Governance
Top tech stories today: January 23, 2024
Tech roundup: ElevenLabs joins unicorn club, Bitcoin dips, SEC clashes with Binance, FTX’s $1bn Grayscale sale.
Headline
Tech roundup: ElevenLabs joins unicorn club, Bitcoin dips, SEC clashes with Binance, FTX’s $1bn Grayscale sale.
Context
Unicorns rise, Bitcoin dips, SEC-Binance clash, FTX’s $1B Grayscale sale, and more – your rapid tech briefing awaits! Voice AI startup ElevenLabs, backed by Microsoft, achieves “unicorn” status, valued at over $1 billion after raising $80 million in Series B funding. The two-year-old company focuses on AI voice creation across 29 languages, catering to various industries, and plans to enhance its AI speech classifier tool. ( Euronews )
Evidence
Pending intelligence enrichment.
Analysis
Bitcoin hits a seven-week low on Monday, dropping below $40,000 for the first time since the launch of 11 spot bitcoin ETFs on Jan. 11. Analysts attribute the decline to challenges competing with traditional stocks and outflows from Grayscale Investment’s bitcoin trust. ( Reuters ) The SEC defends its authority over cryptocurrency assets in a court battle with Binance. Binance seeks dismissal of the SEC’s lawsuit, accusing the exchange of rule violations and fraud. The outcome may impact the SEC’s jurisdiction and clarify regulations for the crypto sector. ( Reuters ) FTX has reportedly sold around $1 billion worth of Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) shares since the trust’s conversion into an exchange-traded fund (ETF). GBTC experienced over $2 billion in outflows following its ETF conversion. ( Reuters ) Apple has paid a 1.2 billion roubles ($13.65 million) fine imposed by Russia’s FAS antitrust agency for alleged abuse of its dominant market position in in-app payments. Apple previously disagreed with the ruling but complied with the fine, which was transferred to Russia’s federal budget on January 19. ( XM )
Key Points
- 1. Voice AI startup ElevenLabs gains unicorn status after latest fundraising
- 2. Bitcoin falls to $40,000, lowest level since bitcoin ETF launch
- 3. Binance, SEC face off over regulator’s crypto oversight
- 4. FTX sold about $1 bln of Grayscale’s bitcoin ETF since its approval – CoinDesk
- 5. Apple pays $13.7 mln Russian fine, antitrust agency says
Actions
Pending intelligence enrichment.
