Tom Wilson News

By Lawrence Delevingne and Tom Wilson

Cryptocurrencies staged a recovery this year after a torrid 2022 in which a market meltdown and a string of scandals, including the collapse of FTX and fraud charges against its CEO, Sam Bankman-Fried, undermined the credibility of the industry. The price of bitcoin, the biggest cryptocurrency and the market's chief barometer, has more than doubled this year, reaching a 20-month high in November of $42,000 per token. As of Friday, 2023 was its best year since 2020 in terms of percentage gains. The market has been buoyed by expectations that cooling inflation will allow central banks globally to forgo further rate hikes and start easing next year, making risk assets more attractive. A long-anticipated move by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission(SEC) to approve a spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) has also been a boost.

By Svea Herbst-Bayliss and David French

Clarence Avant, renowned as «The Black Godfather» of the music and entertainment world, passed away at the age of 92 on Sunday. He died at his residence in Los Angeles, as confirmed by a statement issued by his son Alex Avant, daughter Nicole Avant, and son-in-law Ted Sarandos on Monday. Originating from North Carolina, Avant transitioned into a pivotal figure in the entertainment industry after relocating to Los Angeles during the late 1960s.

Crypto exchange Binance has courted controversy almost from its 2017 beginnings, and five years later, the dustups continue. On June 6, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission was reported to be investigating whether Binance Holdings broke U.S. securities rules in launching its digital tokens. Meanwhile, on the same day, Reuters published a scathing 4,700-word “special report” titled “How crypto giant Binance became a hub for hackers, fraudsters and drug traffickers.”