# Digital Currency and Blockchain Weekly Round-Up – September 20th, 2019 By Shampa Mani Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/technology/3512 Published: 2019-09-20T12:28:31.000Z Updated: 2019-09-20T12:28:31.000Z Section: Technology > US Congress’ upcoming hearing with SEC to focus on cryptocurrencies and Libra The U.S. House Financial Services Committee is going to hold a hearing next week in which it will seek answers from five Securities and Exc… [US Congress’ upcoming hearing with SEC to focus on cryptocurrencies and Libra]() The U.S. House Financial Services Committee is going to hold a hearing next week in which it will seek answers from five Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) commissioners on cryptocurrencies and Facebook’s Libra, among other topics, CoinDesk reported. The one-panel hearing, entitled, “Oversight of the Securities and Exchange Commission: Wall Street’s Cop on the Beat,” will be held on September 24. [Germany adopts comprehensive blockchain strategy to block Facebook's cryptocurrency Libra]() Germany has passed on Wednesday a comprehensive blockchain strategy that aims to block stablecoins from becoming alternative currencies and threatening state sovereignty, according to Reuters. As per the report, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet passed the strategy in a bid to alleviate the risks posed by Facebook’s upcoming Libra cryptocurrency. [Turkey plans to create National Blockchain Infrastructure and regulatory sandbox]() Turkey is eyeing to become the first country to use blockchain for public administrative services, according to a new road map released by the country’s Ministry of Industry and Technology, as reported by Cointelegraph. Dubbed as Strategy 2023, the Turkish IT Ministry plans to establish the “National Blockchain Infrastructure” to integrate distributed ledger technology (DLT) in public administration. The strategy aims to put a priority on blockchain and DLT within the next 4 years. [North Korea reportedly in early stages of developing bitcoin-like national cryptocurrency]() North Korea appears to be the latest country to undertake the cryptocurrency route to avoid international sanctions. Alejandro Cao de Benos, the official in charge of North Korea’s cryptocurrency conferences told Vice that the country is in early stages of developing its own cryptocurrency. The objective, he said, is to “avoid crippling international sanctions and circumvent the U.S.-dominated global financial system.” [UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention rolls out blockchain-based system]() UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has rolled out a blockchain-based system that will record and share information of healthcare workers in public and private health facilities under its supervision, Emirates News Agency reported. [Azerbaijan's State Customs Committee seeks to exchange information with global counterparts via blockchain]() Azerbaijan's State Customs Committee is planning to use blockchain technology to exchange information with customs authorities of other countries, Menafn reported citing Trend. Speaking at the second session of the International Caspian Energy Forum, First Deputy Chairman of the committee Ismayil Huseynov said the committee has already started exchanging information with Georgian Customs Department via a new method. Research Studies - Chinese financial institutions increasingly adopting big data, blockchain and AI: [Moody’s]() - [FxWirePro Poll](): Ethereum seen to rise but not recoup 2018’s drastic losses Company News - Crypto trader [Genesis acquires Qu Capital]() to bolster trading technology - Cybersecurity startup [GK8]() scores $4M to conduct cryptocurrency transactions without connecting to the Internet - Crypto exchange [Binance]() backs Chinese crypto news portal Mars Finance - Blockchain food provenance platform [OpenSC secures $4M]() in seed funding - Crypto ATM chain [Coinme reels $1.5M]() from Ripple's Xpring, Blockchain Finance - [SpaceChain wins €60K grant]() from European Space Agency for blockchain satellite wallet - VanEck, SolidX pull out [bitcoin ETF proposal]() from SEC - CME's bitcoin index provider [CF Benchmarks]() scores FCA license in Europe Partnerships/Consortiums - Largest independent Middle East news site Al Bawaba joins media blockchain consortium [PUBLISHalliance]() - Bank of America joins blockchain-based trade finance network [Marco Polo]() - [IBM, Citibank, Ubisoft]() signed up as corporate partners of Singapore's blockchain accelerator Tribe - Canada-based Bull Bitcoin latest to join [Blockstream’s Liquid Network]() - [Deutsche Bank]() signs up to JPMorgan's blockchain-based Interbank Information Network Digital Currency and Blockchain Initiatives - All 7-Eleven stores in the Philippines now [sell bitcoin](), thanks to the new partnership of Abra, ECPay - [Arab Bank Switzerland]() partners with Taurus to offer cryptocurrency services to its wealthy clients - PUBLISH’s native token [‘NEWS’ listed on CoinMarketCap]() - [Huobi]() launches fiat-to-cryptocurrency exchange in Argentina - Japan's [LINE]() launches crypto exchange platform Bitmax - 'Big Four' auditing firm [Deloitte]() lets employees pay canteen food in bitcoin in a trial run - [Wells Fargo]() to pilot internal blockchain-based digital currency for payments - [Marsh, Arch Insurance (UK) Limited]() launch insurance solution for digital assets ‘Blue Vault’ - Pakistan's [Faysal Bank]() becomes the country's first bank to adopt Ripple's xCurrent technology - [Tata Motors]() looks to collaborate with startups on blockchain-based solutions amid Indian automotive sector slowdown - [AssetBlock]() launches new property trading platform tokenizing $60M of real estate on Algorand's blockchain - [Harbor]() tokenizes iCap Equity’s $100M real estate funds using ethereum blockchain - Australia's [REIQ]() partners with Igloo to develop blockchain-based tenancy agreements [TokenPost]() | info@tokenpost.com ## Links in this article - [US Congress’ upcoming hearing with SEC to focus on cryptocurrencies and Libra](https://tokenpost.com/US-Congress-upcoming-hearing-with-SEC-to-focus-on-cryptocurrencies-and-Libra-3508) - [Germany adopts comprehensive blockchain strategy to block Facebook's cryptocurrency Libra](https://tokenpost.com/Germany-adopts-comprehensive-blockchain-strategy-to-block-Facebooks-cryptocurrency-Libra-3483) - [Turkey plans to create National Blockchain Infrastructure and regulatory sandbox](https://tokenpost.com/Turkey-plans-to-create-National-Blockchain-Infrastructure-a-national-regulatory-sandbox-for-blockchain-applications-3481) - [North Korea reportedly in early stages of developing bitcoin-like national cryptocurrency](https://tokenpost.com/North-Korea-reportedly-in-early-stages-of-developing-bitcoin-like-national-cryptocurrency-3489) - [UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention rolls out blockchain-based system](https://tokenpost.com/UAEs-Ministry-of-Health-and-Prevention-rolls-out-blockchain-based-system-3488) - [Azerbaijan's State Customs Committee seeks to exchange information with global counterparts via blockchain](https://tokenpost.com/Azerbaijans-State-Customs-Committee-seeks-to-exchange-information-with-global-counterparts-via-blockchain-3511) - [Moody’s](https://tokenpost.com/Chinese-financial-institutions-increasingly-adopting-big-data-blockchain-and-AI-Moodys-3491) - [FxWirePro Poll](https://tokenpost.com/FxWirePro-Poll-Ethereum-seen-to-rise-but-not-recoup-2018s-drastic-losses-3431) - [Genesis acquires Qu Capital](https://tokenpost.com/Crypto-trader-Genesis-acquires-Qu-Capital-to-bolster-trading-technology-3502) - [GK8](https://tokenpost.com/Cybersecurity-startup-GK8-scores-4M-to-conduct-cryptocurrency-transactions-without-connecting-to-the-Internet-3478) - [Binance](https://tokenpost.com/Crypto-exchange-Binance-backs-Chinese-crypto-news-portal-Mars-Finance-3457) - [OpenSC secures $4M](https://tokenpost.com/Blockchain-food-provenance-platform-OpenSC-secures-4M-in-seed-funding-3446) - [Coinme reels $1.5M](https://tokenpost.com/Crypto-ATM-chain-Coinme-reels-15M-from-Ripples-Xpring-Blockchain-Finance-3426) - [SpaceChain wins €60K grant](https://tokenpost.com/Blockchain-startup-SpaceChain-wins-60K-grant-from-European-Space-Agency-for-blockchain-satellite-wallet-3476) - [bitcoin ETF proposal](https://tokenpost.com/VanEck-SolidX-pull-out-bitcoin-ETF-proposal-from-SEC-3469) - [CF Benchmarks](https://tokenpost.com/CMEs-bitcoin-index-provider-CF-Benchmarks-scores-FCA-license-in-Europe-3427) - [PUBLISHalliance](https://tokenpost.com/Largest-independent-Middle-East-news-site-Al-Bawaba-joins-media-blockchain-consortium-PUBLISHalliance-3454) - [Marco Polo](https://tokenpost.com/Bank-of-America-joins-blockchain-based-trade-finance-network-Marco-Polo-3504) - [IBM, Citibank, Ubisoft](https://tokenpost.com/IBM-Citibank-Ubisoft-signed-up-as-corporate-partners-of-Singapores-blockchain-accelerator-Tribe-3498) - [Blockstream’s Liquid Network](https://tokenpost.com/Canada-based-Bull-Bitcoin-latest-to-join-Blockstreams-Liquid-Network-3433) - [Deutsche Bank](https://tokenpost.com/Deutsche-Bank-signs-up-to-JPMorgans-blockchain-based-Interbank-Information-Network-3430) - [sell bitcoin](https://tokenpost.com/All-7-Eleven-stores-in-the-Philippines-now-sell-bitcoin-thanks-to-the-new-partnership-of-Abra-ECPay-3495) - [Arab Bank Switzerland](https://tokenpost.com/Arab-Bank-Switzerland-partners-with-Taurus-to-offer-cryptocurrency-services-to-its-wealthy-clients-3497) - [‘NEWS’ listed on CoinMarketCap](https://tokenpost.com/PUBLISHs-native-token-NEWS-listed-on-CoinMarketCap-3487) - [Huobi](https://tokenpost.com/Huobi-launches-fiat-to-cryptocurrency-exchange-in-Argentina-despite-peso-devaluation-3475) - [LINE](https://tokenpost.com/Japans-LINE-launches-crypto-exchange-platform-Bitmax-3463) - [Deloitte](https://tokenpost.com/Big-Four-auditing-firm-Deloitte-lets-employees-pay-canteen-food-in-bitcoin-in-a-trial-run-3467) - [Wells Fargo](https://tokenpost.com/Wells-Fargo-to-pilot-internal-blockchain-based-digital-currency-for-payments-3461) - [Marsh, Arch Insurance (UK) Limited](https://tokenpost.com/Marsh-Arch-Insurance-UK-Limited-launch-insurance-solution-for-digital-assets-Blue-Vault-3460) - [Faysal Bank](https://tokenpost.com/Pakistans-Faysal-Bank-becomes-the-countrys-first-bank-to-adopt-Ripples-xCurrent-technology-3496) - [Tata Motors](https://tokenpost.com/Tata-Motors-looks-to-collaborate-with-startups-on-blockchain-based-solutions-amid-automotive-sector-slowdown-3480) - [AssetBlock](https://tokenpost.com/AssetBlock-launches-new-property-trading-platform-tokenizing-60M-of-real-estate-on-Algorands-blockchain-3462) - [Harbor](https://tokenpost.com/Harbor-tokenizes-iCap-Equitys-100M-real-estate-funds-using-ethereum-blockchain-3452) - [REIQ](https://tokenpost.com/Australias-REIQ-partners-with-Igloo-to-develop-blockchain-based-tenancy-agreements-3442) - [TokenPost](https://www.tokenpost.com)