Crypto
US polls 2024: Crypto sector expects smooth ride as Gensler’s SEC departure promises regulatory shift under Trump regime | Stock Market News
The crypto industry poured millions of dollars into the presidential and congressional races, but its most salient election victory is likely to be the departure of US Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler.
The former Goldman Sachs banker has led the strongest regulatory crackdown on the digital-asset industry, slapping dozens of cases against crypto companies and traders large and small, including financial behemoths Coinbase Global Inc. and proprietary trading firm DRW Holdings LLC.
President Donald Trump’s decisive victory ensures a pullback on crypto-related enforcement once he takes office. In July, Trump pledged to fire Gensler on the first day of his second administration while headlining a Bitcoin conference in Nashville.
The SEC has often touted its success in court in obtaining judgments that align with its view that decades-old securities laws apply to the upstart digital asset class. It’s also notched some significant fines against some of the biggest names in the industry. In April, the agency won a massive $4.5 billion fine and disgorgement from Terraform Labs, a stablecoin issuer, and founder Do Kwan. The agency hasn’t yet released its annual enforcement report for fiscal 2024 actions. Still, in the prior year, the agency brought 46 such cases, a more than 50% increase from the year prior, according to a report by consulting firm Cornerstone Research.
“Some crypto cases have been legit fraud cases and I hope those continue and I hope we get more of them,” said J.W. Verret, professor at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School in Arlington, Virginia. “A lot of crypto cases have been registration only, foot fault cases when registration is impossible.”
The next SEC chair is expected to push forward new regulations that will modify existing securities laws or enable digital asset companies to become compliant with rules that Gensler has long admonished them for flouting. That will also serve to rein in enforcement.
Bipartisan crypto legislation that supports that goal is now a stronger prospect, with the Senate set to be in Republican control.
“We expect that both the Trump administration’s and new Congress’ approach to crypto regulation to be much more constructive,” said Jack Inglis, chief executive officer of the Alternative Investment Management Association, a London-based trade group representing hedge funds and private equity firms.
That means policies “recognizing the need to embed crypto in the broader financial services framework while taking account of the technological differences with traditional finance leading to a more bespoke approach in many areas,” he said.
The SEC’s enforcement cases against crypto companies have centered on whether their products fit within the decades-old definition of a security, as laid out in the US Supreme Court’s opinion SEC v. W.J. Howey Co. That hasn’t been a good approach, according to William McLucas, a former SEC enforcement director, now a partner at WilmerHale. McLucas spoke during a securities enforcement conference in Washington on Wednesday.
“That can’t be the solution because whether you like crypto or you don’t like crypto it’s not going away,” McLucas said. “The enforcement cases that have been brought are what they are, but they keep bringing them, and we keep seeing crypto products,” he said.
Digital assets were a focus of 18% of all the tips, complaints and enforcement referrals at the agency in fiscal year 2024, the regulator’s Inspector General said in a recent report. The agency’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy received nearly 6,000 such complaints during that same period, more than double any other type of complaint, the IG said.
Gensler Departure
Despite Trump’s vow to boot Gensler from office immediately, it may boil down to whether the SEC chair resigns by inauguration day. Some of Gensler’s fiercest critics in financial services are already calling for his immediate resignation.
“Last night the people voted for this country to take a new direction, and Chairman Gensler should respect that vote by stepping down from his position immediately,” said Chris Iacovella, president and chief executive officer of the American Securities Association, which represents regional brokers and other financial services firms.
If Gensler follows Washington tradition and departs, it would leave the agency split 2-2 along party lines until a new chair can be confirmed. That would stymie further aggressive enforcement, particularly with Hester Peirce, dubbed “Crypto Mom” still a commissioner.
One crypto industry executive, who requested to speak on background to speak frankly, said they anticipate Gensler may still want to file cases against companies like Uniswap and OpenSea that have already received “Wells notices” — an enforcement process formally notifying a company they’re under SEC investigation.
But other enforcement cases could be slow-rolled. Agency staff, aware that an incoming SEC chair, particularly one who back’s Trump’s vow to shrink the size of the federal government, might look unkindly on employees taking aggressive actions in the months leading up to a change in leadership and policy, the industry executive said.
The SEC declined to comment.
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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.
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