Explore the noteworthy stories shaping the crypto and blockchain sphere that may have slipped under the mainstream news radar:

1. Embrace for the Next Bitcoin Mining Infrastructure Boom – BlocksBridge Consulting

• A potential surge in Bitcoin infrastructure is on the horizon, strengthening the network and increasing hashrate dominance in North America.
• Post-China’s 2021 Bitcoin mining ban, massive infrastructure buildout, particularly in Texas, USA, is contributing to this trend.
• Major mining companies, including Iris Energy, Riot, Northern Data, Core Scientific, Cipher Mining, Bitfarms, and Hut 8, are unveiling expansion plans with significant additional capacities.

2. Marathon Digital CEO Plans Bitcoin Miner Acquisitions

• Marathon Digital Holdings, a Bitcoin mining company, outlines plans to acquire rival miners and related infrastructure over the next two years.
• CEO Fred Thiel emphasizes a considerate expansion strategy in 2024 and 2025, positioning the company as a consolidator in the industry.
• Approval of a US exchange-traded fund (ETF) directly investing in Bitcoin by the SEC is anticipated to benefit miners by boosting overall demand for BTC.

3. Binance Survey Reveals Users Leveraging Crypto for Extra Income

• Binance’s survey of over 1,000 respondents unveils that 45% primarily use crypto to earn extra income.
• Respondents cite supplementing primary income (23%), saving for a home (23%), and investing in other digital assets (21%) as their top goals.
• More than a third (36%) highlight achieving financial security and independence as the primary motivation for using crypto for savings.
• High fees (19%) and slow transaction times (14%) emerge as major challenges in dealing with traditional financial systems.

4. PancakeSwap’s ‘Pancake Protectors’ Game Expands

• PancakeSwap’s player-versus-player (PvP) game, ‘Pancake Protectors,’ expands to Polygon zkEVM and Base networks.
• Players can now deposit and withdraw CAKE tokens, the primary in-game currency, on these networks.
• The game, attracting over 25,000 daily active users during peak times, integrates elements for the GameFi community, CAKE collectors, and NFT holders.

Stay tuned for more updates on the evolving landscape of crypto and blockchain technologies.