roadrunner

Following a brief rally on Tuesday, BTC once again dropped below the $40,000 level during today’s session. Wednesday’s selloff has seen prices fall by as much as 4%, whilst ETH also declined by the same amount. Bitcoin The world’s largest cryptocurrency moved lower on Wednesday, following a brief rally during yesterday’s trading session. Following a peak of $40,330.46 on Tuesday, BTC/USD slipped to an intraday bottom of $37,884.99 on hump-day. This latest low sees BTC continue to trade near its $37,700 support level, and close to a recent one-month low. Since today’s floor, prices have gone on to climb and bitcoin is currently hovering near the $38,910.00 level. Looking at the chart, the 14-day RSI is also tracking above its own ceiling of 39.50, with the potential for it to move to a higher resistance of 43. Should this happen, not only will we see the current floor continue to hold firm, but we may also be positioned for a run towards $41,000. Ethereum ETH was also unable to sustain gains made during Tuesday’s session, as prices once again dropped below $3,000. The world’s second-largest cryptocurrency hit a bottom of $2,786.25 earlier today, which comes less than 24 hours after it traded close to $3,046. Today’s drop saw prices find support at the $2,780 level, which has historically been a soft landing spot for retreating bulls. This proved to be the case yet again, as ETH/USD bounded from its earlier low, and is now trading at $2,862.25. Looking at the chart, this is still roughly 3.98% lower than yesterday’s peak, and comes as RSI attempts to move away from a six-week low. Glancing ahead, the $2,950 resistance seems to be the only real obstacle in the way of any further runs deep into the $3,000 region. Do you expect crypto consolidation to continue into May? Leave your thoughts in the comments below. View the full article

The layer two (L2) Ethereum scaling project Optimism has announced the launch of Optimism Collective, “a large-scale experiment in digital democratic governance” managed by the newly created Optimism Foundation. In addition to the governance collective, the plan is to launch a token called “OP” that aims to “govern protocol upgrades and project incentives.” Ethereum Scaling Project to Launch the Optimism Collective System On Tuesday, Optimism announced the launch of a governance system called the Optimism Collective. Optimism is an L2 scaling solution that leverages zk rollups so users can quickly transact with Ethereum in a cost-effective fashion. The collective has been launched by the newly created Optimism Foundation and will be “governed co-equally by two houses,” the team’s blog post announcement details. In a Twitter thread on Tuesday, the official Optimism account said: The Optimism Collective will be governed co-equally by two houses — Citizens’ House and the Token House. Together, they will drive rapid, sustainable growth in Optimism, Ethereum, and the new internet. The Citizens’ House will govern public goods funding, creating a flywheel of protocol development. Optimism’s blog post notes that the Citizens’ House citizenship will be non-transferrable non-fungible token (NFT) assets. “The Citizens’ House will keep the network in check from plutocratic capture,” Optimism’s Twitter thread added. Then the Token House will incorporate a token called “OP.” Furthermore, Optimism’s team alluded to a number of airdrops. “It governs protocol upgrades, project incentives, and more. It drives growth — There’s not just one airdrop. There will be *many* airdrops,” Optimism’s Twitter account said on Tuesday. Optimism also published how the airdrop will be distributed and eligibility details. The purpose of the new collective is to “produce strong public goods infrastructure for OP, increasing the utility of the L2, and creating a useful economy to build on,” the team explained. The initial airdrop will be “coming in Q2” and the newly created foundation will be led by two of the founders of Optimism. “Airdrop #1 is coming in Q2 and has not yet occurred—anything claiming you can get OP today is a scam,” Optimism’s Twitter account stressed. According to the Optimism team, more than 250,000 addresses are eligible for the initial airdrop. What do you think about the Ethereum scaling project launching a governance collective and token? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

The Bank of Spain has issued a new report that touches on the subject of the popularity of cryptocurrency usage and the possible effects it might have on the financial stability of the nation. In the document, the bank explains that these assets — which ostensibly don’t have any kind of support behind them — can introduce systemic risks via their adoption by traditional institutions and the lack of regulation over them. Crypto Assets Could Cause Systemic Risks According to the Bank of Spain The Bank of Spain has issued a new report where it warns about the growth of the cryptocurrency economy and its possible effects on the traditional economic system. According to the report, while the cryptocurrency market is still considered limited, its exponential growth and the fact that most of the value of the market comes from cryptocurrency assets without support, could pose risks for the global economy. This “systemic risk” is explained by the growing links between crypto and the traditional economy. On this, the Bank of Spain identifies two possible vectors. The first one has to do with the elevated volatility of these assets and their correlation with traditional markets. On this, the document informs: The high volatility of crypto assets may contribute to these dynamics, with corrections in these assets favoring a more general correction in financial asset prices. The second risk vector has to do with the elevated market cap of traditional stablecoins like USDT and USDC, which forces their issuers to maintain a high number of support assets. This might affect the prices of these “safe” assets in the case of an accelerated run caused by market conditions. Regulation Still Not There The report continues to explain that, while these cryptocurrency assets pose significant risks for the global economy, regulation is still being established and has failed to address these concerns comprehensively. Spain does not have the ability to regulate cryptocurrencies and has just recently issued a set of rules and recommendations when it comes to advertising campaigns related to these elements. The document clarifies that: In this context of lack of its own national regulation on crypto assets, the Bank of Spain does not currently have the capacity to regulate, authorize or supervise the operation of crypto asset markets or their participants. Spain and others in the E.U. are waiting for the approval of MiCA, the Markets in Crypto Assets law framework, which according to recent reports, will designate supranational entities to oversee cryptocurrency operations in Europe. What do you think about the latest report on the risks that cryptocurrencies present to the global economy issued by the Bank of Spain? Tell us in the comments section below. View the full article

The AFIP, the Argentinian tax agency, is supporting the creation of a centralized system that serves as a registry for cryptocurrency holders. According to statements from its head, this would make it easier for tax agencies all over the world to curb evasion. The organization has already made use of financial information to collect taxes from Argentinian users with bank accounts abroad. Argentinian Tax Agency Backs Crypto Holder Registry Creation The AFIP, which is the Argentinian national tax collecting agency, wants to advance its efficiency in the collection of crypto-related taxes. In this sense, the organization has voiced its public support for creating a cryptocurrency holder registry, by making changes to include the digital assets in the current automatic exchange data system operated by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The head of the AFIP, Mercedes Marco del Pont, stated at an event that: It is necessary to include electronic money, digital currencies and crypto assets in international information exchange mechanisms to prevent them from becoming instruments that facilitate evasion. Furthermore, Marco del Pont also explained the recent experience of the regulator when tackling tax evasion on taxpayers that did not possess bank accounts or assets in the country. The regulator managed to exploit the exchange of information with other countries to gain access to an important part of these funds. AFIP Strengthens Controls The Argentinian Tax Office managed to include digital wallets, that is, funds that users had stored on fintech platforms, as part of the assets that can be seized to pay for tax debt. This measure allowed the organization to act in more than 5,000 cases where taxpayers did not have any other properties to seize. This is possible because the organization receives reports from fintech companies about the holdings of their customers. On these actions, Marco del Pont stated: We deepened the recovery of the capacities of the State in matters of control to control avoidance and evasion with the focus on increasing the contribution to the collection of the sectors with the greatest taxpaying capacity. The Argentinian government is trying to raise funds to pay off the debt it has with the International Monetary Fund, and one of its strategies is to implement new tax collection methods. In March, the organization started scrutinizing the movements of cryptocurrency traders directly, sending requirements to some to report their crypto movements. Also, a law project that seeks to tax the holdings that Argentinians have around the world, including cryptocurrencies, was presented to the Senate earlier this month. What do you think about the creation of a global cryptocurrency holder information registry? Tell us in the comments section below. View the full article

The National Assembly of Panama has advanced a cryptocurrency law project that seeks to regulate cryptocurrency activity to give more clarity to the sector in the country. The proposal, which was approved in the first discussion, was composed of two different projects presented to the economic affairs commission of the Assembly. Panama Moves to Regulate Crypto Assets Panama is taking steps to regulate crypto assets and the businesses that use them in the country. The National Assembly of the country, which is the highest legislative organization in Panama, has taken the first step toward regulating the use of cryptocurrencies. The institution has approved in the first debate a cryptocurrency law project titled “Law that regulates the commercialization and use of crypto assets, the issuance of digital value, the tokenization of precious metals and other goods, payment systems and other provisions.” The proposed law includes definitions and concepts about cryptocurrencies, blockchain technology, and the implementation of these decentralized tools to simplify state affairs. This approved project comes as an amalgamation of two different proposals presented as law projects 696 and 697, according to a social media post from the institution. One of the promoters of this law, Gabriel Silva, who introduced it first in September, stated that this approved project suffered some change during the first discussion, and that, in his opinion, it can be improved. Blockchain for Identification and Transparency One of the most important proposals of the law project has to do with the inclusion of a blockchain-based identification project that seeks to digitize this duty of the Panamanian state. This objective is defined in the law as follows: Expand the digitalization of the State by promoting the use of distributed ledger technology and blockchain in the digitalization of the identity of natural and legal persons in or from the Republic of Panama and as a means to make the public function transparent. The presented project has also defined making use of blockchain technologies to improve the transparency of the functions of the state as an objective. This is similar to other projects in Latam using distributed ledger technology to develop functions of the government such as payments and tax collection. One of these projects is the Brazilian Blockchain Network, which is also being developed as a base for public organizations in the country to build upon. What do you think about the newest cryptocurrency law project presented in Panama? Tell us in the comments section below. View the full article

At the end of May last year, Tesla’s Elon Musk convinced bitcoin industry leaders to form a Bitcoin Mining Council (BMC) and in mid-July, the BMC launched its public services and website. On April 25, 2022, the organization published a report that discusses the bitcoin mining industry’s improvements in sustainable energy use during the first quarter of 2022. The BMC report’s findings show Bitcoin’s electricity usage dropped by 25% in Q1 2022 compared to the year prior. Bitcoin Mining Council Publishes Q1 2022 Covering Mining Industry’s Sustainable Power Mix and Technological Efficiency According to the latest Bitcoin Mining Council (BMC) report, the bitcoin mining industry continues to improve its sustainable energy use and technological efficiency. The Q1 2022 survey conducted by the BMC, showcases three metrics which include: “electricity consumption, technological efficiency, and sustainable power mix.” BMC researchers managed to survey roughly 50% of the network’s hashpower, which represented 100.9 exahash per second (EH/s) on March 31, 2022. The voluntary sector survey indicated that out of all the participants 64.6% leverage electricity with a sustainable power mix. “Based on this data it is estimated that the global bitcoin mining industry’s sustainable electricity mix is now 58.4% or had increased approximately 59% year-on-year, from Q1 2021 to Q1 2022, making it one of the most sustainable industries globally,” the BMC report highlights. Core Scientific Co-Founder: ‘The World Needs to Get the Real Facts About the Amount of Energy Used and Carbon Released by the Bitcoin Network’ Microstrategy’s CEO Michael Saylor also made a statement in the fourth quarterly BMC report. “In the first quarter of 2022, the hashrate and related security of the Bitcoin network improved by 23% year-on-year, while energy usage decreased 25%,” the Microstrategy executive and BMC member said. “We observed a 63% year-on-year increase in efficiency due to advances in semiconductor technology, the rapid expansion of North American mining, the China Exodus, and the worldwide adoption of sustainable energy and modern bitcoin mining techniques,” Saylor added. In addition to Saylor’s commentary, the report quoted the co-founder of Core Scientific, Darin Feinstein. The Core Scientific executive explained how the BMC membership has grown over the last 12 months. “The BMC membership hashrate increased from 29 EH at its inception, to 101 EH in Q1 2022,” Feinstein said. “In only one year’s time, the BMC now represents 50% of the global Bitcoin Mining Network with members spread across 5 continents.” Feinstein concluded: As sunlight is the best disinfectant, it is important for the world to get the real facts about the amount of energy used and carbon released by the Bitcoin Network. We hope that those with journalistic integrity honor their commitment to providing truthful media and news with use of this ground-breaking data, accessible to all. The Bitcoin Mining Council also shared a video about the latest BMC report findings which can be seen here. The video presentation includes Core Scientific’s Darin Feinstein and Taras Kulyk, alongside Castle Island’s Nic Carter and Microstrategy’s CEO Michael Saylor. What do you think about the fourth BMC report that discusses the Bitcoin mining industry’s electricity consumption, technological efficiency, and sustainable power mix? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

Abu Dhabi Global Market has awarded a full financial license to crypto exchange Kraken. “Kraken will be the first global virtual assets exchange group in the UAE to offer investors the ability to invest, trade, withdraw and deposit virtual assets (bitcoin and ether) directly in local AED currency,” the regulator explained. Kraken Establishes Middle East Headquarters Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) announced Monday that cryptocurrency exchange Kraken has become “the first global virtual assets exchange group in the UAE to receive a full financial license from ADGM.” Abu Dhabi Global Market is an international financial center and free zone in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is the largest regulated jurisdiction of virtual asset activities in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The regulator explained: Kraken is the first global cryptocurrency exchange to receive a Financial Services Permission (FSP) license to operate a regulated virtual asset exchange platform in the ADGM to service the needs of the Middle East and North Africa region. “Kraken has met all approval conditions from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of ADGM to operate as a Virtual Asset Multilateral Trading Facility (MTF) and Custodian in Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE,” the announcement details. Noting that Kraken has established its Middle East headquarters in ADGM, the regulator said: Kraken will be the first global virtual assets exchange group in the UAE to offer investors the ability to invest, trade, withdraw and deposit virtual assets (bitcoin and ether) directly in local AED currency. Earlier this month, the FSRA issued a discussion paper on decentralized finance (defi). In March, the regulator published a consultation paper proposing significant amendments to its capital markets framework, including in crypto assets. The FSRA also awarded cryptocurrency exchange Binance in-principle approval this month “to operate as a broker-dealer in virtual assets.” What do you think about Kraken being the first global crypto exchange to be licensed by the ADGM? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

Buzzwords like NFTs, Web 3.0, and blockchain domains have infatuated everyone in the tech and crypto of late. The term Web 3.0 is now a part of everyday conversation. However, you won’t seem serious about it until you own an NFT domain. Web 3.0, the internet of tomorrow, is an umbrella term that combines different ideas aimed at a single goal, bypassing the big intermediaries from the internet. There is no need to use giants like Google, Meta, or Twitter on this new web. One of the important pillars of building the internet of tomorrow is simplification. This is where Quik.com plays an integral role in pushing innovations for Web 3.0. Quik is a marketplace for blockchain domains that address one of the core missions of the next internet revolution; offering direct ownership to end-users without any intermediaries. “NFT domains are an exciting development in the decentralized internet. They can change how we use the internet with an added layer of security, functionality, and transparency. We at Quik aim to be at the forefront of this evolution,” said Sahil Kohli, the CEO of Quik. Why NFT Domains? The NFT domains you mint or purchase on Quik.com are stored on a public blockchain. They simplify crypto transactions by replacing lengthy and cumbersome digital wallet addresses with easy-to-remember names. Quik NFT domains are much like the traditional domain names which revolutionized the internet by replacing complicated IP addresses. In addition to being used as a universal name, NFT domains available on Quik are also censorship-resistant when used as URLs for websites built via IPFS, InterPlanetary File System. Here are a few primary features of blockchain domains available on Quik, which will be available once the ecosystem develops around the project: No renewal fees Simplified crypto wallet addresses Access to decentralized apps and platforms “Blockchain domains offer superior functionality over traditional domain names, which are one-dimension and offer narrow purposes. We believe NFT domains have the potential to push the idea of a truly decentralized internet,” expressed the CEO of Quik. Most Quik users are purchasing NFT domains to use them as personal identifiers. They replace complex addresses from multiple wallets with a single domain name. It simplifies the sharing of payment information. However, you can also use blockchain domain names to host your own Web 3.0 websites and build apps on top of it. As each NFT domains are unique, the scarcity of unique identifiers can be used as speculative investments. Reselling catchy NFT domain names on the secondary market could be profitable like traditional domains. Quik also gives you 5%-10% royalties on every subsequent sale of your minted blockchain domains. Start Your Web 3.0 Journey with Quik Here are a few distinct advantages Quik offers: Quik is the world’s simplest blockchain NFT domains marketplace, allowing you to easily and rapidly mint, list, buy, and trade crypto domains without using a third party. It provides the infrastructure needed to transition your business from Web 2.0 to blockchain. Quik has made a number of NFT domain extensions available for minting, including: .chain .metaverse .vr .shib .doge .bored .btc .web3 .address To mint crypto domains, users can apply any phrases they choose to these extensions. Users can also search the site for available NFT domain names provided by peers, which they can then transfer to the public ledger. Quik also allows customers to sell or buy traditional domain names on the marketplace utilizing blockchain transactions, making the process more transparent and secure. “Web 3.0 had remained theoretical for a long time. However, with the advent of NFT domains, blockchain technology, and smart contracts, it is set to thrive in the upcoming years,” said Kohli. Join Quik’s telegram group here – https://t.me/quikcom Follow Quik on Twitter – https://twitter.com/quikdotcom Subscribe to Quik.com’s Newsletter – https://quik.substack.com/ This is a sponsored post. Learn how to reach our audience here. Read disclaimer below. View the full article

A South Korean music sharing platform, Koong World, recently announced the registration of a non-fungible token (NFT)-based music theft prevention patent. Using this patent, the music sharing platform aims to “solve the problem of copyright protection in the rapidly growing music market.” Tackling the Problem of Copyright Infringement in the Music Industry A South Korean peer-to-peer music sharing platform, Koong World, recently registered an anti-music theft patent with the Korean Intellectual Property Office, a report has said. Kung World says the patent will enable it to solve the challenge of copyright infringement in the music industry. The registration of the patent comes less than a year after the launch of the music-sharing platform itself. Since its launch in 2021, the platform now boasts over 2 million members and over 40,000 registered songs. According to a report by Forkast, Koong World was awarded a patent registration by the Korean Intellectual Property Office on April 14, 2021. Another report by FN News said the patent is for “a method of providing services performed on a server of a music platform using blockchain-based NFT.” Development of an Open Ecosystem In his comments following the registration of the patent, Kim Han-jo, the chairman of Koong World, explained how the patent helps artists protect their intellectual property. The chairman said: Based on this patent, we are providing an opportunity to solve the problem of copyright protection in the rapidly growing music market, and at the same time apply digital certificates to all products in e-commerce, which has become a problem in online product transactions. We plan to release a technology to resolve the counterfeit controversy soon. The chairman also hinted that the success of the patent hinges on the development of an open ecosystem that “utilizes all online products including music and financial services, and receive fair compensation.” The report said Koong World’s NFT patent, which has been described as the first of its kind, is expected to help “guarantee” profits that accrue to music creators. What are your thoughts on this story? Tell us what you think in the comments section below. View the full article

On Tuesday, Fort Worth mayor Mattie Parker and Fort Worth revealed that the city is now the first U.S. city government in the country to mine bitcoin. According to the announcement, the city of Fort Worth has partnered with the Texas Blockchain Council to embark on the crypto mining endeavor. The City of Fort Worth Begins to Mine Bitcoins 24/7 With 3 ASIC Machines Starting today, the city of Fort Worth in Texas is now mining bitcoin 24/7 at the climate-controlled Information Technology Solutions Department Data Center located at Fort Worth City Hall. The news was announced by the city government and mayor Mattie Parker. The Fort Worth government representatives explained that the miners will be hosted privately in order to curb security vulnerabilities. Fort Worth said the Bitmain-brand S9 bitcoin mining machines were donated by the nonprofit association, the Texas Blockchain Council. Three ASIC rigs were donated by the Texas Blockchain Council and if the city “achieves the goals of responsibly assessing and executing a municipal bitcoin mining program,” it plans to “evaluate the program” afterward. “With blockchain technology and cryptocurrency revolutionizing the financial landscape, we want to transform Fort Worth into a tech-friendly city” Parker explained in a statement sent to Bitcoin.com News. “Today, with the support and partnership of Texas Blockchain Council, we’re stepping into that world on a small scale while sending a big message – Fort Worth is where the future begins.” Fort Worth’s mayor added: These small but powerful machines mark Fort Worth’s larger commitment to becoming a leading hub for technology and innovation. Fort Worth’s 3 ASICs Will Use the Same Amount of Energy as a Household Vacuum Cleaner Fort Worth’s move comes at a time when U.S. bureaucrats and regulators have been concerned about bitcoin mining and some politicians have drafted bills (NY-A.7389C / S.6486C.) to impose a moratorium on mining. Amid the scrutiny, the crypto mining industry has become far more efficient and has had a lot less impact on the environment during the last 12 months. A recently published report written by the Bitcoin Mining Council shows that Bitcoin’s electrical consumption during the first quarter of Q1 dropped 25%. Based on the research done by the city of Forth Worth, the three machines will use the “same amount of energy as a household vacuum cleaner.” “The nominal amount of energy needed for the program is expected to be offset by the value of bitcoin mined,” the Fort Worth announcement explains. “Keeping the pilot program small enables the city to learn the potential impact and opportunities for bitcoin,” the city added. Robert Sturns, Fort Worth’s director of economic development detailed that Texas is a pioneer when it comes to cryptocurrency and blockchain solutions. “Texas is increasingly being recognized as the global leader in Bitcoin and blockchain, and Fort Worth will have a seat at that table,” Sturns remarked during the announcement. “The pioneering spirit is alive and well in Fort Worth, and with this program, we will attract dynamic companies that share in this vision for the future.” What do you think about Fort Worth Texas mining bitcoin in the City Hall? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

On Tuesday, the bitcoin mining and energy technology firm Cleanspark announced that it has secured $35 million in non-dilutive financing from Trinity Capital. According to the company, Cleanspark aims to leverage the funds for growth capital expenditures. Cleanspark to Bolster Growth Expenditures With $35 Million in Financing From Trinity Capital Cleanspark has revealed it has finalized a $35 million finance deal with the venture debt financing provider Trinity Capital in order to fuel the company’s growth. The financing deal follows Cleanspark’s recent Texas expansion in March, as the company announced plans to expand operations in the Lone Star state with 500 megawatts (MW) of renewable power. According to Cleanspark, the three-year financing deal with Trinity Capital is “backed by 3,336 new S19j Pro miners and carries an annual interest rate of 9.9%.” “As we mentioned in our Q1 earnings call, debt capital is currently the lowest cost of capital available to the company,” Gary Vecchiarelli, CFO of Cleanspark, said in a statement. The Cleanspark executive added: This non-dilutive facility is an example of us delivering on our capital strategy and the expectations we have previously communicated. We intend to continue our efforts of obtaining non-dilutive capital to finance our growth capex needs. It is worth noting that we have not drawn on our ATM since November. Financing to Fuel Expansions and Operations While Maximizing Returns for Shareholders Cleanspark considers itself a sustainability-focused bitcoin mining company and the “financing is intended to strengthen Cleanspark’s sustainable business.” The firm will convert some bitcoin (BTC) holdings in order to fund expansions and operations “with a goal of limiting shareholder dilution and stably maximizing returns for shareholders.” During the last year, Cleanspark has been acquiring miners and making a number of business moves including starting a 20 MW immersion cooling initiative last December. Ryan Little, the managing director of equipment financing at Trinity Capital, explained during the announcement that the company looks forward to working with Cleanspark. “We are excited to partner with the team at Cleanspark, which is on a mission to mine bitcoin responsibly, using a mix of sustainable energy including nuclear, hydroelectric, solar, and wind,” Little remarked. “Cleanspark is an excellent addition to our portfolio and recently earned a spot among the top 50 fastest-growing companies on a Financial Times list. We look forward to being a part of their growth story.” What do you think about Cleanspark acquiring $35 million in financing from Trinity Capital? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

As crypto markets moved into the green on Tuesday, GRT was one of the biggest gainers, as prices rebounded following recent declines. ZEC was also higher on the day, climbing by as much as 5%, while DOGE extended Monday’s gains. The Graph (GRT) GRT was easily one of the biggest gainers in crypto markets on Tuesday, as it continued to move away from its recent support level. Following a low of $0.3393 to start the week, GRT/USD rallied to a peak of $0.4024 earlier in today’s session. The surge saw GRT bounce from its floor of $0.3550, following a false breakout on Monday, which took the price to a six-week low. Moving away from this low, GRT is now hovering marginally under its long-term resistance level of $0.4020, after its earlier breakout attempt. This comes as traders will likely have closed out positions near the price ceiling, in order to secure some of this session’s gains. Looking at the chart, GRT is now trading at a sixteen-day high, with the 14-day RSI also tracking at a resistance of 50.80. Should relative strength move past this point, we could see GRT/USD potentially heading towards $0.5000. Zcash (ZEC) ZEC was higher for the majority of today’s session, as prices rallied back towards the long-term resistance level. On Tuesday, ZEC/USD rose to an intraday high of $170.06, which was less than 24-hours removed from its trading at $151.70. Today’s move saw prices come close to the resistance of $170.30, however, sold off as bears re-entered the market at this ceiling. Historically, this point has often seen high levels of bearish activity, and this shows in the red candlestick which formed, following on from the earlier high. Price strength has also fallen, with the RSI falling back into oversold territory, and is currently tracking at 47, after trading above 54 only two days ago. Now traders wait to see if all of today’s gains will be lost, or if prices could stabilize at $153.00, which appears to be a floor. Might we see a lower floor of $138.00 should bearish momentum continue? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. View the full article

PRESS RELEASE. San Diego, CALIF. – April 26, 2022 – Permission.io, the leading provider of permission-based Web3 advertising, today announced it’s migrating away from its own proprietary blockchain to Polygon, the world’s preeminent Ethereum scaling solution with more than 100 million unique users. The migration is the company’s first in a series of steps designed to make the $ASK token accessible and interoperable with all major protocols. The move will allow Permission’s crypto-rewarded advertising platform to achieve vast scalability due to Polygon’s lightning-fast speeds and low transaction costs. Polygon’s infrastructure solutions will be core to decentralizing and growing Permission’s platform, which enables advertisers to run global campaigns on the open web in an efficient, cost-effective way, while rewarding users in $ASK for their engagement and permission to share data. In addition, Polygon will enhance ASK utility by enabling interoperability with the Polygon and Ethereum ecosystems, including access to DeFi, staking, wallets, and more. “Once launched on Polygon, we anticipate rapid acceleration of our advertising ecosystem, supporting our scale to millions of daily transactions and enabling $ASK to become the most widely used reward in digital advertising,” says Charlie Silver, CEO of Permission.io “Looking ahead, when a user anywhere in the world earns from engaging with a crypto-rewarded ad, it will be powered by Polygon.” To enable the migration, an $ASK Bridge will be available to $ASK holders and Permission users to port their $ASK to the Polygon Network. For more information on Permission’s migration to Polygon, click here. For additional questions, visit the FAQ page here. To stay up to date with company and product developments, please visit Permission.io’s Twitter, Discord, LinkedIn, or visit www.permission.io. ABOUT PERMISSION Permission.io is the leading provider of permission-based, Web3 advertising. The company has created $ASK, a tokenized reward that empowers consumers to own and monetize their data while delivering engaged audiences to marketers. Advertisers reward consumers with $ASK for opting in and interacting with brands and content, building loyalty and trust. To learn more, please visit www.permission.io. ABOUT POLYGON Polygon is the leading platform for Ethereum scaling and infrastructure development. Its growing suite of products offers developers easy access to all major scaling and infrastructure solutions: L2 solutions (ZK Rollups and Optimistic Rollups), sidechains, hybrid solutions, stand-alone and enterprise chains, data availability solutions, and more. Polygon’s scaling solutions have seen widespread adoption with 3000+ applications hosted, 1B+ total transactions processed, ~100M+ unique user addresses, and $5B+ in assets secured. Media Contact Alexandra Domecq adomecq@permission.io 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 multinational financial services corporation based in Boston, Fidelity Investments, has revealed the firm is allowing people to add bitcoin into their 401(k) plan as long as the employer allows it. According to Fidelity’s head of workplace retirement offerings, the company has seen “growing interest from plan sponsors” that wanted to add bitcoin to retirement plans. Fidelity Is Giving Workers the Ability to Add Bitcoin to Their 401(k) Plan Fidelity Investments, the largest 401(k) plan provider in the United States, is now allowing people to add bitcoin to their retirement accounts. According to a report from the New York Times (NYT), Fidelity’s head of workplace retirement offerings Dave Gray explained that the company was noticing demand for adding digital assets to the firm’s 401(k) plans. “We started to hear a growing interest from plan sponsors, organically, as to how could Bitcoin or how could digital assets be offered in a retirement plan,” Gray remarked. The financial services company also noted that the digital assets account will be broadly available by the second half of 2022. The digital assets account will be managed like a traditional mutual fund and employees can designate a percentage of bitcoin to their workplace retirement offerings. According to the NYT report, the percentage will be limited and the retirement account’s fee will be between 0.75% to 0.90% of the plan owner’s percentage of assets. For now, Fidelity will only allow an investment of 20%, but said the allocation percentage could change in the future. Of course, employers also have to approve the plan and allow employees to save part of their 401(k) in bitcoin, and employers will determine the percentage threshold. According to the Boston-based financial institution, the business intelligence firm Microstrategy has already signed up for Fidelity’s bitcoin-infused 401(k) offering. What do you think about Fidelity allowing people to add bitcoin to their 401(k) retirement plans? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

Two European citizens have been charged for conspiring with Ethereum developer Virgil Griffith to help North Korea evade U.S. sanctions using cryptocurrency, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced. They conspired “to teach and advise members of the North Korean government on cutting-edge cryptocurrency and blockchain technology, all for the purpose of evading U.S. sanctions.” Virgil Griffith and Two Co-Conspirators at DPRK Cryptocurrency Conference The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Monday that “two European citizens have been charged for conspiring with a U.S. citizen to assist North Korea in evading U.S. sanctions.” The DOJ alleged that Spanish citizen Alejandro Cao de Benos and British citizen Christopher Emms “conspired with American Virgil Griffith to provide cryptocurrency and blockchain services to North Korea.” Griffith, an Ethereum developer, was sentenced to more than five years in prison earlier this month after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The DOJ noted that both Cao De Benos and Emms remain at large. According to court documents, Cao De Benos and Emms recruited Griffith “to provide services at the DPRK Cryptocurrency Conference and arranged Griffith’s travel to the DPRK in April 2019 for this purpose, in contravention of U.S. sanctions.” The DOJ detailed: Cao De Benos coordinated approval from the DPRK government for Griffith’s participation in the conference. In addition, Emms told Griffith, “the DPRK will not stamp your passport,” claiming that he had “obtained a rare full permission” from the DPRK “for U.S. citizens to enter the country” for the DPRK Cryptocurrency Conference, the DOJ described. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York explained that the defendants conspired with Griffith “to teach and advise members of the North Korean government on cutting-edge cryptocurrency and blockchain technology, all for the purpose of evading U.S. sanctions meant to stop North Korea’s hostile nuclear ambitions.” The Justice Department stressed that at no time did Cao De Benos, Emms, or Griffith obtain permission from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to provide goods, services, or technology to the DPRK. The DOJ concluded: Cao De Benos and Emms are charged with one count of conspiring to violate and evade U.S. sanctions, in violation of IEEPA, which carries a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison. What do you think about this case? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

PRESS RELEASE. The Web3 Investment firm has purchased 40 NFT plots of virtual real estate on the SuperWorld platform. From companies like Apple and Facebook to brands like Puma and Gucci and beyond, suffice it to say the Metaverse is becoming the new frontier for commerce and community. And right now, many forward-looking investment firms and financial institutions are exploring the myriad opportunities offered by Web 3 and the incipient Metaverse. SuperWorld is a virtual world in augmented reality (AR), similar to Decentraland or Cryptovoxels, both user-owned virtual worlds who are, like SuperWorld, built on the Ethereum blockchain. However, one critical difference between the SuperWorld platform and other virtual worlds, is that SuperWorld has created a virtual world by digitally mapping the whole surface of Planet Earth, with each individual plot of virtual real estate represented as an NFT, and measuring 100m x 100m of real world space. And recently, Metaverse Group, a subsidiary of Tokens.com, has put down stakes in SuperWorld to the tune of 40 plots of NFT land with more to come, including virtual real estate encompassing Central Park Zoo, the Eden Fine Art Gallery in Manhattan, the Pelican Hotel in Miami Beach, and the Louis Vuitton store in Las Vegas, just to name a few. And right now, Tokens.com is the only publicly-traded company that has extensive exposure to Metaverse real estate with paying tenants. Its virtual real estate generates revenue through digital advertising and from retailers setting up virtual storefronts. “Holding landmark locations is essential to Metaverse Group’s growth strategy,” commented Andrew Kiguel, Tokens.com CEO and Executive Chair of Metaverse Group. “Buying landmark properties increases Metaverse Group’s advertising potential in SuperWorld. As the landmarks themselves will attract foot traffic and maximize our advertising opportunities.” In SuperWorld, an infinite number of unique digital “layers” also means anyone can personalize and curate any location on the planet with art / music / video / 3D / animation / design / text and more through AR. Through a mobile device or headset, every user in SuperWorld can view, create and place persistent AR in geo-pinned locations across the globe that can be shared with followers. “I’m thrilled to welcome Metaverse Group and their world-class portfolio to the SuperWorld platform,” says SuperWorld Co-Founder & CEO Hrish Lotlikar. “With the purchase of virtual real estate encompassing these 40 landmark locations on our platform, Metaverse Group puts itself at the vanguard of the virtual real estate space, and will serve as a catalyst for bringing more brands, organizations and individuals into the Metaverse.” Any user in SuperWorld — from content viewers and collectors to developers and marketers — can buy and sell virtual real estate on the platform, with every plot of unowned property starting at 0.1 ETH. However, some users on the platform are already listing their land at much higher asking prices. The plot of land encompassing The Statue of Liberty, for example, is up for grabs at 99 ETH! For some, crossing the digital and physical divide can seem like a leap of faith. But today, SuperWorld has built a bridge over which migration into immersive AR puts users at the leading edge of creativity - and offers a groundbreaking new way to monetize and conduct blockchain commerce on a decentralized platform. As such, creative artists, entrepreneurs, educators, organizations - anyone - has the opportunity to build a better world in SuperWorld. With its purchase of 40 plots of virtual real estate on the SuperWorld platform, Tokens.com and Metaverse Group are laying the foundation for a decentralized future, and showing the world that digital assets are indeed the real deal About SUPERWORLD SuperWorld is a virtual world in augmented reality (AR), digitally mapped over the surface of the Earth. Plots of SuperWorld land are represented as non-fungible tokens (NFT) corresponding to real world space. Any user in SuperWorld can explore and create AR content, engage in a virtual real estate marketplace, or buy and sell NFTs in the SuperWorld NFT Salon. To learn more, visit SuperWorldapp.com; or find out how to purchase plots on SuperWorld here. About Tokens.com Tokens.com Corp is a publicly traded Web3 company that owns and invests in an inventory of Metaverse, NFT, DeFi, and gaming based digital assets. Tokens.com is the majority owner of Metaverse Group, one of the world’s first virtual real estate companies. Through its growing digital assets and NFTs, Tokens.com provides public market investors with a simple and secure way to gain exposure to Web3. 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

Standard Chartered Bank has become the latest major bank to enter the metaverse. The bank has acquired “virtual land at The Sandbox metaverse’s Mega City district, a culture hub based on or inspired by Hong Kong talents.” Standard Chartered Bank Forays Into the Metaverse Standard Chartered Bank announced Tuesday that its subsidiary, Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Ltd. (SCBHK), has partnered with The Sandbox, a popular blockchain virtual gaming platform, “to create [a] metaverse experience.” Standard Chartered is a leading global bank with 85,000 employees serving customers in close to 150 markets worldwide. It has 776 branches globally. The bank explained that it is the first bank to acquire “virtual land at The Sandbox metaverse’s Mega City district, a culture hub based on or inspired by Hong Kong talents.” The initiative is led by SC Ventures, Standard Chartered Group’s innovation, fintech investment, and ventures arm. The announcement details: SCBHK will actively engage its clients, partners, staff, and the tech community, to explore co-creation opportunities in this new and exciting space. The bank aims to experiment and build new experiences for clients, as well as bring “the local sports and art communities into the metaverse,” the announcement adds. Alex Manson, head of Standard Chartered’s SC Ventures, commented: For the past few years, we have been building business models in crypto, digital assets and see the rise of the metaverse as a critical milestone in the Web3.0 evolution. Other major banks and financial services firms that have entered the metaverse include JPMorgan, HSBC, and Fidelity Investments. HSBC also partnered with The Sandbox to step into the metaverse, while JPMorgan and Fidelity chose Decentraland. The metaverse is expected to grow significantly. Last month, Citi predicted that the metaverse could be a $13 trillion opportunity with 5 billion users by 2030. Global investment banks Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley both believe that the metaverse could be an $8 trillion opportunity. What do you think about Standard Chartered Bank entering the metaverse? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

Afghan residents are reportedly acquiring digital assets that they use to preserve their savings and to diminish the ruling Taliban’s ability to affect their financial well-being. Since the militant group seized control, the value of crypto transactions per week has in some cases doubled, a Bloomberg report has said. Demand for Digital Currencies Surges Demand for digital currencies in Afghanistan has reportedly surged as residents seek to pre-empt the possible seizure of their funds by the Taliban government. In addition, digital currencies are being used to curb the Taliban’s influence on their economic well-being. As per a Bloomberg report, some Afghans are looking to buy stablecoins like tether because they are pegged to the U.S dollar. The report quotes one 26-year-old Afghan resident, Habibullah Timori, who backs assertions his countrymen are using digital assets to preserve savings. He said: Demand for cryptocurrencies is high. During other crises, people stored their cash and jewellery in the ground or under their pillows. This time, they’ve decided to keep it buried in crypto. The report also cites another 26-year-old Afghan, Naser Ali, who claims to have converted $30,000 stashed in his safe to USDT. According to Ali, reports of the Taliban storming homes and confiscating Afghan citizens’ belongings was a key factor that compelled him to convert from fiat to crypto. Further, in his remarks published in the report, Ali said he regretted not having known about cryptocurrencies sooner. Residents Charged a Commission of 1.5% per Transaction Meanwhile, since taking control of the country, the Taliban government has reportedly suspended secondary education for teenage girls. The group has also asked government employees to grow beards and has instituted gender segregation in amusement parks. Just shortly after the militant group toppled the previous government, the U.S. government blocked access to $9 billion in foreign exchange reserves. While the return of the Taliban rule has led to a change in Afghan residents’ fortunes, it may have led to the surge in the volume of transactions handled by cryptocurrency exchanges. To illustrate, the report points to Maihan, a cryptocurrency exchange that now reportedly handles crypto transactions which are valued at around $400,000 per week. According to the report, this value is more than double what Maihan was handling prior to the Taliban takeover. Despite the surging demand for cryptocurrencies, exchanges like Maihan say the U.S. sanctions on Afghanistan are making it difficult for residents to buy digital currencies. Further, residents buying from local crypto exchanges are charged a commission of 1.5% for every crypto transaction. What are your thoughts on this story? Tell us what you think in the comments section below. View the full article

PRESS RELEASE. In this industry, it is crucial to establish key strategic partnerships in order to ensure both longevity and prosperity. As such, LABEL Foundation has officially announced a partnership with Polygon Studios, with the further intention to chase their multichain goal and launch their Dapp additionally on Polygon Network, along with Binance Smart Chain and Ethereum Network. What is Polygon? Polygon is a Layer-2 scaling solution which works in tandem with the Ethereum blockchain to make transactions quicker and less expensive. Polygon is a PoS (Proof-of-Stake), Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compliant, secure, Layer-2 solution for dApps (decentralized applications) that offers rapid transactions and minimal costs. Polygon Studios is Polygon’s gaming and NFT division, dedicated to doing its part in terms of building the worldwide blockchain-based gaming and NFT space as well as bridging the gap between Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 gaming via investment, marketing, and developer support. How does the collaboration help? LABEL’s collaboration with Polygon benefits everyone involved in two main ways. Firstly, it allows the LABEL team to have a large throughput and scale for their NFT marketplace without charging exorbitant fees, and secondly it helps in providing the ability to link other various projects in Polygon’s ecosystem. Moreover, LABEL has recently established an on-ramp payment partnership with one of the unicorn firms in the industry – MoonPay, which also happens to be the strategic partner of Polygon Studios, which both are currently collaborating to launch the NFT NYC event in June. LABEL team will utilise their ties to collaborate further with Polygon-based initiatives. In addition to this, LABEL Foundation is extending Polygon’s network of projects and shall continue to interact with them for the foreseeable future. About LABEL LAEBL Foundation is an NFT infrastructure that serves as an incubator for world-class entertainment-education material. It is supported by the LBL governance and utility token, with the overarching goal of developing a fair profit-sharing economy with permissionless IP rights implementation. LABEL Foundation had also recently reached an all-time high in the midst of a market crash. Its price has risen by 140% over the weekend to $0.044 USD, according to Coinmarketcap. Additionally, it presently has over 100 courses available, with prominent artists ready to be deployed on its platform. LABEL Foundation is hence developing a blockchain-based online education platform. Furthermore, in June, LABEL will open its NFT marketplace which will include collectibles, goods, and profit-sharing NFTs. LABEL is also presently onboarding artists for upcoming NFT releases. Ultimately, LABEL strives to become more interoperable with numerous other chains. The team feels that multichain is the way of the future, hence the desire to deploy on other networks in the long-term. For the time being though, it will accept NFTs produced in Polygon as well as payment using LABEL’s ERC-20 and BEP-20 tokens. Visit the official website and Twitter, Facebook and Telegram channels for more information and regular updates. 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

Only 5.3% of Spanish crypto investors have received a warning to declare income taxes, according to a report in local media. If accurate, this would mean that only 233,000 investors, a minuscule portion of the estimated 4.4 million Spanish citizens that have delved into the crypto world with investment ideas in mind, were contacted by the tax agency. Spanish Tax Agency Falls Flat on Crypto Vigilance Only a small portion of cryptocurrency investors and users in Spain have been contacted by the national tax agency in regards to their crypto operations from last year. The organization managed to send warnings to only 5.3% of the estimated number of Spanish citizens that have invested or made transactions with cryptocurrency, according to a report from local media. This means that only 233,000 investors of 4.4 million have been warned about their duty of declaring cryptocurrencies using the income tax and holdings models. While this fails to include a significant part of the total of investors in the country, it represents a significant milestone for the agency, which has increased the number of this kind of warning roughly 16 times, going from 14,800 issued in 2021. The reasons for this increase have to do with the information coming from different sources about cryptocurrency transactions. According to Jesús Gascón, head of the Spanish Tax agency, there is more information than compared to other years, due to the increase in the awareness that Spanish citizens have of cryptocurrencies and the different movements of funds related to these. Spaniards Still Unsure Even with all of this, some say the average Spanish citizen receiving one of these warnings does not know how to act to declare cryptocurrency operations. For this task, the tax agency has explicitly created two special sections to declare cryptocurrency tax income and heritage. On this, Enrique Garcia, CEO and co-founder of Taxdown, a company that processes online income tax statements, declared: Many taxpayers do not know how they have to present these assets or, even, if they are obliged to do so or not. During this tax season, only cryptocurrency holders that have purchased and sold cryptocurrency assets need to present these records to the tax agency. Users that have only purchased and held their cryptocurrencies won’t have to pay taxes on the assets. Spain has been busy when it comes to legislating how cryptocurrencies must be taxed. The Spanish Treasury Minister admitted in March that cryptocurrencies should not be declared under Model 720, a designation that has to do with funds held abroad. This model was rendered illegal by the EU due to its elevated penalties and had to be changed. What do you think about the performance of the Spanish Tax Agency in sending warnings to cryptocurrency investors? Tell us in the comments section below. View the full article

The top meme tokens by market capitalization saw a significant jump on Monday after being fueled by dogecoin’s recent price rise. Crypto meme coins like shiba inu, dogelon mars, and floki inu saw 2-13% gains over the last 24 hours. The entire meme token economy is worth $35.8 billion, up 9.4% today. Meme Token Assets See Double-Digit Gains on Monday Following Dogecoin’s Rise Following Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter for $44 billion, digital currency markets jumped in value and crypto meme tokens saw a significant spike. 24-hour statistics at 4 p.m. (ET) on Monday had shown dogecoin (DOGE) jumped 26.3% in value against the U.S. dollar. Dogecoin (DOGE) is still up 18.8% today and is hovering just above the $0.15 zone. Many believe the rise is based on mere speculation that Musk could possibly implement dogecoin payments into some of Twitter’s operations. While dogecoin jumped in value against the dollar, a number of other popular meme coin assets followed DOGE’s lead on Monday. Shiba inu (SHIB) jumped 1.7% and dogelon mars (ELON) rose 13% higher against the USD during the last 24 hours. While DOGE, ELON, and SHIB all saw percentage gains, the fourth largest meme coin asset baby doge coin (BABYDOGE) is still down 0.8% at the time of writing. Floki inu (FLOKI) on the other hand, jumped 2.1% higher against the U.S. dollar during the last 24 hours. Other notable meme token increases came from coins like kishu inu, samoyedcoin, catecoin, the doge NFT shards, and hoge finance. Litedoge (LDOGE) spiked 162.6% higher and vitoge (VITOGE) saw a 98.8% gain on Monday. Jejudoge, dogefi, hotdoge, and shih tzu, all saw double-digit gains during the last day as well. Additionally, during the past 24 hours, dogecoin (DOGE) has seen $4.54 billion in global trade volume, while SHIB has seen $1.25 billion today. What do you think about the meme token market action on Monday after Elon Musk acquired Twitter? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

Uniswap, one of the main decentralized finance exchanges in the cryptocurrency world, is now taking measures to ensure illegal funds cannot be transacted using its platform. The company has already started blocking addresses linked to “blocked activities” and will apply a filter with data provided by TRM Labs, a blockchain analysis firm that focuses on detecting illegal activities. Uniswap Scrutinizes Addresses Interacting With Its Frontend Uniswap, the decentralized finance exchange, has taken measures to curb the illegal activity conducted using its platform. The exchange has now introduced address screening procedures that log the addresses using its official frontend. These addresses are then compared to a blacklist provided by TRM Labs, a blockchain firm that provides transaction monitoring services. While the extent of these measures is still unknown, in its address-screening FAQ, Uniswap explains the kind of activities it wants to exclude from taking advantage of its services. It states: We intend to only block wallets that are owned or associated with clearly illegal behavior like: sanctions, terrorism financing, hacked or stolen funds, ransomware, human trafficking, and child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The exchange has not provided the pool of addresses that will be blocked from using its official frontend, and it is unknown if it will do so in the future. Users Affected While these new measures were announced last week, some users have already reported being affected by them. When users try to exchange currencies using a flagged address, they get a message stating: This address is blocked in the Uniswap Labs interface because it is associated with one or more blocked activities. The team at Uniswap Labs leaves a door open for users that believe they have been flagged erroneously, allowing them to report their cases to inquire if the blockage can be lifted. The news was received negatively by a large swathe of the cryptocurrency community, but it is in line with what other decentralized finance services have done in matters of compliance. Tornado.cash, one of the biggest mixing protocols, is now blocking transactions from Ethereum addresses listed as sanctioned by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) using an oracle contract provided by blockchain security firm Chainalysis. However, users pointed out that blocked addresses can also use other frontends or interact directly with Uniswap or Tornado.cash contracts to circumvent this. What do you think about Uniswap’s new measures to block addresses potentially linked to illegal activity from transacting on the platform? Tell us in the comments section below. View the full article

PRESS RELEASE. Zug, Switzerland, April 25, 2022) – UniX Gaming, a leading crypto gaming guild, has partnered with industry giants DAO Maker and SL2 Capital to launch its own launchpad, ‘Final Round’. UniX also announced that Delysium would be one of the first games to debut on ‘Final Round’. Invested in by the likes of Y Combinator, Delysium is the world’s first AAA blockchain MMO game, which in itself demonstrates UniX Gaming’s determination to see Final Round succeed. The idea behind the launchpad for UniX is not just to give investors early access to the latest games but its community as well. The launch of ‘Final Round’ also puts UniX in a unique position as the only all-in-one guild, launchpad, and DAO. The addition of a launchpad to the UniXverse not only enables it to contribute positively to the Play-to-Earn space but adds more utility and value to its UniX token. “We have been working tirelessly to make this possible for our community, and we have finally done it. We are extremely proud and excited to reach this milestone, and even more thrilled to launch our first game, Delysium, being a AAA game just shows the level of quality that we anticipate maintaining for our community, and for our ecosystem. This is only the beginning for Final Round, and there are many more milestones for UniX to hit, and we can’t wait to share them,” stated the Founder and CEO of UniX Gaming, Mirko Basil Doelger. UniX is proud to be working alongside DAO Maker and SL2 Capital as both parties are incredibly experienced in launching successful Web 3.0 projects. DAO Maker is still considered by many to be the leading launchpad in the industry, its network of over 190,000 KYC-verified users notwithstanding. They have worked with projects such as My Neighbor Alice, Orion Protocol, XCAD Network, and Victoria VR and have proved immensely popular in the past. It’s this experience that UniX Gaming is relying on to build the best possible launchpad. “We are excited to be working alongside UniX Gaming and SL2 Capital and are proud to be part of the first chapter with Final Round. The platform is intuitive, frictionless and inclusive to millions of people worldwide and primed to be a leader in the space. Final Round is setting the benchmark for what quality projects should be doing, bringing new and exciting technology to the masses. They can rely on our continued support for the long term,” said Christopher Zaknun CEO Dao Maker Founded by a highly experienced team, including Holochain co-founder David Atkinson, SL2 Capital has built a reputation for its technical expertise, project management, and business development. It’s that technical expertise that’s responsible for much of the technology stack powering ‘Final Round’. This partnership will ensure rugged security and open the doors for future integrations, adding more chains, new partners, smarter APIs, and much more. “We are proud to be working alongside UniX Gaming and DAO Maker on the journey with Final Round. The platform addresses problems in the GameFi launchpad space, and we believe it will set the trend and be a benchmark when it comes to frictionless and innovative solutions. Final Round is set to become a leader in this field. It will truly be the ecosystem of choice and the go-to solution founders and the crypto community has been waiting for,”stated Iftikhar Qasim CEO SL2 Capital One of the defining features of ‘Final Round’ is its tier system, which helps UniX reward its community members based on the number of UniX tokens staked. Legendary members, the highest tier, will gain access to the NFT treasury and a private chat with the founding team, amongst many other benefits. But all tiers gain access to token multipliers during the IGO, early access to games, merch, NFTs, and more. The tier system is designed to reward members based on their commitment to the UniX ecosystem. In recognition of the importance of its community to its growth, UniX is also developing an NFT collection that provides access to the various tiers without needing to hold UniX tokens. In fact, everything UniX is building is about giving back to its community and token holders. It’s all about helping more people learn, have fun and earn rewards; the Web 3.0 way. About UniX Gaming UniX Gaming debuted in June 2021 as one of the early adopters in the P2E space. They’re an ecosystem and a platform to onboard new GameFi projects into their own Metaverse. They are also a DAO that empowers gamers to have a voice on how they want the landscape of Play-And-Earn to be. Focused on growing the Play-And-Earn space, they have multiple projects in the ecosystem that are designed to bring as much value to all of their gaming partners and passionate community. Since June 2021, UniX’s scholarships have developed the world’s largest gaming community, or guild, with over 200,000 members. Visit UniX’s Website | Medium | Discord | Telegram | Twitter About DAO Maker DAO Maker was founded in 2018. It is the first incubator to explore possibilities in the initial decentralized exchange offering and initial game offering. The platform is a funding source for startups and mitigates risk for investors. To learn more about DAO Maker and the “Maradona D10s” collection, visit these social media pages. Visit DAO Makers Website | Medium | TikTok | Telegram | Twitter | Instagram About SL2 Capital SL2 Capital is an investment firm that invests and advises across all stages and sectors, with a focus on emerging technology like Web 3.0 and distributed ledger technology. SL2 Capital has been a driving force behind the successful launch and continued growth of a series of blockchain and DeFi projects. The team has worked at some of the largest companies in the world such as Microsoft, Google, Facebook and Sony bringing a wealth of experience to the table. Visit SL2 Website | Email | Twitter Media Contact: Dina Mattar Founder & CEO DVerse dina@d-verse.io Timothy Biggar Head of Marketing UniX Gaming timothy@unixgaming.org 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

Wall Street suffered Monday morning as the major U.S. stock indexes dropped further, building on losses gathered last week. Reports indicate that investors are concerned about the upcoming Federal Reserve rate hikes and China’s recent Covid-19 outbreak. As equities floundered on Monday, the crypto economy slid under the $2 trillion mark and gold prices dropped 1.6% against the U.S. dollar during the past 24 hours. However, after Elon Musk revealed he acquired Twitter at 2:50 p.m. (ET), both equities and crypto markets rebounded a great deal following the announcement. Global Markets Shake Over Fears of Covid-19 Related Supply Chain Issues and the Possibility of Aggressive Rate Hikes Four days ago, Jerome Powell, the current U.S. Federal Reserve chair, explained at an International Monetary Fund (IMF) panel discussion on April 21, that the U.S. central bank may have to move “more quickly” when it comes to bank rate hikes. Powell further noted that the U.S. central bank could implement a 50 basis-point rate hike at the next Fed meeting. The hawkish comments from Powell have spooked investors and U.S. stock indexes took losses before the weekend started last week. On Monday, Wall Street continued to suffer as the Dow Jones Industrial Average, NYSE Composite, and the S&P 500 all saw losses. At 10 a.m. (ET), the Dow shed 415.23 points and by the afternoon, it recovered a little more than half of the losses back. The blame is currently being placed on the Federal Reserve’s upcoming rate hikes, and China’s Covid-19 lockdowns. The chief equity strategist at MAI Capital Management, Christopher Grisanti, told Reuters that China’s current lockdowns have caused fear of possible supply chain problems. “China lockdowns are getting worse. It slows general economic growth and also creates supply chain issues that will continue to make inflation bad and lower earnings growth in the United States,” Grisanti said. “I don’t think we’ve seen the bottom yet. We haven’t had that big sell-off yet where we have huge volumes,” the strategist added. Gold and Crypto Markets Suffer, Portfolio Manager Says ‘Markets Are Struggling’ Gold and cryptocurrencies have also seen a downward trend in recent times. The crypto economy has shed billions over the last week, slipping back below the $2 trillion mark. A number of the top ten digital assets saw losses between 2 and 10% during the last seven days. Furthermore, the price of one ounce of fine gold has seen some percentage losses during the last 24 hours. One ounce of fine gold has shed 1.6% in value over the last day, and one ounce of fine silver has lost 2.04%. Gold prices over the last 30 days have been stagnant too, and one-month stats show an ounce of gold’s USD value increased by a slight 0.39%. Silver, on the other hand, dropped more than 3% during the last 30 days. The precious metals’ decline in value is also being blamed on China’s Covid-19 outbreak and current U.S. Treasury yields could be pulling gold investors away. Steven Violin, a portfolio manager at F.L.Putnam Investment Management Co. told Marketwatch in an interview on April 23, that investors are struggling with “very strong forces.” Violin remarked that it’s very likely that nobody can predict what’s going to happen with the economy. “The tremendous economic momentum from the recovery from the pandemic is being met with a very rapid shift in monetary policy,” Violin said. “Markets are struggling, as we all are, to understand how that’s going to play out. I’m not sure anyone really knows the answer.” U.S. Equities and Cryptocurrencies Erase the Day’s Losses After Musk Buys Twitter Despite the stock market downturn and the recent crypto economy losses, both equities and crypto prices rebounded after Twitter announced that Tesla’s Elon Musk purchased Twitter. The entire crypto economy jumped from $1.93 trillion to $1.96 trillion after the announcment. After dropping below the $40K mark, BTC once again jumped back above the $40K region. I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 25, 2022 Major U.S. stock indexes recovered from the morning losses as well as NYSE, the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq erased much of the day’s losses. As the trading day on Wall Street neared the closing bell, the major indexes flashed from red to green. After the company was acquired by Musk, Twitter’s current CEO Parag Agrawal said: “Twitter has a purpose and relevance that impacts the entire world. Deeply proud of our teams and inspired by the work that has never been more important.” It seems stock investors and crypto market participants like the fact that Musk purchased the social media firm. What do you think about global markets today? Do you expect markets to continue sliding or do you think a rebound is coming in the near future? Let us know what you think about this subject and the economy in the comments section below. View the full article

The crypto firm Blockchain.com has revealed it has secured up to $100 million in liquidity from Truefi’s single-borrower pool. The pool will be initially capped at $100 million over the first year and Blockchain.com aims to use the funds to bolster its own “liquidity pools, leverage trading support, and book of lending services.” Blockchain.com Leverages Truefi’s Single Borrower Pool The leading digital asset services and exchange company Blockchain.com has announced it has secured $100 million in liquidity from the uncollateralized borrowing and lending platform Truefi. Essentially, the decentralized finance (defi) platform Truefi leverages on-chain credit scores in order to facilitate uncollateralized lending. The platform claims to offer competitive returns for lenders with “no lockup period and deep exit liquidity.” According to Truefi, the single-borrower pool will provide “debt to Blockchain.com [that] will be available to all Know Your Customer-verified, non-U.S. lenders on the Truefi platform, offering them an expected APY of 8.50 percent, before incentives.” Truefi has already showcased the single borrower pool concept with Alameda Research and the team also helped Perpetual Protocol launch the first protocol-to-protocol lending pool. Trusttoken CEO Expects More Financial Institutions to ‘Bring Their Books of Business On-Chain’ Rafael Cosman, the CEO of Trusttoken explained in a statement sent to Bitcoin.com News that Truefi welcomes Blockchain.com into the fold, and further said it doesn’t surprise him to see large financial institutions leverage on-chain books. “It is inspiring – although not surprising – to see more leading financial institutions bring their books of business on-chain, giving our global lender base even more financial opportunities,” Cosman remarked. Trusttoken is the parent company of Truefi and since November 2020, Trusttoken has “completed $1.3 billion of origination and $1 billion of repayments with no defaults.” Blockchain.com’s head of credit and lending, Reid Simon, believes uncollateralized borrowing and lending is very efficient and the company looks forward to growing the portfolio. “Uncollateralized on-chain borrowing is among the most efficient ways for high-quality borrowers to connect with global lenders, at scale” Simon detailed. “We’re excited to work together to provide the Truefi community with a new financial portfolio to explore and to grow the portfolio over time as we build credit history with Truefi lenders.” What do you think about Blockchain.com tapping into Truefi to secure $100 million in liquidity from the uncollateralized borrowing and lending platform? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article