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Square’s value could 5X thanks to Afterpay deal: Pomp

“Maybe you don't simply get a 20X the value of the business, but could you two, three, four or five X the business? Absolutely,” said Anthony Pompliano.

Morgan Creek Digital co-founder and Bitcoin proponent Anthony Pompliano thinks Square’s value could increase to $1 trillion following the firm’s acquisition of Afterpay.

Square, headed up by CEO Jack Dorsey, this week announced its acquisition of the Australian buy now pay later (BNPL) business for $29 billion on the same day it reported $2.7B in Q2 revenue from Bitcoin sales on its Cash App.

Pomp analysed the move on his “Best Business” show on Aug. 4, which was posted on YouTube under the rather clickbaity heading “Square is going to be worth $1 trillion dollars.”

In the video itself he was much more conservative in his estimates. In Pomp’s view, he thinks that a two-to-five times increase in value is a real possibility for Square due to the combined potential of both firms. According to Yahoo Finance, Square currently has a market cap of $122.72 billion.

“If the integration goes well and if the combination of these two businesses works out the way that Square and Afterpay believe it will, it will create a very, very interesting business for Square to continue to expand globally and into other demographics,” he said.

Pomp highlighted that Afterpay’s $29 billion valuation was on the back of 100,000 partnered merchants, and he emphasized that opening up Afterpay’s BNPL services to the 70 million users of Square’s Cash App, as well as the 2 million Square merchants, could see Square’s value skyrocket:

“You could effectively say 100K got you to a 29 billion dollar valuation. If you roll it out to two million, maybe you don't simply get a 20X the value of the business, but could you two, three, four or five X the business? Absolutely.”

Jack Dorsey’s crypto friendly payments firm Square announced on Aug. 1 that it was acquiring Afterpay with Square common shares. The deal is expected to be paid out in the first quarter of 2022.

Following the announcement, Square stock (SQ) has increased by 8%, going from $248 on July 30 to around $269 today, while Afterpay stock (APT) has increased by 34%, moving from $95 AUD to $128 AUD within that same time frame, according to data from TradingView.

Related: Bitcoin is key to the future of Twitter, Jack Dorsey says

Square also published a second quarter report on Aug 1 that posted a 200% increase in Bitcoin revenue year-on-year (YoY) for Q2, with BTC services driving $2.72 billion worth of revenue for the firm. In Q2 , Square’s total gross profit grew 91% YoY to $1.14 billion, and Cash App also generated a gross profit of $546 million overall, up 94% YoY.

It is unclear if Afterpay will attempt to incorporate crypto services into its business model following Square’s acquisition, however BNPL competitor ZIP revealed in July that it is looking to offer crypto trading in Australia and the U.S. within 12 months.

Whales and Sharks Gobble Up Over $7,863,000,000 in Bitcoin As ‘Impatient’ Traders Drop Their Holdings: Santiment

Square to acquire Australian fintech Afterpay in $29B deal

Square will acquire Australian fintech firm Afterpay in a $29 billion stock deal, expecting to close the transaction in Q1 2022.

Jack Dorsey’s cryptocurrency-friendly digital payments firm Square is expanding competition with global payment giants like PayPal by acquiring a major Australian lending company.

Square announced Sunday that the firm has entered into a scheme implementation deed to acquire all of the issued shares in fintech company Afterpay in a $29 billion deal. The transaction is based on the closing price of the Square common share and is expected to be paid in all stock in the first quarter of 2022.

The acquisition enables Square to further accelerate its strategic plans for payment ecosystems as the company is looking to integrate Afterpay into its Seller and Cash App business units to enable a “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) service.

Also referred to as installment loans, BNPL transactions allow customers to pay a bill in small portions throughout a fixed period of time and are actively pioneered by global financial firms like PayPal, Mastercard, Klarna, Citi, and others.

According to the announcement, the integration will enable small businesses to offer BNPL at checkout, allowing Afterpay consumers to manage their installment payments directly in Cash App and discover BNPL offers directly within the app. The integration marks a new milestone for Square in meeting the growing consumer demand for shifting away from traditional credit.

Square co-founder and CEO Dorsey said that the acquisition will help the companies to deliver on their shared mission to make the financial system more accessible, fair and inclusive. “Together, we can better connect our Cash App and Seller ecosystems to deliver even more compelling products and services for merchants and consumers, putting the power back in their hands,” he noted.

Related: DeFi on Bitcoin: Jack Dorsey says Square’s new division will make it happen

As part of the transaction, Afterpay’s co-founders and senior executives will join Square and help lead Afterpay’s related merchant and consumer businesses within Square’s Seller and Cash App ecosystems. Square has also agreed to establish a secondary listing on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) to allow Afterpay shareholders to trade Square shares via CHESS depositary interests on the ASX.

The news comes amid Square announcing notable second-quarter earnings, reporting 200% growth in Bitcoin (BTC) revenue. Square’s Bitcoin services generated $55 million in gross profit, increasing 223% year-on-year, while Cash App generated a gross profit of $546 million, surging 94%.

Whales and Sharks Gobble Up Over $7,863,000,000 in Bitcoin As ‘Impatient’ Traders Drop Their Holdings: Santiment

Cash App’s quarterly Bitcoin revenue triples despite BTC impairment loss for Square

Jack Dorsey’s Square made more than 90% more gross profit than the same period last year, with $546 million coming from Cash App’s Bitcoin services.

Jack Dorsey’s Square has reported a 200% increase in Bitcoin revenue for the second quarter year-on-year (YoY).

The company announced the impressive earnings figures in its second-quarter shareholder letter on August 1. In the report, Square revealed its total gross profit grew 91% YoY to $1.14 billion.

Bitcoin services drove $2.72 billion in revenue for the app, with a gross profit of $55 million, respective increases of 210% and 223% respectively year-on-year. Cash App generated a gross profit of $546 million overall, up 94% YoY.

“Bitcoin revenue and gross profit benefited from year-over-year increases in the price of bitcoin and bitcoin activities, and growth in customer demand.”

However, compared to the first quarter of this year, Bitcoin revenue and gross profit decreased and is down 22.3% from 3.5 billion.

Square attributed the weaker performance to the more than 50% retracement suffered by the broader crypto markets during May and June.

Square also reported an impairment loss of $45 million on the Bitcoin it holds. As Tesla holds its Bitcoin (BTC) as an “intangible asset,” accounting rules require the firm report an impairment loss when the asset’s price drops below its cost basis. Square is also not required to report increases in the value of its intangible asset holdings until the position is realized through a sale.

According to Bitcoin Treasuries, Square currently holds 8,027 BTC worth an estimated $320 million at the time of writing.

Related: Square doubles down on Bitcoin, investing another $170M

Square recently bought 3,318 BTC in February for $170 million, adding to its initial purchase of 4,709 BTC in October 2020.

On July 30, Cointelegraph reported that mobile software firm MicroStrategy pledged to buy more BTC despite an impairment loss of $425 million on its Bitcoin stash for Q2. Tesla also reported an impairment loss of $23 million for the quarter.

Whales and Sharks Gobble Up Over $7,863,000,000 in Bitcoin As ‘Impatient’ Traders Drop Their Holdings: Santiment

Aave founder hints at developing ‘Twitter on Ethereum’

Jack Dorsey announced earlier this week that Square Inc. is building a new open-source platform for non-custodial Bitcoin services.

Aave founder Stani Kulechov told his 90,000 Twitter followers on Saturday that his platform should build “Twitter on Ethereum'' after Jack Dorsey said he was developing a new Bitcoin (BTC)-centric financial services platform with striking similarities to Aave. 

Dorsey tweeted Thursday that Square Inc., his mobile payment company, was creating a new business “focused on building an open developer platform with the sole goal of making it easy to create non-custodial, permissionless, and decentralized financial services.”

The tweet, which has received over 34,000 likes at the time of publication, indicated that Bitcoin would be the primary focus.

In his response, Kulechov implied that Dorsey’s business idea is similar to Aave, an open-source, non-custodial DeFi protocol that enables users to borrow assets and earn interest on deposits. While it’s not entirely clear whether Kulechov’s Twitter-on-Ethereum plan is serious, he said Aave co-founder Jordan Lazaro Gustave would lead the effort. 

Aave has emerged as one of the most popular DeFi protocols on the market, with demand for its services growing even among traditional investors. As Cointelegraph reported, Aave has plans to launch a permissioned version of its platform for institutional investors as early as this month.

Related: Funds locked in Aave soar past $20 billion amid layer-two embrace

Dorsey’s plan to bring DeFi to Bitcoin follows an announcement from early June that Square is exploring the development of an open-source BTC hardware wallet. The entrepreneur has reiterated the importance of self-custody and the need to onboard new crypto users through mobile technology.

Whales and Sharks Gobble Up Over $7,863,000,000 in Bitcoin As ‘Impatient’ Traders Drop Their Holdings: Santiment

DeFi on Bitcoin: Jack Dorsey launches new Square division to make it ‘easy’

Jack Dorsey has outlined plans to build an open developer platform focused on creating Bitcoin DeFi services.

Square CEO Jack Dorsey has stated that the firm is building a new division that will focus on building decentralized finance services that utilize Bitcoin.

Dorsey made the announcement via Twitter earlier today, and revealed that Square’s new division will be building an “open developer platform with the sole goal of making it easy to create non-custodial, permissionless, and decentralized financial services. Our primary focus is Bitcoin”

The Bitcoin proponent has also launched a dedicated Twitter account to the project, which is dubbed “TBD” at this stage and features a profile picture of popular musician Drake donning red lazer eyes.

The announcement follows up from earlier this month when Dorsey took to Twitter to announce that Square will be launching its own Bitcoin hardware wallet.

More to come ...

Whales and Sharks Gobble Up Over $7,863,000,000 in Bitcoin As ‘Impatient’ Traders Drop Their Holdings: Santiment

Jack Dorsey confirms Square is building an ‘assisted custody’ BTC hardware wallet

Jack Dorsey and hardware lead Jesse Dorogusker have both confirmed Square’s plans to develop a Bitcoin hardware wallet.

Digital payments firm Square is building a Bitcoin hardware wallet, with CEO Jack Dorsey and hardware lead Jesse Dorogusker both confirming the plan on Twitter.

The tech entrepreneur and Bitcoin proponent, first teased the idea for a Square hardware wallet and custody service last month, bu revealed today that “we’re doing it.”

Dorogusker said on Twitter that Square wants to make Bitcoin custody more mainstream, and outlined the pathway for the hardware wallet rollout:

“We have a lot of questions and issues to reconcile and we’ll start with this product direction: Bitcoin first, global distribution, multisig to achieve ‘assisted-self-custody,’ and prioritizing mobile use.”

Dorsey explained the term “assisted-self-custody” last month, noting that the firm is looking to provide a simplified experience for managing a hardware wallet.

“Custody doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. We can probably simplify custody through 'assisted self-custody.' Assisted requires great product design: minimal setup time, relying on existing devices, and end-to-end reliability,” he said.

As crypto has seen a massive uptick in speculation from new investors amid the growth of the sector over the past 12 months, the topic of crypto custody is becoming increasingly important.

Hardware wallets are one of the most secure ways to hold crypto-assets because they enable users to store their private keys and holdings on external offline devices. But average users complain they are complicated to learn how to use.

Related: Pioneering hardware wallet brings enhanced staking to cold storage

Storing funds on an exchange can be risky, as the user doesn’t have full control over their assets which can be lost to hacks or caught up in regulations.

It is also alarmingly easy for hackers to swipe users' digital assets by deploying tactics aimed at acquiring personal information, such as sim swaps, malware, and even fake apps on Google Play.

Software wallets on computers or mobiles also face the risk of malware.

Whales and Sharks Gobble Up Over $7,863,000,000 in Bitcoin As ‘Impatient’ Traders Drop Their Holdings: Santiment

Strike to offer ‘no fee’ Bitcoin trading, taking aim at Coinbase and Square

Jack Mallers takes on Coinbase and its “asinine” trading fees.

Payments platform Strike has announced that it will allow U.S. customers to buy and sell Bitcoin with almost no trading fees from today.

In an announcement on July 1, Strike founder and CEO Jack Mallers launched a salvo at leading U.S. cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, stating that his platform will set out to be the “cheapest and easiest place on the planet to acquire BTC."

The move also puts Strike in direct competition with Jack Dorsey’s Square and with PayPal, which started offering crypto assets within the platform to U.S. customers in November 2020.

The announcement stated that the firm has launched the “Bitcoin Tab” enabling the ability to buy Bitcoin on Strike with “no fee outside of the market spread.”

The Chicago-based payments firm stated that it would charge a maximum “execution cost” of around 0.3% for brokering BTC trades, looking to drop that to below 0.1% over the coming months as volume grows.

Popular trading app Robinhood also offers commission-free crypto trading in select states. More than 6 million new customers bought crypto on the platform within the first two months of 2021.

Mallers is taking aim directly at Coinbase with the move, labeling its excessive trading fees as “asinine”. He pointed out that Coinbase made $1.8 billion in revenue in the first quarter of 2021, with $771 million in profit, 94% of which coming from fees as high as 3%.

He was highly critical of the exchange’s free giveaways which award users with a couple of dollars worth of altcoins for watching videos.

“Make no mistake, when you buy Bitcoin on Coinbase, you are supporting shitcoins.”

Related: Coinbase could see fee compression in long term, CEO expects

There was also a dig at PayPal which he stated has also recently hiked fees across the board, and now charge sellers 3.49% + $0.49 to process crypto transactions.

Mallers added that the aim is to drive prices in the market as close to nothing as possible, which would be in keeping with Bitcoin’s ethos.

“Our mission is to secure financial freedom for all, and we won’t stop until we do so for all 8 billion people on the planet.”

As reported by Cointelegraph, Strike has entered into a partnership with the El Salvador government to assist with its Bitcoin adoption rollout.

Whales and Sharks Gobble Up Over $7,863,000,000 in Bitcoin As ‘Impatient’ Traders Drop Their Holdings: Santiment

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey keeps saying ‘no’ to Ethereum

Despite Twitter releasing 140 NFTs on the Ethereum blockchain, Twitter's CEO continues to reject the altcoin as an investment.

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has again rejected the idea of him buying into Ether (ETH) despite the social media platform's activities with Ethereum-based nonfungible tokens (NFTs).

On Wednesday, the social media platform announced a giveaway through Rarible, a major NFT platform utilizing the Ethereum blockchain network for minting digital collectible tokens.

But despite Twitter releasing 140 NFTs on Ethereum — the foundation for the second most-valued cryptocurrency after Bitcoin (BTC) — Dorsey apparently remains loyal exclusively to Bitcoin.

Following the NFT news, Twitter user Packanimal suggested that it was “only a matter of time before” Dorsey invested in Ether, to which the CEO simply replied “No.”

The crypto community subsequently reacted to Dorsey’s two-letter take on Ethereum, with Cinneanhaim Ventures’ Adam Cochran criticizing Twitter CEO for “still being a BTC maxi” while Twitter “prints Ethereum-based NFTs on Rarible.” “With this level of mental gymnastics I'm surprised he won't be representing the US at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo this year,” Cochran added.

Dorsey, who’s also a co-founder and CEO of crypto-friendly digital payments firm Square, previously expressed his loyalty to Bitcoin alone, stating in a 2019 tweet, “I only have Bitcoin.” At the Bitcoin 2021 conference in early June, he said, “Bitcoin changes absolutely everything. [...] I don’t think there is anything more enabling for people around the world.” 

Related: Michael Saylor is not just a Bitcoin maximalist: ‘There’s a place for everybody’

An early Bitcoin believer, Dorsey has repeatedly argued that Bitcoin will be the single currency of the internet since at least 2018. He previously rejected moving into altcoins like Ether, claiming that he invested only in Bitcoin in 2019.

Dorsey’s remarks come as some of the biggest Bitcoiners admit that Ether could eventually flip Bitcoin as the world’s largest cryptocurrency. Mike Novogratz, founder and CEO of crypto investment firm Galaxy Digital, predicted Thursday that Ether could become the “biggest cryptocurrency one day.”

Whales and Sharks Gobble Up Over $7,863,000,000 in Bitcoin As ‘Impatient’ Traders Drop Their Holdings: Santiment