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Jihan Wu’s Matrixport Raises $100 Million — Singapore Startup Joins Growing List of Crypto Unicorns
2.8.2021
Matrixport, the digital currency financial services company co-founded by the former Bitmain CEO Jihan Wu, has revealed the company has raised $100 million in a Series C financing round. The funding has propelled Matrixport’s valuation to unicorn status as the firm now has a valuation of over...
Governments Need to Stop Dismissing Crypto as Illicit Payments and Reckless Speculation, Says El-Erian
2.8.2021
Mohamed El-Erian, an adviser to Allianz and Gramercy Funds Management, says that “The time has come for more western governments to stop dismissing the crypto revolution as some mix of illicit payments schemes and reckless financial speculation.” Western Governments Urged to Stop...
Want To Fix Financial Literacy? Focus on Billionaires & Politicians
1.8.2021
Agata Soroko, PhD Candidate, Faculty of Education, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa.
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Shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic threw the global economy into a crisis in March 2020, I wrote an essay expressing my hope that the unfolding financial collapse wouldn’t be used to justify...
Ukrainian President Signs Law Opening Door for Digital Hryvnia, Regulatory Sandbox
1.8.2021
President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a law that will allow the National Bank of Ukraine to issue its own digital currency. The new legislation, which aligns Ukrainian regulations with EU rules, will also stiffen authentication requirements for clients of payment service providers....
Kentucky Regulators Crack Down on Blockfi Interest-Bearing Accounts
31.7.2021
The crypto lender Blockfi is now dealing with regulators from five states as Kentucky has joined the fray against the firm’s Blockfi Interest Accounts (BIAs). On July 30, Blockfi shared a statement on Twitter that explained the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) has sent...
Automated Investment Service Firm Wealthfront Adds Support for Grayscale’s BTC, ETH Trusts
31.7.2021
On Thursday, the Palo Alto-based automated investment service firm, Wealthfront Inc., announced that customers can now get exposure to crypto assets via the company’s platform. The firm revealed that clients can choose from two Grayscale investment trusts, as the company now offers...
Bank of Russia Exposes Nearly 150 Financial Pyramid Scams, Fraudsters Exploit Crypto Craze
30.7.2021
The Central Bank of Russia (CBR) has identified 146 financial pyramid schemes in only six months this year. Fraudsters often lure people with weak financial literacy into investment scams linked to cryptocurrencies or crypto mining operations. Pyramid Schemes Thrive Amid Rising Investment Demand...
Ghana Vice President Praises Central Bank’s CBDC Initiative, Says Digital Currencies Can Boost Intra-African Trade
30.7.2021
The Ghanaian Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia, has implored African governments to start exploring digital currencies as such alternatives have the potential to enhance intra-African trade. In addition, such digital currencies allow African countries to carry out all cross-border payments smoothly...
Mexican Regulator: 12 Cryptocurrency Exchanges Are Operating Illegally
30.7.2021
Santiago Nieto Castillo, leader of the UIF, the Mexican financial regulator, has issued an alert that 12 cryptocurrency exchanges are operating illegally in the country. The regulator is now producing the necessary data for Mexican authorities to act against these exchanges. The institution...
Congressman takes aim at peers who think crypto could cause a ‘financial 9/11’
30.7.2021
Characterizing his contemporaries as viewing the crypto sector as a “financial 9/11,” Congressman Ted Budd has warned lawmakers against driving blockchain innovation offshore
MicroStrategy pledges to buy more BTC despite paper loss on its holdings of $424.8M in Q2
30.7.2021
As of June 30, 2021 MicoStrategy held an approximated 105,085 BTC with a carrying value of $2.051 billion, at a total impairment loss of $689.6 million since acquisition of the digital asset
Financial Giant State Street Expands Cryptocurrency Services as Demand From Traditional Funds Soars
30.7.2021
State Street Corp., one of the world’s leading providers of financial services to institutional investors, has announced the expansion of its crypto services in partnership with Lukka, an enterprise crypto asset data and software provider. State Street Launching New Crypto Services State...
New Jersey’s Order Against Blockfi Extended, Vermont Issues Notice to Crypto Lender
29.7.2021
On July 28, Zac Prince, the CEO of crypto finance firm Blockfi, explained that the company has been “engaged in a productive discourse” with U.S. regulators. Prince further said the New Jersey Bureau of Securities had extended the state’s previous order to September 2. Meanwhile...
Financial Giants State Street & Bank of America Double Down On Crypto
29.7.2021
Source: iStock/E_Y_E
US-based major players in the world of traditional finance continue incorporating crypto in their offerings to existing clients, and/or investing in crypto-related companies.
Financial services provider State Street Corporation said it will provide digital and cryptocurrency...
Crypto Exchange Binance Plans to Be Regulated Financial Institution, Seeks CEO With Strong Compliance Background
29.7.2021
Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) says that his company wants “to be licensed everywhere” and “From now on, we’re going to be a financial institution.” Following warnings by a growing list of regulators worldwide, Zhao also revealed that Binance is seeking “a...
Paypal Plans to Study Transactions That Fund Extremism, Anti-Government Groups
28.7.2021
The payment processing giant Paypal has revealed it has partnered with the nonprofit organization the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). According to the announcement, Paypal is researching transactions settled on the payment network that allegedly fund hate groups and extremism. Paypal to Study...
Kenyan Farmers Pivot to Cryptocurrency as Popularity of Community Currencies Grows
28.7.2021
The growth and popularity of community inclusion cryptocurrencies in Kenya continues to soar with the country’s rural farmers being the latest group to embrace the financial technology. As one report reveals, some farmers in Kenya’s countryside are now accepting cryptocurrency...
Senator Warren Urges Treasury Secretary Yellen to Urgently Adopt Policy to Mitigate Cryptocurrencies’ Risks
28.7.2021
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren has asked Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to “act with urgency” and adopt an appropriate policy to address the risks posed by cryptocurrencies. “The longer that the United States waits to adapt the proper regulatory regime for these assets, the more...
State of Crypto: Congress Is Holding 3 Hearings Today, Here’s What to Expect
27.7.2021
Congress is holding three simultaneous hearings around cryptocurrencies today – and they're all on different types of use cases
Tesla reports record $1B income for Q2 despite $23M impairment loss on BTC
27.7.2021
Tesla’s latest earnings report showed that the firm conducted no digital asset purchases or sales in Q2, but reported an impairment loss of $23 million on its BTC holdings