Bitcoin News and Finance: What You Need to Know

According to Claudio Riff, the CEO of Pooky, a sport prediction game powered by blockchain, gaming may be one of the more effective ways of getting users to experience the potential of blockchain and Web3 without dealing with the associated complexities. Onboarding People to Web3 Through Gaming Pointing to the gaming industry’s appeal and reported market value of over $200 billion in 2021, the CEO of Pooky postulated that having more blockchain-based games could potentially help “onboard a critical mass of users onto Web3.” In written responses sent to Bitcoin.com News via Whatsapp, Claudio Riff , an early-stage investor, explained why using games to educate users about Web3 technologies is believed to be more effective than doing so the conventional way. He also highlighted the difference between sports betting and a new phenomenon known as sport prediction and why the latter is seen as a better game. Below are Riff’s responses to the questions from Bitcoin.com News. Bitcoin.co

PRESS RELEASE. Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, March. 22nd , 2023, Undeads Metaverse , a highly anticipated AAA Web3 game, is excited to announce a competition for Undeads NFT holders. The competition will be broken down into three prizes. The first prize is the coveted MAYC NFT, while the second prize is the Bored Ape Kennel Club NFT. The third prize is the Otherdeed NFT. Each prize is worth fighting for, as all three NFTs are blue-chip digital assets that any NFT collector would love to have in their portfolio. A total prize pool value exceeds 20ETH. The competition is straightforward. To win the MAYC NFT, participants have to mint and reveal the 4th rarity level zombie with specific traits. The traits of required zombie will are listed in rules of the contest that ends on April 10 . The BAKC NFT will go to the holder of another epic zombie, while the Otherdeed NFT will be awarded to the person who mints the rare 3rd level rarity zombie with specific traits. The beauty of this

The Central Bank of Venezuela is lagging when it comes to delivering economic data this year, failing to publish the inflation numbers for the last four months. Venezuelan economists believe this delay might mean that the country is starting to enter a new hyperinflation period, with the government trying to hide it by not offering up the figures. Central Bank of Venezuela Owes Public Four Months of Economic Data The Central Bank of Venezuela has not published the economic data corresponding to the last four months, making economists worried about the cause of the delay. The institution still has not issued the inflation figures corresponding to November 2022, December 2022, January 2023, or February 2023, leaving consulting firms blindfolded and unable to make recommendations to their affiliated companies when it comes to economic strategy. But according to Jesus Casique, a Venezuelan economist, inflation figures are just the tip of the iceberg regarding the missing data. Casique

Bitzlato users can now partially withdraw their bitcoin funds from the dismantled cryptocurrency exchange, according to a media report. The Russia-linked trading platform was targeted by Western law enforcement and had its France-based server infrastructure seized in January. Bitzlato Customers Allowed to Withdraw Up to 50% of Their Bitcoin at the Exchange Users of Bitzlato’s web portal and app can now withdraw a portion of the funds they had with the crypto exchange when it was busted by French and U.S. authorities in mid-January. Since Monday, its clients have access to half of their bitcoin ( BTC ) balances. Account holders can withdraw up to 50% of their bitcoins, Bitzlato representatives told the Russian-language crypto news outlet Forklog. The minimum withdrawal amount is 0.001 BTC and the commission is 0.0003 BTC , the report detailed. Withdrawals can be ordered through a Telegram bot and users need to provide the email address of their Bitzlato account, the article expla

On Monday, U.S. president Joe Biden published the administration’s economic report and addressed the subject of cryptocurrencies. The section titled “The Perceived Appeal of Crypto Assets” describes the currencies as “mostly speculative investment vehicles” that are “unbacked” and “traded without fundamental anchors.” The White House insists that crypto assets do not deliver on their promises and do not “perform all the functions of money as effectively as sovereign money, such as the U.S. dollar.” Crypto Assets and Defi Highlighted in Biden Administration’s Economic Report The recently published “ Economic Report of the President ” covers various topics, including the war in Ukraine, Covid-19, infrastructure, and U.S. employment statistics. On page 239, the report delves into bitcoin and other crypto assets, examining claims made by proponents and attempting to refute them. The Biden administration views crypto assets as too volatile when compared to traditional assets. According t

With the Federal Open Market Committee convening on Wednesday and the recent financial troubles facing the U.S. banking system, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden has “confidence” in Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell. Meanwhile, according to the CME Group’s Fedwatch tool, the target rate probability suggests the Fed will raise the federal funds rate by 25 basis points (bps) this week. There’s also a 26.9% chance the U.S. central bank won’t raise the rate this month. Market Laser-Focused on Upcoming Fed Meeting; Biden Administration Confident in Powell’s Leadership It has been a tumultuous week in the U.S. banking industry as three major banks collapsed, and the Federal Reserve announced that it would fully bail out two of them. Additionally, the U.S. central bank created the Bank Term Funding Program (BTFP) to assist failed banks and their depositors. Moreover, the Fed loaned the banks $164.8 billion to strengthen liquidity and collaborated

Bitcoin consolidated recent gains on March 21, as markets await the upcoming Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. Many expect that the Federal Reserve will maintain rate hikes, however at a slower pace of 25 basis points. This comes after the U.S. announced it will explore measures to guarantee client deposits at embattled banks following a recent crisis. Bitcoin Bitcoin ( BTC ) was once again trading below $28,000, as traders consolidated recent gains ahead of the upcoming FOMC meeting. Following a high of $28,352.76 to start the week, BTC /USD fell to an intraday low of $27,439.65 earlier today. The move sees bitcoin move away from its recent nine-month high, ahead of tomorrow’s rate decision, which will likely lead to increased market volatility. One sign of this uncertainty comes as the 14-day relative strength index (RSI), which failed to move beyond a ceiling of its own. As of writing, the index is tracking at 71.47, which is marginally below a resistance level at

Taiwan’s Financial Supervisory Commission is set to be announced as the body that will oversee and regulate the virtual asset industry. According to a report, the collapse of crypto exchanges like FTX prompted Taiwanese officials to seek ways of protecting users against similar events should they recur. Virtual Asset Industry’s Self-Regulation According to Taiwanese government officials, the country’s financial sector regulator — the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) — is set to become the body overseeing and regulating the country’s virtual currency industry. As per a CNA report , an announcement to this effect is set to be made in late March or early April. Explaining the rationale behind the government’s decision to appoint FSC as the body that oversees virtual assets in Taiwan, the report suggested that FTX’s collapse played a part in convincing officials to look for ways of protecting users in the event of another major collapse. The officials also reportedly made referen

Main Takeaways Binance Oracle VRF is a Verifiable Random Function (VRF) solution that enables blockchain developers to generate random numbers. Binance Oracle VRF can be used for an extensive selection of use cases, including GameFi projects and other blockchain products built with smart contracts. Keep reading to learn more about how VRFs work, why blockchain applications need randomness, and how Binance Oracle VRF could benefit your project or business. Powered by Binance Cloud and based on the latest Verifiable Random Function (VRF) standard, here’s everything you need to know about Binance Oracle VRF. What Is a Verifiable Random Function (VRF)? Verifiable Random Functions (VRF) are random number generators (RNG) whose outputs can be cryptographically proven as random. Here’s a quick summary of how it works. A series of inputs are passed into a VRF. The VRF computes the inputs and generates pseudorandom outputs. Anyone, at any time, can cryptographically verify that the

Joselit Ramirez, head of the Venezuelan cryptocurrency authority Sunacrip, was arrested on March 18, according to reports from local media. Ramirez, who led the institution from its creation in 2018, was arrested for being allegedly involved in corruption schemes, including the embezzlement of $3 billion related to unregistered oil sales. Sunacrip Boss Joselit Ramirez Arrested Joselit Ramirez, head of the Venezuelan cryptocurrency authority Sunacrip, was arrested on March 18 on alleged corruption charges. According to reports from the local newspaper Ultimas Noticias, the arrest of Ramirez is part of a national special operation against corruption, that also encompassed the capture of more high-profile individuals, including Cristobal Cornielles, president of the judicial circuit of Caracas, and Pedro Hernandez, a city mayor. While details of the investigation have not been disclosed, local outlets suggest that the arrest is linked to the disappearance of $3 billion obtained from

The Argentine tax authority (AFIP) is increasing its scrutiny when it comes to digital wallets. The institution recently revealed it found irregularities in at least 184 tax statements that include digital wallets and cryptocurrencies. These taxpayers did not include their wallet holdings as part of their 2021 tax statements, leaving close to $7.6 million in such assets undeclared. Argentine Tax Authority AFIP Finds Irregularities The Argentine tax authority has ramped up its vigilance for digital and cryptocurrency taxes. Recently, the institution announced that it had discovered a series of irregularities that involved at least 184 taxpayers, who failed to refer to their digital and cryptocurrency holdings in their tax statements. The scrutinized tax statements, corresponding to fiscal year 2021, involve a difference of close to $7.6 million in assets undeclared, which will have to be paid according to rules for existing estate taxes. The AFIP explained this was the result of c

On Sunday evening, March 19, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, the U.S. Federal Reserve, along with several central banks including the Bank of England, Bank of Canada, Bank of Japan, the European Central Bank, and the Swiss National Bank, announced a coordinated action to enhance the provision of liquidity via the standing U.S. dollar liquidity swap line arrangements. The announcement followed a banking crisis that began with the collapse of three U.S. banks and spread internationally. Turmoil in Banking Industry Leads to Coordinated Action to Enhance Liquidity Before Wall Street opened on Monday and ahead of the next Federal Reserve meeting, the U.S. central bank, along with five other major central banks, announced decisive action to add liquidity to the financial system. The participating banks included the Bank of England, Bank of Canada, Bank of Japan, Swiss National Bank, and the European Central Bank (ECB). In fact, all participating central banks published similar press rel

Bitcoin was trading above $28,000 on Monday, as cryptocurrencies extended a bull run to start the week. This upwards sentiment comes as the Federal Reserve and other major central banks made coordinated moves to enhance market liquidity. Ethereum continues to trade close to $1,800. Bitcoin Bitcoin ( BTC ) started the week trading above $28,000, as markets responded to the deepening global banking crisis. The coordinated action by several major G7 central banks comes as Credit Suisse was bought out by rival UBS, a move engineered by Swiss authorities. BTC /USD jumped to an intraday peak of $28,527.72 earlier today, which comes a day after trading at a low of $27,196.76. Bitcoin chart by TradingView As a result of the rally, bitcoin climbed to its strongest point since last June, with many now anticipating a move above $30,000. Overall, this surge has sent prices into overbought territory, with the 14-day relative strength index (RSI) now tracking at 72.73. The next visib

Blockchain technology can help solve current issues with settlements, according to the deputy chief executive of Sberbank. Russia’s largest bank is working with other financial institutions to develop blockchain-based payment applications, the banker revealed. Sberbank Sees Solution to Russia’s Troubles With Settlements in Blockchain With major Russian banks disconnected from the main global interbank payment system, SWIFT , due to Moscow’s war on Ukraine, blockchain will help to solve the problem with payments, Sberbank’s First Deputy CEO Alexander Vedyakhin is convinced. “It is blockchain technology that will make it possible to solve this issue because this is a distributed ledger, there is no one point of decision making, no center, no knife switch that can be shut off,” Vedyakhin explained, quoted by the Interfax news agency. “Everyone has everything recorded, there are special protocols that make it possible to do this confidentially,” the executive added during a meeting of

PRESS RELEASE. WATERPORT PLACE, GIB., March 20th, 2023 – Digital Asset Management Limited and the Damex group (“Damex” or “Damex.io”)), a Distributed Ledger Technology provider based in Gibraltar, recently announced its utility token IEO, the Damex Token ($DAMEX), which can be used within the Damex App along with other non-fungible tokens (NFTs), to earn rewards for adopting a healthier and more active lifestyle. Damex announced its token IEO for 19th April. Its utility went live and was tested during the Q1 of 2023, with future developments for both the Damex Token and the Damex App slated throughout the year. The total supply is 370 million Damex Tokens. The goal of these new offerings by Damex is to encourage users to become healthier individuals while, at the same time, educating them about cryptocurrency and promoting environmental sustainability. What can users gain in exchange for staking Damex Tokens? For instance, when a user stakes 5,000 Damex Tokens, they can get acce

A report issued by Globaldata, a global consulting and data analysis company, predicts that China will become a leading country in metaverse tech during 2023. The firm believes that the development of other technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and 6G will allow China to configure itself as a metaverse hub. China to Lead Metaverse Industry in 2023 While the interest in the metaverse seems to be waning at a worldwide level, China is still pushing to become a leader in the industry. According to a recent report prepared by Globaldata, a consulting firm, China is positioning itself to surpass the West when it comes to metaverse tech, as the country will keep investing in technologies related to this field. The report states the importance that China gives to these accessory technologies will allow it to become a center for the metaverse. It states: The growing emphasis on VR, AR, AI, and 6G aims to outpace advances in the West

Microsoft, the software conglomerate, has introduced an Ethereum-based cryptocurrency wallet in the testing version of its Edge web browser. The new feature, which software sleuth Albacore discovered, is named “Crypto Wallet” and would allow users to store and transact Ethereum and Ethereum-based tokens in a non-custodial way, acting like a Metamask clone. Microsoft Introduces Ethereum Wallet in Its Edge Browser Cryptocurrency and Web3 projects are making inroads into mainstream software products. According to reports coming from Albacore, a software researcher, Microsoft is currently developing a native wallet that would as part of its own web browser, Edge. The new feature, called “crypto wallet,” would allow the users to transact and store Ethereum and Ethereum-based tokens in a non-custodial way. In the screenshots available, Microsoft confirms the status of the project, warning the testers about the dangers of using their funds in this wallet. It stated: As a tester, you wi

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren has called for a “thorough, independent investigation of the causes” that led to the failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank. She alleges that Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell “bears direct responsibility” for regulatory and supervisory issues involving the two banks. Senator Elizabeth Warren Calls for Independent Investigation Into Bank Failures U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) called for an investigation into the recent collapse of major banks in a March 18 letter to the Treasury Department’s deputy inspector general, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)’s acting inspector general, and the Federal Reserve Board’s inspector general. “I am writing to ask that you immediately open a thorough, independent investigation of the causes of the bank management and regulatory and supervisory problems that resulted in this month’s failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank and deliver preliminary results within