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Block gained $207M on its Bitcoin Holdings and Ethereum Spot-Exchange Traded Fund

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In its fourth-quarter earnings report released recently, fintech company Block reported a remarkable remeasurement gain of $207 million on its bitcoin holdings. As of December 31, 2023, Block held approximately 8,038 BTC for investment purposes with a fair value of $340 million.

The company’s earnings report highlighted a significant increase in bitcoin revenue, totaling $2.52 billion, representing a 37% year-over-year rise. This growth was driven by both an increase in the average market price of bitcoin and the price appreciation of Block’s bitcoin inventory during the quarter.

Block’s subsidiary, Cash App, played a crucial role in these gains. The platform generated a gross profit of $66 million on bitcoin sales last quarter, representing an impressive 90% increase year over year. The total sale amount of bitcoin sold to customers—which Block recognizes as bitcoin revenue—was $2.52 billion.

Shares of Block (NASDAQ: SQ) surged by 13% in after-hours trading, reaching $76. Overall, Block reported that its gross profit grew by 22% yearly, reaching an impressive total of $2.03 billion. Square, another subsidiary of Block, generated a gross profit of $828 million (up 18% year over year), while Cash App contributed $1.18 billion (up 25% year over year) to the company’s overall performance. In summary, Block’s strategic investment in bitcoin has paid off significantly, positioning the company as a major player in the cryptocurrency space.

Ether spot-exchange traded funds (ETFs) may increase institutional investment and power the world’s most-used blockchain, but they are unlikely to create euphoric price surges, according to some market observers. While interest in ether bets has risen significantly, an ETF could create sustained growth rather than explosive growth in the ether market.

Last week, Ethereum’s native token crossed the $3,000 mark for the first time since April 2022, rising 15% in a week and beating bitcoin’s relatively modest 8% rally in the same period. Crypto circles on social application X expect such price action to continue after the expected issuance of ether ETFs later this year. The narrative is that these inflows could later find their way to the broader Ethereum ecosystem.

However, some believe an ETF could create sustained, rather than explosive, growth in the ether market. Jag Kooners, head of derivatives at Bitfinex, stated that “Ethereum ETFs won’t cause bubbles.” He further explained that institutional investment through an ETF could stabilize the Ethereum market, similar to what has been observed with bitcoin and gold ETFs, fostering sustained growth.

Kooners also highlighted that Ethereum’s Layer 2 solutions which enhance scalability by enabling faster, cheaper transactions outside the main blockchain, play a role in fostering growth. Unlike bitcoin’s security focus, Ethereum’s L2 solutions prioritize rapid expansion, potentially attracting institutional investment and broadening application scope.

Bitcoin’s status as a macroeconomic asset has made it increasingly sensitive to global economic developments. As institutional participation in Bitcoin grows, adverse macro events can impact its price significantly.

Recently, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell expressed concern about high inflation, leading to expectations of faster stimulus unwinding. Additionally, Evergrande’s debt crisis and IMF warnings have added to market jitters. In contrast, Ethereum’s deflationary asset credentials and its transition to ETH 2.0 have helped it remain relatively resilient.

However, it’s important to note that an ether ETF still faces regulatory headwinds. The classification of ether as a security or commodity remains a key hurdle despite ongoing regulatory discussions. Some traditional finance firms estimate a 50% chance of an ether ETF approval by May 2024 with ether considered the “only digital asset other than bitcoin” to get spot ETF approval in the U.S. Several companies have submitted applications.

Essence of Well-structured Crypto whitepapers

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A product whitepaper is a document that provides detailed information about a product, its features, benefits, and use cases. It is usually written for a technical audience, such as developers, engineers, or IT professionals, who want to learn more about how the product works and how it can solve their problems.

Crypto whitepaper is crucial for anyone interested in investing in cryptocurrency projects. These documents provide essential insights into the fundamentals of crypto or blockchain-based projects, helping readers make informed decisions. Let’s break down the key components of a crypto whitepaper:

A well-structured product whitepaper should have the following elements:

A catchy title that summarizes the main value proposition of the product and attracts the reader’s attention. An introduction that explains the purpose and scope of the whitepaper, the target audience, and the main problem or challenge that the product addresses.

A background section that provides relevant context and background information about the problem or challenge, such as industry trends, market research, customer pain points, or existing solutions. Here, the project outlines the specific issue or issues it plans to address. It’s essential to understand what problem the project aims to solve and why it matters.

A solution section that describes how the product solves the problem or challenge, highlighting its key features, advantages, and differentiators. This section should also include diagrams, screenshots, or examples to illustrate how the product works and how it can be integrated or deployed.

The heart of the whitepaper lies in its proposed solution. This section explains how the project intends to address the identified problem. It covers technical details, architecture, and innovative features.

Understanding how tokens will be distributed and allocated is crucial for investors. Whitepapers should provide clear details on token distribution, vesting periods, lock-up periods, and any other relevant information.

A well-structured whitepaper includes a roadmap that outlines key milestones and development phases. Investors can evaluate whether the project has a clear plan for execution. Information about the team behind the project is essential. Whitepapers typically introduce key team members, their expertise, and their roles in achieving project goals. While not always explicitly stated in every whitepaper, legal considerations are crucial.

Crypto whitepapers often contain technical information about the project, including underlying blockchain architecture, consensus algorithms (such as Proof of Work or Proof of Stake), data structures, and cryptographic protocols. These aspects help readers assess feasibility, scalability, security, and innovation.

A conclusion that summarizes the main points of the whitepaper, reiterates the value proposition of the product, and provides a clear call to action for the reader, such as requesting a demo, signing up for a trial, or contacting a sales representative. A reference section that lists the sources of information used in the whitepaper, such as research papers, articles, reports, or testimonials.

A well-structured product whitepaper can help you showcase your product’s capabilities and benefits, educate your potential customers, and generate leads for your business. It can also help you establish your credibility and authority in your industry and differentiate yourself from your competitors.

Therefore, it is important to follow these guidelines and write a clear, concise, and compelling product whitepaper that will engage your readers and persuade them to take action.

Nigeria Says Forex Reforms Yielding Positive Results: Naira Stabilizes Amid Inflows Surge

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In a statement released on Friday, February 23, 2024, the Federal Government of Nigeria disclosed that the country has recorded significant success on its ongoing reforms in the foreign exchange market, highlighting the stabilization of the naira and a surge of inflows into the forex market.

Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, reiterated the government’s commitment to tackling speculators and unscrupulous players undermining the naira.

According to Mohammed, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported a remarkable 66% increase in capital importation into Nigeria during the fourth quarter of 2023 compared to the previous quarter. He also noted that the new reforms had facilitated an inflow of $1.8 billion into the foreign exchange market in the previous week alone.

The minister expressed satisfaction with the initial outcomes of these reforms, highlighting the stabilizing effect on the naira and the substantial inflows into the forex market. He quoted the CBN Governor’s acknowledgment of the $1.8 billion inflow as a direct result of the new reforms.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been proactive in initiating comprehensive strategies to enhance liquidity in the forex market,” Mohammed stated. “In addition to unifying rates, the CBN has cleared a significant amount of outstanding Forex obligations and outlined new operational mechanisms for commercial banks, Bureau De Change (BDC) operators, and International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs).”

However, Mohammed also acknowledged the resistance faced by the CBN’s efforts from speculators and other nefarious actors both within and outside the country. He emphasized the government’s determination to address these challenges through the concerted efforts of regulatory and enforcement agencies.

“To tackle this, regulatory and enforcement agencies of government have been working round the clock…to address these efforts at undermining the reforms,” Mohammed stated. “That strategic alliance has led to the intelligence-led identification, investigation, and sanctioning of individuals and organizations involved in illegal activities and sabotage within the forex market.”

Furthermore, he assured Nigerians of the government’s continuous efforts to stabilize the naira and safeguard the economy. He emphasized the need for patience and understanding during these challenging times and reiterated the government’s commitment to bringing relief and prosperity to all citizens.

“Nigerians should rest assured that the government will continue to take further steps to stabilize the naira and safeguard our economy. As the President never fails to emphasize, these headwinds we are facing are only temporary, and, collectively, we will surely overcome,” he said.

As part of its efforts to stabilize the naira, the government has also announced a clampdown on cryptocurrency exchanges operating in Nigeria. This includes the banning of popular platforms such as Binance and Coinbase. The move comes as part of broader measures aimed at curbing illicit financial activities and ensuring the stability of the Nigerian financial system.

The government cited concerns over the use of cryptocurrencies for illegal activities such as money laundering, fraud, and terrorism financing. Additionally, it expressed reservations about the lack of regulation and oversight in the cryptocurrency market, which could pose risks to investors and the broader economy.

In light of these concerns, the government has directed relevant regulatory bodies to take strict enforcement actions against cryptocurrency exchanges operating in the country. This includes the freezing of assets, the suspension of operations, and the prosecution of individuals involved in facilitating illegal activities through these platforms.

Although economic experts have warned about the potential implication of that move, the clampdown on cryptocurrency exchanges is expected to further bolster the government’s efforts to maintain stability in the forex market and safeguard the integrity of the naira. The government aims to create a more transparent, secure, and resilient financial environment by addressing loopholes in the financial system and cracking down on illicit financial activities.

Mohammed said ‘’The President and his team are and will remain resolutely committed and focused on the task of bringing immediate relief and enduring prosperity to all Nigerians.’’

The naira closed at N1571.31 against the dollar in the official market (NAFEM) on Thursday and traded at N1,750 per dollar during intraday in the parallel market on Friday.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai Underscores the Significant Role of AI in Defense Against Cyber Threats

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CEO of Google

In a dynamic digital landscape rife with evolving cybersecurity threats, the CEO of Google Sundar Pichai has underscored the significant role that Artificial Intelligence (AI) can play in defense against cybersecurity threats.

Amid growing concerns about the potentially nefarious uses of AI, Pichai said that the tool could help governments and companies speed up the detection of and response to threats from hostile actors.

In his words,

We are right to be worried about the impact on cybersecurity. But AI, I think actually, counterintuitively, strengthens our defense in cybersecurity”.

However, Pichai said that Al was also lowering the time needed for defenders to detect attacks and react against them. He said this would reduce what is known as the defenders’ dilemma, whereby cyber hackers have to be successful just once in a system whereas a defender has to be successful every time in order to protect it.

AI disproportionately helps the people defending because you’re getting a tool which can impact it at scale versus the people who are trying to exploit. So, in some ways, we are winning the race”, he said.

With the revolution of AI, the use of technology to combat cybersecurity threats has become crucial as reports forecasted Cybercrime to cost the world $8 trillion in 2023.

Cybersecurity Ventures predicts that global cybercrime damage costs will grow by 15 percent over the next three years, reaching $10.5 trillion annually by 2025, up from $3 trillion in 2015.

Cybercrime is impacting businesses of all sizes and any business that wants to ensure its uptime, to ensure its reputation, and the safety of its employee and customer data, has a responsibility to invest in cybersecurity and put themselves ahead of disruption.

Cybercrime costs include damage and destruction of data, stolen money, lost productivity, theft of intellectual property, theft of personal and financial data, embezzlement, fraud, post-attack disruption to the normal course of business, forensic investigation, restoration and deletion of hacked data and systems, and reputational harm.

To counteract these increasing cyber threats, countries have been developing strong cybersecurity programs and enacting legislation aimed at tackling cybercrime and protecting themselves from digital dangers.

In addition to this, the private sector has been at the forefront of developing innovative cybersecurity solutions ranging from antivirus programs to dedicated fraud prevention software.

In line with this, tech giant Google has launched a new AI Cyber Defense Initiative to strengthen digital security. Through the AI tool, Google is continuing its investment in an AI-ready infrastructure, releasing new tools for defenders, and launching new research and AI security training.

The company’s CEO Pichar said the tools were already being put to use in the company’s products such as Chrome, and Gmail, as well as internal systems. These commitments are designed to help AI secure, empower, and advance the collective digital future.

Do you know how to grow yourself as a Junior Full Stack Developer?

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One thing I noticed about some of my newer contacts on LinkedIn, particularly from Nigeria, other parts of Africa, and ‘The Global South’, is the rise of this title ‘Junior Full Stack Developer’

I don’t mind having to admit, I find the title a bit perplexing.

9ja Cosmos isn’t my first rodeo. I’ve taken on Product Ownership and PM responsibilities as a senior employee (over 20 years) … I’ve seen things out the door in compliance with PLC (Product Life Cycle),  TL9000 standards, ISO Standards, and a range of PM and Product Development Methodologies, and the employers own Quality Manual.

That requires having overview of the actions of everyone in the mix to get a product out the door.

The concept of a Junior Full Stack Developer seems to me to be a contradiction in terms. Nobody can organically grow expertise uniformly across a tech stack – any tech stack. It’s just not possible.

They are most likely to have made their debut into one part of that tech stack as a point of entry. As they gradually get exposed to other parts of projects, they broaden their knowledge and experience, mostly also driven by their own motivation to do so.

Sometimes work can dry up (or cheapen) in their ‘anchor’ stack element, and they try to squeeze themselves into an element where there is more opportunity (or better pay), through circumstances rather than choice. The grow or die phenomenon.

Over the years, the development of software products has changed drastically, as has the working cultures that surround them.

In the pre-cloud days of developing things like Oracle, SAP, IBMs Informix, Sybase, and other distributed databases, Dev. Teams were closely knitted, and huddled around a centralized physical workspace.

This creates the opportunity for unique and special relationships to build, and those with uncommon knowledge find it hard to distance themselves from someone wanting a place under their wing. Even that grumpy ‘superiority complex’ ‘AH’ noted for poor team spirit, can be persuaded to (grudgingly) part with nuggets and boastfully excrete gems, with the right personal approach.

Modern development in the blockchain era has become very impersonalized. Better technologies have allowed us to make remote working operate seamlessly in ways they never did before. We have great SDKs, brilliant contribution management systems and document control, intuitive ‘version’ management, remote ‘collab’ sandboxes, and we can schedule video calls to and from anywhere on the planet.

While the ‘collab’ tools are many and varied, it has actually got much, much easier to appear to be a team player, while at the same time, keeping a personal distance, and wearing a ‘face mask’ to prevent the contagious spread of expertise and knowhow.

Informal Q&A opportunities for the ‘Imposter Syndrome’ brigade, have all but evaporated.

So how do we really equate the difference between a Junior, Regular, and Senior Full Stack Developer?

If we represent a tech stack as 5 glasses, is it a question of one being 5 glasses 30% full, another with all 60% full, and a third 95%+ full?

My instinct tells me the reality is, all those glasses have more variable completion levels than that, even for those calling themselves ‘senior’, and that many brandishing the (perplexing) title ‘Junior Full Stack Developer’ have little more than a ‘spit’ in some of those glasses as a ruse to say it isn’t empty!

I wondered if I am crazy or at a minimum a little bit ‘out of touch’ to think this way, but when I searched online, I found many eminents  and YouTube videos vindicating my perspective.

In response to a YouTube video entitled ‘Junior Full Stack Developer is not a ‘thing’ ‘

One respondent (Joost Schuur – @joostschuu) said: ‘ I’m a 50 year old developer who has been doing web dev on and off for over 25 years now (yep, that’s possible) and still not comfortable with frontend (but getting better). So many reasons why the term junior (full stack developer) doesn’t make sense :)

But let’s not focus on ‘fault’ or ‘the pretence of the desperate’ because I’m not putting in all this literary effort to be part of a problem, but rather part of a solution.

So, let’s not call you ‘Junior Full Stack Developer’ but instead call you ‘Full Stack Developer (Aspirant, Intern, Trainee…)’, qualifying it at the end in a way that doesn’t imply expertise, is probably more accurate.

What can you do to improve your skill level and value proposition?

Communities. The ill-informed think communities are mindless people with frivolous ‘maxi’ statements, ramp talk, mindless gifs and memes in different platforms. That’s not community. The best communities prioritize ecosystem expansion above visibility (read -noise). Real community walks the walk more, and talks the talks less. Find Communities to be a meaningful part of. 9ja Cosmos for example, has a community on Discord.

GitHub and other visible participation SD repositories. – I get many people exploring opportunities with 9ja Cosmos, but when they understand we are community support right now, they back away, and say, well, when things change, contact me. To be polite, I will say ‘sure’. That won’t ever happen.

We have far too many people we can see on GitHub and have engaged with … Namebase is the lead commercial actor in the Handshake Blockchain space. Discord ‘Falci’ contributed to the update of the GitHub on Bob Wallet, and is now working for Namebase. Nathan Woodburn helped for free with the 9ja Cosmos Wallet, and is working for Namebase. Many examples like this. When we reach the employment juncture, we will look at who contributed meaningfully when they could.

Anybody that comes along later, will be like those who had chance to buy Bitcoin at $100 and then want it for $100 when it’s $50k+… that can’t fly!

This is not necessarily a promo for 9ja Cosmos or the Handshake Blockchain, though getting into ecosystems on GitHub that have less active actors means more visibility and chance to shine.

There are many open HIPs (Handshake Improvement Protocols) with opportunity to contribute and improve your credibility a lot more than wasting your time with technically inept posts on online platforms.

‘Fine Gyal’ or ‘Cool Guy’ pics don’t mean jack. ‘Confirmed’

There are several other ecosystems available on GitHub to be explored.

As said in Nigeria – ‘Comot from dat side’.  ‘Do ting well well.’

DEMONSTRATE ‘Take ur time oh.’

John Mc Keown, Tekedia Fellow, 9ja Cosmos Owner, Handshake Director.

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