Bitcoin News and Finance: What You Need to Know

Senegalese-American artist, Akon, reportedly reassured participants in his so-called token of appreciation (TOA) that they will be reimbursed for donations. To back this promise, the singer reportedly claimed he is even willing to do “a world tour just to pay them all back.” Akon, however, conceded during an interview that he should “have gotten more things in place before promoting it [Akon City].” Singer Ready to Do a World Tour for Token Holders Rhythm and blues (R&B) singer and music producer, Akon, reportedly promised to reimburse disillusioned supporters who have been waiting for refunds from his token of appreciation (TOA) campaign. The Senegalese-American artist also told TOA holders that he is prepared to use his own funds to ensure this promise is honored. “I’m dead serious. I would do a world tour just to pay them all back,” the award-winning artist reportedly said. Launched in 2019, Akon’s TOA was given to his early financial backers. The TOA was not only a precurs...

Crypto trading volumes in India have plunged significantly this year. The FTX meltdown has exacerbated the problem, hurting “the sentiment across crypto tokens.” Local crypto experts are not expecting a recovery in the near future “Unless something dramatic happens” in the upcoming Union Budget. Indian Crypto Market ‘Dead’ Since April, Says Expert Cryptocurrency trading volumes at major exchanges in India have plunged significantly this year. Since the collapse of crypto exchange FTX, major exchanges in India lost between 34% and 50% of trading volumes, Moneycontrol reported Monday, citing data from research firm Crebaco. However, the decline began long before the FTX implosion. One of the largest crypto trading platforms in India, Wazirx, lost 97.99% of its trading volumes from the beginning of the year to Dec. 22. Crebaco CEO Sidharth Sogani told the publication: I don’t think a lot of this recent trading volume plunge was driven by FTX. The market in India has been dead since ...

Banking giant HSBC has filed trademark applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a wide range of digital currency products and services, including those related to the metaverse and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). HSBC’s Trademark Applications for Crypto-Related Products and Services HSBC has filed two crypto-related trademark applications for its name and logo with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Mike Kondoudis, a USPTO-licensed trademark attorney, noted in a tweet Friday that HSBC’s trademark applications indicate the bank’s plans for a number of digital products and services, including those related to the exchange and transfer of virtual currencies. HSBC’s crypto-related trademark applications were filed on Dec. 15; their serial numbers are 97718803 and 97718583. The bank described a wide range of products and services in its applications, including sending, receiving, converting, and storing digital currencies. The tradema...

The Brazilian Securities Commission CVM has cleared the path for funds to dive into cryptocurrency-based investments. The institution issued a new set of rules that allows financial investment funds to invest in cryptocurrency tokens with the equivalent protections offered to other investment assets such as stocks and bonds, opening new markets for these companies. Brazilian Securities Commission CVM Regulates Cryptocurrency Investment for Funds Brazil has given one more step for the regularization and adoption of cryptocurrencies as investment instruments. The Brazilian Securities Commission has approved a new set of rules that now allow established funds to invest in cryptocurrency, opening a new market for these institutions. The norms, which were passed after President Jair Bolsonaro sanctioned a cryptocurrency law last week, regulate crypto investments in a way in which these companies will be able to enjoy the same protections available for other investment assets such as s...

The Argentine Peso has experienced a sudden fall vs the U.S. dollar, falling to a 5-month low in its blue rate, one of the many parallel exchange rates of the country. The reasons for this fall, besides the abundance of pesos due to holiday-related payments, and the battle between President Alberto Fernandez and Argentine courts. Argentine Peso Falls Sharply Against the US Dollar The Argentine peso is facing a sudden downturn that has taken the value of the currency to historic lows. On Dec. 23, local media informed one of the informal exchange rates of the currency vs the U.S. dollar, denominated “blue dollar,” had reached the 340 pesos mark. This marks a 5-month low after a period in which the peso maintained its value relatively steady. The last time that the peso plunged in this way was in July when the country was also submerged in a period of political instability with the resignation of Finance Minister Martin Guzman. The historical minimum exchange rate is 350 pesos per ...

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged Thor Technologies and its co-founders with conducting an unregistered securities offering. In 2018, the company minted and sold tokens to raise funds for its ‘gig economy platform,’ the development of which had not even started at the time. U.S. Securities Regulator Accuses Thor Technologies’ Management of Conducting Unregistered ICO The Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States has charged Thor Technologies, its co-founder and CEO David Chin and Matthew Moravec, co-founder and former CTO, with carrying out an unregistered offering of securities through an initial coin offering ( ICO ). Chin and his company are accused of selling ‘Thor tokens’ to the general public to attract funding for the business which was supposed to build a software platform for the ‘gig economy’ workers and firms, the SEC’s complaint reveals. The regulator details that the digital assets were marketed as an investment opportunity. T...

Gold bug and economist Peter Schiff has recommended selling bitcoin today, emphasizing that it is “the smart move.” Many people disagreed with Schiff’s analysis of the price of the cryptocurrency, warning that he is telling investors to sell at the bottom. Peter Schiff’s Bitcoin Advice Gold bug and economist Peter Schiff has a Christmas message for bitcoin investors. Schiff is the founder and current chairman of Schiffgold, a precious metals dealer specializing in gold and silver bullion. He has long been a bitcoin skeptic, regularly bashing the crypto while promoting gold. He tweeted Sunday: My Christmas gift to HODLers is this bitcoin chart. As you can see bitcoin is much closer to its ceiling than its floor. The yellow line that was once support is now resistance. Since the upside potential is so low and downside risk so high, the smart move is to sell today. While some people thanked Schiff for his advice, many criticized the economist for telling people to sell at the bott...

Shark Tank star and the owner of the NBA team Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban, says bitcoin is a good investment. The billionaire wants the price of the cryptocurrency to fall further so he can buy some more. Meanwhile, he insulted gold investors, calling them “dumb as f***.” Mark Cuban Prefers Bitcoin Over Gold Shark Tank star and the billionaire owner of the NBA team Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban, shared his thoughts about bitcoin and gold in an episode of the “Club Random” podcast, hosted by comedian Bill Maher and scheduled to be aired Monday. Maher said he is “ very anti-bitcoin ” and believes in the value of gold. Commenting on gold investing, the Dallas Mavericks owner opined : If you have gold, you’re dumb as f***. The podcast host proceeded to argue that gold “never goes away” and is “like a hedge against everything else.” Cuban replied: No, but it’s not a hedge against anything, right? What it is is the stored value and you don’t own the physical gold, do you? … Gold is...

Tesla CEO and Twitter chief Elon Musk has confirmed that the social media company is no longer “in the fast lane to bankruptcy.” Nonetheless, the billionaire emphasized that there is still much work to do on the platform. “But overall it seems to be going in a good direction.” Twitter Won’t Go Bankrupt Anytime Soon, Says Elon Musk Tesla CEO and Twitter chief Elon Musk revealed over the weekend that Twitter will not be filing for bankruptcy anytime soon. He said on the All-In podcast Saturday: We’ve got the expenses reasonably under control, so the company’s not in the fast lane to bankruptcy anymore. “It has been quite a roller coaster,” he added. “It has its highs and lows, to say the least, but overall it seems to be going in a good direction.” Following the podcast, Musk tweeted clarifying that Twitter is not secure yet and there is still “much work to do.” The Twitter boss further shared on the podcast: “My error rate and sort of being the chief twit will be less over tim...

109 years ago, the U.S. Federal Reserve was created and ever since that day, the purchasing power of the U.S. dollar has dropped a great deal. Since the Fed started, more than 96% of the greenback’s purchasing power has been erased via inflation. The Purchasing Power of the U.S. Dollar After the Creation of the Federal Reserve on Dec. 24, 1913 Dwindles Lower During the last hundred years, economists have blamed the U.S. Federal Reserve for a great deal of America’s rising inflation. American economist and social theorist Thomas Sowell referred to the Fed as a “cancer,” and former politcians like Ron Paul have called on the masses to abolish the Fed. Prior to the creation of the Fed on Dec. 23, 1913, America had two central banks the preceded the current U.S. central bank. The first U.S. central bank started in 1791 which was the First Bank of the United States, a financial institution charted by Congress at the time. The second attempt to create a central bank in America was in 181...

By the end of this year bitcoin will have 13 consecutive years of recorded market value under its belt. Seven of those years saw Santa rallies all the way up until New Year’s Eve, and five of the 13 years saw bearish returns from Dec. 1 to Dec. 31. There’s still six more days left until the end of 2022, but current market action seems to point toward negative returns this month. 13 Years of Bitcoin Prices in December 2022 wasn’t the greatest year for bitcoin (BTC) in terms of market value measured in fiat. At the start of the year, BTC was trading for roughly $46K per unit and since then, the price has tumbled 63% since the first of Jan. 2022. According to records , the first recorded nominal value of bitcoin in U.S. dollars was on Oct. 5, 2009 and it was selling for $0.00764 per BTC on New Liberty Standard (NLS). At that rate, whoever was buying bitcoins at that time via NLS could get around 1,309.03 BTC for $1. We cant really count 2009, as seeing gains during the last month ...

Ahead of the holidays and new year, the former U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) contractor known to the world as a staunch privacy advocate and whistleblower, Edward Snowden, has offered to step up as the new CEO of Twitter after current “Chief Twit” Elon Musk has said he is stepping down. In other news from this week, hedge fund manager Michael Burry — of “The Big Short” fame — said that audits of cryptocurrency exchanges like FTX and Binance are “meaningless.” Get caught up on these hot stories and much more just below in this latest issue of the Bitcoin.com News Week in Review. Elon Musk Promises to Step Down as Head of Twitter — Edward Snowden Throws His Name in the Hat for CEO Tesla CEO and Twitter chief Elon Musk has promised to step down as head of Twitter. As the billionaire seeks a new CEO to run the social media platform, privacy advocate Edward Snowden threw his name in the hat, stating that he takes payment in bitcoin. “The question is not finding a CEO, the question...

The enforcement of a requirement for brokers to report gains made by crypto investors has been postponed by the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS. The new tax rules, incorporated into the $1 trillion infrastructure bill passed by the U.S. Congress in 2021, were to be imposed in 2023. Crypto Brokers Told to Comply With Existing Laws Until Final Regulations Are Issued The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are delaying an obligation for digital asset brokers to start tracking and reporting proceeds from customer transactions. The respective provision was introduced with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act , which was signed into law in late 2021, and was scheduled to enter into force on Jan. 1, 2023. The main purpose of the requirement, imposing on the crypto sector the regulations that currently apply to securities brokers, was to increase tax revenues from coin trading by revealing gains from such operations in a 1099 form. However, ad...

Financial institutions in Russia will not be able to communicate with clients through instant messengers based outside the country, local media revealed. A new law passed by the State Duma also prohibits banks from using chats to send personal data and payment documents. Bill Restricts Russian Banks and Brokers From Sending Sensitive Information Through Foreign Messengers Banks in the Russian Federation will not be allowed to contact their customers on a number of popular messengers, according to new legislation approved by the lower house of parliament. The ban applies to foreign-based platforms. A list of the affected apps is yet to be published by Roskomnadzor , the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media, but Telegram , Whatsapp, Viber, and the like fit the description, the business daily Kommersant reported. The draft law, passed by the State Duma in the third reading, also restricts the use of this type of messaging service fo...

A strategist at global investment bank JPMorgan says crypto is effectively nonexistent as an asset class for most large institutional investors. “The volatility is too high, the lack of an intrinsic return that you can point to makes it very challenging,” he added. JPMorgan on Institutional Crypto Investing JPMorgan Asset Management’s head of institutional portfolio strategy, Jared Gross, discussed crypto and institutional investors’ interest in the asset class on Bloomberg Friday. The senior investment strategist described: As an asset class, crypto is effectively nonexistent for most large institutional investors … The volatility is too high, the lack of an intrinsic return that you can point to makes it very challenging. Gross added that it is “self-evident” that bitcoin has not proven itself to be a form of digital gold or haven asset like some have hoped. He continued: Most institutional investors probably are breathing a sigh of relief that they didn’t jump into that mar...

The host of Mad Money, Jim Cramer, says he would not touch crypto in a million years. He called investors who own various altcoins idiots and urged the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to do “a big sweep” on the crypto industry. Jim Cramer’s Crypto Warnings The host of CNBC’s Mad Money show, Jim Cramer, has issued more warnings about cryptocurrency. Cramer is a former hedge fund manager who co-founded Thestreet.com, a financial news and literacy website. He said on CNBC Friday: I would not touch crypto in a million years because I wouldn’t trust the deposit bank. He was then asked whether he is making a distinction between centralized and decentralized platforms. “They fought regulation. They didn’t want regulation and you don’t have regulation,” Cramer replied, indicating that he does not trust any platforms that do not want regulation. The Mad Money host continued: I’m just saying you are using a lot of blind faith, and I like to have my money at JPMorgan, and ...

The European Central Bank (ECB) has published a new report on the progress of its investigation into the possible launch of a digital euro. The research will continue next year with the regulator planning to make a decision whether to proceed to the realization of the project in the fall of 2023. ECB to Develop Rules for Digital Euro Distribution Through Intermediaries The eurozone’s central bank has released a second report on the advance of the investigation phase of its project to issue a digital version of the common European currency. The document presents a set of design and distribution options, recently endorsed by its Governing Council, and defines the roles of the ECB and market participants in the digital euro ecosystem. Just like banknotes today, a digital euro would be a liability on the balance sheet of the Eurosystem, the monetary authority of the eurozone consisting of the ECB and the national central banks of the member states. Therefore, the Eurosystem must be in...

Russian lawmakers will consider a draft law on cryptocurrency mining in 2023 despite earlier indications they were going to vote on the proposal in December. The bill is expected to set the rules for the extraction and sale of cryptocurrency in Russia amid sanctions limiting the country’s access to global finances and markets. Russia’s New Crypto Mining Legislation Is Yet to Be Fully Approved Members of the State Duma will review and vote on the draft law designed to legalize cryptocurrency mining in the Russian Federation in 2023, the head of the Financial Market Committee Anatoly Aksakov announced in comments for the crypto section of the business news portal RBC. The high-ranking lawmaker, who has been closely involved in efforts to regulate Russia’s crypto space, explained that the proposed legislation needs additional approvals. He was likely referring to the reconciliation of the positions of the various regulators involved in the process. The bill, which was submitted to ...

Samsung, the Korean electronics behemoth, has revealed it is currently investing more than $35 million dollars in metaverse initiatives for the Latam audience. The objective behind this move is to help the brand attract and connect with younger audiences, as part of its digital push and growth marketing strategy. Samsung’s Metaverse Push in Latam Many companies have started to put their products and their brands in the metaverse, considering it an important part of their marketing strategy. Samsung, one of the biggest electronics companies in the world, has recently revealed it is investing more than $35 million in metaverse initiatives directed at Latam customers. In an article published on Dec. 20, Anita Caerols, director of marketing and corporate citizenship of Samsung Electronics Chile, explains the motivations behind this virtual reality push for the company. She stated: At Samsung we believe that the metaverse is a concrete commitment to connect with young consumers. That...