Bitcoin News and Finance: What You Need to Know

Two Utah residents have been indicted for operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business, converting over $2.5 million into cryptocurrency, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The two were arrested over the weekend in Washington County. Utah Men Arrested for Illegal Cryptocurrency Transactions The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the […]

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says 19 countries in the Middle East and Central Asia, including Bahrain, Georgia, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, are in the advanced “proof-of concept” stage for central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). “We support policymakers evaluating the need to issue a CBDC and help them craft strong policies and regulatory frameworks […]

The World Gold Council’s 2024 survey reveals that central banks plan to increase gold reserves amid geopolitical and financial uncertainties. Over 80% of respondents expect global bullion holdings to rise, and 29% of central banks plan to boost their own reserves. Motivations include strategic rebalancing, domestic production, and market concerns like crisis risks and inflation. […]

Bank of America report shows younger affluent individuals favor crypto and alternative investments, differing from older generations’ traditional focus. “In fact, the most ‘conservative’ group is holding the highest average exposure to crypto,” the bank said. ‘Younger Groups Hold More Crypto and More Alternative Investments’ Bank of America released a report titled “2024 Bank of […]

In a resurfaced video clip, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse stated that his crypto firm is collaborating with around 10 governments globally on central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). “A central bank digital currency is a stablecoin. It’s just issued by the government,” the executive described. Ripple CEO on Working With Governments Worldwide A video clip surfaced […]

Balaji Srinivasan argues that in the era of AI, money will become cryptocurrency, providing digital scarcity to complement AI’s digital abundance. “AI is digital abundance but it doesn’t make everything abundant. Crypto is digital scarcity and complements AI’s abundance. So money after AI is crypto,” he detailed. ‘Money Itself Becomes Cryptocurrency’ Balaji Srinivasan, a prominent […]

Multiple U.S. states have revoked or declined to renew Binance US money transmitter licenses due to compliance issues and legal troubles involving former CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ). “North Dakota joins Alaska, Florida, Maine, North Carolina, and Oregon who have taken similar actions to revoke or deny the renewal of BAM Trading Services’ Money Transmission License,” […]

Fidelity Investments’ Director of Global Macro sees bitcoin as “exponential gold” and “an aspiring player on the store of value team.” According to his analysis, bitcoin’s price is “driven primarily by the growth in its network, which is in turn driven by bitcoin’s unique scarcity feature, as well as the monetary and fiscal policy cycle, […]

The head of the Crypto Asset and Cyber Unit at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s Division of Enforcement has left the agency after nine years of service. Under his guidance, the SEC took many enforcement actions against crypto firms, including major crypto trading exchanges Binance and Coinbase. SEC’s Crypto Enforcement Unit Leader Departs […]

According to Venezuelan dissidents and cryptocurrency analysts, the government of Venezuela is likely to keep using crypto to bypass the returning sanctions on oil and gold activities. Even when Nicolas Maduro’s administration seems to have been affected by corruption cases involving crypto, watchers report that these tools will keep diverting funds from regular channels. Venezuelan […]

Crypto market participants’ growing preference for character or celebrity meme tokens signals a growing disdain for projects with a high fully diluted value, the latest Kucoin report has said. Tap-to-earn projects have “remarkably higher overall participation data” due to their lower barriers to understanding and participation. Tokens with High FDV Face Limited Price Discovery Opportunities […]

Ripple’s chief legal officer has countered the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s allegations following the crypto firm’s proposal to limit its penalty to no more than $10 million. The legal chief highlighted that the SEC is “raging” and emphasized that, unlike the Terraform Labs case, there are no victims to compensate in Ripple’s case. […]

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Gary Gensler has indicated to lawmakers that he expects spot ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to launch this summer. The SEC is still working with fund issuers on their S-1 filings, which must be declared effective before the spot ether ETFs can launch. Gary Gensler Answers Crypto Questions The […]

Paul Ryan, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, has assessed the possible role that stablecoins will play in fighting an upcoming U.S. debt crisis. According to Ryan, the demand derived from the increasing relevance of dollar-backed stablecoins, which use U.S. treasuries as backing, will help keep a healthy demand on U.S. debt and […]

India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) has conducted searches that uncovered a Ponzi scheme involving cryptocurrency operations and HR Crypto Coin, leading to significant asset seizures and freezing. The coins were part of the scheme, luring people to invest with promises of a 15% annual interest rate and offering 30% direct referral income for introducing new customers. […]

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is now pursuing a $102.6 million penalty from Ripple, a substantial reduction from the nearly $2 billion originally sought. Ripple recently proposed a $10 million penalty, citing the Terraform Labs settlement as justification. However, the SEC countered that such a low penalty “would not satisfy the purposes of […]

Rich Dad Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki has urged investors to buy bitcoin despite the cryptocurrency’s high prices. “I become frustrated encouraging people to buy bitcoin. I receive so many lame excuses,” he said, emphasizing that although the current price is high, it is not as high as it will be in the future. ‘I […]

Recent data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) points to an ongoing decline in the U.S. dollar’s share of allocated foreign reserves held by central banks and governments. Economists explained that reserve managers are attracted to nontraditional reserve currencies “because they provide diversification and relatively attractive yields, and because they have become increasingly easy to […]

Hunter Horsley, co-founder and CEO of Bitwise, a San Francisco-based cryptocurrency asset management firm, declared that the “digital gold” narrative limits bitcoin’s reach as an investment asset. Horsely stated that, while the “digital gold” representation has been helpful for bitcoin, it has many qualities that put it over gold and it is time to “graduate” […]

Felix Ulloa, Vice-President of El Salvador, stated that the government has considered de-dollarizing the country and returning to its national currency, the colon. However, he said that it would be too costly. For Ulloa, bitcoin presents an opportunity to liberate the country from central banks and fiat currency. El Salvador’s Vice-President Felix Ulloa: Bitcoin Offers […]

Nigerian authorities dropped tax evasion charges against two Binance executives, Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla, after the cryptocurrency exchange appointed a local representative to represent it in ongoing court cases. Following the decision, Binance stated that it awaits the court’s complete discharge of the executives from the cases. Binance Appoints Local Representative On June 14, […]

Keith Gill, also known by his alias ‘Roaring Kitty,’ has significantly increased his investment in Gamestop, now holding nine million shares, which positions him as the fourth largest shareholder. His portfolio value has risen to around $268 million after he strategically exercised call options to acquire additional shares at $20 each. Gamestop’s share price fluctuated, […]

The Supreme Court of Georgia, the highest judicial authority of the U.S. state of Georgia, has disbarred attorney Diana McDonald on June 11 for misappropriating $4 million from a bitcoin escrow transaction. In 2019, McDonald acted as a fiduciary for a client involved in a Bitcoin deal that failed to deliver the promised cryptocurrency. Despite […]

U.S. Congressman Brad Sherman has proposed an amendment designed to enhance the enforcement of sanctions on Russian digital assets. The amendment allows the Treasury Secretary to prohibit crypto transactions linked to Russian entities and requires U.S. taxpayers to report crypto transactions offshore exceeding $10,000 to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). New Amendment Seeks to […]

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has expressed concern that excessive government expansion leads to more regulators than participants, negatively impacting the system. Musk acknowledged the need for regulators but stressed they should not outnumber players. He reiterated that the government should act as a referee, setting sensible rules without hindering industry progress. Elon Musk Says Government […]

The U.S. Treasury Department announced Wednesday that over 300 new sanctions have been issued to intensify pressure on Russia for its ongoing war against Ukraine. These measures, in alignment with G7 commitments, target entities and individuals globally to cripple Russia’s military-industrial base by restricting access to U.S. software, IT services, and foreign financial support. The […]

Demand for gold in Asia is surging despite high prices, as buyers seek a hedge against geopolitical and economic uncertainty. In Japan, there is currently a strong bullish sentiment on gold. Chinese investors, facing currency devaluation, real estate downturn, and trade tensions, have increased their gold purchases by 27% in the first quarter. In Thailand […]

Brian Morgenstern of Riot Platforms shared his insights on the 2024 election’s impact on bitcoin and the crypto industry, praising former U.S. President Donald Trump’s pro-bitcoin stance and criticizing President Joe Biden’s regulatory measures. Trump promised to protect bitcoin from regulatory threats, oppose a central bank digital currency (CBDC), and support the cryptocurrency industry, aligning […]

Bill Miller IV, chairman and CIO of Miller Value Partners, has explained why bitcoin is undervalued despite the cryptocurrency’s recent highs. He emphasized bitcoin’s potential as a revolutionary monetary system superior to fiat currencies, which are subject to human control and debasement. Miller believes bitcoin’s market cap has room for substantial growth. ‘I Believe Bitcoin […]

The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the world’s largest bank by total assets, recently compared bitcoin to digital gold and labeled Ethereum “digital oil” in a report. The bank emphasized the roles of these cryptocurrencies in the digital economy and their contributions to technological advancements. ICBC Sees Bitcoin as Digital Gold, Ethereum as […]