Sequans shares fell 16% on Tuesday after the chip maker said it sold 970 Bitcoin to redeem half of its $189 million outstanding convertible debt. Shares in Sequans dropped by over 16% after selling 30% of its Bitcoin to redeem half of its convertible debt, a move the semiconductor company described as a “strategic asset reallocation.” “Our Bitcoin treasury strategy and our deep conviction in Bitcoin remain unchanged,” Sequans CEO Georges Karam said on Tuesday. “This transaction was a tactical decision aimed at unlocking shareholder value given current market conditions.” The sale cut the chip developer’s Bitcoin (BTC) stash from 3,234 BTC to 2,264 BTC, backsliding from its goal to accumulate 100,000 BTC over the next five years. Proceeds from the sale were used to cut its outstanding debt from $189 million to $94.5 million. Read more
Need to know what happened in crypto today? Here is the latest news on daily trends and events impacting Bitcoin price, blockchain, DeFi, NFTs, Web3 and crypto regulation. Today in crypto, Binance’s CEO denied claims that the exchange influenced the choice of a Trump-linked stablecoin in a multibillion-dollar deal. The fallout from the Balancer exploit deepened as on-chain data suggested a months-long attack, and Bitcoin’s drop weighed on market sentiment. Richard Teng, CEO of the global cryptocurrency exchange Binance, has reportedly denied allegations that the company played a role in selecting a stablecoin issued by a Trump family-backed crypto business as part of a multibillion-dollar deal. According to a Tuesday CNBC report, Teng said Binance “didn’t partake” in the decision to use USD1, the stablecoin launched by the Trump family’s World Liberty Financial business, for a $2 billion deal with an Abu Dhabi-based company, MGX. Read more
The US-based cryptocurrency exchange applied for a national trust charter in October as part of its plans to “bridge the gap“ with traditional finance. The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) is coming out against cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase’s application for a National Trust Company Charter in the US — a move that could threaten banks’ interests as the company moves closer to traditional finance. In a Monday letter to the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) — the office responsible for approving banking applications — the ICBA said it “strongly opposes” Coinbase’s subsidiary applying for a trust charter. The letter cited “untested” elements related to crypto custody, as well as claims that Coinbase’s arm would “struggle to achieve and maintain profitability during crypto bear markets.” “Imagine opposing a regulated trust charter because you prefer crypto to stay… unregulated,” said Coinbase chief legal officer Paul Grewal in a Tuesday X post. “That’s ICBA’s position. It’s ano...