Bitcoin News and Finance: What You Need to Know

At the Avalanche Summit in Barcelona, the Canadian musician and record producer Grimes announced she plans to launch an “intergalactic children’s metaverse book.” Grimes’ children’s metaverse book project is part of a $100 million initiative started by the Avalanche Foundation and the non-fungible token (NFT) launchpad OP3N. Grimes Partners With OP3N to Launch ‘a Series of Educational Art for Babies and Small Children’ on Avalanche On March 22-27th, at the Avalanche Summit at Poble Espanyol in Barcelona, the NFT launchpad OP3N and the Avalanche Foundation announced a $100 million initiative dedicated to Web3 entertainment called Culture Catalyst. Ava Labs president John Wu said that Culture Catalyst will bolster Web3 entertainment apps on the Avalanche network. “The Avalanche Foundation’s Culture Catalyst Initiative with OP3N marks a watershed moment for entertainment and pop culture applications on Avalanche,” Wu explained. “Users can expect the already robust Avalanche NFT scene...

PRESS RELEASE. Finally, Rigel Protocol is ready to join the NFTs Buzz with its first NFTs Collections for each unique DApp on the platform ( SmartSwap , GiftDApp and LaunchPad ). NFTs would be available for purchase at the Rigel Protocol NFT Marketplace or will be claimable on Rigel Protocol DApps after NFTs Sales are completed. All you need to know about Our NFTs Collections The Rigel Protocol Collections will be unlike most NFTs we see ongoing in the Defi ecosystem. As NFTs are not going to be just minted and worthless images put out there for you to hold, whilst just keeping them shining in your wallets. The Rigel Protocol NFTs are going to be backed by Proof of work with massive use cases built around them, thus giving them notable value. The NFT Launch will start off with the main NFTs versions on the SmartSwap , GiftDApp and LaunchPad applications on both Binance Smart Chain and the Polygon Networks as preferred by our active community. SmartSwap NFT Collection First N...

Israel’s second-largest bank, Leumi, is launching a cryptocurrency trading service to allow customers of its digital investment platform to trade cryptocurrencies. “The service will allow Pepper Invest customers to buy, hold, and sell cryptocurrencies.” Major Israeli Bank Launching Crypto Trading Service Pepper Invest, the digital investment platform of Pepper by Leumi (TASE: LUMI), announced Friday the upcoming launch of its cryptocurrency trading service. “Pepper will be the first banking platform in Israel … to allow its customers to trade cryptocurrencies, in an attractive pricing model,” the announcement details, adding that the service will also become accessible to other Bank Leumi customers in the near future. The new service is a collaboration between Leumi Group and Paxos, a regulated U.S. blockchain infrastructure platform. The announcement adds that upon completion of the regulatory approvals required: The service will allow Pepper Invest customers to buy, hold and s...

Bitcoin and ethereum began the weekend trading close to key resistance levels, as crypto markets continued to sustain recent gains. Overall, the global cryptocurrency market cap was marginally higher on Saturday, as traders prepared for this weekend’s session. Bitcoin BTC is currently trading 6% higher than at the beginning of the week, this coming as prices rallied to multi-week highs. On Saturday, BTC /USD hovered marginally below its resistance of $45,050, as prices rose to an intraday high of $44,999.49. Following four consecutive days of gains, today’s consolidation sees bulls identifying the current area of uncertainty, and wondering whether to sustain pressure or secure earlier gains. BTC has not truly traded above the current resistance level since December 29, when prices were falling from a then high of $52,198. Looking at the chart, the 14-day RSI indicator has marginally moved beyond its own resistance of 62.10, which is a slight positive for bulls. However, the p...

A new cryptocurrency-related survey presented by Sherlock Communications highlights the growth that Latam countries are expected to experience this year, due to the particular traits the region has compared to other areas of the world. The results of the survey make projections that see crypto adoption growing by triple digits in some countries like Argentina and Brazil. Survey Indicates Crypto Will Thrive in Latam This Year A new survey commissioned by Sherlock Communications presents a very healthy panorama for the future of cryptocurrencies in Latin America. The report prepared by the PR company indicates that countries like Argentina and Brazil will experience big gains when it comes to cryptocurrency adoption. For example, in Argentina, the number of people buying cryptocurrencies is expected to more than triple, going from 5.55% to 18.4%, growing by 235%. But this is not just limited to Argentina. The optimistic projection is replicated in all countries of the region. Arge...

Krafton, the company behind the development of the blockbuster videogame PUBG, has announced a partnership with Solana Labs with the objective of building its blockchain game offering. The new business plan of the company includes the creation of token economies to power play-to-earn (P2E) experiences to build its own Web3 offerings. Krafton Chooses Solana to Build Its Web3 Games Krafton, one of the biggest Korean game development companies, has proceeded with yet another stage in its recent pivot to blockchain gaming. The creators of the successful multiplayer game PUBG have announced a new partnership with Solana Labs, the developers and maintainers of the Solana blockchain, to power its own tailored Web3 experiences. The deal between Krafton and Solana Labs involves a “long-term cooperative relationship for the development and operation of blockchain- and NFT-based games and services.” This means that the two companies have agreed to cooperate in the establishment of joint busi...

The Italian luxury brand Michele Franzese Moda has announced the firm is accepting crypto assets for payments. The company revealed the decision via Michele Franzese Moda’s online magazine in an article called “Its Time for Crypto.” Italian luxury Brand Michele Franzese Moda Says ‘Its Time for Crypto’ According to the company’s fashion news blog, Michele Franzese Moda will accept bitcoin (BTC) and a number of other crypto assets for items stemming from the luxury catalog. The announcement post says that it’s time for the luxury brand to accept crypto and going forward e-commerce and Android shoppers will be able to pay with digital currencies. Currently, Michele Franzese Moda will accept payments in bitcoin (BTC) , bitcoin cash (BCH) , bitcoinsv ( BSV ), cardano ( ADA ), dogecoin (DOGE), ethereum ( ETH ), voyager token (VGX), solana (SOL), polkadot (DOT), litecoin ( LTC ) and a number of other crypto tokens. The announcement claims that “Michele Franzese Moda is the first majo...

PRESS RELEASE. Singapore, Singapore / Mar 26, 2022 / — APENFT Marketplace aims to lower the entry barrier for users through a new NFT market and build new forces in the TRON community by issuing exclusive Genesis NFT badges live on March 31. As an essential art foundation in the TRON ecosystem, APENFT’s goal is to achieve cross-field collection worldwide and provide a bridge for top traditional artists to make inroads into the NFT market. It’s backed by the TRON network’s underlying technology with support from the world’s most extensive distributed storage system, BitTorrent File System (BTFS) , to provide secure, reliable, efficient, and decentralized services to NFT art lovers across the globe. Like how blockchain democratizes finance, APENFT turns prominent art pieces into NFTs. It upgrades the way artworks are hosted and transforms them from elite-exclusive items to something that truly belongs to the people. APENFT believes in art for everyone. The Genesis NFT badge is an e...

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has charged two people allegedly behind a million-dollar non-fungible token (NFT) “rug pull” scheme. They abandoned the NFT project within hours after selling out, deactivated the website, and transferred over $1 million in crypto to the wallets they controlled, the justice department explained. NFT Purchasers Defrauded in a Rug Pull Scam The U.S. Justice Department announced Thursday that two 20-year-olds have been charged in a “non-fungible token (NFT) fraud and money-laundering scheme.” The defendants, Ethan Nguyen and Andre Llacuna, allegedly defrauded purchasers of NFTs advertised as “Frosties.” According to the DOJ, on or about Jan. 9, the defendants “abandoned the Frosties NFT project within hours after selling out of Frosties NFTs, deactivated the Frosties website, and transferred approximately $1.1 million in cryptocurrency proceeds from the scheme to various cryptocurrency wallets under their control in multiple transactions designed t...

Malaysia’s deputy finance minister has clarified that the government will not adopt cryptocurrency as legal tender. “Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin are not suitable for use as a payment instrument due to various limitations,” he said. Bitcoin Will Not Be Legal Tender in Malaysia, Says Deputy Finance Minister Following reports that a high-ranking government official has proposed adopting cryptocurrency as legal tender in Malaysia, the government clarified in parliament Thursday that it has no intention of making cryptocurrency legal tender in the country, Bloomberg reported. Deputy Finance Minister Mohd Shahar Abdullah said in parliament: Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin are not suitable for use as a payment instrument due to various limitations. He named price swings and exposure to cyber threats as examples of the limitations of cryptocurrencies. His statement echoes another he made earlier this month about cryptocurrency. “Digital assets, such as bitcoin and ethereum, are not su...

A Nevada man has admitted his role in laundering funds solicited for the Bitclub Network, a $722 million fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme. He also pleaded guilty to tax offenses. Bitclub Network Investor Pleads Guilty The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Thursday that Gordon Brad Beckstead, a 57-year-old from Henderson, Nevada, has pleaded guilty in connection with the Bitclub Network fraud. The announcement details: A Nevada man today admitted his role in laundering funds solicited for Bitclub Network, a $722 million fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme. The DOJ explained that the Bitclub Network was a fraudulent scheme that ran from April 2014 through December 2019. Its creator and operator, Matthew Brent Goettsche, was indicted in December 2019. Silviu Catalin Balaci, Russ Albert Medlin, Jobadiah Sinclair Weeks, and Joseph Frank Abel were also indicted at the same time in connection with the scheme. The fraudsters “solicited money from investors in exchange for shares ...

The Kenyan central bank governor has once again told Kenyans to be wary of the risks that are associated with cryptocurrency transactions and trading. The governor also warned financial institutions supporting cryptocurrency transactions that they risk losing their licenses. Crypto Trading Beneficial to a Few The governor of the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), Patrick Njoroge, has reiterated that his institution still opposes cryptocurrency transactions. The governor also suggested that Kenyan citizens must always be wary of investing in highly volatile asset classes such as cryptocurrencies. In remarks published by the East African newspaper, Njoroge — who was addressing Kenyans that attended the World Consumer Rights Celebration Day — suggested that investing in cryptocurrencies is only beneficial to a few people. He explained: There are people who are excited about cryptocurrencies because they see it as a sort of investment that they can win big because prices are going up quic...

On March 23, Honduras’ central bank issued a clarification on crypto assets such as bitcoin, and noted that digital currencies are not legal tender or regulated in the country. The announcement, posted via Honduras’ central bank official Twitter account, comes after lots of speculation about the Honduran president, Xiomara Castro, allegedly going to declare bitcoin legal tender in the country. Despite Rumors, Honduras’ Central Bank Says Bitcoin and Crypto Assets Are Not Legal Tender in the Country In recent times, there’s been a lot of rumors that claimed the 56th president of Honduras Xiomara Castro may legalize bitcoin in Honduras. Some reports even noted that an announcement may come from Honduras’ government this week or “ the coming days .” However, on March 23, the central bank of Honduras put the rumors to rest, as the bank’s statement notes that crypto assets are neither legal tender nor regulated in Honduras. “Bitcoin is a financial asset that exists virtually (also ...

Exxon Mobil Corporation is reportedly participating in a pilot program that leverages excess natural gas to power crypto mining machines, according to a recent report quoting people familiar with the matter. The report states that the oil giant is partnered with the firm Crusoe Energy Systems, and the pilot is purportedly taking place in North Dakota at the Bakken shale basin. Unnamed Sources Say Exxon Is Piloting a Bitcoin Mining Operation in North Dakota Using Flare Gas On March 24, Bloomberg author Naureen S Malik reported that the largest American oil and gas corporation Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM ) is participating in piloting a bitcoin mining project with excess gas. Malik wrote that “people familiar with the matter” told Bloomberg that they could not be named because the information is not public. However, the people who asked to not be named said that currently, Exxon Mobil is working with Crusoe Energy Solutions in the state of North Dakota. Crusoe Energy is a firm that prov...

PRESS RELEASE. MetaGods , the world’s first play-to-earn 8-bit action role-playing game built on the blockchain, introduced an upcoming in-game land sale with a group of amazing backers involved, including world-famous Youtuber MrBeast. MetaGods is a game based on Greek mythology where players fight against gods as they ascend through the virtual world. Gameplay requires players to acquire unique characters through NFTs to increase their chances of winning battles and earning rewards. MetaGods players can also team up and fight epic bosses on their path to becoming gods. The blockchain-based role-playing game (RPG) uses two tokens – $MGOD and $RELIC – powering the entire MetaGods ecosystem. Players use $MGOD as the platform’s governance token, and also to participate in special in-game events. On the other hand, $RELIC is a token players earn through gameplay, usable for purchases in the MetaGods marketplace. Lands in the MetaGods Game Players can use either $MGOD or $ BNB to acq...

Meta Inc., formerly Facebook, has filed eight trademark applications relating to a wide range of crypto services and the metaverse. They include cryptocurrencies, crypto trading, blockchain software, crypto wallets, and crypto exchanges. Meta’s Trademark Filings Cover a Range of Crypto Services and the Metaverse Facebook owner Meta has filed eight new trademark applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for its logo covering a range of crypto-related products and services. A USPTO-licensed trademark attorney, Mike Kondoudis, tweeted Wednesday explaining that the applications (serial numbers: 97320155, 97320153, 97320149, 97320147, 97320146, 97320144, 97320140, and 97320136) were filed on March 18. They cover a wide range of crypto-related products and services including crypto tokens, cryptocurrencies, blockchain software, crypto exchanges, and crypto trading. Kondoudis described Meta’s applications as a blueprint for how the company intends to engage...

The CEO of the world’s largest asset manager, Blackrock, says the Russia-Ukraine war has a “potential impact on accelerating digital currencies.” He confirms that Blackrock “is studying digital currencies, stablecoins and the underlying technologies to understand how they can help us serve our clients.” Blackrock on the Acceleration of Digital Currencies Blackrock CEO Larry Fink published his 2022 letter to shareholders Thursday with a section on digital currencies. Blackrock is the world’s largest asset manager, overseeing more than $10 trillion. “The Russian invasion of Ukraine has put an end to the globalization we have experienced over the last three decades,” Fink wrote. After extensively discussing the impact of the war, the CEO noted: A less-discussed aspect of the war is its potential impact on accelerating digital currencies. The war will prompt countries to re-evaluate their currency dependencies. Several renowned investors have predicted that the Russia-Ukraine war c...

Florida governor, Ron DeSantis explained at a press conference on Tuesday that he’s spoken with state agencies and told them to figure out ways for businesses to pay tax with cryptocurrencies. During the signing ceremony for a bill focused on financial literacy, DeSantis said that the government is working on accepting bitcoin “for payments in the state of Florida.” DeSantis Is Concerned About Biden’s Executive Order On Tuesday, Ron DeSantis, the 46th governor of Florida appeared at a press conference with fellow colleagues in order to sign a bill that mandates financial literacy in schools throughout the state. DeSantis touched on many subjects as Florida’s governor noted that he is concerned about U.S. president Joe Biden’s recent digital currency-focused executive order . According to DeSantis, there’s a lack of understanding when it comes to decentralized crypto assets and centralized digital bank currencies (CBDCs). “There’s a difference between a decentralized digital crypto...

Spain’s Ministry of Treasury has admitted that Spanish citizens are not forced by law to declare their cryptocurrency holdings under the disputed Model 720, which involves declaring funds held abroad. While the antifraud law approved last year established this duty, there are still no rules regarding cryptocurrency after Model 720 was declared to be illegal by European laws. No Obligation to Include Crypto in Tax Statements Under Model 720 The Spanish Treasury Ministry has admitted that the current legal framework does not include the obligation for Spaniards to declare their cryptocurrency holdings under Model 720, which has to do with funds held abroad. The Spanish Tax Agency confirmed that citizens don’t have any duty to report their cryptocurrency holdings, not even in an informative way, after the underlying ruleset has not been established by the authorities. This means that citizens need not include any of their crypto-related info in the upcoming Model 720 statement corres...

The Japanese social media and messenger software firm Line Corporation has announced the company is introducing a non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace on April 13. Line detailed on Wednesday that the market will be called “LINE NFT” and it will showcase “more than 100 types of NFTs.” Japan’s Line Corporation to Launch LINE NFT Marketplace In March 2021, Line Corporation completed a merger with Softbank Group, Yahoo Japan, and Z Holdings. The merged company aims to encompass the digital world from all aspects and last week, reports revealed Z Holdings was launching a global NFT marketplace that will operate in 180 countries. 13 days later, Line announced the company is also launching an NFT marketplace called “LINE NFT.” Line’s press release notes that the market will showcase more than 100 types of NFTs. LINE NFT will launch on April 13, and LINE app users will be able to use the marketplace via the app, the company details. The LINE NFT launch will see participation from Nissy (...

PRESS RELEASE. Bitcoin of America is a popular virtual currency exchange, registered as a money services business with the United States Department of Treasury (FinCEN)(RegNum). Apart from ensuring a fast and hassle-free transaction, they are known for their customer support. Bitcoin of America has announced their newest addition to their Bitcoin ATM machines (BTMs). Dogecoin is now available at Bitcoin of America ATM locations. Bitcoin of America added Ethereum in October of last year. They recognized the growing popularity of Dogecoin and decided it was time to include it in their BTMs. To date, Bitcoin of America has 1800 plus BTMs across 31 states. Bitcoin of America also offers Bitcoin and Litecoin options online and at their BTM locations. To find a BTM you can visit their website and enter in your address to find the nearest one. Bitcoin of America has made several updates to their machines and services over the past year. In May of last year, Bitcoin of America announced th...

The CEO of Almonty Industries has warned that it could take the Federal Reserve 10 years to get inflation under control if they do not act now and stop spending money. “And they need to raise rates. That’s the only tool that works,” he said. Federal Reserve Could Take a Decade to Get Inflation Under Control Almonty Industries CEO Lewis Black discussed the state of the U.S. economy and inflation in an interview with Kitco News this week. Almonty is a global mining company focused on tungsten mining and exploration. Black has over 15 years of experience in the tungsten mining industry. He recently explained that one key use for tungsten is in the batteries used in electric vehicles. “Tungsten is used in anodes and cathodes in batteries, helping vehicles charge quicker,” he said. While noting that the Russia-Ukraine war is directly contributing to the recent inflation surge, the executive pointed out that many commodities were already near record highs before Russia began its invasio...

Billionaire Carl Icahn, the founder of Icahn Enterprises, has predicted that the U.S. economy could be heading into “a recession or even worse.” The famous investor warned of “a lot of trouble ahead” and “a rough landing.” Billionaire Carl Icahn Predicts a Recession in the US Famous investor and billionaire Carl Icahn said Tuesday in an interview with CNBC that a recession or something worse could be on the horizon for the U.S. economy. Icahn is the founder of Icahn Enterprises, a public company and diversified conglomerate holding company based in New York City. His current net worth is approximately $17 billion. Noting that surging inflation is a major threat to the economy, he said: I think there very well could be a recession or even worse. He explained that based on his experience sitting on the boards of a lot of companies, “when you get to understand what these boards do, the system is needing fixing.” He also noted that at this point, “we have supply chain problems” bec...

On Tuesday, the international governing body of association football, FIFA, announced the exchange Crypto.com will be an official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 tournament. According to the announcement, the digital currency trading platform will “activate its official sponsorship” during the tournament “in many ways.” FIFA Chooses Digital Asset Exchange Crypto.com as an Official 2022 World Cup Sponsor in Qatar Crypto.com is continuing its trend of leveraging to sports to showcase the brand and generate digital currency awareness. On March 22, FIFA announced the organization has chosen Crypto.com to be an official sponsor for this year’s FIFA World Cup. The World Cup is watched by millions of people all around the world and this year the tournament is taking place in Qatar. FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will start on November 21 at the Al Bayt stadium in Al Khor. FIFA’s announcement says that Crypto.com “will be the exclusive cryptocurrency trading platform sponsor of Qatar ...

A major crypto exchange in Japan is going public in the U.S. in a $1.25 billion merger deal. Coincheck is regulated by the Financial Sevices Agency (FSA). It will be listed on Nasdaq under the symbol “CNCK.” Japanese Crypto Exchange Coincheck to List on Nasdaq Japanese cryptocurrency exchange Coincheck revealed Tuesday its plan to go public in the U.S. by merging with Thunder Bridge Capital Partners IV, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), in a $1.25 billion deal, which is expected to close in the second half of this year. The combined entity will be named Coincheck Group NV. It is expected to be listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “CNCK.” SPACs are publicly listed shell companies that carry out initial public offerings (IPOs) to raise funds for acquiring a private entity at a later date. Tokyo-headquartered Coincheck operates one of the largest multi-cryptocurrency marketplaces and digital asset exchanges in Japan. The company is regulated by Japan...

The PSG (Paris Saint-Germain) FC, a soccer club in Europe, has taken its first steps to building an online presence in the metaverse. The club has filed a series of trademark applications to register its name in order to offer a number of services, including software, memorabilia, and articles linked to non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for authentication purposes. PSG Gets Ready for the Metaverse The Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), a French soccer club with a large European following, is interested in having a presence in the metaverse, and is now securing its name to be used in these ecosystems. The club filed a series of trademark applications that seek to establish the brand on several virtual memorabilia and trading cards, all authenticated by non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The trademark application, which was introduced March 16th, includes downloadable audio and video recordings, downloadable multimedia files containing text, audio, and video relating to sports highlights, and goods for us...

PRESS RELEASE. Mercuryo is an international fintech company based in London founded in 2018, focused on providing cryptocurrency payment solutions. The company’s cryptocurrency infrastructure provides global access to fast and cheap money transfers with a bank-level oversight and it’s mission is to reinvent the ease of making digital transactions. Features Of Mercuryo: Integrated Multicurrency Wallet: This feature is an inbuilt crypto on-ramp capability in a custodial multicurrency wallet that is engineered to let you purchase, trade, hold, and spend a wide variety of digital assets, easily exactly like you would with fiat currency. Crypto exchange from your Mercuryo account to any other wallet or blockchain address: Mercuryo wallet users may top up their cryptocurrency wallets by buying crypto through their website or transferring crypto from another wallet. By the same token, customers can also transfer crypto from their Mercuryo account to another account or blockchain addre...