Yesterday, the Bank of England and the UK Treasury published a consultation paper on the digital pound, a U.K. Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) – mentioning Ripple’s technology at one point. In the 116-page document, the Central Bank of England describes why it is considering launching it and what the CBDC might look like. This
Wallets linked to now-bankrupt Alameda Research became active again on Feb. 7, transferring out millions worth of FTX exchange’s native token, FTX Token (FTT). The Alameda wallet activity post FTX bankruptcy filing has been a big concern for the crypto community, with many questioning the merits of the law enforcement agencies and how these wallets
Nouriel Roubini, an economist known as “Dr. Doom,” has warned about the demise of the U.S. dollar and the rise of a “bipolar” world. Roubini believes that the Chinese renminbi might be a substitute for the dollar, as new technologies like central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and corporate payment rails contribute to a new landscape.
Crypto brokers and investment advisors offering or giving advice about cryptocurrencies will be put under the scope of the United States’ securities watchdog this year. A Feb. 7 statement from the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Division of Examinations outlined its priorities for 2023, suggesting brokers and advisers dealing in crypto will need to be
The hunt for the controversial founder of the now-collapsed Terra ecosystem, Do Kwon, has intensified with South Korean officials reportedly confirming they sent at least two people to Serbia to track him down. According to a Feb. 7 Bloomberg report, the prosecutor’s office in Seoul said the reports “aren’t false” regarding members of its team
Cryptocurrency conglomerate Digital Currency Group (DCG) has reportedly begun to sell its holdings in crypto funds managed by its subsidiary Grayscale Investments as it looks to raise capital and preserve liquidity. According to a Feb. 7 Financial Times report citing seen United States securities filings, DCG sold around a quarter of its shares in Grayscale’s
The regime in North Korea has managed to steal more cryptocurrency last year than in previous years, according to a draft U.N. report. Despite the difference between quoted estimates, the authors conclude that 2022 was a record-breaking year for crypto theft, to be blamed on the hermit state. Cybercrime Groups Linked to North Korea Get
Lawyers representing bankrupt crypto broker Voyager Digital have served former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried and other FTX and Alameda Research executives with subpoenas requesting information. The subpoenas have a very wide scope, with Voyager’s lawyers seeking copies of any documents and communication between FTX entities and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or the Department
Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO) expects the U.S. dollar to “continue to lose its appeal as the safe-haven currency of last resort.” The $1.74 trillion asset management firm added that the USD “is likely to fall further in 2023 as inflation falls, recession risks decline, and other shocks abate.” PIMCO Strategist Warns About USD Pacific
The United Kingdom is a step closer to launching a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) after releasing a consultation paper explaining the proposed digital pound, which the public has nicknamed “Britcoin.” The 116-page consultation paper was jointly released on Feb. 7 by the Bank of England (BoE) and His Majesty’s Treasury. A technology working paper
The names of two guarantors who signed off on part of Sam Bankman-Fried’s $250 million bail bond will continue to remain a secret for now. A judge has also rejected an agreement that would have permitted Bankman-Fried to use certain messaging apps. Bankman Fried’s lawyers filed an appeal to block the release of the guarantors’
Bank of America is preparing for a possible U.S. debt default, says CEO Brian Moynihan. He is not a fan of eliminating the debt ceiling altogether as some lawmakers have proposed. Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says “every responsible member of Congress must agree to raise the debt ceiling.” Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan
Investment management and advisory firm Goehring & Rozencwajg expects gold to hit record highs this year. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see a $3,000 price this year,” said an executive of the firm. “It’s time for people to want to be bullish on gold.” Gold Heading for ‘Record Highs’ This Year Investment firm Goehring &
File transfer service giant Wetransfer announced Monday it is collaborating with blockchain platform Minima to offer a non-fungible token (NFT) minting product in March. Wetransfer’s announcement details that users leveraging the Minima cooperative will be able to mint NFTs from a mobile device or computer. Wetransfer and Minima Partnership Aims to Bring NFT Minting to
United States Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm were the recipients Feb. 6 of another letter on the environmental impact of cryptocurrency mining. Eight Democratic lawmakers headed by Elizabeth Warren reached out to the officials this time. The eight lawmakers acknowledged previous replies to official correspondence asking about the agencies’
Blockchain software developer ConsenSys retains the ability to achieve its goals after recent layoffs, CEO Joe Lubin claimed in a Feb. 7 interview with Cointelegraph, stating that “we’ve retained virtually all of our capabilities.” According to Lubin, the cuts were implemented “mostly because of potential headwinds and potential uncertainty” and partly because of declining volume
According to a post on the Reddit community r/bitcoin, an old file was discovered that may be linked to Julian Assange, the whistleblower and founder of Wikileaks. The encrypted 7zip file is in the output script from a transaction that took place on Jan. 5, 2017, and was mined at block height 446,713. Speculation Surrounds
Three financial watchdogs in the United States have issued a warning to investors considering certain individual retirement accounts with exposure to cryptocurrencies. In a Feb. 7 notice, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy, the North American Securities Administrators Association, and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority said self-directed individual retirement
ConsenSys issued a statement Feb. 7 in support of the appeal of the of Jarrett v. United States case concerning the taxation of staking rewards. The case originated in a dispute over a refund of about $4,000 that Joshua and Jessica Jarrett claimed on XTZ tokens they validated in 2019. The Jarretts claimed their staking
Damian Williams, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, has petitioned the court to delay civil proceedings against former FTX chief executive officer Sam Bankman-Fried “until the conclusion of the parallel criminal case”. In Feb. 7 filings, Williams requested that the court issue an order staying civil proceedings as well as discovery