Bitcoin News and Finance: What You Need to Know

Norwegian authorities, in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), have allegedly seized about $6 million that was stolen in last year’s Axie Infinity heist. “It is the biggest crypto seizure Norwegian police have ever made,” said Norway’s Økokrim. Norway and FBI Recoup Some Stolen Funds From Axie Infinity Attack Økokrim, Norway’s National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime, announced Thursday that it has seized 60 million kroner (approximately $5.8 million) in crypto in connection with the attack against Axie Infinity and Sky Mavis, the company that developed the non-fungible token (NFT)-based online video game. The Norwegian authority explained that in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): Økokrim has seized close to NOK 60 million in cryptocurrency. It is the biggest crypto seizure Norwegian police have ever

Crypto exchange Binance expects to pay fines to U.S. authorities to settle regulatory and law-enforcement investigations over its past conduct, the company’s chief strategy officer reportedly said. When Binance began its business, the company was unfamiliar with the rules it needed to comply with in the U.S., the executive explained. Binance Plans to Settle With US Regulators Binance’s chief strategy officer, Patrick Hillmann, revealed Wednesday that the cryptocurrency exchange expects to pay fines to settle existing U.S. regulatory and law-enforcement investigations, the Wall Street Journal reported. He explained that in its early days, Binance was unfamiliar with the legal framework and regulations in the U.S. to mitigate the risk of bribery and corruption, money laundering, and economic sanctions. The Binance executive stated that the crypto exchange is currently working with regulators to identify potential “remediations” the company has to go through “to make amends” for its

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has called on Congress to pass clear crypto legislation, warning that the U.S. risks losing its status as a financial hub. “Crypto is open to everyone in the world and others are leading,” the executive stressed. Coinbase’s CEO on Cryptocurrency Regulation The CEO of the Nasdaq-listed cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase (Nasdaq: COIN), Brian Armstrong, has called on Congress to pass clear crypto legislation. He tweeted Wednesday: America risks losing its status as a financial hub long term, with no clear regs on crypto, and a hostile environment from regulators. Congress should act soon to pass clear legislation. “Crypto is open to everyone in the world and others are leading,” he added, mentioning the EU, the U.K., and Hong Kong. Besides Armstrong, many people have complained that crypto regulation in the U.S. is not clear, making it difficult for companies to comply. However, the chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Gary Ge

Another member of Sam Bankman-Fried’s inner circle allegedly plans to plead guilty to criminal charges for his role in the alleged fraud that occurred at the cryptocurrency exchange FTX. According to unnamed sources familiar with the matter, Nishad Singh, FTX’s former director of engineering, is attempting to negotiate a deal with New York prosecutors. Sources Say Former FTX Director of Engineering Nears Plea Deal, Singh Could Provide Critical Testimony On Friday, Bloomberg reporter Allyson Versprille reported that Nishad Singh, the former director of engineering at FTX, is negotiating a deal with federal prosecutors in Manhattan. Two other individuals from Sam Bankman-Fried’s inner circle, ex-Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison and FTX co-founder Gary Wang, have already pleaded guilty to charges related to the multiyear fraud that allegedly took place at FTX since 2019. Unnamed sources who are familiar with the matter told Versprille about the agreement, and the reporter noted

A draft law filed in the Russian parliament permits operators of platforms providing financial services to also run blockchain platforms. The legislation will allow them to combine their regular activities in the traditional financial market with issuing digital assets. New Law Opens Door to Blockchain Space for Russian Financial Service Providers The State Duma, the lower house of parliament in Russia, has adopted on first reading a bill allowing financial marketplaces, as defined by another Russian law, to also function as blockchain platforms facilitating the issuance and exchange of digital financial assets (DFAs). The legislative initiative comes from a group of lawmakers headed by the chairman of the parliamentary Financial Market Committee, Anatoly Aksakov, crypto news outlets Bits.media and RBC Crypto reported. Its main purposes is to help the development of tokenized cashless payments, the digital ruble , and DFAs. The latter are regulated by the law “On Digital Financia

Japanese gaming company Square Enix has announced that it will be using Polygon, an Ethereum sidechain, as a base for Symbiogenesis, its upcoming Web3 experience. Naoyuki Tamate, producer of the game, cited the high transaction speeds and low transaction gas costs as the reasons for making this change in the game’s design. Square Enix to Harness Polygon for Symbiogenesis’ Blockchain Operations Square Enix, a Japanese game-developing company, has given an update regarding the development of Symbiogenesis, its upcoming Web3-based experience announced in November. The company revealed it would use Polygon, an EVM-compatible sidechain, to support part of the blockchain component of the game. The game, which will feature several art non-fungible tokens (NFTs) as part of its story, revolves around the realization of missions and collecting resources in a land called the floating continent. Regarding the utilization of Polygon’s network in the game, Symbiogenesis producer Naoyuki Tamate

PWC, one of the ‘Big Four’ auditors and among the largest professional services networks globally, recently published a report on FTX Digital Markets, the bankrupt crypto exchange’s Bahamian subsidiary. The report indicates that the entity’s accounting records have been limited, and it also noted that there is “little distinction between what represents potentially client monies and corporate funds.” FTX Joint Provisional Liquidators Continue Investigations Into Bahamian Subsidiary In mid-November 2022, following the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by the exchange FTX and its large number of subsidiaries, The Bahamas’ regulator appointed Kevin Cambridge and Peter Greaves from PWC as the joint provisional FTX liquidators in the proceedings. PWC has recently published a report that shows the crypto exchange’s Bahamian entity FTX Digital Markets reportedly commingled client funds. FTX Digital Markets essentially held “limited accounting records,” and the PWC auditors noted that there “

The president of the Central Bank of Brazil, Roberto Campos Neto, has clarified the status of the development of the Brazilian central bank digital currency (CBDC), the digital real. Campos Neto stated that the pilot test will start now and that banks will have to digitize more of their balances in the future. Pilot Tests for Digital Real Imminent Brazil is making strides in developing its central bank digital currency (CBDC), and the design of its architecture. Roberto Campos Neto, president of the Central Bank of Brazil, recently detailed the advances that the institution has made in building the foundation for the operation of the proposed digital real currency. In a conference organized by Brazilian bank BTG Pactual, Campos Neto stated that the pilot tests for the digital real would be starting ”now,” and that the project was receiving significant assistance from private banks. Campos Neto estimates that the full development route for the project should be ready for December 2

Crypto exchanges Binance and Huobi have frozen cryptocurrencies worth approximately $1.4 million linked to North Korea, according to blockchain analytics firm Elliptic. The firm noted that the stolen funds, which were dormant until recently, originated from the June 2022 hack of Harmony’s Horizon Bridge. North Korea-Linked Crypto Frozen by Binance and Huobi Blockchain analytics firm Elliptic said Tuesday that it has collaborated with cryptocurrency exchanges Binance and Huobi “to freeze Lazarus Group hack proceeds.” Elliptic wrote: Crypto exchanges Binance and Huobi today froze accounts containing approximately $1.4 million in cryptoassets originating from the June 2022 hack of Harmony’s Horizon Bridge. “The Horizon cross-chain bridge was attacked on June 24th 2022, resulting in the loss of $99.6 million in cryptoassets. These funds were then laundered through the now-sanctioned Tornado Cash,” the blockchain analytics firm detailed. Ethereum mixer Tornado Cash was banned last

Famous actor Keanu Reeves says dismissing crypto or criticizing its volatility will only “make it better in terms of how it’s safeguarded.” The Matrix star added that the principle and ideas behind an independent currency are “amazing.” Keanu Reeves Praises Crypto Famous actor Keanu Reeves talked about cryptocurrency in an interview with Wired, published Tuesday. The Matrix and John Wick star opined: I think the principle, the ideas behind an independent currency are amazing. These are amazing tools for exchanges and distribution of resources. “So, to pooh-pooh crypto, or the volatility of cryptocurrency, it’s only going to make it better in terms of how it’s safeguarded,” he added without providing further details. The Hollywood star previously revealed that he owned cryptocurrency. “A friend of mine bought some for me a while back,” he said in December 2021, adding that he had not done anything with it. Reeves, NFTs, and the Metaverse Reeves also explained how he became an

Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz says he wouldn’t be surprised if the price of bitcoin returns to $30,000 next month. “When I look at the price action, when I look at the excitement of the customers calling, the FOMO [fear of missing out] building up, it wouldn’t surprise me,” the executive shared. Bitcoin Could Return to $30,000 in Q1, Says Novogratz Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz shared his bitcoin price outlook Wednesday at a Bank of America conference. The longtime bitcoin advocate believes that BTC could return to $30,000 by the end of next month. He said: When I look at the price action, when I look at the excitement of the customers calling, the FOMO [fear of missing out] building up, it wouldn’t surprise me if we were at $30,000 by the end of the quarter. “I would’ve given both my shoes for that to be true just six weeks ago,” he added, noting that it would’ve made him “the happiest guy” if BTC ended 2022 at $30,000. The Galaxy Digital CEO was previously more bull

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged Terraform Labs and its CEO, Do Hyeong Kwon, with fraud, alleging that Kwon and his company orchestrated “a multibillion-dollar crypto-asset securities fraud.” The securities watchdog insists that Kwon raised billions from investors by creating an “interconnected suite of crypto-asset securities,” many of which were involved in unregistered transactions. SEC Charges Terra’s Do Kwon and Terraform Labs With Defrauding Investors Nine months after the entire Terra blockchain ecosystem collapsed, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged the Singaporean company Terraform Labs Pte. Ltd. and the firm’s CEO, Do Kwon . The SEC detailed on Thursday that Terraform and Kwon raised billions from venture capitalists and created a suite of unregistered securities and mirrored assets that replicated the value of U.S. stocks. The government’s complaint also mentions the now-defunct UST algorithmic stablecoin. The regulato

Digital asset infrastructure provider Taurus has secured millions of U.S. dollars in investment from major banking institutions. The successful funding round comes in the aftermath of negative developments in the crypto space, indicating that large players from traditional finance remain engaged with the market despite its woes. Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank Invest in Digital Asset Firm Taurus Amid Ongoing Crypto Winter Swiss crypto company Taurus SA has raised $65 million in a Series B funding round led by the banking giant Credit Suisse. Three other major financial institutions — Deutsche Bank, Pictet Group, Arab Bank Switzerland — and the real-estate group Investis have also taken part. Taurus, a leading digital asset infrastructure provider for financial institutions in Europe, said it will continue to invest in the further development of its platform offering services related to cryptocurrencies, other digital assets and tokenized securities, including by hiring top engineering

When Gary Gensler (ex-Goldman Sachs investment banker) was announced as the new head of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in February 2021, the crypto industry saw a glimpse of hope. After all, the man in charge of regulating the industry was a “crypto native,” having taught a course on the subject at MIT. However, two years later, it’s clear that Gary has been a big letdown for the industry as the SEC failed to identify major frauds and protect investors. The following opinion editorial was written by Joseph Collement, General Counsel at Bitcoin.com. This should not come as a surprise, as history shows that the SEC is as effective as a screen door on a submarine when it comes to protecting investors. They’re supposed to be the watchdogs of Wall Street, but they’re more like the lapdogs of Wall Street. Take the collapse of Enron in 2001 as an example. The SEC did not formally review the company’s cooked financial statements for at least three years prior to its downfall

According to a recent study by Clever, a real estate data company, nearly three out of four Americans worry there will be a recession this year, and 69% of the research participants say the U.S. is already in a recession. What’s worse, 55% of the study’s respondents said they would lose everything if a recession in the United States came to fruition. Survey Shows Americans Have a Gloomy Economic Outlook After the Federal Reserve’s recent rate hike and the inflation data from the U.S. Department of Labor that followed, investors and analysts are uncertain about what will happen to the economy in 2023. However, many expect a recession. A recent study by the real estate data firm Clever polled a group of 1,000 Americans and asked 21 questions about the U.S. economy. Clever’s report shows that one in five U.S. residents considers the economy the most pressing issue today, while 43% of those surveyed rank it within the top three most pressing issues. Clever’s study shows that two ou

German conglomerate Siemens has for the first time issued a blockchain-based digital bond denominated in euros. In an announcement, the corporation highlighted the benefits of using blockchain, including the opportunity for direct sale to investors. Digital Bond Issued Under Germany’s Electronic Securities Act The largest industrial manufacturer in Europe, Siemens, announced it has become one of the first companies in Germany to issue a digital bond in accordance with the country’s Electronic Securities Act which came into force in June, 2021. The €60-million bond ($64 million) has a maturity of one year and is based on a public blockchain, that of Polygon, according to crypto media reports. Announcing the deal on Tuesday, Siemens emphasized certain advantages of employing a blockchain platform over traditional methods: For instance, it makes paper-based global certificates and central clearing unnecessary. What’s more, the bond can be sold directly to investors without needing a

Warren Buffett’s right-hand man and the vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, Charlie Munger, says people who oppose banning cryptocurrencies are “idiots,” adding that it’s “just ridiculous” anybody would buy crypto. He also likened replacing national currencies to replacing air, stating that “It’s massively stupid.” Berkshire Vice Chair Charlie Munger Says Replacing National Currencies Is Like Replacing Air Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chairman Charlie Munger continued his insults against cryptocurrency and its supporters Wednesday during a live-streamed interview with CNBC at the Daily Journal’s annual shareholders meeting. Referencing his recent opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal stating that cryptocurrency should be banned , the 99-year-old executive insisted there is no “rational” argument against his position of banning crypto. He opined: I think the people that oppose my position are idiots … It’s just ridiculous that anybody would buy this stuff. “You can think of hardl

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Gary Gensler has proposed amending federal custody rules to cover “all crypto assets.” The SEC chief said: “Though some crypto trading and lending platforms may claim to custody investors’ crypto, that does not mean they are qualified custodians.” Gary Gensler Proposes Including Crypto in Expanded Custody Rules The chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Gary Gensler, announced Wednesday that he has proposed changes to federal regulations “to expand and enhance the role of qualified custodians.” All asset classes, including crypto, would be included in the expanded custody rules under his proposal, and companies offering crypto custody services to their clients will be required to obtain registration. Gensler emphasized: Today’s proposal, in covering all asset classes, would cover all crypto assets. The SEC chairman proceeded to highlight four key proposed changes to the existing regulations. Firstly,

Rightfulshare, an income equality advocacy movement, recently said it has launched what it describes as the “first unconditional” crypto universal basic income (UBI) transfer. According to Karen Jooste, the crypto UBI not only expands the possibilities for unemployed South Africans but also nurtures their entrepreneurial spirit. Fairer Income Access Rightfulshare, a movement advocating for equality, recently said it had sent its “first unconditional” crypto UBI transfer to a local entrepreneur residing in South Africa. According to the movement’s Jan. 31 press release , selected beneficiaries will receive the crypto UBI “in Gooddollar to use as they choose.” Also, in the statement, Rightfulshare touted the launch as a pioneering step that channels “both resources and Web3 solutions to a small town in the country.” Commenting on the launch, which has been described as “a pioneering step for fairer income access,” founder of Rightfulshare Karen Jooste claimed that the launch not on

Wirex, a London-based digital payments company, has announced it has become a global partner of Visa, to allow the company to bring its card services to more markets in the world. The new partnership means that Wirex will be able to offer its crypto card services to APAC and U.K. markets. Wirex Partners With Visa to Expand to New Markets Wirex, a payments and crypto company based in London, has reached a long-term service agreement with credit card giant Visa. With this move, qualified as a significant milestone by the company, Wirex will now be able to reach customers in new markets, targeting areas like APAC and the U.K. The company, which offers cryptocurrency-linked card services, will be able to reach customers in over 40 countries with this partnership. The company claims it was the first one to bring this kind of service to mainstream audiences in 2015, also in partnership with Visa. The partnership builds on prior Wirex endeavors, which became a principal member of Visa i

Ukrainian authorities are speeding up the development of the electronic hryvnia, a high-ranking government official indicated. The executive power in Kyiv is now in talks with the central bank and businesses involved in the project to pilot the digital currency as early as this year. Minister Says Ukraine Aims to Launch Digital Hryvnia Sooner Than Planned Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation wants to step up efforts to finalize the development of the nation’s electronic hryvnia (e-hryvnia), its head Mykhailo Fedorov revealed in an interview. The initial plan was to start the pilot phase in 2024 but the government now wants do that this year. The first blockchain transactions with the digital hryvnia have been already conducted, Fedorov told the business news portal RBC-Ukraine. “It is developing, I was recently presented with an electronic hryvnia based on the Stellar product,” the minister said. In January, 2021, the department chose the Stellar Development Foundation as

Police in the U.K., in collaboration with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), have raided several sites allegedly hosting cryptocurrency ATMs. “No crypto ATM operators currently have FCA registration,” the British financial regulator stressed, adding that it is “working with multiple law enforcement partners, including local police forces, to disrupt and disable illegal crypto ATMs.” UK Regulator Cracks Down on Unregistered Crypto ATMs Authorities in the U.K. have raided several sites around the city of Leeds in a cryptocurrency ATM crackdown. The raids followed a joint investigation between the country’s top financial regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and West Yorkshire Police’s Digital Intelligence and Investigation Unit. The FCA announced Tuesday that it “has used its powers to enter and inspect several sites around Leeds suspected of hosting illegally operated crypto ATMs.” Emphasizing that “Crypto exchange providers, which includes crypto ATM operators, in