Bitcoin News and Finance: What You Need to Know

The Conference Board has found that 98% of chief executives surveyed are preparing for a U.S. recession while 99% of CEOs are preparing for an EU recession. “CEO confidence sunk further to start Q4 and is at its lowest level since the Great Recession,” the organization said. 98% of CEOs Expect Recession in the US The Conference Board published its Measure of CEO Confidence on Thursday. The board is a global, non-profit research group with over 1,000 public and private corporations and organizations as members in 60 countries. The Measure of CEO Confidence is “a barometer of the health of the U.S. economy from the perspective of U.S. chief executives,” The Conference Board described, adding that its Q4 survey was conducted between Sept. 19 and Oct. 3 and a total of 136 CEOs participated. “The recent survey asked CEOs to describe the economic conditions they are preparing to face over the next 12-18 months,” the board described, adding: An overwhelming majority — 98% — said they

Spacex CEO Elon Musk says that his company will “keep funding” the government of Ukraine for free even though Starlink is losing money, noting that it has cost Spacex $80 million so far to provide internet terminals and services to Ukraine. “We’ve also had to defend against cyberattacks and jamming, which are getting harder,” Musk stressed. We’ll Keep Funding Ukraine for Free, Says Musk Spacex has been sending Starlink internet terminals and providing services to Ukraine since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine war. At the request of the government of Ukraine, Musk began supplying the country with Starlink internet terminals in February. However, Spacex’s director of government sales reportedly sent a letter to the Pentagon in September, stating that the company is not “in a position to further donate terminals to Ukraine, or fund the existing terminals for an indefinite period of time.” The Pentagon reportedly confirmed they received correspondence from Spacex about the funding of

It’s been five months since the Terra ecosystem collapsed as tens of billions of dollars in value disappeared from the crypto economy in a matter of days after May 7. Terra’s new Phoenix blockchain managed to restart the ecosystem to some degree and since the end of June, Terra’s total value locked (TVL) in decentralized finance (defi) has increased from $350,174 to today’s $41.55 million. A Look at Terra’s Blockchain Ecosystem Over the Last 5 Months Since the Collapse The Terra ecosystem fallout was a dark day for the crypto community when Terra’s stablecoin terrausd (UST), now known as UST classic (USTC), depegged from the token’s $1 parity. Before the collapse, Terra’s luna, now known as luna classic (LUNC) was a top ten crypto asset by market capitalization and Terra’s stablecoin also held a top ten position. Prior to the fallout, luna held the seventh position in terms of crypto market caps, and on April 28, Terra’s native crypto asset was trading for $88 per coin . Precisely

Following the largest difficulty increase the Bitcoin network has seen in 2022, the network’s hashrate has not been affected by the 13.55% increase. In fact, five days ago at block height 758,138, the network’s computational power surpassed the all-time high (ATH) recorded on October 5, as it reached 325.11 exahash per second (EH/s) on October 11. Moreover, block generation intervals have been less than ten minutes per block, which means another notable difficulty increase is expected to happen on October 23. 325 EH/s — Bitcoin’s Hashrate Taps Another ATH Following the Last Difficulty Retarget It’s been six days since Bitcoin’s last difficulty retarget, which saw the largest rise this year when the metric jumped 13.55% higher than the difficulty setting codified 2,016 blocks before block 758,016. Despite the difficulty increase and bitcoin’s ( BTC ) U.S. dollar value sliding to $18,183 on October 13, the network’s computational power has remained red-hot as another all-time high

In this edition of the Bitcoin.com News week in Review: never-before-seen notations discovered from Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto, an update on progress toward the next Bitcoin halving event, Mad Money’s Jim Cramer challenging crypto investors to bet against him, and more. Sleuth Discovers Satoshi’s Long-Lost Bitcoin Version 0.1 Codebase, Raw Code Contains Bitcoin Inventor’s Never-Before-Seen Personal Notations On October 7, 2022, a bitcoin supporter named Jim Blasko claimed that he discovered the oldest upload of Bitcoin’s version 0.1 codebase. The original code was thought to have been lost for more than a decade and with a “little browser hacking” Blasko was able to find the lost version 0.1 raw data and files stored on sourceforge.net. Read More Progress Toward Bitcoin’s Halving Is 60% Complete, Block Times Suggest Reduction Could Happen Next Year According to countdown statistics based on the average block generation time of around ten minutes, progress toward the next

According to a Consensys blog post published on October 11, the Ethereum-based wallet Metamask has added instant bank-to-crypto transfers via the automated clearing house (ACH) settlement merchant Sardine. Metamask Users Can Swap Fiat for Over 30 Crypto Tokens On Tuesday, the crypto firm Consensys published an announcement that explains the ETH wallet Metamask has added bank-to-crypto transfers through the ACH company Sardine . “With Sardine’s new instant ACH integration, you can buy crypto instantly with no settlement delays,” Consensys explains in the recently published blog post . The crypto firm added: Instant ACH allows orders to complete in minutes instead of days like a standard ACH order, and works on holidays, unlike regular ACH. The newly added feature via Sardine allows Metamask users to transfer their fiat for cryptocurrencies with a maximum limit of $3K per day. Users can also spend up to $5K per week or $25K per month in order to purchase more than 30 crypto asse

The Japanese yen’s exchange rate versus the U.S. dollar recently plunged to its lowest rate in 32 years — 147.66 JPY per dollar. The yen’s latest fall comes less than a month after its slip in September prompted authorities to enter foreign exchange markets for the first time since 1998. Gap Between US Treasuries and Japanese Government Bonds Widening The Japanese yen fell to a rate of 147.66 per dollar, its lowest exchange rate versus the U.S. dollar in 32 years, a report has said. The yen’s latest record-breaking fall came after official figures from the United States showed that prices had gone up faster than anticipated. The U.S. Federal Reserve has been using rate hikes to tame inflation but these have in turn caused the dollar to strengthen against other global currencies. However, unlike other central banks that have followed in the footsteps of the U.S. Federal Reserve and raised interest rates, the Bank of Japan (BOJ) is said to have maintained an “ultraloose monetary pol

Complying with the latest EU sanctions targeting Russia, well-known cryptocurrency platforms like Localbitcoins, Blockchain.com, and Crypto.com have started to restrict or terminate services for Russian accounts. The moves follow the adoption of new European penalties in response to Moscow’s military escalation in Ukraine. Major Crypto Platforms Conform to EU Measures, Restrict Services for Russian Users Over Ukraine War About a week after the European Union introduced another set of measures aimed at hurting Russia’s economy and finances, including its access to the crypto market, a number of service providers in the industry have taken steps to comply with the new requirements. In April, the bloc banned only high-value services, those for digital assets exceeding €10,000 in value ($11,000 at the time). Last Thursday, Brussels prohibited the provision of all crypto-related services to Russian residents and entities, regardless of the amount. Localbitcoins, the peer-to-peer excha

A U.S. senator has called on the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to issue crypto regulations now “through a transparent notice-and-comment regulatory process.” He stressed that “some digital assets are securities, others may be commodities, and others may subject to a completely different regulatory regime.” US Senator Calls for ‘Transparent Notice-and-Comment Regulatory Process’ to Regulating Crypto Assets U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper (D-CO) has sent a letter to the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Gary Gensler, regarding crypto regulations. In his letter dated Oct. 13, the senator told Gensler, “Clear rules promote an environment where investors are protected,” adding: I write to urge the SEC to issue regulations for digital asset securities through a transparent notice-and-comment regulatory process. He stressed: “Currently, digital asset markets do not have a coordinated regulatory framework. This creates uneven enforcement, and deprives

Experts from an economic institute in China have circulated the idea of creating a blockchain-powered digital currency that could lower Asia’s reliance on the greenback. The initiative comes against the backdrop of an expanding digital yuan pilot, and after recent trials of cross-border payments with state-issued digital currencies in the region. China Suggests Minting Asia-Wide Digital Yuan Underpinned by Distributed Ledger Technology Chinese government researchers have proposed the introduction of a new digital currency in Asia in order to reduce the region’s dependence on the U.S. fiat money. The common coin would also help safeguard financial stability while enhancing regional monetary cooperation, they say, quoted by the South China Morning Post this week. According to Song Shuang, Liu Dongmin, and Zhou Xuezhi from the Institute of World Economics and Politics under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the digital token would be pegged to a basket of 13 currencies, includin

Quant rose to its highest point since the start of the year on Saturday, as prices climbed for a third straight session. In addition to this, tron was also higher, as the token attempted to break out of a key resistance point. Overall, cryptocurrency markets were down 1.95% as of writing. Quant (QNT) Quant (QNT) was one of the notable movers to start the weekend, as the token surged to a ten-month high. Following a low of $162.00 on Friday, QNT/USD surged to an intraday peak of $184.98 earlier in today’s session. This move saw the token climb to its highest point since January 8, and comes following three days of gains. As of writing, the 14-day relative strength index (RSI) is now deep in overbought territory, and is tracking at 80.19. This is marginally above a ceiling of 79.00, and this could mean that bears could be looming, looking for any slips, before reentering. Should bullish momentum remain high, we could see traders target an exit around the $190 level. Tron ( TRX )

Bearish sentiment returned to cryptocurrency markets on Saturday, as bitcoin was once again in the red. The world’s largest token moved lower to start the weekend, following yesterday’s surge towards $20,000. Ethereum was also down today, falling below $1,300 in the process. Bitcoin Bitcoin ( BTC ) was in the red to start the weekend, as bearish sentiment returned to cryptocurrency markets. BTC was higher on Friday, as market uncertainty eased, following the latest U.S. inflation report, however it seems as though this turbulence has returned this weekend. As a result, BTC /USD fell to an intraday low of $19,076.63 earlier in the day, less than a 24 hours after hitting a peak of $19,821.40. Looking at the chart, the drop in price has pushed the 10-day (red) moving average (MA) close to an imminent downward crossover with its 25-day (blue) counterpart. In addition to this, the 14-day relative strength index (RSI) is now back below the 50.00 mark, after failing to move past its c

This week researchers from the Bank of Canada published the central bank’s Financial System Review which highlights five key statistics tethered to Canadian bitcoin owners. According to the Bank of Canada’s metrics, 13% of Canadians own the leading crypto asset bitcoin, and “most Canadians are aware of bitcoin.” Bank of Canada’s Financial System Review Highlights Bitcoin Ownership Among Canadians On October 12, 2022, the Bank of Canada published the financial institution’s Financial System Review , which highlights some key points tied to the crypto asset ecosystem. A blog post specifically discussing the crypto asset industry and markets, in general, written by Daniela Balutel, Walter Engert, Christopher Henry, Kim Huynh, and Marcel Voia explains that “large price corrections are the most common incident reported by crypto asset owners.” Furthermore, the five researchers added that “bitcoin ownership among Canadians increased sharply in 2021.” “The share of Canadians owning bitc

Konami, one of the most influential Japanese game development and publishing companies, has announced it will be introducing Web3 and metaverse technologies into its games. The company opened 13 different job openings for three departments that will be responsible for developing the new projects to spearhead Konami’s latest business strategy. Konami to Enter Metaverse and Web3 Arena Konami, one of the biggest AAA game developers and publishers in Japan, is showing interest in jumping on the metaverse and Web3 entertainment bandwagon. The company recently published a series of job openings for the production of experiences that include this type of technology in its next games. The company is recruiting via 13 different job openings in the areas of infrastructure development, production and operations, and support. These new openings will help to “provide new experiences such as Web3 and Metaverse,” according to Konami’s news release. While there have been no statements about the I

The deadly conflict that started with Russia’s assault on Ukraine has increased crypto-related activity in both countries, according to Chainalysis. Fiat inflation and sanctions pressure led to several spikes in transaction volumes this year, the blockchain forensics firm has found, while Eastern Europe as a whole sustained its role in the global crypto ecosystem. Russians and Ukrainians Turn to Crypto Amid Consequences of Escalating Military Clash The Russian invasion of Ukraine and ensuing military conflict that’s currently escalating have affected all aspects of life in the two nations, and cryptocurrency is no exception, Chainalysis said in an excerpt from its upcoming 2022 Geography of Cryptocurrency Report. Citizens of both countries have felt the war’s economic impact and experienced high inflation. Shortly after the hostilities began in late February, Russian and Ukrainian cryptocurrency transfers saw an increase. In the following weeks and months trends diverged, and while

Turkey’s gold imports of just over 39,000 kilograms in September 2022 are more than 16 times the quantity that was brought into the country in September 2021. The surge in Turkey’s gold imports is reportedly being spurred by the rise in demand for the precious metal by individuals and entities using it in foreign currency transactions. ‘Gold Instead of Turkish Lira’ According to data from Borsa Istanbul’s Precious Metals and Diamond Markets, the quantity of gold imported into inflation-stricken Turkey in September 2022 was over 1,700% more than the quantity brought into the country during the same period last year. The country’s September haul of 39,000 kilograms (kg) takes the total quantity of the precious metal imported by Turks in 2022 to 140,126 kg. As noted in a report published by the Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey’s January 2010 import figure of 44,210 kg remains the country’s largest. Explaining why Turkey is seeing a surge in the quantity of gold brought into the country,

Ethereum was trading higher on Friday, as market volatility eased, following the latest U.S. inflation report. Core inflation rose 0.6%, with consumer prices up to 8.2%, higher than the expected 8.1%. Despite this, traders seem to have breathed a sigh of relief, as the uncertainty surrounding the report has now passed. Bitcoin moved closer to $20,000 on the news. Bitcoin Bitcoin ( BTC ) moved towards the $20,000 level on Friday, as uncertainty in crypto markets eased, following the latest U.S. inflation report. Despite consumer prices rising by more than expected, markets reacted positively, as speculation surrounding the report has faded. As a result of the report, BTC /USD rose to an intraday high of $19,835.17, less than 24-hours after trading at a low of $18,642.11. This rally has seen momentum shift once again, with several indicators now leaning more towards bullish territory. The 14-day relative strength index (RSI) is now back above the 50.00 mark, and is tracking at 51.

Uniswap Labs, the firm behind the Uniswap decentralized exchange protocol, announced on Thursday that it raised $165 million in a Series B funding round. According to one report, the capital raise, which sees Uniswap Labs’ valuation rise to $1.66 billion, is the largest by any crypto firm in 2022. Uniswap Completes $165M Capital Raise, Decentralized Exchange Reveals NFT Launch Uniswap Labs, the creator of the decentralized exchange (dex) Uniswap protocol, recently said it had raised $165 million via a Series B funding round. The funding round was led by Polychain Capital with the participation of the firm’s long-time investors like Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Paradigm, SV Angel, and Variant. In a recent blog post authored by Hayden Adams, the developer and founder at Uniswap Labs, said that the new funding will be used to support the firm’s expansion plans. In addition to “bringing the powerful simplicity and security,” Uniswap Labs plans to launch non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and t

Spending with China’s state-issued digital currency has surpassed 100 billion yuan, close to $14 billion, by the end of August, the country’s monetary authority revealed. More than 5 million merchants now accept the digital yuan in 15 Chinese regions as Beijing continues to expand the pilot areas. People’s Bank of China Reports 360 Million Digital Currency Payments Transactions with China’s central bank digital currency ( CBDC ) exceeded 100 billion yuan in value ($13.9 billion) as of Aug. 31, 2022, rising from almost 88 billion yuan by the end of 2021, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) announced on Wednesday. The spending involved 360 million transactions, according to a Reuters report quoting the monetary policy regulator. The data has been released as financial authorities in the world’s most populous nation proceed with the digital yuan (e-CNY) roll-out and constantly increase the coverage of its trials. The CBDC has been introduced in 15 provinces and municipalities, with 5.6

According to Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, his country is well-positioned to become a global leader in the digital economy. However, for that to happen, Nigeria must choose the right approach and spend more time developing digital skills. Nigeria Better Equipped Than 3 Decades Ago The Nigerian vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, recently claimed that his country has enough human capital to see it become a world leader in the digital economy. The vice president, however, said for this to become a reality, Nigeria must choose the right approach and policies. According to a News Ghana report , Osinbajo made the remarks while addressing delegates that attended the Nigeria Digital Economy Summit (NDES) which was held in Abuja. In the same speech, the Nigerian leader also explained why his country is better now than it was more than three decades ago, when the first iteration of the internet came into existence. “A whole new world is unfolding before our very eyes, unlike Web 1 and

According to the crypto mining operation Pow.re Holdings Limited, the firm announced that it has begun construction of two new mining facilities in Asunción, Paraguay. The new data centers will manage 12 megawatts (MW) of hydroelectric power, and the firm has also acquired 3,600 Microbt Whatsminer mining rigs that produce roughly 396 petahash per second (PH/s) of hashrate. Pow.re Holdings Limited Commences Mining Facility Construction in Paraguay On October 13, Pow.re revealed that the company has commenced the construction of two new bitcoin mining facilities in Paraguay. The first site is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2022’s fourth quarter and the second should be readied by Q1 2023. The company says that the expansion will add a lot more hashpower to the firm’s operations and it hopes to achieve 0.5 exahash per second (EH/s) by Q2 2023. Just recently, Pow.re was in the news after it was revealed that Quebec’s Mohawk Council of Kahnawake was seeking power for cry