By Faryar Shirzad, Chief Policy Officer The digital economy is permanently changing the nature of financial services globally and digital assets are at the center of much of this rapid change. This is something clearly understood by the UK Government. John Glen, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, used his recent keynote speech at Fintech Week...Read More
Governments all over the world are working on improving and streamlining their existing processes and infrastructure. Blockchain technology will play an increasing role of importance in this regard. Growing Adoption of Blockchain Technology Various governments around the globe are currently exploring their options in the blockchain space. Rather than looking at established technology companies, it...Read More
A crypto startup providing wifi hotspot sharing services in Nigeria has won funding from the country’s telecom regulator. Wicrypt placed second among 25 tech companies participating in an innovation competition organized by the Nigeria Communication Commission and it’s going to receive a grant worth 2 million naira to finance its project. Also read: Skrill Now...Read More
The China Foreign Exchange Trade System (CFETS) announced that effective January 1, 2020, the system “will adjust weights for CFETS RMB Index,” decreasing the weighting of the USD for the second time in the currency basket’s history from 22.40% to 21.59%, and increasing the Euro from 16.34% to 17.40%. The change could signal further disassociation...Read More
The National Power Training Institute, under India’s Ministry of Power, is offering blockchain training in multiple cities throughout the country. Participants will learn about blockchain technology, its use cases, smart contracts, Ethereum, cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, and even mining. Also read: Regulatory Roundup – New US Crypto Bill, France’s 1st Approved ICO, Muslim Crypto National Training Institute’s...Read More
France will soon be monitoring social media accounts to catch suspected tax evaders. The endeavor could label anyone as suspicious who so much as posts a “taxation is theft” meme or a poses with a nice car. The country’s budget minister, Gérald Darmanin, called the court-approved experiment ‘one more tool to fight fraud.’ Exemplified by...Read More
“The Muslim world should be designing measures to save themselves from the domination of the United States dollar and the American financial regime.” —Hassan Rouhani, President of Iran Also Read: Crypto Confronts Social Justice Warriors Hegemony and Muslim Resistance Hegemony refers to the leadership or dominance of one country or group over others. A nation...Read More
Reports have emerged depicting long lines in front of a physical gold sales location in Germany, in view of pending legislation which would once again lower the anonymous purchase limit, this time from €10,000 to €2,000. The last drop happened in 2017 when the limit was set at €15,000. A draft bill from the German...Read More
The Shenzhen Stock Exchange has launched a blockchain index comprising 50 of the largest publicly listed companies with blockchain ventures by market capitalization. Blockchain-related stocks in China have been gaining value since President Xi Jinping openly advocated for the technology. Also read: Regulatory Roundup – New US Crypto Bill, France’s 1st Approved ICO, Muslim Crypto...Read More
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin remarked last week that a reported $1.5 trillion in missing cash — mostly one hundred dollar bills — was “sitting in bank vaults all over the world.” The famously anti-bitcoin U.S. official noted that “there’s a lot of ‘Benjamins’ all over the world” and emphasized the strength of the currency...Read More
Financial cryptographer. Cypherpunk. Inventor of Ricardian contracts and early utilizer of triple-entry accounting systems, which would later be exemplified in Bitcoin. Ian Grigg may have claimed that Satoshi was a team effort and is now dead, only living on in bitcoiners everywhere, but some seem to think it’s him. In this installment of “the many...Read More
As the Indian government deliberates on the country’s crypto policy, there has been some confusion in media reports regarding crypto regulation in India. A group of local crypto enthusiasts and community members have gathered in an effort to ensure that the crypto situation in India is accurately portrayed. Also read: Indian Lawmaker Says ‘Cryptocurrency Is...Read More
Like crypto payments provider Bottle Pay, mining pool Simplecoin and interactive bitcoin faucet Chopcoin are shutting down in light of restrictions imposed by EU anti-money laundering legislation, AMLD5. Simplecoin co-founder Marvin Janssen addressed Telegram users last month saying “We believe in the power of cryptocurrency and its potential. Mining should to be available to anyone...Read More
The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro wants the nation state-issued cryptocurrency, petro (PTR) to have the same usability properties as a physical currency. On December 13, Maduro explained on national television that the Superintendence of Crypto-Assets and Related Activities (Sunacrip) will be airdropping 0.5 PTR ($30) next week to eligible citizens who register with the...Read More
What is the second realm? It’s both an abstract and concrete “place” parallel to here, where temporary autonomous zones (TAZ) provide a chance to escape the burning surveillance spotlight of the state and brutal law enforcement culture, and allow for at least temporary exercises of human rights and freedom. A TAZ may allow for free...Read More
China’s Center for Information and Industry Development has published its year-end crypto project rankings. Thirty-five projects were evaluated and ranked overall as well as in three separate categories. Bitcoin has risen in ranking while EOS remains China’s favorite. Also read: China Ranks 35 Crypto Projects as President Xi Pushes Blockchain Year-End Crypto Rankings The Center...Read More
Argentina’s besieged Macri government has imposed new restrictions on foreign currency in a bid to shore up the Peso and stabilize the economy. The maneuver will do little to douse concerns of legacy government and institutional capacity to ably manage economies. At the same time, distrust in government, central banks, and the fractional reserve system...Read More
Indian crypto exchanges are innovating, launching new products and improving services for their users, despite the country’s regulatory uncertainty and unresolved banking restrictions. Meanwhile, the Indian crypto community continues its efforts to convince the government that the draft bill to ban cryptocurrencies is flawed, calling for positive regulation instead. Also read: Crypto Can Boost Indian...Read More
A recent opinion article by Peter Lin, “Why Regulation Is The Best Thing For Crypto,” presents common arguments on why the state and state-affiliated institutions should administer cryptocurrency. Underlying the arguments is an assumption: the free market cannot provide necessary standards for crypto and the state must step into the void. Also read: Why the...Read More
An Australian national living in Boulder, Colorado was slammed with a one year and a day prison sentence last month for trading bitcoins. An August 23 statement from the Colorado U.S. District Attorney’s Office states that Emilio Testa, 32, was charged with money laundering, and claims Testa knew the funds he was acquiring had been...Read More
Luis Cuende is not impressed with Libra, or other corporate efforts to enter the world of cryptocurrency. “[T]his is bullshit,” he says. “I didn’t get into crypto because I wanted to work for Facebook.” Cuende leans forward in his chair and stares intently. “I’d rather crypto doesn’t go mainstream than give up on my values,”...Read More
Anti-agorism Congressional Representative Maxine Waters still has misgivings about Facebook’s proposed Libra digital currency, even after meeting with Swiss government officials to discuss the tech last week. The sustained reservations echo the message of July’s open letter from the House of Representatives to Facebook, calling for a halt on Libra’s ongoing development. While many view...Read More
Many signs indicate that the Indian economy is under grave stress, affecting nearly all sectors. “India’s economy is in a deep mess,” due to initiatives such as demonetization and GST, some lawmakers say, as they urge the government to handle the situation “which is intensifying on a daily basis.” Also read: Indian Supreme Court Orders...Read More
The opioid epidemic is the new devil Bitcoin is being blamed for inflaming, to be added to the already long list of heinous crimes crypto is supposedly responsible for, like terrorism, money laundering, and trafficking. While it’s painfully clear that the U.S. dollar is a much more common tool for these unethical and illicit activities,...Read More
The supposed coordination of governments and tech companies to create a one-world, cashless society is often viewed as little more than fodder for silly Youtube conspiracy videos. After all, cash is still king in daily life, even in extremely high-tech, innovative societies like Japan. Upon closer examination, though, current realities like Australia’s proposed cash transaction...Read More
Saudi Arabia’s Finance Ministry has warned against crypto tricksters using the kingdom’s official emblem to promote tokens that purport to be tied to government projects. Saudi Arabia’s Finance Ministry has warned against crypto tricksters using the kingdom’s official emblem to promote tokens that purport to be tied to government projects. Arab News reported on Aug....Read More
The Indian supreme court heard the case against the crypto banking restriction by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in detail Tuesday. After many arguments challenging the RBI’s power over crypto were presented, the counsel for the central bank began making the case against cryptocurrency. Also read: RBI’s Power Over Crypto Challenged at Length in...Read More
A department of the Israel Ministry of Finance is looking to drive fintech competition with industry teams and licensing help. The Capital Market, Insurance and Saving Authority, a division of Israel’s Ministry of Finance (MoF), is looking to accelerate the process of procuring licenses for blockchain and fintech companies in the country. Israeli business news...Read More
The New York State Supreme Court has ruled that Bitfinex is in the jurisdiction of the state’s Attorney General, allowing for a continuation of its investigation. The New York State Supreme Court has ruled that the New York Office of the Attorney General (NYAG) has jurisdiction over cryptocurrency exchange Bitfinex. According to a court filing...Read More
The existence of private decentralized cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin has a healthy impact on governments’ fiscal and regulatory policy, a new analysis contends. The existence of private decentralized cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) has a healthy impact on governments’ fiscal and regulatory policy, a new analysis contends. TThe argument was put forth in a paper published on...Read More
