto market.