TokenPost reporter
Shampa Mani
Stories by Shampa Mani
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security seeks anti-forgery blockchain solutions
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is interested in blockchain solutions that would enhance anti-forgery and counterfeiting capabilities for digital documentation.
· Technology
- Swisscom, Swiss Post team up to build Swiss blockchain infrastructure
Swiss Post and Swisscom, Switzerland’s state-owned postal and telecom services, respectively, have teamed up to build infrastructure for blockchain applications in Switzerland.
· Technology
- R3’s newly launched universal settler application “Corda Settler” adds XRP as first settlement mechanism
Enterprise blockchain solutions provider R3 has launched a new application that will help Corda users settle transactions.
· Technology
- Abu Dhabi Global Market successfully trials blockchain-based e-KYC solution
Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) has successfully completed the first phase of a blockchain-based electronic know your customer (E-KYC) utility project.
· Technology
- Bitwise launches beta funds for bitcoin and ethereum
Crypto investment startup Bitwise has announced the launch of two new low-cost, liquid beta funds, exclusively holding bitcoin (BTC) and ether (ETH).
· Business
- APAC’s crypto experts: 2019 to be a year of tokenized securities and continued blockchain innovation and adoption
With major cryptocurrencies trading in the red, 2018 is being touted as the worst year for the crypto market. The entire crypto market capitalization tumbled from $800 billion in January 2018 to around $121 billion in…
· Insights & Views
- Seven EU member states sign declaration to foster blockchain use
Seven southern EU member states have signed a declaration to foster the use of distributed ledger technology (DLT) beyond cryptocurrencies, The Financial Times reported.
· Technology
- Russian and Japanese fintech associations sign MOU to exchange blockchain expertise
The Russian FinTech Association has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Fintech Association of Japan, local news outlet Finversia reported.
· Technology
- Bitmain, Fidelity Investments and others back crypto trading platform ErisX’s Series B round
Cryptocurrency trading platform ErisX has raised $27.5 million in its Series B funding round, CoinDesk reported.
· Business
- Crypto exchange Binance plans to launch own blockchain platform in coming months
Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange in terms of 24-hour trading volume, has announced that its proprietary blockchain “Binance Chain” will be ready in the forthcoming months.
· Technology
- Hyperledger blockchain project unveils new tool ‘Ursa’
Hyperledger, a cross-industry collaborative blockchain initiative, has announced a new project – a shared cryptography library called ‘Ursa.’
· Technology
- Medici Ventures acquires 10 percent stake in blockchain agriculture startup GrainChain
Overstock.com’s subsidiary Medici Ventures has purchased a $2.5 million equity in GrainChain, a software startup seeking to bring easy and secure payments to farmers, buyers and grain elevators through blockchain tech…
· Business
- NYDFS approves Signature Bank’s blockchain-based payments platform ‘Signet’
The New York Department of Financial Services (DFS) has authorized Signature Bank, a New York-based full-service commercial bank, to offer a new digital payment platform named Signet.
· Business
- Italian interbank blockchain project progresses to the next phase
Italian banking project on testing a blockchain application for interbank reconciliations has now moved to the next phase.
· Technology
- Swiss regulator FINMA publishes guidelines for relaxed FinTech Licence
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA on Monday published the guidelines for FinTech Licence, a licence introduced by the Swiss parliament with relaxed requirements.
· Regulation
- South Korean authorities consider cryptocurrency and ICO tax
Financial authorities in South Korea are considering imposing cryptocurrency tax, Finance Magnates reported referring local news reports.
· Regulation
- Ripple, NEM, Cardano and Fetch.AI launch “blockchain for Europe” association
Four major names in the blockchain space have teamed up to establish a new association which represents blockchain originating organisations in Europe.
· Technology
- South Korea-based SK Corporation C&C collaborates with ConsenSys to develop enterprise blockchain hub
SK Holdings C&C, the IT solutions unit of South Korea’s SK Group, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with blockchain startup ConsenSys.
· Technology
- IPC Systems partners with R3 to support Corda blockchain networks on Connexus Cloud
IPC, a U.S.-based provider of network services and trading communication technology to financial institutions, has partnered with enterprise blockchain software firm R3.
· Technology
- French retail behemoth Auchan to rollout blockchain-based food traceability solution in five countries
French supermarket giant Auchan has announced that it is going to implement blockchain-based food traceability solution in five countries.
· Technology
- Thai Revenue Department taps blockchain technology to fight VAT refund fraud
Thailand’s Revenue Department is trialing blockchain technology to track value-added tax (VAT) payments, Bangkok Post reported.
· Technology
- G20 leaders reiterate commitment to regulate crypto assets
At the recently held G20 meeting in Buenos Aires, world leaders have reiterated their commitment to regulate crypto-assets.
· Regulation
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security interested in tracking privacy-focused cryptocurrencies
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is interested in applications of blockchain forensic analytics, a new pre-solicitation notice has revealed.
· Regulation
- Itaú Unibanco, Standard Chartered launch blockchain platform for club loans in Latin America
Itaú Unibanco Holding SA, in collaboration with Standard Chartered, has launched a blockchain platform for small syndicated loans, Reuters reported.
· Technology
- Blockchain-based AR platform Scanetchain attracts investment from Hillstone Partners
Scanetchain, a commercialized augmented reality (AR) blockchain platform, has secured investment from a professional investment consultant firm Hillstone Partners, Edaily reported.
· Business
- French corporates trial R3’s Corda blockchain platform-based KYC solution
R3, an enterprise blockchain software firm leading a global consortium of more than 200 members and partners, has announced that 14 French corporates have successfully completed a trial of a know your customer (KYC) a…
· Technology
- Funds network Calastone to switch to blockchain-enabled infrastructure in May 2019
UK-based global fund transaction network Calastone has announced that it will switch its entire global network, comprising of over 1,700 financial organisations across 40 global markets, to a blockchain-based system i…
· Technology
- Mining giant Bitmain launches cryptocurrency price index
Bitcoin mining giant Bitmain last week launched a new cryptocurrency index which tracks the performance of top cryptocurrencies, CoinDesk reported.
· Business
- Japan’s Financial Services Agency plans new ICO regulations to protect investors
Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) is going to implement new Initial Coin Offering (ICO) regulations in a bid to protect investor interests, Cointelegraph reported referring to a report from Jiji Press.
· Regulation
- DowDuPont subsidiary Granular partners with blockchain CO2 removal project Nori
Granular, an agriculture software company under the DowDuPont umbrella, has entered into a partnership with Nori, a blockchain-based marketplace for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, to help farmers increas…
· Technology
- Sberbank, Interros Group conclude repo deal using blockchain technology
Russian banking giant Sberbank and investment firm Interros Group have announced that they have concluded the first over-the-counter (OTC) repo deal using blockchain technology.
· Technology
- U.S. SEC fines Floyd Mayweather Jr. and DJ Khaled over unlawful ICO promotion
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission last week announced that it has settled charges against two world-renowned celebrities – professional boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. and music producer Khaled Khaled (aka DJ Kha…
· Regulation
- Blockchain Beyond Finance: A look at technology’s implementation in real estate
Real estate has emerged as one of the key sectors where public and private sector are seeking to implement blockchain technology. The objective is to enhance the efficiency and transparency by doing away with most of …
· Technology
- Microsoft Japan, LayerX partner to foster blockchain adoption
Microsoft Japan is collaborating with blockchain startup LayerX to accelerate the adoption of blockchain technology, CoinTelegraph reported.
· Technology
- Digital Currency and Blockchain Weekly Round-Up – November 30th, 2018
Paxos, Symbiont and others team up to establish Code of Conduct for digital asset markets Ten leading firms in the crypto and blockchain space have teamed for a new initiative to establish a Code of Conduct for digita…
· Technology
- Germany’s LBBW joins trade finance blockchain consortium ‘Marco Polo’
German banking giant Landesbank Baden-Württemberg (LBBW) has joined Marco Polo, a trade finance initiative run by enterprise software firm R3 and trade finance technology specialist TradeIX, as a founder member.
· Technology
- Coinbase Pro adds support for privacy-focused cryptocurrency Zcash
Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase Pro has added support for Zcash (ZEC), Coinbase announced in a blog post dated November 29.
· Investing
- Securities Commission Malaysia explores blockchain application in unlisted and OTC markets
The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) has revealed the details of its efforts to test the application of blockchain technology in capital markets.
· Technology
- Malaysia to implement new crypto and ICO regulations by Q1 2019
The regulations for cryptocurrency exchanges and initial coin offerings (ICOs) will go into effect in Malaysia by the first quarter of 2019, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng was recently quoted saying by The Star.
· Regulation
- TRON to establish $100M blockchain gaming fund
Decentralized internet protocol TRON has announced its plans to establish a blockchain game fund, called “TRON Arcade”.
· Business