Nigeria’s regulators tried to crack down on cryptocurrency. Now, a few months later, it’s clear their efforts haven’t worked. The nation is a prime example of how people will turn to crypto to cope with a struggling economy despite the prohibitive stance of the state. In February, the Central Bank of Nigeria ordered banks to…
Category: Crypto
Ethereum’s London Hard Fork Expected to Launch on August 4
Ethereum’s long-awaited London hard fork is likely to launch on Aug. 4 between 13:00 UTC (9 a.m. ET) and 17:00 UTC, with block 12,965,000. Many Ethereum enthusiasts are excited for the delayed release, while some are watching on with “cautious optimism.” As a part of a roadmap designed to lead up to the release of…
Banque De France Has Finished CBDC Trial
Banque de France has successfully conducted its own central bank digital currency (CBDC) trial, with a blockchain platform for interbank settlement, CoinDesk reported. A statement from the bank said the pilot involved a settlement on a private blockchain, which U.K. startup SETL provided, of around 2 million euros (about $2.4 million), per CoinDesk. Banque de…
AllianceBlock to Integrate With Avalanche
According to an Avalanche announcement published on 7 April, users will be able to access AllianceBlock’s DeFi Investment Terminal, compliant P2P financial services, NFT capabilities, trustless KYC and identity verification solutions, and derivative pricing engine and analytics on Avalanche. AllianceBlock, a globally compliant decentralized capital market, will also collaborate with Ava Labs, the company behind…
China Is World’s First Country With Digital Currency
China’s leadership in the digital currency space is turning a larger spotlight on U.S. initiatives, but similar efforts stateside aren’t likely any time soon. With its entry into the still-sparsely populated world of central bank digital currency, China takes a society that already leans heavily on electronic payments and mainstreams it. This also gives the…
The Crypto Council for Innovation Launched With Coinbase, Fidelity and Square
Soon-to-be public crypto exchange operator Coinbase, fund giant Fidelity, and fintech stalwart Square are among the companies behind the new Crypto Council for Innovation – an organization aimed at giving companies with cryptocurrency exposure a say in how the asset class is regulated. The Crypto Council for Innovation (CCI) was created by San Francisco-based investment…
PayPal Acquires Curv To Further Its Push Into Cryptocurrencies
PayPal Holdings Inc. said it will acquire the cryptocurrency firm Curv as it seeks to beef up its talent pool for handling digital currencies. PayPal, which didn’t disclose financial terms of the deal, has been building out a new unit dedicated to furthering its efforts in cryptocurrencies after it began allowing consumers to buy, sell…
Norway’s $6 Billion Company Aker Establishes Bitcoin Unit Seetee
Aker ASA, an Oslo-based $6 billion public company, announced today that it has established a dedicated unit to invest in Bitcoin. The newly established entity, Seetee will actively partner with other companies working in the Bitcoin ecosystem. According to the official press release, Seetee is initially capitalized with NOK 500 million ($58 million). Aker ASA…
Morgan Stanley To Offer Bitcoin Funds Access To Wealthy Clients
Morgan Stanley will offer its wealth management clients access to bitcoin funds, becoming the first major US bank to make such a move. In an internal memo on March 17, Morgan Stanley told its financial advisors it will allow access to three funds that enable ownership of Bitcoin, CNBC reported. The move could potentially help…
Visa backed Anchorage gets a federal bank charter
A startup called Anchorage announced on Wednesday that it has become the first cryptocurrency company to receive a federal charter from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Wonky and technical as it sounds, the news is a significant milestone for the burgeoning crypto industry, since it provides a legal green light for big…
The World’s Largest Asset Manager Blackrock Allows Two Of Its Funds To Invest In Cryptocurrency
BlackRock has authorized two of its funds to invest in bitcoin futures, according to filings released Wednesday with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The move allows exposure to cryptocurrencies for clients of the world’s largest asset manager for the first time.The $8.7 trillion asset manager said it could use bitcoin derivatives, among other assets, under…
Swiss Arm of Russian Largest Bank Gazprombank To Offer Bitcoin Custody And Trading
The Swiss arm of one of Russia’s largest banks yesterday announced that it would offer crypto custodian and Bitcoin exchange services to the businesses and institutions it counts as customers. The Swiss subsidiary of Gazprombank, Russia’s third-largest bank, has received authorization from the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) to offer “the safe custody of…
