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Bank of Russia plans to pilot cross-border payments using digital assets and central bank digital currencies, according to a deputy governor. The top executive believes these alternative instruments could increase efficiency in foreign trade while such settlements will not be permitted inside Russia. Russian Government Backs Initiative to Test Digital Assets in Payments Abroad The Russian Federation intends to experiment with digital asset payments in settlements with trade partners, Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank of Russia (CBR), Alexey Guznov, told the daily Izvestia. Also quoted by the business news portal RBC, the official revealed that the plan is supported by the executive power in Moscow. The use of digital financial assets (DFAs) has the potential to increase the efficiency of foreign trade, Guznov elaborated. At the same time, he made it clear that these settlements will not be allowed within the country, a position that has been consistently maintained by Russia’s mo

According to Chris Watkins, the co-founder and CEO of the non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace Digital Arms, many of the Web3 games developed in the last bull cycle were not only seemingly rushed but “lacked the essential element of fun,” hence they ultimately failed. Watkins also argued that the few games which did gain traction “relied on the allure of making money” which is not a sustainable model. Web3 Gaming Not a Passing Fad However, in his written answers sent to Bitcoin.com News, the Digital Arms CEO insisted that the industry’s focus has shifted back to making games with experiences and benefits which cannot be matched by traditional gaming. This shift in turn means Web3 gaming “is really just getting started” and may not be a passing fad as claimed by some critics, Watkins added. Concerning his platform’s reported collaboration with the firearms industry, the CEO disclosed that this was made possible by the fact that some of Digital Arms’ founding members, including himse

Blackrock, the world’s largest asset manager, has filed to register a bitcoin trust that some believe is actually a spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) in disguise. Blackrock is seeking to launch a bitcoin product despite the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) efforts to crack down on unregistered crypto platforms and securities tokens. The asset management firm has also chosen Coinbase, the Nasdaq-listed crypto exchange that was recently charged by the SEC for securities law violations, to serve as custodian for its bitcoin trust. Blackrock Files to Launch a Bitcoin Trust The world’s largest asset manager, Blackrock, filed for the registration of Ishares Bitcoin Trust (the Trust) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Thursday despite the regulator’s ongoing regulatory crackdown on the cryptocurrency sector. According to Blackrock’s filing: The assets of the Trust consist primarily of bitcoin held by a custodian on behalf of the Trust. The Tru