Bitcoin News and Finance: What You Need to Know

Global consulting firm McKinsey & Company has forecasted that the metaverse may generate up to $5 trillion by 2030. In addition, more than 80% of commerce could be impacted by activities in the metaverse. Metaverse Could Generate $5 Trillion by 2030 Global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company published a report last week titled “Value creation in the metaverse.” The report details: “Our work began by surveying more than 3,400 consumers and executives on metaverse adoption, its potential, and how it may shift behaviors. We also interviewed 13 senior leaders and metaverse experts.” According to McKinsey: By 2030, it is entirely plausible that more than 50 percent of live events could be held in the metaverse. In addition, more than 80% of commerce could be impacted by activities in the metaverse, the firm described, adding that most learning, development, and collaboration could happen in the metaverse. Furthermore, McKinsey said, “We expect the average internet

Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary, aka Mr. Wonderful, says he is not selling any of his cryptocurrencies despite the crypto market downturn. “Long term, you just have to stomach it. You have to understand you’ll get volatility,” he stressed. Kevin O’Leary: I’m Not Selling Anything Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary talked about bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in an interview with the Insider, published Saturday. Commenting on the crypto market turmoil, O’Leary said: I’m not selling anything … Long term you just have to stomach it. You have to understand you’ll get volatility, and that some projects aren’t going to work. O’Leary currently holds 32 positions in the digital asset space, the publication conveyed. He is also a strategic investor of Wonderfi Technologies. The crypto platform received conditional approval to list its shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) last week. In an interview with Bankless, published last week, O’Leary said that his largest holdings right now are

Tesla and Spacex CEO Elon Musk has reaffirmed his commitment to dogecoin (DOGE). He confirms that he will keep buying and supporting the meme cryptocurrency. The price of dogecoin climbed following his statements amid a crypto market downturn. Elon Musk Reaffirms Commitment to Dogecoin Tesla CEO Elon Musk reaffirmed his support for the meme cryptocurrency dogecoin a few times this weekend. On Sunday, Musk tweeted that he will keep supporting DOGE. He also indicated that he will keep buying the meme coin. On Saturday, the Tesla boss also mentioned DOGE on Twitter in response to a tweet by Dogecoin co-creator Billy Markus stating his “desire” for people to use DOGE “for something beyond pump and dump … so it has a reason to exist.” Musk tweeted that dogecoin can be used to purchase merchandise at his companies, Tesla and Spacex, hinting that more could be offered “down the road.” Tesla began accepting dogecoin for some merchandise in January. Last month, Musk said Spacex will s

The president of El Salvador has some advice for bitcoin investors. He believes investments in the largest cryptocurrency are safe and will “immensely grow” after the bear market. El Salvador’s President on Bitcoin Investments The president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, has spoken up about bitcoin investments amid BTC ’s heavy sell-off. El Salvador has purchased 2,301 bitcoins since the country made BTC legal tender alongside the U.S. dollar in September last year. With the price of bitcoin plunging, El Salvador’s BTC investment has reportedly lost 50% of its value, or over $50 million. “I see that some people are worried or anxious about the bitcoin market price,” Bukele tweeted Saturday, elaborating: My advice: stop looking at the graph and enjoy life. If you invested in BTC your investment is safe and its value will immensely grow after the bear market. Patience is the key. Many people have voiced concerns about El Salvador’s fiscal health due to a large bitcoin positi

Blockchain and crypto enthusiasts have for years preached about the much envisioned mass adoption of this fintech and why this is an important goal that must be achieved sooner than later. However, many factors like ignorance, a lack of information, and poor telecommunication infrastructure have made the attainment of this objective difficult. A Book of ‘Immeasurable’ Importance In Africa, where proponents of cryptocurrencies believe the technology has a better chance of succeeding, the task of convincing the continent’s citizens is made even more difficult by scammers. The number of people losing money to crypto scams remains very high, and this works against adoption efforts. To overcome this challenge, one Namibian educator and author, Gurvy Kavei, decided to publish a book that shares what he has learned. Kavei, who is also a tutor at the University of Namibia, told Bitcoin.com News that he expects the book to help practitioners, policymakers, as well as educators like himself,

Ukraine has been granted observer status in the European Blockchain Partnership (EBP). Officials in Kyiv hope the move will facilitate the implementation of blockchain technologies by the Ukrainian government and lead to the adoption of more efficient crypto regulations. Ukraine Advances Toward Membership of European Blockchain Partnership Ukraine has been accepted as an observer in the European Blockchain Partnership ( EBP ), an initiative to develop an EU strategy on blockchain and build blockchain infrastructure for public services. The observer status is a step towards full membership, for which Ukrainian officials and members of the crypto community have been lobbying. The push for the country’s accession to the EBP was initiated by Oleksii Zhmerenetskyi, chairman of the Blockchain4Ukraine inter-factional association of Ukrainian lawmakers, and Konstantin Yarmolenko, who chairs the “Virtual Assets of Ukraine” non-government organization. In March this year, they sent letters

The governor of the Jamaican central bank has warned people using or who have plans to use cryptocurrencies to be mindful of the associated risks. The governor added that cryptocurrencies’ unpredictability means they cannot function as a medium of exchange. Not Stable Enough to Be Good Means of Payment The governor of the Bank of Jamaica, Richard Byles, has cautioned those using or planning to use cryptocurrencies to be mindful of the unpredictable nature of the assets. Byles also said he considers cryptocurrency an investment instrument rather than a medium of exchange because its value is “not sufficiently stable to be a good means of payment.” In remarks published by Jamaica Information Service (JIS), Byles, who spoke at a digital and cryptocurrency conference, said the Jamaican central bank takes time to warn people about the volatility of privately issued digital currencies. He also said his institution does not see crypto as a good means of settling transactions. He added:

Amid the crypto market carnage this weekend, another stablecoin slipped below the $1 peg on Saturday, June 18, as the crypto asset called magic internet money (MIM) briefly dropped to a low of $0.914 per unit. The Abracadabra-issued stablecoin dropping in value follows the recent terrausd (UST) failure and USDD’s recent volatility last week. Stablecoin Magic Internet Money Loses $1 Parity But Regains Strength After the Fall to $0.91 In mid-May 2022, the entire world witnessed an algorithmic stablecoin called terrausd (UST) depeg from its $1 parity and slide below a U.S. penny in value. In fact, UST’s failure obliterated the entire Terra blockchain ecosystem of tokens until they were near worthless. Last week, Bitcoin.com News reported on Tron’s algorithmic stablecoin USDD and how it dropped to a low of $0.95 per unit. The Tron Reserve DAO has been adding significant amounts of reserves like USDC and TRX to keep the token overcollaterized. Despite the funds being added, on June 1

The host of Mad Money, Jim Cramer, has predicted that bitcoin’s price will fall to $12,000. Nonetheless, he has recommended bitcoin and ether for people wanting to invest in crypto. Jim Cramer’s Bitcoin Price Prediction Jim Cramer, the host of Mad Money, talked about the future outlook for bitcoin on CNBC Friday. Cramer is a former hedge fund manager who co-founded Thestreet.com, a financial news and literacy website. He was asked whether he thinks bitcoin is going to bounce from the current level, or whether BTC will go down another 50% or more. Sharing his bitcoin price prediction, he replied: I think it goes to $12,000, where it was before this whole fiasco began. “I think the people involved with bitcoin have to take another stand,” the Mad Money host stressed. “We need some guys to just say, ‘Look this is the level.’ That’s typical of what happens when it’s about to really drop big.” He emphasized, “They can’t let it go down anymore.” Cramer on Margin Calls and Microstr

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has suggested integrating crypto payments into Twitter. “My goal would be to maximize the usefulness of the service,” he told Twitter’s employees in his first all-hands meeting with them. Twitter’s First All-Hands Meeting With Elon Musk, Integrating Crypto Payments Tesla and Spacex CEO Elon Musk, who may become the new owner of Twitter Inc., had his first all-hands meeting with Twitter’s employees Thursday. Musk answered many questions about how he plans to run the social media company if his bid to buy Twitter is successful. However, the $44 billion deal is currently on hold , and Musk has accused Twitter of a material breach of the merger agreement. During the meeting, Musk mentioned crypto a few times, according to a leaked transcript of the meeting and a leaked video posted by Project Veritas. Leslie Berland, Twitter’s chief marketing officer, asked Musk: “Can you talk a little bit about Twitter and payments?” The Tesla boss began by stating that “money

The chief investment officer of global fixed income at Blackrock, the world’s largest asset manager, says bitcoin and crypto are durable assets. “I think there’s a healthy recalibration going on,” he said, noting that “if you look two to three years hence, they will be higher than today.” Blackrock’s Executive on Bitcoin and Crypto Rick Rieder, chief investment officer (CIO) of global fixed income at Blackrock, shared his view on bitcoin and cryptocurrency in an interview with Yahoo Finance Live on Thursday. Blackrock is the world’s largest asset manager with about $10 trillion in assets under management (AUM). Rieder was asked how the crypto market is going to react as the Federal Reserve begins tightening aggressively. The Fed hiked its benchmark rate by 75 basis points this week — the largest increase since 1994. The CIO explained: “I think people underestimate. When you leave rates at such low levels for such an extensive period of time … when you keep policy too easy, the le

KBC Group, a major European banking and insurance institution headquartered in Belgium, has launched a token based on a blockchain platform. Its customers will be able to acquire the new proprietary coins and use them through their KBC wallet and mobile app. KBC Issues Digital Coin for Clients and Partners KBC, the Brussels-based financial group with extensive presence in Central and Eastern Europe, has announced its own crypto called ‘Kate Coin.’ The bank said it’s preparing a large-scale test of the token, with the participation of thousands of employees who will be able to spend it at a festival in Belgium this week, and it will eventually roll it out throughout the group. The coin comes a year and a half after the launch of Kate, KBC’s personal digital assistant. In a press release, the company noted that a whole new economy is now developing on the basis of technologies such as web 3.0, cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens ( NFTs ). With its latest initiative, KBC wants t

A virtual currency cannot be circulated in the market as a currency, therefore a vehicle sale contract wherein parties agreed that the buyer would pay with a privately issued digital currency is invalid, a Chinese court has ruled. The court asserts that a virtual currency does not have the same legal status as national fiat currency. Not Protected by Law A Chinese court has ruled that a vehicle sale contract, in which the parties agreed that the buyer would pay via a virtual currency, violated mandatory provisions of laws and administrative regulations and is therefore invalid. According to the court, a virtual currency “cannot be circulated in the market as [a] currency.” As stated in one Chinese language report , the Shanghai court’s ruling was made after an aggrieved vehicle buyer sought the court’s intervention. According to the report, a buyer only identified as Huang had signed a sale agreement with Shanghai Automobile Service Co Ltd in May 2019. As part of the agreement, Hu

Decentralized finance (defi) has been hit hard by the recent crypto market rout as the total value locked (TVL) across 118 different blockchains has slipped below the $100 billion mark to today’s $74.27 billion. The TVL in defi today is down more than 70% from its December 2, 2021, all-time high (ATH) at $253.91 billion. Moreover, since December 2021, the top smart contract platform tokens have lost 70% in value against the U.S. dollar as well, sliding from $823 billion to today’s $245 billion. Defi Continues to Get Slammed by the Market Carnage, Top Smart Contract Platform Tokens Record Significant Losses While a great number of cryptocurrencies including the leading crypto asset in terms of market valuation, bitcoin ( BTC ), slid significantly in value, smart contract platform tokens and decentralized finance (defi), in general, suffered a great deal. While Terra’s LUNA and UST fallout primed the flames, issues with Celsius , Three Arrows Capital (3AC) , and the lack of trust

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and several state regulators are reportedly investigating the decision by crypto lender Celsius Network to freeze withdrawals. U.S. Securities Regulators Investigate Celsius’ Withdrawal Freeze The U.S. SEC and securities regulators in Alabama, Kentucky, New Jersey, Texas, and Washington are investigating the decision by crypto lender Celsius Network to freeze withdrawals, Reuters reported Thursday. Texas’ director of enforcement Joseph Rotunda explained that officials representing the five state securities regulators met Monday morning to begin the investigation following Celsius’ withdrawal freeze announcement Sunday night. Noting that the investigation is a “priority,” Rotunda said: I am very concerned that clients – including many retail investors – may need to immediately access their assets yet are unable to withdraw from their accounts. “The inability to access their investment may result in significant financial conseque

PRESS RELEASE. EverStart , a DAO-controlled multi-chain launchpad built on the Everscale blockchain network and Revoland, a blockchain-based MOBA & Battle Royale video game , are partnering for an initial DEX offering. In the IDO, participants will be able to acquire REVO, a governance token that provides a payment and settlement method to interact with Revoland’s ecosystem. Revoland is the first blockchain-based MOBA game on Huawei Cloud, developed and published by Chain X Game, and backed by a solid set of investors and partners such as Alameda Research, HashKey Capital, Polygon, SEAGM, KhalasPay, and Huawei to name but a few. The Revoland team is completing its busy community development schedule with a series of IDO events on multiple exchanges, platforms and launchpads. EverStart is a decentralized launchpad based on Everscale smart contracts. It has reached an agreement with Chain X Game to run the IDO on its platform. Running an IDO for Revoland is an important mil

Two Kenyan students accused of hacking credit cards and using the ill-gotten funds to buy bitcoin have been arrested by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, a statement from the law enforcement agency has said. After converting the cryptocurrency to local currency, the two students would use the fraudulently acquired funds to sustain their lavish lifestyle. The Students’ Lavish Lifestyle A Kenyan law enforcement agency, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said it has arrested two university students it accuses of hacking credit cards and using these to “purchase bitcoins and convert them to Kenyan currency.” In a statement, the agency said the so-called notorious gang of two was nabbed in Milimani, an affluent neighborhood in Kenya’s fourth-largest city, Nakuru. In a Twitter thread explaining how the offense was carried out, the DCI revealed that the two — Francis Maina Wambui aka Nick, 26, and Zellic Alusa, 25 — had resorted to a growing criminal practice. The

Government officials in Kazakhstan have approved regulations that will govern interactions between authorized coin trading platforms and traditional financial institutions. The new rules will allow registered cryptocurrency exchanges to have bank accounts in the country. Pilot Project to Develop Kazakhstan Into Regional Crypto Hub Regulations allowing crypto exchanges registered at the Astana International Financial Center ( AIFC ) to be serviced by second-tier banks in Kazakhstan have been adopted by a working group comprised of representatives of the Ministry of Digital Development, the central bank, financial regulators, as well as members of the financial and digital asset sectors, the ministry announced. The initiative is part of a project aimed at introducing a regulatory framework that will facilitate the development of Kazakhstan’s potential as a regional crypto hub. It will be implemented as a pilot throughout 2022 with the participation of crypto trading platforms licens

PRESS RELEASE. Bastyon as the Web 3.0 Social Platform Most crypto projects are nothing but cones of a few successful coins. Bastyon, on the other hand, is a fast-growing social platform that combines elements of Youtube, Twitter and Torrent; it recently passed four hundred thousand users and growing fast. Bastyon is built on the premise that social media should be Web 3.0, decentralized with an open-source code, distributed node infrastructure and no corporate entity to control it, like the Bitcoin model. In Bastyon the users enjoy the content and moderate that content based on transparent rules, while bloggers and node operators earn Pocketcoin (PKOIN). Bastyon can be accessed on Bastyon.com, but the most censorship resistant way is to use the Bastyon desktop app, which can be downloaded here: https://bastyon.com/applications Integration of Tor Network into Bastyon desktop app The desktop app does not rely on centralized DNS servers or Web 2.0 domains but instead connects direct

Rock band Kiss’ lead singer Gene Simmons has revealed that he owns 14 cryptocurrencies and has not sold any since the crypto market downturn. Gene Simmons Says ‘I am a Hodler’ Gene Simmons has reaffirmed that he is a hodler and has not sold any of his 14 cryptocurrencies since the crypto market downturn. Simmons is an Israeli-born American musician, singer, songwriter, actor, and producer. He was the frontman, bassist, and co-lead singer of Kiss, the rock band he co-founded with lead singer and guitarist Paul Stanley. According to IMDB, Simmons has appeared in films and TV 121 times. He tweeted Wednesday that he is a hodler, adding: “I have not sold a single position since the downturn. I believe in the future. The near future.” In a follow-up tweet, he said he owns litecoin ( LTC ) and 13 other cryptocurrencies. While Simmons did not reveal on Wednesday which cryptocurrencies he owns, he said in February last year that he owned bitcoin ( BTC ), litecoin ( LTC ), ether ( ETH ),

Doubleline Capital CEO Jeffrey Gundlach, also known as the “bond king,” says he would not be surprised at all if the price of bitcoin falls to $10K. “We’ve already seen around the edges some blowups in parts of the crypto world, and that could be foreshadowing some problems,” he explained. ‘Bond King’ Jeff Gundlach Discusses Bitcoin Falling to $10K Billionaire investor Jeff Gundlach shared his bitcoin outlook in an interview with CNBC Wednesday. Gundlach is the CEO of Doubleline Capital, which has over $137 billion in assets under management (AUM). He is sometimes referred to as the “bond king” after he appeared on the cover of Barron’s in 2011 as “The New Bond King.” Institutional Investor named him “Money Manager of the Year” in 2013 and Bloomberg Markets named him one of “The Fifty Most Influential” in 2012, 2015, and 2016. According to Forbes, his net worth is currently $2.2 billion. The billionaire bond king explained that when the price of bitcoin fell below $30K, its chart

Cryptocurrencies can be used for international payments if they don’t penetrate the Russian financial system, the head of Bank of Russia has stated. The governor also insisted that the digital assets should not be traded on platforms operating inside the country. Bank of Russia Chair Ready to Accept Cryptocurrency Payments for International Settlements Cryptocurrencies can be employed in international payments if they do not “penetrate” the financial system of the Russian Federation, according to Elvira Nabiullina, governor of the Central Bank of Russia ( CBR ). The official added that these digital assets are subject to high price fluctuations and emphasized: Cryptocurrency should not be traded on organized marketplaces because this asset is too volatile, too risky for potential investors. Quoted by RBC Crypto, the banker said that digital coins listed on Russian exchanges must be compliant with all regulations designed to protect investors. Hence, the projects behind the trade

PRESS RELEASE. GensoKishi, a new fantasy world economy with blockchain technology by incorporating elements of NFT and GameFi on the Metaverse is pleased to announce its 2nd commemorative NFT Auction to be held from June 15th, 2022 at 18:00 (UTC+8) to June 22nd, 2022 at 17:59 (UTC+8) ! The 2nd round NFT auction will feature a wide range of Cosplay Equipment NFTs, from Legend-class NFTs, which will all be one-of-a-kind exclusive items, to SuperRare-class, Rare-class, and Normal-class items. As we had a number of bids during the 1st NFT Auction, we expect to see many more attendees during the 2nd NFT Auction. And for the first time the auction bidding currency will be in MV instead of USDT , so if you plan on participating in the NFT Auction, please make sure you have MV available in your wallets before the auction period starts. NFT Auction Round2 The Official GensoKishi NFT Auction Round 2 website here How to make a bid The bidding screen is available at the bottom of the aucti

A report issued by Globant, an Argentinian software company, has discovered that people feel the metaverse is close and accessible to them. The report, titled “How the metaverse is transcending digital limits and reinventing our place in the physical world,” found that the metaverse is perceived as being accessible by 73% of the people consulted, but only 26% have had metaverse experiences. Metaverse Perceived as Accessible, Globant Found The metaverse and its tech have become popular subjects for companies to do research around, learning about how people perceive this new sector. A recent report completed by Globant, an Argentinian software company, has revealed that people are actually feeling much closer to the metaverse than experts suggest. The document, titled “How the metaverse is transcending digital limits and reinventing our place in the physical world,” studied the opinion of 834 members of Globant’s database of technology professionals from around the globe. The report

Amid the growing popularity of cryptocurrencies in Kyrgyzstan, the country’s central bank has reminded citizens about the risks associated with the digital assets. The monetary authority also warned that crypto payments are illegal in the Kyrgyz Republic. National Bank of Kyrgyzstan Urges Caution With Cryptocurrency Cryptocurrencies and other virtual assets are increasingly spreading in Kyrgyzstan, the nation’s central bank recently noted. The regulator reminded that using them to buy or sell goods and services is still against the law, with the Kyrgyzstani som remaining the only legal tender in the country. Quoted by local media, the monetary authority also issued a warning regarding the risks linked to decentralized digital currencies. “No one, as a rule, is liable for cryptocurrency. It does not have financial support. It has no real value due to the fact that it is not tied to any currency or other asset,” it said. This creates high risks of exchange rate volatility and loss o

The billionaire founder and chairman of Equity Group Investments, Sam Zell, says he is staying away from bitcoin at all costs. He explained that he does not understand the cryptocurrency and believes that a currency without the backing of a government is unlikely to work. Sam Zell Remains Skeptical of Bitcoin While a growing number of billionaires and hedge fund managers are embracing bitcoin, Sam Zell, the founder and chairman of Equity Group Investments, said he is staying away from the cryptocurrency. Zell, whose net worth is estimated to be $5.8 billion, reiterated his anti-bitcoin stance Thursday in an interview with CNBC. Responding to a question about whether bitcoin is more attractive to him now that its price has fallen to the $21K level, he stressed: I’ve basically stayed away from bitcoin at all costs. The billionaire investor explained that the reason he does not invest in BTC is simply because he does not understand it. “I do not understand its security … I don’t

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates says crypto is an asset class that is 100% based on the Greater Fool Theory. The billionaire also mocked Bored Ape NFTs, stating: “Obviously, expensive digital images of monkeys are going to improve the world immensely.” Bill Gates on Crypto and NFTs Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates talked about cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) at this year’s Techcrunch Sessions: Climate 2022 event Tuesday. Referring to the Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs, Gates sarcastically said: “Obviously, expensive digital images of monkeys are going to improve the world immensely. That’s so incredible.” He clarified, “I’m used to asset classes like a farm where they have output or a company where they make products,” describing crypto as: An asset class that’s 100% based on some sort of Greater Fool Theory that somebody’s going to pay more for it than I do. The Greater Fool Theory suggests that there will always be a greater fool in the market ready to pay a price ba