Russia could soon be taking a cue from Iran by using cryptocurrencies for imports, according to comments from the Russian prime Minister. The adoption of digital assets is necessary as a “safe alternative” for cross-border payments, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin declared at a strategic session on the development of the domestic financial system on…
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The venture capital market of the cryptocurrency industry is holding strong despite the crypto winter as major government-linked firms reportedly continue betting on big industry players. Singapore state-owned investment firm Temasek is joining a $100 million funding round for the blockchain and venture studio Animoca Brands, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday. According to the report, Temasek…
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The saga of the defunct Turkish crypto exchange, Thodex, continues as its fugitive founder is now in custody in Albania. Local law enforcement detained Faruk Fatih Özer in an operation carried out at 05:30 AM (UTC) on Tuesday, Aug. 30, in the country’s capital city Tirana. According to a report by Cointelegraph Turkey, Özer is currently…
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Bitcoin (BTC) hodlers are asking questions after 10,000 BTC dormant since 2013 suddenly left its wallet. On-chain data flagged on Aug. 28-29 confirmed a large tranche of Bitcoin had become liquid again after nearly a decade. “Lawless era” Bitcoin hit the road Analysts first began to notice curiously high transaction volumes this weekend as 5,000…
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Singapore-based crypto lending firm Hodlnaut was placed under interim judicial management, a form of creditor protection program, by the Singapore court on Aug. 29. The court orders came three weeks after Hodlnaut froze all trading activities and withdrawals on its platform citing a liquidity crisis. In an official blog post on Aug. 30, the crypto…
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Iran’s Industry, Mines and Trade ministry has approved the use of cryptocurrency for imports into the country amid ongoing international trade sanctions. According to local news reports, trade minister Reza Fatemi Amin confirmed that detailed regulations have been approved outlining the use of cryptocurrencies for trade and supplying fuel and electricity to Bitcoin (BTC) and…
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In another shift toward widespread crypto adoption in Argentina, citizens from the Mendoza Province can now pay government fees and taxes using cryptocurrencies. In an Aug. 27 statement, the Mendoza Tax Administration (ATM) described the new crypto payment service as fulfilling “the strategic objective of modernization and innovation,” giving “taxpayers different means to comply with…
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Ripple Labs General Counsel Stu Alderoty has hit back at a recent opinion piece by Security and Exchange Commission chairman Gary Gensler, arguing that the regulator’s crypto market shakedowns aren’t protecting consumers. In an Aug. 28 opinion piece on the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) titled “The SEC Wants to Be America’s Crypto Cop,” Alderoty claimed…
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Australia’s financial regulator, Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), has pledged to put crypto assets and decentralized finance (DeFi) firmly in its sights over the next four years. The regulator intends to focus on “digitally enabled misconducts” and to protect investors “from harms posed by crypto-assets.” Given the ASIC’s history of anti-crypto sentiments, such an announcement…
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The South Korean central bank has indicated that initial coin offerings (ICOs) will be allowed under the Digital Assets Framework Act, according to a local news report. That comprehensive legislation is expected to be introduced in 2023 and implemented the following year. The Bank of Korea (BOK) discussed ICOs in comments to a Korean translation…
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