2024-03-05 15:06

Copyrighted Image by: Reuters Bitcoin Surges To Record For First Time Since November 2021 - Bloomberg Bitcoin Surges To Record For First Time Since November 2021 - Bloomberg https://www.investing.com/news/cryptocurrency-news/bitcoin-surges-to-record-for-first-time-since-november-2021--bloomberg-432SI-3325026

2024-03-05 14:43

Copyrighted Image by: Reuters. CASTLE ROCK, Colo. - Riot Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ: NASDAQ:RIOT), a key player in Bitcoin mining, has disclosed its unaudited production figures for February 2024, noting a decrease in Bitcoin production compared to previous months. The company produced 418 Bitcoin in February, a 20% drop from January 2024 and a 38% decrease from February 2023. The average daily production of Bitcoin also fell by 14% month-over-month and 40% year-over-year. Despite the drop in production, the company's Bitcoin holdings increased by 5% from the previous month, reaching 8,067 Bitcoin by the end of February. Riot's CEO, Jason Les, announced a new purchase order for 31,500 miners to be installed at the Rockdale Facility, aimed at enhancing mining efficiency and uptime. This installation is expected to increase the facility's hash rate capacity to 15.1 EH/s, with 17,000 of the miners replacing underperforming units. The company anticipates improved performance following the installation, which is scheduled to commence in the second quarter and conclude in the third quarter of 2024. Riot is also progressing with the development of its Corsicana Facility, with the first phase expected to offer 400 megawatts of mining capacity. The first building of this phase has been completed, and the 400 MW substation is slated to be energized by the end of March 2024, with operations to follow shortly thereafter. The company's hash rate capacity is projected to reach 31 EH/s by the end of 2024, with a total anticipated capacity of 41 EH/s upon full deployment in 2025. The company's recent activities include participating in industry conferences and continuing to recruit for various positions across the organization. Riot Platforms, with operations in Texas and Colorado, emphasizes its commitment to positively impacting the sectors and communities it serves. The company's strategy focuses on vertically integrated Bitcoin mining and digital infrastructure. This article is based on a press release statement from Riot Platforms, Inc. https://www.investing.com/news/cryptocurrency-news/riot-platforms-reports-decline-in-bitcoin-production-93CH-3324954

2024-03-05 14:27

SEALSQ Corp (Nasdaq: LAES) announced today the integration of an advanced crypto wallet feature designed to safeguard Bitcoin wallets against potential quantum computing threats. This cutting-edge feature enhances the protection of the 12-word seed phrase, which is critical to the security of any Bitcoin wallet containing 128 bits of entropy. For more information visit: https://www.sealsq.com/about/research-innovation/quantum-proof-cryptography. With the rapid advancement of technology, the crypto community has raised concerns about the future capabilities of quantum computing to decrypt these crucial seed phrases, posing a serious risk to the Bitcoin protocol. Recognizing this potential threat, SEALSQ emphasizes the importance of advancing our understanding and implementation of wallet signature security. This involves engaging in both theoretical research and practical application through the use of browser wallet security extensions. Cryptocurrency transactions are inherently secure thanks to blockchain technology, yet they remain a target for cybercriminals adept at creating schemes to extract wallet key phrases. To counter these efforts, SEALSQ has partnered with its parent company, WISeKey International Holding Ltd. (“WISeKey”) (WIHN, NASDAQ: WKEY) to develop a proof-of-technology for a crypto wallet on the Hedera blockchain. This collaboration aims to bolster user convenience by merging Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) signatures with biometric authentication, thereby eliminating the reliance on manually managed seed phrases. The proof-of-technology initiative will investigate the integration of seed phrase generation with WISeKey's Public Key Infrastructure. By aligning seed phrase generation with users' biometric signatures, the need to memorize and manage seed phrases manually will become obsolete, significantly enhancing security and user convenience. WISeKey's Public Key Infrastructure represents a robust authentication framework that combines the strengths of biometric authentication with PKI digital signature technology, providing an unmatched level of security and ease of use.In the rapidly evolving landscape of quantum computing, SEALSQ is at the forefront of innovation with its introduction of post-quantum semiconductors. These cutting-edge chips are designed to significantly enhance security, identification and data processing capabilities, ensuring a leap forward in Artificial Intelligence (AI) performance, security, and efficiency. SEALSQ's portfolio, encompassing semiconductors, secure elements, roots of trust, cryptographic keys, and hardware security modules, demonstrates an unwavering commitment to technological advancement and security. These innovations are essential in an era where the AI divide is increasingly pronounced, and the need for robust, quantum-resistant technologies has never been more critical. The demand for post quantum semiconductors technologies is surging across various sectors, including fintech, defense, space research, and more. This growth is further supported by government initiatives and the contributions of major market players. As the digital landscape evolves, SEALSQ and WISeKey are at the forefront of developing technologies that ensure the security and sovereignty of digital identities and assets. This latest innovation not only addresses current security challenges but also anticipates future threats, ensuring that users' digital assets remain secure in an ever-changing technological environment. For more information on this revolutionary security feature and to download your digital identity, please visit https://www.wiseid.com. https://www.investing.com/news/cryptocurrency-news/sealsq-corp-unveils-crypto-wallet-security-enhancement-432SI-3324886

2024-03-05 14:17

Copyrighted Image by: Reuters Investing.com -- The recent surge in the price of gold has captured the attention of investors. As gold closed at record-breaking highs, many are wondering whether it's still a prudent time to invest in the precious metal. Gold Price Today The spot gold price closed Monday’s session at $2,114 per ounce after touching a high of $2,119. However, that rally has continued so far on Tuesday, with the spot price of the yellow metal currently at $2,127 per ounce, not far off its record high set in December last year. With investors continuing to bet on the Federal Reserve cutting rates in June, the rally could see gold make a new all-time high soon. Gold Price Forecast 2024 When it comes to where the price of gold could head next, HSBC analysts said in a note this week that the gold rally resumed “despite higher yields.” While they believe the yellow metal is “likely to reach new record highs,” they also state it “may be overstretched.” Gold has an ”undercurrent of support from geopolitics and financial market uncertainty,” added HSBC. They also believe physical demand is likely to recede. Elsewhere, Citi analysts said they are medium-term bullion bulls and assign a 25% probability that the yellow metal will average a record $2,300 per ounce in the second half of 2024. ”In a low probability wildcard scenario, nominal gold trading could reach $3,000/oz in the next 12-16m,” they declared. “As listed gold trading flows have shifted from Comex and ETFs to OTC markets and net long positioning remains soft, there is plenty of scope for a medium-term rally after prices consolidate,” added the bank, “Clearly, if the recent topside move sustains for some time, there will be bullish risk to our base case record gold price outlook for cal’24.” Analysts at GoldPriceForecast are more cautious, noting that during election years, the gold average annual return is mixed. UBS analysts provided their outlook for gold in 2024 in a recent note, stating that demand for the yellow metal remains solid despite rates repricing. The bank retained its gold forecasts for the end of June at $2,050 per ounce, the end of 2024 at $2,250 per ounce, and introduced a $2,250 per ounce target for the end of March 2025. "We maintain gold is an attractive standalone investment and can be used as a portfolio hedge against risk events," said UBS. How To Invest in Gold Investing in gold can be approached through various means, each with its own unique characteristics and considerations. Gold ETFs (Exchange-Traded Funds): Gold ETFs offer an easy way to invest in gold price movements without physically owning gold or trading gold futures. These funds are traded on stock exchanges, and their value is linked to the price of gold. Investing in gold ETFs provides liquidity and eliminates the need for storing physical gold. Physical Gold: Acquiring physical gold in the form of coins, bars, or bullion offers investors the advantage of owning a tangible asset. However, it involves considerations such as storage, insurance, and security. Gold Futures: To participate in the gold market, investors can trade futures contracts. These contracts require the buyer to purchase a specific amount of gold at a predetermined price on a future date. However, it is important to remember that futures trading requires knowledge of the market and is generally more suitable for experienced investors. Gold Mining Stocks: Another way to invest in gold is via investing in gold mining companies. Buying the shares of gold mining companies means that through ownership of companies involved in gold exploration, extraction, and production, you will gain exposure to the gold market. However, be aware that the performance of these stocks is impacted by factors beyond just the price of gold. https://www.investing.com/news/commodities-news/gold-hits-record-highs-is-it-too-late-to-invest-3324854

2024-03-05 13:23

Copyrighted Image by: Shutterstock Investing.com -- Shares in business analytics group MicroStrategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) dipped in premarket U.S. trading on Tuesday, leading declines in other crypto-linked names. Virginia-based MicroStrategy, the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin, had earlier announced that it intends to use the proceeds from a sale of $600 million in convertible senior notes to purchase more of the token. Elsewhere, crypto miners Marathon Digital Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:MARA), Riot Platforms (NASDAQ:RIOT) and CleanSpark Inc (NASDAQ:CLSK) all edged lower prior to the opening bell in New York. Bitcoin, the world’s most popular cryptocurrency, had gained 3.8% to $67,600 by 08:13 ET (13:13 GMT). The digital asset had pulled back slightly from a surge in Asian trading that had seen its price hit an over two-year high of $68,450.9 and inch within touching distance of an all-time peak of $68,999. Bitcoin has been recently supported chiefly by steady capital inflows into the token following the approval of several U.S. exchange-traded funds that directly track its price. https://www.investing.com/news/cryptocurrency-news/microstrategy-cryptolinked-stocks-dip-premarket-3324636

2024-03-05 10:03

Copyrighted Image by: Reuters Investing.com -- Investors are largely approaching the cryptocurrency industry as either "strategic builders" or "bystanders" during a recent rally in Bitcoin, according to analysts at Bernstein. Bitcoin, the world's most popular digital asset, has surged by more than 400% from lows notched in 2022, and is now within spitting distance of an all-time high of $68,999. Still, trading volumes have been relatively subdued, in a potential indication that trust in cryptocurrencies has been dented by a string of high-profile frauds and bankruptcies. The gains have instead been driven chiefly by steady capital inflows into Bitcoin following the approval of several U.S. exchange-traded funds that directly track its price. Data from digital asset manager CoinShares showed Bitcoin-linked investment products saw a fifth straight week of capital inflows in the week to March 4, a total of $1.7 billion. While short positions on the token increased, U.S.-listed ETFs tracking Bitcoin, particularly offerings from BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) and Fidelity, commanded the lion’s share of inflows. In a note to clients, the Bernstein analysts said that these firms are building their exposure to cryptocurrencies "strategically" as they chase "what is set to be the fastest growing" niche in asset management. But the majority of traditional equity managers, the Bernstein analysts noted, are choosing to "watch on the sidelines." They argued that these investors should correct what they called an "abysmal allocation" to crypto-exposed stocks like Bitcoin miners CleanSpark (NASDAQ:CLSK) and Riot Platforms (NASDAQ:RIOT). "The opportunity in crypto lies in this adoption curve," the analysts said. https://www.investing.com/news/cryptocurrency-news/crypto-investors-split-between-strategic-builders-and-bystanders--bernstein-3324188