TokenPost reporter
Shampa Mani
Stories by Shampa Mani
- Nike secures patent for blockchain-enabled “CryptoKicks”
Leading sportswear brand Nike has been awarded a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for using blockchain technology to assign unique digital ID to shoes.
· Technology
- BitPay rolls out stablecoin payments for merchants and consumers
Blockchain payment services provider BitPay has launched stablecoin payments for merchants and consumers worldwide.
· Business
- Fiat Chrysler Automobiles joins IBM responsible mineral sourcing blockchain
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), the world’s eighth-largest automaker that counts Chrysler, Fiat, Jeep and Maserati among its brands, has joined the Responsible Sourcing Blockchain Network (RSBN).
· Technology
- FinCEN sees spike in crypto-related suspicious activity reports after May advisory
There has been a significant surge in reporting related to convertible virtual currencies (CVCs), director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Kenneth Blanco said recently.
· Insights & Views
- WeBank becomes technical infrastructure provider for China’s Blockchain Service Network
WeBank, a Chinese digital bank founded by Tencent, is reportedly the first technical infrastructure provider for the country’s recently announced national blockchain initiative.
· Technology
- Beowulf Blockchain Gears Up for Its Native Coin’s Listing with $200,000 Trading Contest
Beowulf Blockchain, the full B2B decentralized communication network, today announced that it is en route to the listing of its native coin, dubbed as the BWF coin. As part of the announcement, Beowulf unveiled the of…
· Business
- Huobi US to cease operations on Dec. 15
HBUS, Huobi’s strategic partner in the United States, has announced that it will be ceasing its operations on December 15, 2019.
· Business
- Bakkt launches options and cash-settled futures products
Intercontinental Exchange’s bitcoin subsidiary Bakkt has announced the launch of options and cash-settled futures products.
· Business
- Blockchain-based social media platform Voice to release public beta in February 2020
Voice, a blockchain-based social media platform announced earlier this year, has announced that it plans to launch its beta version on Feb. 14, 2020.
· Technology
- Crypto exchange OKEx to launch options trading this month
Cryptocurrency exchange OKEx has announced its plans to launch options trading this month.
· Business
- Cryptocurrencies could replace fiat currencies by 2030, says Deutsche Bank
Cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin could rise to their full potential and eventually replace cash over the next decade, Deutsche Bank said in a new report.
· Insights & Views
- Boerse Stuttgart’s cryptocurrency exchange BSDEX opens to all German investors
German stock exchange Boerse Stuttgart has announced that its digital assets exchange is now open all German investors.
· Business
- Beowulf to Expand Global Footprint to 50,000 Business Partners
Beowulf, the decentralized B2B communication network pioneer, is expanding its work by engaging over 50,000 members in an effort to accelerate business development efforts on a global scale. Specifically, Beowulf has …
· Business
- Microsoft unveils blockchain token and data management service
On the heels of the Azure Blockchain Service launched in May, tech behemoth Microsoft has unveiled Azure Blockchain Tokens and blockchain data manager.
· Technology
- Digital Currency and Blockchain Weekly Round-Up – December 6th, 2019
U.S. financial regulators call for continued monitoring of digital assets and DLTs The Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) is urging federal and state regulators to continue monitoring risks from digital asse…
· Technology
- South Korean consortium to provide blockchain-based ID services via mobile app in 2020
A blockchain consortium of South Korean companies has agreed to work towards the commercialization of blockchain-based mobile identification and certification services to enable users to handle their personal informat…
· Technology
- Bitfury launches enterprise blockchain platform ‘Exonum Enterprise’
Crypto mining firm Bitfury has announced the launch of Exonum Enterprise, which is basically the expansion of its blockchain framework Exonum into a full-service offering.
· Technology
- Ripple asks court to dismiss XRP securities lawsuit in latest filing ahead of court meeting
In its latest filing related to the XRP securities lawsuit, Ripple has asked the court to dismiss the complaint, citing that the plaintiffs’ subsequent arguments are in conflict with their original claims. The filing …
· Business
- Blockchain firm Figure Technologies hits $1.2B valuation after closing $103M Series C round
Figure Technologies has closed its $103 million Series C funding round, which brings its total funding to over $225 million and the valuation to $1.2 billion.
· Business
- Galaxy Digital-backed Flipside Crypto hires Accenture Managing Director Matt Bridges as COO
Flipside Crypto, a crypto data analytics company, has hired Matt Bridges as Chief Operating Officer.
· People
- Dunamu’s crypto subsidiary DXM partners with Ledger to launch custody service for institutional clients
DXM, a subsidiary of Dunamu – the operator of South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Upbit, has teamed up with French crypto firm Ledger to launch a custody service targeted at institutional clients, The Block reported.
· Business
- U.S. financial regulators call for continued monitoring of digital assets and DLTs
The Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) is urging federal and state regulators to continue monitoring risks from digital assets and distributed ledger technologies (DLTs) to the financial system.
· Regulation
- Samsung Blockchain Keystore to be soon available in six more European countries, says TRON CEO Justin Sun
TRON CEO Justin Sun has announced that Samsung Blockchain Keystore will be available in six more countries – Austria, Portugal, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Norway – by the end of this month.
· Business
- KT and China Mobile team up to commercialize blockchain-based roaming charge system
South Korean telecom giant KT is boosting cooperation with China Mobile on 5G roaming services and a blockchain system, Yonhap reported.
· Technology
- China’s Hainan announces new measures, $142M fund to support blockchain industry
Hainan, an island province of China, has released a set of measures to accelerate the development of blockchain industry in the region, Xinhua reported.
· Technology
- Sean Neville to step down as Circle co-CEO
Circle’s co-CEO Sean Neville will step down from his role, but continue his association with the company as an independent director, CoinDesk reported.
· People
- BOJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda sees no public demand for CBDC at the moment
Currently, there is no demand for a central bank digital currency (CBDC) from the public, Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said recently.
· Insights & Views
- 21 crypto exchanges now registered with Japan’s FSA; Lastroots latest to win approval
Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) has approved Lastroots as a licensed cryptocurrency exchange, Bitcoin.com reported.
· Business
- Crypto exchange Gemini reveals European expansion plans
Cryptocurrency exchange Gemini has hired Starling Bank co-founder Julian Sawyer to spearhead its European operations.
· Business
- Alibaba Cloud, Credits target China’s logistics industry with blockchain-based solutions
Blockchain startup Credits is teaming up with Alibaba Cloud to enter China’s logistics industry with blockchain-based solutions.
· Technology
- WisdomTree lists physically-backed bitcoin ETP on Six Swiss Exchange
WisdomTree, a New York-based asset management company, has announced the launch of its first crypto exchange-traded product (ETP) on SIX, the Swiss Stock Exchange.
· Business
- Personal finance company SoFi secures BitLicense to offer crypto trading in New York
SoFi Digital Assets, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Social Finance – a U.S.-based online personal finance provider, has become the latest company to secure virtual currency and money transmitter licenses from the New Yo…
· Business
- Reserve Bank of Australia seeks stakeholder views on CBDC and global stablecoins
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has published an Issues Paper as the initial stage of its upcoming Review of Retail Payments Regulation.
· Insights & Views
- Kristina Littman to lead SEC’s cyber unit to clamp down on crypto and cyber-related trading violations
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced Kristina Littman as the new head of its cyber unit.
· People
- Crypto exchange Binance seeks to boost dapps ecosystem with its fourth acquisition
Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has acquired decentralized applications (dapps) platform DappReview. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
· Business
- Blockchain startup Figure Technologies on track to raise $103M
Figure Technologies, the company behind blockchain-based supply chain platform Provenance, has raised over $58 million as part of its $103 million Series C funding round, TechCrunch reported.
· Business
- Waves’ decentralized exchange shuts down, resumes operations as hybrid crypto exchange
Blockchain startup Waves has shut down its decentralized exchange (DEX) which went live in April 2017, Cointelegraph reported.
· Business
- Japanese university taps blockchain technology for verification of educational records
The Muroran Institute of Technology, a national university in Hokkaido, Japan, is teaming up with Nippon Telegraph and Telephone West to use blockchain technology for verification of educational records, Nikkei Asian …
· Technology
- Tea Board of India’s blockchain plan draws response from Amazon, Infosys and others
An expression of interest (EOI) floated by the Tea Board of India has drawn responses from a number of tech and banking giants, according to a report from the Press Trust of India.
· Technology
- Binance rolls out internal transfer feature; lists RUB trading pairs
Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has announced the launch of a new feature and listing of new trading pairs for Russian Ruble (RUB).
· Business