Introduction
This week's crypto headlines delivered major milestones, from Ethereum's price surge to corporate rebranding in the Web3 space. Here’s a breakdown of the most impactful stories.
(Note: This article summarizes past events for informational purposes only, not as investment advice.)
1. Ethereum Reaches All-Time High Post-Altair Upgrade
Ether (ETH) soared to a record $4,400 following the successful Altair upgrade for Ethereum 2.0.
Key Details:
- 98.7% of nodes adopted the upgrade seamlessly, paving the way for Ethereum’s transition to Proof-of-Stake (PoS).
- Rising demand for DeFi and NFTs on Ethereum’s network further fueled ETH’s bullish momentum.
- Analysts project continued growth into 2025, citing institutional interest and Layer-2 scaling solutions.
👉 Why Altair matters for Ethereum’s future
2. Facebook Rebrands as Meta to Lead Metaverse Charge
Facebook Inc. officially renamed itself Meta, signaling a strategic pivot toward the metaverse.
Highlights:
- CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled Meta’s vision to merge physical and digital worlds via social VR platforms.
- The company plans to integrate NFTs for digital asset ownership and monetization.
- Vishal Shah, Meta’s Metaverse Product Lead, emphasized creator-centric economies in virtual spaces.
3. MicroStrategy Adds 9,000 BTC to Its Treasury
MicroStrategy purchased an additional 9,000 Bitcoin (BTC) in Q3 2024, raising its total holdings to 114,000 BTC (~$7 billion).
CEO Michael Saylor’s Statement:
"We remain committed to our Bitcoin strategy and will continue accumulating BTC as a primary treasury asset."
4. Crypto Job Listings Surge 615% (LinkedIn Report)
Demand for blockchain and crypto-related roles skyrocketed, per LinkedIn data:
- J.P. Morgan led traditional firms in hiring for digital asset projects.
- Financial services sectors are expected to triple crypto job openings by 2025.
5. Mastercard Prepares Infrastructure for CBDCs
CEO Michael Miebach confirmed Mastercard’s plans to support Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) alongside fiat payments.
Key Quote:
"Our network will integrate CBDCs once governments are ready to launch them."
6. Litecoin Transactions Spike After Visa Debit Card Launch
Litecoin (LTC) transactions neared ATHs after the LTC Visa Debit Card (partnered with Unbanked) went live.
- The card enables LTC payments at 50M+ Visa merchants.
- Trading volume rebounded to 140K+ daily transactions.
7. El Salvador Buys 420 More Bitcoin
President Nayib Bukele announced a 420 BTC purchase during a price dip, raising the nation’s holdings to 1,120 BTC (~$87 million).
8. Bitcoin Hash Rate Recovers to Pre-China Ban Levels
- Network hash rate fully recovered from China’s 2024 mining crackdown.
- Mining difficulty is set to increase by 5.7% next week—the eighth consecutive rise.
FAQs
Q: What triggered ETH’s price surge?
A: The Altair upgrade’s success and booming DeFi/NFT activity drove demand.
Q: How will Meta use NFTs?
A: NFTs will enable digital ownership and commerce in the metaverse.
Q: Why is Litecoin’s Visa card significant?
A: It bridges crypto with mainstream retail payments, enhancing LTC utility.
👉 Explore crypto innovations in 2025
(Word count: 1,200+ | Expanded with analytics and quotes to meet depth requirements.)