Bitcoin News and Finance: What You Need to Know

The Ghanaian central bank said it will be hosting a 12-week hackathon where participants are expected to explore the e-cedi’s nine different use cases. At the end of the hackathon, the central bank will hold a conference where individuals with outstanding solutions are recognized. Addressing Ghana’s Financial Inclusion Challenges The Ghanaian central bank, also known as Bank of Ghana (BOG), recently announced the launch of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) hackathon. According to the bank, this event seeks to avail opportunities to fintech startups, developers and innovators to develop innovative solutions that explore various use cases of CBDC. https://t.co/bvOB6EsBoW #eCedi #hackathon #bankofghana pic.twitter.com/KOGqPwBrGT — Bank of Ghana (@thebankofghana) October 6, 2023 In a press release jointly issued with technology partner Emtech, the Ghanaian central bank said the hackathon will run for a period of 12 weeks. During this time, innovators are expected to come...

Veteran investor Jim Rogers, who co-founded the Quantum Fund with billionaire investor George Soros, has reiterated his warning of the end of U.S. dollar dominance. “I know that the era of the U.S. dollar is coming to an end. No currency stayed on top forever,” he stressed, adding that the only currency with the potential to displace the USD as the world’s reserve currency is the Chinese yuan. Jim Rogers on End of U.S. Dollar Hegemony Veteran investor Jim Rogers discussed a variety of topics, including the end of the U.S. dollar dominance and alternative currencies, in an interview with Nomad Capitalist, published on Oct. 1. Rogers is George Soros’ former business partner who co-founded the Quantum Fund and Soros Fund Management. While admitting that he owns a lot of U.S. dollars, Rogers stressed: I know that the era of the U.S. dollar is coming to an end. No currency stayed on top forever — no more than 100-150 years, none in history. While reiterating that he “can see the era...

Economist Peter Schiff compared the attack on Israel to 9/11, calling it “the beginning of a bad situation.” He highlighted several factors that will weaken the U.S. economy, which he described as “already structurally weak.” The economist stressed: “The U.S. can’t even afford peace. It certainly can’t afford war.” Warning that Fed policies could “unleash run-a-way inflation, an implosion in the dollar, bonds, and the economy,” he cautioned: “Crisis is assured!” Peter Schiff Says ‘Crisis Is Assured’ Economist and gold bug Peter Schiff discussed a number of topics affecting the U.S. economy on social media platform X and in his podcast, live-streamed on Monday, including the potential economic ramifications of the war in the Middle East. Commenting on the attack on Israel, the economist described: “This is like September 11th for Israel.” He added: “What did America do as a result of 9/11? We didn’t just shrug it off, no. We had the ‘war on terror,’ we had all sorts of stuff that ha...

A new computing model, BitVM, aims to enhance Bitcoin’s smart contract capabilities without requiring changes to the blockchain’s consensus rules. The white paper, published on October 9, 2023, has drawn significant attention and its fair share of criticism. Can BitVM Set a New Precedent for Bitcoin’s Smart Contracts? BitVM was proposed in a recent white paper by blockchain programmer Robin Linus . It allows for the expression of Turing-complete Bitcoin contracts through fraud proofs and a challenge-response protocol between two parties. While some believe the model has limitations, others say it paves the way for more intricate Bitcoin transactions. BitVM operates with a prover making a claim that a program runs correctly for specific inputs and outputs. The verifier can challenge that assertion with a series of succinct fraud proofs, penalizing the prover if their claim is untrue. By encoding the program into a binary circuit and committing to it bit by bit in a Taproot addre...

In a riveting development, Caroline Ellison’s recent testimony revealed that Alameda Research is believed to have shelled out a whopping $150 million to Chinese officials to unlock accounts valued over $1 billion. The narrative thickens as the former co-CEO, Sam Trabucco, has seemingly vanished from public view after FTX’s downfall. FTX’s Downfall, Alameda’s Bribery Allegations, and the Big Question: Where’s Sam Trabucco? Although Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) isn’t facing charges of bribery, given the Bahamas’ intervention, federal prosecutors ensured the topic was front and center during Caroline Ellison ‘s Wednesday testimony. She recounted that in 2020, Chinese officials put a freeze on accounts totaling $1 billion. By November 2021, the team allegedly turned to David Ma, a colleague with purported “connections” in China, for guidance. Remarkably, Ma managed to thaw the funds. Court coverage was broadcast by Inner City Press reporter Matthew Russell Lee. But it wasn’t smooth sai...

The Nigerian central bank has disputed media reports suggesting its Sept. 11, 2023 document implies that its e-naira currency poses a threat to financial stability. The central bank said it felt compelled “to clarify the reports to ensure that misunderstandings are not fostered.” Book Gives an ‘In-Depth Understanding of CBDCs’ The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has refuted media reports that its central bank digital currency (CBDC) known as e-naira, poses a threat to financial stability. In a statement issued on Oct. 9, the bank suggested that the authors of the reports lacked an understanding of portions of the foreword in its recently published document. PRESS RELEASE: eNaira No Threat To Financial Stability pic.twitter.com/MYwxUoHvWe — Central Bank of Nigeria (@cenbank) October 9, 2023 The document — or “book” as the CBN calls it — is titled Economics of Digital Currencies: Book of Readings. In the foreword, the central bank characterizes the book as an attempt “to provide ...

Members of Israel’s Web3 community have launched Crypto Aid Israel, a fundraiser in support of those affected by the conflict with Hamas. The goal is to attract cryptocurrency donations to relieve the humanitarian situation of thousands of Israelis displaced by the surprise attack of Palestinian militants from Gaza. Web3 Firms Unite in Crypto Aid Israel Initiative Amid War With Hamas A group of companies from the Web3 space, including the Israeli Blockchain Association, announced they have come together to launch Crypto Aid Israel . The fund will raise donations in digital assets for Israeli citizens suffering from what their government calls a war with Hamas. On Oct. 7, the militant Palestinian movement, designated as a terrorist organization by a number of nations, launched a large-scale invasion by land, air and sea of Israeli territories in the south from the Gaza Strip which it controls. On Tuesday, the death toll in Israel reached 900, with hundreds of thousands of people for...

The Nasdaq-listed bitcoin mining company Iris Energy has announced its acquisition of 1.4 exahash per second (EH/s) of Bitmain’s latest S21 Antminers. This acquisition will increase the company’s self-mining capacity by 25%, from 5.6 EH/s to 7 EH/s. Nasdaq-Listed Iris Energy Bolsters Mining Arsenal with Latest Next-Gen Mining Rig Purchase Just over two weeks ago, Bitmain introduced its S21 series Antminers, boasting an efficiency rating of less than 20 joules per terahash (J/T). Following this, the publicly traded bitcoin mining company Iris Energy, traded on Nasdaq under the ticker IREN, confirmed its purchase of 1.4 EH/s of Bitmain’s S21 miners. The company revealed that this acquisition came with a price tag of $19.6 million, breaking down to $14 per terahash. An additional $2.9 million will be deferred and paid one year post-shipment. The S21 units will be stationed at the company’s Childress, Texas, location, as detailed in their announcement. This new addition will elevate ...

Billionaire investor Paul Tudor Jones has warned of the effects of the geopolitical uncertainty around four nuclear powers, including China, Russia, and Iran. “It might be the most threatening and challenging geopolitical environment that I’ve ever seen,” Jones stressed. “It is also happening at the same time the United States is in its weakest fiscal position since World War II.” ‘Most Threatening and Challenging Geopolitical Environment That I’ve Ever Seen’ Billionaire hedge fund manager Paul Tudor Jones, founder and chief investment officer of Tudor Investment Corp., discussed the impact of global geopolitical conflicts on markets in an interview with CNBC Tuesday. Commenting on the war between Israel and Hamas, he said what is happening in Israel is “a huge tragedy.” However, Jones stressed: “You have to put it in a larger geopolitical context.” The billionaire explained: “We now have possibly three theaters where we’re going to have geopolitical challenges. We’ve got the Middl...

The Israel Police have frozen crypto accounts held at Binance allegedly used by Hamas to collect crypto donations as tensions between Israel and Hamas escalate. In addition, the Israel Police have frozen a Hamas-linked account at Barclays Bank. Hamas-Linked Crypto Accounts at Binance Frozen The Israel Police’s official account on social media platform X announced on Tuesday that cryptocurrency accounts associated with Hamas held at Binance have been frozen. The Palestinian militant organization is currently at war with Israel. The announcement details: The Israel Police’s Cyber Unit, in collaboration with the Ministry of Defense, the Israel Security Agency, and other national intelligence agencies, has successfully frozen cryptocurrency accounts used by Hamas for fundraising their activities. According to a separate announcement in Hebrew as translated by Google, the Israel Police’s cyber unit, Lahav 433, has frozen cryptocurrency accounts “which were used by Hamas to collect do...

In bombshell testimony on Tuesday, Caroline Ellison, former CEO of Alameda Research, accused Sam Bankman-Fried of directing her and others to commit fraud under his leadership at FTX and Alameda. Taking the stand in a red dress, Ellison stated “Alameda took several billions of dollars from FTX customers and used it for investments.” Caroline Ellison Exposes Alleged FTX Fund Siphoning and Political Payoffs According to reporting by Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press , who streamed the proceedings from the courtroom, Caroline Ellison detailed how she and her colleagues improperly used billions in customer funds from FTX to pay back loans and make speculative investments for Alameda Research. Lee reported that Ellison claimed she engaged in fraud at Sam Bankman-Fried ‘s direction, alleging he “set up the systems and told us to take the money.” The former Alameda CEO estimated that between $10 to $20 billion in FTX customer funds were deposited into Alameda accounts and used for...

A recent study conducted by the Bank of Canada delved into the role a central bank digital currency (CBDC) would play in improving financial inclusion, digital inclusion, and accessibility. The study concludes that while the Canadian financial ecosystem is inclusive, a CBDC might help tackle several challenges not dependent on the system itself. Bank of Canada Study Examines CBDC Role A recent study published by the Bank of Canada, titled “Redefining Financial Inclusion for a Digital Age: Implications for a Central Bank Digital Currency,” examined the challenges a central bank digital currency (CBDC) would tackle in Canada. The study remarks that while financial inclusion is high in Canada, with 98% of adult Canadians having access to a bank account and debit cards, underbanked Canadians can still face barriers and challenges, having to resort to alternate providers that charge higher fees for their services, including payday lenders and cheque cashers. The use of cash in the co...

When Satoshi Nakamoto created Bitcoin, many viewed it as a solution to the drawbacks of fiat money. Historically, about 800 fiat currencies have come and gone, with many ultimately failing. Intriguingly, the fundamental reasons for establishing the fiat system remain elusive to many. Some argue that it was designed by governments to perpetuate corruption and fund endless global conflicts. In a nutshell, most fiat currencies have either supported military pursuits or protected financial magnates who benefit from such endeavors. Unraveling the Shadows: The War-Driven Legacy of Fiat Currencies Notably, U.S. presidential hopeful Robert Kennedy Jr. recently remarked , “fiat currency was invented to fund the cause of war.” A bold claim, but history does lend credence to Kennedy’s assertion. Ages ago, people traded with commodities and precious metals fashioned into coins. This practice shifted during the Yuan Dynasty in China (1271-1368 AD) under Kublai Khan. Fiat currency, in essence, ...

Bad actors exploited Estonia’s once liberal licensing regime for crypto companies to defraud investors and commit other crimes, an investigative report claims. The authors say they discovered dozens of such cases, including scams and schemes for sanctions evasion and money laundering. Since Tallinn tightened its rules, many of these entities have left Estonia, whose banking sector was accused of similar sins in recent years, and on a larger scale. Crypto Platforms Registered in Estonia Facilitated Fraud, Russian Payments, Report Alleges Estonia’s previously lax requirements for crypto businesses seeking to provide EU-licensed services, turned the small Baltic nation into a “hub of financial crime,” according to research conducted by Vsquare, a network of media outlets focused on cross-border investigations in Central Europe. The journalists said this week they had analyzed nearly 300 of these companies and found dozens of cases of fraud, money laundering, and sanctions evasion as w...

Global financial services firm Jefferies has warned of “the collapse of the U.S.-dollar paper standard to the benefit of both gold bullion owners and also owners of bitcoin.” He explained that the Federal Reserve, and other G7 central banks, “will not be able to exit from unconventional monetary policy in a benign manner and will ultimately remain committed to ongoing central bank balance-sheet expansion in one form or another.” Bitcoin to Benefit From US Dollar Collapse, Analyst Says Global investment bank Jefferies has cautioned about the potential collapse of the U.S. dollar, which could prove advantageous for bitcoin holders. Jefferies is a leading global, full-service investment banking and capital markets firm headquartered in the U.S. The firm operates across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific. In a note to investors published Wednesday, Chris Wood, Global Head of Equity Strategy at Jefferies, called bitcoin and gold “critical hedges” against currency de...

British financial regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), has issued 146 crypto promotion alerts in the first 24 hours of its new crypto marketing regime. “We expect businesses including social media platforms, app stores, search engines, domain name registrars, and payments firms to consider the alerts we have issued and play their part in protecting U.K. consumers from illegal promotions,” the regulator detailed. 146 Crypto Alerts Issued in U.K. Within 24 Hours The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the top financial regulatory body in the United Kingdom, announced Monday that it issued 146 alerts in the first 24 hours of its new crypto marketing regime . Noting that the changes to legislation that bring crypto asset promotions under its remit are now in force, the FCA wrote: We issued 146 alerts about cryptoasset promotions on the first day of the new regime. “We expect businesses including social media platforms, app stores, search engines, domain name registrars,...

The police in the Australian state of South Australia recently seized cryptocurrency worth $1.5 million from an alleged dark web drug dealer. Police also recovered a “large quantity” of the synthetic opioid nitazene as well as tens of thousands of dollars in cash. ‘Illicit Activity on a Dark Web Marketplace’ Police in South Australia, a state in the southern central part of Australia, recently seized cryptocurrency worth $1.5 million from an alleged dark web drug dealer. According to an ABC News report , law enforcement also confiscated a “large quantity” of drugs and electronic devices from an unnamed 25-year-old man. Explaining how the operation against the alleged drug peddler was carried out, Adam Rice, the South Australian Detective Superintendent, said: “The investigation identified illicit activity on a dark web marketplace, attributed that activity to a real-life person in South Australia, identified and traced cryptocurrency used in the offending and then ultimately led t...

Last month, 19 distinct bitcoin addresses from 2012 awakened, moving coins that had remained untouched for over 11 years. Fast forward to this month, and we’ve already seen four such transfers from 2012. This Sunday, at block heights 811,239 and 811,244, two addresses from that vintage year collectively transacted 227 BTC , a sum equivalent to $6.34 million using current bitcoin exchange rates. Sleeping Giant Awakens With $6 Million Bitcoin Move After 11 Years The trend of transferring old bitcoins persists in October 2023, following an intriguing set of transactions on October 4 and 6. On these dates, 86 addresses from 2014 transferred 860 bitcoins, an address from 2013 shifted 504.99 bitcoins, and two addresses from 2012 moved a combined 426 BTC . On Sunday, October 8, 2023, btcparser.com spotted two more interesting transactions, collectively moving 227 BTC , valued at a cool $6.34 million. The first transaction came from an address transferring 15 BTC at block height 811,239...

According to Pavel Salas, the chief growth officer at Gear Foundation, on-chain smart contract automation makes applications “truly decentralized” because it “removes dependencies on centralized servers or external entities.” Salas also claimed that on-chain smart contract automation means participants can “engage in transactions or exchanges without relying on a central authority.” Webassembly Not a ‘Direct Replacement for EVM’ In his written answers sent to Bitcoin.com News, Salas argued that on-chain smart contract automation also helps decentralized applications (dapps) maintain data integrity without having to rely on external databases. He said since the code of smart contracts deployed on the blockchain is immutable this means it cannot be altered once deployed. Meanwhile, when asked to offer his thoughts on Webassembly (WASM) and the possibility it will overtake the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) at some point, Salas, said he does not see WASM as a direct replacement for EV...