Bitcoin News and Finance: What You Need to Know

Jim Rickards, an economist and the author of “Currency Wars,” has predicted the unveiling of a new BRICS currency, stating that it “could weaken the role of the dollar in global payments and ultimately displace the U.S. dollar as the leading payment currency and reserve currency.” Emphasizing that “The process by which this will happen is unprecedented, and the world is unprepared for this geopolitical shock wave,” he noted that “The BRICS+ present a realistic effort to de-dollarize global payments and eventually global reserves.” Jim Rickards on BRICS Currency Challenging U.S. Dollar Dominance Economist and “Currency Wars” author Jim Rickards shared his predictions about a proposed BRICS currency in an opinion piece published by the Daily Reckoning earlier this week. The leaders of the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) are expected to discuss the proposed common currency at their next leaders’ summit in August. “On Aug. 22, about 2½ months from today,

Seismic shifts have been occurring in crypto this past week, with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) leaning remarkably further into what some call its “regulation by enforcement” approach, as the entity is now suing both Binance and Coinbase for securities laws violations. In other news, crypto firm Robinhood has decided to delist multiple popular crypto assets in the wake of the SEC’s latest barrage of red tape. This and more just below, in the latest Bitcoin.com News Week in Review. Binance Faces Legal Action by SEC for Violating US Securities Laws The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) took legal action against Binance, the largest cryptocurrency exchange globally, for violating U.S. securities laws. Gary Gensler, the chairman of the SEC, revealed that Binance is facing thirteen charges related to these violations. Read More Coinbase CEO Responds to SEC Lawsuit Accusing Crypto Exchange of Securities Law Violations Coinbase CEO Brian Armstr

Amid the recent crackdown on two of the world’s largest crypto exchanges, cryptocurrency enthusiasts have been buzzing with discussions on various theories and investment strategies. While some have opted to sell their holdings in the face of uncertainty, others have taken a different approach. Rather than focusing on short-term gains, some crypto proponents are playing the long game, undeterred by regulatory pressure and steadfast in their decision to hold onto their investments. Theories, Guidance, and Principles — Crypto Market Sentiment Grows Chaotic Across Reddit The United States is currently witnessing a major crackdown on crypto firms and digital assets, following the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) lawsuit against Binance and Coinbase . As a result, there are numerous theories circulating about the so-called ‘ Operation Chokepoint 2.0 ‘, with crypto advocates attempting to explain why the crypto market is experiencing a downturn. A recent post on the Reddit for

Economist Peter Schiff says the U.S. banking system is insolvent. He stressed that the Federal Reserve destroyed the U.S. banking system, citing near-zero interest rates at banks while “the Fed funds rate is 5.25% and the real inflation rate is much higher.” Schiff previously warned that the U.S. banking system is on the verge of a “much bigger collapse than 2008.” Peter Schiff on U.S. Banking Crisis Gold bug and economist Peter Schiff is back with more warnings about the U.S. economy. He tweeted Friday that the Federal Reserve destroyed the U.S. banking system, emphasizing that it is insolvent and would collapse without government help. Schiff wrote: Bank of America pays just .05% interest on savings accounts and nothing on checking accounts. But the Fed funds rate is 5.25% and the real inflation rate is much higher. The Fed destroyed the U.S. banking system. It’s insolvent and would collapse without government backstops. This was not the first time that the economist sounded t

Rich Dad Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki has warned that the real estate market is on the verge of a crash that will be worse than the 2008 financial crisis. Noting that it will be the greatest crash “ever,” he stressed that the 2023 crisis will make the Global Financial Crisis “look like nothing.” ’Greatest Real Estate Crash Ever’ Robert Kiyosaki, author of the best-selling book Rich Dad Poor Dad, has issued another warning about the real estate market, stating that it is on the verge of the greatest crash “ever.” Rich Dad Poor Dad is a 1997 book co-authored by Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter. It has been on the New York Times Best Seller List for over six years. More than 32 million copies of the book have been sold in over 51 languages across more than 109 countries. The famous author believes that the 2023 crash will be worse than the 2008 Global Financial Crisis (GFC), and is advising investors to protect themselves by buying gold, silver, and bitcoin. He tweeted Wednesday: Grea

On June 10, 2023, bitcoin is dominating with a market capitalization dominance of 47.5%, marking its highest level since this time last year, according to coinmarketcap.com. Meanwhile, ethereum’s dominance is holding steady at 20%, indicating that the recent dominance gains made by these two crypto assets have come at the expense of other digital currencies. Bitcoin Dominance Rises While Ethereum’s Dominance Remains Resilient; Many Other Crypto Competitors Have Not Been So Lucky As of Saturday, June 10, bitcoin (BTC) is still the undisputed leader with a market valuation of $496 billion, accounting for 47.5% of the entire crypto economy’s $1.04 trillion market capitalization. However, BTC has experienced a slight dip of 3.32% in the past day and 5.79% over the week against the U.S. dollar, according to current data. Interestingly, while BTC has weathered the storm relatively well, many other top crypto assets, particularly those in the top 20, have taken a much harder hit in ter

Cardano fell by over 25% on Saturday, as traders continued to react to the token being delisted from the Robinhood platform. The global cryptocurrency market cap is currently down by nearly 6%, following these developments. Polygon, which was also delisted, dropped to a one-year low to start the weekend. Cardano ( ADA ) Cardano ( ADA ) dropped markedly on Saturday, as traders continued to react to the token being delisted from the Robinhood platform. Following a high of $0.3218 on Friday, ADA /USD slipped to a bottom at $0.2304 to start the weekend. Looking at the chart, the decline came as the relative strength index (RSI) plunged below a floor at the 30.00 mark, entering oversold territory. At the time of writing, the index is currently tracking at 17.75. ADA is currently trading at $0.2509, down 22% from yesterday’s peak. Polygon (MATIC) Additionally, polygon (MATIC) lost a significant amount of its value to start the weekend, nearing a one-year low in the process. MATIC/

Bitcoin moved below the $26,000 level to start the weekend, as bearish pressure intensified following a week of turbulence. Sentiment in the market once again shifted, as traders liquidated their positions on the back of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) crackdown on crypto. ETH dropped below $1,800. Bitcoin Bitcoin ( BTC ) started the weekend trading below $26,000, as traders continued to react to the fallout of the SEC’s cryptocurrency crackdown. The latest domino to fall came in the form of Robinhood, who moved to delist several altcoins from its platform, including solana and cardano. BTC /USD fell to an intraday low of $25,502 in the news, which comes a day after price peaked at $26,770. Looking at the chart, the latest downturn came as the 14-day relative strength index (RSI) fell towards a floor at 39.00 At the time of writing, the index is tracking marginally above this point at 40.06. In addition to this, the 10-day (red) moving average has extended

Majority state-owned lender Sberbank is preparing to allow Russian citizens to buy and sell digital assets. Private individuals will be provided access to its proprietary blockchain platform as early as this month, a top executive of the bank announced. Sberbank to Open Digital Assets Platform to Private Individuals Retail investors will be able to transact with digital financial assets (DFAs) on the distributed ledger platform built by Sberbank by the end of the current quarter, according to the Deputy Chairman of the bank’s Board, Anatoly Popov. “If we talk about individuals, then in the second quarter, in June, we believe this function will be open,” Popov said, quoted by the Tass news agency. They will have the opportunity to buy digital financial assets, sell them and exchange them for fiat, he detailed. DFAs are a relatively new financial instrument for Russia which was regulated with the law “On Digital Financial Assets” in 2021. Unlike decentralized cryptocurrencies, they

Binance US has informed its users that U.S. dollar deposits have been suspended and USD withdrawals will no longer be processed. The crypto exchange has asked customers to withdraw dollars by June 13 as it transitions into a crypto-only trading platform. The move followed a lawsuit against the crypto exchange and several other Binance entities by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Binance US Suspends Dollar Deposits, Withdrawals Binance US made an announcement Thursday regarding the suspension of U.S. dollar deposits and withdrawals following an “aggressive” enforcement action taken by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The securities watchdog filed charges against several entities on Monday, including Binance Holdings, which operates Binance.com; its U.S.-based affiliate BAM Trading Services, which operates Binance US; and Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ). The regulator followed up with an emergency action application the next day, seeking a tempora

Unlike in the United States where authorities are cracking down on the crypto industry, the regulations governing the industry are “more clearly defined and commercially viable in markets like Hong Kong, Singapore, and the UAE,” Stephan Lutz, the group CEO and CFO of the crypto exchange Bitmex, has said. U.S. Crackdown Driving Away Talent In his written answers to questions from Bitcoin.com News, Lutz hailed regulatory frameworks such as the one adopted by Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission because it “provide[s] standards for digital assets that are crucial for this fast-growing asset class.” Concerning the likely impact on innovation of the United States government’s so-called Operation Choke Point 2.0, the Group CEO concurred with many crypto proponents who argue that such a clampdown will only drive away talent. The crackdown has and will indirectly benefit Hong Kong which according to Lutz is attempting to make itself “the epicenter of the crypto industry in Asia.”

In a recent development, Bitgo, the digital asset trust firm, disclosed that it has penned a letter of intent to acquire Prime Trust, a crypto custodian based in Nevada. Should the acquisition proceed, Prime Trust would become an integral part of Bitgo’s network of regulated trust companies. Bitgo Signs Letter of Intent to Acquire Crypto Custodian Prime Trust Amid Speculative Chatter Bitgo reports that they have signed a letter indicating their intent to acquire Prime Trust . The announcement follows speculative chatter and multiple rumors on social media that suggest Prime Trust was grappling with financial struggles and potential bankruptcy. Last year, Prime Trust found itself in a legal dispute with the now-defunct crypto lender Celsius after they accused the custodian of failing to return $17 million in crypto assets in August 2022. In October 2022, Prime Trust consented to return the $17 million and stated that it would transfer the funds to a wallet designated by Celsiu

PRESS RELEASE . FORT COLLINS, CO / June 9, 2023 – COZ, a pioneering community in the blockchain industry, is excited to announce its collaboration with Degenz.wtf, a leading advisory firm, to support Alden Ehrenreich’s directorial debut, Shadow Brother Sunday , with legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola as executive producer. Produced by Vanishing Angle, the short film is set to make its debut at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival on June 9, 2023. As part of this partnership, Neo Blockchain and Degenz.wtf will be featured in the sponsoring credits, marking their first endeavors into the entertainment industry to make Web 3.0 more accessible to the general public. Furthermore, an exclusive physical NFT collection featuring original 35mm film frames curated by Degenz.wtf and produced by COZ, will be presented during the festival. These NFTs will provide provenance, tamper-proof authenticity, and transferability to collectors and enthusiasts. The auction featuring the pieces will

Tennesse U.S. senator Bill Hagerty has warned about the consequences of the recent actions of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) against cryptocurrency platforms in the country and the objectives that might be behind these. Hagerty stated that the true motivation behind the lawsuits against Coinbase and Binance is to remove the possible competitors of a federal government-issued central bank digital currency (CBDC). U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty Believes SEC Is Paving the Way for a CBDC U.S. senator Bill Hagerty has warned about what he thinks are the true objectives behind the recent legal actions against exchanges like Binance and Coinbase , which have been charged by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with violating securities laws. Hagerty, a long-time critic of the SEC’s stance against crypto, believes that the organization is purposefully leading platforms out of the U.S. with a single objective: to establish a single central bank digital currency (CBDC). Ha

African crypto exchange Mara has not only parted ways with a reported 85% of its staff but has cut the salaries of workers that have remained. Although Mara has cast the layoffs as an exercise which aims to remove redundant roles, former employees have said the startup’s ballooning marketing costs partly explain why it has decided to cut its workforce. Eliminating Redundant Roles The pan-African crypto exchange, Mara, has become the latest startup to trim its workforce, and one report suggests that as much as 85% of the firm’s employees have been laid off. In addition, the remaining employees have had their salaries cut. As has been reported by Bitcoin.com News, some Africa-based crypto and blockchain firms have similarly sent home a significant number of their respective employees. Many of these startups pointed to the so-called crypto winter as their reason for the reductions. Mara, which completed a $23 million seed equity round in May 2022, claimed that the layoffs are intend

Commonwealth Bank of Australia plans to restrict payments to crypto trading platforms, citing the threat of scams. The measure would deal another blow to digital asset exchanges operating in the country where it has been getting harder to deposit funds for cryptocurrency operations. Crypto Traders in Australia to Face Another Restriction on Fiat Deposits Australia’s largest lender intends to impose a monthly limit of 10,000 Australian dollars ($6,663) on payments made to crypto exchanges. In a statement quoted by Bloomberg, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) detailed that some of the transfers will be held for 24 hours or declined. Scams around the world are “masquerading as legitimate investment opportunities or diverting funds into cryptocurrency exchanges,” said General Manager of Group Fraud Management Services at CBA, James Roberts, providing reasons for the upcoming move. Australians have lost at least 3 billion Aussie dollars to scams in 2022, the report notes, which repr

Major Chinese state-owned banks have lowered interest rates on U.S. dollar deposits. However, they reportedly dismissed claims that the moves were influenced by the Chinese government, stating that the rate cuts were market-driven. Chinese Banks Reduce Dollar Deposit Rates Major Chinese state-owned banks reportedly cut the maximum interest rates they offer on U.S. dollar deposits this week. They explained that the moves were market-driven, dismissing recent reports by some news outlets that their decisions were influenced by the Chinese government. Reuters, for example, reported Tuesday that “In a rare attempt to bolster China’s yuan, a self-regulatory body overseen by the country’s central bank has told major state-owned banks to lower dollar deposit interest rates.” The publication cited four people with direct knowledge of the matter. According to a Wednesday report by the Global Times, “some bank insiders” described the reductions in dollar deposit rates as a self-regulatory

Several lawmakers have slammed the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for regulating the crypto industry by enforcement. One lawmaker says the regulator’s latest action against crypto exchange Coinbase “demonstrates a complete contempt for Congress which is in the process of developing a framework.” Another lawmaker stated that if the regulatory framework were in place, “the SEC wouldn’t have to take the actions that they’ve taken.” Lawmakers Slam SEC and Chair Gary Gensler The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Chair Gary Gensler have been heavily criticized for regulating the crypto industry by enforcement after the regulatory agency took action against two leading cryptocurrency exchanges this week. The Nasdaq-listed crypto exchange Coinbase faced a lawsuit from the SEC on Tuesday, while and its CEO, Changpeng Zhao (CZ), were hit with 13 charges by the securities regulator a day earlier. The SEC labeled 12 crypto tokens as securities in the Binance l