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Ripple Co-Founder Hints Move From US Regulation: “Blockchain and Digital Currencies are not Welcome”
Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen is considering moving Ripple’s base from the United States due to crushing biased regulation.
Luxury Car Purchases by Crypto Doubled to $12m in 2021, Says AutoCoinCars Executive
The number of customers worldwide using cryptocurrencies to buy vehicles has significantly increased. An executive of AutoCoinCars has seen sales on its platform double to $12 million in 2021.
Renault Deploys Blockchain for Vehicle Compliance Certification from Design to Production
Renault, a leading French automobile manufacturer, has established the XCEED blockchain system to ensure compliance of all car parts from design to production.
Crypto Gains Significant Exposure as Jim Parsons Debuts on The Simpsons to Introduce the 'Cash of the Future'
The latest episode of The Simpsons featured Jim Parsons, known for his role as Sheldon Cooper in the television show, The Big Bang Theory, as an animated guest star who introduces cryptocurrencies and blockchain to Lisa, one of the characters in The Simpsons.
California Governor Gavin Newsom Warns Bitcoin Scams are Targeting Public In COVID-19 Market
In his official address, Gavin Newsom California governor cautioned the public against individuals asking for advance payment in Bitcoin with the promise of delivering essential commodities.
Climate Activists, Billionaire Launch Campaign to Tackle Bitcoin's Impact on Environment
Bitcoin's impact on the environment is about to face the limelight as several climate activist organizations such as Greenpeace and crypto billionaire Chris Larsen are launching a campaign to tackle its power usage system.
Bitcoin Association Bestows First-Ever Satoshi Nakamoto Scholarship to PhD Student
Bitcoin Association, a leading global organization for Bitcoin business, has revealed its first-ever Satoshi Nakamoto Scholarship to a 2nd year Cambridge University Phd student undertaking human genomics. Robin Kohze is the beneficiary of the scholarship after he successfully took part in a series of blockchain competitions, whereby he emerged second at Bitcoin Association’s 2nd Bitcoin SV Hackathon.
Legend of Wuhan Coronavirus Whistleblower Will Live Forever on Ethereum Blockchain
Li Wenliang was an ophthalmologist at Wuhan Central Hospital who became something of a national hero amidst the turmoil of the Coronavirus. Identifying the deadly virus early, he was silenced by his government for trying to warn the public. His legend has only been further galvanized on the Ethereum blockchain following his recent death where he succumbed to the dreaded illness
Binance employs Trump audit company to check crypto reserves
Mazars audits Binance's proof-of-reserve (PoR). Mazars' U.S. branch was Donald Trump's longstanding accounting firm. The accounting company is apparently evaluating all of Binance's publicly posted Bitcoin PoR information and will validate future upgrades and tokens.
FTX Bankruptcy Legal Costs Hit $118.1 Million in Three Months
FTX's bankruptcy lawyers and advisers earned an average of $118.1M in fees between August and October, with Alvarez and Marshall leading the charges.
OpenAI Unveils Breakthrough in GPT-4 Interpretability with Sparse Autoencoders
OpenAI's new methods identify 16 million patterns in GPT-4's computations.
Devcon Scholars Program Returns for Devcon Southeast Asia, Aiming to Build a Collaborative Community
The Devcon Scholars Program is back, offering scholarships and community-building opportunities for Devcon SEA 2024.
Gala Games Announces 'Stars & Sweets' Weekly Competition in Common Ground World
Gala Games launches the 'Stars & Sweets' competition in Common Ground World, inviting players to craft and sell Starlight Market Boxes for rewards from July 2-5.
GeForce NOW Expands Library with 'Visions of Mana' and More
GeForce NOW adds 'Visions of Mana', 'Star Wars Outlaws', and 'Call of Duty: Black Ops 6' Open Beta to its cloud gaming library.
Polars Launches GPU Engine with RAPIDS cuDF for Enhanced Data Processing
Polars releases GPU engine powered by RAPIDS cuDF, boosting data processing speeds up to 13x on NVIDIA GPUs. Now available in open beta.
NVIDIA Enhances Polars Data Processing with CUDA-X Acceleration
NVIDIA integrates CUDA-X with Polars, significantly boosting data processing speeds. The update promises up to 13x faster performance, enhancing efficiency for data scientists and engineers.
CleanSpark Appoints Brian Carson as Chief Accounting Officer
CleanSpark Inc. (Nasdaq: CLSK) has appointed Brian Carson as chief accounting officer, promoting him from his previous role as director of financial reporting.
BIS Conference Addresses Cybersecurity in Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)
Agustín Carstens, General Manager of the Bank for International Settlements, highlighted the importance of cybersecurity for central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) during a conference in Basel, Switzerland, emphasizing the need for secure, user-friendly, and adaptable systems.
SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce Speaks Up on Controversial Penny Stock Bars
SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce has expressed her dissenting stance on the Commission's latest decision to impose permanent penny stock bars on four respondents involved in adjudication matters. This sentiment was publicized in her tweet on June 28, along with a link to an official statement explaining her position.
Colombia Holds Landmark Virtual Court Trial in Metaverse
Colombia's Magdalena Administrative Court conducted a trial in the metaverse on February 15, with participants appearing as avatars in a virtual courtroom. The trial involved a traffic dispute brought by a regional transport union against the police and lasted two hours. The verdict could also be given in the metaverse. Colombia is one of the first countries to test legal proceedings in the metaverse.
Reddit Avatars on Polygon Blockchain
Reddit has launched the third generation of its blockchain-based digital collectibles, Reddit Avatars, on the Polygon blockchain. The release has generated excitement and predictions of quick sellouts, but some users have criticized the payment process.
Archipelago Trading Services Settles with SEC for $1.5 Million Over Unfiled SARs
Archipelago Trading Services Inc. will pay $1.5 million to the SEC for failing to file hundreds of Suspicious Activity Reports between 2012 and 2020, despite daily high-risk transactions.
Stars Arena Tightens Security Following $3M Exploit
Stars Arena, an Avalanche-based Web3 social media app, is reinforcing its security measures following a $3 million exploit on October 6, 2023. The steps include the transfer of funds to a secure multisig wallet, a comprehensive security audit, and the engagement of a white hat team for rapid security review. Users have been urged not to deposit any new funds until the security overhaul is completed.
Hyundai Emerges as First Automaker to Roll Out Community-Based NFTs
South Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor has entered the non-fungible token (NFT) market after partnering with the ‘Meta Kongz’ NFT brand to enhance its customer community and brand awareness.
Stars Arena Recovers Majority of Stolen Crypto
Stars Arena, a Web3 social media platform, has recovered about 90% of the 266,104 AVAX stolen in a security breach on October 7, 2023, following a settlement with the exploiter. The platform received 239,493 AVAX back, while awarding a 27,610 AVAX bounty to the individual. Post-recovery, Stars Arena is enhancing its security measures, including auditing a new smart contract to safeguard against future exploits.
Binance Introduces Zero Maker Fee for ARS, BRL and ZAR
Binance has launched a zero maker fee promotion for spot trading pairs involving Argentine Peso, Brazilian Real, and South African Rand. The promotion will be in effect from September 8, 2023, until further notice. The promotion aims to attract traders interested in these currency pairs and contribute to the exchange's market expansion.
UK's Advertising Authority Orders Arsenal to Remove "Misleading" Fan Token Ad
The United Kingdom’s Advertising Standards Authority ordered Arsenal FC to remove fan token ads from their official Facebook account and website, accusing the football club of “misleading” investors.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse Criticizes Former SEC Chair Jay Clayton's Regulatory Approach
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse criticizes former SEC Chair Jay Clayton for his aggressive regulatory approach, citing hypocrisy based on a 2020 lawsuit against Ripple. The ongoing legal tussle and recent developments highlight the broader regulatory uncertainties in the crypto industry.
SEC Scholars Program Opens Applications for Fall 2023 Internship
The SEC is accepting applications for its Scholars Program for Fall 2023. The program offers internships for undergraduate and graduate students in business and legal programs. The traineeships are paid and range from $15.09 to $35.27 per hour. The SEC encourages students with an interest in blockchain, computer science, and cybersecurity to apply.
Ripple Executives Cleared of SEC Charges in Landmark Decision
In a major development, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and Executive Chairman Chris Larsen were cleared of all charges by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This is the third legal victory for the executives and Ripple, leaving the crypto industry questioning the SEC's approach.
Bored Ape Yacht Club wins legal battle, Mandala Metaverse selects Polkadot, Square Enix partners with Elixir Games, and Cricket Stars launches on Tezos
Yuga Labs, the creators of the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) NFT collection, have won a legal battle against Ryder Ripps and Jeremy Cahen, the creators of the RR/BAYC NFT collection. Mandala Metaverse has chosen Polkadot to host its first major NFT drop, called the "Cryptonauts". Square Enix has partnered with Elixir Games to bring blockchain gaming to the mainstream. Cricket Stars, a multiplayer NFT cricket strategy game, has been launched on the Tezos blockchain.
SlowMist Report: 10 Crypto Incidents Unveiled
The SlowMist Weekly Security Report (Oct 1 - Oct 7, 2023) underscores ten security incidents in the crypto realm, with Stars Arena suffering the heaviest loss of $3 million. From DNS hijacking to Discord hacks, the report highlights the financial repercussions and urges the community to adopt stringent security measures.
Bitcoin Price Drops Below $9K as Stock Markets Erase Gains Amid Incoming Second Wave of COVID-19 Cases
Bitcoin price is currently hitting its lowest levels in around 3 weeks, as stocks are rumored to anticipate an incoming crash. Bitcoin (BTC) dipped below the $9,000 on June 15 and continued to hover above $9,000 shortly after.
Conflux to Bring Uniswap v3 and Curve to China's Public Blockchain
Conflux, the only regulatory-compliant blockchain in China, has proposed deploying Uniswap v3 on its network alongside CNH (offshore Chinese Yuan) stable currency, and joining the Curve Wars with its mainnet token CFX bridged to Ethereum mainnet, known as eCFX. This proposal comes after Binance's announcement that it will support Conflux Network's (CFX) mainnet integration. The hope is to attract more initiatives, establish liquidity pools to facilitate the exchange of CFX tokens, and implement incentives that promote liquidity, ultimately increasing the network's worth and usage.
Spheroid to Launch AI Avatars in Augmented Reality
Spheroid Universe, a futuristic Metaverse that augments the real world in every part of the Earth, has announced the upcoming launch of artificial intelligence (AI) Avatars that will inhabit the world around us via augmented reality (AR). This ground-breaking development will deliver breakthrough opportunities across numerous business platforms - from e-commerce and retail to advertising, sales, general customer, and consumer interactions and more.
PwC: Crypto M&A and Fundraising in Asia Reports Major Growth
PwC previewed its latest white paper—PwC Global Crypto M&A and Fundraising Report—last Thursday at CoinDesk’s Invest: Asia event. This is the first report by PwC on the broader crypto ecosystem, but the firm will continue to publish updates twice a year moving forward.
FinTech in Belt and Road - Transforming French Freight Logistics with Blockchain
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) seeks to improve trade connectivity by upgrading transport infrastructure across much of Eurasia. The undertaking spans a massive geographic area covering as many as 63 countries, accounting for sixty percent of the world’s population and thirty percent of global GDP.
The Bahamas Central Bank Digital Currency Will Be Rolled Out in October
The Bahamas Central Bank has announced its CBDC, dubbed Sand Dollars, will be ready by next month for roll out.
Hong Kong Blockchain Ecosystem Feb 2020 - New Members
Hong Kong Blockchain Ecosystem Feb 2020 - New Members
Mixtral 8x7B: Elevating Language Modeling with Expert Architecture
Mixtral 8x7B, a Sparse Mixture of Experts model, outperforms leading AI models in efficiency and multilingual tasks, offering reduced bias and broad accessibility under Apache 2.0 license.
Philippines Central Bank To Research Further Before Launching its CBDC
Philippines Central Bank governor Benjamin Diokno has recommended further research with respect to the proposed Digital Peso, central bank digital currency.
Bahamas Looks to Deploy its CBDC The Sand Dollar Across Borders
The Central Bank of the Bahamas (CBOB) has says it wants its digital currency dubbed the Sand Dollars integrated with other countries' currency.
Barstool Sports Founder Dave Portnoy to Dump Bitcoin and Chainlink (LINK) After $25,000 Loss
Dave Portnoy announced that he is done with cryptocurrency and Bitcoin after undergoing a loss of $25,000 due to market crash.
Dave Portnoy Offers to be The Savior of Bitcoin and Chainlink (LINK), Angering Crypto Twitter
After declaring that he may be quitting crypto trading altogether, Dave Portnoy is now hinting that he will “save Bitcoin and crypto.”
Dave Portnoy Calls Bitcoin “A Ponzi Scheme,” but Says He Will be Back for Crypto
Dave Portnoy revealed that he had previously bought $1.25 million worth of Bitcoin, despite thinking the cryptocurrency was just a “just one big Ponzi scheme.”
Elon Musk Confirms Russian Bitcoin Ransomware Attack Targeting Tesla, FBI to the Rescue
Elon Musk confirmed that Tesla was recently targeted in a ransomware attack set to extort $1 million in Bitcoin from the car manufacturing giant.
“Bitcoin Better Investment than Gold," Winklevoss Says to Dave Portnoy Over Talks on Elon Musk’s Plans to Mine Gold in Space
In their interview with Dave Portnoy, Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss advised the "Davey Day Trader" to invest in Bitcoin rather than gold.
Winklevoss Twins Brief David Portnoy on Bitcoin, BTC Talks Continue
American internet celebrity David Portnoy officially hosted the Winklevoss Twins at his house for a long-due conversation regarding Bitcoin (BTC) and cryptocurrencies.
Blockchain-Based Driving Licenses in South Korea Hit One Million Drivers
Blockchain-powered driving licenses were made available as an option in South Korea in May.
Hedge Fund Marshall Wace Forms Workforce, Focusing on Blockchain Investments
Investment firm Marshall Wace is forming a blockchain team, focusing on investing in private blockchain-related companies.
Wanted Wirecard Exec Marsalek Hiding in Russia After Moving Funds in Bitcoin
Former Wirecard Chief Operating Officer Jan Marsalek used Bitcoin to move funds to Russia where he is now in hiding under the supervision of Russian intelligence operatives, according to a Russian media outlet.
Russian Intelligence are Hiding Embezzler and Former Wirecard COO in Belarus
Jan Marsalek promptly disappeared shortly after undertaking an investigation for the Wirecard missing funds - which he claimed would clear him of any wrongdoing. However, new evidence suggests that he never made it to the Philippines at all, but has been in hiding with the help of the FSB, a Russian intelligence agency.
Argentinians Seek Shelter in Stablecoins after Economy Minister Resignation
Argentinians have taken refuge in stablecoins after the nation’s economy minister Martin Guzman resigned over the weekend attributed to the financial crisis crushing the South American country.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey Supports Nigerian Protest Against Police Brutality With Bitcoin Donations
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has supported Nigeria's EndSars campaign against police brutality with an undisclosed amount of Bitcoin (BTC), asks public for further donations.
Volvo Cars Invests in London-based Blockchain Firm to Reduce Carbon Dioxide Footprint
Volvo Cars, a leading Swedish car manufacturer, has invested in Circulor, a London-based blockchain company majoring in industrial supply chains. It sealed the deal through its venture capital investment arm called the Volvo Cars Tech Fund.
Mitsubishi to Digitize Metal Resource Trade on Blockchain Platform
Mitsubishi Corporation has launched a blockchain platform to streamline and digitize metal trading via its metals and minerals subsidiary.
400 Crypto.com Accounts Hacked, CEO Confirms Reimbursement for all Victims
According to a Bloomberg interview, Kris Marszalek, CEO of Crypto wallet provider and trading platform Crypto.com, said he would be more than willing to share information about Tuesday's hack if the regulator has any relevant inquiries.
PwC Veteran Quits Role to Establish Digital Asset Fund in Dubai
Henri Arslanian, the former Global Head of crypto of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), has launched his own crypto-dedicated venture capital firm, Nine Blocks Capital Management, and has chosen Dubai as the outfit’s base of operation.
Ripple Co-Founder Chris Larsen Faces Backlash Over BTC Source Code Change Campaign
Larsen claims his motives for the Bitcoin code change are pure and directed toward ensuring the long-term success of the Bitcoin protocol, prominent members of the ecosystem thought otherwise, with many expressing their displeasure with his pursuits.
PARSIQ Integrates Chainlink Oracle Price Feeds to Trigger Off-Chain Actions and Trading Decisions
Blockchain monitoring and automation platform PARSIQ has integrated Chainlink price oracles to trigger off-chain actions and trading decisions.
Algorand Protocol Stateful Smart Contract Upgrade Targets Scalable DeFi Solutions and Dapps
Algorand is entering the decentralized finance (DeFI) ecosystem with its new highly scalable stateful smart contract capabilities.
NVIDIA Doubles Down Investing in Metaverse by Launching New Developer Tools
American technology giant NVIDIA is doubling down on its bet on the metaverse and is empowering creators with the launch of a new set of advanced tools.
Taiwan Musician Jay Chou Enters the Metaverse NFT Market, Earning Nearly $10M
Taiwanese pop singer and musician Jay Chou has ventured into the meta-universe, earning nearly $10 million.
Terminating Fake News with Blockchain
What's real and what's fake in the media world is increasingly difficult to discern. The war against fake news rages on, but there is one new weapon in the arsenal against misinformation: Blockchain
Premier League Champion Manchester City Tokenizes its Players via Superbloke
It has been reported that the Premier League championship, Manchester city had signed South Korea’s Superbloke who is a sports game developer, to become the Club’s official blockchain-based gacha gaming partner in Korea, Japan and South-East Asia. Gacha games involve virtual currency.
US Files Lawsuit to Recover Cryptocurrency Accounts Linked to North Korean Hacking Operation
The US Department of Justice has filed a suit against North Korean state-sponsored cyber hackers for allegedly perpetrating two major cryptocurrency heists.