Crypto
Bitcoin Jumps on Calls to Integrate Crypto Into US Asset Arsenal
The price of bitcoin hit a six-week high Monday (July 29). The alleged reason? Separate comments made over the weekend by presidential candidates Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at Nashville’s Bitcoin Conference that observers believe could signal, if not herald, greater legitimization of the cryptocurrency sector.
Kennedy, an independent candidate, called for launching a multi-million-dollar U.S. strategic reserve of bitcoin that matched the government’s current stake in gold.
Republican candidate Trump refrained from calling for a full-on strategic reserve, pledging instead to maintain the U.S. government’s current stash of bitcoin rather than selling it off, calling it a national “stockpile” of cryptocurrency.
The U.S. government, through various agencies, has increasingly seized significant amounts of cryptocurrencies in the course of financial crime enforcement. These assets are typically auctioned off, with proceeds going to the Treasury Forfeiture Fund or other government accounts. The current approach treats these digital assets as financial gains rather than strategic reserves.
The notion of potentially integrating digital assets into the U.S. government’s strategic reserves presents a disruptive approach that recognizes the evolving financial landscape and sees a role in it for cryptocurrencies. That’s something that proponents of the sector have been working toward, but skeptics remain wary in the face of crypto scams and other illicit activity in the sector.
Read more: Crypto’s Three Priorities for 2024: Interoperability, Acceptance, Regulation
Crypto and Global Financial Crime
According to a report by Chainalysis, $24.2 billion of illicit cryptocurrency was transferred in 2023, with over 60% of illegal crypto activity being tied to sanctioned groups or terrorist organizations.
Financial crime remains a challenge for financial institutions (FIs) worldwide, evolving in complexity and scale with each passing day. The U.S. government, through agencies such as the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Treasury Department, has increasingly encountered cryptocurrencies in its enforcement actions against financial crimes. These assets are often seized during investigations related to money laundering, drug trafficking, and other illegal activities. Traditionally, seized cryptocurrencies are auctioned off, with proceeds directed to government funds.
But as digital assets become more integral to the global financial system, the question arises: Should the U.S. government consider stockpiling cryptocurrencies as part of its strategic reserves?
Holding cryptocurrencies could provide the U.S. government with a flexible financial tool. Unlike traditional reserves, which are often physical commodities, cryptocurrencies are highly liquid digital assets. They can be quickly converted into fiat currencies or used directly in transactions that accept digital payments. This flexibility could be invaluable during financial crises or emergencies, providing the government with a readily accessible source of funds.
Establishing a cryptocurrency reserve would signal the U.S. government’s recognition of the growing importance of digital assets. This could encourage further development of blockchain technology and related innovations within the U.S.
But there is considerable public skepticism about the government’s involvement in holding digital currencies, given their association with illicit activities — and the ongoing rise in frequency of those illicit activities, particularly in the financial sector.
Read more: Blockchain’s Benefits for Regulated Industries
Countries around the world, including the U.S., have expressed concern that privately operated, highly volatile digital currencies could undermine government control of the financial and monetary systems, increase systemic risk, promote financial crime and hurt investors.
After all, on Thursday (July 25) cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase was fined $4.5 million by a U.K. regulator for serving “high-risk” customers. And this past April, U.S. Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo testified that cryptocurrency is increasingly becoming a safe haven for “malign actors” such as terror groups.
As a result, FIs have needed to step up their financial crime defenses. Seven in 10 FIs are now using AI and machine learning (ML) to fend off fraudsters, according to the PYMNTS Intelligence and Hawk collaboration, “Financial Institutions Revamping Technologies to Fight Financial Crimes.”
In an interview with PYMNTS, Wolfgang Berner, co-founder and CPO of Hawk, discussed the opportunities that large transaction models (LTMs) — generative artificial intelligence (AI) models adapted to financial crime — represent in establishing more robust, accurate and comprehensive detection and prevention mechanisms.
“The core idea is we treat transactions as sentences, teaching the transformer model the language and grammar of transactions, similar to how large language models like GPT-4 are trained on the text of the web,” Berner said. “And by doing that, it develops a very good understanding of the transactions, how transactions relate to each other, and what is genuine or possibly suspicious with them.”
Crypto
Bitdeer Invests $36 Million in First US Sealminer Factory as Bitcoin Mining Margins Stay Tight
Key Takeaways
- Bitdeer is building a $36M Nevada plant to produce 10,000 Sealminer units monthly by 2026.
- Sealminer efficiency targets weak mining margins as hashprice stays near historic lows.
- Bitdeer is expanding U.S. manufacturing and AI infrastructure to strengthen long-term growth.
Bitdeer Targets 10,000 Monthly Sealminer Units With New $36 Million Nevada Factory
Bitdeer is moving ahead with a major U.S. manufacturing push, breaking ground on a $36 million advanced electronics facility in Sparks, Nevada, even as bitcoin mining economics remain near historic lows.
The 187,000-square-foot plant will be the company’s first domestic manufacturing and assembly site in the U.S. It is expected to be completed by the end of 2026 and is designed to produce 10,000 Sealminer units per month.
Bitdeer said the project will create about 70 local jobs across engineering, skilled technician and support roles. The facility will expand the company’s U.S. footprint beyond mining and data centers, adding a domestic production base for its proprietary mining machines.
“Producing our advanced Sealminer units right here in Nevada reflects our long-term commitment to building capacity and nurturing the talent necessary to support our growing digital infrastructure operations in America,” remarked Paul Hanson, Chairman of Bitdeer Industrial.
Vertical Integration During a Mining Slump
The timing is notable. Bitcoin miners are still dealing with weak hashprice, a key measure of mining revenue per unit of computing power.
Spot hashprice was recently around $29.81 per PH/s/day, after touching a daily low of $27.89 on Feb. 24. March also marked a record-low monthly average of $31.27, according to industry data.
The pressure reflects several factors: the April 2024 halving, rising network hashrate, and low transaction-fee revenue. Together, they have reduced revenue for miners using the same amount of computing power.
At these levels, profitability is increasingly concentrated among operators with cheap power and newer, more efficient machines.
Bitdeer is trying to address that pressure through vertical integration. The company has been developing its own Sealminer hardware and deploying the machines across its self-mining fleet.
Catherine Guo, CEO of Bitdeer Industrial, commented that the Sparks plant reflects the company’s contribution to Nevada’s diversifying economy.
“Our commitment underscores the state’s strategic advantages, including a highly accessible and skilled workforce, robust logistics networks, and a consistently business-friendly environment,” Guo said.
U.S. Expansion Meets AI Demand
The Nevada facility will complement Bitdeer’s existing U.S. data centers and its innovation hub in San Jose, California.
The project also comes as Bitdeer expands across mining and AI infrastructure. In its May operating update, the company reported 70.2 EH/s of self-mining hashrate, 921 bitcoin mined during the month, and about $69 million of annualized recurring revenue from its AI Cloud business.
Bitdeer also said it was in advanced talks with a potential colocation tenant at its Tydal, Norway site. That follows a broader industry trend in which miners are exploring AI and high-performance computing uses for power-rich data center assets.
The facility is expected to begin contributing to Bitdeer’s manufacturing capacity as the mining hardware market becomes more selective. Weak hashprice can slow equipment demand, but it can also push well-capitalized miners to replace older machines with more efficient models.
Crypto
British Airline Jet2 Shares Jump 9% After $536M Fuel Hedge Gain Offsets Middle East Travel Fears
Key Takeaways
- Jet2 recorded a $536 million balance sheet windfall on July 8 after locking in low-cost fuel derivatives.
- The Middle East conflict triggered a 67% decline in annual cash inflows as travelers delayed holiday bookings.
- CEO Steve Heapy announced a $335 million buyback program and expanding operations at London Gatwick Airport.
Sector Resilience Amid Fuel Volatility
British airline and package holiday provider Jet2 defied intense geopolitical instability and travel sector panic triggered by the Middle East war by reporting a more than $500 million balance sheet boost, fueled by the rising price of jet fuel.
As the conflict in the Middle East escalated, spiking fuel rates caused the value of the company’s fuel derivatives to soar. According to Jet2’s full financial results released July 8, an extra $536 million in income was primarily driven by these favorable fair value movements.
The financial buffer comes after widespread fears earlier this year that rising energy costs could push airlines into bankruptcy and force massive summer holiday cancellations. In the United States, higher fuel prices contributed to the collapse of low-budget airline Spirit in May. The United Kingdom had been labeled as the nation “most exposed” to the jet fuel crisis, forcing government ministers to scramble to protect airline fuel access and temporarily suspend airport capacity rules.
While Jet2 was able to mitigate the price shock, the broader conflict still took a toll on booking behaviors. The airline conceded that ongoing travel uncertainty from the war caused holidaymakers to delay their trips and book much closer to their departure dates than usual. As a result, Jet2’s cash inflow plummeted by 67% to approximately $103 million for the fiscal year ending March 31.
Financially, Jet2 reported mixed full-year results. Group revenue climbed 4% to $10.05 billion, but pre-tax profit slipped 7% to $738.6 million, hit hard by lower income earned on its cash deposits.
Despite the profit dip, operational metrics showed strong consumer demand. Jet2 increased its total seat capacity by 8% to 24 million and flew 20.8 million passengers — a 5% increase year-over-year. The company also announced a new $335 million share buyback program, pointing to robust liquidity and confidence in its midterm outlook.
On the stock market, shares of the AIM-listed company jumped 9% to $19.92 at Wednesday’s opening bell, leaving the stock up 5% for the year.
Chief Executive Issues Tax Warning
The financial report coincided with an aggressive political warning from Jet2 Chief Executive Steve Heapy. Speaking to shareholders, Heapy cautioned political figures — specifically naming prominent politician Andy Burnham — against treating the aviation and holiday industry as a “cash cow.”
Burnham is widely anticipated to enter Downing Street later this month following recent political shifts.
“Don’t treat the aviation or holiday industry as a cash cow, because taxes increase the price of flying,” Heapy said, pointing out that Jet2 had to absorb $67 million in additional regulatory and tax costs over the last year. “I think, you know, enough is enough.”
Operationally, Jet2 is pushing a major expansion strategy designed to challenge the UK’s dominant legacy carriers. In March, the airline launched a six-aircraft hub at London Gatwick Airport, signaling an aggressive move out of its traditional northern England strongholds. The company notes it now operates within a 90-minute drive of more than 90% of the UK population.
Crypto
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