TokenPost reporter
Charissa Echavez
Reporter
Stories by Charissa Echavez
- Facebook's David Marcus rationalizes the need to implement blockchain-based payment networks
Libra co-founder David Marcus described the current financial services system as too old and argued why the existing payments system needs to be replaced with blockchain-based payment networks.
· People
- SoFi rolls out zero-fee crypto trading for bitcoin, ethereum, litecoin with SoFi Invest
Financial firm SoFi has added zero-fee cryptocurrency trading to its SoFi Invest platform.
· Business
- EOS maker Block.one locates new headquarters in Washington, DC
EOS blockchain parent firm Block.one is opening another site in Washington, D.C. metropolitan region, making the new location its fourth global site.
· Business
- Crypto derivatives data provider Skew bags $2M from Firstminute Capital, Kleiner Perkins
Cryptocurrency data provider Skew has secured $2 million to enhance its data offering for the cryptocurrency derivatives market.
· Business
- Peter Thiel-backed investment fund 1Confirmation scores $45M
Crypto investment fund 1Confirmation, founded by former Coinbase employee Nick Tomaino, has secured $45 million in a second round.
· Business
- Fold bitcoin rewards app secures $2.5M to bring Lightning Network to retailers
Fold App, an independent startup that enables people to use Bitcoin Lightning Network, has raised $2.5 million and added a fiat currency payment option.
· Business
- Bitfinex wins a motion against NYAG, can stop turning over documents in a new court order
Bitfinex is no longer required to continue turning over documents to the New York Attorney General (NYAG)’s office, as per the ruling of the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court.
· Business
- Monex Group to reward shareholders with bitcoins, revamps leadership board with new appointees
Japanese financial services giant Monex Group revealed it would be granting Bitcoins as a mid-term shareholder benefit for the fiscal year of 2019.
· Business
- Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda urges global efforts in regulating Facebook's Libra
The governor of Bank of Japan Haruhiko Kuroda has called for international efforts to regulate digital cryptocurrencies such as Facebook’s forthcoming Libra token.
· People
- NEO becomes first blockchain organization member of .NET Foundation
NEO has become the first blockchain organization member to join the Microsoft-created .NET Foundation.
· Business
- Knøx secures $8.25M, debuts digital custody service with up to 100% insurance
Digital asset custodian Knøx has raised $8.25 million in a seed round and launched a custody service for insurance institutions and fiduciaries.
· Business
- Binance receives ISO security accreditation, becomes first crypto exchange recognized by DNV, UKAS
Cryptocurrency exchange Binance announced that it has been officially recognized by the International Organization for Standardization as an information security management system.
· Business
- R3, Infosys complete global blockchain trial for trade finance
Infosys Finacle, part of EdgeVerve Systems – a wholly-owned subsidiary of Infosys, announced that it has successfully completed its global blockchain trial in collaboration with blockchain software firm R3. Financial …
· Technology
- Kik shutting down messaging app to focus on legal battle with SEC
Kik Interactive, the Canada-based startup behind the famous mobile messaging app Kik, is planning to shut down the app.
· Business
- Bithumb Global to enter Indian market
Bithumb Global, the global platform of South Korea’s top cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb, has announced its plans to launch in India.
· Business
- Overstock names Jonathan Johnson as new CEO, pledges to continue its blockchain businesses
Online retail giant Overstock has named Jonathan Johnson as its new chief executive officer.
· People
- PBoC: China's digital currency will not launch in November
China has shut down rumors that it will launch its national digital currency in November.
· Technology
- Matter Labs secures $2M funding to develop zero-knowledge proofs for ethereum blockchain
Blockchain research and development startup Matter Labs secured $2 million in a seed round to develop a new scaling initiative for the ethereum blockchain.
· Business
- BTI Report: Majority of crypto exchanges fake 90% of trading volumes; Kraken, Poloniex, Coinbase, Upbit among the 'cleanest'
Majority of the cryptocurrency exchanges are still faking nearly all of their trading volumes, according to a recent market surveillance report by the Blockchain Transparency Institute.
· Insights & Views
- South Korea's Upbit is the latest cryptocurrency exchange to delist privacy coins
South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Upbit announced it will delist and stop trading support for six cryptocurrencies, including some privacy coins, following the recent regulatory requirements posted by the Financial…
· Business
- Vakt, essDocs partner to build blockchain solution for digitization of European barge market
Vakt, a London-based blockchain startup that processes post-trade transactions, has penned a memorandum of understanding with essDOCS, a paperless trader solution provider.
· Technology
- Facebook acquires chatbot startup Servicefriend for Calibra customer service
Facebook has acquired Israeli chatbot startup Servicefriend to help provide customer service for its upcoming Libra cryptocurrency and related Calibra digital wallet service, according to a report by the Marker.
· Business
- Seed CX cuts down fees as crypto trading competition toughens
Chicago-based cryptocurrency exchange Seed CX has lowered its trading fees in a bid to place the platform in a competitive position.
· Business
- South Korean conglomerate CJ Group develops music copyright system with Amazon's blockchain
South Korean conglomerate CJ revealed it has integrated with Amazon Web Services (AWS)’ Amazon Managed Blockchain Service to develop a blockchain-based music copyright management system.
· Technology
- Patrick Byrne sells off his $100M Overstock stake to buy cryptocurrencies, blames 'deep state' and SEC
After abruptly stepping down as Overstock.com’s CEO, Patrick Byrne has dumped all his equity holdings in the company over the past week to purchase cryptocurrency and precious metals.
· People
- Early ethereum supporter Steven Nerayoff faces $12M cryptocurrency extortion charges
The U.S. law enforcement has reportedly arrested Steven Nerayoff, an early supporter of the ethereum project and Overstock’s tZero’s former paid advisor, along with Alchemist associate Michael Hlady for extortion. The…
· People
- Pakistan's Faysal Bank becomes the country's first bank to adopt Ripple's xCurrent technology
Pakistan’s Faysal Bank Limited has unveiled its partnership with crypto-based firm Ripple, in a bid to become the first Pakistani bank to implement Ripple’s xCurrent technology.
· Business
- All 7-Eleven stores in the Philippines now sell bitcoin, thanks to the new partnership of Abra, ECPay
Cryptocurrency wallet app Abra announced on Thursday that it started selling cryptocurrencies for cash across all 7-Eleven store branches in the Philippines in collaboration with local payments provider ECPay.
· Business
- Arab Bank Switzerland partners with Taurus to offer cryptocurrency services to its wealthy clients
Arab Bank Switzerland has penned a partnership with blockchain technology firm Taurus to offer its wealthy clients a full suite of digital asset services.
· Business
- IBM, Citibank, Ubisoft signed up as corporate partners of Singapore's blockchain accelerator Tribe
IBM, Citibank, and video game giant Ubisoft have penned a partnership with Singapore-based blockchain accelerator Tribe Accelerator.
· Technology
- Craig Wright asks 30-day extension as he holds talks to settle $10B lawsuit
Self-proclaimed bitcoin inventor Craig Wright is in settlement talks with the estate of his former business partner Dave Kleiman, which sued him in a $10 billion lawsuit.
· People
- 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.
· Regulation
- 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.
· Regulation
- Cybersecurity startup GK8 scores $4M to conduct cryptocurrency transactions without connecting to the Internet
Israeli cybersecurity startup GK8 has secured $4 million seed round to develop the first-ever offline system for transaction cryptocurrencies.
· Business
- SpaceChain wins €60K grant from European Space Agency for blockchain satellite wallet
The European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded blockchain startup SpaceChain UK a 60,000 euro ($66,400) grant to commercially develop its satellite-based blockchain wallet.
· Technology
- Huobi launches fiat-to-cryptocurrency exchange in Argentina
Singapore-based cryptocurrency exchange Huobi expanded its services to Argentina, with plans to establish a fiat-to-crypto gateway.
· Business
- VanEck, SolidX pull out bitcoin ETF proposal from SEC
VanEck and SolidX have withdrawn their bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) proposal, as per a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Tuesday.
· Regulation
- AssetBlock launches new property trading platform tokenizing $60M of real estate on Algorand's blockchain
Real estate investment firm AssetBlock launched a new platform for trading commercial properties on Algorand, the next-generation proof-of-stake blockchain.
· Technology
- 'Big Four' auditing firm Deloitte lets employees pay canteen food in bitcoin in a trial run
“Big Four” consulting giant Deloitte is now conducting a trial for a mobile Bitcoin wallet by allowing its employees to buy food in bitcoin, according to Luxembourg Times.
· Business
- Former CFTC chairman 'crypto dad' J. Christopher Giancarlo joins Chamber of Digital Commerce's advisory board
Former Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) chairman J. Christopher Giancarlo has joined the board of advisors of the Chamber of Digital Commerce, as per an announcement.
· People