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South African Financial Giant Says It Will Inject Capital Into ZARP Stablecoin Network
7.11.2023
South Africa’s Old Mutual Wealth and financial services provider Inves Capital recently revealed plans to inject liquidity into the ZARP stablecoin network. Inves Capital’s managing director said “crypto is entering a new phase” of growth and ZARP is set to “play...
Bank of England and UK’s FCA Propose Plans to Regulate Stablecoins
6.11.2023
The UK’s central bank and the financial regulator have both proposed plans to regulate stablecoins in discussion papers, published Monday. The Bank of England (BoE) revealed that the regulatory measures focus on sterling-denominated stablecoins. This is because they have...
National Bank of Georgia Selects Ripple as Tech Partner for CBDC Pilot
6.11.2023
The National Bank of Georgia announced that it has enlisted the aid of Ripple, the cryptocurrency company, as the sole tech partner in its central bank digital currency (CBDC) project, denominated the digital GEL. Ripple’s CBDC solution was selected from nine shortlisted companies that...
India’s Central Bank Governor Warns Crypto Poses Higher Risk to Emerging Markets
6.11.2023
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das has once again warned about the threats that cryptocurrencies pose to global financial stability, particularly for emerging market economies. Speaking at the Business Standard BFSI Insight Summit 2023 in Mumbai, Das stressed the importance...
Central Bank Gold Demand Swells in Q3 Amid Global Unrest
4.11.2023
Central banks around the world maintained their appetite for gold in the third quarter of 2023, with their purchases totaling 337 metric tons, the World Gold Council’s (WGC) third-quarter report shows. Analysts from the council suggest that this steady central bank activity is indicative...
Bug in Fed’s payment system prevents bank customers from getting paid
4.11.2023
Banks stressed customer accounts “remain secure” and balances will be updated as soon as the issue is resolved
Georgia National Bank Partners with Ripple to Host New Digital Lari CBDC Pilot – Adoption on the Rise?
3.11.2023
The National Bank of Georgia (NBG) has partnered with Ripple as the official technology provider for its Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) pushing for a pilot in the near term. In a Nov 2 press release, blockchain payment firm Ripple announced that it has been selected to power the Digital Lari...
Ripple to power Georgia’s central bank digital currency, the digital Lari
3.11.2023
The National Bank of Georgia will use the CBDC platform to assess Digital Lari's benefits for the government, businesses, and retail users
OCCRP Investigation Alleges Bukele Embezzled $200 Million for Bitcoin Projects in El Salvador
2.11.2023
An investigation led by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) alleges that Nayib Bukele, President of El Salvador, deviated hundreds of millions of dollars granted by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) to develop the project of making bitcoin legal...
Swiss National Bank Launches Wholesale CBDC in Partnership With Six Commercial Banks
2.11.2023
The Swiss National Bank (SNB) is ramping up its efforts on the issuance of a wholesale central bank digital currency (wCBDC). According to a press release, the Swiss central bank is collaborating with six commercial banks and the SIX Digital Exchange (SDX) to fast-track the implementation of...
Swiss wholesale CBDC pilot kicks off in alliance with central, commercial banks
2.11.2023
The Swiss wCBDC pilot project will be hosted on SDX and use the infrastructure of Swiss Interbank Clearing (SIC)
Nigerian Central Bank Refutes Claims It Plans to Redenominate the Naira in 2024
2.11.2023
The Nigerian Central Bank has denied claims in a widely circulating text message that it plans to redenominate the naira starting in January 2024. According to the bank, the authors of the message had seemingly “modified text eked from an old policy” by a previous governor in 2007....
Visa Successfully Concludes CBDC Pilot Program in Hong Kong with HSBC and Hang Seng Bank
2.11.2023
Visa, a global leader in payments technology, has announced the successful completion of a pilot test of tokenized deposits using central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). On November 1, Visa announced that it had completed the Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s CBDC pilot program with leading...
Investigation Reveals El Salvador Misused One-Third of $600 Million COVID Relief for Bitcoin
1.11.2023
The COVID-19 pandemic plunged El Salvador into economic turmoil in 2020, causing GDP to plummet nearly 8% and leaving many struggling to survive the strict lockdown measures. So when the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE) approved a $600 million loan in 2021 to provide relief...
Hong Kong advances CBDC pilot, bringing e-HKD trials to Phase 2
31.10.2023
e-HKD Phase 1 trial was dedicated to full-fledged payments, programmable payments, offline payments, tokenized deposits, settlement of Web3 transactions and settlement of tokenized assets
Bitcoin Holds Steady Above $34K After Hawkish BOJ Decision
31.10.2023
The BOJ's yield curve control program has been a major source of liquidity for financial markets since 2016. Early Tuesday, the bank tweak the curve control program in what appears to be a stealth hawkish move
Hong Kong Uncertain on e-HKD Issuance, Says Retail CBDC Needs More Study
30.10.2023
As financial institutions worldwide explore the adoption of digital currencies, Hong Kong’s stance on its own Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), known as e-HKD, remains cautious. A recently published report by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) highlights both the opportunities...
Singapore’s Central Bank Joins Forces with Monetary Authorities in Japan, Switzerland, and the UK for Joint Digital Asset Pilots
30.10.2023
Singapore’s central bank has announced plans to collaborate with monetary authorities in Japan, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom for joint digital asset pilots. In a Monday press release, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced that it will collaborate with the Financial...
Retail CBDC Could Add Unique Value, but Further Investigation Is Needed, Hong Kong Central Bank Says
30.10.2023
A retail central bank digital currency could add unique value to the existing payments ecosystem and enable new types of economic transactions, but further investigation is needed, Hong Kong's central bank said
Binance Appoints New Regional Head for Eastern Europe and Central Asia
28.10.2023
Binance’s General Manager for Central and Eastern Europe, Kyrylo Khomiakov, will take responsibility for Central Asia as well. His promotion comes after the crypto exchange’s top executives in the region left the company last month, part of a string of executive exits at Binance this year. Kyrylo...