Daily Digest - 16 January 2023

Headlines

▌SBF Response: Most of what the former president of FTX US said is not true, and I don’t want to argue with him publicly

In response to the tweet issued by the former president of FTX US, Brett Harrison, SBF stated that Brett is a great developer and has a deep understanding of FTX products, and also said, “While I vehemently disagree with most of what he said, I do not wish to engage in a public argument with him, nor do I believe I am qualified to publicly accuse him of his job performance unless he authorizes me to do so. I feel sorry for what happened to all FTX employees and wish him all the best.” According to previous reports, Brett Harrison, the former president of FTX US, tweeted that during his tenure at FTX US, he worked with the "emotionally unstable" SBF, and his relationship with SBF and its deputies had completely deteriorated. The dispute lasted for months.

Policy

▌Chairman of the US Digital Assets Subcommittee: Hope to create a legal regulatory framework for digital assets

French Hill, Chairman of the Digital Assets Subcommittee established by the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee, said, “We hope to create a legal regulatory framework for digital assets. From an innovation perspective, this will make the United States a leader while also protecting consumers.” It was previously reported that the new US House of Representatives Financial Services Committee was established, including the newly established digital asset-related subcommittee.

Cryptocurrency

▌NFT sales will drop by 59% in the second week of 2023

Compared with 7 days ago, NFT sales have dropped significantly, and NFT sales this week have dropped by 59.35%. Over the past seven days, NFT sales amounted to $208.68 million, of which $157.20 came from the Ethereum blockchain. The best-selling NFT collection last week was Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), with sales of $16.69 million, accounting for 7.998% of the week’s $208 million in sales.

▌Survey: Hungarians are interested in the investment potential of cryptocurrencies

A survey shows that Hungarians want to know more about the long-term investment opportunities brought by cryptocurrencies. However, associated risks and insufficient information in native languages are major concerns. Most Hungarians believe that crypto investing is still riskier than average. The study's authors found that 86 percent of participants had never used cryptocurrencies, while 4 percent were considered occasional users. About 3% see crypto assets as a source of additional income, and 1% see crypto assets as their main source of income. The survey also revealed that even Hungarians who stay away from crypto assets know about Bitcoin. Among cryptocurrency traders, 61 percent said they would prefer to buy bitcoin, followed by investors in Ethereum, which accounted for 45 percent of the sample.

▌Over 800 Victims of BitConnect Crypto Ponzi Scheme To Receive $17,000,000 in Restitution, According to U.S. DOJ

More than 800 victims of the collapsed BitConnect crypto Ponzi scheme are set to receive $17 million in restitution, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. A federal district court in San Diego ordered the restitution on Thursday, which will be distributed to victims across more than 40 countries.