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Is Cryptocurrency the Answer? Egypt’s Central Bank Limits Daily Cash Withdrawals Amid Coronavirus Crisis
Egypt is facing a severe cash crunch as the country is feeling the economic pressure of the coronavirus outbreak. The central bank of Egypt has instructed local banks to begin restricting daily withdrawals and has instructed citizens not to withdraw so much money.
Chinese Version CBDC (Digital Yuan) Applied to Guangzhou Housing Provident Fund Loans
The Guangzhou Housing Provident Fund Management Center has successfully implemented the usage of the Chinese version of the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), commonly known as the digital Yuan, for housing provident fund loans.
Yuga Labs Acquires Roar Studios to Expand Metaverse Vision
Yuga Labs, known for Bored Ape Yacht Club, has agreed to acquire Roar Studios, enhancing its metaverse vision.
Kraken Halts ACH Deposits and Withdrawals via Silvergate
Kraken has notified its users that it will no longer support ACH deposits and withdrawals via Silvergate starting from March 27, citing difficulties with the automated clearing house. Kraken has advised its users to use alternative funding options until ACH funding is available again.
Fujitsu and Ricex Reveals World’s First Blockchain-Enabled Rice Trading Platform
Fujitsu has revealed its collaboration with Rice Exchange (Ricex), a Switzerland-based startup, for the first-ever blockchain-powered rice trading platform. This move seeks to offer unparalleled traceability, efficiency, transparency, and security to the worldwide rice market worth a whopping $450 billion.
Bitcoin Hodlers Experience Profits on Majority of Trading Days
Bitcoin's profitability challenges the narrative of depreciating volatility. 88.50% of Bitcoin's tradable days were profitable for hodlers, with just 11.56% being unprofitable. Understanding market cycles is crucial for investors, while some prefer daily trades. General Bytes shut down its cloud services due to a discovered security vulnerability.
Robinhood to Acquire Bitstamp in $200M Deal to Bolster Global Crypto Presence
Robinhood's acquisition of Bitstamp aims to expand its crypto offerings and global footprint.
Leveraging YOLOv8 and NVIDIA JetPack 6.0 for Enhanced Traffic Insights
Explore how YOLOv8 and NVIDIA JetPack 6.0 can optimize traffic flow, enhance safety, and promote sustainability in urban environments through Intelligent Transportation Systems.
Hong Kong Monetary Authority Reports 1.1% Increase in May 2024 Deposits
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority reported a 1.1% increase in total deposits for May 2024, with notable rises in both Hong Kong dollar and foreign currency deposits.
Bitso Rolls Out Crypto QR Payment Tool in Argentina
Starting from September 27, crypto payment will gradually be enabled for more than 1 million users in Argentina from the Bitso App with QR code.
Crypto Exchange Bitso Lays off Over 10% Employees
South American trading platform Bitso announced the decision to lay off 80 employees in consideration of its long-term business strategy.
Yuga Labs Comes up With New Condition For Meebits NFT Sales
Following the CryptoPunks acquisition in March, non-fungible token (NFT) giant Yuga Labs will now receive 5% on all secondary sales conducted by Meebits
Harvard's Breakthrough in Quantum Computing: A Leap Towards Error-Correction and Noise Reduction
Harvard researchers have developed a processor using logical qubits for error-correction and noise reduction, a groundbreaking advancement in quantum computing that could potentially revolutionize the field.
NFT Exploits Need A Countermeasure And Unique Certification May Be The Answer
NFT Exploits Need A Countermeasure And Unique Certification May Be The Answer
Vision Mamba: A New Paradigm in AI Vision with Bidirectional State Space Models
The Vision Mamba project introduces a transformative approach in AI vision with its bidirectional state space models, outperforming traditional vision transformers in efficiency and performance across various tasks, including ImageNet classification and COCO object detection.
US SEC Extends Review Period for 7RCC's Bitcoin ETF Listing
The US SEC has extended the review period for 7RCC's Bitcoin ETF listing, with the final decision expected by June 24, with the initial deadline set for May 10. The Bitcoin ETF aims to provide investors with exposure to Bitcoin and incorporate carbon credits.
Quantinuum Secures $300 Million in Landmark Quantum Computing Funding Round
Quantinuum secures a significant $300M equity fundraise at a $5B valuation, led by JPMorgan Chase, Mitsui, Amgen, and Honeywell, marking a major stride in the quantum computing sector and boosting development of fault-tolerant quantum computers.
Significant Crypto Hacks in December 2023, with Orbit Bridge Exploit Leading the Surge
In December 2023, a significant increase in crypto thefts was triggered by an $81.5 million attack on Orbit Bridge, marking one of the largest attacks on cross-chain bridges in recent years.
CryptoPunk, Meebits Owners can now Create Commercial Projects With Their NFTs
The announcement comes following Yuga Labs' release of its long-awaited IP licensing deal for CryptoPunk and Meetbits NFT holders.
SBI Holdings to Launch Investment Fund for Emerging Companies like Web3, AI, and Metaverse Startups
SBI Holdings plans to invest 100 billion yen in startups focusing on Web3, AI, and metaverse, with financial institutions supporting Japan's goal to nurture its startup ecosystem and enhance its Asian startup hub position.
South Korea Proposes 20% Capital Gains Tax on Cryptocurrency Commodities
South Korea’s parliament has put forward a bill that could see crypto profits taxed by up to 20% as members argue that cryptocurrencies are commodities.
Bitstamp Appoints New CEO, Reshuffling Leadership
Luxembourg-based cryptocurrency exchange Bitstamp has announced the appointment of Jean-Baptiste Graftieaux as its new global CEO, following the sudden departure of former CEO, Julian Sawyer.
DeFi Suffers $21M in Losses from Exploits
Decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms lost at least $21 million in February due to a series of exploits including flash loan reentrancy attacks, price oracle attacks, and other hacks across seven protocols. Noteworthy incidents included the reentrancy attacks on Platypus Finance and dForce network, the price oracle attack on BonqDAO, and the smart contract exploit on Hope Finance. These incidents follow a report by Chainalysis revealing that DeFi platforms lost $3.1 billion to hacks in 2022.
Crypto Firm Bits of Gold Obtains Capital Markets License from Israeli Regulator
Bits of Gold is the first crypto firm to receive this license, which will enable it to work with local banks and financial institutions.
Paysafe Halts EUR Deposits for Binance Users: What You Need to Know
Paysafe Payment Solutions Limited has abruptly stopped processing EUR deposits for Binance users. The decision affects several Binance services, including spot trading and auto-invest plans. Users are advised to convert their EUR balances to USDT by October 31, 2023, or withdraw them to their bank accounts.
Invesco Mutual Fund Files to the India‘s SEC to Invest in Blockchain Fund
The fund management giant Invesco Mutual Fund has submitted documents to the SEC of India to invest in Invesco Elwood Global Blockchain UCITS Exchange Traded Fund.
CoinDCX Suspends Deposits and Withdrawals, Citing Compliance Requirements
CoinDCX has suspended withdrawals. The exchange said compliance, risk and monitoring requirements necessitated the decision. All users are expected to follow an enhanced due diligence process to enable crypto deposits and withdrawals.
Binance's Market Dominance Challenged as OKX and Upbit Gain Ground
The 2023 CEX Market Report shows Binance's dominance diminishing as OKX and Upbit gain market share. Factors like on-chain data, user growth, and social media presence contribute to the evolving CEX landscape.
Fujitsu Files Trademark for Crypto Brokerage Services
Japanese tech giant Fujitsu has filed a trademark application for a new branding that aims to offer financial services, including cryptocurrency brokerage services, to customers. Fujitsu has been showing growing interest in Web3 technology and launched a Web3 acceleration platform in February to support startups and partner companies in creating a diverse ecosystem of Web3 applications. The move comes as financial regulators in Japan call for stricter banking rules for the crypto sector.
David Beckham Joins Metaverse, Becomes DigitalBits Blockchain Global Brand Ambassador
Famous football star and entrepreneur David Beckham has been announced as a global brand ambassador for the DigitalBits blockchain.
Mina Stones to Propel Ethical Mining in Africa via Credits Blockchain
Mina Stones, a pioneer of Handcrafted African Fine Jewelry, seeks to avert the unethical mining problem in Africa by using Credits blockchain to alter the present gemstones supply chain.
Mid-Size Banks Ask for Deposit Insurance Extension
The Mid-Size Bank Coalition of America (MBCA) has requested that the US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) extend insurance on all deposits for the next two years, which would immediately halt the outflow of deposits from smaller banks and stabilize the banking industry, according to a Bloomberg report. The MBCA proposed that the banks themselves fund the insurance program by raising the deposit-insurance assessment on lenders who opt to participate in the increased coverage, and the failure to provide this could result in up to 300 banks going under.
Crypto Exchange Bitstamp to Suspend Trading AXS, CHZ, MANA, MATIC, NEAR, SAND, and SOL
Bitstamp will halt U.S. trading of AXS, CHZ, MANA, MATIC, NEAR, SAND, and SOL from August 29, 2023, amid regulatory considerations and expansion plans.
Greece Establishes High-Level Advisory Committee for Artificial Intelligence Strategy
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the formation of a High-Level Advisory Committee for AI on October 19, 2023. Led by MIT Professor Constantinos Daskalakis, the committee aims to prepare Greece for the rapid advancements in AI and their applications. The committee will focus on long-term national strategy, including policy development and guidelines, in key areas such as economy, society, and innovation.
Kraken Leaves Japan Again, Citing A Poor Crypto Market.
Kraken plans to leave Japan and deregister with the Financial Services Agency by January 31, 2023. Payward Asia Inc. runs Kraken's Japanese exchange. All impacted consumers may withdraw cash from the exchange before January 31.
Bybit suspends USD bank transfers amid service outages
Dubai-based crypto exchange Bybit has temporarily suspended USD deposits via bank transfers due to "service outages from a partner." Users can still withdraw funds through wire transfers until March 10, but are encouraged to do so as soon as possible to avoid potential disruptions. Bybit has exposure to the bankrupt crypto lender Genesis Global Trading and claims all client funds are safe and secure.
Bitstamp to Charge Inactive Fee to Make Up for Costs
Inactive users of the cryptocurrency exchange Bitstamp platform will have to pay a fee to make up for costs, according to a report from The Block.
MeebitsDAO Manager to Push Meebits Branding for Yuga Labs
Yuga Labs has revealed plans to onboard MeebitsDAO general manager Danny Greene as the new brand lead for Meebits at Yuga Labs.
Crypto Exchange Bitsonic CEO Sentenced to 7 Years for $8.4 Million Fraud and Market Manipulation
The CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Bitsonic has been sentenced to 7 years for inflating trading volumes and embezzling $8.4M, marking a significant legal action against crypto fraud.
Crypto Custody Firm Fireblocks Integrates with the DigitalBits Blockchain
Crypto custody firm Fireblocks has launched a new integration with the DigitalBits blockchain, providing users with secure access to products and services built on the DigitalBits blockchain.
Bitstamp acquires a Spanish crypto licence
Bitstamp has been focusing on the European Union market since its launch in 2011. The approval from the Bank of Spain lets Bitstamp's local subsidiary offer digital currency exchange services for fiat currency and electronic wallet custody services to Spanish users. By this fall, the country became home to the third-largest network of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency ATMs after the United States and Canada.
Federal Judge Refuses to Consolidate Class-Action Lawsuits Against FTX Exchange
A federal judge has denied a request to consolidate five proposed class-action lawsuits against the bankrupt crypto exchange FTX. The plaintiffs, including Julie Papadakis, Michael Elliott Jessup, Stephen Pierce, Elliott Lam, and Russell Hawkins, accuse former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried and other executives of misappropriating assets. While all the plaintiffs are pursuing Bankman-Fried, the cases also involve various other defendants, including outside auditors and exchange promoters. The judge pointed out that not all defendants had the opportunity to respond yet, and there's no need to consolidate before hearing their side.
Vitalik Buterin Moves 999 ETH Following Depositing 1,602 ETH to Bitstamp and MKR Dump
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has significantly influenced the crypto space by transferring 999 ETH to a different address and depositing it to Bitstamp, with the latest transaction valued at $1.63 million.
Coinbase Lands in Japan, Pairing with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group to Expand Crypto Trading
US cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase announced partnered with Japan's largest bank Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), to expand cryptocurrency trading in Japan.
Revolut faces issues with 2021 annual report
UK-based fintech Revolut, known for its crypto-friendly services, experienced issues with its annual report for 2021, despite reporting its first-ever full year of profit. Independent auditors confirmed the report’s accuracy, but noted certain qualifications related to the report.
Bitstamp Gets Regulatory Approval to Operate in Italy
Bitstamp achieved a major milestone by acquiring approval from Italian regulators to offer crypto services to its users.
Bitso Inks Deal as the Official Sponsor of Sao Paulo Football Club
South American trading platform, Bitso has inked a partnership with the Sao Paulo Football Club to be the team’s official sponsor from now until the next three years.
Visa Reports Record-Breaking Cryptocurrency Thefts in 2022
Visa's biannual threat report reveals that over $3 billion was stolen in cryptocurrency thefts in 2022, with token bridges being a common target. The report also details a phishing campaign targeting crypto exchanges.
Mitsui Forms Strategic Partnership with Web3 Influencer Animoca Brands
Mitsui & Co., Ltd., a renowned Japanese trading company, has joined forces with Animoca Brands, a leading player in the Web3 industry.
Yuga Labs: The Conglomerate of NFT Marketplaces and Digital Collectibles
Explore the influential role of Yuga Labs in shaping the NFT landscape with its array of popular collections like BAYC and Cryptopunks
Solana (SOL) Validators Approve "Timely Vote Credits" Proposal to Accelerate Blockchain Transactions
Solana validators have approved a proposal called "Timely Vote Credits" to reduce consensus vote latency and incentivize timely votes, potentially speeding up blockchain transactions, before implementing the mechanism.
Bitstamp Scraps Inactivity Fee Plan
Bitstamp had announced that as of August 1, it will start charging a monthly 10 euro fee to users with an inactive account to make up for costs. However, the exchange changed their mind within a day.
Top Latin American Crypto Exchange Bitso Enters Colombia
Bitso, one of Latin America's largest cryptocurrency exchanges, said it will enter the Colombian market, hiring former Mastercard executive Emilio Pardo as its new country manager.
Ethereum Foundation Suffered from MEV Bot Attack in Eth Selling
The Ethereum Foundation suffered a Sandwich attack by an MEV Bot during a 1.7k ETH transaction on Uniswap V3, resulting in a $9,101 loss. The incident spotlights the rising menace of MEV exploits and underlines the necessity for enhanced security protocols in blockchain transactions.
Ackman Urges US Government to Guarantee SVB Deposits
Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman has warned the US government that failing to guarantee all deposits held by Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) within 48 hours could result in the destruction of several financial institutions. Ackman argued that a "giant sucking sound" would be heard from the withdrawal of substantially all uninsured deposits from all banks, which would lead to a drain on liquidity from community, regional, and other banks.
Okcoin Halts U.S. Dollar Deposits After Signature Bank Shutdown
Okcoin has paused its U.S. dollar wire and ACH deposits due to the regulatory intervention in Signature Bank, Okcoin’s primary partner for customer transactions in dollars. The suspension extends to over-the-counter services, credit card transactions, and trading USD-crypto trading pairs. However, all corporate and customer funds are safe, and USD withdrawal is not affected. The processing pace will be subject to bank operation. All crypto deposit and withdrawal functions remain intact, including those of U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoins.
How Ripple-Backed Bitso Plans to Expand Cross-Border Crypto Remittance Services in Latin America
Ripple-backed crypto exchange Bitso announced that it will expand its cross-border crypto remittance services in Latin America through a $62 million investment.
Mitsubishi UFJ Trust Bank and Ginco Collaborate to Offer Japan's First Crypto Asset Trust Services
Mitsubishi UFJ Trust Bank and Ginco are partnering to provide Japan's first-ever trust services for crypto assets, in line with Japan's Payment Services Act and tax reforms.
Bitso Reaches 1 Million Users Mark in Brazil
Bitso has now reached a mark of 1 million users in Brazil, a year after its release in the country, the Mexican cryptocurrency exchange announced.
Binance Freezes Withdrawals and Suspends Core Services As Crypto Market Runs Hot
As the cryptocurrency market reaches all time high retail interest, exchange giant Binance has announced a temporary suspension of services for maintenance on its platform.
Hong Kong Blockchain Startup Bitspark Announces Closure Amid Coronavirus Outbreak and Protests
Bitspark, a blockchain remittance startup based in Hong Kong recently announced its abrupt closure, stating internal restructuring issues.
Crypto Coalition Advocates for Bitcoin Emoji Adoption
Over 20 leading crypto organizations band together to petition for an official Bitcoin emoji, emphasizing its cultural impact on society.
BlockFi to Raise Interest Rates on Crypto Deposits, despite Encounter Bear Market
BlockFi has revised upwards interest rates on cryptocurrency deposits with effect from 1st July. Also, FTX is in discussions to acquire a stake in BlockFi.
Crypto Hacks and Scams on the Rise
Over $103 million was lost to crypto exploits, scams, and hacks in April, with the total loss for the year reaching $429.7 million. Major hacks included Bitrue exchange and South Korean GDAC exchange, and flash loan attacks took around $20 million. Exit scams saw a loss of $9.4 million.
Jump Crypto Recovers $140 Million Worth of Tokens from Wormhole Hack
Jump Crypto and Oasis recover $140m from Wormhole hack, showcasing importance of collaboration and innovation in fighting crypto hacks.
OKX Launches Turkish Lira Deposits and Withdrawals
OKX recently announced its name sponsorship of Istanbul Fintech Week, taking place on 13-14 April, 2023. Tim Byun, OKX’s Global Government Relations Officer, will deliver a keynote at the event.
California Advances in Generative AI with New Report
The Newsom Administration's report on Generative AI outlines California's approach to regulating and embracing this technology, emphasizing education and workforce training for responsible use.
Crypto Hacks in Q1 2023
In Q1 2023, hackers accessed over $320 million through 139 incidents on BNB Chain and losses of $221 million on Ethereum. While significantly lower than Q1 and Q4 2022, the quarter saw hundreds of millions lost, with 60% due to the Euler Finance hack. However, funds were recovered through negotiations with hackers, a trend increasingly common in the industry.
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.
PwC Expert's Take: What Are the 3 Grey Areas to Crypto Taxation in Hong Kong?
The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) of Hong Kong took a step further to provide clarity in taxing digital assets. In the recent press release titled “LCQ20: Regulation of virtual asset investment activities”, James Lau, the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury answered the queries raised by the Hon Wu Chi-wai on taxation of virtual assets, tax evasion of virtual asset-related business and latest effort to regulate virtual assets by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC).
Euler Finance Audited 10 Times Before $196 Million Attack
Euler Finance, an Ethereum-based lending protocol, underwent 10 audits from six different firms in two years before it suffered a $196 million flash loan attack. Despite this, the audits deemed the platform "nothing higher than low risk" with "no outstanding issues." The attack prompted Euler to launch a $1 million bounty for information leading to the hacker's arrest, only for them to move the funds through crypto mixer Tornado Cash.
Deloitte Partners With Chronicled to Fight Counterfeit Medication Using Blockchain Technology
Leading audit firm Deloitte has partnered with Chronicled, a San Francisco tech company, to address medication fraud and counterfeit drugs through blockchain technology. Chronicled will provide its blockchain-enabled network dubbed MediLedger that has been instrumental in the healthcare and life sciences sector.
67% of Retail Investors See Crypto as a Trustworthy Investment, Study Shows
As a show of belief in the crypto space, 67% of retail or investors deem cryptocurrencies as trustworthy investments, wile only 11% seeing them as untrustworthy, a study shows.
PayPal Confirms Its Plan to Develop Cryptocurrency Capabilities in its Letter to the European Commission
In a letter to the European Commission in March 2020, payment giant PayPal has now confirmed that has it is actively working to bring cryptocurrencies capabilities on its platform. In the detailed letter, PayPal said that it has taken tangible and unilateral steps to further develop its capabilities in the cryptocurrency space.
Switzerland Begins Consultation Before Finalizing its Proposed Blockchain Law Amendments
Switzerland announced it has initiated a consultation process ahead of its plans to effect amendments in its extant laws to accommodate blockchain technology
Alibaba Unveils Its First Home-Grown AI Chip
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba unveiled its first artificial intelligence inference chip on Wednesday, a move which could further invigorate its already rip-roaring cloud computing business.
Alibaba Moves to Expand Its Scope For Its Blockchain-powered Charity Project
Ant Financial, an affiliate of Alibaba the e-commerce giant is making efforts to increase the scope and accelerate its charity project which happens to be a blockchain initiative.
IOTA Network Increases its Speed by 20x Following its Relaunch a Few Months Prior
The IOTA Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on blockchain and open-source development has announced the latest version of its node software, Hornet together with the IOTA community. The IOTA community has conducted a stress test that illustrated a stable network of over 150 nodes with over 650 confirmed transactions per second (TPS). This shows an increase in transaction throughput by a factor of 20, while Hornet is able to consume 10 times less memory under normal operations compared to its previous node software.
Gibraltar Financial Services Commission Comprehensive Updates to its DLT Regulations
The Gibraltar Financial Services Commission (GFSC) has updated its guidance notes for distributed ledger technology (DLT) providers in the country.
Walmart Files Patent Introducing Its Own Digital Currency
Walmart has filed a cryptocurrency patent to develop its own U.S dollar-backed digital currency similar to Facebook’s Libra.
North Korea Is Making Its Own Version of Bitcoin
The hermit state is reportedly in the early stages of creating its own cryptocurrency, Vice News reports.
China is Expecting its First-Ever Blockchain Exchange-Traded Fund
Shenzhen is expecting its nation’s first exchange-traded fund (ETF) that will track blockchain-themed stocks as underlying assets.
Deloitte Tests Remuneration of Its Staff Using Bitcoin
Deloitte one of the most reputable audit firms globally has shown plans of testing BTC payments on its staff for optimal adoption.
China’s WeBank Makes its First Move to Take its Blockchain Global, Partnering with Singapore's OpenNodes
China’s top digital bank WeBank has announced its partnership with Singaporean government-backed OpenNodes. This partnership will allow China’s FISCO BCOS blockchain platform to be brought to Singaporean academics for innovation and new initiatives. FISCO BCOS was deemed to be China’s version of Hyperledger Fabric when it was launched in 2018. The Financial Blockchain Shenzhen Consortium (FISCO) is backed by more than 100 Chinese organizations, including Huawei, Tencent, JD Finance, and WeBank, which is partly backed by Tencent. Developed by FISCO, the enterprise blockchain protocol was the first blockchain to be supported by China’s Blockchain Service Network.
UK Tax Authority Updates Its Guidelines for Crypto Taxation
HMRC updates its guidelines for crypto – taxation, relating to both individuals and businesses. The new guidelines explicitly state that crypto-currencies are not considered as ‘money.’