Bitcoin News and Finance: What You Need to Know

Former lead maintainer of Monero Riccardo Spagni, aka Fluffypony, has been arrested in the U.S. and is now waiting for his extradition to South Africa where he will stand trial for fraud. Spagni described the case as “an old matter, which I have continuously been trying to resolve since 2011.” Fluffypony Arrested, Waiting for Extradition to South Africa The U.S. government filed a Memorandum of Extradition Law and Request for Detention Pending Extradition Proceedings for Riccardo Paolo Spagni with a district court in Tennessee on July 21. Spagni, also known as Fluffypony, was formerly a Monero lead maintainer. The court document states that “Spagni is believed to have significant cryptocurrency assets that would enable him to flee.” The U.S. is “executing its treaty responsibilities and acting at the request of the government of South Africa,” the filing details, adding that the South African government seeks his “provisional arrest with a view toward his extradition to stand tri

Press Release: Rocket Launchpad is launching a Tezos-based IDO platform, allowing users to invest in the latest Tezos-based projects. Tortola, British Virgin Islands – Recently, the Tezos ecosystem has seen several high-profile partnerships, including collaborations with McLaren and Red Bull Racing. Since its launch, the number of projects currently using Tezos has grown to a total of 135. As its popularity continues to rise, a need for an efficient means to support early-stage projects is steadily starting to appear within the ecosystem. Rocket Launchpad is providing the solution for developing Tezos-based projects, with the aim to keep and grow the ecosystem’s fast pace of development. Rocket Launchpad is a decentralized Initial DEX Offering (IDO) platform built on the Tezos blockchain. It provides an efficient and secure method of investing in the rapidly growing number of Tezos projects. The platform is set to launch in August, with a corresponding token sale for its native

Internet giant Google’s new ad policy has gone into effect. The company now allows certain cryptocurrency ads, such as those promoting cryptocurrency exchanges and wallets. Advertisers must meet certain requirements and be certified by Google. Google Now Allows Some Crypto Ads Google’s new ad policy for financial products and services, announced in June, has gone into effect. A notice on the internet giant’s website details: Beginning August 3, advertisers offering cryptocurrency exchanges and wallets targeting the United States may advertise those products and services when they meet the following requirements and are certified by Google. To be certified by Google, advertisers must either be registered with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) as a money services business or be a federal or state-chartered bank. They must also comply with relevant legal requirements and their ads and landing pages must comply with Google’s advertising policies. In 2018, Google b

In a last-ditch attempt to stall the sale of Mirror Trading International (MTI) assets, two masterminds of the collapsed bitcoin Ponzi scheme have warned investors that liquidating the investment company will likely result in them being asked to return all withdrawn bitcoins. Opposition to Attempts at Declaring MTI a Ponzi Scheme In a court filing that opposes attempts to declare MTI “an illegal business,” Clynton and Cheri Marks insist that such a step will in fact cause investors to “forfeit everything to the state.” As the Mybroadband report reveals, the Marks’ latest opposing application was filed after a South African court postponed ruling on an intervening application to September 8, 2021. The intervening application, which seeks to have MTI labeled a scam, was filed by liquidators soon after the final liquidation was granted by the Cape Town High Court. In pushing back against the liquidators’ intervening application, the Markses warn MTI members that they will not

On August 2, West Realm Shire Services Inc., the owner and operator of FTX.US, revealed the company has partnered with film and television production company Dolphin Entertainment. According to the announcement, FTX and Dolphin will be launching a non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace dedicated to sports and entertainment brands. Dolphin Entertainment Partners With FTX.US While non-fungible token collectibles continue to see demand, a slew of crypto firms revealed plans to launch NFT marketplaces this year. On Monday, Dolphin and FTX explained the two companies have joined forces to launch an NFT market that’s focused on sports and the entertainment industry. Dolphin Entertainment is a Coral Gables, Florida-based company that specializes in film, television, and other forms of entertainment production. The company rose to prominence after producing a number of hit movies and shows. For instance, Dolphin is responsible for Nickelodeon’s “Zoey 101” and “Ned’s Declassified School Sur

Two blockchain-based digital identity projects are being developed in different regions of Argentina, with different objectives. One of them is directed to improve government-citizen relationships, facilitating these interactions in Misiones. The other one seeks to improve financial inclusion in the region of Gran Chaco. These two initiatives are being organized by Project Didi, an organization financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB). Blockchain Being Tested to Certify Citizen Identity in Argentina Two new blockchain-based identity projects are now being implemented in different areas of Argentina , looking to improve the experience of citizens in the process. The first of these projects is part of the blockchain push that recently happened in the Misiones province, and it seeks to improve the experience citizens have when dealing with government-related procedures. This project will allow citizens in Misiones and Mar del Plata to simplify the actions required to ob

Nicolas Maduro, president of Venezuela, stated the country could offer cryptocurrency-based loans to the agricultural sector, in addition to the traditional loans in several fiat currencies. He also stated that Venezuela has worked with petro and other cryptocurrencies for three years, pioneering the use of this kind of asset in Latam. Government Hints at Offering Cryptocurrency Loans in Venezuela Maduro hinted at the possibility of giving loans in cryptocurrency to the agricultural industry in an announcement made in a cabinet meeting last Thursday. He stated the country would look for new ways to finance domestic agriculture and also stated these loans would feature low interest rates to benefit farmers. Elaborating to his ministers, Maduro noted: I ask you personally to lead the public banking sector and summon the private banks to multiply loans and financing under the mildest conditions for all food producers in the country. The proposal also introduces the idea of giving

PRESS RELEASE. Singapore, August 3, 2021 – Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, has partnered with crypto-fiat hybrid payment solutions provider Alchemy Pay to build a payment bridge between crypto and fiat through the Binance Pay wallet. Binance Pay is a contactless, borderless, and secure user-to-user cryptocurrency payment feature on the Binance App . Launched as beta in February, Binance Pay’s functions allow users and merchants to send and receive crypto payments around the world without incurring special handling fees for using crypto. Supported by Alchemy Pay’s fiat-crypto integration, Binance Pay is available for both peer-to-peer payments and merchant-based transactions. Users and merchants can choose their preferred options for paying and getting paid with 40+ supported cryptocurrencies. “Alchemy Pay was founded in 2018 by a team of fiat payment gateway veterans with a shared vision to build a practical bridge between fiat and crypto,” said Alchemy Pay CEO, Joh

According to a recent study on crypto asset storage and passwords, a survey that polled over 1,000 digital currency owners shows 39.7% have forgotten their passwords. The study produced by cryptovantage.com indicates that users unable to recover their passwords lost an average of $2,134. Survey Polls 1,000 US Crypto Owners, Respondents Invest $7,245 on Average Since the inception of Bitcoin in 2009, a number of people have lost coins along the way and this has spread to the myriad of crypto assets in existence today. Just recently, researchers at cryptovantage.com published a study that polled 1,021 cryptocurrency owners residing in the United States. The study called “ Coin Storage Security: A Closer Look at Crypto Storage and Passwords ” shows that 39.7% of cryptocurrency owners had lost their password at one time. On the positive side, 95.6%% were able to regain access to their crypto investments, but on average those who could not access their passwords lost over $2K. “A who

Porsche has announced its first NFT auction following the recent launch of the token-based Fanzone platform. The German high-performance car maker will sell a unique design sketch as part of the pilot project. The proceeds will be used to fund a noble cause. Porsche to Auction NFT of New Design by Peter Varga German sports car manufacturer Porsche is launching a pilot project for non-fungible tokens ( NFTs ). Between Aug. 2 and 6, collectors and fans will be able to participate in an auction to buy an exclusive design sketch by Porsche Director of Exterior Design Peter Varga as an NFT, the auto company said. Quoted in a press release, Varga commented: Drawing a design sketch which is then traded online as a digital object was a completely new experience for me. The designer revealed that the sketch combines the Taycan Cross Turismo with the 911. “It links the design language of our iconic sports car with that of the youngest member of the model range. I look forward to seeing th

A panel of experts has shared their price prediction for dogecoin for the end of the year as well as in 2025 and 2030. Individually, the experts are divided on the future price of the meme cryptocurrency. Some noted that the price of dogecoin is heavily dependent on Tesla CEO Elon Musk promoting it. Experts Share Price Predictions for Dogecoin Finder, a major product comparison website, published the result of its July 2021 survey on the price prediction of dogecoin last week. To determine if the meme cryptocurrency is “about to jump in price, or has this joke finally reached its use-by date … we asked our 42-expert panel what’s in store for the coin,” the company detailed. The experts were asked about their price forecasts for dogecoin for 2025 and 2030. The company explained that according to the panel: Doge should see its value hit an average value of US$1.21 by 2025 and US$3.60 by 2030, according to the panel average. However, Finder pointed out that the high value was due

NCR Corp., a global leader in ATM software applications, has announced that it is acquiring Libertyx, the crypto company that claims to be “America’s first and largest network of bitcoin ATMs, cashiers, and kiosks.” NCR Acquires Libertyx NCR Corp. (NYSE: NCR), a leading enterprise technology provider, announced Monday “a definitive agreement to acquire Libertyx, a leading cryptocurrency software provider.” Libertyx claims to be “America’s first and largest network of bitcoin ATMs, cashiers, and kiosks.” Its software runs on ATMs, kiosks, and point-of-sale (POS) systems, allowing customers to buy BTC at more than 20K retail stores and 9,500 traditional ATMs. NCR’s website states that the company is the number one “global provider of multi-vendor ATM software applications and middleware” and “the world’s #1 ATM brand,” with more than 650K ATMs installed globally. The company also claims that more than 15 million consumers are using its digital banking solution. NCR’s products are d

On Tuesday, Bakkt Holdings revealed a partnership between the national quick-service restaurant (QSR) Quiznos. The company Quiznos is a brand based in Denver, Colorado, and the restaurants specialize in offering submarine sandwiches. According to the announcement, Bakkt and a Quiznos location in Denver will be launching a pilot that allows customers to purchase food with bitcoin by leveraging the Bakkt application. Denver Airport’s Quiznos Plans to Pilot Payments via the Bakkt App in Mid-August Bakkt has revealed that it is collaborating with the company Quiznos and plans to launch a test pilot at the Quiznos located at the Denver airport. The pilot will allow customers to pay for goods and services at Quiznos using bitcoin ( BTC ) via the Bakkt App. According to the announcement the Denver airport Quiznos sees a lot of traffic and the pilot will start in mid-August. The president of REGO Restaurant Group, which owns Quiznos and a number of national QSR chains, believes partnering

PRESS RELEASE. Bitcoin.com Exchange is ecstatic to announce the listing of ERG, being available to trade on the 3rd August 2021 at 10:00AM UTC. Ergo was created by its team to build advanced cryptographic features and radically new DeFi functionality on the rock-solid foundations laid by a decade of blockchain theory and development. ERG will start trading with BTC and USDT pairs. What is Ergo? Ergo is designed for developing decentralized applications with the main focus of providing an efficient, secure and easy way to implement financial contracts. Ergo’s advanced cryptographic features and radically new DeFi functionality complement tried and tested principles with the latest peer-reviewed academic research in blockchain, consensus models and digital currencies. The ecosystem is powered by Multi-Stage Contracts using Ergo’s native language, ErgoScript. With its signature Σ-protocols (Sigma-protocols) and use of NIPoPoWs (Non-Interactive Proofs of Proof of Work), ErgoScrip

HSBC has reportedly become the latest British bank to announce that it has suspended payments to cryptocurrency exchange Binance. Citing a consumer warning by the country’s financial regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the bank told its customers: “We’ve made this decision due to concerns about the possible risks to you.” ‘We’re Suspending Payments to Binance,’ Said HSBC British bank HSBC has reportedly become the latest bank to suspend payments to global cryptocurrency exchange Binance. Several people have shared on Twitter a notice they claim to have received from the HSBC Banking Team in the U.K. The notice, titled “We’re suspending payments to Binance,” reads: We wanted to let you know we’re stopping payments from our credit cards to Binane wherever possible. We’ve made this decision due to concerns about the possible risks to you. “We take our duty as a responsible lender seriously and want to do everything we can to protect you. We’ll continue to monitor the

On Monday, the publicly listed bitcoin mining firm Marathon Digital Holdings announced that it purchased 30,000 S19j Pro Antminers from Bitmain. According to the company, once the new lot of mining rigs are fully deployed, Marathon will gain 13.3 exahash per second (EH/s) from the newly added machines. Marathon Buys 30K Miners for $120 Million On August 2, Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc. ( Nasdaq:MARA ) revealed the bitcoin mining company has acquired 30,000 S19j Pro Antminers. Depending on the model, S19j Pro processes SHA256 hashrate at around 100 to 104 terahash per second. A single S19j Pro machine using today’s BTC prices, current mining difficulty, and electricity at $0.12 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), can profit by $29 per day. According to the announcement, the machines cost around $120.7 million for the entire lot. Marathon says that it anticipates all 30,000 newly purchased miners to be delivered between January 2022 and June 2022. This timeframe shows lead times for newly pr

During the first half of the year, non-fungible token (NFT) sales surged to $2.5 billion in 2021, and trade volume shows the trend hasn’t slowed down. For instance, July saw a record $363 million spent on approximately 157,801 NFT sales. Meanwhile, as new NFTs enter the space every day, older Rare Pepe NFTs from 2016 are making a comeback and are being sold on the Opensea marketplace for top dollar. New Dispenser Technology Makes Old School Counterparty NFTs Accessible on Today’s Most Popular Marketplaces Non-fungible token (NFT) sales have been all the rage these days as millions of dollars have been exchanged for NFT art and collectibles. On Monday, Bitcoin.com News reported on the project Cryptopunks outpacing the competition this week in terms of sales. Furthermore, one Cryptopunk owner wants to sell a rare punk (Cryptopunk 3100) for $91 million or 35,000 ether. Additionally, NFTs like Stoner Cats, Art Blocks, Meebits, and more are also selling for tens and even hundreds of th

Wells Fargo, one of the largest wealth managers in the U.S., has reportedly started offering crypto investments to its wealth management clients. Wells Fargo Offers Crypto Exposure A spokesperson for American financial services company Wells Fargo reportedly confirmed to Business Insider Friday that the company has started offering cryptocurrency exposure to its wealth management clients. Wells Fargo’s wealth and investment management arm, which includes the firm’s private banking services and Wells Fargo Advisors, is one of the largest U.S. wealth managers. It oversees nearly $2 trillion in assets. Darrell Cronk, the president of Wells Fargo Investment Institute, a wholly owned subsidiary of Wells Fargo Bank, revealed in May that his team was preparing to offer “a professionally managed solution” for cryptocurrency to clients. “We think the cryptocurrency space has just kind of hit an evolution and maturation of its development that allows it now to be a viable investable asset

A court has ordered one of Russia’s largest banks to lift restrictions imposed on the accounts of a Russian citizen who was selling digital coins on cryptocurrency exchanges. The state-owned giant Sberbank will now have to unblock its client’s cards and restore his access to its online banking platform. Regional Court in Russia Rules in Favor of Crypto Trader Suing Sberbank The plaintiff identified as Pavel R., a resident of Revda in Sverdlovsk Oblast, had accounts and cards issued by Sberbank and was also offered remote banking services as per his contract. Between May and August last year, he received regular deposits from other individuals and withdrew the money. The bank decided these were unusual transactions that could be linked to money laundering and blocked Pavel’s accounts and cards. He was asked to prove the source of the funds, explain the purpose of the transactions and told that any future operations should be ordered in person. But even after Pavel presented all t

Fundraising has experienced a dramatic change over the past ten years. What was once limited to individuals with a specific acumen, network, and level of capital is now accessible to anyone with an internet connection. New technologies and platforms allow the average retail investor to become an early supporter of some of the most exciting ideas that just hit the market. This capability was fostered by the cryptocurrency space with its decentralized funding, but it also applies to other asset classes. As a result, the number of angel investors in the crypto industry has rapidly increased in recent years. While angel investing is a common practice within the sector, there still exist many outside of the community who know little about the practice. What Is Angel Investing? Angel investors, also known as seed investors, are those who contribute early-stage and pre-launch funding for startups. They are a big part of the fundraising process and often know the company and its founders i