Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from March 5, 2021

MLB Team Washington Nationals Partners With Terra Blockchain Community, Ballpark Plans to Accept UST

On February 9, the American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C., the Washington Nationals, announced the team has partnered with Terra, the open-source blockchain platform and decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). The Washington Nationals detail that the team is a “leading innovator” and is “consistently introducing new technologies to enhance the fan experience.” Washington Nationals Ink Long-Term Deal With Terra Major League Baseball (MLB) team the Washington Nationals has partnered with the blockchain platform and DAO Terra, according to an announcement published by the team on Wednesday. The deal with Terra follows a slew of sports-related deals with crypto firms, but the MLB team will be the first to partner with an open-source blockchain project. In addition to the partnership, the algorithmic stablecoin UST that’s issued on the Terra blockchain will be “accepted as a payment method at Nationals Park as early as next season.” “The Nationals continue t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Indictment Order Issued Against Leaders of the Geek Group for Their Role Using BTC in an Illegal Money Transmission Business

A U.S. District Court has indicted three individuals behind the now-defunct Geek Group for their role in running an illegal money transmission business that used bitcoin to move funds across states. According to the indictment documents, it was Christopher Allan Boden then president of the Geek Group, who “sold bitcoin to numerous customers, in exchange for U.S. currency, primarily cash.” Violation of Money Transmission Laws The indictment of Boden and his accomplices comes more than two years after federal law enforcement raided the Michigan-based not-for-profit organization. Immediately after the raid, the Geek Group, which had previously been involved in charity work, announced the shut down of the organization. Meanwhile, as the indictment documents show , Boden would obtain the BTC from Daniel Reynold Dejager, who lived in Washington. As part of their conspiracy, Dejager would “periodically travel to Michigan to meet with Boden.” According to their adopted practice, Boden a...
Post a Comment
Read more

Thailand's crypto market seeks clearer regulations as industry interest peaks

The Thai SEC says the total number of crypto accounts rose by nearly 300% over the course of the last 180 days. Thailand currently lays claim to one of the more regulated crypto trading markets in the world, with exchanges having to adhere to strict regulatory standards. For example, at the start of the year, Bitkub, the country’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, was shut down by regulators after the trading platform faced a series of lengthy service outages.  Despite these seemingly stringent conditions, the country’s crypto market has continued to thrive . That being said, a tipping point came recently when Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission released a statement that it plans to enact a 1 million baht (about $33,000) minimum annual income requirement for crypto investment in the country. The decision was met with immediate backlash from the local investor community — as it would potentially exclude low and middle-income earners from the cryptocurrency market — s...
Post a Comment
Read more

Russian Court Orders Mining Firm Cryptouniverse to Face New Trial on Fraud

A major Russian mining firm is facing legal troubles in St. Petersburg, as three individuals are accusing the company of fraud. Cryptouniverse will now face a trial after a city court issued a criminal case order during the week. A District Court Rejected to Launch a Criminal Case Against the Firm in 2020 According to RBC , the St. Petersburg City Court accepted the appeal of three customers of Cryptouniverse — a bitcoin ( BTC ) and litecoin ( LTC ) miner founded in 2018 — and considered the case should go before a trial. At first, the legal case against the firm made the headlines in August 2020. Businessman Alexei Burik launched the legal initiative, who claimed that Cryptouniverse allegedly embezzled his crypto mining equipment and his mined coins worth 25 million rubles ($340,000). At the time, the Kuibyshevsky District Court rejected the police decision to launch a criminal case on fraud, with the trio now involved, after the mining company filed an appeal. As the St. Peters...
Post a Comment
Read more

Taraxa Wants to Put Every Informal Transaction on the Record, Unveils Details About the Upcoming TGE

PRESS RELEASE. The Taraxa Foundation, a non-profit body supervising research and development of the Taraxa project, announced a public sale kicking off on March 4 at 6 PM PST . The token sale follows the launch of Taraxa’s public testnet and the release of a flagship application , with the main purpose of distributing TARA tokens to community members and funding ongoing technology and community development. Participants will be required to provide documentation and verify their eligibility in order to participate. The offer is not being made within the United States or to any U.S. persons (as defined under U.S. federal securities laws). TARA token purchasing options and allocation The token sale will take place from March 4 till March 15, with pre-registration starting at 6 PM PST on March 4. This is the first public sale held by the company after the 2018 private rounds led by Fenbushi Capital (an early investor in Ethereum), KuCoin, and LongHash Ventures. Through the sale, inves...
Post a Comment
Read more

John McAfee Indicted by DOJ Over Alleged Cryptocurrency Fraud Charges

Tech entrepreneur and former anti-virus tycoon John McAfee has been indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) on money laundering and fraud charges. The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the FBI unsealed the indictment charging McAfee and his associate Jimmy Watson with securities fraud. John McAfee Indicted by US Law Enforcement for Fraud and Money Laundering Tied to Crypto Schemes According to a press release published by the DoJ on March 5, John McAfee has been indicted for a number of charges tied to his cryptocurrency operations and his so-called “McAfee Team.” The Federal Attorney, FBI, and DoJ also charged McAfee’s alleged partner Jimmy Watson, who purportedly served as an “executive adviser” to McAfee’s alleged cryptocurrency squad. McAfee and Watson have been charged with “conspiracy to commit commodities and securities fraud, conspiracy to commit securities and touting fraud, wire fraud conspiracy and substantive wire fraud, and mon...
Post a Comment
Read more

$1 Million per BTC in 10 Years: ‘In Terms of Dollars Bitcoin Is Going to Infinity,’ Says Kraken CEO

While bitcoin prices have been coasting along between $46k to $48k during the last three days a number of proponents are still bullish about the crypto asset’s long-term value. On Thursday, Kraken CEO Jesse Powell said that he thinks bitcoin could easily reach a million-dollar valuation per coin. “When you measure it in terms of dollars, you have to think it’s going to infinity,” Powell insists. Bitcoin to Infinity and Beyond During the last few weeks as bitcoin ( BTC ) prices saw a climactic rise above the $58k handle a number of crypto proponents and analysts think BTC could region six-digits in USD value. There have been a lot of calls suggesting BTC will reach $100k this year and even people who say it could hit $200 to $350k per unit. After bitcoin touched an all-time high (ATH) on February 19, 2021, on Thursday the CEO of the cryptocurrency exchange Kraken told Bloomberg reporter Lynn Thomasson that he believes the leading asset could make it to $1 million someday. In 20...
Post a Comment
Read more

3 million active users help lift Audius (AUDIO) to a new all-time high

Audius price hit a new all-time high after the decentralized music streaming platform surpassed 3 million active users and developers hinted at future NFT integrations. As blockchain technology increasingly becomes part of the mainstream conversation, its integration with today's most used technologies is bound to increase. This means that it's only a matter of time before video streaming, digital music and social media see gradual blockchain integrations take place.  Audius (AUDIO) is one project that is chasing the first-mover advantage in the music streaming sector. The music-sharing and streaming protocol facilitates transactions between creators and listeners, making it relatively effortless for users to distribute and monetize audio content.  The project has received increasing attention for its approach to decentralizing the music industry and on March 2 the team celebrated reaching 3 million monthly active users.  Data from Cointelegraph Markets and Tra...
Post a Comment
Read more

Thai bank's venture arm invests in institutional crypto custodian Anchorage

SCB 10X, the venture arm of Thailand's oldest bank, is participating in an $80 million Series C fundraising round for institutional crypto custodian and digital asset platform Anchorage. Just last month, SCB 10X — the venture arm of Siam Commercial Bank — had announced its new $50 million fund dedicated to investments in global blockchain , decentralized finance and digital asset startups. The banking institution is Thailand's oldest bank, established by royal charter back in 1907, and its latest forays into blockchain via SCB 10X are already underway. According to a report on March 5, SCB 10X is a contributor to the recent $80 million Series C raised by Anchorage, a crypto custodian and digital asset platform that received the United States' first federal digital asset banking charter at the start of this year. The  Series C was led by GIC , Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, with investments from a16z, Blockchain Capital, Lux Capital and Indico Capital. The repo...
Post a Comment
Read more

Cryptocurrency exchange Bybit shuts up shop in UK in compliance with FCA ban

Bybit will stop serving customers from U.K.-based IP addresses starting March 31, following the FCA's ban on all cryptocurrency derivatives trading. Singapore-based cryptocurrency derivatives exchange Bybit announced on Friday that it would be suspending services for its customers n the United Kingdom. Bybit offers a range of high-end trading products for cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin ( BTC ), Ether ( ETH ), Bitcoin Cash ( BCH ), Litecoin ( LTC ) and more. The move follows a blanket ban on all retail cryptocurrency derivatives trading by the Financial Conduct Authority, and U.K. customers will be given until March 31 to close out positions and withdraw their funds from the platform, a company announcement stated. The post also affirmed the company’s intention to continue dialogue with regulators in the hope of opening up shop in the U.K. once more. “We request your immediate cooperation in this matter. We regret this situation, and will seek dialogue with regulators to exp...
Post a Comment
Read more

A peek into the Bitcoin miner’s 2020: Interview with BTC.top’s Jiang Zhuoer

Miners are making bank amid the price rally as manufacturers struggle to produce chips. After a tumultuous 2020 that continued into Bitcoin ( BTC ) setting new all-time highs in 2021, Bitcoin miners are facing a bittersweet scenario — profits have skyrocketed, but multiple issues prevent them from buying more devices and boosting Bitcoin’s hash rate. According to the founder of major mining pool BTC.Top, Jiang Zhuoer, global electronics supply chain issues are having their effect on the mining industry as well. Speaking with Cointelegraph, he said: “There is definitely a shortage of equipment right now because, since the coronavirus epidemic, the global supply chain has been interrupted and is now in the process of gradually recovering. But the demand for chips has greatly increased, so now all industries are short of chips, whether it is Bitcoin mining or other industries, such as consumer electronics or even the automotive industry.” Recently, car manufacturing giant General Mo...
Post a Comment
Read more

Reno to digitize Burning Man ‘Space Whale’ as NFT on Tezos blockchain

The city of Reno, Nevada is developing its own DAO and NFT system on top of the Tezos blockchain network, Mayor Hillary Schieve said. Reno, the closest major city to the famous art festival Burning Man, is developing its own decentralized autonomous organization, or DAO, and a token in partnership with Tezos. Mayor Hillary Schieve announced the city’s plans to create the Reno DAO in a Thursday Tez Talks podcast hosted by the Tezos Commons Foundation. The city will build its Reno DAO and Reno Coin on top of the Tezos blockchain network in order to monetize art objects and pieces as well as further explore the potential benefits of blockchain and crypto to solve some of its biggest pain points, Schieve said. As part of the plan, the city also plans to digitize Burning Man artwork in the form of non-fungible tokens, or NFTs. According to Schieve, the city of Reno will create its first NFT for Burning Man’s Space Whale sculpture, a major festival artwork located in Reno. The mayor...
Post a Comment
Read more

Polkadot’s Gavin Wood to Give Lecture Series as Part of UC Berkeley Blockchain Curriculum

University of California, Berkeley and Parity Technologies are joining forces on several blockchain fronts, including educational development and awareness, by leveraging Parity’s expert team and the Substrate framework as knowledge-building resources. UC Berkeley Blockchain Xcelerator Partners with Parity to Promote Blockchain Adoption To bring more resources to the University of California, Berkeley community and Blockchain Xcelerator, Parity Technologies and the academic institution are expanding existing ties by forming a resource-rich educational framework for the 2020-2021 academic year. This deepening cooperation follows Berkeley Blockchain Xcelerator’s existing familiarity with Parity and Polkadot ecosystem startups through its program, which has already accelerated 45 high-value blockchain projects since its inception in 2019. These growing ties will see the Parity development team help expose the University’s students to innovation through a multi-pronged approach, star...
Post a Comment
Read more

Record GBTC discount may spark $100K Bitcoin price rise — analyst

History repeating itself have the potential to spark a 2-4X BTC price run, data covering the GBTC premium suggests. Bitcoin ( BTC ) could be in for a $100,000 bull run next if a classic signal from institutions repeats its historical trend. In a tweet on March 4, Mike McGlone, senior commodity strategist at Bloomberg Intelligence, said that those seeking clues about what lies next for Bitcoin should look at the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC). Negative premium "could signal march to $100,000" As Bitcoin fell to $43,000 and continued to linger below all-time highs thereafter, the so-called “premium” on GBTC flipped negative. This means that GBTC shares are trading below their so-called net asset price (NAV) — institutional buyers are able to buy at a discount. In times gone by, such events have both been rare and a pointer for subsequent price upside. A negative premium was also observed in March 2020, the start of the bull cycle which has brought BTC/USD from $3,600 to...
Post a Comment
Read more

IOST Partners With Polkadot for Cross-Chain Interoperability Breakthrough

PRESS RELEASE. IOST has announced it is now at the final development stage for building a cross-chain transfer bridge to the Polkadot Ecosystem. The move is part of IOST’s plans to promote its cross-chain interoperability, bringing tremendous value for IOST users & developers and drive bigger adoption scenarios for its blockchain, according to a blog post on 5 March 2021. IOST Joins Forces with Polkadot In a bid to make its decentralized solutions available across multiple blockchains, promote trust and data sovereignty for users, IOST, the Proof-of-Believability smart contract leader is joining forces with Polkadot, a new generation blockchain that focuses on promoting interoperability across different distributed ledgers. As stated in a blog post by the IOST team, the new alliance will enable the transfer of the information, transactions, and asset values and make it available across all blockchains supported by Polkadot. The IOST cross-chain transfer bridge has entered th...
Post a Comment
Read more

Kentucky Pushes Mining Tax-Breaks in Bid to Attract Crypto Community

The Kentucky House Budget Committee approved a bill in a 19-2 vote to eliminate the sales tax on electricity for use in cryptocurrency mining operations. The bill, designed to attract more miners to the state, is now in the Kentucky Senate for review. Lawmakers Urge Greater Crypto Appeal Despite Purported Costs Motivated by the explosive growth in blockchain technology and the increased spotlight at cryptocurrencies, Kentucky lawmakers are busy crafting legislation designed to appeal to mining operations. House Bill 230, which the House Budget Committee approved on Tuesday, is designed to encourage miners to move to the state by removing the sales tax from these operations’ electricity. The bill now moves to the state senate, where it will be reviewed alongside Senate Bill 255 , which similarly calls for miner tax breaks. More Costs Than Benefits According to a fiscal note within the bill, this proposed legislation would cost the state’s General Fund at least $1 million in...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ripple's Asia expansion unaffected by SEC lawsuit, says CEO

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse says the company's activities in the Asia-Pacific region have not been affected by current regulatory troubles in the United States. Despite being in the middle of a $1.3 billion lawsuit with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, it appears that it is still business as usual for Ripple. Speaking to Reuters on Friday, Garlinghouse revealed that the company has not suffered any negative blowback in the APAC business theatre amid the current SEC lawsuit: “It (the lawsuit) has hindered activity in the United States, but it has not really impacted what’s going on for us in Asia Pacific.” In December 2020, the SEC charged Ripple and its principal executives of violating securities laws in the sale of XRP tokens since 2013. Garlinghouse attributed the absence of any fallout to the company’s good standing with regulators in the region, stating, “We have been able to continue to grow the business in Asia and Japan because we’ve had regul...
Post a Comment
Read more

Thailand’s largest movie theater chain accepts Bitcoin

Major Cineplex Group is starting to accept Bitcoin as part of a crypto pilot project. Major Cineplex Group, the largest operator of movie theaters in Thailand, has reportedly enabled some of its customers to buy tickets with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin ( BTC ). According to a Thursday report by local news agency Siam Rath, Major Cineplex has announced the launch of its cryptocurrency payment pilot project in a move to support innovation and new technologies. In order to unlock the new payment option, the company has partnered with local crypto exchange Zipmex and lo digital payment startup RapidZ. Major Cineplex debuted the new feature at Bangkok’s Major Cineplex Ratchayothin movie theater on March 4, allowing customers to buy tickets with Bitcoin via RapidZ by scanning a QR code. Major Cineplex expects to extend the pilot to 39 more of its movie theaters across Bangkok by the end of 2021. The news apparently marks the first time in history that Thai movie theater has accepte...
Post a Comment
Read more