Bitcoin News and Finance: What You Need to Know

Three Gemini Earn users have accused Genesis Global Capital of breaching a contract and have subsequently filed a demand for class arbitration with the American Arbitration Association. In addition, the three users assert that all transactions “constituted unregistered sales of securities” and therefore must be rescinded. ‘A Sham Transaction’ A demand for class arbitration in a case that pits three Gemini Earn users against Genesis Global Capital (GGC), its parent the Digital Currency Group (DCG), and Genesis Global Trading has been filed with the American Arbitration Association (AAA). According to a statement released by Silver Golub & Teitell, the law firm representing the claimants. GGC and the related entities are accused of breaching the terms of the so-called Master Agreement. According to the Dec. 30, 2022 statement , the claimants allege the initial breach of contract “when GGC became insolvent in the summer of 2022 but concealed its insolvency from lenders.” The stat

PRESS RELEASE. As financial markets worldwide confront major challenges, the crypto market has remained sluggish in 2022. Meanwhile, along with the slowing global economic growth, the crypto market has also entered a prolonged bear period. Despite the continued sluggishness of crypto this year, the industry raised more funds in the first half of the year than it did in 2021. This indicates that the bear market also offers premium categories and projects, which allow us to prepare for the next crypto bull. 2022 in Review: Unlocking Potential in the Blockchain Space Since its inception, ViaBTC Capital, a new institutional investor focusing on blockchain, has always aimed to leverage the technology, talent, project, and capital of the blockchain space and build an all-encompassing, globalized blockchain investment ecosystem through steady efforts. Looking back on its track record in 2022, we can tell that ViaBTC Capital has invested in many distinctive, promising projects, including

A Moroccan draft crypto law, which seeks to protect individuals from the risks associated with crypto trading, is ready and will soon be presented to stakeholders, Abdellatif Jouahiri, the governor of Bank Al-Maghrib (BAM), has said. Adoption of crypto by Moroccan residents is now inevitable hence a regulatory framework is needed. BAM to Hold Discussions With the Capital and Insurance Market Regulators According to Abdellatif Jouahiri, the governor of the Moroccan central bank also known as Bank Al-Maghrib (BAM), the country’s draft law on crypto is now ready, and will soon be presented to interested parties. In his comments reportedly made during a press conference, Jouahiri insisted the draft law seeks to protect individuals from risks that come with crypto investing. As per a report by Morocco World News, the Moroccan Capital Markets Authority (AMMC) and the Insurance Supervisory Authority, and Social Security (ACAPS) are some of the stakeholders the central bank is expected to

Hedge fund manager Michael Burry, famed for forecasting the 2008 financial crisis, says inflation has peaked in the U.S. but there will be another inflation spike. He expects the U.S. economy to be in a recession “by any definition.” Michael Burry’s 2023 Economic Predictions Famous investor and founder of investment firm Scion Asset Management, Michael Burry, has shared his 2023 economic predictions. Burry is best known for being the first investor to foresee and profit from the U.S. subprime mortgage crisis that occurred between 2007 and 2010. He is profiled in “The Big Short,” a book by Michael Lewis about the mortgage crisis, which was made into a movie starring Christian Bale. Burry tweeted Sunday: “Inflation peaked. But it is not the last peak of this cycle.” He continued: We are likely to see CPI lower, possibly negative in 2H 2023, and the U.S. in recession by any definition. Fed will cut and government will stimulate. And we will have another inflation spike. It’s not har

Before FTX collapsed it was assumed that Alameda Research was one of the top quantitative trading firms and market makers within the industry. However, much of that perception may have been a facade as a recent report details that Alameda suffered from financial troubles as early as 2018. People familiar with the matter said Alameda was losing money back then and a massive loss from a failed xrp trade in mid-2018 cut the company’s assets by more than two-thirds. Alameda Research’s Façade as a Top Quantitative Crypto Trading Firm Crumbles with Reveal of Early Financial Struggles Sam Bankman-Fried ’s (SBF) Alameda Research reportedly lost large sums of money as early as 2018, according to a report published by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). Alameda Research was a quantitive trading firm that was officially launched in Sept. 2017 with Tara Mac Aulay. Prior to launching Alameda, SBF worked for Jane Street and he traded international exchange-traded funds (ETFs) until he started his posi

The status of the Venezuelan gold currently being held by the Bank of England might fall into regulatory limbo after the dissolution of the interim government of Juan Guaido. The 31 tons of gold have been the subject of dispute between the current president Nicolas Maduro and Juan Guaido since 2019, when Guaido integrated a parallel government. Status of Venezuelan Gold in the Bank of England Uncertain The status of the Venezuelan gold stash guarded in the vaults of the Bank of England in London is uncertain after the dissolution of the interim government of the country. The 31 tons of gold (1.02 millon troy ounces), valued at more than $1.85 billion, were disputed by the two governments of the country, one presided over by Nicolas Maduro, and the other by interim president Juan Guaido, who integrated a provisional government in 2019 after disputing the legality of the presidential ballot. While U.K. courts had decided in favor of Guaido in July, the dissolution of the government

The Italian Parliament has introduced a 26% capital tax on cryptocurrency gains as part of the 2023 budget law, which was approved on Dec. 29. The document also offers incentives for taxpayers to declare their cryptocurrency holdings, proposing a 3.5% aliquot for undeclared cryptocurrencies held before Dec. 31, 2021, and a 0.5% fine for each additional year. Italian Parliament Passes Capital Gains Tax for Crypto The Italian parliament greenlighted a new tax for cryptocurrency on Dec. 29, as part of its budget law for the year 2023. Senators approved the document presented on Dec. 24, which approved a 26% aliquot for cryptocurrency gains above 2,000 euros (approx. $2,060) during a tax period. The capital gains tax for crypto had been proposed since Dec 1, when the draft for the budget law was presented. The approved document includes a series of incentives for taxpayers to declare their cryptocurrency holdings, proposing an amnesty on gains achieved, paying a “substitute tax” of 3

Although they grabbed less media attention than the collapse of centralized organizations, the so-called bridge exploit incidents in 2022 again proved that the decentralized finance (defi) ecosystem still lacks sufficiently secure solutions, Hugo Philion, the co-founder and CEO of Flare Networks, has argued. Philion insists that the lack of such secure solutions has constrained the growth and use of defi products. Lack of Communication Between Chains In written responses sent to Bitcoin.com News, Philion claimed that the large-scale, cross-chain experimentation primarily seen in 2020 and 2021 potentially explains why more than $2 billion has been lost via the so-called bridge exploits of the past 12 months. However, according to the Flare Network CEO , while it may not be possible to completely eliminate risks for users, bridges could “be made substantially safer.” Besides addressing security-related issues, Philion also offered his thoughts on many other issues that range from the

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that 2023 will be a tougher year for most of the world economy because the U.S., EU, and Chinese economies are all slowing down simultaneously. “We expect one-third of the world economy to be in recession … Even countries that are not in recession, it would feel like recession for hundreds of millions of people,” said IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva. IMF’s 2023 Economic Predictions International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva shared the IMF’s predictions on the U.S., the EU, China, and the world economy in an interview with CBS, aired Sunday. She detailed: This is what we see in 2023. For most of the world economy, this is going to be a tough year, tougher than the year we leave behind. Why? Because the three big economies, U.S., EU, China, are all slowing down simultaneously. “The U.S. is most resilient. The U.S. may avoid recession. We see the labor market remaining quite strong. This is, however, a mi

Economist Peter Schiff has predicted that the U.S. dollar will have “one of its worst years ever” in 2023, warning that the inflation problem is “about to get much worse.” He also shared his prediction about the worst-performing sectors of the stock market this year. Peter Schiff’s 2023 Economic Predictions Economist and gold bug Peter Schiff shared his 2023 predictions about the U.S. economy, the dollar, and the stock market in a series of tweets Friday. “The U.S. dollar index may have had a strong year, but it ended the year on a six-month low, down 10% from its November high,” he began, elaborating: This weakness will likely continue in 2023, with the dollar having one of its worst years ever. If I’m right the inflation problem is about to get much worse. Schiff also disagreed with Wharton University’s finance professor Jeremy Siegel who shared his economic view on CNBC last week. “Jeremy Siegel is wrong,” Schiff contended. Siegel “thinks falling real estate prices means th

According to statistics, daily cryptocurrency trade volumes have dropped significantly during Dec. 2022. On Jan. 1, data shows that $22.95 billion was traded in the last 24 hours, compared to double that amount, $54.78 billion, two weeks earlier. On November 8, 2022, 54 days prior, amid the FTX collapse, global cryptocurrency trade volumes were approximately $115.33 billion. Crypto Trade Volumes End 2022 46% Lower Than the Month Prior Cryptocurrency trade volumes worldwide have significantly declined since the beginning of the year. For example, on Jan. 2, 2022, one year ago, the global trade volume for the 24-hour period was approximately $70.48 billion , according to archived coingecko.com statistics. Today’s 24-hour volume worldwide is 67.43% less at $22.95 billion . In addition, 71.63% of all trades on Jan. 1, 2023, were paired with the cryptocurrency economy’s stablecoins. While all the stablecoins today represent $16.44 billion in trade volume, tether ( USDT ) commands $12.4

Robert Kiyosaki says the time to buy gold and silver is now, predicting a stock market crash will send prices of the precious metals higher. In other news, the crypto community has been curious about the former Alameda Research co-CEO Sam Trabucco, and his whereabouts, as the guilty plea of Alameda’s former CEO Caroline Ellison has been unsealed, revealing troubling information about customer funds. Bitcoin.com News further reports that as the United States Fed has turned 109 years old on Dec. 23, the dollar has lost 96% of its purchasing power since the Federal Reserve was created. Finally, one market strategist expects oil to “crush” other investments in 2023. All this just below, in this latest issue of the Bitcoin.com News Week in Review. Robert Kiyosaki Warns Last Chance to Buy Gold and Silver at Low Prices — Says Stock Market Crash Will Send Them Higher The famous author of the best-selling book Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki, says now may be the last chance to buy gold a

Growing electricity consumption in the crypto mining sector may require the construction of new power generation facilities in Siberia, the energy minister of Russia has acknowledged. Demand continues to increase in residential areas as well, after regional authorities abandoned a proposal to introduce higher tariffs for Russians minting digital coins at their homes. Authorities in Russia Think New Energy Infrastructure, Generation Capacities in Crypto Mining Regions Russian Minister of Energy Nikolay Shulginov has recognized the increased demand for electricity from cryptocurrency miners in some parts of Siberia where the industry has been expanding. Additional generating capacities may be necessary to meet their needs, he indicated, quoted by local media and crypto news outlets. Shulginov did not reveal specific plans but made it clear that Russian authorities in these regions are considering the further development of the energy networks used by mining companies and the construc

A draft law devoted to the digital ruble has been filed with the State Duma, the lower house of Russian parliament. The legislation introduces rules determining how the new form of national fiat will be issued and amends a series of legal acts to facilitate its implementation. Bank of Russia to Be the Sole Operator of the Digital Ruble Platform A group of Russian lawmakers, led by the Chairman of the Financial Market Committee Anatoly Aksakov, have submitted draft legislation on the digital ruble, the central bank digital currency ( CBDC ) minted by Russia’s monetary authority. The document suggests legislative changes meant to create the conditions for its introduction. According to the explanatory notes to the bill, quoted by the crypto page of the Russian business news portal RBC, its main purpose is to develop the necessary payment infrastructure for the digital ruble. This, the sponsors believe, would provide Russian citizens, businesses, and the state with access to fast, con

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) says one of the priorities for the G20 under India’s presidency is to “develop a framework for global regulation, including the possibility of prohibition, of unbacked crypto assets, stablecoins, and defi.” The Indian central bank warned that “turmoil in crypto assets market” is among “the major risks that can potentially undermine global financial stability.” Indian Central Bank on Crypto Regulation India’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), released its Financial Stability Report (FSR) for December on Thursday. The 172-page report includes discussions on crypto assets, central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), and decentralized finance (defi). “Regulating new technology and business models after they have grown to a systemic level is challenging,” the RBI report states. “To promote responsible innovation and to mitigate financial stability risks in crypto ecosystem, it is vital for policymakers to design an appropriate policy approach.”

The famous author of the best-selling book Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki, has revealed why he is buying more bitcoin. He warned that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations will “crush” most other cryptocurrencies. Robert Kiyosaki Buys More Bitcoin, Warns About SEC Regulations Crushing Crypto Tokens The author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki, has revealed the key reason why he is investing in bitcoin. The famous author warned that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will “crush” most other crypto tokens with its regulations. 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 Friday that he is investing in bitcoin. He explained that he is “very excited” about BTC because the cryptocurrency “is classified as a commodity much li

Trials of the digital yuan have produced disappointing results, according to a report quoting the former head of research at the Chinese central bank. The new form of national fiat has brought no benefits to the banks and should expand beyond being employed only as a substitute for cash, the banker believes. Common People Used to Cash and Cards, Ex-PBOC Executive Notes Usage of China’s central bank digital currency ( CBDC ) has been “low, highly inactive,” according to Xie Ping, former director-general of research at the People’s Bank of China (PBOC). Ping made this observation at a conference devoted to digital finance. “The cumulative circulation of the digital yuan in the two years of the trial has been only 100 billion yuan” ($14 billion), he detailed, quoted by the financial news outlet Caixin and Reuters. In his view, the application of the digital yuan needed to be widened. “The results are not ideal,” Xie concluded during the forum which was organized by the Tsinghua Unive

Tokio Marine, the biggest property/casualty insurance group in Japan, is taking its services and operations into the metaverse. The group, which has more than 39,000 employees all over the world, will allow its users to review and purchase insurance products on a metaverse platform, using real employees as clerks in the virtual world. Tokio Marine to Offer Insurance in Metaverse While gaming, social, and tech companies have been the first in embracing the metaverse as a concept, other companies are now also entering available metaverse platforms. Tokio Marine, the biggest property and casualty insurance group in Japan, has announced that it will start offering insurance services in the metaverse. The company will offer insurance and other kinds of policies in the digital world in January, employing real clerks that will be represented as avatars. Interested users will be able to interact with the clerks and inquire about the details of each one of the products offered, as well as s

The Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) has conducted the first payment transactions on the test network of the digital lira. The monetary authority intends to proceed with more testing in 2023 and plans to invite banks and fintech companies to join the trials. Turkey to Widen Participation in Digital Lira Project, Focus on Studying Economic and Legal Aspects Turkey’s monetary authority has successfully carried out the first payment transactions on the Digital Turkish Lira Network, according to an announcement on Thursday. The operations were executed as part of studies during the first phase of the central bank digital currency (CBDC) project. The CBRT also said it will continue to perform pilot tests with technology stakeholders in the first quarter of next year, on a limited scale and in a closed-circuit environment. The findings from these tests will be revealed to the public in a comprehensive evaluation report, it promised. Also in 2023, the Turkish central bank i