LensLinks: Issue 57

A blockchain news roundup, brought to you by Regiment LLC

Author

Len Pacek
December 22, 2022

Today in LensLinks:

  • Global Drug Conspiracy Used Binance to Launder Millions in Crypto (DEA)

  • Check Out Our New Feature Section "Retro" - When Bitcoin was under $100

  • Under the Christmas tree: The best crypto gifts this holiday season

  • 101: DeFi for Dummies

  • 19 Music Metaverse Moments from 2022

  • SBF is Coming Back to the US

  • NFT Outlook for 2023

  • Crypto Trading 101: Corporate Structuring for Digital Asset Traders

  • And Much, Much, More...

QUOTABLE...

"This is actually an example of where the transparency of blockchain transactions works against criminal actors."

- Matthew Price, senior director of investigations at Binance

"We finally kicked #ethereum off our marketplace. 11.6m humans safer. Integrity over revenue.

- Paxful CEO Ray Youssef

NOTABLE...

Global Drug Conspiracy Used Binance To Launder Millions In Crypto, DEA Investigation Finds

Mexican drug gangs are still dabbling in cryptocurrencies, says Binance, as it helps the DEA investigate as much as $50 million in suspect transactions.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2022/12/19/mexican-drug-gang-money-laundering-over-binance-crypto-exchange/?sh=4c3e65d854a5

A methamphetamine and cocaine gang operating across the U.S., Mexico, Europe and Australia used the world’s biggest cryptocurrency exchange Binance to launder tens of millions in drug proceeds, according to an ongoing investigation by the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Between $15 and $40 million in illicit proceeds may have been funneled through Binance, the DEA alleged.

 Metaverse & Gaming

19 moments from music's exploration of the metaverse in 2022 - Music Ally

Today's topic is music and the metaverse. online games and virtual worlds, virtual reality, augmented reality, avatar artists and more.

https://musically.com/2022/12/21/moments-music-metaverse-2022/

It’s that time of year again! We’ve exhausted our recurring joke ‘it’s that time of year again’ listicle intros! We’re not even sure people realise it’s a recurring joke, so may just think we’re being weird! But nevertheless, Music Ally is concluding our series of 2022 recap posts.

Today’s topic is music and the metaverse. We’ll make it clear upfront that we’re using the widest, loosest definition of the term: online games and virtual worlds, virtual reality, augmented reality, avatar artists… The whole shebang. Apologies to any metaverse purists reading.

This is a collection of moments, some fleeting, others spanning several different stories over the course of the year (sorry ‘moment’ purists!) that illustrate a certain point. We hope it sparks your own thoughts about how music is going to fit into these digital environments.

 Blockchain, Tokens & DeFi

FTX founder to return to US | LinkedIn

Sam Bankman-Fried has agreed to be extradited to the U.S. Wednesday, where he faces multiple charges over the collapse of his FTX crypto exchange.

https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/ftx-founder-to-return-to-us-5518628/

Sam Bankman-Fried is expected to return to the U.S. Wednesday, after he agreed to sign extradition papers. His lawyers are said to be working with federal prosecutors to negotiate a deal that may permit the FTX founder to be released on bail once back in the States, reports The New York Times. The disgraced crypto mogul, who is accused of swindling $8 billion from customers of his crypto exchange, was arrested at his luxury apartment complex in the Bahamas last week. He faces multiple criminal charges, including wire fraud, securities fraud, money laundering and a campaign finance violation.

Crypto Trading

Crypto Trading Platform Paxful Delists Ethereum In 'Integrity' Move: CEO

Paxful CEO Ray Youssef said Ethereum is being removed from the trading platform due to its shift to proof-of-stake and lack of decentralization.

https://bitcoinmagazine.com/business/crypto-platform-paxful-delists-ethereum

Metaverse & Gaming - A Little More...

The Sandbox sells $1.66M of virtual land for its metaverse

The Sandbox has sold more than $1.66 million worth of virtual land across the map of its metaverse in the past few weeks.

https://venturebeat.com/games/the-sandbox-sells-1-66m-of-virtual-land-for-its-metaverse/

Inside Bored Ape Yacht Club's Plans to Master the Metaverse

Bored Ape Yacht Club founders Wylie Aranow and Greg Solano talk to CNET about how they conquered NFTs -- and what comes next.

https://www.cnet.com/culture/features/inside-bored-ape-yacht-clubs-plans-to-master-the-metaverse/

EU sends Microsoft rivals 91-page questionnaire on Activision Blizzard acquisition | Game World Observer

The European Commission wants to hear what rivals think about Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Through a large questionnaire, antitrust regulators plan to find out how this deal could affect the games market.

https://gameworldobserver.com/2022/12/21/eu-microsoft-rivals-questionnaire-on-activision-blizzard-deal

Blockchain, Tokens & Defi - A Little More...

Under the Christmas tree: The best crypto gifts this holiday season

What to put under the Christmas tree for the cryptocurrency enthusiast in the family.

https://cointelegraph.com/news/under-the-christmas-tree-the-best-crypto-gifts-this-holiday-season

Brand Loyalty and DeFi Will Propel NFTs in 2023, Experts Say

With the 2021 NFT hype cycle firmly in the rearview mirror, experts believe that NFTs will power consumer brand engagement in 2023.

https://beincrypto.com/brand-loyalty-and-defi-will-propel-nfts-in-2023-experts-say/

DeFi for Dummies – A Simple Guide To Decentralized Finance

A couple of years ago all I thought about getting rich on crypto was this — you ape all your

https://blockzeit.com/defi-for-dummies-a-simple-guide-to-decentralized-finance/

Crypto Trading - A Little More...

Washington Needs a Crypto Rethink

The spectacular demise of Sam Bankman-Fried and his trading platform should change the debate about the regulation of digital assets.

https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/washington-needs-a-crypto-rethink

Crypto Trading 101: Corporate Structuring for Digital Asset Traders

Digital asset investment among Proprietary Trading firms, family offices, and asset managers peaked in the fall of 2021, dipped a bit in the summer…

https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=60eb7a8b-987d-41db-a399-9ae98306ee77

Industry Retro (How far we have come)

ESG (Environment, Social & Governance)

Should ESG Investors Own Cryptocurrency? | Morgan Stanley

The growing popularity of cryptocurrency has created a new wrinkle for investors—how to balance the potential benefits against the environmental impact and other ESG concerns.

https://www.morganstanley.com/ideas/esg-cryptocurrency-pros-cons

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Disclaimer: This note is distributed by Regiment, LLC for informational purposes only and is sourced from publicly available media reports. It is not an investment recommendation or solicitation for any investment. The information is current as of date and subject to change. In such case Regiment, LLC does not undertake to provide any updates. Recipients must be aware that any private, alternative investments discussed are speculative in nature, often illiquid, and subject to loss of capital.