Bitcoin News and Finance: What You Need to Know

Fidelity’s head of digital assets says that bitcoin adoption will continue “at an accelerated pace,” noting that “we’ve reached a tipping point.” He explained that investors are increasingly drawn to bitcoin “Particularly, in an environment where we’ve seen unprecedented monetary and fiscal stimulus from central banks and governments in response to the pandemic.” The Tipping Point of Bitcoin Adoption Tom Jessop, president of Fidelity Digital Assets at Fidelity Investments, talked about bitcoin adoption Wednesday during an interview at Marketwatch and Barron’s “Investing in Crypto” event. Jessop is also head of Corporate Business Development for Fidelity Investments. The Fidelity executive says that the maturation and adoption of bitcoin as an investment class “will continue at a rapid pace in the coming years,” Marketwatch detailed, adding that this suggests that cryptocurrency may have turned a corner in traditional finance circles. He was quoted as saying: I think we continue

Bitcoin Games adds live casino games and shows from the most sought-after gaming software provider. Play Live Casino Games with Real Dealers Bitcoin Games is a one-stop gaming portal for players to enjoy a variety of casino games playable with cryptocurrency. There is something for everyone – from slot lovers to jackpot chasers, the online casino offers all kinds of exciting video games that members can play and win cryptocurrencies. The premium crypto gaming portal is now expanding its arsenal with the addition of live casino games and shows from the leaders of video-streamed live experiences – Evolution Gaming . The newly added live casino games include a variety of classics such as Baccarat , Blackjack, and Roulette , along with many other exciting games that promise players an unmatched gaming experience. Play live game shows like ‘Crazy Time’ and ‘Deal or No Deal’ to win Bitcoin with up to 20,000x multiplier! Building upon the existing library of games, Bitcoin Games

Millennium, the U.S.-based alternative investment management firm, has become the latest hedge fund to get exposed to cryptocurrencies via Grayscale Investments’ bitcoin trust. However, the extent of Millennium’s exposure to the crypto asset has not been disclosed as both Millennium and Grayscale executives have refused to comment. Nevertheless, a report by The Street says two sources claiming to have knowledge of the deal have confirmed Millenium’s acquisition of the shares. The report also quotes one of the two unnamed sources suggesting that Millennium, which has $48 billion worth of assets under management (AUM), could have been drawn to the crypto asset by the lingering discount on GBTC shares. At the time of writing, the discount on GBTC shares had dropped further to 11.45%. In the meantime, the sources in the report assert that Millennium’s indirect investment into BTC represents yet another big endorsement for the crypto asset. The report said: The fact that Mille

The idea of the Argentinean central bank asking local banks for information on customers who deal with cryptocurrencies is generating controversy in the local industry. A new chapter in this story has been written, as a local lawyer has filed a class-action complaint before a national court to overturn such a ruling. Argentinean Central Bank Measure ‘Violates’ Privacy Rights, Says Lawyer According to Victor Castillejo , an Argentinean lawyer, the “habeas data” complaint filed argues that the Central Bank of the Argentine Republic (BCRA) decision to ask such data is illegal. In fact, he claims that the ruling violates the “privacy, human rights, constitutionally protected” of every individual who wants to trade with cryptos, such as bitcoin ( BTC ). Castillejo provides the following comment about the alleged BCRA’s legal wrongdoing: The BCRA does not have the power to compile a list of these characteristics, and if it does, that power does not allow it to avoid the obligations re

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed a complaint against the blockchain-based file-sharing and payment network called Lbry last week, as the U.S. regulator has accused the company Lbry Inc. of selling unregistered securities. However, the CEO of Lbry denies the project’s native tokens are securities and says the SEC’s logic will put a number of public blockchain projects at risk. US Regulator Accuses Lbry of Selling Unregistered Securities U.S. financial regulators have filed a complaint against another blockchain project as the SEC claims the company Lbry Inc. sold unregistered securities. The SEC has used the Securities Act of 1933 to go after a number of blockchain projects and now it says that LBC tokens are unregistered securities. The SEC says that LBC tokens “were offered and sold as investment contracts, and therefore, securities.” Regulators say that the company “pooled the money” and also claims that Lbry Inc. is LBC’s biggest holder as well. Prosecutor

Addressing sustainability in fintech and crypto is more important than ever. As cryptocurrency becomes increasingly mainstream — with more financial institutions, companies like PayPal, Visa and Tesla and individual investors racing to leverage this technology — energy consumption has accelerated to already unsustainable levels.  The industry has a choice to make: Will we continue down … Continued The post Cryptocurrency Sustainability: The Path Forward appeared first on Ripple. http://dlvr.it/RxG63y

State Street, one of the largest asset management firms, is collaborating with crypto startup Pure Digital to set up a cryptocurrency trading platform. “Pure Digital will be a fully automated, high throughput OTC market for digital assets and cryptocurrencies with physical delivery and bank custody,” the company explains. State Street Providing Tech for Crypto Trading Platform Puremarkets Ltd., with trading name Pure Digital, announced Thursday that it is launching a “new and unique wholesale digital currency trading platform.” The company has also “entered into an agreement with State Street’s Currenex” as the technology provider for the trading infrastructure. State Street is one of the largest asset management companies in the world with $3.1 trillion under management and $38.8 trillion under custody and administration. It ranked 14th on the list of largest banks in the U.S. by assets. Currenex is a market-leading technology provider offering high-performance trading technology.

Billionaire real estate mogul Rick Caruso has revealed that his company has invested in bitcoin for its treasury and will begin accepting the cryptocurrency for rent payment at its properties. Among the tenants of one of his properties is Elon Musk’s Tesla. Caruso said, “We believe that cryptocurrency is here to stay.” Caruso Going the Tesla Route, Investing in Bitcoin and Accepting It as a Means of Payment Billionaire real estate developer known for his lavish outdoor malls, Rick Caruso announced Wednesday on CNBC that his real estate company, Caruso Properties, has invested in bitcoin. In addition, he said the company “will begin accepting bitcoin as rent payment at its residential and retail properties.” Established in 1987, his Los Angeles-based company has over 2.5 million square feet of property assets, its website details. Its properties include town centers, residences, offices, outdoor malls, apartments, and “a world-class resort.” Among them is The Grove, which Caruso des

PRESS RELEASE. Uquid Shop , the largest digital asset eCommerce platform is ready to buy and sell digital art, Social & Digital Content, Copyright Products, and Digitals Products involving non-fungible tokens(NFT). Uquid non-fungible tokens are known as NFTD . Scheduled to take place in 2021, the Uquid NFTD project will be the first in the field of NFTs, where users can give a unique identity and list their Gaming streams, TikTok video content, Youtubers videos, Music Cd’s and Records and copyright contents and sell it. In a Uquid shop with a merge of NFT to an eCommerce store, it will be easy to buy or sell assets. How is it Useful? NFTD is a type of cryptographic token that represents a unique asset and these are the tokenized versions of digital or real-world assets. They function as verifiable proofs of authenticity and ownership within a blockchain network. NFTs are not interchangeable with each other and introduce scarcity to the digital world. “NFTD is a smar

A petition has been started calling on U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman-Designate Gary Gensler to end the lawsuit against Ripple Labs and its executives over XRP tokens. The petition also demands “a thorough investigation of the matters that led to the last-minute lawsuit against Ripple, filed on the last day in office by former SEC Chairman Jay Clayton.” Petition to End SEC Lawsuit Against Ripple An XRP advocate, Thomas Hodge, has started a petition on Change.org calling on SEC Chairman-Designate Gary Gensler to “end the war on XRP .” Gensler is President Joe Biden’s pick to lead the SEC following the departure of former SEC Chairman Jay Clayton. “We’re asking Gary Gensler , as soon as is confirmed as Chairman of the SEC, to take a close look at the SEC’s allegations against Ripple Labs, its cofounders, and the harm the SEC’s actions have already – and needlessly – caused to holders of the digital currency XRP ,” the petition describes. The SEC filed a l

Cryptojacking activity seems to be losing momentum, specifically types that mine monero, as a recent report unveiled a slowdown in the illicit crypto-mining activities in the cloud. A threat intelligence firm compiled the results. Report Focused on Cryptojacking Incidents With Monero According to Unit 42 in their “Cloud Thread Report,” cryptojacking attacks have been decreasing for the first time since 2018 – the year when the firm started to trace illicit mining activities. But the study put its focus specifically on monero ( XMR ). Threat actors in cryptojacking attacks mainly mine the privacy cryptocurrency, which has been well-document in other intelligence firms’ research. Per the Unit 42 report, from December 2020 to February 2021, only 17% of organizations worldwide with cloud-based infrastructure had cryptojacking activity. It represents a decline compared to the figure from July to September 2020, where 23% of the firms reported such incidents. Although the pandemic bo

The new decentralized finance (defi) stablecoin project called Fei had some issues this week after the 1:1 USD pegged token dropped well below its targeted $1 value. The Fei project was supposed to be similar to Maker DAO’s algorithmic DAI stablecoin and it was backed by major venture capital firms. Fei Protocol Market Price Drops to $0.73 and the Stablecoin Fei’s Bid Slides to $0.136 On social media and forums, crypto advocates have been discussing the defi project called Fei after it lost its peg with the U.S. dollar this week. Currently, a single fei (FEI) is exchanging hands for $0.76 per unit but the price sunk lower than current exchange rates. Coingecko data shows a single FEI dropped to a market price low of $0.73 per token on April 7, 2021. 1 FEI = $0.136, @rleshner is down 80% from his bullish buying price. I think one takeaway is big names mean nothing. pic.twitter.com/xGiwKqUUON — banteg (@bantg) April 7, 2021 However, the Fei protocol’s bid hit $0.136 and crypt

Everyone already knows that a hardware wallet is critical to protect your digital assets, but did you know that Ledger offers much more than that? By combining the hardware wallet with the Ledger Live app you can buy, sell, lend, swap and stake multiple cryptocurrencies – all in one place. Access the Full Ledger Solution If you are an experienced crypto user you probably already know that a Ledger hardware wallet is the best solution to protect and own your private keys . In fact, you probably already own a Ledger hardware wallet as the company sold over 2 million hardware wallets in more than 165 countries since 2014. What you might not already know is that Ledger also offers a solution to accessing all your other crypto needs. To access the full solution all you need is a hardware wallet combined with the Ledger Live app . This is easy and requires no further investment as all Ledger hardware wallets come with app. The app allows you to install crypto applications on your hardwa

As demand for smart contracts climbs, Chainlink’s modular oracle for the Substrate framework aims to power developers and defi applications with trusted off-chain information and pricing data needed to attract projects to Polkadot and Kusama. Blistering Growth in Defi and Smart Contracts Beckon New Layer of Trust As the smart contract revolution continues to gain traction, the fissures and flaws in existing infrastructure that supports these transactional protocols are becoming more apparent. Among the chief issues facing smart contracts, costs and security are the main factors in the spotlight. To continue growing and scaling these unique protocols while not only addressing the accompanying shortcomings, smart contracts will effectively need to be “smarter.” Yet, given blockchains’ validation constraints, which are intended to preserve stability and security, there is a barrier to off-chain information by design. Concerning smart contracts, satisfying contractual conditions may d

JPMorgan’s boss Jamie Dimon has a bone to pick with cryptocurrencies, shadow banking, and the financial technology (fintech) economy. In a letter to JPMorgan shareholders, Dimon explained that banks are “playing an increasingly smaller role in the financial system” and there’s a list of items like digital currencies he’s named that needs to be “dealt with – and rather quickly.” Jamie Dimon’s Letter to JPMorgan Shareholders Says Banks Need to Focus on the Future Jamie Dimon has written a comprehensive letter to shareholders about the company’s accomplished goals and future concerns. Dimon’s letter, of course, meets the needs of his friends in Davos and the World Economic Forum’s 2030 playbook . The JPMorgan CEO addressed many of these targets like addressing climate change and lending more money to minorities who have limited access to banking. In addition to the accomplishments and future changes, Dimon noted that financial incumbents are “bogged down in the past” and a concentrat

Following the acquisition of the Chinese mining pool Btc.com, the China-based lottery company 500.com revealed the purchase of a bitcoin mining rig manufacturer Bee Computing. The Shenzhen firm purchased the semiconductor and mining device manufacturer for roughly $100 million in a share exchange agreement. 500.com Changes Name to Bit Mining Limited and Acquires Bee Computing for $100 Million On April 5, 2021, the company 500.com Limited (NYSE: WBAI) registered a statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in a Form 6-K filing. The Shenzhen-based firm detailed that it entered into a share exchange agreement with the company Bee Computing. The mining rig manufacturer Bee Computing was established in 2018 and the filing notes that it specializes in 7nm-powered mining machines. Additionally, after acquiring the well-established mining pool Btc.com, 500.com changed its name to “Bit Mining Limited.” Bee Computing has two mining rigs and both leverage 7nm semiconduct

Allianz’s chief economic advisor Mohamed El-Erian says that bitcoin is not too big to fail and that governments may intervene. While he believes that cryptocurrency will grow in popularity, the economist says “it takes away a lot from governments,” adding that this asset “can only establish itself if governments allow it to.” Economist Warns of Government Intervention, Bitcoin Is Not Too Big to Fail Mohamed El-Erian said in an interview with CNN Tuesday that bitcoin is not “too big to fail” and its failure could disrupt the global monetary system due to the “liquidity paradigm.” El-Erian, an Egyptian-American businessman, is the president of Queens College, Cambridge University. He is also the chief economic adviser at Allianz, the corporate parent of PIMCO, one of the largest investment managers, where he was CEO and co-chief investment officer. He explained that there are three types of crypto investors. The first type consists of those who use bitcoin to mitigate risk, viewing

PRESS RELEASE. Blockchain-based carbon offset platform XELS provides global access to the decentralized carbon market and its ERC20 token will launch on Bittrex Global on April 8th, 2021. 7th April 2021, Date Tokyo, Japan — XELS is one of the leading startups tackling climate change by increasing participation and transparency in carbon markets, listed its eponymous XELS token on Bittrex Global on April 8th, 2021. Tokenized Carbon Credits XELS will provide both businesses and individuals access to a blockchain-based carbon offset platform, initially focused on tokenized voluntary carbon offset credits. These credits are increasingly attractive to companies that want to show consumers they’re serious about reducing their carbon footprint. Tackling Fraud With Blockchain Since the birth of carbon markets following the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement, fraud has hindered the effectiveness of carbon credit sales and trading. Bad actors sometimes sell fake or expired credits