Bitcoin News and Finance: What You Need to Know

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has fully resumed EUR and GBP deposits and withdrawals via the SEPA payment network and Faster Payments Services (FPS). Binance is also offering all verified users zero fees for depositing EUR via SEPA and GBP via FPS to “celebrate the return of SEPA and FPS.” SEPA and FPS Back on Binance Cryptocurrency exchange Binance announced Monday that at 11:00 a.m. UTC for both desktop and app: Binance and Paysafe will fully reopen EUR and GBP deposits and withdrawals respectively via the SEPA payment network (SEPA) and Faster Payments Services (FPS). “Binance retail users across Europe, with the exception of Netherlands and Switzerland, will be able to make EUR transfers directly via SEPA,” the exchange detailed. The announcement adds that to “celebrate the return of SEPA and FPS,” Binance is “offering all verified users zero fees for depositing EUR via SEPA and GBP via FPS” until March 31 at 11:59 p.m. UTC. Binance temporarily suspended EUR deposits vi

At the end of the trading day on Monday, Wall Street was roiled once again as major stocks plunged during the day’s trading sessions. Most news outlets indicate the Russia-Ukraine war is causing the bleak outlook and reports show strained financial conditions worldwide are currently the tightest since 2020. Meanwhile, bond markets during Monday’s trading sessions indicate increased inflationary pressures may be on the horizon. Global Investors Grow Concerned About Strained Financial Conditions Equities traders did not have a pleasant day during Monday’s trading sessions as the S&P 500, Nasdaq, NYSE, the Dow, and many other stocks plunged in value . The price shocks and economic fallout is no longer being blamed on Covid-19, as fingers are pointing at the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict in Europe. While reports say the military warfare has been brutal, economic sanctions are also taking a toll on the Russian economy. Moreover, economists have noted the sanctions are affecting

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak says Bitcoin is “the only one that’s pure-gold mathematics.” He is skeptical of most other cryptocurrencies. In addition, Wozniak is a fan of the metaverse but is less enthusiastic about non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Apple’s Steve Wozniak Praises Bitcoin Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak talked about cryptocurrency in an interview with the Insider, published last week. He said: There’s so many cryptocurrencies that come out now. Everybody has a way to create a new one, and you have a celebrity star with it. It seems like they’re just collecting a bunch of money from people who want to invest at the very earliest stage, when it’s worth pennies. Wozniak also noted that some people buy cryptocurrencies because they are not aware of the potential windfalls. “Then they just fold,” he said. While he’s a fan of the metaverse, he’s less enthusiastic about non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and cryptocurrencies, the publication conveyed. He said that for the most part,

Veteran investor Jim Rogers, who co-founded the Quantum Fund with billionaire investor George Soros, says that “what is happening with the U.S. dollar now is the end of the U.S. dollar.” He explained that “an international currency is supposed to be neutral but in Washington, they are now changing the rules,” emphasizing, “Washington does not play fair anymore.” Jim Rogers on the End of the U.S. Dollar Renowned investor Jim Rogers discussed the end of the U.S. dollar and the future outlook for cryptocurrency in an interview published by the Economic Times Sunday. Rogers is George Soros’ former business partner who co-founded the Quantum Fund and Soros Fund Management. He was asked about the outlook for the U.S. dollar and where he sees the dollar index headed. “I own U.S. dollars partly because when turmoil comes, people look for a safe haven. They think the U.S. dollar is a safe haven for historic reasons,” Rogers began. However, the veteran investor added: But what is happenin

While the decentralized finance (defi) platform Anchor Protocol’s native digital asset ANC has gained more than 180% over the last month, the total value locked (TVL) in Anchor has increased a great deal during that time as well. Anchor Protocol is currently the second-largest defi lending platform in terms of TVL, and over the last month, Anchor’s TVL has increased by 40.13%. Anchor TVL Surges More Than 40% in 30 Days, Protocol’s TVL Rivals Aave’s Lead The Terra-based token anchor protocol (ANC) has increased in value significantly against the U.S. dollar during the last month. At the time of writing, 14-day metrics show ANC has gained 82.7%, and 30-day stats indicate ANC is up 182.4%. Anchor is a lending protocol built with the Terra blockchain network, and it gathers liquidity from lenders and borrowers. Moreover, lenders depositing the stablecoin terrausd (UST) gather a stabilized yield at close to 20% APY. In order to gather yield, Anchor uses a liquid-staking mechanism .

Bitcoin.com releases Bitcoin Rocket — an extremely fun exclusive slot game playable only on games.bitcoin.com! 🚀New high-octane slot game with amazing visuals and retro music🚀 Bitcoin’s rocket to the moon is the single most identifiable meme in the cryptocurrency universe. So, it was only natural that our very own premium gaming portal Bitcoin.com Games would release a title that embodies this meme. Bitcoin Rocket – the newest exclusive slot game from the casino, promises an engaging experience for crypto enthusiasts and guarantees a level of thrill never before felt in the realm of online casinos. The Bitcoin Rocket slot enacts the possibility of Bitcoin going to the proverbial moon with elements such as an astronaut representing a crypto ‘hodler’, the rocket itself as a vehicle of price gain, and the moon acting as the target price speculated by the crypto holding astronaut. The game also features its own Progressive Jackpot which often gets very big, very fast – curren

Neutral Switzerland may target crypto assets within its territory that belong to sanctioned Russian entities, a report has said. The report quotes an official who explains that the move is designed to protect the integrity of the country’s cryptocurrency industry. The official, however, warns that crypto-assets that are not stored with cryptocurrency exchanges are impossible to target. Protecting the Integrity of the Swiss Crypto Industry An official from the traditionally neutral Switzerland has said the country may “target” all crypto asset service points within its borders that are owned by Russians and all entities that have been sanctioned by the European Union. To achieve this, the non-EU country’s Federal Council said it will add provisions against cryptocurrencies to own its sanctions regulations. According to an unnamed official from the country’s finance ministry, denying Russian digital currency holders access to their crypto assets also helps to “protect the integrity”

The world’s leading payment processors Visa and Mastercard have joined sanctions against Russia over its military invasion of Ukraine. The American companies announced suspension of operations in the Russian Federation although Russians will be able to use their cards inside the country. Card Payment Giants Visa and Mastercard Add to Pressure on Russia Over Ukraine War Payment firms Visa and Mastercard are suspending operations in Russia as part of the international response to its decision to invade Ukraine. The U.S.-based financial services corporations revealed Saturday they’ll be working with clients and partners to terminate transactions through their systems. Visa explained that once it takes the necessary steps, “all transactions initiated with Visa cards issued in Russia will no longer work outside the country and any Visa cards issued by financial institutions outside of Russia will no longer work within the Russian Federation.” “We are compelled to act following Russia’s

In a report published on Saturday, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that an ongoing war in Europe and associated sanctions will have a “severe impact on the global economy.” The IMF’s report says there is “extraordinary uncertainty” in the air, and the international financial institution believes “economic consequences are already very serious.” IMF’s Economic Outlook Amid Ongoing War in Europe Predicts Inflationary Pressures, Supply Chain Disruptions, and Price Shocks With a crisis happening in the world, many analysts and economists are concerned about the global economy and the aftermath of the warfare taking place in Ukraine. Additionally, Russian sanctions are being discussed or implemented daily by a large quantity of countries across the globe. On Saturday, the IMF issued a staff statement concerning the economic impact of the war in Ukraine after the executive board met on March 4. The report notes that the meeting was chaired by the IMF’s managing directo

The chief executives of two major cryptocurrency exchanges, Binance and Coinbase, do not believe that cryptocurrency is an effective tool to help Russia evade Western sanctions. CEOs of Binance and Coinbase Say Crypto Not Useful at Evading Sanctions Since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, governments worldwide have raised concerns that cryptocurrency could be used to circumvent sanctions placed by Western nations. The CEOs of two leading cryptocurrency exchanges have shared their thoughts on whether crypto can be an effective tool to circumvent sanctions. Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) was quoted by the Guardian as saying: Currently, the media and politicians are spending a lot of effort and focus on crypto and sanctions. The truth is, crypto is too small for Russia. “If we look at the crypto adoption today, there is probably about 3% of the global population with some kind of crypto exposure (ie, owning some crypto),” Zhao continued. “Of those, most only have a small perc

A finance professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania has warned of “bitcoin taking over.” He added that the Fed “has been terribly wrong over the last year” about inflation and must now act to defend the U.S. dollar. Finance Professor Urges the Fed to Take Action to Defend the U.S. Dollar Wharton’s finance professor Jeremy Siegel shared his view on inflation, “bitcoin taking over,” and the need for the Federal Reserve to defend the U.S. dollar in an interview with CNBC Friday. Siegel is Russell E. Palmer Professor Emeritus of Finance at Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on demographics, financial markets, long-run asset returns, and macroeconomics. Commenting on Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell indicating last week that the first rate hike will be in March and will likely be 25 basis points, Siegel criticized that the Fed is already behind and should be making a more aggressive move. “They’re going to have to do much mor

The founder of Skybridge Capital has doubled down on his $100K bitcoin price prediction. He also believes that bitcoin could reach $500K a coin in the long run. “But we’ve got some work to do here from a regulatory perspective,” he stressed. The executive also advised how an average investor should get into bitcoin. Skybridge Capital’s Founder on Bitcoin Price The founder of investment management firm Skybridge Capital, Anthony Scaramucci, talked about the future outlook for bitcoin Friday in an interview with Melissa Francis on Magnifi by TIFIN. Scaramucci expected the price of BTC to reach $100,000 by the end of last year . However, he admitted that he “did not assess the regulatory environment appropriately” after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved bitcoin futures exchange-traded funds (ETFs). “I thought once you had the bitcoin futures [ETFs], you’d end up with the cash pretty immediately. Too much political headwind for that,” he explained. Instead,

The Ukrainian government announces that $50 million in cryptocurrency was raised within a week since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine. The government has so far spent $15 million in donated cryptocurrency to buy military supplies. Ukraine Government Spends $15 Million in Crypto on Military Supplies Alex Bornyakov, Ukraine’s deputy minister of digital transformation, revealed Friday that his government has spent $15 million in donated cryptocurrency on military supplies, including bulletproof vests, Bloomberg reported. In a Zoom interview from an undisclosed location in Ukraine, he confirmed that the purchased military gear was delivered Friday. Many people have donated cryptocurrency to the Ukrainian government since the war with Russia began. Mykhailo Fedorov, the vice prime minister of Ukraine and the minister of digital transformation, tweeted Friday that the Ukrainian government raised $50 million in cryptocurrency within one week. Most of the donations were in bitcoin ( B

Crypto payment processor Coingate and International Business Settlement (IBS) have started an arrangement with the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) that enables well-wishers to send donations to Ukraine via more than 70 different crypto assets. Calls for Widening List of Accepted Crypto Donations Lithuania-based crypto payment processor Coingate recently said it has begun an arrangement with the Ukrainian central bank that has seen the number of crypto assets well-wishers can donate to the country’s armed forces rise from just four to more than 70. This widening of the list of accepted crypto assets comes just a few days after the Ukrainian government acceded to Polkadot creator Gavin Wood’s pleas to have DOT added to the list of cryptos accepted for donations. As reported by Bitcoin.com News, shortly after the Ukrainian government said it would accept polkadot donations, Wood immediately honored his pledge and donated DOT coins worth over $5 million. Consequently, the Ukrainian g

As financial authorities around the world continue to target sanctioned Russian entities, regulators in Japan along with the country’s crypto association are attempting to find and close gaps that may be used to circumvent sanctions. The two bodies, however, have said they are not discussing the plan to block all Russians. Calls to Block Russian Users Rejected Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) and the Japan Virtual and Crypto Assets Exchange Association have reportedly said they are trying to find ways of stopping blacklisted Russian entities from evading sanctions via the use of cryptocurrencies. Japan’s move to target Russian cryptocurrency users has come shortly after Tokyo imposed sanctions on Russian officials including the country’s President, Vladimir Putin. On the other hand, a report suggested that the two parties are, however, not discussing or deliberating on a plan to block all Russian users. Instead, the report said the regulator is focused on finding ways to st

While the cryptocurrency prices dropped toward the end of the week, precious metals, energy stocks, and global commodities skyrocketed in value amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. The price of one ounce fine gold is nearing the $2K mark, benchmark coal prices have been surging, aluminum values broke records and nickel tapped an 11-year high. Metal and Oil Markets Rip Higher, Elon Musk Insists ‘Extraordinary Times Demand Extraordinary Measures’ On Friday, stock markets tumbled as Nasdaq, NYSE, S&P 500, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed the day in red. The conflict in Ukraine continues to shake investors that don’t know how to cope with a wartime market. Moreover, after cryptocurrency markets did well last week, the end of this week turned out to be a different story, as the global market valuation of the entire crypto-economy slipped below the $2 trillion mark. At the time of writing on Saturday, March 5, the crypto economy is hovering just above $1.85 trillion in USD va

Spacex CEO Elon Musk says that Starlink has been told by some governments to block Russian news sources. However, he affirmed, “We will not do so unless at gunpoint.” Elon Musk Refuses to Censor Russian News Sources Spacex and Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted early Saturday morning that Starlink has been told by some governments to block Russian news sources. However, Musk said, “We will not do so unless at gunpoint. Sorry to be a free speech absolutist.” Starlink is operated by Spacex. The service “provides high-speed, low-latency broadband internet across the globe,” its website describes. Many people on Twitter commended Musk for not giving in to government requests. Replying to this tweet, a Twitter user told Musk, “Russian ‘news’ resources are propaganda resources.” The Spacex boss replied, “All new sources are partially propaganda, some more than others.” Russia’s parliament passed a draconian censorship bill this week to prosecute anyone spreading “false news” regarding the R

The famous author of the best-selling book Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki, has given some advice on how to profit from inflation. Bitcoin is part of his strategy. He also praised the Ukrainian government for standing up to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Robert Kiyosaki on Profiting From Inflation The author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki, has advised his 1.8 million Twitter followers how to profit from inflation. 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. Kiyosaki tweeted Friday: How to profit from inflation. Biden wants inflation. I counter his criminal actions by investing in Texas and N. Dakota oil. Just bought a gold mine in Utah. Investing in Texas apartments, houses. Saving gold, silver, bitcoin … Invest like a capitalist. Kiyosaki has previously w

Kevin O’Leary, aka Mr. Wonderful, has revealed that a group of U.S. lawmakers is working on a policy to open crypto markets to institutional investors. “The good news is they are all over it and agree there is tremendous opportunity once they pass policy,” said O’Leary. U.S. Senators Working on Crypto Regulation for Institutional Investors Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary revealed in a series of tweets Thursday that he just had a bipartisan meeting with a group of U.S. lawmakers to discuss crypto regulation. He tweeted: Spent my day at the senate with a bi-partisan group of policy makers who get the joke on crypto. They are working on policy that will open these markets to institutional investors. O’Leary added: “The good news is they are all over it and agree there is tremendous opportunity once they pass policy. Stay tuned, I left them feeling optimistic.” The Shark Tank star also thanked Senator Cynthia Lummis for hosting the meeting. The pro-bitcoin senator from Wyoming repl

Rarify, a startup that helps third parties include NFT elements in their tech platforms, has raised $10 million in its Series A funding round. The round was led by Pantera Capital, a leading cryptocurrency-based venture capital firm. The company has now reached a reported valuation of $100 billion amidst the rise in popularity NFTs are experiencing in different fields including gaming and metaverse applications. Rarify Raises $10 Million, Plans Expansion Rarify, a company that deals with producing infrastructure for third parties to integrate NFT services, has raised $10 million in its recent Series A funding round. The round, which led Rarify to reach a valuation of $100 million, was led by Pantera Capital with the participation of other companies, including Eniac Ventures, Greycroft, Hyper, and Slow Ventures. Rarify aims to simplify the whole process of creating and selling NFTs in the same way that “Square made it super easy to accept payments,” according to statements given b

The FC Barcelona, a soccer club with a large fanbase in Spain and Europe, has revealed its plans to take advantage of the rise of the metaverse and NFTs in the cryptocurrency market. Joan Laporta, president of the club, explained how it plans to occupy all of these markets to bring more engagement from fans all over the world. FC Barcelona Explores Growth Options The FC Barcelona, one of the most influential soccer clubs in Spain and Europe, has announced its intention of expanding to new business areas that include metaverse and NFTs. The expansion’s objective is increasing the engagement of the club through the use of these new technologies. Joan Laporta, president of the club, talked about the upcoming moves the club will be making, stating: In recent times there has been a lot of attention to blockchain products and services such as NFTs and metaverse. We should be able to offer digital products to our members, our fans that will align with the value of the club and generate

PRESS RELEASE. INTERNET CITY, DUBAI, March. 5, 2022 – LBank Exchange, a global digital asset trading platform, will list Apollo Inu (APOLLO) on March 9, 2022. For all users of LBank Exchange, the APOLLO/ USDT trading pair will be officially available for trading at 21:00 (UTC+8) on March 9, 2022. There are many content creators such as painters, photographers, musicians and tik-tok’ers don’t have time, money or access to opportunities to make a career out of their creative passion. To address this issue, Apollo Inu (APOLLO) is building communities that help aspiring artists and content creators get the resources they need to get their big break. The APOLLO token will be listed on LBank Exchange at 21:00 (UTC+8) on March 9, 2022, to further expand its global reach and help it achieve its vision. Introducing Apollo Inu Apollo Inu (APPOLO) is a community-run DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization) and token to support and fund creative people to achieve their goals. A portion o

G7 countries and the European Union are examining ways to stop the use of cryptocurrency by Russia to evade sanctions. “We should take measures to prevent listed persons and institutions from switching to unregulated crypto assets,” said Germany’s minister of finance. G7 and EU Seek to Prevent Crypto Use to Evade Sanctions The Group of Seven (G7) nations are reportedly examining ways to stop individuals and companies from using cryptocurrencies to circumvent Western sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The G7 countries comprise Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the U.S. Finance ministers and central bank governors of the G7 countries held virtual meetings this week together with Ukraine’s Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko. Germany’s minister of finance, Christian Lindner, was quoted by AFP as saying Wednesday: We should take measures to prevent listed persons and institutions from switching to unregulated crypto assets. We are working towards this in

The CEO of Devere Group has predicted that the price of bitcoin will reach $50,000 by the end of this month. He explained that geopolitical tensions from the Russia-Ukraine war and institutional investment are key drivers boosting the price of bitcoin. He also said, “the dollar’s reserve status could, ultimately, be in jeopardy.” Devere’s CEO on the Future of Bitcoin The CEO of Devere Group, Nigel Green, has predicted that bitcoin’s price will reach $50,000 by the end of this month. Devere is an independent financial advisory and asset management firm headquartered in the UAE. The executive said on Tuesday after the price of bitcoin surged more than $6,000 in 24 hours: As it currently stands, I can see no reason why this price momentum should falter. I think we can expect to see bitcoin hit $50,000 by the end of this month. However, he noted that it is “too early to say” when the price of bitcoin will revisit last year’s all-time highs. Based on data from Bitcoin.com Markets, B