BITCOIN

Several lawmakers have expressed concerns about the privacy risks of the Federal Reserve issuing a central bank digital currency (CBDC). “Americans have a right to financial privacy,” one congressman said, emphasizing: “We do not need a CBDC that can track your purchases like China does with their digital yuan.” Another noted: “CBDC is to sound money what dictatorship is to freedom.” ‘Americans Have a Right to Financial Privacy’ Multiple U.S. lawmakers have warned against the issuance of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) by the Federal Reserve. Congressman French Hill (R-AR), chairman of Congress’ Digital Assets Subcommittee, wrote on social media platform X on Wednesday: Americans have a right to financial privacy. We do not need a CBDC that can track your purchases like China does with their digital yuan. “The authority rests with Congress, not unelected bureaucrats, to create and implement a CBDC. And that’s non-partisan,” the lawmaker stressed. The congressman has been

A number of U.S. lawmakers have urged regulators, including the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), to work with Congress on crypto regulation. “Chair Gensler’s regulation by enforcement is unlawful and does nothing to protect consumers. It’s time for Biden’s regulators to work with Congress to provide clear rules of the road and robust consumer protections through legislation,” said the House Financial Services Committee. Lawmakers Urge Regulators to Work With Congress on Crypto Regulation After the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled in favor of crypto asset manager Grayscale Investments against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), a number of lawmakers have urged regulators to collaborate with Congress on cryptocurrency regulation. On Tuesday, the Financial Services GOP posted on social media platform X: Chair Gensler’s regulation by enforcement is unlawful and does nothing to protect consumers. It’s time for Biden’s regulators

Bitcoin edged lower once again on Thursday, as traders continued to capture profits following gains on Tuesday. The latest drop followed data revealing U.S. gross domestic product growth in the second quarter that undershot expectations. Ethereum likewise declined, dipping under $1,700. Bitcoin Bitcoin was in the red for a second consecutive session, as a mixture of profit-taking and general bearish sentiment impacted price. Following a peak of $27,490.77 on hump day, BTC /USD dropped to an intraday low of $27,069.21 earlier today. The sell-off comes a few days removed from bitcoin moving above $28,000, following Grayscale’s court win against the Securities and Exchanges Commission (SEC). On a technical note, the decline coincided with the 14-day relative strength index (RSI) failing to move beyond its ceiling at 53.00. As of writing this, the index is now tracking at a reading of 47.50, with the next visible floor at the 43.00 level. Should momentum push price strength to this

Switzerland-based crypto-friendly SEBA Bank announced it has received an approval-in-principle to operate in Hong Kong. The regulatory nod brings the Swiss bank’s local entity closer to becoming a licensed provider of various services for crypto assets in the Chinese region. SEBA Bank Takes a Step Towards Full Crypto License in Hong Kong SEBA Hong Kong, a subsidiary of the Zug-headquartered crypto bank SEBA Bank, has been issued an in-principle approval by the Securities and Futures Commission ( SFC ) of the Chinese Special Administrative region, the bank said on Wednesday. The approval has been granted for the entity’s application for a license to conduct regulated activities in Hong Kong which will allow it to deal in securities, including crypto-related products such as over-the-counter derivatives and structured products. Backed by the Swiss banking giant Julius Baer, SEBA Bank provides wealth management, investment, and trading solutions for the digital age. A Hong Kong licen

An Africa-focused remittances platform, Lemfi, recently said it has raised $33 million in a Series A round led by Left Lane Capital. Lemfi said it will use the capital raise to “expand its product offering to the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.” Making Remittances Less Complicated Lemfi, an Africa-focused remittances platform, recently raised a $33 million in a Series A round which was led by Left Lane Capital. In a press statement , Lemfi, which has a presence in Canada and the U.K., said it will use the capital raise to “expand its product offering to the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.” In comments accompanying the capital raise announcement, Ridwan Olalere, a co-founder and CEO of Lemfi, seemingly characterized the successful round as an endorsement of the company’s objective of making financial services more accessible to immigrants. Olalere, who claims to have seen first-hand the challenges faced by migrants, also spoke of how Lemfi’s produ

In the rapidly evolving world of cryptocurrencies, stablecoins have emerged as a beacon of stability amidst the volatility of digital assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Stablecoins are digital currencies anchored to a diversified asset, such as fiat currency or different commodities like gold. One of the most promising developments in the stablecoin market is the unique Edelcoin. Edelcoin: A Unique Stablecoin Enter Edelcoin , a stablecoin backed by a basket of precious and base metals which are used across various industries, including medicine, medical research, electronics, aerospace, military, energy, telecommunications, and navigation. These metals include Copper Isotope, Nickel Wire (NP1, NP2), and Caesium 133, each with unique applications and supply circumstances. Benefits of Edelcoin Edelcoin is backed by these metals, offering benefits such as low volatility due to the real nature of the underlying assets. The basket nature of the underlying metals further reinforces the

The Shiba Inu development team has announced that Shibarium is now fully functional after recent challenges where funds became inaccessible in the bridge. Shiba Inu’s Shytoshi Kusama thanked Sandeep Nailwal, the co-founder of Polygon Labs, who stepped in with crucial resources to address the issue. Shibarium Back Online After Resolving Bridge Glitch, Team Thanks Polygon Co-Founder Two weeks prior, Shibarium had faced difficulties with over $2 million in cryptocurrency deposits trapped in its bridge. However, on August 28, an update was shared via a blog post confirming that Shibarium’s layer two (L2) was back in action. It highlighted that Sandeep Nailwal and the Polygon team were instrumental in resolving the situation. “Quickly after the incident began, I called Sandeep from Polygon directly and without a second thought, he helped provide additional resources to ensure a perfect outcome to the situation,” remarked Shiba Inu’s Shytoshi Kusama. The blog further specified that tr

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s former head of Internet enforcement suspects that the SEC’s “secret” filing in the Binance case is a “rare” tactic that could relate to the Department of Justice’s criminal investigation against the crypto exchange. He stressed that the securities regulator’s “seal-seeking filing is unusual, odd, and uncommon,” emphasizing that the move “cannot be overstated.” SEC Takes ‘Rare’ Move in Binance Case Former U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) official John Reed Stark shared his perspective Tuesday regarding what he called a “secret” SEC filing in its litigation against cryptocurrency exchange Binance in a lengthy post on social media platform X. Stark is currently president of cybersecurity firm John Reed Stark Consulting. He founded and served as chief of the SEC Office of Internet Enforcement for 11 years. He was also an SEC enforcement attorney for 15 years. The former SEC official explained that the securities watchdog filed

Amid swirling speculations about the third biggest bitcoin wallet, chatter has now emerged linking the fifth largest BTC wallet to the late Yevgeny Prigozhin, former owner of the Wagner private military company (PMC). However, a straightforward blockchain explorer search clearly indicates the wallet bears a label identifying it as property of the U.S. government. Nevertheless, this hasn’t deterred the media and netizens from propagating unfounded theories. Misguided Claims Connect FBI-Owned Bitcoin Wallet to Russian Magnate Prigozhin Recently, there was buzz about the third biggest bitcoin ( BTC ) wallet. Now, attention has shifted to the fifth-largest BTC wallet, with many making audacious claims regarding its ownership. Cryptocurrency news outlets , along with a flurry of social media posts on platforms like X and Facebook, are asserting that this wallet was owned by the late Yevgeny Prigozhin. Rumors swirled about Prigozhin, the former PMC head, and his links to crypto, espec

Bitcoin returned to the red on Tuesday, as markets began to anticipate the upcoming consumer confidence report in the United States. The Conference Board index is expected to fall to a reading of 116 in August, from 117 the month prior. Ethereum was also marginally lower. Bitcoin Bitcoin slipped slightly during Tuesday’s session, as markets began to anticipate the upcoming consumer confidence report from the United States. BTC /USD dropped to an intraday low of $25,914.93 earlier in today’s session, following a peak of $26,406.15 on Monday. The decline sees bitcoin remain in consolidation, however some traders are optimistic about this ending as the week progresses. Looking at the chart, one of the reasons for this long stretch of price uncertainty is the relative strength index (RSI) failing to surge past resistance. In this case, the aforementioned ceiling is at the 33.00 mark, which has remained intact for nearly two weeks. As of writing, the index is tracking at 30.72. Eth

PRESS RELEASE. DeOrderBook , a groundbreaking decentralized finance (DeFi) optionality protocol, is gearing up for its Ethereum mainnet launch, ushering in a new era for DeFi users who seek unprecedented capital flexibility, advanced hedging mechanisms, and sustainable real yield. At launch, the protocol supports $WBTC and $USDC although the team is actively working on support for further coins and chains. What makes DeOrderBook especially interesting? DeOrderBook’s unique design represents a significant departure from traditional DeFi protocols by providing an automated way to monetise an optionality position — think about it as a Uniswap for optionality. We created a coherent demand-and-supply system for the $DOB token to act as the magnet for optionality-writing liquidity while simultaneously providing a robust auction-like mechanism for the demand side that catches the whole range of optionality-rights generated by the protocol. Combined with fee-sharing, this gives DeOrderBoo

According to Louis Tsu, the CEO of Venom Foundation, governments that are seeking to introduce central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) are not being driven by the fear that privately issued digital currencies may soon become the preferred method for cross-border and micropayments. Instead, some countries view CBDCs as a technology that could make their countries “more economically and financially efficient” and this ultimately improves their competitiveness. Regulated Digital Assets ‘a Requirement for Mass Adoption’ While stablecoins issued by private entities such as Tether are increasingly seen as the go-to digital currencies when moving funds across borders, Tsu told Bitcoin.com News that CBDCs may turn out to be a better option because they are underpinned by regulation. According to the CEO of Venom Foundation — a platform that aims to create a bridge between traditional finance and the Web3 world — such an attribute can be a key “requirement for mass adoption and harmonizatio

Vietnam, the Philippines, and Brunei will join a QR payment system to settle cross-border payments using local currencies within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc. The network, already being used between Indonesia and Malaysia, aims to interconnect all ASEAN nations to reduce their dependence on the U.S. dollar. Vietnam, the Philippines, and Brunei to Join ASEAN Payments System Vietnam, the Philippines, and Brunei will join a payments initiative that aims to connect all countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc, according to Perry Warjiyo, governor of the Central Bank of Indonesia. The payment system, which uses QR codes to simplify the settlement of cross-border payments, uses national currencies to reduce the bloc’s dependence on the U.S. dollar. Warjiyo detailed that Vietnam is currently in talks with the local industry to agree on a national QR system and is expected to join the system later this year, while the Philippines is or

Several U.S. lawmakers have objected to the Federal Reserve’s stablecoin regulatory guidelines, which they believe “will undoubtedly deter financial institutions from participating in the digital asset ecosystem.” According to the lawmakers, “ The Fed has chosen to effectively prevent banks from issuing payments stablecoins — or engaging in the payment stablecoin ecosystem.” Fed’s Efforts ‘Subvert Progress Made by Congress’ Three U.S. representatives sent a letter to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell regarding stablecoin regulation last week. The letter, dated Aug. 23, was signed by Patrick McHenry (R-NC), chairman of the House Financial Services Committee; French Hill (R-AR), chairman of the Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology and Inclusion; and Bill Huizenga (R-MI), chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. Congressman Hill stated Monday on the social media platform X: I sent a letter alongside Rep. Patrick McHenry and Rep. Bill Huizeng

In 2023, multiple dormant bitcoin transactions caught the public’s attention and made headlines. Sunday night marks another significant event after a ‘sleeping bitcoin’ whale from 2017 stirred, spending an impressive 1,177.89 BTC — worth more than $30 million — from seven distinct bitcoin addresses, untouched for just over six years. 1,177 Bitcoin From 2017 Move for the First Time in Over 6 Years As bitcoin (BTC) dances around the $26K mark, several once-dormant bitcoin wallets are springing to life after years of inactivity. On Sunday, during block heights 805,096 and 805,100, about seven distinct BTC addresses roused from a six-year hibernation. These addresses trace back to July 30 and 31, 2017; six emerged on July’s final day, while one originated on the 30th. Btcparser.com flagged all seven transactions, with the first spend emerging from the address “ 1HjQx .” This once-silent wallet transacted 200 BTC , and in that same block, “ 1LBpE ” mirrored the move, transferring an

Bitcoin hovered below $26,000 on Monday, as traders awaited a big week of economic announcements in the United States. The consumer confidence report will be released on Tuesday, with gross domestic product and nonfarm payrolls coming in the upcoming days. Ethereum was largely unchanged today. Bitcoin Bitcoin started the week hovering around the $26,000 region, as markets prepared for a big week of economic data. Following a high of $26,406.15 on Sunday, BTC /USD dropped to an intraday low of $25,914.93 earlier in today’s session. The world’s largest cryptocurrency has mostly consolidated around this level for the past ten days, since surging above $30,000 earlier in the month. Bitcoin chart by TradingView Since then a huge red wave has swept through the market, with BTC falling to a two-month low just over a week ago. Prices have continued to trend sideways as the 14-day relative strength index (RSI) has failed to break out of a resistance level of 30.00. As of writin

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi says crypto needs “a global framework and regulations.” He stressed: “The rapid pace of change of technology is a reality — there is no point in ignoring it or wishing it away. Instead, the focus should be on adoption, democratization, and a unified approach.” Modi on Crypto Regulation Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked about cryptocurrency regulation in an interview with Business Today, published on Saturday. Modi, who recently returned to India from South Africa, where he attended the BRICS summit, said: The rapid pace of change of technology is a reality — there is no point in ignoring it or wishing it away. Instead, the focus should be on adoption, democratization, and a unified approach. “At the same time, the rules, regulations, and framework around it should not belong to one country or a group of countries. So not only crypto, but all emerging technologies need a global framework and regulations,” the Indian prime minister str

A German expert says that the BRICS economic bloc adding several oil giants as new members “is a strategic success for China and Russia.” The BRICS leaders announced at their annual summit last week that they have invited Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iran, Argentina, Egypt, and Ethiopia to join as new members. BRICS Adding 6 New Members Prof. Dr. Daniela Schwarzer, an executive board member at Bertelsmann Stiftung, an independent foundation based in Germany, said in an interview with Austria’s Der Standard newspaper that the BRICS economic bloc adding some of the world’s largest oil producers marks a strategic success for Russia and China. “Schwarzer is regularly consulted as an expert and policy advisor. She is currently a member of the working group convened by the French and German governments on reforming the EU,” Bertelsmann Stiftung described. “She also advised France and Poland during their respective EU presidencies and was a consultant to the French prime minister’s Centre dʼAna