GM Builders. 🚧 

Welcome back to the BW3 newsletter - the place where crypto chaos meets clarity (and a dash of humor) 💨 

Here’s the line up today:

• Crypto 2024 Recap: The Year of Blockchain ⛓️ 

• Top Crypto in the Mainstream Spotlight 📰 

• Deal Flow Friday 💼 

BUT FIRST, let’s take a moment to appreciate how far this industry has come!

CRYPTO 2024 RECAP: THE YEAR THE BLOCKCHAIN CROWNED ITSELF KING 👑

Crypto Got Everything It Wanted in 2024 – And Then Some

Move over, Wall Street—crypto just signed the lease on your penthouse. This year marked a seismic shift for the blockchain industry, which strutted out of the shadows of skepticism into the dazzling spotlight of mainstream acceptance.

📈 Bitcoin Hits Triple Digits
Bitcoin kissed the $100,000 mark after the election of Donald Trump, who has donned the "crypto savior" cape with promises of firing Gary Gensler and creating a national bitcoin stockpile. Holders are basking in a 126% YTD gain, with total crypto market cap swelling by $1.7 trillion. For those still holding gold, Larry Fink says, "Good luck!"

💼 BlackRock’s Big Moment
BlackRock's spot bitcoin ETF, IBIT, didn't just launch—it broke records, amassing $100 billion in AUM. "Bitcoin is gold 2.0," BlackRock CEO Larry Fink declared, proving that even Wall Street’s toughest nuts can crack under crypto’s allure.

🏛️ DC Gets a Crypto Makeover
Crypto PACs dropped $135 million in the election, and it’s paying off. A pro-crypto Congress and promises of streamlined regulation have the industry humming. SEC Chair Gary Gensler is out, and crypto-friendly Paul Atkins is ready to roll.

🤔 FOMO Nation
Even crypto skeptics like Ken Griffin are caught in the tide. "We all have FOMO," he confessed, as Citadel peers over the blockchain fence. Meanwhile, Michael Saylor remains undeterred, buying bitcoin "at the top, forever."

Crypto’s Cinderella story of 2024 proves it’s no pumpkin—it’s the chariot, and everyone wants a ride. But let’s not pop the champagne just yet—Washington works slowly, and patience will be key in 2025.

TOP IN MAINSTREAM: TRUMP'S PRO-CRYPTO PLAYBOOK AND GLOBAL RIPPLE EFFECTS 🌍

Crypto is officially center stage, and Trump is holding the spotlight. As the incoming administration lines up to deliver what many are calling a "wish list" for the blockchain industry, the narrative around crypto is shifting faster than ever.

🔹 The Wishlist Unfolds
From day-one executive orders to clear regulatory frameworks, the U.S. crypto industry is eagerly watching Trump's next moves. Industry insiders are betting on pro-crypto initiatives like stablecoin regulations and a national bitcoin strategy, potentially turbocharging adoption.

🔹 Putin’s Bitcoin Bromance
Meanwhile, across the globe, Putin isn’t sitting this one out. Reports suggest Russia’s growing crypto embrace could complicate international sanctions enforcement. With Trump and Putin both leaning into digital assets, the geopolitical implications of crypto adoption are heating up.

🔹 "Enormous Vindication" for Crypto
Yahoo Finance reports that experts see Trump’s policies as a massive win for the industry, potentially validating years of effort to integrate crypto into mainstream finance. As Trump preps to take office, crypto firms are positioning themselves for what could be the most industry-friendly administration yet.

The world’s watching—will this be the year that crypto isn’t just mainstream but mandatory? One thing’s for sure: the 2024 spotlight has never been brighter.

DEAL FLOW FRIDAY 💼 

Here’s what’s been making waves in the latest funding rounds:

1️⃣ Rumble

• Type: Strategic

• Raised: $775M

• Category: Media, Social Network, Video

• Backers: Tether
  Rumble’s massive raise has us wondering—Netflix, who?

2️⃣ Beam

• Type: Public Sale

• Raised: $72M

• Category: Avalanche Ecosystem, Gaming, Infrastructure

• Backers: Avalanche fans, take note—this one’s aiming for the big leagues.*

3️⃣ ChainOpera AI

• Type: Seed

• Raised: $17M

• Category: AI, DApp, Layer 1

• Backers: Finality, Road Capital, IDG Capital (+13 others)
  Bringing the ‘AI meets blockchain’ dream closer to reality.

4️⃣ Trrue Chain

• Type: Private

• Raised: $10M

• Category: Layer 1, Real-World Assets

• Backers: Gem Digital
  Real-world meets blockchain? This could get interesting.

5️⃣ Avalon Labs

• Type: Series A

• Raised: $10M

• Category: Bitcoin Ecosystem, DeFi, Stablecoins, Derivatives

• Backers: Framework, Kenetic, SNZ (+10 others)
  Layering in the Bitcoin ecosystem with a DeFi twist.

MEME CITY 🏙️ 

Until Next Time Builders! 🏗️ 

May your bags be heavy, your airdrops plentiful, and your rug pulls non-existent.

And remember, every pump is just one tweet away from a dump—so stay ready for the toliet 🐧

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