Buterin adopts Moo Deng, Christmas wishes of a lost $773M BTC wallet

As a researcher who has been immersed in the crypto world since its inception, the events of the last week of 2024 have left me both awestruck and amused. The adoption of Moo Deng by Vitalik Buterin is a testament to the growing acceptance of cryptocurrencies, while the ongoing saga of James Howells’ lost Bitcoin serves as a reminder that even in this digital age, we can still lose our fortunes in the most analog ways.

2024’s final week was just as thrilling as the rest of this historic year for cryptocurrency acceptance, culminating in Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin’s choice to contribute 88 Ether to the Thailand-based Moo Deng zoo, a move that mirrored a popular internet trend.

In the wider crypto space, James Howells continues the legal battle to recover his hard drive containing over $773 million worth of Bitcoin, which was lost in a landfill back in 2013.

Vitalik Buterin adopts Moo Deng with 88 ETH zoo donation

Moo Deng, the well-known pygmy hippopotamus who gained fame on the internet, was taken under the wing of Vitalik Buterin, a highly recognized figure in the world of cryptocurrencies.

Vitalik Buterin, one of the co-founders of Ethereum, the world’s second-largest blockchain network, was officially adopted as a father by Moo Deng, as announced on their social media platform (X post) on December 26th.

“Thank you Vitalik Buterin for joining the Wildlife Sponsorship Program and adopting Moo Deng with a generous gift of 10,000,000 THB for her family!”

Moo Deng gained widespread recognition in September, primarily due to her lively character and captivating videos on social media, which were widely shared by the zoo based in Thailand.

In light of the recent announcement, Buterin hinted at potentially donating an even greater amount than the current 88 Ether (ETH), equivalent to approximately $292,000, to the zoo.

All I wanted for Christmas was my $773M BTC back

James Howells, an IT engineer from Newport, Wales, is fighting a high-stakes legal battle to recover a hard drive containing private keys to 8,000 Bitcoin worth about $773 million.

The drive that was mistakenly disposed of in a landfill holds 2009-era Bitcoin (BTC), representing a fortune that is tied to the earliest days of the cryptocurrency market. Howells is currently barred access by the Newport City Council due to its environmental permit.

During an interview with CryptoMoon, Howells stated that the legal process is currently underway, supported by an elite team of lawyers and cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology proficient in UK law.

Regardless of the reported disposal of $773 million worth of holdings back in 2013, Eric Howells maintains a positive outlook and intends to reimburse shareholders, support the crypto community, and possibly invest again in blockchain ventures – should he manage to recover his lost Bitcoin.

South Korea sanctions 15 North Koreans for crypto heists and cyber theft

As a global analyst, I am tracking the relentless pursuit of North Korean cybercriminals, who are being implicated in the theft of over half of the total value of cryptocurrency globally during the year 2024.

Experts often point fingers at groups such as Lazarus, known for their questionable activities, as likely culprits behind several high-profile cyber heists in the digital realm called Web3. One of these incidents was the theft of a massive $600 million from the Ronin network.

South Korea has recently enforced sanctions on fifteen individuals associated with North Korean Information Technology organizations, as well as a single connected entity.

It’s claimed that authorized representatives are said to have obtained funds for North Korea’s nuclear missile program and its Armaments Department, as stated in a December 26 press release from South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through activities that generate foreign currency outside the country.

Crypto hacks wipe out $2.3B in 2024, marking 40% YoY surge

2024 saw cryptocurrency thieves outdo their performance from the preceding year, swiping over $2.3 billion in digital currencies from the Web3 network. This troubling trend raises concerns about the industry’s broader adoption.

There has been a significant rise in the number of crypto hacks, fueled by the allure of boosting cryptocurrency values, with Bitcoin (BTC) reaching over $100,000 for the first time on December 6.

In the past year, digital thieves managed to swipe approximately $2.3 billion in cryptocurrency assets over 165 separate incidents – representing a 40% jump compared to the thefts reported in 2023, which amounted to around $1.69 billion. These findings come from a report shared by the cybersecurity firm Cyvers.

According to Deddy Lavid, the co-founder and CEO of Cyvers, it was primarily the surge in access control breaches – notably in centralized exchanges (CEXs) and crypto custodians – that accounted for a 40% rise in this context.

Solana’s Jito staking pool exceeds $100M in monthly tips: Kairos Research

In December and November alone, the Solana staking pool known as Jito reportedly generated monthly earnings exceeding $100 million, primarily from transaction fees and gratuities, according to a recent analysis by Kairos Research, a firm specializing in crypto currency studies.

2024 saw Jito’s validators consistently increasing their tip earnings on average by approximately 32% every month, as reported by Kairos. The highest monthly revenue was recorded in November, amounting to roughly $210 million.

Jito’s growing tips income signifies the rising prominence of the Solana network, and it additionally indicates that validators are earning more by favoring specific transactions over others – a method referred to as Maximum Extractable Value (MEV).

DeFi market overview

As an analyst, I’ve observed that a majority of the top 100 cryptocurrencies, ranked by market capitalization, concluded their weekly journey on an upward trend, based on data from CryptoMoon Markets Pro and TradingView.

Among the top 100, the Bitget Token (BGB) experienced a significant increase of more than 81% this week, largely due to the recent fusion of the original Bitget Token (BGB) with the Bitget Wallet Token (BWB).

During the last seven days, VIRTUAL coin, a digital currency, experienced a significant increase, climbing more than 51%. This places it as the second-largest weekly winner in the cryptocurrency market.

Appreciate you perusing our rundown of this week’s significant advancements in DeFi. Drop by again next Friday for additional tales, perspectives, and learning about this rapidly evolving sector.

2024-12-27 22:02

Buterin adopts Moo Deng, Christmas wishes of a lost $773M BTC wallet — Finance Redefined