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British Bank Natwest Implements New Limits on Cryptocurrency Payments to Combat UK Crypto Scams
15.3.2023
On March 14, 2023, the U.K.-based bank Natwest Group announced new limits on cryptocurrency payments, citing crypto scams that cost U.K. consumers £329 million annually. The limit imposed on crypto exchanges is £1,000 daily ($1,215), with a 30-day limit of £5,000 ($6,077). Natwest’s Cautious...
NY Regulators Seize Control of Signature Bank, Depositors Assured by Federal Bailout
13.3.2023
On Sunday, the New York Department of Financial Services, or DFS, announced that it had taken possession of Signature Bank. The DFS appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or FDIC, as the receiver of the bank. In a joint statement, the U.S. Federal Reserve, Treasury Department,...
Silicon Valley Bank Failure Highlights Dangers of Fractional-Reserve Banking
12.3.2023
After the failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), a great deal of Americans are starting to realize the dangers of fractional-reserve banking. Reports show that SVB suffered a significant bank run after customers attempted to withdraw $42 billion from the bank on Thursday. The following is a look...
Citizens Trust Bank to Hold $65 Million in USDC Reserves as Circle Expands Bank Partnerships
25.2.2023
On Friday, the cryptocurrency firm and stablecoin issuer Circle announced that the financial institution Citizens Trust Bank will hold $65 million in usd coin cash reserves. Circle said the move is part of the company’s plan to allocate shares of the stablecoin’s denominated reserves...
14th Anniversary of Bitcoin’s Genesis Block: A Look Back at the Birth of Cryptocurrency
3.1.2023
14 years ago on Jan. 3, 2009, Satoshi Nakamoto launched the Bitcoin network and block zero at approximately 1:15 p.m. (ET) on a Saturday afternoon. Satoshi’s technology allows “online payments to be sent directly from one party to another without going through a financial...
Russia to Ban Banks From Using Messengers Like Telegram to Contact Customers
25.12.2022
Financial institutions in Russia will not be able to communicate with clients through instant messengers based outside the country, local media revealed. A new law passed by the State Duma also prohibits banks from using chats to send personal data and payment documents. Bill Restricts Russian...
Russia’s Sber Bank Aims for Blockchain Integration With Ethereum and Metamask
3.12.2022
Banking giant Sber wants to integrate its blockchain platform with the Ethereum blockchain and the Metamask wallet. The Russian bank believes the integration will give developers more options and create new opportunities for users when in operations with tokens and smart contracts. Sber Bank...
Africa Focused Crypto Exchange Yellow Card Granted VASPs License in Botswana
25.10.2022
Yellow Card, an Africa-focused cryptocurrency exchange platform, recently said it has received a virtual asset service provider (VASP) license to operate in Botswana. Granted by the country’s Non-Bank Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority, Yellow Card’s license allows the crypto...
Wealth managers and VCs are helping drive institutional crypto adoption — Wave Financial execs
10.8.2022
“Things are much more encouraging, even though this is clearly a time of pain," said Wave Financial’s head of business development Mike Jones
FBI Issues Alert Concerning Malicious State-Sponsored North Korean Hackers Targeting Crypto Firms
19.4.2022
On April 18, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Treasury Department, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) published a Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA) report concerning malicious North Korean state-sponsored cryptocurrency activity. According to the U.S....
Digital Ruble ‘Much Needed,’ Russia’s Central Bank Says, Won’t Delay Testing
19.4.2022
The Central Bank of Russia has emphasized the importance of moving forward with its digital ruble project. According to a statement by a top representative, the monetary authority has no intention to delay the trials despite not all invited banks being ready to participate yet. Bank of Russia...
OFAC Update Claims Ronin Hack Is Tethered to North Korea’s Hacker Syndicate Lazarus Group
15.4.2022
According to the U.S. Treasury and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the recent Ronin bridge hack may have been tied to the North Korean hacker syndicate called Lazarus Group. Federal law enforcement officials have tied the flagged ethereum address connected with the Ronin bridge exploit...
Study: 10% Growth in Crypto Market Cap Reduces Value of African Firms by 0.76%
2.4.2022
A study undertaken by two assistant professors at American University in Cairo (AUC) has suggested that an increase of 10% in the crypto market cap causes the market value of “African micro-entities” to drop by 0.76%. Crypto Market Growth Hurts Less Competitive Sectors According...
Defi Lending Startup Aave Launches Permissioned Platform to Entice Financial Institutions
5.1.2022
On January 5, the open-source non-custodial decentralized finance (defi) lending platform Aave launched a permissioned version of the protocol aimed at institutions. The platform dubbed Aave Arc will leverage Fireblocks as the first whitelister as the platform aims to help bridge traditional...
Over 80% of African Users on Mineplex Reportedly Interested in Buying Goods With Staked Crypto
5.12.2021
A report says over 80% of African users on the Mineplex marketplace have shown an interest in the platform’s commodity staking program since launch. Zero Fee Alternative According to a recent study, over 80% of African users have taken part in the commodity staking program since its launch...
Report: Traditional Banks in Africa Hold Trust Advantage Over Fintechs
13.11.2021
A recent report by CR2 on Africa’s fintech transformation suggests traditional financial institutions can still be a part of the fintech financial revolution if they leverage one of their most significant assets: client trust. Partnerships Between Banks and Fintechs The report urges...
Digital Euro Should Be Attractive But Not ‘Too Successful,’ ECB’s Panetta Says
7.11.2021
The digital euro should be an attractive means of payment but its design should prevent it from becoming so successful as a store of value that it threatens banks and private money, according to Fabio Panetta, a high-ranking executive at the European Central Bank. Panetta stressed that both this...
Colombian Government Might Take Unused Funds From Bank Accounts Inactive for a Year
26.10.2021
The budget law for the next year, which was recently approved by the Colombian representative’s chamber, includes a controversial article that allows the state to confiscate a bank customer’s funds to be used for budgetary purposes. Under certain circumstances defined by the...
Nigeria CBDC Countdown: Central Bank Delays E-Naira Rollout
2.10.2021
A spokesperson for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Osita Nwanisobi, has said the launch of the much-hyped e-naira central bank digital currency (CBDC) has now been postponed to a later date. Nwanisobi’s announcement came less than 24 hours before the CBN was scheduled to launch...
IRS Agent Poses as Bitcoin Trader Called ‘Mr. Coins,’ Biden’s IRS Wants ‘Outflow and Inflow’ Data From Banks
2.9.2021
Over the last few weeks, Americans have read about the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) upping its tax enforcement to catch cryptocurrency users who have not paid taxes. According to one report, the IRS may get access to bank inflows and outflows via Joe Biden’s American Families Plan....