2024-04-22 10:28:52
Bitcoin halving has taken place. Telegram is preparing for total tokenization. Trust Wallet warned of a vulnerability for iPhone owners. PayPal is stopping its NFT transaction protection program
Bitcoin’s fourth halving happened: commissions rose to record highs, miners are happy
The reward for mining Bitcoins has decreased from 6.25 BTC to 3.125 BTC, which means that the fourth halving in the history of the first cryptocurrency has finally happened. The event took place on Saturday, April 20, at the height of block #840,000.
There were no significant price fluctuations in the Bitcoin exchange rate after the halving. On the weekend, quotes were within $63,000-$64,000. As of Monday, April 22, the BTC cost is $66,400. Experts predict that after the halving, the price may fall to $42,000, and by the end of 2024 will increase again, exceeding the mark of $90,000.
After the halving, commissions on the Bitcoin network soared to record highs. Against this backdrop, miners earned 37,626 BTC ($2.39 million) at block height #840,000. Whale Alert analysts pointed out that one user paid 6.7 BTC ($430,000) as commission, while another paid almost 8 BTC ($511,500).
The subsequent blocks #840 003 and #840 004 accumulated commissions of 16.06 BTC (over $1 million) and 24 BTC (over $1.5 million), respectively.
The average transaction value on the Bitcoin network soared to $240 and then began to decline. According to the Mempool.space service, the current fees are within $10-$13 (as of 04/22/2024).
Let’s recall that halving occurs once every four years (every 210 thousand blocks), after which the reward for miners is divided twice. The initiator of this event is the Bitcoin inventor Satoshi Nakamoto, who programmatically put it in the network. The next halving of the first cryptocurrency will occur in 2028.
A new format for USDT and full tokenization of Telegram: The latest announcements on the TON project
Tether has added support for The Open Network (TON), a blockchain adjacent to the popular messenger Telegram. The new network will issue stablecoins pegged to the dollar (USDT) and gold (XAUT). The stated liquidity is $10 million.
Telegram has already added the tokens of the new format to its cryptocurrency wallet @Wallet. No fees will be charged for TON-based USDT transactions within the messenger, as well as for withdrawing new stablecoins from exchanges to @Wallet until the end of June. Moreover, users can quickly send tokens to their contacts in the app without entering wallet numbers.
Tether’s CEO, Paolo Arduino, first spoke about Tether’s new formats at the “Token 2049” cryptocurrency conference held in Dubai from April 18 to 19. Telegram founder Pavel Durov also spoke at it, announcing the total tokenization of the messenger.
The main innovations:
- Creation of NFT from usernames with the opportunity to buy, sell, and earn up to 95% for owners (5% will be commissioned);
- Tokenization of stickers and emoji;
- Possibility to purchase digital goods from app developers using TON;
- Simplifying the creation of mini-apps and bots for users without programming to increase their popularity on the platform;
- Introducing a tip mechanism to support content creators;
- Accrual of payments in TON for administrators of Telegram channels for advertising.
Toncoin (TON) is in the 9th place in the ranking of cryptocurrencies by capitalization. The asset’s exchange rate is $6.18 as of Monday, April 22.
Trust Wallet found a critical vulnerability in iOS: How to avoid data theft?
The iMessage service, which enables messaging for users of iOS devices, is at risk of a zero-day exploit. This is what a software vulnerability is called, which has no methods of defense against it. The Trust Wallet team reported the threat.
Cyber experts explained that the vulnerability makes it possible for hackers to penetrate the iPhone without using malicious links. They noted that the threat could befall anyone and advised deactivating the messenger until Apple releases an update.
The Trust Wallet team learned about the exploit from the darknet, where an unknown hacker asked for $2 million for data about the threat. They checked the information, and it turned out to be true. Experts warn that by penetrating the device, attackers can steal photos, passwords, documents, and other sensitive data.
PayPal cancels protection of transactions with NFT: Who will be affected?
Payment operator PayPal intends to stop protecting transactions involving the purchase and sale of NFTs over $10,000. The update will take effect on May 20, 2024. From then on, users will not be able to open disputes with claims: “goods not received,” “suspicious transactions,” etc.
Right now, PayPal has a special program that covers the risks of NFT transactions. Buyers can get refunds for falsely advertised items, and sellers can get protection against refunds and unjustified claims.
PayPal attributed the decision to shut down the program to “difficulties obtaining proof of order fulfillment.” Experts commenting on the move say the growing regulatory scrutiny and volatility of NFT prices make this a risky area for traditional financial service providers.
Need to sell Bitcoin for cash?
ObmenAT24 allows you to complete the transaction quickly, securely, and inexpensively. You can apply on the homepage of our website.