TokenPost reporter
Charissa Echavez
Reporter
Stories by Charissa Echavez
- Austrian steel firm Alukönigstahl develops blockchain-powered database "STEEL but SMART" for steel trading
Austrian steel trading company Alukönigstahl is reportedly developing a blockchain-powered steel trading database, according to local media outlet industriemagazin.at.
· Technology
- Brazil authorities to develop regulatory sandbox for blockchain, DLT
The Brazilian government and financial regulators are reportedly developing a regulatory sandbox type model targeting new technologies including blockchain.
· Technology
- FINOS grows membership roster with Royal Bank of Canada, WiPro, WhiteSource, and Axoni
The Fintech Open Source Foundation (FINOS) announced that it has welcomed four new members that will help strengthen its global open source leadership position.
· Business
- Facebook's cryptocurrency project gets big backers including Mastercard, Paypal, Uber, Visa: Report
Mastercard, Paypal, Uber, and Visa are reportedly the major names that will back Facebook’s new cryptocurrency, according to the Wall Street Journal.
· Business
- Circle to end support for its payment app, to shift to blockchain-based financial projects
Peer-to-peer payment network company Circle is ending support for its mobile app Circle Pay to develop new crypto financial services.
· Business
- Bitcoin startup Bitrefill closes $2M seed round led by Coin Ninja
Stockholm-based startup Bitrefill has raised $2 million in a late seed round, led by Coin Ninja with participation from litecoin maker Charlie Lee, Fulgur Ventures, and BnkToTheFuture, according to CoinDesk.
· Business
- Brazil considers promoting blockchain in public administration in new proposed bill
The government of Brazil is seeking to encourage implementation of blockchain and other advanced technologies in all local public administration units, Cointelegraph Brazil reported.
· Regulation
- FINRA fines, suspends ex-Merill Lynch advisor for crypto mining business
U.S.-based Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has fined and suspended a former financial advisor of Merrill Lynch for mining cryptocurrencies, a violation of the self-regulatory organization’s rules of di…
· Regulation
- Less than 5% of GitHub crypto contributors are women: Study
A new study found that less than 5% of the code dedicated to the top 100 blockchain projects on code repository GitHub were contributed by women.
· Insights & Views
- FATF to release new policies for global digital asset industry affecting crypto exchanges, custodians, hedge funds: Report
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) will reportedly release a note to clarify how participant nations should manage the digital assets sector, Bloomberg reported citing FATF spokeswoman Alexandra Wijmenga-Daniel.
· Regulation
- Arizona Care Network diabetes patients to use Solve.Care-Boehringer Ingelheim healthcare blockchain network
Arizona Care Network (ACN), a physician-governed accountable care organization, will soon enable its patients with diabetes to use a healthcare blockchain network to manage their disease and optimize care with their p…
· Technology
- Blockchain startup Spring Labs raises $23M to stop auto financing fraud
U.S.-based blockchain startup Spring Labs has raised $23 million in a Series A funding round led by Great Point Ventures and participation from current investors, including, August Capital, General Motors-backed Gener…
· Business
- Former R3 director Tim Swanson joins rival blockchain builder Clearmatics
R3’s former Director of Market Research Tim Swanson is joining UK-based blockchain builder Clearmatics as head of market intelligence, according to CoinDesk.
· People
- PwC blockchain expert Roman Schnider joins Tezos Foundation as new CFO and Head of Operations
Roman Schnider, the man who launched PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Switzerland’s blockchain and cryptocurrency assurance division, will join Tezos Foundation as its new chief financial officer, replacing Eelco Fiole, e…
· People
- IBM, Azerbaijan's customs committee to use blockchain for cargo transportation
IBM Corporation and Azerbaijan’s State Customs Committee will team up to bring blockchain technology to its customs procedures, according to media outlet Trend News Agency.
· Technology
- Canada's University of British Columbia launches first graduate blockchain training program
Canada-based University of British Columbia (UBC) has announced that it is offering a blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT) training program for graduate students.
· Technology
- Blockchain companies get rent subsidies in China's Fuzhou City
Fuzhou City in China is providing rent subsidies for blockchain businesses with the hope to enhance the sector’s growth, according to state-run People’s Daily.
· Technology
- Blockchain genomics startup to begin pilot project with Merck's subsidiary EMD Serono on lung cancer patient
Blockchain-enabled genome sequencing startup Nebula Genomics has inked its first pharma partnership with Merck KGaA’s EMD Serono.
· Technology
- Crypto exchange ABX gets initial regulatory approval in UAE
Cryptocurrency custodian Arabian Bourse (ABX), a joint venture between GMX Group and Arshad Khan, has received in-principal approval from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Abu Dhabi Global Market to estab…
· Business
- Cryptocurrency cybersecurity startup Fireblocks bags $16M in Series A funding led by Fidelity, Tenaya Capital, Cyperstarts
Cryptocurrency security startup Fireblocks has raked in $16 million in its Series A funding, led by major firms including Cyperstarts, Tenaya Capital, Swisscom Ventures, MState, and Fidelity International-backed Eight…
· Business
- Philippines' central bank will continue to address risks of growing cryptocurrency use, says Governor
The governor of the central bank of the Philippines has cautioned over the risks of the growing use of cryptocurrencies in the country.
· Regulation
- Crypto news site CCN.com is shutting down after Google's major update
Cryptocurrency publication CCN.com announced that it is closing its digital doors after experiencing a collapse in mobile traffic following Google’s Core Update on June 3, 2019.
· Business
- Overstock.com's blockchain subsidiary Medici Land Governance inks MoU with Liberia
Overstock.com’s blockchain subsidiary Medici Land Governance and Liberia’s Ministry of Finance and Development Planning have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to digitize the government services of the Africa…
· Technology
- Blockchain startup Ripple opens new office in Brazil
XRP developer and issuer Ripple has opened a new Brazilian office, with the aim of expanding more across Latin America, Cointelegraph Brazil reported.
· Business
- US NAR invests in blockchain real estate startup Propy
The U.S. National Association of Realtors (NAR)’s venture capital arm Secondary Century Ventures has invested in blockchain-based real estate startup Propy, CoinDesk reported.
· Business
- Russia may start imposing cryptocurrency mining fine this month
The parliament of Russia, the State Duma, is considering imposing administrative penalties for those who mine cryptocurrencies using open blockchains, media outlet TASS reported.
· Regulation
- Dubai Land Department, Emirati's Etisalat sign MoU to implement blockchain
The Dubai Land Department (DLD) and Emirati telecoms service provider Etisalat have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on real estate blockchain technology, according to United Arab Emirates-based media outlet…
· Technology
- Binance hires ex-Dell, NBA executive as global strategy officer
Leading cryptocurrency exchange Binance announced that it has onboarded Gin Chao, the former strategy executive of Dell and the National Basketball Association, as its global strategy officer.
· People
- Russia's Yugra partners with Universa Blockchain to launch future-oriented tourism platform
Universa Blockchain and the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug - Yugra, a federal subject of Russia, have collaborated to launch a blockchain-based, future-oriented tourism platform.
· Technology
- McKinsey underscores retail banking sector's hesitation for blockchain adoption in new report
Consultancy firm McKinsey & Company said that retail banks are slow to adopt blockchain technology, citing regulations and conservative consumers as obstacles.
· Insights & Views
- Thailand's Siam Commercial Bank has no plans of using Ripple's XRP token "as of now"
The Siam Commercial Bank (SCB), Thailand’s largest commercial bank, has retracted a statement it made about its plan to start using Ripple’s XRP token.
· Business
- Republic of San Marino issues governmental decree for blockchain tech for businesses
Republic of San Marino’s captains regent, Nicola Selva and Michele Muratori, have issued a delegated decree, outlining the procedures for registering a blockchain-based organization with the San Marino Innovation Inst…
· Regulation
- Ethereum blockchain is the standard default for most DApps: Report
Ethereum is the most commonly used platform for decentralized finance (DeFi) applications (DApps), according to a report by Binance Research published on June 6.
· Insights & Views
- Blockchain startup BanQu receives Series A extension round from Corona, Budweiser-owned investment arm
Blockchain-as-a-service startup BanQu announced that it closed an extension of its Series A funding round, receiving an undisclosed amount from ZX Ventures, the investing arm of brewing giant Budweiser’s parent compan…
· Business
- Facebook set to release cryptocurrency white paper later this month, confirms exec
Facebook is set to unveil the details of its cryptocurrency project, codenamed Libra, with its white paper scheduled for release on June 18, Laura McCracken, the social media giant’s head of financial services and pay…
· Technology
- EOS blockchain-powered gaming platform Azarus secures $1.8M from Galaxy Digital, Kleiner Perkins
Azarus, a blockchain-based service that runs on video game challenges, has raked in $1.8 million of investments from Galaxy Digital’s Galaxy EOS VC Fund, Kleiner Perkins, and SVK Crypto, Venture Beat reported.
· Business
- Facebook's cryptocurrency project has over 100 staff, including high-level executives
More details about the cryptocurrency project of Facebook have emerged, revealing that the social media giant now has 100 people onboard the project, CNBC reported citing information from professional networking platf…
· Business
- Russia's largest palladium producer Nornickel and IBM to establish blockchain competence center in MIPT
IBM has teamed up with Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT) and Russia’s Nornickel, the world’s biggest palladium producer, to establish an educational program on blockchain technology.
· Technology
- Blockchain voting startup Voatz raises $7M in Series A funding led by Medici Ventures, Techstars
Blockchain-based mobile election voting platform Voatz has raised $7 million in a Series A funding round, led by Medici Ventures and Techstars.
· Business
- EU relaxes access limitations to high-quality blockchain, AI data
The European Union has relaxed the wealth of information that can be reused as raw material for blockchain- and artificial intelligence-related projects.
· Regulation