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ConsenSys zkEVM set for public testnet to deliver secure settlements on Ethereum
3.3.2023
ConsenSys will release its zkEVM rollup to its public testnet on March 28, paving the way for an eventual mainnet integration later in 2023
Reports Indicate USDT Is Being Used in Venezuela to Facilitate Settlements and to Avoid Sanctions
27.2.2023
Some companies in Venezuela are using the stablecoin tether as a way of sidestepping sanctions and settling payments with foreign customers and providers. Local reports indicate that, while the most popular use case for the stablecoin involves its purchase for devaluation shielding purposes,...
JPMorgan to Open Blockchain Innovation Lab in Greece
25.2.2023
Financial giant JPMorgan has announced it will open a new blockchain innovation lab in Greece. The lab will be focused on the development of applications on top of Onyx, the blockchain platform launched by the bank in 2020, and on digital identity solutions. JPMorgan to Push Blockchain Development...
BIS General Manager Casts Doubt on Stablecoins, Claiming Tokens Do Not Benefit From Regulations or Central Planning
22.2.2023
According to Agustin Carstens, the head of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), cryptocurrencies have lost the “battle” against fiat currencies issued by the world’s central banks. While speaking at the Monetary Authority of Singapore on Wednesday, Carstens stressed that...
Bank of Japan to Launch Digital Yen CBDC Pilot Later This Year
22.2.2023
The Bank of Japan is preparing to launch a pilot test for a digital yen, its central bank digital currency (CBDC), later this year. Shinichi Uchida, executive director of the Bank of Japan, explained that the goals of this new pilot are to test the technical feasibility of the currency and...
Mastercard to allow crypto payments in Web3 via USDC settlements
21.2.2023
The Mastercard-Immersve partnership uses decentralized protocols to settle real-time cryptocurrency transactions on outlets accepting Mastercard payments online
Most Retail Crypto Investors Lost Money Over the Last 7 Years, According to BIS Analysis
21.2.2023
According to data from the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), published in the latest BIS Bulletin No. 69, researchers assessed that, on average, most users lost money on their investments over the past seven years. Onchain data, metrics from exchanges, and cryptocurrency application...
Bank of Russia to Start Testing Digital Ruble With Real Users on April 1
20.2.2023
The Central Bank of Russia plans to launch test operations with digital ruble transactions between real customers at the beginning of April. More than a dozen banks will join the upcoming stage of the pilot project, a high-ranking representative of the bank announced to Russian media. Russia’s...
NFT Sales Rise 18.43% This Week, Led by Ethereum’s $233.85 Million in NFT Settlements
11.2.2023
Non-fungible token (NFT) sales rose 18.43% this week, totaling $272.68 million. However, the number of NFT buyers declined by 60.31% to approximately 195,716. Ethereum NFT sales continue to lead the market, accounting for $233.85 million of the total sales, a 25.42% increase from the previous week....
Visa's crypto strategy targets stablecoin settlements
5.2.2023
At the StarkWare Sessions 2023, Visa's Cuy Sheffield shared the company's vision for digital assets
NFT Market Remains Resilient With 1.23% Increase in Sales, Ethereum Dominates With 81% of Total NFT Settlements
5.2.2023
Non-fungible token (NFT) sales rose slightly last week, increasing 1.23% to $232.49 million in recorded sales. The top two NFT collections, Otherdeed and Doodles, saw growth of 44% to 58% compared to the previous week. Ethereum continues to dominate the NFT industry, accounting for more than 81%...
Russia Mulls Gold-backed Stablecoin, Lawmaker Confirms After Iran Visit
27.1.2023
Russia may issue a stablecoin backed by gold to use in international settlements, a high-ranking member of the Russian parliament has admitted. The matter has been discussed during a recent visit to Iran where officials have also signaled interest in such an initiative. Iran and Russia Talk...
Latam Common Currency to Focus on Settlements Among Mercosur and BRICS Countries
25.1.2023
President of Brazil Luis Inacio Lula Da Silva clarified the scope and reach of the common currency that Brazil and Argentina are studying to issue in Latam. Lula Da Silva clarified that he believed this currency would be used to settle cross-border payments between the two countries and also...
China-backed Blockchain Project Proposes SWIFT Alternative for Stablecoins and CBDCs
23.1.2023
The company developing China’s blockchain network wants to create a system for international settlements with stablecoins and state-issued digital currencies. The plan is to establish a platform facilitating the use of these two fiat-based digital assets in foreign trade. Company Behind...
Nexo Agrees to Pay $45 Million to SEC and State Regulators for Unregistered Offering of Earn Interest Product
20.1.2023
The cryptocurrency lender, Nexo, has agreed to pay $45 million to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and several state regulators after charges were levied against the firm for failing to register the company’s Earn Interest Product (EIP). Nexo detailed that the settlements...
Iran and Russia Consider Issuing Gold-Backed Stablecoin, Officials Unveil
18.1.2023
Tehran and Moscow are discussing the possible launch of a stablecoin for international settlements, the Russian press revealed. In order to mint the gold-backed currency, however, authorities would need to first regulate crypto assets, a lawmaker noted. Russian, Iranian Representatives Talk Using...
BIS Economists Recommend 3 Crypto Policies for Regulators Worldwide to Adopt
18.1.2023
Economists at the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) have recommended three policies regulators worldwide could adopt in order to deal with the risks posed by cryptocurrencies. “Authorities can now consider a variety of policy approaches and at the same time work to improve the existing...
Bank of Russia Outlines Payment Models With Digital Ruble, Other CBDCs
11.1.2023
The Central Bank of Russia has detailed two methods for implementing the digital ruble and other state-backed coins in international settlements. The monetary authority also plans to start testing consumer-to-business (C2B) operations in the first quarter of the year. Russia’s Central Bank...
UK MP says stablecoin is a gateway to CBDC, only crypto can ‘disrupt’ settlements
10.1.2023
MP Andrew Griffith and colleagues spoke before a hearing of the U.K. parliamentary Treasury Committee about payments technology and CBDC
UK ‘Fully Behind’ Stablecoin for Wholesale Settlements, Treasury Official Says
10.1.2023
Crypto technology could “turbocharge all of those (financial) industries,” Economic Secretary to the Treasury Andrew Griffith said in a meeting