Bitcoin rises above $120,000 ahead of key inflation data: CNBC Crypto World

Market Trends & Cryptocurrency Performance - Bitcoin reclaimed the $120,283 level, climbing more than 1% [1][2] - Ether rose more than 2%, breaking the $4,000 level for the first time since December 2024 [2] - Chainlink partnered with Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) to bring foreign exchange and precious metals pricing data to the blockchain [4] - August has historically proven to be a weak month for trading, including in the crypto market [4] IPO & Investment - Bullish is boosting its US IPO target to a nearly $5 billion valuation, aiming to raise up to $990 million by selling 30 million shares priced between $32 to $33 each [5][6] - The Peter Thiel-backed Bullish confidentially filed to go public, driven by crypto treasuries and Circle's successful IPO [7] - President Trump signed an executive order meant to open retirement plans to alternative assets, including digital assets [7] Crypto Payments & Adoption - BitPay supports all major stablecoins and will add new stablecoins as they gain adoption [11][12] - BitPay is seeing new companies ready to accept crypto payments, including brands like LVMH, Joeop, Gucci, and Newegg [14] - The Genius Act clarifies rules around stablecoin issuers and could spur a new wave of tokens, which is an opportunity for BitPay [10][18] - Companies issuing US dollar-denominated stablecoins need to maintain a one-for-one backing, with $1 in reserve for every dollar issued, and comply with KYC and anti-money laundering regulations [20] Company Strategy - BitPay has been private since 2011 and does not currently have plans to go public [22] - BitPay has employed a Bitcoin treasury strategy since 2011 [22][23] - BitPay treats Bitcoin as its cost of capital, requiring investments to outperform Bitcoin's approximately 50% ARR [26]