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Ever since Celsius paused withdrawals on June 12, the company has been the focus of attention due to the lender’s financial hardships. A month later, Celsius filed for bankruptcy in the U.S. by leveraging the Chapter 11 process. Two days after the bankruptcy filing, a report disclosed that two people familiar with the matter allege that the private lending platform that owes Celsius $439 million is Equitiesfirst. FT Sources Allege Private Lending Platform That Owes Celsius $439M Is Equitiesfirst During the last few weeks, bankruptcies, liquidations, and insolvencies have been a very hot topic in the crypto world. Three well known crypto companies have filed for bankruptcy protection which includes the digital currency exchange Voyager Digital, the crypto lender Celsius, and the crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital (3AC). Celsius filed for bankruptcy on July 13, 2022, or 31 days after the company froze withdrawals. Prior to the bankruptcy filing in July, there was speculation during the second week of June that said Celsius had funds locked into specific decentralized finance (defi) protocols that needed immediate adjustment or significant collateral would be liquidated. A few days before Celsius filed for bankruptcy, the company’s wallets reportedly transferred millions of usd coin (USDC) at different times to pay down loans in Compound and Aave. When Celsius filed for bankruptcy protection, the filing detailed that Celsius was owed a large sum of funds. On July 15, the Financial Times (FT) reported that “Equitiesfirst [has been] revealed as [the] mysterious debtor to troubled crypto firm Celsius.” The report claims two people familiar with the matter disclosed that Equitiesfirst is the ostensible borrower that owes the crypto lender $439 million. Founded in 2002, Equitiesfirst is an investment firm that “specializes in long-term asset-backed financing,” according to the company’s website. While Equitiesfirst manages stocks, it has also been dealing with select cryptocurrencies since 2016. The managing director and head of Equitiesfirst Singapore, Johnny Heng, spoke about cryptocurrencies in April 2022. “We used to be pure equities, until some six years ago, we started to offer loans against cryptocurrency as well, and that activity has really taken off [in] the past year or two,” Heng told hubbis.com in an interview. Speaking with FT, an Equitiesfirst spokesperson said: “Equitiesfirst is in [an] ongoing conversation with our client and both parties have agreed to extend our obligations.” Meanwhile, celsius network (CEL) token investors tried to short squeeze the company’s native token well before the company filed bankruptcy. However, after the bankruptcy filing, CEL slipped by 58% against the U.S. dollar before it rebounded. Statistics recorded on July 16, 2022, indicate that despite CEL’s market volatility, the crypto asset has gained more than 30% during the last 30 days. What do you think about the report that says Equitiesfirst has been revealed as the mystery debtor that owes Celsius millions? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

The sale of the Central African Republic (CAR)’s 210,000,000 Sango coins is set to begin on July 25 and participating investors will have to buy tokens worth at least $500. In return for buying and locking in the Sango coins, investors will gain citizenship and a piece of real estate property as well as a location in the metaverse. First Digital Monetary System The Central African Republic (CAR), the only African country to designate bitcoin legal tender, will begin selling the Sango coin for an equivalent of $0.10 starting July 25. However, another report says the sale will commence on July 21. Buyers of the crypto token, which has been described as the country’s digital currency, will need to fork out a minimum of $500 which is payable in cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum. As shown on the Sango coin website, a total of 210,000,000 tokens will be available to crypto enthusiasts that interested in participating in the project. Investors participating in what the CAR describes as the first digital monetary system that is “powered by the bitcoin blockchain” have an opportunity to become citizens of the African country. “Join the digital transformation of the Central African Republic today. Both local and the first Citizenship Program in the Metaverse: a future of endless possibilities are awaiting you,” a promotional message on the Sango website states. Buyers of the token will also be rewarded with a piece of real estate property as well as a plot in the metaverse. The CAR will also give e-residency status to Sango coin investors that lock in their tokens. Bitcoin National Treasury On the website, a roadmap detailing the country’s ambitious cryptocurrency plan suggests that the CAR wants to ramp up internet availability and accessibility by investing more in the telecommunication infrastructure. Improved internet access will in turn help the CAR proceed with the creation of the bitcoin national treasury. While critics including bitcoiners have questioned the launch of the crypto coin, the Sango concept deck shows that the CAR is not backing down. Instead, the concept deck appears to suggest that the CAR is planning to make Sango coins another acceptable form of payment. Therefore, besides using the cryptocurrency to become citizens of the CAR, Sango coin buyers will also be able to use this to buy land from the government, pay taxes and access the country’s natural resources. Register your email here to get a weekly update on African news sent to your inbox: What are your thoughts on this story? Let us know what you think in the comments section below. View the full article

Trend forecaster Gerald Celente told Bitcoin.com News that “World War III has begun,” weighing in on Covid-19, crypto, the Great Reset, and gold in an exclusive interview. Jordan Belfort, aka the Wolf of Wall Street, talked long-term BTC investing, as scorching inflation in the U.S. continues to plague Americans, though Biden’s White House says the latest numbers are “out-of-date.” All this and more in your bite-sized digest of this week’s hottest stories from Bitcoin.com News. Trend Forecaster Gerald Celente Says World War 3 Has Begun — ‘If the People Don’t Unite for Peace, We Are Finished’ This week Bitcoin.com News spoke with Gerald Celente, the popular trends forecaster, and publisher of the Trends Journal. During a telephone conversation, Celente discussed the uncertainty surrounding the global economy after governments worldwide locked down the world’s citizens over the Covid-19 pandemic, shut down businesses and injected trillions into the economy. The discussion touches upon gold, bitcoin, the pandemic, the Ukraine-Russia war, and the Federal Reserve. The trends forecaster believes that World War III has already begun, and if people do not assemble to bolster peace in this world, then we the people are doomed. Celente stressed that if people want real change, they cannot rely on hope as they need to take a stand to make it happen themselves. Read More ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ Jordan Belfort Says He’d Be Shocked if You Didn’t Make Money Investing in Bitcoin Long Term Jordan Belfort, aka the Wolf of Wall Street, says if you take a three, four, or five-year horizon, he would be shocked if you didn’t make money investing in bitcoin because the underlying fundamentals are really strong. Read More Kevin O’Leary Warns Major Crypto Panic Event Is Coming — ‘I Don’t Believe We’ve Seen the Bottom Yet’ Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary, aka Mr. Wonderful, has warned of an impending “big panic event” in the crypto space. “I don’t believe we’ve seen the bottom yet and I have a different view of it,” he said. Read More US Inflation Remains Scorching Hot, Jumping to 9.1% in June — White House Says CPI Data Is Already ‘Out-of-Date’ According to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, U.S. inflation remains scorching hot as it has risen at the fastest yearly rate since 1981. June’s CPI data reflected a 9.1% year-over-year increase, even though a number of bureaucrats and economists thought May’s CPI data would be the record peak. Read More What are your thoughts on this week’s hottest stories from Bitcoin.com News? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

PRESS RELEASE. Global blockchain technology organization ABBC Foundation announced a new crypto trading hub through its next-generation decentralized exchange (DEX) – DOMINO. Target launching of the DEX is on July 18, 2022. ABBC Foundation declared that DOMINO will boast enhanced security protocols to facilitate a safe and efficient trading environment. DOMINO DEX will allow its users to have the freedom to take advantage of low trading costs, no additional fees, and no minimum requirements needed. DOMINO DEX will only charge minimal fees; however, the fees can be influenced by the gas fees of the user’s chosen blockchain network. This is on top of ABBC Foundation providing “one of the most promising platforms” for crypto trading, which provides trustless transactions in a fast and seamless way. ABBC Foundation claims DOMINO to be the most trusted platform with high-level security and built intended for users to buy, sell, and swap cryptocurrencies with ease. No restrictions are placed on users when it comes to depositing or withdrawing cryptocurrency. ABBC Foundation CEO Jason Daniel Paul Philip remarked: “We are delighted to announce the launching of a next-generation DEX that will be the newest addition to the ABBC ecosystem. Contributing to the growth of the crypto industry, the opening of DOMINO DEX aims to provide the fastest and most transparent P2P crypto trading.” “Our goal is to provide our ABBC supporters with a seamless decentralized trading experience through a secure, reliable, and fail-proof exchange,” Jason Daniel added. “DOMINO is a highly important addition to the ABBC ecosystem, which will change how decentralized exchanges work.” As mentioned above, the launching day will be on July 18 on www.dominodex.com. About ABBC Foundation Established in late 2017, its founders envisioned a better solution for the current e-commerce woes such as slow payment, hefty transaction fees, and limited payment options. The firm presents different solutions which will make online shopping and digital payments fun, secure, and easy. ABBC has established partnerships with different firms and organizations from different parts of the globe. These are experts in different industries including fintech, web and mobile development, AI and AR development, and more. Telegram: https://t.me/dominodex Twitter: https://twitter.com/dominodex_ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dominodex Discord: https://discord.gg/uxY4KEPzGJ Medium: https://medium.com/@dominodex This is a press release. Readers should do their own due diligence before taking any actions related to the promoted company or any of its affiliates or services. Bitcoin.com is not responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in the press release. View the full article

South African tax consultancy firm Tax Consulting SA, has said the recent announcement by the central bank — that will start to regulate cryptocurrency in 12 to 18 months — has legal and tax implications for both crypto investors and organizations providing intermediary services. The firm, however, says the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) “will not interfere in the investment decisions made by crypto investors.” Intermediaries Must Register as Financial Services Providers According to a South African tax consultancy firm, Tax Consulting SA, recent revelations by the central bank deputy governor that his institution intends to regulate cryptocurrency in 12 to 18 months, means cryptos “will soon be regulated under the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services (FAIS) Act.” This, therefore, means all organizations or individuals deemed to be providing intermediary or advisory services will be required to register as financial services providers with relevant bodies. In a report shared with Bitcoin.com News, Tax Consulting SA predicts that as the next step, SARB will introduce know your customer (KYC) procedures and exchange control regulations. The consulting firm is, however, quick to point out that the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) “will not interfere in the investment decisions made by crypto investors.” Instead, the central bank will issue the so-called “health warnings” and provide adequate protection to investors who are at risk of losing everything. While acknowledging that the SARB has not outlawed cross-border crypto trading and investment, the consulting firm insists that investors will still have to adhere to certain reporting standards. Tax Implications The tax firm’s report in the meantime warned of possible tax implications that may arise which crypto investors must be aware of. The report states: Another concern will be in relation to tax compliance, for example, as tax evasion will be much more easily detectable with transactions falling under the purview of the SARB’s Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC). Once the regulatory framework is in place, non-compliance will be easier to spot and at that point, South Africa’s “wild west” crypto industry will be a thing of the past, the report concludes. Tax Consulting SA also warns that during this period prior to the introduction of the regulatory regime, “crypto investors [need] to ensure that they are up to date with their compliance obligations.” Register your email here to get a weekly update on African news sent to your inbox: What are your thoughts on this story? Let us know what you think in the comments section below. View the full article

A majority of the financial pyramids identified in 2022 used cryptocurrencies in one way or another, Russia’s central bank announced in a new report. Amid Western sanctions, Russian scams have stepped up their activities, often claiming to be licensed by foreign authorities to offer access to crypto assets. Russian Pyramids Take Advantage of Western Sanctions and Popularity of Crypto Over 56% of the pyramid schemes in the Russian Federation during the first half of the year, or 537 entities, raised funds in various cryptocurrencies or advertised crypto investments, a report devoted to countering illegal activities in the country’s financial market reveals. The paper has been published by the Central Bank of Russia (CBR). Quoted by RBC Crypto, the regulator remarked that the sanctions imposed by the West over the conflict in Ukraine have dramatically changed the working conditions for legal financial institutions in Russia and fraudsters benefitted from the situation. Russians were looking for alternative ways to invest, and the response to this demand came in the form of new financial pyramids. The monetary authority explained that these were mostly small-scale schemes with a short lifespan. Between January and June 2022, the central bank was able to identify a staggering number of these scams — more than 2,200 companies, projects, and individual entrepreneurs whose operations showed signs of illegal financial activity. The report notes that the number is three times higher than the figure from the same period in 2021. Crypto is not the only area such entities have been interested in, as 671 of them targeted the securities market. According to the CBR, these companies often pretend to be authorized by a regulatory body in a different jurisdiction and collect money exclusively in foreign fiat or cryptocurrency. To curb their activities, Bank of Russia has notified the relevant law enforcement agencies, the Federal Tax Service, the Roskomnadzor telecom watchdog, and domain name registrars. The CBR also takes regular steps to block suspicious websites and maintains a blacklist of entities that are likely to be illegally operating in the country’s financial sector. The Central Bank of Russia already registered an increase in the number of new financial pyramids exploiting the crypto theme in May. Another reason for their growth has been the financial uncertainty which boosted interest in schemes around investment opportunities in the digital asset space. Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs suggested this week that the authorities in Moscow should introduce criminal liability for those providing money-laundering services to crypto fraudsters. These so-called ‘droppers,’ sometimes unsuspecting individuals who allowed scammers to use their bank accounts and crypto wallets, can get up to seven years of prison time for their involvement, if lawmakers accept the ministry’s advice. Do you think the number of crypto pyramids in Russia will continue to grow, despite the market downturn? Share your expectations in the comments section below. View the full article

The booming blockchain sector in Vietnam is having to deal with a serious deficit in specialists, local media revealed. Despite the large number of software engineers in the country, those with blockchain expertise meet less than a fifth of the current demand, with businesses already looking for talent abroad. Fierce Competition for Blockchain Experts Among Vietnamese Companies Vietnam is facing a lack of human resources hampering the advance of projects in its rapidly developing blockchain industry, the English-language portal Bizhub reported. The Southeast Asian country has plenty of capable software developers but few of them have the needed qualifications for distributed ledger technologies. The shortages makes recruitment difficult and Vietnam doesn’t have many training programs to alleviate the problem, noted Trinh Ngoc Duc, chief executive of the company that developed the Fight of the Ages game. Quoted by the news outlet, he elaborated: The scarcity of experienced blockchain programmers affects the product development process and leaves many potential projects unimplemented. The deficit of blockchain specialists is already seen in many industries, including finance, education, healthcare, logistics, and agriculture. More than 50 sectors of the Vietnamese economy have started to apply blockchain solutions, with around 600 projects just in the Gamefi industry. At the same time, existing talent can only meet between 15 and 20% of the demand, according to Kevin Tung Nguyen, CEO of Jobhopin. He, himself recently lost three employees who were offered payment three times higher than their remuneration at his company. The market is thirsty for blockchain programmers and competition for them is becoming fiercer, he commented. Vietnamese Blockchain Companies Forced to Seek Foreign Experts to Fill Vacant Positions Sourcing talent has become a major problem for many firms in Vietnam’s blockchain space which has been growing fast, confirmed Nguyen Thi Ngoc Dung from the National Innovation Center. Some companies have started to look for programmers in other countries, such as the United Arab Emirates, India, South Korea, and in Europe, she added. Dung believes that one of the reasons is that Vietnamese universities are not teaching blockchain. She also thinks that innovation centers and successful startups should launch their own short-term courses for students and expand international cooperation. A survey conducted by the Vietnamworks recruitment platform among more than 1,000 people working in the IT industry has revealed that blockchain engineers get the highest salaries. But Vietnam is not the only economy experiencing difficulties with finding enough blockchain talent. According to the professional social media network Linkedin, job postings with the keyword ‘blockchain’ in the U.S. increased by almost 400% in 2020-21. Do you think Vietnam will be able to compensate for its deficit in blockchain developers through training programs? Share your thoughts on the subject in the comments section below. View the full article

Sri Lanka’s central bank issued a warning regarding the use of cryptocurrencies amid a devastating economic and political crisis. The central bank stressed that it “has not given any license or authorization to any entity or company to operate schemes” involving cryptocurrencies. Sri Lanka’s Central Bank Issues Notice About Cryptocurrency The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) published a notice about cryptocurrency Tuesday titled “Public Awareness in Relation to the Use of Virtual Currencies in Sri Lanka.” The notice cites “recent development in relation to virtual currency usage in the international and domestic markets as well as the inquiries related to virtual currency.” Noting that “Virtual currencies (VCs) are largely unregulated digital representations of value that are issued by private entities and can be electronically traded,” the Sri Lankan central bank emphasized: CBSL has not given any license or authorization to any entity or company to operate schemes involving VCs, including cryptocurrencies. The central bank further noted that it “has not authorized any initial coin offerings (ICO), mining operations or virtual currency exchanges.” Furthermore, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka warns that “Electronic Fund Transfer Cards (EFTCs) such as debit cards and credit cards are not permitted to be used for payments related to virtual currency transactions.” The notice continues: Therefore, VCs are considered as unregulated financial instruments and have no regulatory oversight or safeguards relating to their usage in Sri Lanka. “The public is, therefore, warned of the possible exposure to significant financial, operational, legal and security related risks as well as customer protection concerns posed to the users by investments in VCs,” the central bank concluded. “The public is also warned not to fall prey to various types of VC schemes offered through the Internet as well as other forms of media.” Earlier this week, protesters stormed the former Sri Lankan prime minister’s compound. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country Wednesday. He has been blamed for a deep economic crisis as Sri Lankans face acute shortages of food, fuel, and other basic supplies. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in Friday as temporary leader. What do you think about the Sri Lankan central bank warning about cryptocurrency amid a severe economic crisis? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

PRESS RELEASE. Monopoly Millionaire Game, a marine-themed GameFi that involves island construction, cultivating, shooting and more, announced that it has completed a seed funding of 1 million US Dollar. By this round of funding, MMG was valued at 10 million US Dollar. Mirana Ventures led the seed funding round. Other notable investors included Kernel Ventures, Mint Ventures, Crypto J, and Ventorylabs. MMG Team said it will use the fund to help realize the MMG GameFi vision and attract more users to participate in the Web3 games. In MMG, players shall buy Cannon NFTs to get the entry. With the NFT entry, players can earn daily check-in rewards and P2E rewards. Daily check-in rewards guarantee players to earn their principal back. Besides, players can earn additional rewards by P2E within the NFT life cycle. “In MMG GameFi economic model, each NFT has a life cycle, that means, each can only be used for P2E for a limited period of time. Players have to upgrade the NFT or sell it in the marketplace when its life cycle expires. This enables us to better control inflation and have a healthier ecosystem,” Monopoly Millionaire Game CEO Angle told on an earlier Press Release at Cointelegraph. “Now MMG GameFi official version is launched. We welcome all users across the world to visit Monopoly Millionaire Game official website to download and experience the game.” Monopoly Millionaire Game is developed by group members who have rich game-developing experience in world-famous Internet companies. Even though the product is still in its early stages, investors believe it has significant growth potential to connect game players all over the world. “With several hundreds of experienced game developers, and tens of thousands of users in the world, the potential for Monopoly Millionaire Game is significant,” Karter, a partner at Mirana Ventures, said in the press release. About Monopoly Millionaire Game Monopoly Millionaire Game is a marine-themed game that features activities such as island construction, cultivating, shooting, among others. It is an NFT P2E game built on the BNB Chain. It adopts a dual-token economic model. MMG is the in-game token and MMC is the governance token. Players use Cannon NFT to hunt marine creatures and each cannon fire will consume Gold Coins which have a limited daily quota. By hunting, players earn MMG token rewards. The Cannon NFT varies from 1 to 8 star levels. The higher the level, the more P2E profit the players will earn. Moreover, by receiving daily sign-in rewards, a player can completely cover their NFT costs, not to mention the additional P2E rewards available. Each Cannon NFT has a “life cycle”. When it expires, the player has to upgrade it or sell it on the market. This solves a deep-seated problem in many GameFi games: inflation. The MMG team strives to build a long-term and sustainable ecosystem, where players can enjoy the game, be entertained, and earn a profit in the meantime. Learn more about the Monopoly Millionaire Game by visiting mmggamfi.com. Stay tuned with any update by following MMG Twitter or join their telegram group. Official website: https://www.mmggamefi.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MMG_GameFi Telegram: https://t.me/monopolymillionairemm View the full article

During the last 30 days, the Celsius Network’s native token CEL increased in value by over 140% against the U.S. dollar. On July 13, just before the lending company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, CEL was exchanging hands for $0.961 per unit. Following the news that the company filed for bankruptcy protection, the native crypto asset dropped 58% to a low of $0.40 on the same day. CEL has managed to climb back from the drop as the digital currency is currently swapping for prices between $0.69 to $0.73 per coin on July 14. So-Called CEL Short Squeeze Attempt Slips, Token Drops 58% After Bankruptcy News Following the company pausing withdrawals and other operations on the lending platform, traders on social media started a trend to get people to “short squeeze” the crypto asset CEL. Social media posts on Twitter, Reddit, and Facebook claim that Celsius Network’s native token CEL is being short-squeezed by members of the Celsius community. Some people promoting the trend explain that getting CEL’s value to skyrocket will help the company Celsius get out of financial trouble. Influencers claim the move is akin to the infamous Gamestop short squeeze attempt pushed by the community members from the subreddit r/wallstreetbets. “[The] CEL Short Squeeze metrics still on our side,” one individual wrote on Wednesday. “93% CEL token remains locked up on the Celsius,” the Twitter account added. However, CEL short squeeze promoters have come under fire as people have criticized the idea a great deal. Some have said that individuals promoting the CEL short squeeze concept should be held accountable. Despite the criticism, the concept is still being promoted on social media platforms at the time of writing on July 14, 2022. Market data shows that celsius network (CEL) tokens have increased more than 140% against the U.S. dollar during the last month of trading sessions. Moreover, CEL tapped a high on July 13, at $0.961 per unit according to Wednesday’s metrics but on the same day, CEL plummeted to $0.40 per CEL after the company’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing was featured in headlines. The crypto asset did rebound from the $0.40 per CEL low tapped on Wednesday and the following day, CEL was trading for just over $0.80 per coin on Thursday. At the time of writing, on July 14, 2022, between 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (ET), CEL is trading for $0.69 to $0.73 per coin. While CEL is down more than 19% against the U.S. dollar, the crypto asset is down 23% against bitcoin (BTC) and 27% against ethereum (ETH). CEL is currently ranked 116 out of the 13,400 crypto assets in existence, and it’s down 90% since the digital currency’s all-time high (ATH). CEL tapped $8.05 per coin about a year ago on June 4, 2021, and it was once ranked in the 36th position in terms of market capitalization. What do you think about the so-called CEL short squeeze and the crypto asset dropping more than 58% in value on Wednesday? Let us know your thoughts about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

On July 14, 2022, the bitcoin company NYDIG, a subsidiary of Stone Ridge, announced that the firm inked a multi-year deal with the Major League Baseball (MLB) team the New York Yankees. According to the partnership announcement, NYDIG will be the professional baseball team’s “official bitcoin payroll platform.” NYDIG Inks a Multi-Year Partnership Deal With the MLB’s New York Yankees According to the bitcoin firm NYDIG’s announcement on Thursday, the company has entered a multi-year partnership with the American baseball team the New York Yankees. NYDIG says that the deal will provide Yankees’ employees access to the company’s Bitcoin Savings Plan (BSP). The BSP product from NYDIG will give members of the Yankees organization the ability to convert a fraction of their payroll check into bitcoin (BTC). Employees can access this benefit via the NYDIG platform and there are no transaction or storage fees associated with the BSP product. NYDIG says that “dozens of leading companies” already leverage NYDIG’s BSP service benefits. Aryn Sobo, the Yankees’ vice president of human resources, employment, and labor law, detailed that the baseball club is “always looking for innovative ways to expand and improve our employee experience.” The move comes at a time when young employees are choosing to get a portion of their pay in BTC. NYDIG research indicates that 36% of employees under 30 are interested in getting this type of payment. Sobo further remarked that “NYDIG made it easy to add Bitcoin to our roster of benefits.” The Yankees’ vice president of human resources added: We look forward to leveraging the NYDIG platform to offer this opportunity to our employees. NYDIG Executive Says Company’s ‘Savings Plan Can Be One of the Most Efficient Ways to Save Bitcoin’ NYDIG’s deal with the New York Yankees is not the first time the company has partnered with a sports franchise. In mid-November 2021, NYDIG partnered with the National Basketball Association (NBA) team the Houston Rockets. A few weeks before the deal with the Rockets, the bitcoin-focused fintech firm disclosed that it was collaborating with MVB bank in order to offer white label bitcoin solutions to third parties. On Thursday, Kelly Brewster, the chief marketing officer at NYDIG, said the company looked forward to collaborating with the American baseball team. “We’re proud to partner with our hometown team and an iconic sports franchise, the Yankees, to further our mission of bringing bitcoin to all,” Brewster said in a statement. “NYDIG is committed to helping our clients realize the full potential of bitcoin while providing the service and standards that have made our name synonymous with trust. For employees of the Yankees and beyond, the opportunity to allocate a small slice of their paycheck to a Bitcoin Savings Plan can be one of the most efficient ways to save bitcoin, and the dollar-cost averaging can smooth out the bumps along the way,” the NYDIG executive added. What do you think about NYDIG partnering with the American baseball team the New York Yankees? Let us know your thoughts about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

On Thursday, the publicly-listed bitcoin mining firm Cleanspark announced that it added 93 petahash per second (PH/s) of hashpower to the company’s existing operations by acquiring 1,061 Whatsminer M30S bitcoin mining rigs. The latest ASIC acquisition follows Cleanspark’s recent purchase contract to buy 1,800 Antminer S19 XP units for “an exceptionally discounted price.” Cleanspark Purchases 2 Bulk Orders of ASIC Miners in 30 Days at a Discount Amid the crypto market downturn, the bitcoin mining company Cleanspark purchased two bulk orders of bitcoin mining machines during the last 30 days. Cleanspark, Inc. (Nasdaq: CLSK) announced on Thursday that the company purchased 1,061 Whatsminer M30S bitcoin mining devices. The Whatsminer M30S series are manufactured by the company Microbt and the 1,061 machines equate to 93 petahash per second (PH/s) of hashpower. Cleanspark detailed that the 93 PH/s have already been added to existing operations and the machines are currently mining bitcoin (BTC) at the firm’s renewable-powered co-location facility. The bitcoin mining company’s CEO, Zach Bradford, explained that the firm is seeing “unprecedented opportunities in this market.” According to Cleanspark, the company managed to purchase the Whatsminer machines at a much lower price than what the devices were selling for a few months ago. The bitcoin mining company further noted that the 1,800 Antminer S19 XP bitcoin mining machines acquired in mid-June were also purchased at a discounted rate. “Our tried-and-true hybrid approach of co-locating our machines while expanding our own mining facilities puts us in an excellent position to sustainably grow our bitcoin mining capacity in what is shaping up to be an incredible market for builders,” Bradford remarked after the ASIC device acquisition. Cleanspark Says Company’s Bitcoin Production Grew by 50% in 6 Months With the crypto winter and the macroeconomic climate cutting bitcoin’s value down, it’s quite possible that distressed bitcoin miners are selling large quantities of mining devices for discounts. At the end of June, the co-founder of Luxor Technologies estimated that $4 billion in loans backed by crypto mining rigs are extremely close to running a risk of default. Furthermore, JPMorgan’s strategists, led by Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou, published a note on Wednesday that claims bitcoin production cost was slashed from $24K at the start of June 2022, to today’s estimate of around $13K. Cleanspark disclosed that the firm’s computational power has risen 47% during the past six months and the company’s bitcoin production grew by 50%. “These important KPIs underscore the fact that our growth is outpacing global hashrate, particularly our ability to stay ahead of network difficulty adjustments. We believe that our operational strategy focused on efficiency, up-time and execution will allow these metrics to continually improve,” Bradford added. What do you think about Cleanspark purchasing 1,061 ASIC miners and explaining that there are “unprecedented opportunities” in this bear market? Let us know your thoughts about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

PRESS RELEASE. Geopoly has announced the launch of a blockchain-based alpha version of the game, which will be playable via desktops. This is a game in which players can interact with the blockchain along with their respective Geopoly non-fungible tokens while simultaneously enjoying the gameplay and earning an income at the same time. Moreover, NFT holders who are actively playing the desktop game are also entitled to receive $GEO tokens on a weekly basis as compensation for their time and efforts. In addition, Geopoly also has a mobile and freemium version which enable users to play the game for free. Afterwards, if the players wish to do so, they can even ‘win and earn’ by shifting to the blockchain version with the same credentials which will allow them to pick up right where they left off in the desktop version. In terms of what it is, Geopoly may hence best be understood as an economic simulator which enables people to rent, purchase, improve, and actually sell estate as well as business assets based on their geolocation. Geopoly has been constructed through a system which relies on both off-chain and on-chain layers which are then utilized to provide users with a real-world-oriented dynamic, immersive and memorable gaming experience. What else is there to know about Geopoly? Beginning in July, the ‘Geopoly Auctions’ market shall open, allowing players to sell their NFTs at a price they choose while others can bid on them for a minimum of 24 hours. The NFT will then be awarded to the highest bidder. This is a brand new and exciting way for NFT holders to sell their non-fungible tokens and profit, in addition to also being able to buy an NFT from another player or through Geopoly itself. This month’s auctions include landmarks such as the Hollywood Sign, Ponte Vecchio, Flame Towers, London Eye,, Seul Tower and Maracana Stadium. Moreover, a number of popular NFTs have already been sold including the likes of Louvre Museum and even world-renowned stadiums such as Santiago Bernabeu, Camp Nou, Old Trafford, and Wembley. Furthermore, Geopoly has recently partnered up with NextNav, which will provide the technology that Geopoly shall implement into its framework in the future. This shall include NextNav’s 3D geolocation functionalities, allowing for more dynamic virtual experiences linked to users’ real-world environments and leveraging location verification in order to confirm transactions as well as interactions within the metaverse. Essentially, building the metaverse requires 3D geolocation technology. With that in mind, NextNav’s technology would not only power in-game experiences, but it shall additionally be a critical authenticator of location-oriented activities such as exclusive exhibitions, NFT scavenger hunts, and transactions pertaining to digital land and real estate. Last but not least, Sebastian Borget, one of the main advisors, will also be working with Geopoly which is additionally a proud member of the Blockchain Game Alliance (BGA). Sebastian is also the COO of The Sandbox (SAND), one of the most popular P2E metaverse-based games today. Past accomplishments and future goals Geopoly was released on mobile in 2018 and was included in the list of the four most innovative mobile games on iOS by the Apple Latam team during the soft launch period. Additionally, it was chosen from 1,700 applicants from 37 nations to take part in the 2019 Global GOOGLE Indie Games Accelerator. Geopoly has also collaborated with Seedify, Enjinstarter, Poolz, and NFTPad by Trustpad to launch the public sale of $GEO tokens, which can also be earned through Geopoly NFTs. It is additionally supported by leading blockchain platforms such as GD10, AU21, X21, Polygon, and various other notable entities. Lastly, within 48 hours of its launch, the private sale had reached its hard cap of $3 million. This achievement demonstrates that investors regard Geopoly as a platform with great promise to become one of the biggest gaming hubs within the blockchain space going forward. In terms of future goals, Geopoly will continue to develop and improve their product while also expanding their player base. In order to make the game more fun and exciting, the team is also working on introducing a PvP mode, where players would be able to attack each other’s ‘Branches’, steal non-tokenized resources, and defend their own territories in this upcoming new game mode. About Geopoly Conventional finance-based simulation games have various flaws because only publishers tend to reap the rewards. In such situations, gamers usually only act as end-users who buy in-game items with no opportunity to earn rewards outside of the game. The industry has since been transformed by the innovative usage of blockchain technology, which allows all kinds of assets within the game to be successfully traded for different tokens which may be subsequently turned into fiat currencies. Geopoly, with its groundbreaking gaming ecosystem, is among the platforms at the forefront of this new digital revolution. Geopoly has selected Polygon as the foundation for its on-chain game. Polygon is a Layer-2 blockchain protocol which provides scalability as well as low transaction costs via the Ethereum blockchain. Now, thanks to the launch of the aforementioned alpha version, Geopoly is ready to take the next step as per its official roadmap. For more information and regular updates, visit Geopoly’s official website and the Twitter, Telegram, Medium and Discord channels. This is a press release. Readers should do their own due diligence before taking any actions related to the promoted company or any of its affiliates or services. Bitcoin.com is not responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in the press release. View the full article

The blockchain company Polygon has been chosen to join Disney’s Accelerator program, according to a Walt Disney Company blog post published on Wednesday. The company’s 2022 Disney Accelerator initiative is a business development program that aims to “accelerate the growth of innovative companies from around the world.” Disney’s 2022 Accelerator Is Focused on Artificial Intelligence, NFTs, and Augmented Reality Walt Disney Company published an announcement on Wednesday that explains the Disney Accelerator program has picked six companies to join this year’s class initiative that plans to target a few different technologies. “This year’s Disney Accelerator class is focused on building the future of immersive experiences and specializes in technologies such as augmented reality (AR), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and artificial intelligence (AI) characters,” the entertainment company’s blog post details. Disney explained on April 22, 2022, that the mass media and entertainment conglomerate was accepting applications for the program. 82 days later, Disney disclosed that it chose the companies Flickplay, Inworld, Lockerverse, Obsess, Polygon, and Red 6. Disney’s blog post describes Polygon as a “scalable blockchain network that allows developers and enterprises to build Web3 experiences.” The firm says that it chose the companies because of the current focus on Disney’s “next-generation storytelling efforts.” Polygon Says Participating Accelerator Companies Will ‘Receive Guidance From Disney’s Senior Leadership Team’ Following Disney’s announcement, the blockchain project Polygon tweeted about getting accepted into the 2022 Disney Accelerator program on Wednesday. “We are excited to announce that Polygon has been chosen to be a part of the Disney Accelerator program,” Polygon wrote while sharing Disney’s blog post. “It kicks off this week, connecting the 2022 class [with] the creativity, imagination, and expertise of Disney,” Polygon added. “Over the course of the program, each participating company will receive guidance from Disney’s senior leadership team, as well as a dedicated executive mentor.” A few of the other companies chosen by Disney also focus on technologies like AR, Web3, NFTs, and three-dimensional (3D) environments. For instance, Disney says the startup “Flickplay is a Web3 social app that enables users to discover NFTs tied to real-world locations that they can experience and share via AR.” Flickplay revealed it partnered with the blockchain virtual world The Sandbox three months ago. Two weeks before Walt Disney Company’s first annual Disney+ Day in 2021, the firm announced it would drop the ‘Golden Moments’ NFT collection via the digital collectibles app Veve to celebrate the event. Last January, the entertainment company started showing signs of entering the metaverse industry when the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) approved Disney’s “virtual-world simulator” patent. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Bonnie Rosen, the general manager of the Disney Accelerator program, explained that “for nearly a century, Disney has been at the forefront of leveraging technology to build the entertainment experiences of the future.” In the firm’s Twitter thread published on Wednesday, Polygon remarked that the company planned to share more Disney Accelerator updates, and further added that the team’s imaginations were “already on fire.” What do you think about the company choosing Polygon to join this year’s Disney Accelerator program? Let us know your thoughts about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

A new report by the European Central Bank (ECB), presented as a “deep dive into crypto financial risks,” calls for “appropriate” regulation and oversight of stablecoins and decentralized finance (defi). It also addresses the hot topic of Bitcoin’s carbon footprint in Europe, suggesting a ban on proof-of-work mining is probable. Growth of Stablecoins, Defi Warrants Regulation and Supervision, ECB Says Crypto-related financial risks, those associated with stablecoins and defi platforms in particular, as well as the threat to climate transition goals blamed on energy-intensive methods of crypto mining, are in the focus of the latest edition of the Macroprudential Bulletin issued by the European Central Bank (ECB). Key moments in the report published in July were highlighted this week by Patrick Hansen, crypto venture advisor at Presight Capital. Exploring the policy implications of these segments of the crypto market, the authors of the paper insist that the growth and increasing use of stablecoins around the world require immediate implementation of the necessary regulatory, supervisory, and oversight frameworks, such as the MiCA legislation, before the interconnection between these digital currencies and the traditional financial system deepens further. Recognizing the important role of stablecoins for the crypto ecosystem in one of the three articles in the bulletin, the ECB experts point out that their critical function could have contagion effects for the financial system, if unbacked crypto assets pose a risk to financial stability in the future. Reminding of May’s collapse of the terrausd (UST) algorithmic stablecoin, they comment: Recent developments show that stablecoins are anything but stable, as exemplified by the crash of terrausd and the temporary de-pegging of tether. Initially serving mainly as a “relatively safe ‘parking space,’” the use cases for stablecoins have multiplied in recent years, the eurozone’s monetary authority notes, even more so with the rise of defi applications, which represent another rapidly expanding segment of the crypto market, especially over the past year. While acknowledging that defi platforms employ technology-enabled innovation and differ in certain aspects such as how assets are held, trust is generated and systems governed, the ECB claims they do not create novel financial products but rather mimic those offered by traditional financial providers. At the same time, “defi is in many ways subject to the same vulnerabilities as traditional finance,” the central bank says, elaborating: Defi protocols or platforms claim to have a decentralized governance structure, although in reality governance is often concentrated. The ECB believes that efforts are needed to regulate and supervise the defi space effectively, despite the challenges that stem from its decentralized and anonymous nature, that make the task harder for policymakers and respective authorities. The European Central Bank urges for a coordinated approach on the international level and common standards to identify and fill the regulatory gaps. Ban on Proof-of-Work Mining Deemed Probable ECB’s Macroprudential Bulletin comes as the European Union progresses towards adopting and implementing the comprehensive MiCA regulatory package. Key EU institutions recently reached an agreement on the legislation. A controversial proposal to prohibit the provision of services for cryptocurrencies using the power-hungry proof-of-work (PoW) mining was dropped from the draft. Members of the crypto industry and community had warned that such a measure would have amounted to a ban on Bitcoin. But the ECB article asking the question “Is climate risk priced into crypto assets?” argues that authorities can incentivize the proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanisms, described as “the crypto version of the electric vehicle,” and restrict or ban the PoW mechanisms, referred to as “the crypto version of the fossil fuel car.” “So, while a hands-off approach by public authorities is possible, it is highly unlikely, and policy action by authorities (e.g. disclosure requirements, carbon tax on crypto transactions or holdings, or outright bans on mining) is probable,” the authors think. In their opinion, it’s also unlikely that the EU will restrict or ban fossil fuel cars by 2035, but not take action against crypto assets with their carbon emissions which they say are enough to negate most euro area countries’ greenhouse gas emission savings. Do you think the EU will introduce strict regulations for crypto assets and ban bitcoin mining? Share your expectations in the comments section below. View the full article

Bitcoin briefly broke back into the $20,000 region on Thursday, following a volatile day of trading. Volatility in crypto markets came as data released showed that inflation in the United States had risen to its highest level in over four decades. ETH also briefly rose above $1,100. Bitcoin BTC was marginally higher on Thursday, as prices rallied following a turbulent 24 hours of trading, which saw prices fall below $19,000. Following this drop, the world’s largest crypto token climbed, hitting a peak of $20,361.12 earlier in the day. Volatility in the market comes following the release of June’s inflation data, which gained by 1.3%, and now sits at 9.1%. Bitcoin traders now expect the Fed to hike rates by another 75 basis points later this month, which could further impact prices. As of writing, BTC/USD is now trading at $19,801.76, which although being lower than earlier highs, is still above yesterday’s floor at $18,999.95. Like on Wednesday, the 14-day RSI remains below resistance of 41.80, and this looks to be the main obstacle preventing prices from a sustained breakout. Ethereum ETH also had to battle market volatility on Thursday, as prices came within a stone’s throw of falling below $1,000. The token fell to a low of $1,019 late in Wednesday’s session, however prices rebounded today, climbing to a high of $1,120.32 in the process. Since breaking above this $1,100 threshold, earlier bulls have turned bearish, with prices now trading close to $1,080. Like bitcoin, the price uncertainty is being heightened by the lack of direction in momentum, with both the 10-day and 25-day moving averages trending sideways, despite a recent, marginal crossover. In order for momentum to rise, we will likely need to see relative strength also surge, however the RSI indicator continues to trade below its own ceiling. Overall, ethereum is currently down 8.26% in the last seven days, however there remains some optimism that this sentiment could soon shift. Register your email here to get weekly price analysis updates sent to your inbox: Will we see ETH fall below $1,000 before it rallies above $1,200? Leave your thoughts in the comments below. View the full article

Another crypto lender, Celsius Network, has sought bankruptcy protection in the U.S. “Customer claims will be addressed through the Chapter 11 process,” the company said. Two other crypto firms recently filed for bankruptcy protection: Voyager Digital and Three Arrows Capital (3AC). Celsius Follows Voyager, Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Crypto lender Celsius Network announced Wednesday that it has “filed voluntary petitions for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.” Alex Mashinsky, CEO and co-founder of Celsius, commented: This is the right decision for our community and company. The company stated that the bankruptcy filing aims “to provide the company with the opportunity to stabilize its business and consummate a comprehensive restructuring transaction that maximizes value for all stakeholders.” Noting that it will continue to operate, the company explained: “Celsius has $167 million in cash on hand, which will provide ample liquidity to support certain operations during the restructuring process.” Last month, Celsius paused withdrawals, swaps, and transfers on its platform. Its decision to freeze accounts has prompted the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and several state regulators to probe the company. According to Wednesday’s announcement: Celsius is not requesting authority to allow customer withdrawals at this time. Customer claims will be addressed through the Chapter 11 process. State Regulator Believes Celsius Is ‘Deeply Insolvent’ The Department of Financial Regulation of the U.S. State of Vermont is one of the state regulators investigating Celsius. The regulator asserted that the crypto firm has been engaged in an unregistered securities offering in multiple jurisdictions, including Vermont. “Due to its failure to register its interest accounts as securities, Celsius customers did not receive critical disclosures about its financial condition, investing activities, risk factors, and ability to repay its obligations to depositors and other creditors,” the regulator detailed, adding: The Department believes Celsius is deeply insolvent and lacks the assets and liquidity to honor its obligations to account holders and other creditors. Last week, crypto lender Voyager Digital also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company cited “prolonged volatility and contagion in the crypto markets” and the default of crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital (3AC) on a loan as the reasons for its decision to file for bankruptcy protection. Days before Voyager’s bankruptcy filing, Three Arrows Capital filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. This week, a bankruptcy judge froze the assets of 3AC. What do you think about Celsius filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

Popular BTM operator, Bitcoin of America, is changing the way we think about the cryptocurrency industry. Bitcoin of America is a virtual currency exchange, registered as a money services business with the United States Department of Treasury (FinCEN)(RegNum). They currently have 2,500 plus Bitcoin ATM locations across 31 states. They offer Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, and Bitcoin Cash options to purchase in major cities. Bitcoin of America has made some major updates to their customer support services. The popular operator recognized the struggle that many customers go through when they are new to the cryptocurrency industry and decided it was time to change their approach. Bitcoin of America has a quick response time and a high answer rate. This has made it a breeze for customers since they typically never have to wait in a call line. They even provide their customers with real Bitcoin expert agents, unlike many operators in the industry. Bitcoin of America’s support is available daily. The popular operator has already seen major success in educating their customers. This is due to the very knowledgeable support team. Bitcoin of America’s team can help with anything from basic crypto questions to how to use a Bitcoin ATM. The team is focused on their customers and creating a personalized experience. Bitcoin of America is hoping that their new top of the line customer support will help create a better user experience. This is a sponsored post. Learn how to reach our audience here. Read disclaimer below. View the full article

The non-fungible token and blockchain gaming company Animoca Brands has announced the firm has raised $75 million from investors such as Kingsway Capital, Liberty City Ventures, and others. The capital injection of $75 million brings Animoca’s overall pre-money valuation to $5.9 billion. Animoca Brands Secures $75 Million to Bolster Digital Property Rights The Hong Kong-based crypto gaming, NFT, and venture capital company Animoca Brands has raised $75.32 million, according to an announcement published on July 12. The newly raised capital stems from investors like Cosmic Summit Investments, Liberty City Ventures, Kingsway Capital, Alpha Wave Ventures, 10T, SG Spring Limited Partnership Fund, and Generation Highway Ltd. Animoca explained that the new funds will be dedicated toward funding “strategic acquisitions, investments, and product development, secure licenses for popular intellectual properties (IP), and advance the open metaverse.” The company plans to bolster the promotion of digital property rights with the funding as well. The co-founder and executive chairman of Animoca Brands, Yat Siu, commented on the subject of digital property rights and the Web3 industry. “Digital property rights represent a society-defining generational shift that impacts everyone online and will set the stage for the emergence of the open metaverse. We are deeply honoured to continue to enjoy strong support from investors as we work to solidify the leadership position of Animoca Brands in the Web3 industry and in the field of true digital ownership.” The $75 million raised follows Animoca’s capital raise back in January when the company secured $358 million. At that time, Animoca noted that the $358 million would be used for acquisitions and IP licenses alongside using the financing to increase NFT and metaverse adoption. Animoca is behind blockchain projects such as The Sandbox, Tower Experiment, Tiny Tap, Arc8, Revv Motorsport, and Revv Racing. The company has also invested in crypto startups and Web3 projects like NBA Top Shot, Opensea, and Sky Mavis. The Liberty City Ventures managing partner, Emil Woods, believes that Animoca Brands is a pioneer at the forefront of the blockchain, NFT, and gaming space. Woods estimates that in the next ten years society will welcome digital property and ownership offered by blockchain technology. “Over the next decade, humanity will discover and embrace the game-changing power that blockchain-based digital ownership of assets will bring to countless aspects of daily life,” Woods explained in a statement during Animoca’s funding announcement. What do you think about Animoca Brands raising $75 million from investors? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

Picpay, one of the most popular payments fintech companies in Brazil, has announced that it will start including cryptocurrency services in its app. The company explained that these services will include the possibility of purchasing crypto and processing payments with crypto directly. Picpay follows the actions of companies like Nubank and Mercado Libre, which have also started offering crypto services recently. Picpay to Allow Customers to Use Crypto From App More fintech-based companies are now approaching crypto as a way of extending their service offering for their customers. Picpay, a Brazilian fintech and payments company, has announced it will now allow its customers to purchase crypto from within its app using fiat funds. The company announced it will include several cryptocurrencies in its wallet, including BTC, ETH, and USDP, a Paxos-backed stablecoin. According to local reports, the service would be handled by Paxos, the same company that has provided crypto management services for other companies that are also offering crypto services in Brazil, such as Mercado Libre and Nubank. To the company, this is a very significant move, as expressed by Anderson Chamon, co-founder and vice president of products and technology at Picpay. He stated: Picpay will enter this world very strongly. It will not be an accessory product, it will be a very important line of business. Picpay plans to roll out this update for next month, though it is still unknown if the company will allow crypto deposits and withdrawals from its platform. More than 60 million users of the app will be able to utilize the new services in Brazil. Payment Services and a Real-Pegged Stablecoin As an extension of the new services, the app will also allow customers to pay with crypto in any of the merchants using Picpay as part of their payment options. The fintech company aims to make this possible later this year, with the cryptocurrencies being liquidated automatically for fiat money to protect merchants from volatility. By the end of the year, Picpay informed it expects to have more than 100 cryptocurrencies in its wallet, offering an ample range of options for potential investors. However, one of its most ambitious projects is the launch of its own Brazilian real-pegged stablecoin, which will be used to make payments and purchases. About the planned stablecoin, called brazilian real coin (BRC), Chamon stated: You will not need to be a Picpay user to use this stablecoin. You can be a tourist coming to Brazil, take Paypal or another digital wallet, buy BRC on an exchange and use it in the Brazilian market. What do you think about Picpay launching a cryptocurrency exchange and payment service? Tell us in the comments section below. View the full article

PRESS RELEASE. Now there is no need to buy expensive equipment and pay for electricity, you can simply buy virtual miners from Tothesmart and earn up to 5% per day in passive income. What is Tothesmart? Tothesmart is a Play to earn mining Farm built on the Binance Smart Chain blockchain.An open smart contract with a unique mathematical model based on the successful mining model of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. The goal is to create a large international community and further develop the Tothesmart ecosystem in the cryptocurrency market, where all early community members will be generously rewarded when launching new product. It works simply. Users buy miners and each miner brings in 1 MineToken every second. You can sell the tokens for Stablecoin Busd or reinvest in buying miners to earn more. In the project there is an Ambassador program, participants can earn income from each purchase of miners as well as income of their followers for 7 generations in depth. The full analysis of the Ambassador program can be found on the https://tothesmart.com website in the WhitePaper section. Another big difference of Tothesmart is that not only the fastest and the first one win, the last one gets everything! Thanks to the Time Pool mechanism you won’t have to worry about being the last player to buy miners. To be the last – it means to win. 1% of each purchase and sale in the Tothesmart contract is transferred to the Time Pool smart contract. If no one else has bought any miners within 60 minutes of your purchase, the entire Time Pool balance is automatically transferred to your wallet address. Anyone can be a winner! Anti-KIT Functions The problem with all these miners is that the user who came in at the very start of the project is making a super profit by rapidly increasing the balance of the contract from zero to first million.We have solved this problem and made our economy balanced and stable, thanks to a formula that will add Busd to the current balance up to an amount equal to 500,000 Busd, until the balance of the contract has overcome this mark. Also in the smart contract included a free bonus. Anyone can get 10 Busd worth of miners as a gift at the current rate. Tothesmart has a good chance to get into the top PlayToEarn projects this year. You can join the international community right now: Website https://tothesmart.com Audit https://hazecrypto.net/audit/tothesmart Telegram channel https://t.me/tothesmartofficial Community chat https://t.me/tothesmartofficialchat Twitter https://twitter.com/tothesmart YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgnx3zkNtzWe7JIbxettbKQ This is a press release. Readers should do their own due diligence before taking any actions related to the promoted company or any of its affiliates or services. Bitcoin.com is not responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in the press release. View the full article

On July 11, Playboy, the lifestyle and entertainment firm founded in 1953, revealed a licensing collaboration with the blockchain-based virtual world The Sandbox. The two companies detailed that the newly formed partnership aims to provide metaverse visitors with a Playboy-themed “social gaming experience.” Playboy Enters The Sandbox PLBY Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: PLBY), commonly referred to as Playboy, announced on Monday that the firm is collaborating with the blockchain project The Sandbox. Launched in March 2012, The Sandbox platform evolved from a two-dimensional (2D) game to a three-dimensional (3D) metaverse powered by Ethereum. Playboy’s announcement reveals a licensing collaboration with The Sandbox and the company notes that users will be able to immerse themselves into the “Metamansion.” The Sandbox-crafted Metamansion will feature non-fungible token (NFT) collectibles, programmed events, social play, and gaming experiences using Playboy’s content library. The lifestyle and entertainment firm have been a part of the blockchain industry for quite some time. In March 2018, the company’s Playboy TV revealed it would release a multi-cryptocurrency wallet but the project fell through, according to reports published four months later. In April 2021, Playboy revealed it was collaborating with Nifty Gateway in order to issue an NFT collection called “Liquid Summer.” The following July, the entertainment firm joined forces with Superrare to publish the Miami Beach NFT Collection. The company’s latest collaboration with The Sandbox will include NFTs and “special experiences for Playboy’s Rabbitar community.” “We’re thrilled to work with The Sandbox and its best-in-class design and development team to build a premium, customized Playboy gaming and social experience in the metaverse,” Playboy’s chief brand and strategy officer Rachel Webber explained in a note sent to Bitcoin.com News. “We can’t wait to invite our global Playboy fanbase, and in particular our Rabbitar community and The Sandbox LAND owners, into this new immersive world of Playboy.” Playboy is one of many brands that has joined The Sandbox metaverse during the last year. On May 19, Bitcoin.com News reported on the acid jazz-funk band Jamiroquai collaborating with the Web3 virtual universe. The Sandbox also partnered with the gaming giants Square Enix and Ubisoft in order to introduce Dungeon Siege IP and Rabbids to the blockchain gaming land. Playboy has been a pioneer in the publishing space for close to 70 years, and the company believes the blockchain world The Sandbox “provides a dynamic platform for a next wave of innovation.” The COO and co-founder of The Sandbox, Sebastien Borget, said that the entertainment firm continues to appeal to all generations and now Web3 users. “Playboy is emblematic for its charm, lifestyle, and entertainment content that has transcended generations and that has already stepped into Web3 with early success,” Borget noted during the announcement on Monday. What do you think about Playboy partnering with The Sandbox? Let us know your thoughts about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

SOL was slightly higher on Tuesday, as prices rebounded following recent declines. The token bounced on its long-term support point earlier today, as bulls entered the market. MATIC also moved higher, colliding with its own price ceiling. Solana (SOL) SOL was trading marginally higher in today’s session, as prices rebounded following a four-day losing streak. This streak was snapped as bulls entered the market close to a support point of $32.65, pushing prices away from recent lows. Tuesday’s rally saw SOL/USD hit an intraday peak of $35.64, with some now waiting to see if bulls will continue to push prices upwards. Historically, this current level has seen the birth of the last three bull runs, which typically take prices towards a ceiling of $40. Looking at the chart, with the RSI also bouncing on a floor of its own, there could soon be a shift in momentum, which would show should the 10-day moving average extend its recent cross. As of writing, relative strength is tracking at 43.5, with a short-term ceiling nearby at 45. Should this point be passed, sentiment will likely have shifted towards the side of the bulls. Polygon (MATIC) Whilst SOL was bouncing from a support point, MATIC was colliding with a resistance level following today’s marginal gains. Following three consecutive sessions of lower lows, MATIC/USD rose to a high of $0.5964 on Tuesday. This peak saw the token move close to its recent ceiling at $0.5980, however it has since given way, as bulls likely secured gains and exited earlier positions. As of writing, MATIC is now trading at $0.5683, with the 14-day Relative Strength Index tracking at 54. Overall, momentum in MATIC still appears to be bullish, following the upwards crossover between the 10-day and 25-day moving averages. Should this cross continue to mature, then a breakout of the ceiling which was tested earlier today is inevitable. Could MATIC go to as high as $0.80 this month? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. View the full article

BTC fell below $20,000 on Tuesday, as volatility in financial markets continued to peak, due to current levels of inflation. The euro fell to its lowest level against the U.S. dollar in over twenty years, and this dollar strength seems to be impacting crypto prices. ETH also slipped, falling below $1,100. Bitcoin Bitcoin dropped below $20,000 during Tuesday’s trading session, as markets responded to recent bearish pressure. The world’s largest crypto token fell to a low of $19,613.95 earlier today, which is roughly $1,000 lower than yesterday’s peak at $20,664.82. This most recent drop sees BTC/USD trading lower for a fourth straight session, as traders look to be targeting a key price floor. Looking at the chart, this support level appears to be at the $18,845 level, which could be hit, should relative strength continue to subside. Today’s decline in price pushed the RSI below its own floor at 37.40, and it looks to be heading for a lower point at 31. Should this come to fruition, not only could we see BTC trading in the region of $18,000, but it could possibly fall below this point. Ethereum ETH also extended a recent losing streak, with prices today falling to their lowest point in over a week. As of writing, ETH/USD fell to a low of $1,056.05 on Tuesday, which is its weakest level since July 4, during the U.S. Independence Day celebrations. This latest decline has seen ethereum now lose over $100 in value over the past 24-hours, sending prices near a long-term support level in the process. As seen on the chart, the floor at $1,050 has been in place over the past month, and is one of the last remaining defenses preventing prices from falling below $1,000. Similar to bitcoin, we have now seen the RSI on the ETH chart slip below a support point, which could indicate upcoming downwards pressure. Price strength now sits at a new floor of 35.85, which is already oversold. However, should this floor give way, we may see prices fall further. Will BTC go below $19,000, and ETH below $1,000 this week? Leave your thoughts in the comments below. View the full article

A Nigerian fintech, Moove, recently secured a $20 million investment from British International Investment (BII). Moove said the funds will be used to democratize access to vehicle ownership in Africa. Credit Extended Based on Drivers’ Performance and Revenue Analytics The British development finance institution (DFI), British International Investment (BII), recently said it had invested $20 million in the Nigerian mobility fintech Moove. According to a statement released by the institution (formerly CDC Group), the 4-year structured credit investment is a reflection of BII’s “focus on mobilizing capital to build self-sufficiency and market resilience in Nigeria.” Launched in 2020, Moove, which reportedly aims “to democratize access to vehicle ownership in Africa,” is focused on providing revenue-based vehicle financing to mobility firms. According to a Fintech Futures report, Moove has been extending credit to drivers previously excluded from the financial system. The credit extended is based on the drivers’ performance and revenue analytics. Following the latest investment, Moove has raised $125 million so far this year and $200 million to date. According to Moove, the latest investment from BII will be used to acquire fuel-efficient vehicles that will be leased to drivers. “This will also alleviate one of the key blockages to the development of ‘ride-hailing’ transportation infrastructure in Nigeria’s commercial capital,” the fintech firm reportedly said. British Investments in Nigeria Speaking at a recent event that also marked the change of name from CDC Group to BII, the British high commissioner in Nigeria, Catriona Laing, said: It’s a pleasure to be in Lagos to mark the launch of British International Investment and to host Nick O’Donohoe during his visit to Nigeria. BII forms an important part of the UK’s package of tools and expertise to help Nigeria build their pipeline for investment and scale up infrastructure investment, in particular, to achieve clean, green growth. According to Laing, the launch of the DFI represents a continuation of the United Kingdom’s partnership with Nigeria which began 74 years ago, with the investment in the West African Fisheries and Cold Store. For his part, Nick O’Donohoe, the CEO of BII, remarked that “investing in the prosperity of Nigeria’s growing population requires innovative new partnerships that can leverage the country’s abundant capabilities and expertise.” What are your thoughts on this story? Let us know what you think in the comments section below. View the full article