@merurial9 9 October 2023 more from that month

ETH Staking Centralization, ThorSwap Turmoil, and the ETF Waiting Game | Crypto Weekly Brew #010 This week's crypto brew focuses on the concerns around the **centralization** of **ETH** **staking**, **ThorSwap** platform halting trade which sparked lots of outcry from the community and further delays on the **crypto** **ETFs**. https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-centralization https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-ethereum-blockchain https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-staking https://thorswap.finance/ https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/cryptocurrency https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-exchange-traded-fund-etf **Rise of Centralization in ETH Staking**

Source: **Rise of Ethereum staking came at cost of higher centralization — JPMorgan** https://cointelegraph.com/news/ethereum-merge-made-network-more-centralized Recent reports from **JP Morgan** have cast a spotlight on **Ethereum's** increasing **centralization** due to a significant surge in staking activities **post-ETH 2.0 launch**. Notably, many of these activities are concentrated within the **Lido platform**, which has raised questions about the trade-off between **decentralization** and the perceived safety and yield that **centralized** platforms offer. https://cointelegraph.com/news/ethereum-merge-made-network-more-centralized https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-ethereum-blockchain https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-centralization https://lido.fi/ https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-decentralization In **bear markets**, **cryptocurrency** users tend to prioritize safety and yield over **decentralization**. However, this inclination towards established platforms challenges fostering healthy competition and building better alternatives. Also, the declining **staking** **yield** from 7.3% to 5.5% impacts the incentive for innovation in the **staking** landscape. https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-bear-market https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/cryptocurrency https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-decentralization https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-staking https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-yield Despite the dominance of platforms like **Lido**, there is a growing need to explore alternative **staking platforms** that can strike a balance between **decentralization**, safety, and **yield**. Comment below if you know of any new platforms that provide **ETH 2.0** **staking**. https://lido.fi/ https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-staking https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-decentralization https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-yield https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-ethereum-blockchain **ThorSwap halts platform**

Source: **THORSwap Halts Platform After Some Trades-Related FTX Hack** https://www.cryptotimes.io/thorswap-halts-platform-after-some-trades-related-ftx-hack/ Continuing with the topic of **DeFi** and **decentralization**/**centralization** is **ThorSwap** over the weekend halted the operation of its platform. This incident raises critical questions about the integrity and security of **decentralized platforms**. It also highlights the challenges of regulating and ensuring compliance in the **DeFi** space. Following consultations with legal experts and law enforcement agencies, **ThorSwap** halted is platform. However, it also raises questions about the effectiveness of such measures when users can still potentially engage with **smart contracts** independently. https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-decentralized-finance-defi https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-decentralization https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-centralization https://thorswap.finance/ https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-smart-contract

Source: **$68,280,864,429 has been lost to hacks, scams, fraud, and other disasters since January 1, 2021.** https://web3isgoinggreat.com/charts/top?sortKey=date The number of security breaches in the **DeFi** space during the **crypto** **bear market** continues to grow. **DeFi** projects and platforms that prioritize security and implement robust auditing processes are likely to gain favor among users. https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-decentralized-finance-defi https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/cryptocurrency https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-bear-market **The Bitcoin ETF Approval Saga**

Source: **Ex-BlackRock Director Says SEC Will Approve a Bitcoin ETF in '3 to 6 Months'** https://decrypt.co/200129/ex-blackrock-director-says-sec-will-approve-bitcoin-etf-3-6-months/ A former BlackRock executive has made a bold prediction that all **Bitcoin** **ETFs** will be approved in the next three to six months. This anticipation raises questions about the potential market impact of such approvals, considering regulatory approaches and the desire to avoid providing a first-mover advantage. https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-bitcoin https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-exchange-traded-fund-etf

Source: **Should Low Ethereum Futures ETF Trading Volumes Be a Cause for Concern?** https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/02/ether-futures-etfs-debut-as-sec-mulls-next-steps-on-bitcoin-fund.html While the spotlight is often on **Bitcoin** **ETFs**, there is also an emerging market for **Ethereum** **Futures** **ETFs**, but the early indications, revealed low trading volumes and demand for such financial instruments. As the **crypto** **ETF** saga continues to unfold, market sentiment will play a crucial role in determining whether a flood of retail and institutional money will flow back into **crypto**. Positive sentiment regarding ETF approvals can drive market the market forward into 2024 and it will be an interesting narrative to watch especially considering that 2024 will have other key events like **Bitcoins** **halving** and the US elections. https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-bitcoin https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-exchange-traded-fund-etf https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-ethereum-blockchain https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-futures https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/cryptocurrency https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-halving

The **crypto** landscape is experiencing significant shifts and challenges, from concerns of **centralization** in **staking** to security breaches in **DeFi** and the potential impact of **ETFs** on the market. Regulatory decisions and market dynamics are set to sculpt its trajectory in the coming months and, potentially years. https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/cryptocurrency https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-centralization https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-staking https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-decentralized-finance-defi https://leofinance.io/@leoglossary/leoglossary-exchange-traded-fund-etf Thank you for reading and hope you have a good rest of the day! Follow me on these other platforms where I also post my content: **Publish0x** || **Hive** || **Read.Cash** || **Noise.App** || **Twitter**|| **Torum** https://www.publish0x.com/@aftershock9?a=Vyb82ANmev https://hive.blog/@mercurial9 https://read.cash/@merurial9 https://noise.app/mercurial9 https://twitter.com/minimalistpixel https://www.torum.com/u/mercurial9