Ethiopia is set to become a new hub for Bitcoin mining, signing agreements with 21 companies, including 19 from China, as reported by Bloomberg. The country's low-cost power and government permissions, despite a ban on digital asset trading, are attracting miners looking for a stable base outside China. However, concerns arise regarding the availability of electricity and potential public opposition, given that half the population lacks access to electricity.

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 Breaking News: Bitcoin (BTC) has seen a historic surge, with nearly $40 billion pouring into its market capitalization in just 24 hours, following its breakthrough at $50,000. This marks the start of a new bull cycle, with Bitcoin currently valued at $982.41 billion, up 3.93% from the previous day. Crypto enthusiasts and traders are watching closely for further developments, especially with the upcoming Bitcoin halving expected to trigger more activity.

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 Seydina Moussa Ndiaye, a UN AI advisory body member and key player in Senegal's digital transformation, has highlighted the dual-edged sword of AI in Africa—promising transformation in sectors like agriculture and healthcare, yet warning of the risk of foreign corporations exploiting local data and sidelining indigenous innovators. The UN's AI advisory group aims to ensure Africa's voice is heard in global AI discourse and promotes international scientific collaboration for mutual benefit

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 Coinbase, a prominent cryptocurrency exchange, has unveiled a new advertising campaign to advocate for the digitization of the U.S. dollar on blockchain, aligning with National Lost Penny Day. The campaign highlights the annual loss of $1.2 million worth of pennies and suggests that stablecoins could revolutionize the fiat currency system. Despite the imaginative appeal, the U.S. Mint plans to continue minting pennies in 2024. Coinbase's campaign underscores the ongoing conversation about blockchain's potential to transform financial transactions, while recognizing the challenges of integration with traditional banking systems.

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 Bithumb, South Korea's leading cryptocurrency exchange, has launched a new altcoin, Mantle (MNT), trading against KRW. MNT, once known as BitDAO, is a layer 2 scaling solution with high network throughput and EVM compatibility. Following Bithumb's announcement, MNT surged by up to 15%, reaching $0.716. Deposits and withdrawals for MNT started on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, marking a significant milestone in South Korea's cryptocurrency space.
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 Adedeji Owonibi, co-founder of A&D Forensics, is advocating for stricter cryptocurrency regulations in Nigeria to prevent financial crimes. He warns that the absence of regulation enables illicit activities, including money laundering and terrorism financing. Owonibi urges the Nigerian government to fully regulate crypto-assets and establish laws to combat financial crimes. Despite the Central Bank of Nigeria lifting the ban on crypto transactions, Owonibi cautions that banks could still be used to launder money unless proper checks are in place. He calls for financial institutions to ensure compliance with VASPs and to employ compliance officers to report any suspicious activities.
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 The Sui Foundation is collaborating with the American University of Sharjah to establish a blockchain academy, aiming to raise awareness about blockchain technology among students. The initiative is part of Sharjah's goal to become a hub for blockchain research and education.

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 Charles Hoskinson, Cardano's founder, spoke about the platform's significant growth despite skepticism and initial "ghost chain" labels. He credits the community's effort and impressive total value locked (TVL) to Cardano's success. Hoskinson also refuted criticisms, highlighting Cardano's unique approach to scalability, governance, and innovation, with advancements like recursion and rollups expected to make Cardano a leader in zero-knowledge proofs.
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 Major Security Incident Impacts Binance-Listed Gaming Altcoin

PlayDapp, a prominent blockchain gaming platform, suffered a significant security breach where an unidentified attacker mined  200 million PLA altcoins, valued at around $31 million. The attack led to immediate market turmoil, causing a  10.87% drop in the value of PLA, with the altcoin trading at $0.1618 at the time of reporting. In response, PlayDapp moved all PLA assets to a new secure wallet. The incident highlights the need for robust security measures in the blockchain industry and has raised concerns about the security of other platforms.
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 New York Attorney General Letitia James has upped the ante in her lawsuit against crypto firms Gemini Trust and Digital Currency Group (DCG), aiming for $3 billion in damages. Initially valued at $1.1 billion, the lawsuit claims that Gemini and DCG misled investors about the ease of withdrawing funds from Gemini Earn and the stability of Genesis Capital. With the number of affected investors swelling to  230,000, James is pushing for stricter regulations for cryptocurrencies. Simultaneously, Genesis is grappling with its own financial issues and has recently prevailed in a legal dispute with Gemini over share ownership. The legal battles could shape the future regulatory landscape for digital currencies, with calls for a balanced approach that safeguards investors while fostering innovation.
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