Biton Daily News (January 23th)

Hot News:

1. 12 U.S. States Push Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Legislation:
   According to statistics, 12 U.S. states are leading the push for strategic Bitcoin reserve legislation: Florida, Alabama, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, Wyoming, Massachusetts, Utah, and Arizona.

2. U.S. Lawmakers Call for Investigation into Trump's Business Ties, Raising Corruption Concerns over Token Issuance:
   Gerry Connolly, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, wrote to the committee’s Republican chairman one day after Trump's new term began, requesting an investigation into the president’s business dealings.
   Maxine Waters, a senior Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, stated:
   "Through his meme coin, Trump has created a way to circumvent national security and anti-corruption laws, enabling relevant parties to transfer funds anonymously to him and his inner circle. Buyers could include major corporations, allied nations forced to show ‘respect’ to the president, and adversary nations who could greatly benefit from influencing Trump’s presidency."
   Waters believes that the token not only compromises Trump’s credibility but also tarnishes the entire crypto industry.

Key Data:

1. RWA Protocol TVL Surges Over 200% YoY to $7.3 Billion, Government Securities Make Up Two-Thirds:
   The total value locked (TVL) of RWA protocols has exceeded $7.3 billion, a year-over-year growth of over 200%. Usual Protocol and Hashnote USYC lead the sector, each with approximately $1.48 billion in TVL.

2. Glassnode: Bitcoin Miners’ Profit Margin Triples Despite Rising Network Difficulty:
   Glassnode data reveals that Bitcoin miners' profit margins have tripled despite increasing network difficulty. According to the Bitcoin Difficulty Regression Model, the cost of mining one BTC is estimated at $33,900.

3. MicroStrategy Hits $10 Billion Daily Trading Volume, Rivals Magnificent 7:
   MicroStrategy (MSTR) recorded a daily trading volume of over $10 billion, comparable to the Magnificent 7 (AAPL, MSFT, AMZN, GOOGL, META, NVDA, TSLA).

Project Updates:

1. Ethereum Core Developer Eric Conner Exits Community:
   Early Ethereum developer Eric Conner announced on X:
   "I am no longer part of the .eth (Ethereum domain) community. Perhaps one day, the leaders will realign with the community, but for now, I am stepping away. Deep down, I genuinely hope Ethereum succeeds. Best of luck."

2. Solana Virtual Machine SOON Raises $22 Million via NFT Sale Before Mainnet Launch:
   Solana Optimistic Network (SOON) raised $22 million through NFT sales ahead of its mainnet launch, led by Hack VC and joined by ABCDE, Hypersphere, SNZ Capital, Anagram, ArkStream Capital, GeekCartel, PAKA, Web3Port, and MH Venture. Unlike other Ethereum Layer 2s, SOON uses the Solana Virtual Machine to speed up transaction settlement.

Other News:

1. Ledger Founder Reportedly Kidnapped, Bitcoin Ransom Demanded:
   Eric Larch, the founder of French cryptocurrency hardware wallet company Ledger, has reportedly been kidnapped, with kidnappers demanding a Bitcoin ransom. French police and the GIGN are investigating in the Vierzon region of France. The incident occurred in the town of Méreau, where Larch owns a manor.

2. Mining Giant Critical Metal Corp Plans Bitcoin Financial Strategy with $500M Fund Pool:
   U.S. mining giant Critical Metal Corp announced plans to allocate its excess reserves to BTC. This decision has been approved by its board of directors. According to the company, it may access a $500 million fund pool as part of convertible note financing led by JBA Asset Management, subject to conditions outlined in transaction documents.