Bitcoin News and Finance: What You Need to Know

A leading marketplace on the dark web, Solaris, has been hit by a rival, according to crypto analytics company Elliptic. The Russia-linked platform, which tried to occupy space vacated by the busted Hydra, is believed to have conquered up to a fifth of the illicit market before the hack. Solaris Allegedly Taken Over by Darknet Marketplace Called Kraken Solaris, a major marketplace for drugs and other illicit products, has been targeted in a hacking attack carried out by a similar enterprise, Kraken, not to be confused with the well-known cryptocurrency exchange with the same name. After in April last year law enforcement authorities shut down Hydra, the former leader in this business, seizing its servers in Germany and arresting an alleged operator in Russia, Solaris managed to gain between 20% and 25% market share, according to estimates quoted by Elliptic. This week, the blockchain forensics company reported that since Friday, Jan. 13, those who visited the onionsite were bein

Bank of America says “digital currencies appear inevitable,” adding that central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and stablecoins are “a natural evolution of today’s monetary and payment systems.” The bank expects “private sector beneficiaries to emerge in all phases of CBDC implementation.” Bank of America on Future of Money and Payments Bank of America (BOA)’s global research team published a report on global cryptocurrencies, digital assets, and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) earlier this week. The bank wrote: Digital currencies appear inevitable. We view distributed ledgers and digital currencies, such as CBDCs and stablecoins, as a natural evolution of today’s monetary and payment systems. “Our view is CBDCs that leverage distributed ledger technology have the potential to revolutionize global financial systems and may be the most significant technological advancement in the history of money,” BOA described. The report explains that there are currently 114 central

The host of Mad Money, Jim Cramer, has thanked Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Gary Gensler for standing up to the “crypto bullies” who want the regulator to approve a spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF). Cramer has repeatedly warned about the SEC cracking down on uncompliant crypto firms, urging investors to get out of the asset class now. Jim Cramer Praises SEC Chairman Gary Gensler The host of CNBC’s Mad Money show, Jim Cramer, has thanked the chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Gary Gensler, for not approving a spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF). Cramer is a former hedge fund manager who co-founded Thestreet.com, a financial news and literacy website. The Mad Money host tweeted Friday: Thank you, SEC Chief Gary Gensler for standing up to the crypto bullies who wanted an ETF. They could have been blown to kingdom come by Genesis Global, now filing for bankruptcy. Crypto lender Genesis Global Capital LLC is part of a subs

Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman says two changes have happened recently that “really matter” to the economy. The executive explained that inflation has clearly peaked and China has made a “major, major pivot” economically. Morgan Stanley’s CEO on U.S. Economy and Inflation The chairman and CEO of global investment bank Morgan Stanley, James Gorman, discussed the U.S. economy and China’s relationship with the U.S. in an interview with CNBC Thursday in Davos, Switzerland. “Two things have changed recently that really matter,” he began, noting that the first concerns inflation while the second concerns China’s recent pivot economically. “The inflation numbers are better,” the Morgan Stanley chief said, emphasizing: Clearly, inflation peaked. That’s no longer a question. It’s a fact. He added that the question is can the Federal Reserve get to its 2% inflation target and “how hard will they try to get to 2% vs. stabilizing around 3%, 4%.” Regarding the Fed hiking interest rates,

Equities, precious metals, and cryptocurrencies have been on a tear during the last three weeks of 2023, and all eyes are now focused on the next Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, which is 11 days away. On Friday, Federal Reserve governor Christopher Waller said that he favors a quarter-point benchmark rate increase at the next FOMC meeting. Analysts believe that current market trajectories will be dependent on the outcome of the next Fed meeting. Markets Still on Edge Ahead of Fed Meeting Despite Equities, Cryptocurrencies, and Precious Metals Rallying in 2023 On Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023, at 2:45 p.m. Eastern Time, the global cryptocurrency market capitalization was up 5.87% over the previous day and hovering around $1.06 trillion in value. The leading crypto asset, bitcoin (BTC) , had climbed 11.63% higher against the U.S. dollar in the past seven days. The second-leading digital currency in terms of market valuation, ethereum (ETH) , had risen 8.33% that week against t

The United Arab Emirates virtual assets regulator has said no crypto entity has been granted the full market product (FMP) license. According to the country’s minister of state for artificial intelligence and the digital economy, Omar Sultan Al Olama, no crypto entity has been “able to onboard any customers even last week.” VARA Has Yet to Grant a Full Market Product License The United Arab Emirates’ virtual assets regulator, the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), has not issued any operating license to date, the country’s digital economy minister Omar Sultan Al Olama has said. Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF), Al Olama reportedly said that no crypto exchange entity including Binance and FTX has been granted the full market product (FMP) license. As per Al Olama’s remarks published on Laraontheblock, no crypto is yet to complete the VARA’s four-step process. Accordingly, this means “no one was able to onboard any customers even last week.” In March 2022, the VA

A World Economic Forum (WEF) panel comprised of central bankers and global tech providers has profiled central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) as the future of central bank money, presenting them as one of the solutions for limitations in the payments sector today. However, they have also stated these present several limitations still to be addressed. WEF Panel Explains Advantages of CBDCs A central bank digital currency panel, part of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Davos meetings, stressed it has high expectations for central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) as part of the future of central bank money. The panel, consisting of central bankers like Julio Velarde, governor of the Central Bank of Peru, Lesetja Kganyago, governor of the South African Reserve Bank, and Amir Yaron, governor of the Central Bank of Israel, noted several supposed advantages these new financial tools might present, but also highlighted the difficulties in implementing them efficiently. Governor Velarde ex

While the number of ransomware hits may not have decreased significantly, the revenue from such attacks has fallen sharply last year, according to Chainalysis. The blockchain forensics firm believes that to a large extent the trend can be attributed to more of the targeted organizations refusing to pay the perpetrators. Chainalysis Registers Significant Decline in Revenue From Ransomware Attacks Over the course of 2022, ransomware actors have managed to extort at least $456.8 million from victims, Chainalysis revealed in a report published Thursday. The estimated amount is down from $765.6 million the year before, the analytics company pointed out, noting that the true total is likely much higher, as many crypto addresses controlled by attackers have yet to be identified. “The trend is clear: Ransomware payments are significantly down,” the authors of the study said while emphasizing that this finding doesn’t mean fewer attacks have been carried out. They believe instead that much

An Indian government official says that there is currently nothing that outlaws crypto in India “as long as you follow the legal process.” Meanwhile, the country’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has stressed that “cryptocurrency does not have any underlying value.” Indian Government Official on Crypto Indian government official Rajeev Chandrasekhar talked about cryptocurrency Thursday at an event in Bengaluru. Chandrasekhar currently serves as both India’s Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology and Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. He is also a member of Rajya Sabha, the upper house of parliament. He explained that India has no issue with cryptocurrencies if all laws are followed, Reuters reported, quoting him as saying: There is nothing today that outlaws crypto as long as you follow the legal process. The Indian government has not yet established a regulatory framework for cryptocurrency. In December last year

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon calls bitcoin “a hyped-up fraud.” The executive questioned the cryptocurrency’s supply cap, expecting a picture of bitcoin’s pseudonymous creator Satoshi Nakamoto to pop up and laugh at us all when bitcoin’s supply hits 21 million coins. JPMorgan’s CEO on Bitcoin and Its Supply Cap The CEO of global investment bank JPMorgan Chase, Jamie Dimon, reiterated his skepticism about bitcoin in an interview with CNBC Thursday. The JPMorgan executive claimed: Bitcoin itself is a hyped-up fraud. It’s a pet rock. Regarding the collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, Dimon commented: “I’m not surprised at all. I call them a decentralized Ponzi scheme. The hype around this thing has been extraordinary.” Dimon also reiterated his doubt about BTC ’s 21 million supply cap, suggesting that bitcoin’s pseudonymous creator Satoshi Nakamoto could remove the cryptocurrency’s supply limit. He said: How do you know it’s going to stop at 21 million? Maybe it’s going to

Statistics show over the course of 54 days, the number of wrapped bitcoin (WBTC) hosted on the Ethereum network has decreased by 40,156. This equates to a more than 18% redemption of the circulating supply of WBTC since Nov. 27, 2022. WBTC Remains Largest Operation in Terms of Bitcoin Custody Despite Recent Redemptions The Bitgo-backed Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) project has been officially in operation since the end of January 2019 and has grown significantly since its launch. At the time of writing, it is the largest operation in terms of the number of bitcoin ( BTC ) custodied to back the WBTC token value. On January 20, 2023, WBTC is the 19th largest crypto asset by market capitalization, valued at $21,278 per unit. WBTC’s market valuation on Friday afternoon Eastern Time was around $3.8 billion. According to the project’s website and transparency dashboard , at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Jan. 20, 2023, there were approximately 180,197 WBTC in circulation on the Ethereum chain.

Silvergate Capital Corporation, the parent firm of the crypto-focused bank Silvergate Bank, has attributed the $1 billion loss it incurred in the fourth quarter of 2022 to the confidence crisis that permeates the entire crypto ecosystem. While Silvergate has taken steps to help it navigate the current environment, according to the CEO Alan Lane, the firm remains “focused on providing value-added services for [its] core institutional customers.” Confidence Crisis Less than a month after Silvergate Bank reported a massive drop in customer deposits, the crypto-focused financial institution’s parent firm, Silvergate Capital Corporation, said on Jan. 17 that a “transformational shift” seen in the fourth quarter (Q4) had helped to “create a crisis of confidence across the ecosystem.” This, in turn, sparked the shift to a “risk off position across digital asset trading platforms,” the parent firm said. As a consequence of this changed environment, Silvergate said the group incurred a Q4

Binance has unveiled intentions to broaden its activities in Poland, another EU member state where the global cryptocurrency exchange is registered. The coin trading platform plans to develop its Polish entity, recruit local talent and launch educational initiatives. Crypto Exchange Binance Moves Forward With Plans to Expand Operations in Poland Binance, the world’s largest digital asset trading platform, is enhancing its presence in Poland, noting in an announcement that it maintains its commitment to comply with the country’s rules for virtual asset service providers (VASPs). The expansion in 2023 will be facilitated by the development of the company’s local entity which adheres to the regulatory requirements. Polish customers will have to sign new Terms and Conditions with Binance Poland in order to continue using the platform’s services. The subsidiary aims at full compliance with the Polish standards for VASPs and will adopt risk and anti-money laundering policies to match

The cryptocurrency lender, Nexo, has agreed to pay $45 million to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and several state regulators after charges were levied against the firm for failing to register the company’s Earn Interest Product (EIP). Nexo detailed that the settlements are on a “no admit, no deny” basis and that the arrangement “closes all multi-year-long inquiries into Nexo.” Nexo Pays $22.5 Million to SEC, $22.5 Million to Several State Regulators for EIP Offering On Jan. 19, 2023, Nexo announced that it has agreed to settle with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) and several state regulators, including the Office of the New York Attorney General, over an unregistered offering. According to the SEC, around June 2020, Nexo started to offer the company’s Earn Interest Product (EIP), an interest-earning product that allows investors to earn interest on deposited crypto assets. The U.

NYU Professor Nouriel Roubini, aka Dr. Doom, has warned that “99.99% of crypto is a scam, a criminal activity, a total real-bubble Ponzi scheme that is going bust.” He advised investors to “absolutely stay away” from crypto, claiming that most people in the crypto space are “all crooks.” Dr. Doom Warns Nearly 100% of Crypto Is a Scam Economic professor Nouriel Roubini, aka Dr. Doom, warned about cryptocurrency in an interview with Yahoo Finance Live Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Roubini is a professor of economics and international business at New York University (NYU) Stern School of Business. He also serves as chairman of Roubini Global Economics, a global macroeconomic and market strategy research firm that he co-founded. He told the news outlet: Literally, 99.99% of crypto is a scam, a criminal activity, a total real-bubble Ponzi scheme that is going bust. Dr. Doom also shared his opinion on the collapsed crypto exchange FTX and its disgraced

PRESS RELEASE. INTERNET CITY, DUBAI, Jan 19, 2023 – LBank Exchange, a global digital asset trading platform, has listed CPCoin (CPC) on January 19, 2023. For all users of LBank Exchange, the CPC/ USDT trading pair is now officially available for trading. CryptoPerformance is disrupting the crypto industry through its internal and highly developed blockchain, the CPCx0 Chain, its native coin CPCoin, and a buy and hold platform – which together ensure a one-stop-shop for all crypto users and high-quality products and services. Its native coin CPCoin (CPC) has been listed on LBank Exchange at 9:00 UTC on January 19, 2023, to further expand its global reach and help it achieve its vision. Introducing CryptoPerformance Group CryptoPerformance Group is a one-stop solution for all crypto-related needs, setting it apart from competitors by offering multiple digital solutions and products to individuals and corporations. It has built and financed its own in-house developed blockchain the

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has announced the rollout of the Global Collaboration Village, its own metaverse platform, for this year. Klaus Schwab, chairman of the WEF, plans to leverage this representation of Davos to allow people and leaders to meet in virtual worlds and coordinate global collaboration efforts efficiently. WEF to Promote Metaverse-Based Collaboration The World Economic Forum (WEF) has announced the rollout of its own metaverse platform, dubbed the Global Collaboration Village. The digital world, designed to look like the actual town of Davos in which the organization meets once every year, will supposedly allow for more efficient collaboration between world leaders. According to Klaus Schwab, chairman of the organization, the WEF plans to leverage this new world as a way of turning Davos meetings, which usually last just a week, into a project that will allow for interviews and conversations between world leaders all year round. Schwab is optimistic about thi

The ministers of finance of the countries in the eurozone reaffirmed their support for efforts to prepare for the potential launch of a digital euro. Meanwhile, the single currency area’s monetary authority sought to reassure future users that the new currency will be “preserving privacy by default and by design.” Eurogroup to Remain Involved in Digital Euro Development, Says Many Decisions Are Political Finance ministers of the EU member states that have adopted the common European currency, the Eurogroup , met on Monday in Brussels to mark Croatia’s accession to the eurozone and discuss current matters — from the economic situation to the fiscal policy coordination in the euro area. One of the topics discussed was the advancement of the initiative to issue a digital version of the euro. In a statement adopted by the forum, the government officials vowed to continue their involvement, with Paschal Donohoe, the president of the informal format, quoted as saying: What we plan to d

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Thailand has issued new regulations on custodied cryptocurrencies. Companies offering crypto custody services are now required to “establish a digital wallet management system to accommodate efficient custody of digital assets and keys and ensure safety of clients’ assets,” the regulator described. Thai SEC’s New Crypto Rules Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced Tuesday that it has issued new rules on the “management of digital wallets for custody of digital assets and keys.” The new regulations went into effect on Jan. 16. The Thai SEC explained that businesses that provide custody services for clients’ digital assets must: Establish a digital wallet management system to accommodate efficient custody of digital assets and keys and ensure safety of clients’ assets. They must also have a “policy and guidelines” in place for the management of “digital wallets and keys as well as communication to clarify such

South Korea’s financial regulator is developing new tools to regularly monitor crypto risks. The regulator warned that while the impact of the crypto market on the traditional financial system is still low, the risks posed by crypto to the country’s financial stability could increase sharply in the future. Korean Regulator Developing Crypto Monitoring Tools South Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) is planning to develop crypto monitoring tools and regularly inspect the risks associated with crypto assets, FSS Governor Lee Bok-hyun reportedly revealed Monday at a conference on the interconnectedness between the crypto market and the traditional financial market. He was quoted by local media as saying: The Financial Supervisory Service is planning various initiatives for the risk management of the virtual asset market this year. Regarding the crypto monitoring tools, Lee explained that the supervisory authority currently lacks data to identify potential risks from crypto

Japan has reportedly urged other countries, including the U.S., to regulate crypto exchanges like they do banks. A top official at the Financial Services Agency explained that the recent FTX implosion wasn’t brought on by crypto technology but by “loose governance, lax internal controls, and the absence of regulation and supervision.” Bank-Level Cryptocurrency Regulations Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA), the country’s top financial regulator, has urged regulators globally to subject cryptocurrency exchanges to bank-level regulations, Bloomberg reported Monday. Mamoru Yanase, deputy director-general of the FSA’s Strategy Development and Management Bureau, was quoted as saying: If you like to implement effective regulation, you have to do the same as you regulate and supervise traditional institutions. The FSA has called for stronger crypto regulation following the collapse of crypto exchange FTX and subsequent fraud charges filed against its former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (