Damage to South Korean crypto market limited despite mass closure, regulator says
South Korea’s virtual asset industry is expected to withstand major regulatory reconstruction
-
-
Mastercard acquires crypto investigation firm to boost security
Payments giant Mastercard announced it is extending its reach into the realm of cryptocurrency with the acquisition of CipherTrace, a blockchain analytics startup, for “greater security, transparency and trust to digital assets across the ecosystem.” Fast facts CipherTrace, which calls itself the world’s first blockchain forensics team, provides cryptocurrency tracking and investigation services. It launched an…
-
MetaMask surpasses 10M monthly active users; Philippines, U.S. top users
MetaMask, a non-custodial wallet that allows users to interact with the Ethereum blockchain and Ethereum-compatible networks such as Polygon, has seen its monthly active users surge over 1,800% in the past year to surpass 10 million, according to ConsenSys, an Ethereum blockchain software developer. Fast facts Alongside the explosive growth of the Ethereum ecosystem from…
-
CryptoPunk NFTs smash records as VISA purchases a CryptoPunk for US$150K
CryptoPunks sales volume increased by over 1,100% in the last 24 hours
-
Mastercard partners with Australian exchange for crypto card
In a further move towards cryptocurrency adoption, Mastercard has partnered with one of Australia’s oldest crypto exchanges, CoinJar, to launch one of the country’s first crypto payment cards. Fast facts The card became available on Tuesday in a digital form through integration with Apple Pay and Google Pay, and will be available in a physical…
-
Mastercard launches new crypto startup accelerator program
In an effort to “expand and accelerate innovation around digital asset technology”, Mastercard is launching a new global program to support cryptocurrency startups by giving them access to Mastercard’s business network and technology. Fast facts Announced yesterday, Mastercard’s Start Path program already has signed up seven crypto-related startup companies: GK8, Mintable, Stacs, Supraoracles, Taurus, Uphold…
-
Mastercard partners with USDC to pilot crypto payments
Mastercard has announced a pilot program in partnership with Circle’s USDC stablecoin and others to enable cardholders to pay merchants using cryptocurrency anywhere Mastercard is accepted, according to a company press release. Fast facts USDC will act as an intermediary between fiat and other cryptocurrencies in the new system, allowing all merchants to offer card…
-
Singapore’s Temasek posts record returns, continues investing in blockchain and AI
Singapore state-owned investment firm Temasek has announced record returns of S$381 billion (US$283 billion) for the financial year ending March 2021, up 24.5% from the year before. Fast facts According to its latest annual review, Temasek is “increasingly shaping” its portfolio in line with four trends: digitization, sustainable living, future of consumption, and longer lifespans.…
-
Israel authorities order seizure of cryptocurrencies from Palestinian resistance group Hamas
Israel’s National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing has issued a seizure order against 84 cryptocurrency addresses associated with Palestinian resistance group Hamas as it looks to confiscate holdings of Bitcoin, Tether, Dogecoin and other cryptos. Fast facts “This action comes after a sizable uptick in cryptocurrency donations to Hamas in May following increased fighting between…
-
Chia mining craze is causing massive hard drive shortages in China
The new self-proclaimed eco-friendly crypto leverages unused disk space — but Chia miners are buying out new hard drives and equipment instead.