• Core Scientific, a Bitcoin miner, has agreed to borrow $70 million from B. Riley to replace an existing financing facility.
• The loan, if approved by the Bankruptcy Court, will provide Core Scientific with up to 15 months of runway and flexibility.
• Core Scientific filed for bankruptcy in December with estimated liabilities between $1 billion and $10 billion.

Core Scientific, a Bitcoin mining company, has recently struck a deal with investment bank B. Riley for a $70 million loan. The loan, if approved by the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas Houston Division, will enable Core Scientific to replace an existing financing facility and provide up to 15 months of runway and flexibility.

Core Scientific is no stranger to bankruptcy proceedings, having filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in December of 2022. At the time, the company estimated liabilities between $1 billion and $10 billion, and between 1,000-5,000 creditors. Core Scientific accounted for around 10% of the computing power on the Bitcoin network.

The downturn of the Bitcoin mining industry in 2022 led to the company’s downfall, as it was squeezed between falling crypto valuations and rising electricity costs. The loan from B. Riley is intended to help Core Scientific get back on its feet and provide it with a financial cushion to manage the bankruptcy process.

The loan has been structured to pay off the existing debtor-in-possession (DIP) facility and provide Core Scientific with up to 15 months of runway and flexibility. The loan would also give Core Scientific the ability to access additional capital if needed.

The filing for the loan has been submitted to the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas Houston Division and is currently awaiting approval. If approved, the loan from B. Riley will provide Core Scientific with the necessary financial resources to continue operations while they go through the bankruptcy process.

The Bitcoin mining industry has been volatile in recent years, and Core Scientific is just one of many companies that have been affected by the changing market conditions. However, with the help of the loan from B. Riley, Core Scientific may be able to get back on its feet and continue operations. Only time will tell if the loan will be approved and if Core Scientific is able to successfully navigate the bankruptcy process.

• Hydro-Quebec CEO Sophie Brochu will be stepping down in April after three years of leadership.
• The Board of Directors has yet to name a successor and the final appointment will come from the Québec Cabinet.
• Late last year, the utility proposed suspending new power supply to the blockchain industry, citing the need to protect consumers from higher prices due to energy demand increases.

Sophie Brochu, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Hydro-Quebec, the utility company of the province of Québec, announced that she will be stepping down from the position on April 11. Brochu has been the CEO of Hydro-Québec since April 2020, after taking over from Jean-François Laniel.

The Board of Directors has yet to name a successor for Brochu and the final appointment will come from the Québec Cabinet. Jacynthe Côté, the Board’s Chair, expressed her appreciation of the outgoing CEO’s ability to bring people together, citing the new strategic plan developed in collaboration with various internal stakeholders and representatives of the Québec society.

Late last year, the utility proposed suspending new power supply to the blockchain industry, citing the need to protect consumers from higher prices due to energy demand increases. The proposed suspension would affect an allocation of 270 megawatts (MW) of power supply that was already planned for the blockchain industry, though the proposal did not explicitly name which part of the industry would be affected.

The province of Québec has been an ideal destination for crypto miners due to its abundant supply of hydro-electric power. Despite the proposed suspension, the utility has still managed to attract miners to the region, citing an uptick in demand for energy due to mining activities.

The departure of Brochu marks an uncertain future for the blockchain industry in Québec, with the identity of the new CEO yet to be determined. It remains to be seen whether the utility will continue to accept requests for new power supply from the industry or if the proposed suspension will be put into effect. In any case, the effects of the proposed suspension will likely be felt by the industry in the province.

• The price of Bitcoin (BTC) has risen nearly 28% this month, with Coinbase traders being credited with powering the cryptocurrency higher.
• The Coinbase premium index, which measures the spread between Coinbase’s BTC/U.S. dollar (USD) pair and Binance’s BTC/USDT pair involving the tether stablecoin, turned positive last week and rose to 0.039 over the weekend.
• This suggests increased buying interest from institutional investors vis-a-vis retail investors.

The price of Bitcoin (BTC) has been on the rise this month, with the cryptocurrency gaining nearly 28% since the start of the month and reaching its highest point since early November. While the popular narrative on Crypto Twitter is that traders from Coinbase (COIN) have powered the cryptocurrency higher, these buyers were not alone. The Coinbase premium index, which measures the spread between Coinbase’s BTC/U.S. dollar (USD) pair and Binance’s BTC/USDT pair involving the tether stablecoin, recently turned positive.

The Coinbase premium index rose to 0.039 over the weekend, indicating that the buying pressure on Coinbase has been relatively stronger than other exchanges. This surge in buying interest could be attributed to both institutional and retail investors. The former are more likely to invest in the cryptocurrency through Coinbase’s more regulated platform, while the latter may be drawn to Coinbase’s more user-friendly interface and the ability to purchase crypto with fiat currency.

Andre Cronje, an analyst for crypto derivatives platform Bybit, commented on the Coinbase premium index and said, “The price premium between Bitcoins traded on Coinbase vis-a-vis those traded on Binance (Coinbase-Binance premium) continued to be positive throughout the week, which is indicative of increased buying interest from institutional investors vis-a-vis retail investors.”

The rise in buying interest of Bitcoin through Coinbase may be linked to the exchange’s support of staking, which allows Coinbase customers to earn rewards for holding specific cryptocurrencies. Coinbase also recently announced that it would begin offering direct deposits to customers’ accounts via PayPal, which may have further boosted interest in the exchange.

Other indicators also point to a bullish sentiment in the cryptocurrency market. The Bitcoin Fear & Greed Index, which gauges sentiment among traders and investors, has been steadily climbing since the start of the month and is currently at “Greed” levels. Similarly, the MVRV ratio, which compares the market value of Bitcoin to its realised value, has also been steadily climbing and is currently above its year-to-date average.

Overall, the indicators suggest that buyers from Coinbase have been a major source of bullish pressures for the cryptocurrency, but they have not been the only ones. As more institutional investors enter the market, the buying pressure on the cryptocurrency is likely to continue to increase. This could lead to further gains in the price of Bitcoin as it looks to new all-time highs.

• In November, Hong Kong’s Financial Services and the Treasury Secretary, Christopher Hui, spoke at Hong Kong FinTech Week and asked his staff whether he should get his first virtual asset.
• The bureau is piloting a non-fungible token (NFT) offering, tokenizing green bonds, and a central bank digital currency (CDBC), the e-HKD.
• Top regulators have come out in force to advocate for the city’s comeback as a crypto hub, with Hui being the most prominent.

Hong Kong’s Financial Services and the Treasury Secretary, Christopher Hui, has been leading the charge for the city’s comeback as a crypto hub. During Hong Kong FinTech Week, held in early November, Hui spoke about the importance of developing policy direction for the sector and asked his staff whether he should get his own virtual asset.

The bureau is piloting a number of projects, such as a non-fungible token (NFT) offering, tokenizing green bonds, and a central bank digital currency (CDBC), the e-HKD. These projects are aimed at providing a more solid footing for the crypto industry in Hong Kong, and providing users with a safe and secure way to invest and trade in crypto assets.

Top regulators have come out in force to advocate for the city’s comeback as a crypto hub, with Hui being the most prominent. He has been vocal in his belief that the city should embrace crypto, and has been a key driving force behind the various initiatives taken by the bureau to facilitate the sector.

Hui believes that by creating the right regulatory environment, the city can foster the growth of a vibrant crypto ecosystem, which will enable companies to innovate and develop new applications and services. He also believes that this will attract more high-caliber talent to the city, and that it will also help to reduce the risk of fraud and market manipulation.

Hui has been working with different stakeholders to ensure that any new regulations are in line with international standards and best practices. He has also been engaging with the industry to ensure that the regulator’s approach is consistent with the industry’s needs and the changing market environment.

As the crypto industry continues to evolve, Hui and the FSTB will continue to work to ensure that Hong Kong can become a leader in the sector. Through the work of Hui and the bureau, Hong Kong can become a safe and secure place for crypto users to invest and trade, and a hub for the development of new applications and services.

• Crypto venture capital company Digital Currency Group (DCG) has restructured, leading to 13% of its staff departing.
• BitMEX and Galaxy Digital have also reported job cuts.
• The unrelenting crypto winter has continued to hit all corners of the industry, causing companies to curb their growth.

Crypto markets have been hit with a bear market, and the effects of this winter have rippled throughout the industry. Digital Currency Group (DCG), the parent company of CoinDesk, has been one of the latest affected, announcing a restructuring in which 13% of its staff has departed. This move came on the heels of news of other job cuts in the industry, such as BitMEX and Galaxy Digital.

The impact of this winter has been felt across the board. DCG, which is one of the largest venture capital firms in the blockchain space, has experienced a restructuring in which some of its staff have left the company. To fill the void, DCG promoted Chief Operating Officer Mark Murphy to president.

The move comes as other major players in the space have also been affected. BitMEX, which is one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, has reported layoffs of around 10% of its staff. Galaxy Digital, a prominent crypto investment bank, also announced it had cut around 40% of its staff in late December.

The effects of the crypto winter have spread far and wide, with many companies being forced to curb growth and scale back operations. This has led to a decrease in venture capital investments in the sector, as well as a decrease in the amount of money being raised through initial coin offerings (ICOs).

The Hash, a segment on CoinDesk TV, recently discussed the effects that the crypto winter has had on the industry. They noted that while it has been a difficult time for many, there is still hope that the industry will recover. They also discussed the importance of focusing on the fundamentals of the technology and the need for companies to remain agile and adaptive in order to survive this winter.

It remains to be seen how the industry will recover from this crypto winter, but it is certain that the effects have been far-reaching. The layoffs and restructuring at DCG, BitMEX, and Galaxy Digital are only a few examples of the impact that this bear market has had on the industry. It is clear that the industry will need to adapt and innovate in order to survive this difficult period.

• Bitcoin mining industry started 2022 off strong but ended in pain due to high energy prices, increasing competition, and a bear market.
• The sector was shaken by bankruptcies and loan defaults, and next year is likely to be even more challenging.
• Executives and analysts predict that 2023 will present an opportunity for those in a position to buy assets and innovate.

The Bitcoin mining industry had a tumultuous year in 2022. After starting off strong with plenty of capital to expand, miners were hit hard by high energy prices, increasing competition for Bitcoin blocks, and a bear market. This led to bankruptcies and loan defaults, leaving the sector in a vulnerable position.

However, experts within the industry believe that 2023 presents an opportunity for those who can buy assets and innovate. Juri Bulovic, head of mining at Foundry, noted that many miners had acted too deterministically and assumed Bitcoin prices would continue to rise. Wolfie Zhao, head of research at TokenInsight, believes that miners had few options to fund their operations, such as selling Bitcoin, borrowing debts, or issuing equity.

These events have left miners struggling to bolster their balance sheets and operations. For those who are able to make the necessary adjustments, there are a few potential strategies. By reducing their debt or improving their margins with new innovations, miners can get back in a position to capitalize on the potential of the Bitcoin market.

Overall, the future of the Bitcoin mining sector is uncertain. It is clear that miners will need to be flexible and adapt to the changing market conditions if they want to survive. By taking the right steps, miners can make the most of the opportunities that 2023 presents.

• Blockchain technology is being used to help preserve significant artifacts in countries around the world, from Timbuktu to Ukraine.
• Theresa Kennedy, founder of the Black History DAO, is working to disperse preservation efforts and create a permanent storage solution for African texts.
• Michael Chobanian, a Ukrainian crypto entrepreneur, is using blockchain technology to preserve 3D models of buildings, sculptures, and cultural heritage in Ukraine that are being destroyed.

Blockchain technology is being used in a variety of ways across the globe, from Timbuktu to Ukraine, to help preserve significant artifacts. In Timbuktu, literary critic Henry Louis Gates Jr. tried to address the problem of preserving ancient African text, but the project ultimately failed due to a lack of permanent storage solutions. However, Theresa Kennedy, founder of the Black History DAO, is hoping to change this. Kennedy, a self-proclaimed crypto anthropologist, is curating the Black History DAO with members of the community to disperse preservation efforts and create a permanent storage solution for African texts.

Meanwhile, in Ukraine, crypto entrepreneur Michael Chobanian is using blockchain technology to preserve 3D models of buildings, sculptures, and cultural heritage that are being destroyed by the Russian invasion. Chobanian’s platform is mapping, storing and transferring data onto the cloud in order to tokenize them and ensure the artifacts are not completely lost.

Through the use of blockchain technology, both Kennedy and Chobanian are striving to ensure that important artifacts and cultural heritage are preserved and protected, despite the devastating effects of war, climate change, and other factors. The decentralized nature of blockchain allows for these artifacts to be protected in a way that was not possible before. Not only is the data stored securely, but it also helps to ensure the authenticity of the artifacts and allows for easier access to the information.

The use of blockchain technology is just one way in which the world is preserving and protecting important artifacts. As the technology continues to advance, more innovative solutions are likely to be developed to help keep historical artifacts safe for future generations.