Polkadot, Kusama parachain anticipation builds amid uncertainty over launch date
Appetite for auction remains robust despite delays, pressure on Polkadot token. Since the Polkadot mainnet launch in 2020, the planned launch of the network’s eponymous and Kusama parachains has generated much eager anticipation. Yet delays to the auction of slots that have put pressure on Polkadot’s native token appear not to have dampened enthusiasm for […]
Indian payments authority leaves banks to weigh crypto-trading bans
National Payments Corporation of India refuses to ban cryptocurrency trading, putting decision on whether to block trades in hands of lenders. India’s national payments authority has handed banks the responsibility for deciding whether or not to ban cryptocurrency trading. The National Payments Corporation of India has advised lenders across the country to impose bans on […]
NYDG-FIS partnership allows lenders to offer Bitcoin banking
Tie-up between Bitcoin trading platform and fintech firm will allow bank customers to use the cryptocurrency in their accounts. NYDIG, the Bitcoin subsidiary of alternative asset manager Stone Ridge, and fintech heavyweight FIS have joined forces in an industry-first partnership that will allow banks to offer customers the ability to buy, sell and hold Bitcoin […]
South Korea to impose 20% capital gains tax on crypto in 2022
South Korea’s finance department on Wednesday announced a new rule imposing a 20% capital gains tax on cryptocurrency transaction gains starting in 2022. However, cryptocurrency investors are entitled to a tax deduction for expenses incurred during mining. The country’s Ministry of Economy and Finance explained cryptocurrency transaction gains exceeding 2.5 million won (about US$2,230) would […]
New York Giants ink partnership deal with Grayscale
Football team adds world’s biggest crypto asset manager to roster of corporate sponsors as sector firms make inroads into sports. The New York Giants have announced an exclusive partnership agreement with digital currency asset manager Grayscale Investments, which had $46.6 billion of assets under management as of April 30. The arrangement, a first in the […]
Nokia unveils blockchain-enabled marketplace for monetizing data exchange, analysis
Finland-based mobile phone manufacturer Nokia unveiled its blockchain-enabled Nokia Data Marketplace on Wednesday, said to offer monetized data exchange and analysis capabilities. In a statement, the company said the service would allow its partners from various industries to collaborate via private blockchain, leveraging AI and automated mechanisms in real time to address rapidly growing data […]
Crypto demand grows in Australia as rich families seek investment edge
Institutional interest propels cryptocurrencies into mainstream for wealthy investors looking to diversify portfolios. High net worth Australians are committing increasing sums in cryptocurrencies as digital assets move from the fringes of investment markets and become steadily more mainstream. Leigh Travers, executive director of technology investment firm DigitalX, says he has observed a growing trend toward […]
Indian banks, payment gateways reportedly blocking crypto transactions
India’s cryptocurrency exchanges are calling on local banks not to block their transactions. Cryptocurrency exchanges in Mumbai are reportedly struggling with payment gateways and banks, which they accuse of blocking their transactions by citing an old Reserve Bank of India (RBI) policy to ban digital currency dealings. They claim the policy had been struck down […]
Boxer Tyson Fury teams up with HoDooi to sell NFTs
‘Gypsy King’ looks to blockchain-powered marketplace to tap demand for celebrity collectibles Two-time world heavyweight champion boxer Tyson Fury is partnering with HoDooi.com to launch his brand as a collectible in the non-fungible token market. HoDooi.com was founded by Matt Luczynski, who is also the co-founder of the blockchain travel business Travala.com. Commenting on the […]
NFTs shake up Asian art scene
From Manila to Beijing, the Asian art universe is changing as non-fungible tokens gain traction as assets. In Manila, friends and NFT collectors Gabby Dizon and Colin Goltra opened Narra Art Gallery early this year to provide the cryptocurrency community with a venue in which they could shop for digital art. The virtual gallery offers […]
Spanish health care group Biziondo to accept Bitcoin payments
Biziondo, a Spanish medical group specializing in spinal health, announced plans to accept cryptocurrency payments, citing the start of the “Bitcoin revolution.” “It is clear that the Bitcoin revolution has already started in an economic context in which, in 2020, 60% of the world’s money was printed by European, United States, and Japanese central banks. […]
Over 800 limited edition Star Wars collectibles in NFTs
Do you want to own a piece of Hollywood history? More than 800 limited edition collectibles from one of the most storied movie franchises in history are now up for auction in the Starcoll NFT marketplace beginning Tuesday (May 4), Starcoll announced on its website. “Over 800+ limited edition Star Wars collectible will be released […]
INX completes $125M SEC- approved token IPO
The cryptocurrency exchange INX has completed the first-ever security token offering registered with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The initial public offering (IPO) closed with $85 million in proceeds from over 7,200 investors. In addition to the previous private token sales and the cash in private placement equity, INX has raised a total of […]
Digital dollar: Binance CEO warns of CBDC drawbacks
Changpeng Zhao, Binance CEO, has cautioned on the challenges that cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin could face upon the launch of the digital dollar. He made these comments during an interview. Zhao explained that the central bank digital currency (CBDC) would lack properties like “freedom of use” and “limited supply” that make cryptocurrencies unique. He added that […]
Binance Coin market cap hits new ATH, surpasses $100B
Binance Coin, or BNB, has set another record after posting a new all-time high above $660. The altcoin’s market cap first crossed the $50 billion benchmark in the first few days of April. However, the market cap jumped more than 100% in less than a month. As of this writing, BNB is trading around $661, […]
DCG to buy $750M in GBTC
Digital Currency Group, the parent company of the digital asset manager Grayscale, has decided to up its purchase of Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) by $500 million. The firm plans to purchase $750 million worth of GBTC shares instead of the initial $250 million. The GBTC has been trading at a premium for some months for […]
Mastercard survey: growing number of consumers eye crypto for shopping
A survey by credit card provider Mastercard shows that a growing number of consumers prefer using cryptocurrency when making their purchases. Mastercard’s New Payments Index polled more than 15,000 online respondents from North America, Latin America, the Asia Pacific region, The Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean. The study shows 40% of those polled plan […]
Former US Treasurer joins Ripple board, Kristina Campbell is new CFO
U.S.-based payments solutions provider Ripple announced two key appointments on Monday, with former U.S. Treasurer Rosa “Rosie” Gumataotao Rios joining its board of directors and Kristina Campbell joining the firm as its new chief financial officer. Ripple chief executive officer Brad Garlinghouse said on the company’s official website, “These two exceptional leaders join Ripple at […]
Spanish healthcare group Biziondo to accept Bitcoin payments
Spanish spinal care specialist Biziondo says it will start accepting cryptocurrency payments, citing the “Bitcoin revolution.”
Argentina looks to crypto shelter amidst inflation turmoil
Struggling Argentines are looking to cryptocurrency for opportunities to stave off rising prices, a devaluing currency and US dollar shortage.
Intel and Microsoft form partnership to combat cryptojacking attacks
Microsoft has partnered with Intel to roll out a threat detection feature to protect endpoints from cryptojacking malware. The new feature extends Intel’s Threat Detection Technology (TDT) function on Microsoft Defender to flag suspicious activities. It also mitigates the threats before they occur on the computer. The boom of cryptocurrencies has brought about new threats […]
What could be the ‘greatest inhibitor’ to Dogecoin’s growth?
The NBA Dallas Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban, has called “Robinhood’s withdrawal policy “the greatest inhibitor” to Dogecoin’s growth. The billionaire tweeted recently that businesses will start embracing Dogecoin because many people use it for transactions. According to Cuban, since people can’t spend DOGE on Robinhood, this could be the “greatest indicator to Dogecoin’s growth.” Cuban […]
Report: Miners hold on to their Bitcoin much tighter than in January
The on-chain data analytics firm Glassnode reported that miners have continued accumulating Bitcoin. According to the tweet, Bitcoin miners had lowered their spending compared to early January when outflow was high. Bitcoin outflow by miners has dropped to the lowest level in four months and currently sits around 49.9 BTC per day. Miners accumulation has […]
Crypto mining farms under investigation in Beijing
Bitcoin’s energy consumption has been a critical issue among experts, governments, and industry players. Reuters reported that Beijing officials are investigating crypto mining establishments to determine how much energy they consume. On April 27, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information has ordered the city’s data centers to report the amount of power consumed […]
German regulators could fine Binance heavily
According to a report, Binance could face investigation from European regulators over the issued stock tokens. The largest crypto exchange issued its first tokenized stock early this month, starting with Tesla stocks. The U.K Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) had revealed last week that it is working to understand the product to know whether Binance has […]
‘We should have bought Bitcoin, not gold’ — BNY Mellon fund
In its SEC filings, the asset management firm BNY Mellon revealed that the poor performance of its exchange-traded fund (ETF) was due to its non-exposure to assets invested in Bitcoin. The bank noted that its BNY Mellon Opportunistic Small Cap Fund (DSCVX) performance was partly because it had no exposure to MicroStrategy. MicroStrategy bought its […]
FinTech group: ‘digital footprints’ could help underbanked Philippines
Filipino-owned assets management company SAM Digital Technologies says adoption of blockchain could promote ‘digital footprints’ in the island nation. The country’s central bank is also interested in the technology.
Thailand tightens grip on cryptocurrency, increases KYC requirements
Thailand has issued fresh orders to tighten regulations on new cryptocurrency accounts, requiring customers to appear in person.
Vietnam faces hard drive shortage due to Chia mining craze in China
Large capacity hard drives are selling like hotcakes in Vietnam as locals capitalize on China’s demand for Chia mining power.
Singapore’s US$31 million RegTech grant to boost crypto compliance
The RegTech grant, although not directed towards cryptocurrency, could have a profound impact on the industry.
Turkey’s Thodex exchange fraud case yields six new suspects
Turkish authorities arrested six individuals in connection with the Thodex exchange fraud case.
Binance Charity Fund donates to India’s COVID-19 fight
The charity arm of Binance is sending 175 oxygen connectors to India to aid in the coronavirus relief effort.