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This week's edition of The Protocol newsletter from CoinDesk highlights several pivotal developments in the cryptocurrency and blockchain technology sectors. President-elect Donald Trump has made notable appointments to his administration, focusing on integrating blockchain and decentralized finance into the U.S. economy. These include Stephen Miran as Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, Bo Hines to lead the Crypto Council, and David Sacks as AI and Crypto Czar, indicating a significant policy shift towards digital assets. Meanwhile, Aptos Labs announced a leadership transition with Mo Shaikh stepping down as CEO, succeeded by Avery Ching, as the company continues to expand its ecosystem with support from major partners. Sonic, a Layer 2 solution on Solana, is set to airdrop tokens to TikTok users, aiming to introduce DeFi to a broader audience. Kraken's layer-2 network, Ink, has launched earlier than anticipated, enhancing Ethereum's capabilities. Additionally, Avalon Labs raised $10 million to further develop its Bitcoin-backed stablecoin, showcasing the growing interest in Bitcoin-collateralized financial products. These developments underscore the dynamic evolution of the crypto landscape, with significant implications for policy, technology, and market adoption.
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BlackRock Inc., the world's largest money manager, is navigating significant political challenges as the GOP prepares to take control of Washington. The firm recently withdrew from the Net Zero Asset Managers initiative (NZAM), a UN-supported climate group, following similar moves by other Wall Street banks. This decision comes amidst accusations from Republicans of promoting "woke" investing through environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards, and concerns from Democrats about the systemic risks posed by BlackRock's extensive influence. Additionally, BlackRock is in a dispute with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) regarding its holdings in US banks, with a resolution now postponed into the Trump administration's early days. The company has also been mentioned in a House Judiciary Committee report, which criticized financial firms for allegedly colluding to enforce ESG goals on American companies. These political and regulatory pressures are set to influence BlackRock's operations as it reports its fourth-quarter earnings.
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The article discusses the challenges President-elect Donald Trump faces in fulfilling campaign promises as he transitions into office. Key issues like inflation, particularly grocery prices, have proven more complex than anticipated. Trump's initial promises of quick fixes, such as reducing food prices, have been met with the reality of supply chain issues and other economic factors. Similarly, Elon Musk, who was tasked with cutting the US budget by $2 trillion, has now moderated his expectations, acknowledging the difficulty in achieving such drastic reductions without affecting social safety nets. Immigration policy, another campaign focal point, is also seeing adjustments with Trump preparing the public for a slower implementation of mass deportations due to resource constraints. On the energy front, while Trump plans aggressive moves to boost production, experts doubt these will lead to the promised halving of energy prices. Additionally, Trump's foreign policy promises, like ending the Ukraine war with a single phone call, face significant hurdles, with ongoing diplomatic efforts showing limited progress. The article highlights the gap between campaign rhetoric and the practicalities of governance.
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Quantum computing stocks have recently faced a dramatic downturn following comments from Nvidia's CEO, Jensen Huang, who suggested that practical applications for quantum computing are still more than a decade away. This led to a significant drop in stock values for companies like D-Wave Quantum Inc., Quantum Computing Inc., and Rigetti Computing Inc., although some saw gains in premarket trading. The sector's volatility has been likened to the dot-com bubble, with investors increasingly betting against quantum computing stocks. Despite the current lack of profitability and practical applications, there remains a speculative interest in the sector due to its potential to revolutionize industries like drug discovery and encryption. IonQ's CEO, Peter Chapman, remains hopeful, projecting profitability and significant sales by the decade's end. However, the sector's high cash burn rate and low revenue projections for the near future continue to make investors cautious, though some are monitoring for potential future investments.
