Bitcoin News and Finance: What You Need to Know

Nepalese actress and model Priyanka Karki is being questioned by the police after her picture was found in promotional material for a cryptocurrency scheme. “The investigation is still underway. We are trying to find out if the actress is involved in the crypto trading promotion or only her picture was used,” said the police. Actress Priyanka Karki Questioned in Connection With a Cryptocurrency Scheme Nepalese actress and model Priyanka Karki has been questioned by Nepal’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with a cryptocurrency scheme. The CBI brought Karki in for questioning after they found a cryptocurrency ad with her picture on Facebook. The CBI released her on bail Sunday. However, the police said that the investigation is not yet completed and seized her mobile phone for investigation, according to local media. CBI Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Dhiraj Pratap Singh explained, “The bureau began an investigation after seeing cryptocurrency promotional content...

PRESS RELEASE. Nestree is a blockchain-based community messenger that is incentivized in nature. It is also a messaging platform that specializes in the development and revival of diverse communities by exposing them to blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies. In 2022, Nestree will deploy an NFT Aggregator Service (Beta). Nestree has evolved into a specialist platform for NFTs, a fast developing asset class. Moreover, by connecting with multiple worldwide platforms, the team hopes to increase the utility value of the EGG token. Understanding NFT Aggregators Several NFT markets have recently emerged throughout the world. This has resulted in knowledge asymmetry and fragmentation, particularly in relation to NFTs. Thus far, the world has seen a tremendous quantity of knowledge and cash come into the NFT sector, but we’ve also seen an equal amount of bogus and malevolent information flood in. In fact, the greatest crypto fraud case (worth approximately $4 million USD), happened ...

India’s ministry of finance has clarified in parliament how the government plans to tax cryptocurrency transactions. A proposed new section to the Income Tax Act states that gains from crypto transactions will be taxed at 30% while losses cannot be deducted. Indian Government Reveals Taxation Plan The Indian ministry of finance answered some questions Monday in Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament, regarding how cryptocurrency transactions will be taxed going forward. Minister Pankaj Chaudhary, the minister of state in the ministry of finance, explained that The Financial Bill 2022 has proposed to insert section 115BBH to the Income Tax Act 1961 to provide for the taxation of income from transfers of virtual digital assets (VDAs). He stated: As per the proposed section, any income from transfer of VDA shall be taxed at the rate of 30%. “Further, while computing the income from transfer of VDA, no deduction in respect of any expenditure (other than cost of acquisition) or al...

Flexid Technologies, a blockchain startup promoting the use of digital identities, said its solution was recently used by thousands of Zimbabwean households and patients that participated in a local health survey study. Using Technology to Drive Down the Cost of Healthcare A blockchain startup, Flexid Technologies, revealed it recently made its digital identity solution available to 15,000 households and 50,000 patients that took part in a Zimbabwean baseline survey. The survey was conducted between 2021 and early 2022 by a local healthcare provider, Ubuntu Clinic. In his remarks published by Techzim following the release of the study findings, Flexid Technologies CEO and co-founder, Victor Mapunga explained why his company decided to be a part of the survey. He explained: We believe that harnessing the power of technology in the healthcare sector is paramount in driving cost down and most importantly improving patient outcomes. Mapunga also suggested the survey findings would...

With a war raging in their homeland, thousands of Ukrainians, including many involved in the crypto space, have chosen Portugal as their new home. The country is an attractive destination, not only because of its warmer climate but also its relatively affordable cost of living and crypto-friendly tax regime. Portugal Attracts Crypto Talent and Business From War-Torn Ukraine The Russian invasion of Ukraine has sent millions of refugees fleeing to other European nations and Portugal is no exception. Despite the great distance from the conflict zone, the country has already accepted 13,000 refugees in the past weeks after the authorities in Lisbon simplified the arrival procedures for Ukrainians. Those among them who had been working in Ukraine’s growing crypto industry are likely to find it easier to settle down in Portugal than in other countries on the Old Continent, BNN Bloomberg noted in a report. Much like Ukraine before the war, this EU member state is becoming a cryptocurrenc...

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has informed the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) that it is committed to ceasing opening new accounts for Ontario residents and winding down certain services to comply with regulations. Binance Promises to Increase Efforts to Comply With Regulation Cryptocurrency exchange Binance sent a letter to the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) Wednesday. In the letter, Binance listed a few commitments to the OSC, including “ceasing opening new Ontario accounts,” “ceasing trading in existing Ontario accounts, with exceptions to protect investors, along with winding down its businesses in certain products,” and “providing fee waivers and offering fee reimbursement to certain Ontario users.” In addition, Binance will also make reports to OSC staff and retain an independent third party to ensure the effectiveness of its efforts to implement its commitments. Binance decided to withdraw its services from Ontario in June 2021. The exchange told Ontario users...

PRESS RELEASE. MV/USDT pair will be listed on Gate.io, a leading Cryptocurrency exchange, on March 23, 2022 at 11:00AM (UTC).. The Gensokishi Online Project is a GameFi and metaverse incarnation of the award winning Nintendo Switch/PS4 game “Elemental Knights’. It has set numerous records since releasing its website and various social networking sites on December 2, 2021. The community has grown to over 230k members since its release. Gensokish Online Project’s token MV(Metaverse) is also ranked second in most held tokens out of all 1,000+ tokens built on Polygon, indicating the high expectations for The Gensokishi Online Project. Gate.io Gate.io is one of the leading Cryptocurrency exchanges established in China, founded in 2013. Operating under the direction of Gate Technology Inc., the company provides centralized and decentralized systems for comprehensive protection of user funds, while offering trading and instant deposit and withdrawal services based on state-of-the-art...

Prince Philip of Serbia and Yugoslavia says that bitcoin is freedom. Noting that “we need to take the money away from the state,” the prince stressed: “We need to have hard money again. We need to have good quality money that’s not subject to inflation.” Prince Philip of Serbia Praises Bitcoin Prince Philip of Serbia and Yugoslavia recently talked about bitcoin on a Serbian TV show hosted by Ivan Ivanović. Prince Philip, a member of the House of Karađorđević, is the second son of the last crown prince of the former Kingdom of Yugoslavia. He is the fraternal twin of Prince Alexander and the second-in-line to the throne after Prince Peter. Prince Philip is currently working with a global asset manager in London, according to the Royal Family of Serbia’s website. “I work in finance,” he confirmed on the TV show. “I work in asset management for an international finance company. The head office is in New York but has a big office in London. I’m an analyst. I love to analyze the world.”...

The president of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, James Bullard, has called for more aggressive measures to combat inflation and reduce the size of the Fed’s balance sheet. “The burden of excessive inflation is particularly heavy for people with modest incomes and wealth and for those with limited ability to adjust to a rising cost of living,” he stressed. Fed’s Bullard Pushes for More Aggressive Rate Hikes to Better Manage Economic Situation St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank President James Bullard issued a statement Friday regarding his dissenting vote at last week’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. At the meeting, the FOMC decided to “raise the target range for the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to 0.25% – 0.50%,” Bullard explained, adding: In my view, raising the target range to 0.50% – 0.75% and implementing a plan for reducing the size of the Fed’s balance sheet would have been more appropriate actions. Bullard is an economist who has been the pres...

A call to make the digital ruble a reserve currency has been issued in the State Duma, the lower house of Russia’s parliament. Meanwhile, concerns have been raised in the West that the new incarnation of the Russian fiat may be employed to evade sanctions that have been isolating the country. Digital Ruble to Serve as Reserve Currency, Lawmaker Suggests In the face of mounting Western penalties, officials in Moscow have been mulling over ways to circumvent restrictions that have already limited Russia’s access to its foreign reserves and the global financial market. Sergei Mironov, who leads the opposition ‘A Just Russia’ faction in the Duma, urged the federal government, the central bank, and the operational headquarters on countering sanctions to introduce the digital ruble, Russian media and Forklog reported. The high-ranking parliamentarian has been quoted as saying that the goal of the initiative is to issue the central bank digital currency ( CBDC ) for specific purposes lik...

Metametaverse, a company whose purpose is the integration and interoperation of different metaverses, has already secured funding of $2 million for this idea. Joel Dietz, the founding father of this initiative and also from the uber-popular wallet Metamask, has stated this task might be achieved by building a common pool of assets and experiences through a Level 1 blockchain like Ethereum or Bitcoin. The Metaverse Interoperability Question The idea of the Metaverse linked to digital experiences and token economies is relatively new, and just now hundreds of companies are building their own version of the metaverse. Be it a work-related environment, or a gaming-focused world, all of these metaverses have their place as an application of the technology. Metametaverse, a company founded by Joel Dietz, one of the founder architects of Metamask , wants to provide a tool to make all these metaverses interoperable and available for users to enjoy. For this task, Metametaverse proposes a L...

Since the token was launched roughly three days ago, the digital currency apecoin (APE) has been a topical conversation within the cryptocurrency community on forums and social media. So far, just over 82% of the claimable APE has been claimed and 13,672 unique addresses have received APE from the airdrop. Meanwhile, the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) creators have shared a video showing a BAYC metaverse with an assortment of other popular non-fungible token (NFT) characters. Eligible Claimants Ape Into the Apecoin Airdrop, More Than 82% of Claimable APE Has Been Acquired This week, there’s been a lot of focus on a new crypto asset called apecoin (APE) as it was introduced on March 17, 2022, by the Apecoin DAO. Bitcoin.com News reported on the Apecoin DAO and explained how millions of apecoin tokens were airdropped to NFT owners. More specifically, Apecoin DAO disclosed that “15% of the total supply of apecoin will be made available to [ Bored Ape Yacht Club ] NFT holders (Bored Apes...

PRESS RELEASE. INTERNET CITY, DUBAI, Mar. 20th, 2022 – LBank Exchange, a global digital asset trading platform, will list Litedex (LDX) on March 23, 2022. For all users of LBank Exchange, the LDX/ USDT trading pair will be officially available for trading at 16:00 (UTC+8) on March 23, 2022. Decentralized Exchange (DEX) Protocol is a blockchain-based financial system designed to provide an open financial service that is transparent without intermediaries, permissions and available to everyone without a centralized authority. As a decentralized exchange protocol, Litedex (LDX) aims to adopt the world’s most popular blockchains including BSC, ETH , HECO, Polygon, Tron, Polkadot, and Solana, providing products and services such as Swap, Staking, Farming, Analytics, Lending, Borrowing, NFT, and Bridge. Its native token LDX will be listed on LBank Exchange at 16:00 (UTC+8) on March 23, 2022, to further expand its global reach and help it achieve its vision. Introducing Litedex Protocol ...

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has filed a lawsuit against Meta, formerly Facebook, for “publishing scam advertisements featuring prominent Australian public figures.” The regulator said, “The essence of our case is that Meta is responsible for these ads that it publishes on its platform.” Meta Sued for Publishing Cryptocurrency Scam Ads The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced Friday that it has taken legal action against Meta Platforms Inc. (formerly Facebook) and Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd. Australia’s competition regulator alleges that the companies “engaged in false, misleading or deceptive conduct by publishing scam advertisements featuring prominent Australian public figures” on Facebook. The ACCC alleges Meta’s conduct “was in breach of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) or the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act (ASIC Act).” In addition, the regulator noted: It is also alleged that Meta aided and abetted o...

Former U.S. Congressman Ron Paul says he still believes that the government could outlaw bitcoin mainly because he is “influenced a whole lot by history and the gold history.” Despite his warning, Paul stressed that crypto “should be obviously permitted.” Ron Paul Discusses Bitcoin as Interest in Crypto Rises Former presidential candidate Ron Paul discussed the future of bitcoin and the economic impact of the Russia-Ukraine war in an interview with Kitco news’ Michelle Makori Thursday. Paul is an American author, physician, and retired politician. The former representative from Texas launched The Ron Paul Liberty Report in 2015 to bring “provocative opinion and analysis to the breaking issues affecting our lives and finances,” its website details. The former congressman has repeatedly warned that the government could crack down on bitcoin. “My concern is that governments over centuries have been notoriously very eager to have control of the money. Believe me, they will not give up...

A class-action lawsuit has been filed against the Nasdaq-listed cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase alleging that the platform lets customers trade 79 cryptocurrencies that are unregistered securities, including XRP , dogecoin (DOGE), and shiba inu (SHIB). Lawsuit Claims Coinbase Sold 79 Unregistered Crypto Securities to Customers A class-action lawsuit was filed last week against Coinbase Global Inc., Coinbase Inc., and CEO Brian Armstrong. Lead plaintiffs and Coinbase users Christopher Underwood, Louis Oberlander, and Henry Rodriguez allege that from Oct. 8, 2019, to the present, Coinbase let customers buy and sell 79 different cryptocurrencies without disclosing that they are in fact securities. The plaintiffs added that these crypto securities are not registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or any state regulators, and Coinbase is not registered as a securities exchange or a broker-dealer. The plaintiffs claim that “Coinbase’s sale of these tokens viola...

U.S. Congressman Pete Sessions says bitcoin is aligned with American values and will strengthen the U.S. dollar. The lawmaker further noted that the cryptocurrency “is trending to be a more resilient alternative option to hedge against fiat-currency inflation.” Rep. Pete Sessions Sees Merit in Bitcoin U.S. Representative Pete Sessions tweeted about bitcoin several times this week. Sessions represents Texas’ 17th Congressional District and has served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 11 terms. On Friday, he wrote that bitcoin is aligned with American values and will strengthen the U.S. dollar. Many Twitter users replied to the lawmaker expressing a wide range of opinions. Some agreed with him about BTC being aligned with American values but disagreed that the cryptocurrency will strengthen the U.S. dollar. The Chamber of Digital Commerce replied to Sessions: “Thank you for your leadership and support … We couldn’t agree more!” Blockchain Investment Group founder Eric Weis...

On Friday, Universal Music Group’s Web3 label dubbed 10:22PM revealed it purchased the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) non-fungible token (NFT) #5537 for more than $360,000. 10:22PM says that BAYC #5537 will become the female manager for the first-ever metaverse group. UMG’s 10:22PM Acquires Bored Ape #5537 for 125 Ether Universal Music Group (UMG) and the firm’s Web3 label 10:22PM explained on Friday that the metaverse group called KINGSHIP now has a new manager. 10:22PM acquired the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) NFT #5537 for more than $360,000 or 125 ETH at the time of settlement . In addition to being identified as Bored Ape #5537, the Web3 label noted that the female character will be KINGSHIP’s manager and will be called “Manager Noët All.” UMG revealed the Web3 label 10:22PM and the KINGSHIP group in mid-November 2021. Interestingly, on the same day, the hit record producer professionally known as Timbaland announced the launch of a BAYC entertainment label called Ape-In Produ...

As cryptocurrencies, bitcoin, decentralized finance (defi), and non-fungible token (NFT) technology experienced extreme growth during the last year, interest in crypto tattoos has risen a great deal. According to a recent study published by Crypto Head, searches for tattoos related to cryptocurrencies jumped 222% over the last year. Study Shows a Growing Interest in Crypto and Bitcoin Tattoos A report published by Crypto Head and shared with Bitcoin.com News indicates that people have been more interested in getting crypto-related ink done than last year. Crypto Head’s study analyzed Google search volume and Instagram hashtag data, which show interest in crypto tattoos has risen 222% during the last 12 months. According to the research findings, 1,900 queries involved the search term “crypto tattoo.” Love my #Bitcointattoo ……thinking about some $ADA tat..too💪😉 pic.twitter.com/lnlFnISt7M — Crypto Chris (@Bitcoin1Network) March 6, 2021 “Bitcoin tattoo,” on the other hand, s...

Privatbank, the largest commercial bank in Ukraine, has temporarily halted transfers in national currency to digital asset exchanges. The financial institution explained the move with restrictions imposed by the country’s central bank under the current martial law. Leading Bank in Ukraine Bans Clients From Sending Hryvnia to Crypto Trading Platforms Ukraine’s largest bank in terms of assets, Privatbank, has prohibited its clients from transferring funds in Ukrainian hryvnia, the national fiat currency, to exchanges trading cryptocurrencies. The temporary ban has been introduced on March 16. According to a statement, quoted by the crypto news outlet Forklog, the measure stems from a resolution issued by the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) on Feb. 24, the day when Russia launched its military invasion of the country. Although it does not specifically mention crypto-related transactions, the document regulates the operation of the banking system under martial law and introduces strict...

Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority has licensed two cryptocurrency exchanges: Binance and FTX. The regulator was formed last week when Dubai approved its first law to regulate crypto assets. Dubai Licenses Binance and FTX Cryptocurrency exchanges FTX and Binance have been licensed by Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA). The regulator was established last week when the first law to regulate crypto assets was adopted in Dubai. Binance announced Wednesday: We have been granted a virtual asset license from Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA). With this license, “Binance will be able to operate within Dubai’s ‘test-adapt-scale’ virtual asset market model as a base for expansion into the region,” the company explained. “All licensed VARA service providers will be monitored progressively to open access to the retail market,” Binance noted, adding that in the future, it “will be permitted to extend limited exchange products and services to pre-qua...

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren and 10 other lawmakers have introduced the “Digital Asset Sanctions Compliance Enhancement Act of 2022.” The bill “would place sweeping restrictions on persons who build, operate, and use cryptocurrency networks even if they have no knowledge or intent to help evade sanctions,” an expert said. Lawmakers Unveil Digital Asset Sanctions Compliance Enhancement Act U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren introduced a bill titled “Digital Asset Sanctions Compliance Enhancement Act of 2022” during a Senate Banking Committee hearing Thursday. The bill is co-sponsored by 10 other Democratic senators, including Mark Warner, Jack Reed, and Jon Tester. The aim of the bill is “to ensure that Vladimir Putin and Russian elites don’t use digital assets to undermine the international community’s economic sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine,” the senators explained in a joint press release. Noting that the bill will “strengthen our sanctions program and c...

Luno cryptocurrency exchange recently announced the launch of an investment arm, Luno Expeditions, whose objective is to invest in fintech, crypto, and Web3 startups globally. The investment arm will target digital assets and later-stage companies starting from Series A upwards. Funding Over 200 Startups per Year One of Africa’s pioneering cryptocurrency exchanges, Luno, recently announced the launch of an early-stage investment arm whose objective is to back fintech, crypto, and Web3 startups. Known as Luno Expeditions, the investment arm is expected to fund somewhere between 200 to 300 startups each year, a report has said. According to a report by Techcrunch, CEO Jocelyn Cheng will lead the all-female team of five at Luno Expeditions. The report added that Barry Silbert, the founder and CEO of Digital Currency Group (DCG), and Marcus Swanepoel of Luno, will be a part of the new venture capital company’s Investment Committee. Also in the report, Cheng — who has previously held i...

As western sanctions increase the pressure on their country’s economy, many young Russians consider cryptocurrency to be a “reliable and profitable” investment option. According to a recent study, the share of Russian citizens who know about bitcoin has reached two thirds of the population. Under Sanctions, Russians Consider Buying Property, Gold, and Crypto Financial and other penalties imposed by the West over Moscow’s decision to invade Ukraine are already affecting the economic situation in Russia. Despite the bleak perspectives, for many Russians property and gold continue to be — just like before — the most desired investment. The share of those who regard the purchase of real estate as the most reliable investment has been declining in the past few years but it’s still 33% in 2022, the Russian analytical center NAFI revealed in a new report. And 36% of the respondents in its study believe it’s the most profitable option. At the same time, gold has been gaining recognition a...