It has been a busy day in terms of news, so let us catch you up on the latest and greatest.

Today’s Agenda:

• Market Watch
• Highlights of the Day
  • Ethereum Name Service Integrates .Box Domains
  • Tesla Reports Quarterly Earnings
  • Jupiter Exchange Acquires Ultimate Wallet
• Project of the Day
• Crypto Corner
• ETF & Crypto Scrutiny
• Business & Political Insights 

Market Watch

Top Gainers

• Hedera ($HBAR): +43.9%
• Bonk ($BONK): +39.5%
• dogwifhat ($WIF): +23.7%

Top Losers

• Akash Network ($AKT): -15.0%
• Zebec Protocol ($ZBC): -12.6%
• Stacks ($STX): -4.4%

Trending Crypto Sectors/Categories

• Real World Assets (RWA)
• Solana Meme Coins
• Meme

Total Crypto Market Cap – 2.594 Trillion

Fear and Greed Index – 72

Top NFT Sale

• Ethlizards #2585 Sold for 169 ETH 

Highlights of the Day

Ethereum Name Service Integrates .Box Domains

The Ethereum Name Service (ENS) has integrated .box domain names into its platform, expanding the utility and accessibility of its services. Unlike the existing .eth domains, the new .box domains work similarly to conventional web domains and are compatible with major browsers like Google Chrome and Safari.

Bridging Web2 and Web3

The addition of .box domains allows users to tokenize DNS domains and connect them with crypto-based operations. This means users can use their Ethereum addresses and .box domain names concurrently, enhancing flexibility and simplifying cross-platform interaction. By bridging these two ecosystems, ENS aims to encourage broader adoption of blockchain-based technologies in conventional web environments.

Tesla Reports Quarterly Earnings

Tesla released its first-quarter earnings report for 2024, showing a decline in revenue and missed earnings estimates amid price cuts and slowing demand in the electric vehicle market. The company’s revenue fell by 9% year-over-year, totaling $21.3 billion, compared to analysts’ estimates of $22.15 billion. Net income also dropped significantly, plunging 55% to $1.13 billion from a year earlier. Despite these challenges, the report highlighted that Tesla did not sell any of its over 9,720 bitcoins, indicating a continued commitment to cryptocurrency.

Market Reaction and Outlook

Tesla’s shares have experienced a significant downturn this year, dropping more than 40% due to weak delivery numbers, growing competition, and price reductions. Yet, despite the earnings miss and revenue decline, Tesla’s stock price saw a rebound in after-hours trading, gaining around 10% following the earnings release. This market reaction suggests that investors remain optimistic about Tesla’s long-term prospects, focusing on its innovative technology and strategic approach to emerging markets like cryptocurrency.

Jupiter Exchange Acquires Ultimate Wallet

Jupiter, a leading decentralized exchange (DEX) on Solana, has acquired Ultimate Wallet, along with its mobile team, in a move that has generated significant buzz in the blockchain and cryptocurrency community. This acquisition is part of Jupiter’s broader strategy to increase its footprint in the mobile market and attract millions of new users.

Acquisition and Implications for Users

The acquisition of Ultimate Wallet by Jupiter Exchange comes just weeks before Jupiter’s beta release, scheduled for May 2024. Jupiter expects that integrating Ultimate Wallet’s technology and team will strengthen its focus on Solana and reinforce its commitment to zero-fee swaps. Although Jupiter has promising plans on the horizon, the Ultimate Wallet app will be discontinued on May 22nd, 2024. In the meantime, users can keep using the wallet with confidence, knowing their funds will remain safe.

Project of the Day

Hedera

Hedera ($HBAR) has emerged as a leading enterprise-grade public network for the decentralized economy, providing a reliable platform for decentralized applications (DApps). It addresses some of the common issues with older blockchain platforms, like slow performance and instability, through its fair and efficient design.

In terms of market performance, Hedera has seen notable price movements, with a current market cap exceeding $4.8 billion and a price of around $0.133. This marks an impressive rise, with over 50% gains in just a few days. This surge is largely due to news from financial powerhouse BlackRock, which announced that it would utilize the Hedera Blockchain to tokenize its money market fund, indicating strong confidence in Hedera’s technology.

Looking at a longer time frame, Hedera has also demonstrated strong growth, with a 125% increase in price over the past year. This upward trend suggests a sustained bullish outlook, supported by its focus on efficiency, sustainability, and stability. As Hedera continues to attract enterprise interest and build on its capabilities, it stands poised for further expansion in the blockchain space.

Crazy Day in Crypto

• BRICS members are exploring the use of stablecoins and CBDCs to improve financial cooperation between member countries.
• Standard Chartered has revised its May forecast, suggesting that Ethereum ETF approvals are unlikely this month, while confirming its year-end price targets of $150,000 for Bitcoin and $8,000 for Ethereum.

ETF & Crypto Scrutiny

• Tether has pledged to freeze assets connected to entities sanctioned by OFAC, following reports that Venezuela’s state-owned oil company PDVSA is using USDT to evade oil-related sanctions.
• The SEC delayed its decision on spot Ethereum ETF proposals, setting new deadlines for Franklin Templeton on June 11, 2024, and for Grayscale on June 23, 2024.
• The Blockchain Association is suing the SEC over its broadened definition of “dealer,” claiming it unlawfully targets DeFi projects and users while ignoring crypto community feedback.

Business Talks & Political Insights

• Jane Street Capital has increased its stake in Coinbase, holding over 5% of the company’s stock, a significant jump from less than 2% in December 2023.
• The SEC is pursuing a record $5.3 billion fine against Do Kwon and Terraform Labs for fraud associated with the defunct Terra blockchain.
• The Federal Trade Commission has enacted a final rule that bans noncompete clauses nationwide, aiming to foster competition, raise worker wages, reduce healthcare costs, and encourage innovation and new business creation.
• Tesla is cutting about 2,700 jobs at its Austin, Texas factory, as part of a broader restructuring plan to lower costs and improve productivity.