TokenPost reporter
Charissa Echavez
Reporter
Stories by Charissa Echavez
- DTCC delays blockchain post-trade platform launch to avoid Brexit complications
Post-trade financial service firm Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) has confirmed that it would delay the launching of its blockchain-based post-trade platform for derivatives by several months, to avoid …
· Business
- Galaxy Digital, XBTO execute first block trade of Bakkt Bitcoin Futures
Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the governing body of the New York Stock Exchange, has carried out the first block trade of Bakkt Bitcoin futures contracts.
· Business
- PayPal drops out of Facebook's Libra Association
Digital payments firm PayPal becomes the first company to withdraw from the Libra Association, the 28-member firm that will oversee Facebook’s upcoming Libra cryptocurrency.
· Business
- Algorand's investment arm Algo Capital loses up to $2M crypto funds in hot wallet breach
Algorand’s investment arm Algo Capital lost around $1–2 million in Tether stablecoins and Algorand tokens after the mobile phone of its chief technology officer was breached.
· Technology
- Two lawmakers urge Fed to mull a digital U.S. dollar; Philly Fed president thinks digital currencies are 'inevitable'
Two U.S. congressmen, Rep. French Hill (R-Arkansas) and Rep. Bill Foster (D-Illinois), have asked the Federal Reserve to consider developing a digital dollar.
· Regulation
- Blockchain.com onboards Blackrock veteran as general counsel amid departures from other executives: Report
Cryptocurrency wallet provider Blockchain.com is reportedly about to lose two of its top executives, according to a report by The Information.
· Business
- Asset manager Stone Ridge to rival Bakkt, CME; files new bitcoin futures funds with SEC
Asset management firm Stone Ridge has filed a prospectus for its bitcoin futures fund with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Wednesday.
· Business
- Ohio businesses cannot pay taxes using bitcoin anymore; OhioCrypto.com website suspended
Less than a year since launching, the State of Ohio has suspended its online portal that allows businesses to pay their taxes using bitcoin.
· Regulation
- Telegram to launch TON blockchain later this month
Telegram’s blockchain project, Telegram Open Network (TON), is on track for its scheduled launch this month, as per an email sent to TON investors.
· Technology
- Coinbase offers 1.25% interest to USDC stablecoin holders
Leading cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase is providing a 1.25% annualized interest rate for holders storing USD Coin (USDC) on its platform.
· Business
- DeFi portal InstaDApp secures $2.4M from strategic investors including Pantera Capital, Coinbase
InstaDApp, an India-based digital banking portal for DeFi protocols, has secured $2.4 million in seed funding from strategic investors such as Pantera Capital, Coinbase Ventures, Balaji Srinivasan, Naval Ravikant, and…
· Business
- JP Morgan, Intel, and TrustToken alumni-led Global Currency Organization launches new USD Digital stablecoin
The Global Currency Organization (GCO), led by former employees of JP Morgan, Intel, and TrustToken, is launching a new U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin, called the USD Digital (USDD).
· Business
- Marudo: Venezuela to use crypto payments soon; opposition calls plan desperate subterfuge
Venezuelan President Nicolás Marudo confirmed reports that his country is planning to develop a bitcoin-based payment method and stockpiling cryptocurrencies as part of its international reserves.
· Regulation
- Morningstar to offer ratings for crypto assets by end of 2019
Chicago-based rating firm Morningstar plans to bring its services to the ethereum blockchain, as it seeks to begin rating blockchain-based debt securities.
· Technology
- Broadridge likely to offer crypto post-trade services following Shadow Financial Systems' acquisition
Broadridge Financial Solutions Inc. has acquired a New Jersey-based fintech firm Shadow Financial Systems for an undisclosed amount.
· Business
- Mark Zuckerberg addresses Libra's regulatory, KYC issues in leaked meeting audio; major backers are now hesitating
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently addressed regulatory and customer identification problems pointed out by employees over the social network’s upcoming Libra cryptocurrency.
· People
- Ripple rebranding? Crypto startup removes xRapid, xCurrent, and xVia from its website
Ripple appears to be shifting to a new approach after it removed all mentions of its cross-border payment products from its website: xRapid, xCurrent, and xVia.
· Business
- Band Protocol rolls out BTC binary options dApp 'BitSwing' on ethereum blockchain
Band Protocol, a Sequoia-backed data management firm, has rolled out its decentralized binary options trading app BitSwing on Ethereum’s mainnet. The dApp will serve as a brokerage for ether-dominated binary options.
· Business
- UK police raise $294K after selling off ill-gotten cryptocurrency haul of TalkTalk hacker
U.K. authorities have raised 240,000 pounds (~$294,000) after auctioning off the crypto-assets of a convicted hacker.
· Regulation
- Stripe-backed startup Rapyd secures $100 million for its 'fintech-as-a-service' API
London-based startup Rapyd, which describes itself as a “fintech as a service” provider, has raised $100 million in a Series C funding round led by venture and growth equity investments firm Oak HC/FT.
· Business
- CFTC accuses crypto escrow firm head of $7M fraud
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has sued Jon Barry Thompson for fraud, alleging that he “knowingly or recklessly [made] false representations to customers in connection with the purported purchase…
· Regulation
- Longfin and its CEO ordered to pay $6.8M penalty for SEC fraud complaint
Cryptocurrency firm Longfin Corp. has been ordered by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York to pay the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) nearly $6.8 million in penalties related to …
· Regulation
- Bittrex introduces new Liechtenstein-based digital asset platform Bittrex Global
Cryptocurrency trading platform Bittrex has unveiled its plan to launch a new digital asset platform, Bittrex Global, based in Liechtenstein.
· Business
- Blockchain startup BlockApps secures Series A funding led by Fitz Gate Ventures
BlockApps, an enterprise blockchain platform provider, has secured an undisclosed amount in a Series A funding round.
· Business
- EOS maker Block.One agrees to settle $24M penalty with SEC over unregistered ICO
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has agreed to settle charges against EOS maker Block.One for carrying out an unregistered securities sale.
· Regulation
- EnHelix launches blockchain-based energy commodity trading software based on Hyperledger Fabric
EnHelix rolled out the first blockchain-based commodity trading, based on the Hyperledger Fabric, for the gas industry.
· Technology
- Carrefour deploys blockchain-based food traceability system to Camembert de Normandie
French retailer Carrefour revealed it has expanded its blockchain technology to Camembert de Normandie (Camembert of Normandy) cheese.
· Technology
- Coinbase, Kraken and others form Crypto Rating Council to help firms comply with SEC
Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase introduced the Crypto Rating Council, an organization that aims to help traders comply with U.S. federal securities laws. The other founding members include Anchorage, Bittrex, Circle,…
· Business
- Overstock, ex-CEO Patrick Byrne, and ex-CFO Greg Iverson sued for securities fraud
Overstock.com, former CEO Patrick Byrne, and former CFO Greg Iverson are facing a lawsuit for securities fraud.
· People
- Iran cracks down crypto-miners as the government regulates mining
The Iranian government has reportedly been cracking down local cryptocurrency miners in the past three months, following a new pending regulation that will regulate crypto mining via licensing.
· Regulation
- ConsenSys, WWF launch Impactio blockchain for transparent philantrophy
Blockchain startup Consensys has signed a partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to launch the Impactio platform and bring transparency into philanthropy.
· Technology
- Ripple's Xpring acquires Logos Network to build DeFi products
Ripple, the startup behind digital asset XRP, has acquired payment platform Logos Network to develop decentralized financial (DeFi) products. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
· Business
- Blockchain and AI startup Core Scientific acquires Honeyminer creator Stax Digital
Blockchain and artificial intelligence startup Core Scientific has acquired Stax Digital, the company behind the most widely used GPU mining program Honeyminer, for an undisclosed amount.
· Business
- RSK maker IOVLabs buys Latin American Facebook rival Taringa
IOVLabs, the startup behind RSK’s Bitcoin-powered smart contract network, has acquired Taringa, one of the largest social networks in Latin America.
· Business
- Alipay's operator Ant Financial signs deal with Bayer to develop agricultural blockchain solution
Alipay’s parent company Ant Financial has entered into a partnership with pharmaceutical Bayer Crop Science to develop a blockchain solution for the food and crop industry.
· Technology
- Venezuela's central bank exploring ways to add bitcoin, ether to its reserves
Venezuela’s central bank could soon hold bitcoin (BTC) and ether (ETH) in its coffers, according to a report by Bloomberg citing people with knowledge about the matter.
· Regulation
- ECB Board Member Benoit Coeure calls Facebook's Libra a wakeup call for regulators
Facebook’s Libra can potentially address problems of the international payments market, Benoit Coeure, a member of the Executive Board of the European Central Bank (ECB) said, stressing that it is “undoubtedly a wake …
· People
- Telegram organizes $400K TON Blockchain Smart Contracts contest for developers
Instant messaging app Telegram has initiated a contest for developers with a prize fund of up to $400,000 to build smart contracts for the Telegram Open Network (TON) blockchain.
· Technology
- Blockchain identity firm Evernym raises $8M from Overstock's Medici Venture, Barclays Venture
Evernym, a Self-Sovereign Identity solutions provider, has procured $8 million in a pre-series A fund round, with investors including Overstock’s venture capital arm Medici Ventures and Barclays Ventures.
· Business
- Blockchain data privacy startup StrongSalt secures $3M to develop encryption platform-as-a-service
California-based startup StrongSalt has raised $3 million in a seed funding round from Valley Capital Partners.
· Business