Bitcoin News and Finance: What You Need to Know

Authorities in Kazakhstan have launched an investigation into a mining hotel business suspected of being a crypto pyramid as part of an ongoing crackdown on illegal activities linked to cryptocurrencies. The platform, called Bincloud, lured investors through popular messaging apps. Bincloud Operators Kept 16% of Investors’ Funds for Themselves Amid intensified efforts to fight crypto-related fraud, Kazakhstan’s Financial Monitoring Agency has initiated a pre-trial investigation into a crypto mining business allegedly working as a financial pyramid scheme. It’s led by the watchdog’s department in the West Kazakhstan region, the FMA announced, quoted by Russian crypto media. The people behind the Bincloud mining hotel were recruiting investors through the Whatsapp and Telegram messengers, convincing them to put money into the project offering mining equipment rental. As a reward, they were promised to get back 5 to 6% of the invested amount daily. The fraudsters withheld 16% of the ...

Thailand is reportedly preparing to amend its law on digital assets to tighten the oversight of the crypto sector and empower the Thai central bank to oversee the sector. “Right now, the central bank has no room to enter into the regulatory framework except for notifying that cryptos are not a legal means of payment for goods and services,” said the Thai finance minister. Thai Central Bank Will Help Regulate Crypto Industry Thailand is reportedly planning to amend its law on digital assets to tighten the oversight of the crypto sector, particularly trading platforms. Thai Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith explained that the planned amendments to the country’s crypto regulations will “bring the central bank to be part of it,” Bloomberg reported Tuesday. He added that the Thai Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has been asked to lead the regulatory overhaul. Under the current rules passed in 2018, the securities watchdog has the sole mandate to supervise the crypto ind...

Iran has placed its first official import order using cryptocurrency worth $10 million, according to a government official. “By the end of September, the use of cryptocurrencies and smart contracts will be widespread in foreign trade with target countries,” the official added. Iran Uses Crypto to Place Import Order Iran placed its first official import order for $10 million worth of goods in cryptocurrency this week. Alireza Peymanpak, vice minister of Iran’s Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade and president of the country’s Trade Promotion Organization (TPO), announced via Twitter Tuesday (translated by Google): This week, the first official import order was successfully placed with cryptocurrency worth 10 million dollars. “By the end of September, the use of cryptocurrencies and smart contracts will be widespread in foreign trade with target countries,” his tweet further reads. Iran has been contemplating allowing the use of cryptocurrencies to pay for imports for over a yea...

On Tuesday, the bitcoin mining company Cleanspark announced it acquired a plug-in-ready bitcoin mining facility that is scalable to 86 megawatts (MW) of capacity. Presently, the newly opened site in Washington, Georgia, has 36 megawatts, which is expected to give Cleanspark’s hashrate a 38% boost this quarter. Publicly-Listed Bitcoin Miner Cleanspark Expands Operations in Georgia After Cleanspark Inc. (Nasdaq: CLSK ) revealed last month that it acquired 1,061 bitcoin miners at a “discounted price,” the company announced it has acquired a new facility in Washington, the county seat of Wilkes County, Georgia. The new facility has the capacity to host up to 86 MW and Cleanspark purchased the facility for $16.2 million. The mining firm also bought 3,400 Antminer S19 mining rigs for $8.9 million. The Antminer rigs are currently in operation with 340 petahash per second (PH/s) of hashpower. “[Cleanspark] will fill the balance of the 36 MW with machines already paid for and on hand,” Tu...

At one point in every crypto enthusiast’s life he or she has envisioned buying their dream mansion, with Bitcoin. What was once a fantasy is now a reality with the listing of this exquisite, ultra modern, 2-story, 5-bedroom mansion in the heart of the Caribbean. A life of Paradise in a Caribbean Hidden Valley This unique luxury property is being sold through ArroyoLaRue Realty , and is nestled in the stunning “Hidden valley” of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. Situated in the serene Valle Escondido Estates of Guaynabo . The Idyllic, luscious landscape offers a sense of privacy with beautiful natural resources right on its doorstep and the center of San Juan metro only a short drive away. With the sale of this listing the lucky buyer will acquire not just a stunning, unique property in a tropical location, but a lifestyle and tax benefits befitting that of one of the celebrities that live just a stone’s throw away. Let’s get into it! Opening the Door: A Look Inside the Dream Mansion The ...

Following the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) banning Tornado Cash and a number of associated Ethereum-based addresses, an anonymous Tornado Cash user has dusted a swathe of well known wallets tied to ENS domain names. Onchain data shows that a number of celebrities and organizations received 0.1 ether from the platform. Blockchain explorers indicate Linkin Park’s Steve Aoki, Youtuber Logan Paul, the Ukraine Crypto Donations address, comedian Jimmy Fallon, the sneaker company Puma, and rap star Snoop Dogg are among the recipients. Celebs and Well Known Organizations Receive 0.1 Ether From the Tornado Cash Platform Things got interesting following the recent United States government ban against the ethereum ( ETH ) mixer Tornado Cash after a number of well known organizations and celebrities received funds from the sanctioned platform. The organizations and celebrity addresses are public knowledge because many of them purchased Ethereum Name Service...

According to an igaming expert, Keane Ecclestone, crypto casinos are increasingly popular with bettors that value their privacy and security. While some perceive crypto casinos to be riskier than traditional online gambling platforms, Ecclestone believes bettors can play safely by choosing casinos that avail their licensing information. Bettors can also minimize risks by choosing crypto casinos that have several positive reviews, Ecclestone added. Crypto Casinos vs Traditional Online Gambling Sites Crypto casinos, just like many other services or innovative products that came to life courtesy of the growing use of cryptocurrencies, have seen the number of people using them grow. There are several reasons why bettors are flocking to online gambling sites and many of these reasons have to do with the shortcomings of traditional casinos. Despite having clear advantages, crypto casinos do have their shortcomings which potentially increase risks for users. The perception that online cry...

BBVA, a private bank based in Spain, released an article that states Latam users are very interested in their crypto-powered solutions. The institution informed that close to 20% of the users of their New Gen accounts, which are available from Switzerland, are Colombians who are attracted by the crypto services offered by these accounts. Colombians Attracted by Crypto Services, According to BBVA Cryptocurrency solutions and their associated services are being embraced more and more by Latam users due to the characteristics of their economies. According to BBVA, a Spanish bank that offers services worldwide, Latam users are a big part of the customers attracted by the company’s crypto solutions. In an article, BBVA revealed that close to 20% of the users of its New Gen accounts, which allow customers to invest in cryptocurrencies directly from their bank accounts, are Colombians. This means that citizens of this country are especially attracted to this kind of account, which offers...

Tesla and Spacex CEO Elon Musk has challenged Twitter’s CEO to a public debate over the platform’s fake accounts and spam bots. A recent poll conducted by Musk showed that nearly 65% of respondents do not believe that less than 5% of Twitter daily users are fake or spam. Musk Challenges Twitter’s CEO to Public Debate Tesla CEO Elon Musk has challenged Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal to a public debate about fake and spam accounts on Twitter. “Let him prove to the public that Twitter has less than 5% fake or spam daily users,” Musk wrote Saturday. The percentage of spam and fake accounts on Twitter has been material in the Tesla CEO terminating his $44 billion bid to buy the social media platform. Twitter has sued Musk to force him to go through with the buyout deal. The Spacex boss subsequently filed a countersuit , accusing Twitter of fraud. Musk’s Twitter Poll on Fake/Spam Users Musk put up a 24-hour Twitter poll Saturday asking his 103 million followers if they think that less t...

Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman says she supports ongoing 75 basis point interest rate hikes “until inflation is on a consistent path to significantly decline,” citing “a significant risk of high inflation into next year for necessities including food, housing, fuel, and vehicles.” The Fed governor a lso noted that crypto assets “could benefit from more regulatory clarity.” Fed’s Bowman on Rate Hikes, Inflation, Crypto Regulation Federal Reserve Governor Michelle W. Bowman discussed the U.S. economy and the Fed’s efforts to fight inflation in a speech Saturday at the 2022 CEO & Senior Management Summit sponsored by the Kansas Bankers Association. Referencing the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC)’s decision to raise the federal funds rate by 75 basis points during its July meeting, she expressed her support for the increase and the FOMC’s view that “ongoing increases would be appropriate at coming meetings.” Emphasizing her support for “continued increases until inf...

PRESS RELEASE. INTERNET CITY, DUBAI, Aug. 8, 2022 – LBank Exchange, a global digital asset trading platform, will list Drive Crypto (DRIVECRYPTO) on August 9, 2022. For all users of LBank Exchange, the DRIVECRYPTO/ USDT trading pair will be officially available for trading at 23:00 (UTC+8) on August 9, 2022. As the first web3 mobility App developed using the Drive-to-Earn concept with GameFi/SocialFi elements, Drive Crypto (DRIVECRYPTO) enables users to earn cryptocurrencies while driving with unique and rare NFT cars. Its native token DRIVECRYPTO will be listed on LBank Exchange at 23:00 (UTC+8) on August 9, 2022, to further expand its global reach and help it achieve its vision. Introducing Drive Crypto Drive Crypto is the first web3 mobility App developed based on Drive-to-Earn concept gathering GameFi/SocialFi. It has been built around an essential daily task for most of the people: using a vehicle to move from one place to another. It’s the first crypto space project which...

The Brazilian voting authority (TSE), has publicly declared it is studying blockchain as a technology that might help the organization in its task of organizing ballots. Celio Castro Wermerlinger, coordinator of modernization of the institution, stated that this decentralized ledger tech was included in a research program called “Elections of the Future.” Brazilian TSE Is Researching Blockchain Tech Blockchain tech is being included in several solutions designed for various applications, including ballot and voting technologies. The Brazilian voting authority announced last month that they were researching blockchain tech and the different ways it might be included in ballots. Celio Castro Wermerlinger, who is the coordinator of modernization at the Brazilian voting authority, stated that end-to-end voting protocol, post-quantum cryptography, shared keys, and blockchain were part of the technologies being studied. This investigation is part of a program called “Elections of the Fu...

The central bank of Portugal is now reviewing 12 requests from businesses that want to provide crypto-related services in the country. The applications are pending decision amid recent reports that some commercial banks are closing accounts of already approved operators. Binance Among Cryptocurrency Platforms Seeking Authorization in Portugal Portugal’s monetary authority is currently evaluating requests submitted by 12 entities that intend to offer Portuguese clients services for virtual assets, Dinheiro Vivo unveiled. The crypto firms need a license from Banco de Portugal (BdP) to work in the country, still considered one of Europe’s most crypto-friendly jurisdictions. Final decisions on the applications are expected by the end of the year. That’s unless the regulator asks the companies to provide additional information, in which case the deadline could be moved to 2023, the Portugal News English-language portal reported, quoting the business news outlet. Among the applicants to...

This week the number of cryptocurrency automated teller machines (ATMs) operating worldwide has surpassed the 39,000 mark. Since January 2017 when the count was approaching 1K machines, the number of crypto ATMs has grown by 3,925% since then. Crypto ATM numbers saw exponential growth during the last 23 months since September 1, 2020, when there were less than 10K machines worldwide. There’s Now 39,011 Crypto ATMs Installed Across 77 Countries During the first week of August 2022, the number of digital currency dispersing automated teller machines (ATMs) operating globally crossed the 39K mark. In fact, across 77 countries, 614 crypto ATM operators have installed 39,011 cryptocurrency ATMs, according to metrics recorded by coinatmradar.com . On January 1, 2017, there were approximately 969 crypto ATMs across the globe and since that point, installations have grown by 3,925% . Geographical distribution statistics show that North America dominates with 95.1% of all the crypto ATMs w...

Three different bills have been introduced in the U.S. this year to empower the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to be the primary regulator of the crypto spot markets. Lawmakers Want CFTC to Be Primary Regulator of Crypto Spot Markets Three bills have been introduced in Congress so far this year to make the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) the primary regulator for crypto spot markets. Noting that there has been a longtime debate as to whether the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or the CFTC should be the primary regulator of the crypto spot markets, Kristin Smith, executive director of the Blockchain Association, told CNBC Thursday: We now have three different bills — the one this week, the Lummis Gillibrand bill, and also the House bill, the Digital Commodity Exchange Act — that all say the CFTC is the place to go. The “ Digital Commodities Consumer Protection Act of 2022 ” was introduced by U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), John Boozman (R-...

Tesla CEO Elon Musk believes inflation has peaked and the U.S. economy will be in a recession for about 18 months. “We do get a fair bit of insight into where prices of things are going over time,” the billionaire explained, noting that “inflation is going to drop rapidly.” Elon Musk Explains Why He Thinks Inflation Has Peaked and Recession Will Last 18 Months Tesla and Spacex CEO Elon Musk shared his view on the U.S. economy, inflation, and recession during Tesla’s 2022 annual meeting of stockholders Thursday. Replying to a question about inflation, he explained: “We do get a fair bit of insight into where prices of things are going over time because when you’re making millions of cars, you have to purchase commodities many months in advance of when they’re needed … Because it’s a long supply chain with a tremendous amount of inertia, so we sort of have some insight into where prices are headed over time.” Musk detailed: “The interesting thing that we’re seeing now is that most o...

Veteran investor Jim Rogers, who co-founded the Quantum Fund with billionaire investor George Soros, has warned about cryptocurrency, stating that “if and when all our money is on our computer, it’s going to be government money.” Nonetheless, he noted that his wife invests in crypto. Jim Rogers’ Crypto Warning Famed investor Jim Rogers shared his view about cryptocurrency in an interview with Bloomberg, published last week. Rogers is George Soros’ former business partner who co-founded the Quantum Fund and Soros Fund Management. “A lot of people I know are investing in crypto and having fun and making money. Many have already disappeared and have gone to zero,” he began, elaborating: My wife invests in crypto of all things, but I don’t invest in them because the bulls say they’re going to be money, and my answer to that is, if and when all our money is on our computer, it’s going to be government money. Rogers proceeded to explain that governments will not allow other currencie...

Nayib Bukele, the president of El Salvador, declared that the speedy recovery of tourism in the country had to do with three elements, including surfing, bitcoin, and overall crime reduction. El Salvador was one of the 15 countries that managed to take their tourism incomes to pre-pandemic numbers according to data from the World Tourism Organization. Nayib Bukele States International Tourism Growth Is Powered by Bitcoin in El Salvador Nayib Bukele, the president of El Salvador and promoter of the adoption of bitcoin ( BTC ) as legal tender in the country, shared his thoughts about the growth of the tourism income in the Salvadoran country. Bukele stated that this growth was the consequence of three key factors: bitcoin, the promotion of surf, and the reduction of crime. In a tweet, the president stated : Only a handful of countries have been able to recover its tourism to pre-pandemic levels. And that’s international tourism, so the reasons behind it are mostly bitcoin and surf...