Bitcoin News and Finance: What You Need to Know

Binance has officially launched a cryptocurrency exchange in New Zealand after successfully registering with the country’s financial regulator. “We see significant value in having a serious New Zealand presence,” said Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ). Binance Launches Crypto Trading Platform in New Zealand Global crypto exchange Binance announced Friday that it has successfully registered as a financial service provider with the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). The crypto exchange also announced the official launch of Binance New Zealand (Binance NZ). Noting that the registration was actually effective on Sept. 10, the company detailed: This registration allows Binance NZ to offer a range of financial services, including spot trading, staking, NFTs and more. Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) commented: “A lot of major tech firms are slow to open a New Zealand office. I guess for some, it’s easy to overlook as it’s a smaller market but we see sign...

The Delaware Department of Justice’s Investor Protection Unit has issued a cease and desist order against 23 entities and individuals involved in a popular cryptocurrency scam known as “pig butchering.” The order also freezes the accounts allegedly holding cryptocurrencies belonging to the victims. Delaware Cracks Down on Pig Butchering Crypto Scam The attorney general of the U.S. state of Delaware, Kathy Jennings, announced Wednesday that the Investor Protection Unit of the state’s Department of Justice (DOJ) has “issued a summary order to cease and desist against 23 entities and individuals involved in a cryptocurrency scam known as the ‘pig butchering scam.'” Pig butchering crypto scams have recently become alarmingly popular . Victims of this type of scam “are groomed over time to make investments using cryptocurrency, only to find that what they thought was a safe investment was a scam,” the Delaware DOJ detailed. “The moniker stems from the scammers’ practice of ‘fattenin...

The mobile software, cloud-based services, and business intelligence (BI) firm Microstrategy is seeking a full-time Lightning Network software engineer, according to a job listing published this week. The developer, if hired, will build a Lightning Network-based software as a service (SaaS) platform for the company so it can be used for ecommerce use cases and connect with enterprises looking for payment solutions as well. Microstrategy Looks to Hire Lightning Network Software Developer After the company purchased 301 bitcoin ( BTC ) to hold on its balance sheet, the BI firm Microstrategy published a job listing on the web portal smartrecruiters.com. Microstrategy’s job offer is for full-time employment as a Bitcoin Lightning Software Engineer and the chosen individual will be in charge of creating a Lightning Network (LN) SaaS platform. “As a Bitcoin Lightning Software Engineer at Microstrategy, you will build a Lightning Network-based SaaS platform, providing enterprises with in...

According to a recent Chainalysis report, although Sub-Saharan Africa is believed to account for as little as 2% of global transaction activity, the area “contains some of the most well-developed cryptocurrency markets of any region.” Additionally, Sub-Saharan Africa’s “retail market and outsized usage of P2P platforms make it unique compared to other regions.” Sub-Saharan Africa’s ‘Outsized Usage of P2P Platforms’ According to a new report by blockchain intelligence firm Chainalysis, Sub-Saharan Africa’s total crypto transaction volumes of $100.6 billion seen between July 2021 and June 2022 are the least of any region that has been surveyed. While the on-chain volumes during this period are 16% higher than the preceding period, the report nevertheless states that Sub-Saharan Africa only accounts for 2% of the global crypto activity. Still, according to the blockchain analysis firm’s findings, Sub-Saharan Africa likely has some of the most developed cryptocurrency markets global...

The Brazilian Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM) has sent a subpoena to Mercado Bitcoin, one of the biggest exchanges in the country, to inquire about the services the company lends regarding cryptocurrency-related fixed return investments. The company will have to disclose the details of these investments and if they plan to maintain them as available to the general public. Mercado Bitcoin Subpoenaed on Fixed Income Token Investments Cryptocurrency exchanges are becoming more than just that, and in regions like Latam, where there are countries with high inflation numbers, some offer bank-like products to entice customers to enter the crypto market. Mercado Bitcoin, one of the biggest cryptocurrency exchanges in Brazil, has been subpoenaed by the Brazilian Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM) on the services that it offers customers via its platform. The subpoena inquires about the services offered via the Tokens section on the web page of Mercado Bitcoin, which, accordi...