Gate News bot reported that, according to the well-known financial blog ZeroHedge, the number of merchant ships entering the Strait of Hormuz has decreased due to Israel's attack on Iran and increasing signs that the United States may join the attack, causing unrest in the shipping industry.

Trump signs executive order on US strategic BTC reserve, endorsed by AI and encryption directors as well as experts. Experts point out that this action fulfills Trump's commitment and states that the BTC reserve is different from AltCoin, gaining recognition from the US government. This move does not require taxpayer funds and may receive support; Congress may be responsible for purchasing Cryptocurrency in the future.

Cedar Money has completed a $9.9 million seed round financing with an undisclosed valuation. It provides a payment solution that enables seamless cross-border fund transfers using stablecoins, combining blockchain technology with fiat currency interfaces to provide Compliance payment services for businesses. Investors include QED Investors, North Island Ventures, Wischoff Ventures, Lattice, and Stellar.

Gate News bot message, fintech company Limited providing self-custody stablecoin banking services announced the completion of a $7 million seed round financing, led by North Island Ventures, with participation from SevenX Ventures, Third Prime, Arche Capital, and Collab+Currency.

Gate News bot message, SBF was sentenced to 25 years in prison in March 2024 for Crypto Assets fraud. Currently, if nothing changes, he will be released more than four years early. The U.S. Supreme Court estimates that SBF will be released on December 14, 2044, which is less than 21 years after he was sentenced.

The ETH/BTC exchange rate has been at its lowest level in the past five years, with some investors claiming that ETH is "totally dead." Nic Carter, a partner at Castle Island Ventures, stated that ETH has brought about its own demise due to the greed of L2, leading to a decline in trading activity, user growth, and fees/revenue. Ethereum can serve as a practical network, but it is by no means an investment.

Golden Finance reports that the ETH/BTC Exchange Rate has reached its lowest level in nearly five years, with some investors even calling ETH a "completely dead" investment. Nic Carter, a partner at Castle Island Ventures, believes that "ETH died by its own hand" because L2 is too greedy, leading to a decline in Ethereum's trading activity, user growth, and fees/revenue. Ethereum can be seen as a practical network, but it is "definitely not" an investment.

Castle Island Ventures partner Nic Carter believes that the $4 billion LIBRA scandal involving Argentine President Milei marks the end of the memes era. He pointed out that multiple meme projects like LIBRA and projects launched by celebrities like Trump have been proven to involve unfair and manipulative issuance, demonstrating the falsification and unreliability of the meme coin market.

Coala Pay has completed a $3.5 million seed round of financing, aiming to connect humanitarian aid organizations with donors, store information through smart contracts, and track the use of funds. Investors include Castle Island Ventures, Lattice Fund, Factor Capital, and the founders of The Giving Block. The company will use the funds to expand the team and hire employees with experience working for the United Nations and the U.S. government.

PANews December 18 news, according to Bloomberg TV, Castle Island Ventures founding partner Nic