Bitcoin News and Finance: What You Need to Know

PRESS RELEASE. MetaWars is the first project to unite the world of metaverses – with the first of its kind MetaWars Launchpad portal. For the first time, players will be able to build portals that transfer characters, currencies, and assets between game worlds. This builds on Meta (previously known as Facebook) and enhances their vision. With the MetaWars Launchpad, players can mine for different cryptocurrencies from different multiverses, injecting additional play-to-earn features. It’s positioned to become the main way new people enter into the blockchain economy, and the best way to break into the mainstream. This is an enormous opportunity in this space. MetaWars will become the first metaverse launchpad, filling a highly important role. By aligning with new projects in the future, MetaWars will lead the way for the GameFi movement and provide more value to the blockchain gaming community and entire industry. Introducing MetaWars MetaWars completed a successful IDO and the t...

Despite largely lagging behind the rest of the world on many other metrics, Africa however appears to have taken the lead where cryptocurrency or the blockchain is concerned. Africa-Based Kucoin Users Skyrocket in 2021 In African countries that are plagued by currency woes or hyperinflation, cryptocurrencies have emerged as a genuine alternative store of value. The same digital currencies are also increasingly becoming the preferred means of sending remittances or for making cross-border payments. In other words, cryptocurrencies have real uses in Africa besides trading. However, as Johny Lyu, the CEO of Kucoin — one of the biggest crypto exchanges in the world — observes, many African cryptocurrency users or holders are starting to become more interested in the trading side of things. In fact, in his written responses to questions that were sent to him via Linkedin, Lyu reveals that more African users are venturing into futures or margin trading. The CEO also explains how his org...

Tesla and Spacex CEO Elon Musk has raised concerns with cryptocurrency exchange Binance about its dogecoin issue. Musk calls the situation “shady,” adding that “DOGE holders using Binance should be protected from errors that are not their fault.” Both Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao and the official Twitter account for the crypto exchange responded. Elon Musk Raises Issue on Behalf of Other Dogecoin Holders Tesla CEO Elon Musk has raised concerns on behalf of dogecoin holders regarding the recent DOGE problem at cryptocurrency exchange Binance. The issue resulted in numerous erroneous dogecoin transactions with some users reporting that their accounts were frozen. Musk, who is sometimes known as the Dogefather, asked Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ), “What’s going on with your Doge customers?” He added, “Sounds shady.” His tweet gained much attention. At the time of writing, it has received 4.5K comments and liked 24.1K times. Both Zhao and the official Twitter account for Binance repl...

Former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has called on the Biden administration to regulate the cryptocurrency markets. She warned that countries like Russia or China, as well as nonstate actors, could manipulate all kinds of technology to their advantage and destabilize countries as well as the dollar as the world’s reserve currency. Hillary Clinton Stresses the Importance of Crypto Regulation Hillary Clinton, former Democratic presidential candidate, talked about cryptocurrency Tuesday in an interview with MSNBC. She elaborated on her crypto statement last week and warned that the technology may be manipulated by countries like China and Russia to undermine the United States. She stressed “the need to regulate the cryptocurrency markets,” noting that “it’s on the horizon that people are only beginning to pay attention to.” “Imagine the combination of social media, the algorithms that drive social media, the amassing of even larger sums of money through the control of certai...

The monetary authority in Moscow, the Bank of Russia, wants those who use cryptocurrencies against the law to be held accountable. The financial regulator has proposed the introduction of legal liability for some operations with digital assets which it considers illegal. Central Bank of Russia Aims to Prevent Circulation of Decentralized Currencies Cryptocurrencies in the Russian Federation, as well as related activities, remain only partially regulated, mainly through the law “On Digital Financial Assets,” which went into force at the beginning of this year. One of the aspects that is still unclear is whether digital coins can be used to pay for goods and services. The Central Bank of Russia ( CBR ) has remained consistently opposed to allowing payments with bitcoin and the like. The authority claims these are all “ money surrogates ” that are banned under current Russian legislation which recognizes the ruble as the only legal tender in the country that spans 11 time zones. Th...

PRESS RELEASE. Recently, on the 23rd of November, SpaceSeven launched its state-of-the-art NFT marketplace. The SpaceSeven marketplace is the first of its kind — one of the few — if not the only scaled e-commerce, fully regulatory compliant platform. By combining powerful NFT marketplace technology from Tacans , a Swiss-based Software development house, and Venture Builder, with an R&D center in Ukraine and the vanguard Concordium blockchain platform, SpaceSeven achieved a world-class NFT Marketplace that is expected to fundamentally transform artists’ exposure and recognition. With the Concordium blockchain platform, SpaceSeven is able to offer significantly lower gas fees — literally a fraction of the cost of Ethereum or other proof-of-work protocols — and at the same time facilitate transaction speeds that are ten times faster. Packed with several game-changing features like ‘Universes’ that deliver unique experiences through exclusive customized galleries, SpaceSeven is ...

A play-to-earn (P2E) blockchain gaming guild has raised $18 million in a Series A financing round according to an announcement on Wednesday. Avocado Guild detailed that the firm raised the funds from investors such as Animoca Brands, Goldentree Asset Management, Three Arrows Capital, and Solana Ventures. P2E Organization Avocado Guild Raises $18 Million From Strategic Investors According to an announcement from Avocado Guild on Wednesday, the organization raised $18 million from strategic investors. The capital raise stemmed from the firm’s Series A funding round which gave Avocado Guild an overall valuation of around $200 million. Avocado Guild's Series A Fundraise has officially closed in at $18 Million co lead by @animocabrands @kyled116 @hashed_official #QCP Soteria Thank you to our investors, and most importantly our fellow Avocadians. Time to build the future of P2E. #avocadodao pic.twitter.com/mdAH9MzpHZ — Avocado Guild 🥑 (@Avocadoguild) November 24, 2021 ...

111 days ago, the Ethereum network implemented the London hard fork upgrade which added a mechanism (EIP-1559) that changed Ethereum’s fee rate to a new scheme that makes the crypto asset ether deflationary. Since then 1 million ether has been burned or the equivalent of around $3.8 billion worth of ethereum using today’s exchange rates. Over a Million Ether or $3.8 Billion Burned to Date The second-largest crypto asset in terms of market capitalization, ethereum ( ETH ) has an overall valuation today just above $500 billion. Ethereum’s market capitalization represents 18.8% of the $2.7 trillion crypto economy. Three months ago, on August 5, 2021, the Ethereum blockchain upgraded and added various features to the consensus rules. The most transformative included EIP-1559 and EIP-3554 , and EIP-1559 in particular created a new fee rate scheme that allows the network to burn a portion of ether. EIP-1559’s summary hosted on Github states: There is a base fee per gas in protocol, wh...

The government of India has listed a cryptocurrency bill to be taken up in the upcoming session of parliament that starts next week. The bill seeks to prohibit cryptocurrencies with some exceptions. It will also create a facilitative framework for a digital rupee to be issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Indian Government Pushes for Crypto Legislation Before Year-End The Indian government has listed a cryptocurrency bill to be taken up in the winter session of Lok Sabha, the lower house of India’s parliament, according to the legislative agenda for the upcoming session released Tuesday. The title of the bill is “The Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill 2021.” The government expects it to be introduced and passed in the same parliamentary session, which is set to commence on Monday, Nov. 29, and will conclude on Dec. 23. According to the government’s description, the bill aims “To create a facilitative framework for creation of the official digital...

The man who was at the helm of the company behind what’s become known as Greece’s first cryptocurrency has allegedly caused the coin’s price to sink as he disappeared this month. The executive was off the radar for about two weeks before finally telling the press he will soon return, rejecting accusations he has crashed the market of the crypto. Hellenic Coin Plummets Amid Crypto Investors’ Worries About Whereabouts of Coin’s Creator Vangelis Tsapas, someone with various business interests and a sponsor of a basketball team in Greece, upset investors in a cryptocurrency he created when he suddenly vanished earlier in November. The price of Hellenic Coin ( HNC ) plunged as he became unavailable – from over $1.20 on Nov. 8, to under $0.34 at the time of writing. That’s after reaching its all-time high of $4.84 on June 14, 2021. Speculations emerged that Tsapas had sold his HNC stash causing the slump, an accusation he has denied. Before his recent resignation, the entrepreneur was th...

“Blockchain Brawlers” NFT Collection Launches Later this Month WAX, ( Worldwide Asset eXchange ), co-founder William Quigley has a vision for the future. One in which an NFT bridge – built by the company – would enable blockchain and NFT marketplaces to thrive despite their different chain types. Quigley’s vision took a giant leap forward recently has the company announced the launch of its GameFi project, ‘Blockchain Brawlers’, that enables users to transfer NFTs used in the game interchangeably between Binance Smart Chain and WAX blockchain through the NFT bridge developed by WAX. ​​“The NFT bridge built by WAX can build a future we envision, in which blockchain and NFT marketplaces are accessible to everyone regardless of the chain types,” said William Quigley, co-founder of WAX. The NFT collection of ‘Blockchain Brawlers’ will be auctioned on Binance NFT Marketplace for the first time on November 30, 2021. Being able to transfer NFTs used in game to other blockchains through ...

The Inter-Miami CF (IMCF) Major League Soccer (MLS) star Kieran Gibbs has announced the player plans to convert half of his salary into bitcoin. Gibbs will leverage the crypto finance firm XBTO in order to convert his salary and avoid heavy fees. Inter-Miami CF’s Left-Back Kieran Gibbs to Get Half of His Earnings Converted to Bitcoin The MLS player Kieran Gibbs has announced his intentions to convert half of his salary into bitcoin ( BTC ). Gibbs plays as a left-back for IMCF and announced his decision to play for the David Beckham-owned team at the end of March 2021. Gibbs, 31, will utilize the crypto finance firm XBTO in December 2021 in order to convert 50% of his USD salary into BTC . XBTO says Gibbs won’t be charged conversion fees and the funds will be sent to his bitcoin wallet. XBTO says that it has a lot of experience dealing with complex crypto conversions and gaining access to liquidity. The company highlights that it also has its own ESG compliant mining operation whi...

Best known for creating the augmented reality (AR) mobile games Ingress and Pokémon Go, the software company Niantic revealed it has partnered with the bitcoin rewards company Fold. The two companies unveiled a new AR game that allows people to earn bitcoin in the metaverse. Bitcoin Rewards Firm Launches Fold AR The bitcoin rewards application Fold has announced a new game called Fold AR, a game that is available to users leveraging the Fold mobile application. In order to develop the game and further the metaverse, Fold partnered with the popular American software company Niantic . Fold AR “allows users to earn bitcoin and in-app benefits by exploring their physical surroundings.” The initial Fold AR rollout started on Tuesday, and the team will allow a small fraction of users to test the game for a limited time each day. “This is the easiest, most fun way to get your first piece of bitcoin,” Fold’s CEO Will Reeves said in a statement. “Anyone can use our app to earn bitcoin a...

PRESS RELEASE. The gaming business is undergoing a revolution thanks to the advent of blockchain technology. Because of this, it’s giving developers a new way to engage the audience with capabilities that were previously unavailable. The Play-To-Earn (P2E) concept, in which gamers’ are rewarded for their time with tokens that can be exchanged for real money, is already commonplace in the gaming world. In this industry, the GameFi model represents a huge shift from the past, when in-game assets were restricted to centralized protocols and players were prohibited from trading their digital assets outside of the platform. But in recent years, the P2E business model has gained enormous popularity, particularly in developing countries where local employment and opportunities are limited, but also where the vast majority of people have access to basic electronic gadgets and the internet. MetaGods is one of the projects that is enhancing the Play-To-Earn model. It is the world’s first 8-b...

The non-fungible token (NFT) project the Origyn Foundation announced on Tuesday the team received a strategic investment of $20 million from a myriad of investors. Hilton hotel heiress Paris Hilton participated in the funding round alongside firms like Polychain Capital and Table Management. Origyn Foundation Secures $20 Million NFT marketplaces and web platforms have seen a lot of investments over the last year as venture capitalists and venture financing companies have poured millions into these projects. On November 23, the Switzerland-based non-profit NFT project Origyn Foundation revealed it has secured $20 million from strategic investors. According to the announcement, after the financing Origyn Foundation has a valuation of around $300 million. The private funding round was financed by Bill Ackman’s Table Management, Polychain Capital, Coinko, Vectr Ventures, Carter Reum, Div Turakhia, and GD10 Ventures. Additionally, the popular socialite and entrepreneur, Paris Hilton, a...

The chairman of Australia’s Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) says crypto is “being driven by extraordinary consumer and investor demand,” noting that “The implications for consumers are potentially huge.” The securities regulator is currently working with lawmakers to develop rules for cryptocurrencies. Regulator Sees ‘Extraordinary Consumer and Investor Demand’ for Crypto Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) Chair Joe Longo talked about cryptocurrency at the Australian Financial Review’s Super & Wealth Summit Monday. “Consumers should approach investing in crypto with great caution,” he said, emphasizing its lack of investor protection. However, Longo opined: Crypto is on our doorstep, here and now, and being driven by extraordinary consumer and investor demand. The implications for consumers are potentially huge. While noting that the securities regulator is working with lawmakers to develop rules for cryptocurrencies, he stressed that many ...

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse says that he expects the lawsuit over XRP by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to come to a conclusion next year. The executive explained: “We’re seeing pretty good progress despite a slow-moving judicial process.” Ripple’s CEO Is Hopeful the SEC’s Lawsuit Over XRP Will Conclude Next Year Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse discussed the lawsuit over XRP by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in an interview with CNBC Monday. Garlinghouse said he expects the lawsuit to reach a conclusion next year, elaborating: We’re seeing pretty good progress despite a slow-moving judicial process. “Clearly we’re seeing good questions asked by the judge. And I think the judge realizes this is not just about Ripple. This will have broader implications,” the Ripple executive added. The SEC sued Ripple, Garlinghouse, and co-founder Christian Larsen in December last year, alleging that they sold $1.3 billion worth of the XRP tokens in an un...

U.S. football Star Odell Beckham Jr. is taking his new salary in bitcoin and is giving away $1 million in the cryptocurrency in partnership with Square’s Cash App. “To all my fans out there … I’m giving back a total of $1M in BTC right now,” he wrote. Football Star Odell Beckham Jr. Will Take His New Salary in Bitcoin and Is Giving Away $1 Million in the Crypto Odell Beckham Jr., also known as OBJ, announced via Twitter Monday that he is taking his new salary in bitcoin via Square’s Cash App. He also told his 4.1 million Twitter followers that he is giving away $1 million in bitcoin. OBJ is an American football wide receiver for the American National Football League (NFL)’s Los Angeles Rams. He signed a one-year deal with the Rams two weeks ago after the Cleveland Browns released him. According to reports, his contract comes with a base salary of $750,000 and a $500,000 signing bonus, with another $3 million available to earn in the form of team-based incentives. At the time of...

Nowadays, there are so many different viable ways of earning money through the usage of cryptocurrencies. In the past, many traders would have preferred to simply hold on to their coins or ‘hold’ for as long as possible in order to get substantial returns on their investments. However, as time went on, new methods such as mining, staking, farming, and more emerged through which many are now earning much more comparative to their previous amounts. What is the DeFi Yield Protocol? The DeFi Yield Protocol (DYP) is a one-of-a-kind platform which provides solutions pertaining to staking, yield farming, and also non-fungible tokens (NFTs). It allows users to successfully leverage DYP’s sophisticated trading capabilities and tools in a seamless fashion. Simply put, DYP enables its users to provide liquidity as well as be rewarded for their efforts. The rewards can come via ETH , for instance. Concurrently, the platform is also working towards maintaining its token price stability in addit...

The founder of Africa-focused media and investment company Footprint to Africa, Osita Oparaugo, has urged governments on the continent to embrace cryptocurrency. Africa Must Not Be Left Behind Osita Oparaugo, founder of Footprint to Africa, has argued that a timely embrace of cryptocurrencies by African governments would be beneficial to the continent’s growth prospects. In his remarks published by the Vanguard, Oparaugo, who was co-host of a Decentralized Finance (defi) event in Nigeria, suggested that African countries cannot afford to lag behind when it comes to crypto. After noting the impact of cryptocurrencies and blockchain on global finance, Oparaugo explained why African governments must get on board quickly. He said: Cryptocurrency and digital money will eventually unite the world and the earlier African governments embrace it, the better for the continent’s growth. Africa can’t afford to play catch-up on blockchain technology; it’s the future. To back up his predict...

Non-fungible token (NFT) sales have dropped considerably during the last month as cryptocurrency values have seen significant losses in recent times. NFT sales saw a quick spike when a number of crypto assets neared all-time price highs in mid-November, but sales quickly plummeted back down following the crypto market downturn. A Number of NFT Sales Slide Following Crypto Market Downturn Throughout the year, NFTs have seen massive demand and markets have processed billions of dollars in sales. In the midst of the all-time highs bitcoin , ethereum , and numerous other crypto assets saw in mid-November, NFT sales regained momentum after a downward slump in sales since October 24. The spike in NFT sales took place on November 15 and lasted only 24 hours. Since the end of October, the number of NFT sales dropped 28.79% according to market metrics from nonfungible.com. Despite the number of NFT sales sliding, the U.S. dollar value of sales stemming from October 24 until today is not s...