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Group of 17 Russian Banks Officially Joins ‘Second Stage’ of Digital Ruble Pilot
2.2.2024
Russia’s digital ruble pilot is gathering pace, with 17 more banks joining the Central Bank’s CBDC project. The group of banks includes heavyweights such as Sberbank and Tinkoff, the Central Bank explained in an official statement. This represents a major coup for the Central Bank. Both Sberbank...
US Banking Sector Volatility — Distressed Commercial Real Estate Sector Raises Default Concerns
1.2.2024
Following the U.S. central bank’s decision to keep the federal funds rate unchanged, the turbulence in the commercial real estate market has sent shockwaves through the country’s banking sector and internationally as well. On Thursday, New York Community Bancorp witnessed a further...
Affected by the National Stock Market Downturn, Chinese Investors Have Flocked to Gold
1.2.2024
Chinese investors have been buying gold as an investment, motivated by the poor performance of traditional stock and property options. According to World Gold Council (WGC) reports, China had the largest demand for gold for jewelry and investment purposes in 2023. This, and the demand from central...
Billionaire Tim Draper Doubles Down on Bitcoin — Foresees Moment When People Won’t Want Dollars Anymore
1.2.2024
Billionaire venture capitalist Tim Draper has doubled down on bitcoin and his price prediction of the crypto. “I think that there’s going to be a moment where there’s a run on the banks,” he cautioned, adding: “I actually think that there will be a moment in time...
Russian Banking Association Launches ‘Digital Assets Council’
1.2.2024
Russia’s biggest securities and banking association has launched a “council” for the self-regulation of “digital assets.” Per RBC and an official National Association of Stock Market Participants (NAUFOR) announcement, the NAUFOR’s Board of Directors created the council on January 30. NAUFOR is...
New York Community Bancorp Grapples With 40% Share Drop Following Disappointing Earnings Report
31.1.2024
New York Community Bancorp (NYCB) faced significant challenges on Wednesday, with its shares plummeting by over 40%, prompting a halt in trading. Currently, NYCB shares have experienced a decline of just above 36%, trading at $6.61 per share. Last Year’s Banking Fears Resurface as NYCB Faces...
Binance Now Allows Larger Traders to Keep Their Assets Elsewhere: FT
30.1.2024
The move may reflect users' unease about Binance's regulatory dispute in the U.S. which saw it landed with a $4.3 billion fine in November
BlackBerry Warns Mexican Bank and Crypto Firms on Potential Security Threat
25.1.2024
BlackBerry has flagged a potential threat to Mexican banks and cryptocurrency platforms based on hackers’ attempt to deliver a modern version of Allakore RAT. In a Jan 24 report, BlackBerry’s Research and Intelligence Team raised concerns about a threat actor targeting financial institutions...
Exploring the Privacy Concerns Around CBDCs
23.1.2024
The future of money is digital and many countries are developing their own Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC). This in turn will have far-reaching implications on society, businesses, and banks, as the use of physical cash declines. Retail CBDCs are government-backed digital fiat money which...
RBI Chief: Crypto Threatens Rupee Stability, Urges Investors to Be Cautious
20.1.2024
The head of India’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has warned of significant risks associated with cryptocurrencies, particularly for emerging market economies. “It can impact your financial stability, currency stability, and monetary system,” RBI Governor...
Test and Deploy: A New Era for CBDCs
17.1.2024
South Korea Regulator Holds Firm Stance Against Crypto ETFs Approval
12.1.2024
Source: AdobeStock While the US has finally approved a decade-long wait for Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), South Korea still stands firm in banning BTC ETFs. South Korea’s Financial Services Commission (FSC) said that the launch of virtual currency ETFs is “impossible”...
Banks Will Invest in Blockchain When They Make Money from Bitcoin ETF + More Crypto News
11.1.2024
Source: AdobeStock / Antonio Get your daily, bite-sized digest of blockchain and crypto news – investigating the stories flying under the radar of today’s news. In this edition: Banks Will Invest in Blockchain When They Make Money from Bitcoin ETF – Swarm Markets Prometheum’s Digital Asset...
Nigerian Stablecoin Consortium Seeks Central Bank Approval After Making a U-Turn on Stablecoin Launch
11.1.2024
The Nigerian stablecoin consortium has said it will not be launching a stablecoin in late February as previously advised. Instead, the consortium, which is comprised of banks and fintech startups, said it plans to launch the stablecoin only after it gets the green light from the central bank....
Blockchain Association to Elizabeth Warren: Crypto Can Potentially Disrupt or Compete With ‘Too Big to Fail’ Banks
11.1.2024
The Blockchain Association has rejected U.S. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren’s claims that former security officials collaborating with it seek to weaken the country’s “ability to catch and prosecute America’s enemies.” According to the nonprofit organization, ex-U.S....
Bank of Spain Announces Partners for Wholesale CBDC Trials
9.1.2024
The Bank of Spain has announced that Adhara, a treasury and transactions payment platform, and a consortium formed by Cecabank and Abanca, two private banks, will be its partners in the development of several upcoming wholesale central bank digital currency (CBDC) trials, which will be complete...
Gold Rush Continues – Central Banks Purchased 44 Tonnes in November
8.1.2024
Krishan Gopaul, senior analyst of the World Gold Council, revealed that central banks kept adding gold to their reserves during November. According to public records and reports from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), central banks added 44t of gold to their coffers, with the Central Bank...
Consortium of Nigerian Banks and Fintechs Cleared to Pilot Stablecoin
7.1.2024
The Nigerian central bank has given its go-ahead for the Africa Stablecoin Consortium (ASC) to pilot its cNGN stablecoin initiative in the financial regulator’s regulatory sandbox. The ASC asserts that the cNGN stablecoin can prove to be vital not only for the country’s payment rails but...
Prohibition of Cash Withdrawals From VASPs Operated Accounts May Contradict Central Bank’s Cashless Policy — Nigerian Lawyer
7.1.2024
Nigerian fintech lawyer Senator Ihenyen said the new central bank guidelines which bar the withdrawal of cash from accounts operated by virtual asset service providers (VASPs) seem “reasonable and understandable.” The lawyer however believes an “outright” prohibition of cash...
Central Bank of Nigeria Approves Africa Stablecoin Consortium to Pilot cNGN Stablecoin in Regulatory Sandbox
5.1.2024
Source: AdobeStock / Faraz The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has granted approval to the Africa Stablecoin Consortium (ASC) to launch the cNGN stablecoin in its regulatory sandbox. The stablecoin is set to be introduced on February 27, 2024, the Africa Stablecoin Consortium, a collaborative effort...