Immutable, a leading company in web3 gaming, has announced a strategic partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS), a major cloud computing services provider, to achieve its goal of making Web3 gaming go mainstream. This cooperation is part of the company’s wider vision of making game development safer, easier, and more accessible using blockchain technology.

 

Benefits of the Immutable-Amazon Web Services Collaboration

Through this partnership, Immutable will be able to grow its business further as AWS provides it with a large pipeline of potential gaming studio partnerships worldwide. AWS account managers are encouraged to find gaming studio leads for Immutable. Also, the cloud computing service provider offers up to $100,000 in promotional cloud credits to gaming studios through AWS Activate, and this will allow Immutable to provide cloud service coverage, make deals with studios, and build more interesting games.

For game developers and studios, this collaboration unlocks the combined potential of Immutable’s Web3 gaming platform and AWS’s cloud infrastructure. Developers can build and run games that use blockchain verification and true digital asset ownership—key parts of a viable blockchain gaming model.

As part of the collaboration, Immutable has joined the Amazon ISV Accelerate Program, which helps software partners expand their businesses on AWS. Immutable gets access to expert resources and support to efficiently secure customers and close more deals.

John Kearney, head of startups at Amazon Web Services, Australia, and New Zealand, while commenting on the cooperation, said:

“Today, web3 gaming is one of the fastest growing sub-sectors of the blockchain industry and is already enjoyed by millions of gamers worldwide… AWS is supercharging Immutable’s development by onboarding new game studios and providing them with resources through our flagship AWS Activate startup program and AWS’s ISV Accelerate Program, which give them the tools to accelerate their global launch.”

 

Immutable’s Growth and Future Plans

Immutable’s growth has been substantial as demand for web3 gaming rises. By teaming up with industry leaders like AWS, it will be able to incorporate its solutions into existing game development processes. The company has used AWS services like Amazon EventBridge and AWS Lambda to build a flexible architecture that scales well. This has allowed it to handle more partnered games and improve reliability as its user base grows.

Immutable chose AWS for its security, performance, proximity to users, and ability to scale, and the partnership will significantly move the Web3 gaming ecosystem forward by empowering builders and gamers. Combining blockchain’s ownership features with AWS’s cloud infrastructure unlocks new possibilities.

Looking ahead, Immutable plans to continue investing in its AWS-powered infrastructure to support upcoming offerings. This includes Immutable zkEVM, which will enable Ethereum compatibility and blockchain gaming without needing to learn a new programming language. With AWS’s backing, the company is positioned to help lead the future growth of web3 gaming.

Leading cryptocurrency exchange Gemini has decided to halt its operations in the Netherlands, citing mounting regulatory hurdles imposed by the Dutch central bank De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB).  The move follows the footsteps of Binance, another digital asset trading platform that withdrew from the market earlier this year due to similar regulatory constraints.

In an emailed statement addressed to its Dutch users on September 26, Gemini conveyed its intention to suspend its services in the Netherlands, effective November 17, 2023.

 

Gemini to Exit Netherlands Due to Regulatory Pressure

Gemini explained in the email that the decision was influenced by stringent requirements imposed by the country’s central bank, DNB, on crypto exchanges.

However, the company plans to return to the Dutch market once it achieves full regulatory approval from the appropriate authorities in compliance with the new European law on cryptocurrencies, the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA).

“Gemini continues to be committed to working collaboratively with regulators around the world and is focused on getting our business ready to be fully compliant with the new EU rules on crypto-assets, as set out under the Markets for Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), whereby we hope to be able to offer crypto-asset services to customers based in the Netherlands in the future.”

 

Gemini Users Have until November 17 to Exit the Platform

The New York-based exchange has requested users to start withdrawing their assets on the platform as the exchange will completely shut down operations on November 17.

“We kindly ask you to proceed in emptying your Gemini account and ensuring that you no longer have a balance on your account as of November 17, 2023. We thank you for your support over the years and hope you understand our direction,” wrote the company.

To enable the safe transfer of funds, the company suggested that users move their assets to the local exchange Bitvavo, which is duly registered under the DNB jurisdictions as a crypto exchange.

However, users are not limited to Bitvavo as the exchange has encouraged its Netherlands customers to choose any preferred platform or wallet for the transfer.

 

Crypto Regulatory Landscape in the Netherlands

The Netherlands took the lead among European Union member states by mandating that crypto companies adhere to the 5th Anti-Money Laundering Directive (5AMLD). Under these regulations, Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) had to furnish identifying information about themselves and their customers.

In November 2020, the country required VASPs to gather additional information before finalizing any transactions. This included verifying beneficial ownership and providing proof of ownership of a Bitcoin wallet.

However, in May 2021, the requirement was rescinded. DNB reportedly recognized the necessity of adopting a more risk-based approach to Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance.

The Dutch regulatory landscape for cryptocurrencies became notably rigorous when Binance withdrew its services from the country in July. Binance’s exit was driven by its inability to obtain a VASP license from the DNB, which serves as proof of compliance with the established AML protocols in the country.

Earlier this year, in January, the DNB fined Coinbase for operating in the country without proper authorization from the authorities. The company later obtained approval and became licensed to service its customers in the region legally.

So far, other crypto exchanges such as Crypto.com, BitPay, and eToro are licensed to operate in the country.

The Musée d’Orsay, home to the world’s most extensive collection of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces, has embarked on an innovative journey to engage a broader and younger audience by delving into the world of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and blockchain technology. The move comes after the museum faced challenges in attracting visitors during the uncertainties of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2021, d’Orsay grappled with a decline in attendance as the pandemic imposed lockdowns and restrictions. Guillaume Roux, the museum’s director of development, expressed concerns about the decreasing numbers of French and young visitors.

“French people came less, young people came less. We realized that we would have to fight to gain back visitors we had lost,” he told Decrypt.

 

Musée d’Orsay Joins the Crypto Bandwagon

That same year, the French museum welcomed a new president, Christophe Leribault, who made it his mission to make the Orsay accessible to a broader and younger demographic. He recognized the potential of blockchain and NFTs, which were causing ripples of excitement in the art world, as a means to breathe new life into the institution.

Fast forward nearly two years, and the Musée d’Orsay has announced a groundbreaking partnership with the Tezos Foundation, the brains behind the creation of the Tezos blockchain. The year-long collaboration aims to bring blockchain-backed artwork and digital artists into dialogue with the museum’s vast collections and exhibitions.

To kickstart this partnership, the museum is set to offer on-chain digital souvenirs to visitors attending the forthcoming exhibition, “Van Gogh in Auvers-sur-Oise: The Final Months”, opening on October 3, 2023.

 

The upcoming exhibition will showcase the works of Vincent van Gogh during the last two months of his life, offering a unique glimpse into his creative genius.

According to a Decrypt report, museum visitors and art enthusiasts can purchase two digital souvenirs associated with the exhibition starting next week. The first is an augmented reality piece representing van Gogh’s final palette. At the same time, the second is an original digital artwork inspired by van Gogh, created by Keru, a French blockchain culture project.

These pieces will be minted on the Tezos blockchain, and they come with gamified elements that offer the chance to win prizes, including lifetime passes to the Musée d’Orsay and invitations to its grand opening events. A total of 2,300 NFTs of each variety will be available for €20 (about $21) each.

 

Musée d’Orsay to Invite Blockchain Artists for Work Opportunities

In addition to these digital initiatives, d’Orsay and the Tezos Foundation will collaborate on a series of conferences and educational programs over the next year. The programs aim to introduce museum visitors to emerging technologies, including blockchain.

Furthermore, the museum intends to invite digital artists who work with blockchain to create NFT collections inspired by its permanent collection of art pieces, a venture mirroring the ongoing initiative at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).

Valerie Whitacre, head of art at Trilitech, the London-based adoption hub of Tezos collaborating with Musée d’Orsay, said that the museum’s experimentation with crypto art aligns with its historic role as a collector of artists who often challenged traditional norms.

“There is Something to Gain for Both Worlds. The Musée d’Orsay has a long lineage of collecting artists that traditionalists might not have otherwise accepted. And there is a beautiful sentiment from the team there that experimenting with crypto art, experimenting with how one can engage audiences that are consuming art in a new way, relates to the overall history of the museum,” said Whitacre.

The museum’s director of development, on the other hand, emphasized the importance of adapting to the times, stating:

“Today, it’s not a question of the number of people we can bring to the museum; it’s a question of being a museum that is conscious of its time, a question of being a museum that is speaking to new generations.”

Bybit, one of the world’s leading crypto exchanges, has taken a bold step by introducing Perp Protect, an industry innovation tool poised to reshape the way traders safeguard their investments.

 

The Birth of Bybit Perp Protect

 

Bybit, a platform known for its commitment to providing traders with cutting-edge features, has developed Perp Protect as a response to the challenges faced by crypto traders. Traditional risk management strategies often require complex calculations, manual execution, and deep market knowledge, making them daunting for many traders.

Perp Protect aims to simplify this process by offering an intuitive and automated solution. One of the standout features of Perp Protect is that it is exclusively available on Bybit, setting it apart from other top crypto exchanges. This exclusivity underscores Bybit’s dedication to providing its users with tools and features that are not only innovative but also unavailable elsewhere in the market.

 

Ben Zhou, co-founder and CEO of Bybit, emphasized the importance of providing traders with tools that enhance their experience and mitigate the risks associated with the dynamic crypto market.

 

He stated:

“With Perp Protect, we are proud to offer a solution that brings ease and security to traders of all levels.”

This statement reflects Bybit’s commitment to fostering a safer and more accessible trading environment for its users.

 

Benefits of Perp Protect

 

Bybit noted that traders anticipating market volatility can leverage Perp Protect to secure their positions, giving them a proactive edge in navigating turbulent market conditions. Simply put, this tool empowers traders to stay ahead of the curve and make informed decisions.

Perp Protect operates by automatically acquiring options contracts to hedge both long and short positions. Its primary purpose is to suggest options contracts that protect against adverse price movements, ensuring that traders can safeguard their positions while staying true to their investment strategies.

 

One of the standout features of Perp Protect is its user-friendliness. Using this tool requires just two clicks, making it accessible to traders of all experience levels. Bybit has prioritized user convenience, ensuring that the benefits of Perp Protect can be accessed effortlessly. This is a critical aspect of its appeal, as crypto trading can be complex, and traders appreciate tools that simplify the process.

 

Additionally, Perp Protect’s intelligent algorithm continuously evaluates market conditions to offer optimal downside protection. Importantly, this protection comes at a cost as low as 2% of a user’s initial margin. This cost-effectiveness makes it an attractive option for traders looking to manage their risk without eating into their potential profits.

It is worth mentioning that the launch of Perp Protect comes only days after Bybit announced TradeGPT, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool that combines ChatGPT’s language model with real-time data to provide market insights and user support. This demonstrates Bybit’s dedication to providing traders with a seamless trading experience on its platform.

Bybit, a prominent crypto exchange remains steadfast in its commitment to stay in the United Kingdom with CEO Ben Zhou reiterating that “leaving the UK is not part of our current strategy”.

 

The New Regulatory Landscape in the UK

 

Crypto has been the subject of intense scrutiny by regulatory authorities around the world. The UK is no exception, and its Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has been actively working to establish a regulatory framework for the crypto industry. One notable change on the horizon is the overhaul of rules governing financial promotions, which will take effect from October 8.

 

The FCA’s financial promotions rules will encompass crypto companies, potentially impacting their ability to reach local customers. To promote transparency and protect consumers, these rules necessitate that any company engaging with UK clients must be registered or authorized by the FCA.

The FCA’s new rules include a ban on crypto derivatives and Exchange-Traded Notes (ETNs) for retail consumers. These derivatives and ETNs are known for their high volatility and risk, and the FCA believes that banning them will protect retail investors from potentially catastrophic losses.

The enforcement of these rules has already influenced some companies, including Luno and American payments giant PayPal Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: PYPL) which extended its crypto trading services to the country a few years back to suspend specific crypto operations in the UK. The challenge lies in aligning their operations with the new regulations without compromising their service quality or withdrawing from the market altogether.

 

While this move is seen as a positive step towards reducing the risk of consumer harm, it has also raised concerns within the industry about the potential impact on crypto businesses.

 

Bybit Exchange’s Ongoing Commitment to Stay in the UK

 

Bybit’s initial comment about potentially withdrawing from the UK stirred discussions, but CEO Ben Zhou has since clarified the exchange’s stance. The exchange is determined to navigate these regulatory changes while staying operational in the country.

 

Zhou emphasized the exchange’s proactive engagement with regulators, underlining its efforts to identify the best path forward within the regulatory framework. Zhou stated, “There are still several avenues available for crypto exchanges to achieve compliance with UK regulators in the future, and we are actively exploring all options for this market.”

Bybit’s approach is grounded in cooperation and compliance, seeking to create a harmonious relationship with UK regulators and authorities. Such collaborations can help ensure the exchange’s full compliance with the evolving regulatory landscape.

 

These partnerships and consultations are strategic moves designed to align Bybit’s operations with local expectations and regulatory requirements.

By actively engaging with local businesses and assessing potential collaborations, Bybit aims to secure its position in the UK market and provide UK customers with a compliant and trustworthy platform for their cryptocurrency needs.

In a surprising move, Bitwise, an asset management company based in San Francisco, has decided to withdraw its application for the Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) Market Cap Weight Strategy Exchange-traded fund (ETF) filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) last month.

 

The decision by Bitwise comes as a surprise, especially given the recent optimistic sentiment surrounding Grayscale’s victory against the SEC. BTC had a really good day on Tuesday, surging to over 7% to reach $27,851.82 and breaking above its 200-day simple moving average after a court ruled that the SEC made a mistake by rejecting Grayscale’s request to change its bitcoin trust into an ETF.

 

Bitwise Withdraws Bitcoin ETF Application

 

However, Bitwise has decided to take a step back and reconsider its strategic approach. According to the ETF withdrawal statement released on August 31, the company emphasized the fund’s objective of providing investors with capital appreciation while acknowledging the inherent uncertainty associated with such investments. The US-based asset manager noted that it does not intend to continue the pursuant of the fund.

 

“The Trust no longer intends to seek the effectiveness of the Fund, and no securities of the Fund were sold, or will be sold, pursuant to the above-mentioned Post-Effective Amendment to the Trust’s Registration Statement.”

 

In an interview with Bloomberg on Thursday, Bitwise’s chief investment officer, Matt Hougan, urged the security watchdog to approve all ETFs submitted to its jurisdiction.

 

“If you look back at the history of the SEC’s treatment of ETFs, you can see examples of each, so we have no idea their plans. On behalf of investors, the best outcome is likely to line up multiple ETFs and allow them to launch at once.”

 

Recall that many companies in the United States, including Bitwise, ProShares, WisdomTree, BlackRock, VanEck, and Valkyrie, have applied for ETFs with the SEC, of which Bitwise has pulled the plug on its application. The funds aimed to invest in either BTC  futures contracts or ETH futures contracts, with the choice between the two determined by market capitalization.

 

Before the recent withdrawal, Bitwise had previously collaborated with ProShares to launch another ETF.

 

SEC Rejects Bitwise Bitcoin ETF Application

 

Bitwise was among the early pioneers to submit Bitcoin ETF applications to the SEC. In January 2019, the company proposed a BTC-backed ETF to track the Bitwise Bitcoin Total Return Index, which calculates Bitcoin’s value based on transactions occurring on various exchanges. The asset management firm planned to source market data from multiple crypto exchanges to represent the broader digital asset market. Additionally, Bitwise intended to employ third-party custodians to hold its Bitcoin at the time.

 

However, that same year, the SEC rejected the application due to failure to meet legal prerequisites to prevent market manipulation and other unlawful activities.

 

In that very year, Bitwise published a report about exchange volume, asserting that 95 percent of BTC’s trading volume was counterfeit. The company presented this argument to persuade the SEC to approve the ETF proposal in court. Despite the SEC’s initial rejection in October, the regulator later reconsidered their decision.

 

Meanwhile, the company’s recent ETF withdrawal is not its first. Earlier this year, the asset manager submitted an application for an Ethereum Strategy ETF designed to invest in both front-time and back-time Ethereum futures. However, the firm withdrew the application a week later, marking another twist in their regulatory journey.

 

SEC Delays Decision on ETF Application

 

With the Bitwise ETF application gone, the crypto community is now awaiting the SEC’s decision on the remaining applications by WisdomTree, Invesco Galaxy, Valkyrie, VanEck, and Fidelity.

According to a Coinspeaker report, the financial regulator has been actively reviewing the application since their submission. However, the final decision on the ETFs has been extended. The next deadline for the SEC’s decision is mid-October, but further delays are possible, extending into January or March, April, and May of next year.

The dollar eased after a brief rebound on Thursday as data showing the U.S. labor market remains strong increased chances the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates later this month.

 

Private payrolls surged in June in the biggest rise since February 2022, an ADP National Employment report showed, while the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose moderately last week, the Labor Department said.

 

Later, a survey by the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) showed the U.S. services sector grew faster than expected in June as new orders picked up, adding to data indicating a resilient economy in the face of tighter monetary policy.

 

"This strong data today has a lot more of a 'good news is bad news' type feel to it," said Brian Daingerfield, head of G10 FX strategy at NatWest Markets in Stamford, Connecticut.

 

"Take it together with how equity markets have responded, that gives a clear picture of the dollar today. Call it a risk-off style move, where the Fed is going to be tightening more and that has negative repercussions for risk."

 

Futures markets raised the probability of the Fed hiking interest rates by 25 basis points to 92.4% when policymakers conclude a two-day meeting on July 26, the CME Group's FedWatch Tool showed.

 

The yield on two-year Treasuries rose above 5% to their highest in 16 years, while U.S. stocks tumbled on the outlook that rates will stay higher for longer.

 

The dollar index, measuring the U.S. currency against six others including the euro and Japan's yen, fell 0.23% to 103.13.

 

ISM showed a measure of prices paid by businesses fell to more than a three-year low, suggesting inflation would continue to cool, but Fed officials again signaled higher rates ahead.

 

Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan said she was very concerned "whether inflation will return to target in a sustainable and timely way."

 

The major central banks for the most part are fine-tuning monetary policy, and it is unclear when they will act as they alternate between hiking and pausing interest rates, said Brad Bechtel, global head of FX at Jefferies.

 

"Given all these central banks are more or less in the same place in some way, shape or form, the dollar's going have a hard time" moving too much one way or the other, he said.

 

The dollar slipped 0.37% against the safe-haven Japanese yen to 144.11 as concerns about the global growth outlook, resulting from the aggressive monetary tightening by major central banks, weighed on risk appetite.

 

The pound hit a two-week high against both the euro and dollar as financial markets bet the Bank of England will raise rates to 6.5% early next year, pushing the yield on the two-year UK government bond to its highest since June 2008.

 

"The FX market is taking more of a 'one-dimensional approach' to trading the British disease," said Stephen Gallo, global FX strategist at BMO Capital Markets. "Instead of selling GBP in anticipation of an economic slowdown, it is buying GBP on the basis of interest rate differentials," Gallo said.

 

The Chinese yuan last traded down 0.084% to 7.2548 per dollar in the offshore market, a day after falling about 0.4%.

 

The central bank set a stronger-than-expected midpoint fixing for the fourth straight day this week, which traders believe is an attempt to prevent the yuan from weakening too fast and too far.

Prices have stayed stubbornly high even with mortgage rates near a two-decade peak, and mismatched supply-and-demand dynamics have sent conflicting signals about what comes next.

 

Conventional wisdom suggests that as rates rise, prices will fall. But that hasn't transpired, even after 10 rate hikes from the Federal Reserve, which have influenced the rate on all kinds loan products to march higher, including mortgages.

 

If experts can agree on one thing as it relates to housing, it's that the market has stayed surprisingly tight.

 

The explanation boils down to a unique set of circumstances that have unfolded in a distorted post-COVID world. A wave of people locked themselves into ultra-low mortgage rates, creating an inventory shortage. That's kept prices from falling, even as demand gets slammed by higher mortgage rates.

 

"The housing market is weird right now," LendingTree's senior economist Jacob Channel told Insider. "Relative to where we were during the pandemic, prices will probably stay high for some time compared to recent history."

 

Higher rates aren't just deterring new buyers — they're also scaring sellers from putting their homes on the market. Even if a seller is able to offload at a lofty price, they still have to navigate the tight market as they seek their new home. For many people, leaving a sub-3% mortgage behind and inking one around 7% is a non-starter, even if they get a big windfall from a sale.

 

This population makes up a significant portion of homeowners. Nearly one-quarter are sitting on a mortgage rate of less than 3%, close to the highest amount on record.

 

"A 3% difference on a mortgage is gargantuan," Channel said. "You'd have to buy a house worth tens of thousands of dollars less to pay the same monthly rate. We have a convoluted market where there's not a lot of demand and people aren't actively looking to sell, but prices are still up."

 

Typically, when demand drops, supply goes up and housing becomes more affordable. But that's not what's happened over the last year. The average seller today can still attract about three offers for a listed home, according to data from the NAR.

 

Nadia Evangelou, a senior economist at the National Association of Realtors, confirms there are still more buyers than available homes. Middle-income house hunters — who should make up the largest share of the market — have been hit particularly hard this year, she explained. It all comes back to inventory.

 

"Earners of about $75,000 should be able to buy about half of all listings, but currently they can only buy about 23% of them," Evangelou said. "Especially for those looking for affordable homes, homebuyers are facing a double-whammy of high rates and low supply, which means prices have to go higher."

 

Perhaps the most surprising development in the housing market has come in the form of recent increases in new-home sales and housing starts. Both are encouraging signs that homebuyer activity is headed for a rebound.

 

While existing home sales are down, sales of newly constructed homes jumped 20% year-over-year in May. When it comes to new construction, it's possible for homebuilders to offer buydowns that lower the overall mortgage rate for a buyers, according to Ali Wolf, chief economist for real estate firm Zonda.

 

As for housing starts, the resilience there offers a positive sign that construction is accelerating, having overcome years of difficult supply-chain issues

 

following the pandemic. This is crucial because it could alleviate the inventory shortage and, by extension, help balance out the affordability equation for buyers. Theoretically home prices will fall or at least stabilize as inventory is replenished.

 

"I think there's been such a huge discussion about the lock-in-effect in the housing market and how homeowners don't want to get rid of their low interest rates," Wolf said. However, if they want to move and can get a builder to buy their rate down, all of a sudden that "hurdle goes away," she said.

 

To Channel, there isn't a magic number that interest rates would have to fall to in order for demand to recover to previous levels. While mortgage rates aren't that high on a historical basis, the market is distorted in terms of supply and demand.

 

Channel says it's possible that demand could recover sharply if mortgage rates were to fall to around 5%, but that could also spur another jump in home prices as buyers rush back into the market. Lower rates could also unlock more inventory as homeowners come off the sidelines.

 

"On one hand, more demand puts upward pressure on home prices," he said. "But housing supply has decreased significantly, and that's also because it's become more costly to build and harder to get materials. But now supply chains are better and raw materials are decreasing in price. So we have two possible forces — demand could come back as rates decline, and supply could improve as the building comes back."

 

Evangelou expects mortgage rates to stay above 6% through the end of the year before falling to about 5.6% in 2024. She expects home prices next year will rebound after cooling in the interim, coinciding with declining rates.

 

"We do need more homes on the market," she said. Evangelou expects the supply shortage to continue well into next year as low inventory fuels competition among homebuyers.

 

There's no immediate solution to inventory snags, as a home shortage would take many years to address, and there won't be anything like a 2008-style crash in home prices.

 

"People should just buckle in and expect the market to remain tough in terms of affordability," Channel said.

Asia-Pacific markets largely fell as investors digest the release of private surveys on services activity from the region.Services activity in Japan and China remained in expansion territory for the month while the pace of growth softened.

 

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 fell 0.25% to end its session at 33,338.7 and the Topix slid fractionally to 2,306.03. South Korea's Kospi also lost 0.55% to 2,579 while the Kosdaq rose 0.13% to 891.18. Greater China markets were lower, with the Shanghai Composite down 0.6% and the Shenzhen Component lower by 1%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index fell 1.63% while the Hang Seng Tech index also traded 1.87% lower.

 

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.35% to close at 7,253.6 after the Reserve Bank of Australia held rates at 4.1% on Tuesday. U.S. markets were closed for the Independence Day holiday, but U.S. futures were all lower ahead of Wednesday's session. Traders will be watching closely for minutes from the Federal Reserve's June meeting, after Chairman Jerome Powell said last month to expect more rate hikes ahead.

 

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average were down 0.11, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite futures declined 0.9% and 0.17% respectively. — CNBC's Sarah Min contributed to this report. The music industry is set for a radical shift due in part to generative AI, according to Goldman Sachs, which described the new technology as providing "significant opportunities" for the sector.

 

It named five buy-rated stocks to play the trend. All of the stocks are on its conviction list of top stocks. China's service sector activity remained in positive territory for a sixth straight month, according to a Caixin/S&P Global survey released on Wednesday. The Caixin services purchasing managers index for June came in at 53.9, a slower rate of expansion than the 57.1 recorded in May. The survey said "business activity and new orders both expanded at notably slower rates than seen in May, as some firms reported softer than expected market demand." — Lim Hui Jie

 

The Philippines' headline inflation rate slowed for a fifth straight month to 5.4% in June, down from May's figure of 6.1%. This was also lower than the 5.5% expected by economists polled by Reuters. Core inflation, which strips out volatile prices of food and energy items, surged 7.4% year-on-year, slightly lower than the 7.7% recorded in May. — Lim Hui Jie

 

Services activity in Japan remained in expansion territory in June on strong demand conditions in the economy. The final au Jibun Bank Japan Services purchasing managers' index (PMI) fell from a record high of 55.9 in May to 54 in June, both well above the 50-mark that separates contraction and growth. "The Japanese services economy signaled that demand conditions remained positive during June," Usamah Bhatti, Economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said in a Wednesday release. Both business activity and new business were among the highest in the series history, Bhatti noted. — Jihye Lee

 

Fast Retailing sank Wednesday touched its lowest since June 12 after Uniqlo reported a 3.4% drop in same store sales in its home Japan market in June from a year earlier. Its Tokyo-listed shares declined by as much as 3% in early trade, before paring losses to trade down 2.75% at about 36,660 yen per share. — Clement Tan

 

The U.S. economy has shifted from a "rolling recession" to a "rolling recovery," according to market veteran Ed Yardeni. Speaking to CNBC's "Squawk Box Asia," the president of Yardeni Research said he has upgraded his U.S. GDP forecasts for this year and next as one unique factor was softening the impact of rising interest rates on the U.S. economy. — Ganesh Rao

 

Goldman Sachs is positive on a number of Asian markets right now, despite what it expects to be a "subdued" third quarter of the year. The bank screened for global stocks with improving earnings growth momentum, stable earnings per share revisions, and reasonable valuations. May factory order data is set to release Wednesday after the opening.

 

Economists polled by Dow Jones are anticipating a rise of 0.6%, which would be greater than the 0.4% increase the previous month. — Sarah Min

 

U.S. stock futures were little changed on Tuesday night as Wall Street looks to resume a holiday-shortened week. Markets were closed Tuesday for the Fourth of July holiday. They closed early Monday. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures fell by 31 points or 0.09%. S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures dipped 0.05% and 0.11%, respectively. — Sarah Min

The basic materials sector closely follows economic trends. As fundamental macro factors play such a crucial role in driving the group, one needs a keen eye to identity top investment opportunities among the many chemical, steel, mining and other stocks that make up the sector.

 

TipRanks recognized the 10 best analysts in the basic materials sector who delivered noteworthy returns and whose recommendations outperformed their peers.

 

TipRanks used its Experts Center tool to identify analysts with the highest success rates. In the process, it analyzed every recommendation by analysts in the basic materials sector over the past 10 years. Then, TipRanks' algorithms calculated the statistical significance of each rating, analysts' overall success rate and the average return.

 

Dan Payne tops the list. Payne has an overall success rate of 64%. His best rating was on Birchcliff Energy (TSE:BIR), an intermediate oil and natural gas company. His buy call on BIR stock from Oct. 6, 2020 to Oct. 6, 2021, generated a return of 373%.

 

Leo Mariani is second on the list, with a success rate of 62%. Mariani's top recommendation was Permian Resources (NYSE:PR), an oil and gas company. The analyst generated a whopping profit of 800% through his buy recommendation on PR stock from Oct. 20, 2020 to Oct. 20, 2021.

 

Raymond James analyst John Freeman ranks No. 3 on the list. Freeman has a success rate of 56%. His best recommendation was on Vital Energy (NYSE:VTLE), an oil and gas explorer in the Permian Basin. The analyst generated a return of 738% through a buy recommendation on the stock from Oct. 23, 2020 to Oct. 23, 2021.

 

Poe Fratt bags the fourth spot on the list. The analyst has a 54% overall success rate. Fratt's best recommendation was on Gevo (NASDAQ:GEVO), a company focusing on renewable chemicals and advanced biofuels company. Based on his buy recommendation, the analyst generated a profit of 800% from Aug. 11, 2020 to Aug. 11, 2021.

 

Fifth-place analyst Elvira Scotto has a success rate of 64%. Scotto's best recommendation was Crestwood Equity Partners (NYSE:CEQP), an owner of midstream assets that gathers, processes, stores and transports natural gas, natural gas liquids and crude oil. Based on this pick, the analyst delivered a profit of 437% from March 16, 2020 to March 16, 2021.

 

Taking the sixth position is Vincent Lovaglio. The analyst sports a 66% success rate. Lovaglio's top recommendation was for Comstock Resources (NYSE:CRK), a natural gas producer. Through his buy call on CRK stock, the analyst generated a return of 270% from April 20, 2021 to April 20, 2022.

 

RBC Capital analyst Scott Hanold is seventh on this list, with a success rate of 58%. The analyst's best call was a buy on the shares of Matador Resources (NYSE:MTDR), and oil and gas explorer and producer. The recommendation generated a return of 389% from Oct. 1, 2020 to Oct. 1, 2021.

 

In the eighth position is Michael Harvey of RBC Capital. Harvey has an overall success rate of 55%. The analyst's top recommendation was for Seven Generations Energy, a Canada-based oil and gas company. Through this buy call, the analyst generated a return of 412.1% from March 16, 2020 to March 16, 2021. Seven Generations Energy merged with ARC Resources (TSE:ARX) in 2021.

 

Dalton Baretto ranks ninth on the list. The analyst sports a 52% success rate. His top call was made on Capstone Copper (TSE:CS), a Canada-based copper producer. The buy recommendation generated a return of 800% from May 27, 2020 to May 27, 2021.

 

T J Schultz has the 10th spot on the list, with a success rate of 63%. The analyst's best call has been a buy on shares of Targa Resources (NYSE:TRGP), a provider of midstream services. The recommendation generated a return of 243% from March 16, 2020 to March 16, 2021.

 

Retail investors can leverage TipRanks' Experts Center tool to keep track of the recommendations of top analysts and make informed investment decisions.

Tether Operations Limited, the American tech company powering the most widely used stablecoin Tether (USDT), has joined forces with Bitfinex cryptocurrency exchange to support the development of a privacy-focused operating system (OS) dubbed Qubes OS for personal computers. According to the announcement, the two blockchain powerhouses will offer a public grant of up to $100k in USDT to enable the open-source development of Qubes OS.

 

The Qubes OS has been in operation for a while and attracted the support of notable figures in the society including whistleblower and privacy advocate Edward Snowden. However, it is the financial support from Tether and Bitfinex that could propel the adoption of Qubes OS to mainstream adoption. According to Paolo Ardoino, CTO of Tether and Bitfinex, there is a growing need for privacy and security in the digital age.

 

“Therefore, we are pleased to support the development of Qubes OS, which is a cutting-edge operating system renowned for its iron-clad security. This grant represents our dedication to fostering open-source initiatives that drive innovation and empower individuals to take control of their digital lives,” Ardoino noted. The move comes amid the push by the United States federal government to roll out a digital dollar that is said to have a huge lapse in privacy. Moreover, some of next year’s US presidential candidates are against the adoption of a CBDC in favor of stablecoins.

 

Meanwhile, the Qubes OS team has welcomed the financial grant and noted that it will significantly help in its linear growth. “We greatly welcome the grant that has been gifted by Tether and Bitfinex. Their support of our open-source software development is critical to the continued growth of our operating system, and ensuring it remains the best-in-class secure platform for all users,” said the Qubes OS team.

 

The Tether and Bitfinex team has commended the Qubes OS development team for providing a much-needed security-oriented operating system. According to Tether, the Qubes OS has gained huge popularity among Bitcoiners and freedom enthusiasts lately. Moreover, the Qubes OS can isolate the different tasks and applications within a separate virtual machine called Qubes by leveraging Xen-based virtualization. As a result, Qubes OS users are guaranteed high security while performing sensitive tasks such as financial transactions.

 

According to Micah Lee, Director of Information Security at The Intercept, and advisor to DDoSecrets, the use of Qubes OS gives users the ultimate control they need to perform sensitive operations. Similarly, Let’s Encrypt, a non-profit leading certificate authority, reiterated that Qubes OS is a huge reinvention of software development toward the security of data.

In a recently unearthed video from a 2018 crypto-themed event hosted by Bloomberg and Fidelity, Gary Gensler, the current chairman of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), made statements that contradict his current position on digital assets regulations in the country.

 

The video, which started circulating on Twitter on June 12, shows Gensler addressing institutional investors at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he worked as a professor before joining the SEC in 2021 after he was nominated by President Joe Biden, asserting that four major cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (Ether), Litecoin (LTC) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH) are not securities.

 

At the time, the SEC chairman highlighted that these four digital assets accounted for approximately 75% of the market, emphasizing their exclusion from the securities category. “Over 70% of the crypto market is Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Bitcoin Cash. Why did I name those four? They’re not security. Three-quarters of this market are not securities,” the SEC chair said in the video. Gensler’s remarks in the video have sparked controversy, as the comments contradict his recent suggestions that most cryptocurrencies, aside from BTC, may be considered securities. Although legal experts such as crypto lawyer Preston Byrne have clarified that Gensler’s 2018 comments were made in a personal capacity, the remarks have raised concerns within the crypto industry.

 

Critics argue that his lack of clear guidance on the legality of specific tokens before initiating a “regulation by enforcement strategy” without a clear path for compliance has created uncertainty and frustration among the crypto community. Last week, the market regulator labeled 19 more crypto assets as securities, including Solana (SOL), Polygon (MATIC), Flow (FLOW), and Near (NEAR), making it a total of 68 digital currencies the Commission has identified as security under Gensler’s leadership. However, none of the crypto assets mentioned in the 2018 video have yet made it to the SEC’s list.

 

Is Ethereum a Security or Not?

 

The SEC chair previously indicated that all cryptocurrencies apart from BTC are securities. On that note, the Commission has sued many crypto companies, including Coinbase, Ripple Labs, Binance, Gemini, and Genesis, for violating federal securities laws by selling unregistered securities in America. In April, Patrick McHenry, chairman of the US House Financial Services Committee, requested that Gensler provide a clear answer as to whether Ethereum is a security. Still, the SEC chair failed to answer the question definitively.

 

That same month, another video of Gensler from 2019 emerged before his time at the SEC. In the video, he praised the smart contract platform Algorand for its underlying technology before declaring its native token ALGO security in a lawsuit against the crypto exchange Bittrex.