Bitcoin News and Finance: What You Need to Know

DBS, the largest bank in Southeast Asia, says it is “the first bank in Singapore to make a foray into the metaverse.” A DBS executive explained that “The metaverse presents exciting opportunities to redefine how we live, work and engage with each other.” DBS Entering the Metaverse Southeast Asia’s largest bank, DBS, announced Friday a partnership with The Sandbox, a virtual world where players can build, own, and monetize their gaming experiences on the Ethereum blockchain. The aim of the partnership is “to create DBS Better World, an interactive metaverse experience showcasing the importance of building a better, more sustainable world, and inviting others to come alongside,” the announcement describes, adding: The partnership makes DBS the first Singapore company to seal a partnership with The Sandbox and the first bank in Singapore to make a foray into the metaverse. “Under the partnership, DBS will acquire a 3×3 plot of LAND — a unit of virtual real estate in The Sandbox me...

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is setting up a dedicated office to review crypto-related filings. The securities regulator stressed the need to “provide greater and more specialized support” for crypto assets. SEC’s Dedicated Crypto Office The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced Friday its plan to establish two new offices to review filings. One is an “Office of Crypto Assets” and the other is an “Office of Industrial Applications and Services,” the regulator said, adding that it expects both to be set up later this fall. The two new offices will join the agency’s seven existing offices that “provide focused review of issuer filings,” the SEC detailed, noting that these offices are grouped by industry expertise and will be under the agency’s Division of Corporation Finance’s Disclosure Review Program (DRP). “The Office of Crypto Assets will continue the work currently performed across the DRP to review filings involving crypto assets,” the se...

The CEO of Devere Group, a financial advisory and asset management firm, has shared multiple reasons why he is buying the bitcoin dip. “Despite the recent turbulence, I believe that the trajectory of bitcoin and other major cryptos is upwards,” he said. Nigel Green Explains Why He Is Buying More Bitcoin The CEO of financial advisory and asset management firm Devere Group, Nigel Green, has confirmed that he is buying the bitcoin dip. In a blog post published this week, the executive outlined various reasons why he is buying more bitcoin amid the crypto market sell-off. “The continuing strength of the U.S. dollar, which is down to policy tightening by the Federal Reserve, is being felt by bitcoin and all other risk assets, as we have seen in the recent drop in global stock markets,” he began, adding: But like many serious crypto investors, I’m buying the dip. I’m embracing this short-term volatility for longer-term gains. Green proceeded to share why he is buying more BTC . “One ...

Six U.S. senators have demanded answers from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg about how his company is handling cryptocurrency scams on its social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp. “We are concerned that Meta provides a breeding ground for cryptocurrency fraud that causes significant harm to consumers,” the lawmakers wrote. Senators Want Answers From Mark Zuckerberg and Meta Platforms U.S. Senators Robert Menendez, Sherrod Brown, Elizabeth Warren, Dianne Feinstein, Bernard Sanders, and Cory A. Booker jointly sent a letter on Thursday to Mark Zuckerberg, chairman and CEO of Meta, about his company’s “efforts to combat cryptocurrency scams on its social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp.” Citing “recent reports of scams on other social media platforms and apps,” including data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the senators wrote: We are concerned that Meta provides a breeding ground for cryptocurrency fraud that causes signific...

Blockchain gaming publisher Animoca Brands announced the company has raised $110 million in a funding round led by Temasek, Boyu Capital, and GGV Capital. The company raised the funds by issuing convertible notes to a handful of institutional investors. Animoca Brands Raises $110 Million From Strategic Investors Animoca Brands has raised another $110 million this month after the company secured $100 million from Temasek and others, at the end of August. The latest capital raise, announced on September 8, explains that Temasek, Boyu Capital, and GGV Capital led the round, and Mirae Asset Management and True Global Ventures participated as well. The Hong Kong-based crypto gaming, NFT, and venture capital company Animoca Brands (AB) has managed to grow via a number of investment rounds amid the crypto winter. The company’s Japanese subsidiary, known as Animoca Brands KK (Animoca Brands Japan), raised $45 million from Japan’s largest bank MUFG, and Animoca Brands KK’s parent company...

Cardano was one of Saturday’s notable gainers, with the token surging to a three-week high. The sandbox was also in the green, rising to a multi-week peak, as sentiment in the cryptocurrency market remains mostly bullish. Overall, the global crypto market cap is up nearly 2% as of writing. Cardano ( ADA ) Cardano ( ADA ) climbed to a three-week high on Saturday, as the token rose for a fourth consecutive session. Following a low of $0.4894 on Friday, ADA /USD was able to reach a peak of $0.5235 to start the weekend. Saturday’s top is the highest point the token has traded at since August 18, and comes as prices climbed above a major resistance point. The ceiling of $0.5115 was broken earlier in the day, and comes as the 10-day (red) moving average crossed against its 25-day (blue) counterpart. Looking at the chart, another notable occurrence is that the relative strength index (RSI) of 14-days also moved beyond a ceiling, at 56.00. Now tracking close to 58.00, should the index ...

Ethereum rallied to a fresh three-week high to start Saturday’s session, however gains eased as the day progressed. The token continues to trade above $1,700, as market sentiment remains bullish. Bitcoin experienced a similar day, with the token slowly losing steam, after a failed breakout of a key resistance level. Bitcoin Bitcoin ( BTC ) continued to trade above $21,000 on Saturday, however yesterday’s bullish momentum had marginally faded. BTC /USD rose to a high of $21,613.86 earlier in today’s session, however prices then fell to an intraday low of $20,651.06. The decline came as the token was unable to sustain a breakout of its resistance point of $21,600, as bears fought against the move. Looking at the chart, the drop comes as the 14-day relative strength index (RSI) appeared to collide with a resistance level of its own at 55.40. As of writing, bitcoin is now trading at $21,356.34 as momentum slowly returns, however until the RSI moves past the aforementioned ceiling, w...

Authorities in China are going after creators of digital collectibles based on other people’s works of art, the use of which was not authorized. The government offensive is part of a campaign to combat online copyright infringement and piracy with the participation of several departments. Regulators in China Move to Strengthen Copyright Supervision of Online Platforms The National Copyright Administration of China (NCAC) has recently launched a campaign against copyright infringement and piracy on the internet, together with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, and the State Internet Information Office of the People’s Republic. A major objective of the initiative is to improve copyright supervision of online businesses by investigating cases involving the sale and distribution of infringing products on short video, live broadcast and e-commerce platforms, and promptly dealing with infringing content, the agency announced in a press r...

Digital asset-backed securities provider the Etc Group has said it will list an exchange-traded product (ETP) based on an anticipated hard fork of the Ethereum blockchain on September 15. Current holders of Etc Group’s ethereum ETP (ZETH) will be issued with “units of the new security free of charge on a 1:1 unit basis.” Ethereum Hard Fork The Etc Group, a provider of institutional-grade digital asset-backed securities, has said it will list a new exchange-traded product (ETP) based on a hard fork of the Ethereum blockchain that is likely to occur after the so-called “Merge.” According to a statement issued by the securities provider, the ETP will be listed on the German exchange Xetra on September 16, a day after the forking event. As outlined in the securities provider’s statement , holders of Etc Group’s current ethereum ETP (ZETH) will be issued with “units of the new security free of charge on a 1:1 unit basis.” The statement explained that the new units will be “in addition t...

Recognizing existing demand for non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, one of the largest banks in Russia, Sberbank, now intends to allow users to issue them on its blockchain platform. The financial institution also plans to cooperate with art sites and galleries across the country. Sberbank to Give Clients Opportunity to Mint NFTs An option providing users with the chance to issue their own non-fungible tokens should appear on Sberbank’s blockchain platform in the fourth quarter of the year, the bank’s Deputy Chairman Anatoly Popov unveiled during the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. The high-ranking executive added that the Russian banking giant plans to start cooperating on projects with art sites, galleries, and potentially sports organizations for NFT releases related to games and tournaments. Quoted by the crypto page of the leading Russian business news portal RBC, Popov remarked this is something new for the bank which will first make some tests. At the initial stage, the se...

India’s finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, has urged the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to take “a lead role” in regulating crypto assets. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva says the global organization stands ready to work with India on climate change, crypto regulation, and other global challenges of our times. India Wants IMF to Lead in Crypto Regulation Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met with Kristalina Georgieva, the managing director and chairman of the executive board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in New Delhi on Wednesday. The two discussed a wide range of topics, including India’s upcoming G20 presidency and crypto regulation. According to India’s Ministry of Finance, Sitharaman and Georgieva discussed the significance of regulating crypto assets and the need to have a “globally coordinated, synchronized approach to the issue.” In addition, the Indian finance minister urged the IMF to “play a lead role in this regard.” Sitharaman’s s...

Canadian crypto exchange Coinberry, part of Kevin O’Leary’s Wonderfi, has sued 50 customers for the return of the bitcoin they obtained without paying during a software glitch. “Coinberry contacted all of the said 546 affected registered users by email and demanded the return of the misappropriated bitcoins,” the lawsuit details. Coinberry Sues Users to Get Bitcoin Back Canadian cryptocurrency exchange Coinberry has reportedly sued its customers who took advantage of its software glitch and obtained bitcoin without paying. Coinberry, a regulated crypto trading platform, is owned by Vancouver-based Wonderfi Technologies Inc., a company backed by Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary. The lawsuit, filed in Ontario in June, explains that during a software upgrade in 2020, Coinberry accidentally let users buy BTC with Canadian dollars that had not properly transferred to their accounts. The exchange detailed that during the software glitch, customers could initiate an Interac e-transfer, g...

Mysten Labs, developer of a new blockchain project called Sui, raised $300 million in its latest funding round. The round, which was led by FTX ventures, also had the support of A16z crypto, Jump Crypto, Apollo, Binance Labs, Franklin Templeton, and Coinbase Ventures, among others. The funds will be directed to continue growing Sui’s infrastructure and core, hiring in the Asia Pacific area for this task. Mysten Labs Reaches $2 Billion Valuation in Series B Funding Round Mysten Labs, a company founded by Meta’s former employees that worked on the Novi project, has achieved a significant milestone for its future. The company reported having raised $300 million in its Series B funding round. The round was led by FTX Ventures and had the participation of many venture capital firms, including A16z crypto, Jump Crypto, Apollo, Binance Labs, Franklin Templeton, Coinbase Ventures, Circle Ventures, and Lightspeed Venture Partners, among others. This funding round allowed the company to rea...

Days after the two institutions agreed on the need for cross-border crypto payments, the finance ministry and the central bank of Russia are once again highlighting their different priorities. While the treasury department aims for legalizing cryptocurrency payments in the coming months, the monetary authority says it will “actively promote” its digital currency for international settlements. Bank of Russia Seeks to Impose Digital Ruble for International Settlements The Central Bank of Russia (CBR) will “actively promote” the employment of the digital ruble in cross-border payments, its Governor Elvira Nabiullina stated in a documentary aired by the Russia-24 TV channel. The film was devoted to the 220th anniversary of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation. The department recently announced it had reached an agreement with the monetary authority on the need to legalize international crypto payments in the face of Western sanctions. In the current conditions, “it is imp...

According to reports, the Japanese government is one of the first countries to use non-fungible tokens (NFTs) as a supplementary award to local authorities that excelled in a digitization competition. The awards were given to local authorities as recognition for their efforts in using digital technology to solve local challenges. Issuing and Distributing NFTs via a Low-Cost Blockchain In what has been described as a first for the Japanese government, the country’s cabinet secretariat recently used non-fungible tokens (NFTs) as a supplementary prize during a ceremony to recognize local governments that excelled in a digitization competition. According to a Coinpost report , this year’s award ceremony was supported by four technology companies: Indiesquare, Bitflyer Holdings, Tree Digital Studio, and Tomonari Kogei. As noted in the report, Indiesquare’s low-cost blockchain platform, the Hazama Base, was used to issue and distribute the NFTs. Before this, the platform was similarly us...

Thailand’s securities regulator recently said it had referred digital asset service provider Zipmex and its Thai unit chief executive officer, Akalarp Yimwilai, to a technology crime division of the Royal Thai Police. The regulator said it made decision after Yimwilai and his company failed to comply with the request to furnish an official with information relating to customers’ digital wallets. Zipmex Fails to Share Details on Transfers and Withdrawals on Its Platform Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (TSEC) said it has referred Zipmex and the digital asset service provider’s Thai unit chief executive officer (CEO) Akalarp Yimwilai to local law enforcement for non-compliance “with the order of the competent official.” In a statement, the regulator said it took action after Yimwilai and his company failed to submit information relating to customers’ digital wallets. Zipmex is also accused of failing to furnish the TSEC official with details on the transfer and withdrawa...

A high-ranking member of the Russian parliament has urged for the adoption of a relevant legal framework to properly regulate cross-border crypto payments. His proposal comes after key regulators in Moscow said that Russia needs to allow the use of cryptocurrencies in foreign trade, now that it’s having to deal with serious financial restrictions. Financial Market Committee Chair Suggests Adopting Legislation for Russia’s Crypto Payments Anatoly Aksakov, head of the Financial Market Committee at the State Duma, considers it necessary to provide cross-border settlements in cryptocurrency with a regulatory framework. The lower house of Russian parliament is expected to review crypto-related draft legislation this fall, including a new bill “On Digital Currency,” and Aksakov has been an active participant in these efforts. The influential member of the lower house of Russian parliament issued the call after earlier this week the Russian finance ministry and central bank agreed that f...

The European Union (EU) is working on a project that involves blockchain architecture and the use of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to fight counterfeiting and forgery. The project is the product of several meetings and blockchain hackathons organized by the European Union Intellectual Property Office and proposes to create digital twins of products to trace their path across supply lines. European Union to Use NFTs to Protect Intellectual Property The European Union has recently announced that is working on a system that will use blockchain and NFTs as part of its fight against the counterfeiting of physical goods. The system proposed will be designed by the European Union Intellectual Property Office, and is the product of more than five years of work. A document issued this month explains that the organization has already selected a high-level architecture for this task, and details generalities about how the system will work. Intellectual property (IP) holders will create digital...

While decentralized finance (defi) has created a plethora of protocols that make it so crypto assets can gather a yield, ten and a half years ago a bitcoin exchange called Bitcoinica introduced the first interest accruing system for bitcoin deposits. Despite being the first to test the waters, Bitcoinica eventually went bust after a series of hacks that saw roughly 62,101 bitcoin stolen from the exchange, and interest-bearing crypto accounts did not return until eight years later. Bitcoin Interest-Bearing Accounts Were Introduced by Bitcoinica in 2012 These days, interest-bearing accounts and yield-gathering defi protocols are all the rage in the world of cryptocurrency, but most people don’t know that the idea was introduced more than a decade ago. In mid-February 2012, the now-defunct bitcoin exchange, Bitcoinica, developed an idea that allowed bitcoin deposits on the exchange to gather interest. The idea was announced by the 18-year-old Zhou Tong, a bitcoin enthusiast who found...

Sorare, a French fantasy game startup, reached an agreement with the National Basketball Association (NBA) to build a non-fungible token (NFT) game under its license, allowing the company to use team names and player likenesses from the league. The company, which had already signed similar agreements with North America’s Major League Baseball (MLB) and some European soccer leagues, including the Spanish Laliga, is now the official NFT partner of the NBA. Sorare to Launch NFT-Based, NBA-Licensed Game Sorare, a French fantasy NFT game company, has announced a new partnership with North America’s National Basketball Association (NBA) to build a new NFT-based game. The company announced it signed a multi-year agreement to be the official NFT partner of the league, meaning that it can make use of the likenesses of players, teams, and the league in its upcoming products. Similar to other games already presented by the organization, the upcoming game will allow users to build a team of N...

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Authorities in Nigeria have been told to consider upgrading the country’s cryptocurrency regulatory guidelines because current regulations are not consistent with the realities on the ground. According to legal experts, the growing interest in cryptocurrencies by Nigerians means the country needs to have “clear-cut guidelines” for the industry. Nigerians Continue to Defy Central Bank Legal experts who spoke at a two-day workshop recently held in Nigeria have urged authorities to consider upgrading the country’s cryptocurrency regulatory guidelines. The experts argued that such an upgrade is needed because Nigerians have largely ignored current regulations that seek to stifle trade or investment in crypto. As recently reported by Bitcoin.com News, Nigerians are skirting the central bank’s restrictions on crypto trading or investment by using peer-to-peer trading platforms. For example, in just the first of half 2022, Nigerians using Paxful — a peer-to-peer crypto exchange — are rep...