Bitcoin News and Finance: What You Need to Know

During her appearance before Nigerian lawmakers, Aisha Ahmad, the deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), told lawmakers that out of the nearly $1.8 billion used to manage the local currency, over 90% of this total was reportedly used to fund expenses associated with the production of banknotes. The Growing Cost of Maintaining the Naira According to Aisha Ahmad, the deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), between the years 2017 and 2021, the apex bank spent an equivalent of nearly $1.8 billion, or 800 billion naira, managing the local currency. The production of new banknotes alone accounted for more than 90% of this figure. As per remarks published by the Punch, Ahmad, in her recent appearance before Nigerian lawmakers, also claimed that the cost of maintaining the local currency has been increasing by over $22 million annually. Before Ahmad’s disclosure, Kingsley Moghalu, a former CBN deputy governor, had also told lawmakers that the central bank uses...

Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary’s Twitter account was hacked Thursday and used to promote a bitcoin and ethereum giveaway scam. The scammers claimed that Mr. Wonderful is giving away 5,000 bitcoin and 15,000 ether, and anyone can participate. Kevin O’Leary’s ‘Fake’ Bitcoin and Ether Giveaways The official Twitter account for Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary, aka Mr. Wonderful, started promoting bitcoin and ethereum giveaways Thursday morning. The account tweeted claiming that O’Leary has made a lot of money from crypto over the last few years and he has decided to give away 5,000 bitcoin and 15,000 ether. The tweet also provides a link for anyone to join the cryptocurrency giveaway scam event. The O’Leary Twitter account further claimed that it is not hacked and the giveaways are not a scam. It also falsely claimed that Mr. Wonderful said on CNBC last night that he will away some cryptocurrencies for real. The link provided in the first tweet takes investors to a website claiming to ...

Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman says Tesla may have more in common with bitcoin than you think. He explained that Tesla sales have depended in part on the perception that CEO Elon Musk “is a cool guy” while the price of bitcoin is “being sustained by a hard-core group of true believers.” Paul Krugman Compares Tesla to Bitcoin Paul Krugman, who won the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel in 2008 for his analysis of trade patterns and location of economic activity, published an opinion piece in the New York Times Tuesday about Tesla, bitcoin, and their huge valuations. He wrote: Tesla and bitcoin may have more in common than you think. The economist explained that mega-corporations like Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon have maintained their dominance because these companies “benefit from strong network externalities — loosely speaking, everyone uses their products because everyone else uses their products.” However, “It’s hard to see what...

After climbing to a high of 0.79 ether on Dec. 17, 2022, Donald Trump’s non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have dropped considerably in value over the last 12 days. On Dec. 29, 2022, Trump’s NFT collection has a floor value of 0.15 ether, which is around 81% lower than the floor value highs recorded last week. Trump Digital Collectibles Slide Significantly in Value Since the Launch, After Looking at the Art Trump Was Pleased With His 30-Inch Waistline The 45th president of the United States, Donald Trump, recently released 45,000 non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and during the first day of the sale, each NFT was sold for $99 per unit. Trump’s NFTs started trading on secondary NFT markets on Dec. 15, 2022 and had a floor value of around 0.1 ether or around $125 for the most inexpensive Trump NFTs. Two days later, Bitcoin.com News reported on how Trump’s NFTs skyrocketed in value after being mocked by a large number of left-leaning political commentators. The same day, on Dec. 17, 2022, Trump’s ...

The U.S dollar-Argentine peso exchange rate escalated during December, with the Argentine fiat currency reaching new historic lows as citizens ran to exchange their holiday payments for dollars. The U.S. dollar reached a value of 356 pesos on December 28, losing almost 10% during just one week, and threatening to spur a more significant inflationary jump. Argentine Peso Sinks to Lowest Level in History Argentina, one of the countries in Latam with active exchange control for foreign currencies, is facing difficulties maintaining the value of its fiat currency. The exchange between U.S. dollars and Argentine pesos reached historic levels, with the peso sinking to its lowest level ever on Dec. 28. The dollar reached a price of 356 pesos in its parallel cash denomination, also called “blue,” having closed November with a value of 314 pesos per U.S. dollar. The Argentine peso plummet accelerated last week when it lost more than 10% of its value. Since the start of 2022, the Argentine ...

The Central African Republic’s plan to list the sango coin in the last quarter of 2022 has been put on hold, while the scheduled unlocking of 5% of token holders’ portfolios has similarly been postponed, a statement from the team promoting the token has reportedly said. The decision to delay the listing of the coin was prompted by what the team terms “current market conditions.” Scheduled Token Unlocking Postponed Nearly eight months after becoming the first country in Africa to adopt bitcoin, the Central African Republic (CAR) recently said it will not proceed with the listing of its “Sango” crypto token as planned. In a statement reportedly posted in a sango coin Telegram group, the team promoting the token claimed that “current market conditions” had necessitated this decision. Besides the listing delay, the CAR team said the planned unlocking of up to 5% of sango holders’ portfolios had been postponed as well. According to the token information available on the official Sango ...

A blockchain platform built by Russia’s largest banking institution, Sber, has been used to issue digital assets based on gold. The value of the tokenized precious metal will depend on the prices of physical gold, the bank said, emphasizing that the operation is a first. Russia’s Sber Bank Mints Gold-Backed Coins Sber, Russia’s largest bank, has reported issuing gold-based digital financial assets (DFAs) on its proprietary blockchain. The coins were minted for Solfer, a holding specialized in the processing and trading of metals and making products from precious metals. The Russian law “On Digital Financial Assets,” which entered into force in January, 2021, allows companies to tokenize various assets. Sber Bank is one of three “information system operators” authorized by the Bank of Russia to issue DFAs, alongside Atomyze and Lighthouse . The latter conducted Russia’s first DFA issue in June of this year. The DFA issued for gold represents a monetary claim on the asset, Sber ex...

Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken is shutting down services in Japan. The company explained that the current Japanese market conditions and a weak global crypto market do not justify the resources needed to further grow its business in Japan at this time. Kraken Exiting Japan Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken announced Wednesday that it has decided to “cease its operations in Japan and deregister from the Financial Services Agency (JFSA) as of January 31, 2023.” The company explained that the decision to exit the Japanese crypto market is part of its “efforts to prioritize resources and investments” in the areas that align with the company’s strategy and “will best position Kraken for long-term success.” The announcement details: Current market conditions in Japan in combination with a weak crypto market globally mean the resources needed to further grow our business in Japan aren’t justified at this time. “As a result, Kraken will no longer service clients in Japan through Payward A...

Microstrategy is now holding approximately 132,500 bitcoin following its most recent purchases. This year, the world’s largest cryptocurrency has emerged as “the institutional-grade digital asset,” said Microstrategy founder Michael Saylor. Microstrategy Acquires More Bitcoin Nasdaq-listed Microstrategy Inc. announced Wednesday that it has purchased more bitcoin for its corporate treasury. Michael Saylor, the company’s founder and executive chairman, tweeted Wednesday: Microstrategy has increased its bitcoin holdings by ~2,500 BTC . As of 12/27/22 Microstrategy holds ~132,500 bitcoin acquired for ~$4.03 billion at an average price of ~$30,397 per bitcoin. In its filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Microstrategy clarified that the 2,500 coins were acquired between Nov. 1 and Dec. 24 by its wholly owned subsidiary Macrostrategy. The subsidiary bought approximately 2,395 BTC at an average price of $17,871 per coin between Nov. 1 and Dec. 21. It then so...

After the publicly-listed bitcoin mining firm Argo Blockchain suspended trading on Nasdaq and the London Stock Exchange, the company said it would follow up the next day with an announcement. The following day, on Dec. 28, 2022, Argo detailed it is selling its Helios facility to Galaxy Digital for $65 million, and the financially troubled business plans to refinance asset-backed loans with a new $35 million loan that stems from Galaxy. Galaxy Digital Purchases Texas Data Center From Argo Blockchain, Company Hopes Transactions Will ‘Enable the Company to Continue Operations’ Galaxy Digital is giving Argo Blockchain (Nasdaq: ARBK ) some fresh liquidity, according to a press announcement published by Argo on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022. Argo detailed that it is selling its Helios facility to Galaxy for $65 million. Galaxy has also agreed to host Argo’s fleet of Bitmain-manufactured S19J Pro bitcoin miners at the Helios facility. The Helios facility is located in Dickens County, Texas and...

Gumi, a Japanese mobile gaming company, has partnered with Square Enix and SBI Holdings to build new business opportunities around the metaverse. The deal, which also includes the issuance of new stock valued at $52.7 million dollars, will allow the company to acquire financial and content creation experience. Gumi Raises $52.7 Million in Metaverse-Driven Alliance More and more gaming companies are looking to include metaverse elements in their games. Gumi, a Japanese gaming company focused on mobile entertainment, has announced a capital and business alliance with Square Enix , another Japan-based game developer, and SBI Holdings , one of the biggest financial service companies in Japan. The deal includes the issuance of new shares valued at $52.7 million, which will give SBI Holdings a 22.46% stake in the company, becoming the top shareholder. Square Enix will have a marginal stake of 3.01%, according to regulatory filings . Gumi’s target is the metaverse, and it declared that t...

Venezuelan Banks have started eyeing the accounts of customers with ties to cryptocurrency trading, principally related to peer-to-peer (P2P) transaction activity. According to Legalrocks, a crypto and blockchain-focused legal firm in Venezuela, more than 75 accounts have been blocked by Venezuelan private banks for facilitating crypto-to-fiat and fiat-to-crypto conversions since the end of 2021. Venezuelan Banks Suspend Crypto-Related Accounts Venezuelan banks are ramping up vigilance on accounts that commonly are related to cryptocurrency transactions. According to a blog post published by Legalrocks, a Venezuelan law firm focused on cryptocurrency and blockchain, more than 75 cases of accounts that have been suspended or are under investigation have been registered since the end of 2021. Ana Ojeda, CEO of Legalrocks, states that using these accounts to receive fiat currency for a sale or exchange for cryptocurrency should not be considered a valid reason for blocking them. Howe...

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has reiterated its warning about a very popular crypto investment scam called “pig butchering” that is sweeping across the U.S. “Be very careful when you go on social media and dating apps and somebody starts developing a relationship with you,” cautioned an FBI specialist. FBI Warns About Pig Butchering Crypto Scam The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has renewed its warning about the “pig butchering” cryptocurrency investment scam. Frank Fisher, public affairs specialist at the FBI’s Albuquerque division, warned that the pig butchering crypto scam “is sweeping the country,” CNN reported Monday, quoting him as saying: Be very careful when you go on social media and dating apps and somebody starts developing a relationship with you, and wants you to start investing … Don’t get butchered. In pig butchering schemes, scammers “fatten up the pig by getting the victim to think that they’re investing in something and get them to move mone...

The Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has advised investors against transacting with unlicensed cryptocurrency exchanges. The warning followed the collapse of crypto exchange FTX which “left hundreds of thousands, even millions of unsecured creditors with little to no recourse in recovering their money,” the regulator stressed. Philippine SEC Warns About Unregulated Crypto Exchanges The Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued an advisory Friday warning the public against transacting with unregistered cryptocurrency exchanges. The regulator wrote: SEC strongly warns and advises the public against transacting with unregistered and unlicensed cryptocurrency exchanges reachable and deemed operating in the Philippines. The advisory followed the collapse of crypto exchange FTX which “left hundreds of thousands, even millions of unsecured creditors with little to no recourse in recovering their money,” the Philippine SEC described. The regulator pr...

The famous author of the best-selling book Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki, says now may be the last chance to buy gold and silver at low prices. “Inflation moving up. Interest rates moving up. Stock market to crash sending gold and silver higher,” Kiyosaki described. Robert Kiyosaki Expects Gold and Silver to Soar When Stock Market Crashes The author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki, says the prices of gold and silver are about to soar. Rich Dad Poor Dad is a 1997 book co-authored by Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter. It has been on the New York Times Best Seller List for over six years. More than 32 million copies of the book have been sold in over 51 languages across more than 109 countries. Kiyosaki tweeted Monday that the price of gold is now over $1,800 while silver is over $24, adding: Inflation moving up. Interest rates moving up. Stock market to crash sending gold and silver higher. May be last chance to buy gold and silver at these low prices. The Rich Dad Poor Dad ...

Bitcoin miner Argo Blockchain announced that it requested the suspension of trading its company shares on Dec. 27, as the company expects to make an announcement on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022. The company’s stock has lost 96.34% year-to-date and on Dec. 12, the bitcoin miner “advanced negotiations with a third party to sell certain assets” in order to “strengthen its balance sheet and improve its liquidity.” Argo Blockchain Requested a Suspension of Stock Trading Pending an Official Announcement On Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, the publicly-listed bitcoin miner Argo Blockchain (Nasdaq: ARBK ) announced that it has requested the suspension of trading its shares via Nasdaq and the London Stock Exchange as well. Argo detailed that it believes trading will resume after the company makes an important announcement on Dec. 28. Argo disclosed that the announcement is “expected to be released before [the] opening of trading on Wednesday.” Argo is one of many bitcoin mining operations that has suff...

A major cryptocurrency mining pool has been hit by hackers earlier this month, the company who owns the pool revealed in an announcement. The incident resulted in the theft of digital assets belonging to the pool and its clients worth a combined total of $3 million. Chinese Authorities Launch Investigation Into Crypto Mining Pool Hack A subsidiary of the coin minting company Bit Mining has been targeted in a hacking attack, the company said in a press release. The affected entity is a leading bitcoin mining pool, Btc.com , which in the past week accounted for over 2.5% of the pool distribution and has a share exceeding 4% on annual basis. According to the announcement published Monday, Dec. 26, the platform was hit on Dec. 3, 2022. As a result, $2.3 million worth of digital assets owned by the company and another $700,000 in asset value belonging to its clients were stolen. The cyberattack has been reported to law enforcement in Shenzhen, China on Dec. 23. The Chinese authorities ...

For more than 50 days or since Nov. 5, 2022, bitcoin, ethereum, and stablecoin owners removed roughly $19.19 billion in crypto assets from centralized exchanges. Between Nov. 5 to Dec. 26, roughly 356,848 bitcoin and 4.48 million ether were withdrawn from a myriad of crypto trading platforms worldwide. $6 Billion in Bitcoin, Over $5 Billion in Ether, and More Than $7 Billion in Stablecoin Assets Were Removed From Centralized Exchanges in 51 Days Since the onset of FTX’s collapse on Nov. 5, 2022, a great number of bitcoin ( BTC ) and ethereum ( ETH ) have left exchanges. Statistics from cryptoquant.com indicate that since that day 51 days ago, 356,848 BTC worth $6.02 billion, using current bitcoin exchange rates, has been removed. The near two-month span was the largest number of bitcoin and ethereum withdrawals all year. Currently, on Dec. 26, 2022, cryptoquant.com metrics show there’s 2,151,925 BTC held on centralized exchanges. 51 days ago on Nov. 5, around 2,508,773 bitcoin ...

The Argentine Soccer Association, AFA, has partnered with Upland, a virtual world platform, to introduce its fans to the metaverse. Upland will allow Argentine fans to have a bigger connection with AFA history, presenting the opportunity to acquire digital representations of several properties of the league, including clubs, games, historical moments, and even tickets. Argentine Soccer Association AFA to Establish a Presence in the Metaverse The Argentine Soccer Association, AFA, the institution that manages the national soccer league, is now entering the metaverse. The organization has partnered with Upland, a real-life mapping metaverse project, to allow its users to enter the metaverse and experience the benefits of a closer connection with teams and celebrated players. According to a press release issued by the AFA, Upland’s partnership will include digital representations of all the teams of the league, including players, tickets, games, historical moments, and exclusive mome...

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...