Tag: Bitcoin

Australia’s securities regulator has canceled the license of the local FTX entity, allowing it to perform only limited financial services. These will be related to the termination of derivatives with clients and arrangements to compensate retail customers. ASIC Revokes Financial Services License of Crypto Exchange FTX Subsidiary The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) announced […]

Importers are accusing the Central Bank of Argentina of stalling on the delivery of dollar-based payments under the pretext of high freight costs. According to importers, the Argentine government considers freight costs exceeding 15% of the value of the merchandise imported as an inconsistency. Central Bank of Argentina Delays Dollar Disbursements to Importers The government […]

South Africa’s top diplomat responsible for BRICS relations has revealed that more than 40 countries are interested in joining the economic bloc. Among them, 22 nations have formally applied for membership. He believes that the BRICS group could expand to include more than 50 countries. BRICS Group Attracts More Than 40 Nations Anil Sooklal, South […]

JPMorgan has warned of the risks to the U.S. dollar’s dominance from escalating U.S.-China tensions and political instability. The global investment bank’s strategists anticipate “partial de-dollarization,” in which the Chinese yuan gradually assumes a more significant role in global trade. JPMorgan on De-Dollarization Threat Global investment bank JPMorgan has warned that the dominance of the […]

The Federal Reserve has launched its Fednow Service for instant payments with 35 participating banks and credit unions, as well as 16 service providers. “The Federal Reserve is committed to working with the more than 9,000 banks and credit unions across the country to support the widespread availability of this service for their customers over […]

In a circular released by the Capital Markets Authority of Kuwait, the regulator reaffirmed its position that Kuwait strictly prohibits the use of virtual currencies and bans mining activities within the Gulf state. The authority also emphasized the importance for businesses to inform customers about potential “risks that may arise” with dealing with crypto assets […]

According to reports, the 3-nanometer (nm) Gate-All-Around (GAA) semiconductor from Samsung has been discovered in use after a year since its release. Until now, there were no confirmed applications of the technology. Techinsights found Samsung’s 3nm chip in the Whatsminer M56S++ bitcoin mining rig from Microbt, a bitcoin mining machine that produces an estimated 230 […]

According to the New York Times and several sources familiar with the matter, Caroline Ellison, former CEO of Alameda Research, maintained a diary on Google Documents that provides a brief glimpse into the challenges she faced before the collapse of FTX. Excerpts from the diary suggest Ellison lacked confidence in her role. After her breakup […]

Central banks have continued to consistently purchase gold during the first quarter of 2023, according to the latest report of the World Gold Council (WGC), the global gold statistics organization. Central banks added nearly 230 tonnes of gold to their national reserves, representing a 176% rise compared to the purchases made in Q1 2022. World […]

Increasing regulatory pressures, tax burden and energy costs in countries like the U.S. and Kazakhstan are likely to result in a new great migration of crypto miners, Russian analysts believe. Under such a scenario, Russia has what it takes to occupy up to 18% of the global bitcoin hashrate, they claim. Russia May Attract Half […]

New York State Attorney General Letitia James has proposed “landmark” crypto legislation that claims to be “the strongest and most comprehensive set of regulations on cryptocurrency” in the United States. “Rampant fraud and dysfunction have become the hallmarks of cryptocurrency and it is time to bring law and order to the multi-billion-dollar industry,” said Attorney […]

The Nigerian payments startup, Nomba, is reported to have raised $30 million via a pre-Series B that was led by Base10 Partners. The new solution is expected to help the startup operate more efficiently and deliver “excellent customer experiences.” Plugging Gaps in Payment Processes Nomba, a Nigerian payments startup, has raised a US$30 million pre-Series […]

Louisiana Republican senator John Kennedy recently stated in an interview published on Wednesday that the U.S. Federal Reserve may need to increase the federal funds rate to 8-10% to address the country’s inflationary pressures. Kennedy’s remarks come after he criticized the Biden administration in mid-March for bailing out Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, emphasizing […]

In just under two weeks, the number of unconfirmed transactions on the Bitcoin network has skyrocketed from 134,000 to over 390,000, causing a bottleneck in the mempool. This surge in unconfirmed transactions has resulted in a staggering 343% increase in transaction fees, which have risen from $1.99 per transaction on April 26 to a current […]

Four days ago, the market capitalization of all the BRC20 tokens built on top of the Bitcoin network was a modest $95 million. However, over the past four days, the BRC20 market valuation has seen tremendous growth, increasing by 192% and reaching $279 million.
More Than 13,000 BRC20 Tokens Built on Bitcoin Are Now […]

Software developer Jason Dreyzehner says smart contracts “comparable to Ethereum,” but remarkably more efficient will be made possible by the May 15 upgrade coming to the Bitcoin Cash network. In other news, the world’s largest regional organization, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) plans to switch to settlements in national currencies, moving away from the U.S. […]

A strategist at Swedbank, a Swedish bank, has warned that the regional banking crisis in the U.S. is spreading. After several bank failures, he stressed that Pacwest Bank, Western Alliance Bank, and First Horizon Bank have all been “subject to financial meltdowns.” Swedbank on U.S. Banking Crisis Spreading Pär Magnusson, a fixed income strategist at […]

Platforms authorized by the Russian government issued digital assets worth around a billion rubles in April, the local press reported. The spike in the volume has been attributed to Russian companies experimenting with new financial instruments amid limited access to traditional capital. Russia’s Digital Assets Market Livens Up as Capital Markets Dry Up for Russian […]

During the weekend, discussions about central bank digital currencies, or CBDCs, trended on social media as many people believe the idea will result in increased financial surveillance and a totalitarian monetary system. In a recent interview, Lynette Zang, the chief market analyst at ITM Trading, warned that CBDCs will “take the world into a full […]

Amid the banking chaos of the 21st century, some are looking back more than 600 years ago, to the Medici Bank — one of the most powerful banks of its time. It established its business and became one of the most respected banks in Europe during its prime, and the prominent Italian family of bankers […]

In crypto news this week, the Ethereum network’s long awaited Shapella upgrade took effect, unlocking staked ether. In the broader financial world, economist Harry Dent has predicted a massive crash to hit by mid-June, bank lending plummeted by a record $105 billion in two weeks, and the USD’s ability to maintain its value even in […]

Prosecutors investigating failed blockchain firm Terraform Labs have found out that its Singapore office sent millions of U.S. dollars to lawyers just before the crash of its cryptocurrencies. According to Korean media, the transfers suggest that co-founder Do Kwon was aware of the imminent collapse. Terraform Labs Transferred Large Amounts of Money to South Korean […]

Nigerian economic experts have said the country’s five-year-old currency swap agreement with China has not eased the pressure against the Nigerian currency. According to one expert, implementation of the swap arrangement is being held back by the size of the trade imbalance between Nigeria and China Easing Pressure on the Naira According to experts on […]

On April 14, 2023, the Department of Justice (DOJ) for the Southern District of New York revealed that the hacker responsible for the Silk Road marketplace breach had been sentenced to a year in prison for wire fraud charges. James Zhong stole more than 50,000 bitcoin from the darknet marketplace (DNM) in September 2012. DOJ […]

The G20 finance ministers and central bank governors have agreed that crypto regulation cannot be confined to one part of the world, said India’s finance minister. “Any action on crypto assets will have to be global,” she stressed, adding that the G20 finance chiefs’ discussion on crypto was “very substantive.” G20 Finance Chiefs on Crypto […]

Russia’s foreign minister says a flight from the U.S. dollar “is sure to accelerate,” emphasizing that “this trend is irreversible.” The official added: “The path of sanctions is the path to nowhere. Serious countries and sober-minded politicians are drawing relevant conclusions and these conclusions are definitely in favor of terminating dependence on the West.” Russian […]

Jeffrey Tucker says we are at the turning point for the U.S. dollar, citing a growing de-dollarization trend. “The dollar’s just not going to be king,” he warned, adding that history will record recent events “as the turning point for the dollar.” Jeffrey Tucker on De-Dollarization, USD’s Turning Point Jeffrey Tucker, an author and publisher […]

According to a report, the recently arrested Terraform Labs co-founder Do Kwon was able to register a company in Serbia just a few weeks after Interpol issued a Red Notice for him. Lawyers that helped Kwon form a company in Serbia reportedly said they were not aware of Interpol’s Red Notice against their client. Do […]

Bitcoin.com, a global leader in accessible cryptocurrency products and education, has taken another step forward in enhancing user experience by integrating HAPI‘s service into the self-custodial Bitcoin.com Wallet and onboarding the HAPI token on its Verse DEX with a USDC/HAPI trading pair. Bitcoin.com and HAPI are now offering highly attractive yield on the USDC/HAPI Farm. […]

The central bank in the United Arab Emirates said it has started implementing its digital currency strategy with partners G42 Cloud and R3. According to the central bank, the digital currency initiative is expected to “further position and solidify the UAE as a leading global financial hub.” CBDC Strategy to Focus on Three Pillars The […]

The president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, Neel Kashkari, says the current banking crisis has pushed the U.S. economy closer to a recession. “We have fundamental issues, regulatory issues facing our banking system,” the Fed official stressed. Neel Kashkari on U.S. Economy, Banking Crisis, Recession Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari […]

Former Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs for the U.S. Department of the Treasury Monica Crowley has warned of “catastrophic” consequences if the U.S. dollar loses its status as the world’s reserve currency. “That would mean the end of the U.S. dollar,” she said, predicting that “there would be a complete implosion of the global economic […]

According to a recent white paper published by four members of the law firm Cooper & Kirk, PLLC, U.S. bank regulators are attempting to “drive crypto businesses out of the financial system.” The paper, titled “Operation Chokepoint 2.0,” claims that after laying the groundwork by labeling lawful businesses as “reputationally risky,” federal bank regulators, with […]

A prosecutor investigating Terraform Labs CEO Do Kwon for alleged passport forgery in Montenegro has indicated that he will not be extradited soon. The law enforcement official told South Korean media that Montenegrin authorities intend to indict Kwon within a month, ruling out the possibility of him being handed over to other countries within the […]

Despite Bitcoin’s difficulty reaching an all-time high at 46.84 trillion, participants in bitcoin mining have kept the hashrate running stronger than ever before. According to statistics, on March 23, 2023, the hashrate reached a high of 400 exahash per second (EH/s). The 400 exahash equates to 0.4 zettahash or four hundred quintillion hashes per second. […]

According to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the troubled bank Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) was acquired by First Citizens Bank & Trust Company, which is based in Raleigh, North Carolina. First Citizens acquired all deposits and loans from SVB, as well as the 17 branches that SVB owned across the United States. Silicon Valley […]

Microstrategy has purchased 6,455 bitcoins for approximately $150 million at an average price of $23,238 per coin. With its latest purchase, Microstrategy now holds 138,955 bitcoins acquired at an average of $29,817 per coin. Moreover, the company also paid off its loan from troubled Silvergate Bank in full. Microstrategy Buys More Bitcoin Nasdaq-listed Microstrategy Inc. […]

Jan Nieuwenhuijs, a gold market analyst, has predicted that gold might exceed prices of $8,000 during the next decade, as the current Ukraine-Russia war, and the worldwide battle against inflation, shift the preference of central banks for foreign currencies to gold. The proposed long-term price model shows that each troy ounce of the metal might […]

The number of irretrievably lost bitcoins has now reached 6 million, which leaves 13.3 million as coins that remain in circulation, Timothy Peterson of Cane Island Alternative Advisors has said. Peterson added that out of the 1.7 million bitcoins that will be mined in the next 100 years or more, one million coins will be […]

The Mid-Size Bank Coalition of America has asked federal regulators to extend FDIC insurance to cover all deposits for the next two years. “Doing so will immediately halt the exodus of deposits from smaller banks, stabilize the banking sector and greatly reduce chances of more bank failures,” the group claimed. “It is imperative we restore […]

A U.S. congressman has urged the federal government to temporarily insure every bank deposit in the country. Following the collapses of several major banks, he stressed that if the government does not do this, there will be a run on smaller banks. “This is a contagion that could be spread across the entire banking system,” […]

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren has called for a “thorough, independent investigation of the causes” that led to the failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank. She alleges that Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell “bears direct responsibility” for regulatory and supervisory issues involving the two banks. Senator Elizabeth Warren Calls for Independent Investigation Into […]