WAO ART #327

Blackrock, the world's largest asset manager, is rumored to have secured $2 billion in buyers for its new Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF). This indicates a strong market demand for Bitcoin investment products and reflects growing investor confidence in the cryptocurrency.

Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase is expanding its operations in Europe by acquiring a Cyprus-based entity licensed under the EU's Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID). This move will allow Coinbase to access a larger segment of the global crypto market, particularly in derivatives trading.

India's central bank digital currency (CBDC) pilot has reached a milestone of 1 million daily transactions, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The achievement comes after the RBI set a target to reach this milestone by the end of 2023.

The Africa Stablecoins Consortium (ASC) is in discussions with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to launch a compliant Nigerian Naira StableCoin (cNGN). The ASC aims to transform monetary transactions and enhance secure financial interactions.

Sales of fully electric and hybrid vehicles in Brazil are expected to increase by 60% in 2024, according to industry group ABVE. The group, which represents electric automakers like BYD and Great Wall Motor Co, predicts sales of over 150,000 cars this year, following a 91% surge in sales to 93,927 vehicles in 2023.

Australia's court system, specifically Victoria's courts, experienced its first major reported cyber attack, with suspected Russian ransomware hackers gaining unauthorized access to video and audio recordings. Hackers are drawn to court systems due to the sensitive data they hold.

Bitcoin ETFs have been informally approved by the SEC, with official approvals expected on Monday. As many as 11 ETFs may be approved, including those from BlackRock and Fidelity. There are rumors that BlackRock alone will buy $2B worth of bitcoin, potentially setting new records for first day trading volume.