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Popular trading app Robinhood has revealed that its international expansion will be “crypto first.” The company said from the regulatory standpoint, crypto is “probably the easiest way to go global.” The trading platform is also looking for compliant ways to list more cryptocurrencies. Robinhood Becoming ‘Crypto-First’ Company Steve Quirk, Robinhood’s chief brokerage officer, talked about the firm’s turnaround strategy and crypto in an interview with CNBC last week. Noting that Robinhood now has seven cryptocurrencies listed, the executive revealed that the platform is trying to find ways to expand the number of cryptocurrencies listed. He described: We are doing a lot of exploration about finding compliant ways to expand that. Robinhood currently supports the buying, selling, and real-time market data for bitcoin (BTC), bitcoin cash (BCH), bitcoin sv (BSV), dogecoin (DOGE), ethereum (ETH), ethereum classic (ETC), and litecoin (LTC). Several executives from Robinhood have said previously that compliance is the company’s top priority. In December last year, the company partnered with the blockchain analytics platform Chainalysis to meet compliance requirements. The company also noted in January that it is important to get a bit more regulatory clarity before listing additional coins. Quirk added that Robinhood will “also roll out some other features people have been looking for like wallets.” The platform recently began rolling out its crypto wallets to customers. “By March, we will expand the program to 10,000 customers before rolling out to the rest of the Wenwallets waitlist,” the company said. The executive further noted: We also have aspirations to take this brand global and we will do so crypto first The Robinhood executive emphasized: “I think the path for us to go global and have the most traction is probably through crypto, and then maybe follow with other components of the offering.” He concluded: From the regulatory standpoint and all the facets that come into it, it’s probably the easiest way to go global What do you think about Robinhood becoming a crypto-first global company? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

The average transaction fee on the Ethereum network has dropped to the lowest level in four months, according to statistics on February 13, 2022. Mid-September 2021 was the last time gas fees on Ethereum were this low, as average fees have dropped to roughly $15.13 per transfer. Ethereum Fees Slide Lower It costs less to transact on Ethereum today, than it was in mid-January 2022, when the average transaction fee on Ethereum was around $52.46 per transfer. Today, statistics indicate that in order to move ethereum (ETH), it will cost 0.0052 ETH or $15.13 per transaction. The median-sized transfer fee on Ethereum is even cheaper, as metrics on bitinfocharts.com indicate the median-sized gas fee today is 0.0023 ETH or $6.67 per transfer. The last time Ethereum fees were this low was four months ago in mid-September 2021. In between that time, the average transaction fee on the Ethereum cost more than $15 per transaction. The fees today are 71.15% lower than the $52.46 average transaction fee recorded on January 10, 2022. Today’s average gas fee on Ethereum is still 552% larger than the average transaction fee on the Bitcoin (BTC) network, which currently is $2.30 per onchain transfer. Lowest L2 Transfer Fee Is $0.19 per Transfer, 5 out of 6 L2 Platform Fees Under $1 Since the Ethereum London upgrade on August 5, 2021, the implementation of the Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP)-1559 has made it so the crypto asset is deflationary. Since that day in August, close to 2 million or 1,828,701 ethereum has been burned so far. The number of ethereum (ETH) burned is equivalent to $6.6 billion in USD value. Of course, with onchain Ethereum network transfers being cheaper, layer-two (L2) network fees are less expensive as well. Currently, five out of six L2 platforms listed on l2fees.info are less than a dollar. To move ethereum (ETH) using Zksync, it will cost a user $0.19 per transfer, and leveraging Loopring will cost $0.20 per transaction. Polygon Hermez fees today are $0.25 just to push ETH, Arbitrum One fees are around $0.80 and Optimism fees are $0.83 per ETH transfer. Swapping tokens on these networks will cost the users more gas. The cheapest L2 method to swap tokens on Sunday is via Zksync at $0.45 per blockchain transaction. What do you think about average transaction fees on the Ethereum network dropping? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

The governor of the U.S. state of New Hampshire has signed an executive order establishing a commission on cryptocurrencies and digital assets. “Federal and state governments must work to bring legal and regulatory certainty to the digital asset industry because clear rules of the road foster technology and innovation,” said the governor. NH Executive Order on Cryptocurrency Governor Chris Sununu of New Hampshire announced last week that he has signed an executive order establishing “the governor’s Commission on cryptocurrencies and digital assets.” The governor explained: “New Hampshire is a hub of financial innovation, and this executive order will further our commitment to attracting high-quality banking and financial businesses in a safe and responsible manner.” He stressed: Federal and state governments must work to bring legal and regulatory certainty to the digital asset industry because clear rules of the road foster technology and innovation. Members of the Commission shall include the Attorney General, the Commissioner of the Bank Department, one state senator, one state representative, and “three public members with recognized experience with cryptocurrencies,” the order details. The Commission will focus on several key areas, including: Reviewing and investigating the current status of United States federal and state laws and regulatory rules, and laws of other non-United States jurisdictions, applicable … to banks and other businesses that provide services with respect to cryptocurrencies and other digital assets. The Commission will hold public hearings to hear testimony regarding the development of cryptocurrency and digital asset economies. In addition, it will make recommendations for specific modifications and improvements to laws and regulations applicable to cryptocurrency. According to the executive order, “No later than 180 days from the date of this order, the Commission shall submit a report containing its findings, determinations, and recommendations to the governor, the speaker of the House, and the president of the senate.” What do you think about this executive order by the New Hampshire governor? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has warned about romance scams using cryptocurrency. Scammers use romance as a hook to lure people into bogus investments, especially crypto, the federal agency explained. “2021 numbers are nearly five times those reported in 2020, and more than 25 times those reported in 2019,” said the FTC. FTC Warns About Crypto Romance Scams The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a warning Thursday about crypto-related romance scams. The FTC is an independent agency of the U.S. government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil U.S. antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. “New data from the Federal Trade Commission show that more consumers than ever report falling prey to romance scammers. Consumers reported losing $547 million in 2021 alone,” the FTC wrote, adding: A growing trend in 2021 was scammers using romance as a hook to lure people into bogus investments, especially cryptocurrency. “Consumers who paid romance scammers with cryptocurrency reported losing $139 million in total in 2021, more than any other payment amount,” the federal agency detailed. “2021 numbers are nearly five times those reported in 2020, and more than 25 times those reported in 2019.” In addition, the FTC noted that the median loss for consumers who reported paying a romance scammer with cryptocurrency in 2021 was nearly $9,770. The Federal Trade Commission explained that in romance scams: People are led to believe their new online companion is a successful investor who, before long, casually offers investment advice. Besides cryptocurrency, another popular investment method promoted by these romance scammers involves foreign exchange (forex) trading. However, the most common method of payment to romance scammers is not cryptocurrency. “About 28% of people who reported losing money on a romance scam in 2021 said they paid with a gift card or reload card, followed by cryptocurrency (18%),” the FTC clarified. The federal agency has issued several warnings about scams involving cryptocurrency this year. In January, it warned about crypto scams using social media and ATMs. What do you think about crypto romance scams? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

The Spanish parliament has introduced an amendment to the tax model 720 used to declare cryptocurrency and other holdings abroad, softening some of the penalties associated with it. The modification, which has not yet been approved, changes some of the harsher penalties that were declared illegal by the Court of Justice of the European Union last month. New Model 720 in Parliament An amendment of the tax model 720, which forced taxpayers to disclose crypto and other kinds of asset holdings outside of the country, was introduced in the Spanish Parliament on February 10th. The antifraud law which was approved last June dictates that cryptocurrencies abroad would have to be declared using this model. The proposed amendment seeks to eliminate certain penalties in the previous model 720 that were declared illegal by the Court of Justice of the European Union last month. According to the old structure, debtors could pay up to 150% of their holdings abroad depending on the circumstances. Also, taxpayers had to pay fines of 5,000 euros ($5,675) for giving inexact, fake, or incomplete data in the digital currency tax statement. These tax debts never became prescribed, meaning that even after years the debtors would have to pay the accumulated debt. New Definitions The amendment for the new model 720 includes fixes for these items. One of the most important changes is that tax debts now become prescribed in four years, meaning that taxpayers will only be liable for the debts of the last four tax periods. Another of the significant changes that are proposed is the change in the fines that will be applied to taxpayers. From the aforementioned fines, the new sanctions go in line with what the current General Tax Law describes, ranging from 150 to 250 euros. Also, the established 150% penalties disappear, something that the Court of Justice of the European Union had described as giving the model 720 an “extremely repressive character.” However, some things are maintained. The taxpayers have the obligation to report the cryptocurrency holdings they have abroad, and citizens that hide these assets in foreign lands will have to pay fines. This “soft” model 720 will be used for declaring these taxes before March, when the period for presenting tax statements closes. It is unknown if the government will maintain this model for the future or if it will design a new model for the next year. What do you think about the new tax model 720 and its softened penalties? Tell us in the comments section below. View the full article

Seven executives of the collapsed South Korean scam cryptocurrency exchange, V Global, were recently handed lengthy jail sentences as punishment for their role in running one of the country’s biggest crypto frauds. Verdict Sets New Benchmark Seven former masterminds of the now-defunct scam crypto exchange, V Global, were recently given jail sentences for their part in misappropriating nearly $1.9 billion in investors’ funds. Lee Byung-gul, who was the CEO of the entity when the funds went missing, was handed a 22-year jail term while his accomplices were given jail sentences that range between four and 14 years. According to a report by Forkast, the jailing of Lee Byung-gul and his fellow executives comes a month after prosecutors asked for life sentences. At the time, the prosecutors argued that handing the offenders life sentences would reflect the severity of the offenses. However, the report reveals that the jail sentences given to the CEO and his co-conspirators are in fact closer to the most severe punishment that is usually meted out to property crimes offenders. The verdict on one of South Korea’s biggest crypto scams potentially sets a benchmark for the legal punishment that is handed to persons that commit crypto related-crimes. Majority of Investors Lost Everything Meanwhile, a lawyer representing some victims of the crypto scam is quoted in the report stating that a majority of the victims were middle-aged or senior citizens. The lawyer, Han Sang-jun of the Daegun law firm, said: Most of the victims were middle-aged or senior citizens who dreamed of a stable life after retirement. The lawyer also revealed that one of the victims from the 52,419 investors that lost their funds has already committed suicide. While some of the investors did receive a portion of their funds, the report said a majority of the victims lost everything. Many of V Global’s victims were lured into the scam after they were promised guaranteed returns of more than 300% on every $5,000, or six million Korean won, that was invested. In addition to the “guaranteed” return, V Global investors that brought in new participants were promised a commission of $1,000. What are your thoughts on this story? Tell us what you think in the comments section below. View the full article

On February 10, the well-known developer of Cydia and iOS Jailbreak, Jay Freeman, otherwise known as Saurik, published a Twitter thread about a bug he found in the Layer-2 (L2) scaling protocol known as Optimism. According to Freeman, the vulnerability, which has been patched, could have allowed an attacker to create an infinite amount of tokens. Cydia Creator ‘Saurik’ Discovers Optimism L2 Vulnerability Jay Freeman is a prominent software developer who is well known for his iOS Jailbreak and Cydia tools. Freeman’s Cydia graphical user interface (GUI) was released in February 2008, and it gives users with jailbroken iPhones the ability to download unauthorized software for the Apple smartphone operating system iOS. Freeman recently published a blog post called “Attacking an Ethereum L2 with Unbridled Optimism,” which explains how he reported a critical security issue to the developers of the L2 scaling solution Optimism. Optimism’s L2 solution allows users to move ethereum for a fraction of the cost. Currently, moving ether using Optimism can cost $0.56 per transfer as opposed to the L1 gas fees today which are $3.29 per transaction. To swap coins onchain using L1 it will cost a user $16.47 in ether but using Optimism to swap coins will cost $0.83. Freeman reported the Optimism vulnerability on February 2, 2022 and the bug has since been patched. The attack would have allowed “an attacker to replicate money on any chain using their “OVM 2.0” fork of go-ethereum (which they call l2geth),” Freeman said. The developer further explained that he plans to talk about the Optimism vulnerability on February 18th at Ethdenver 2022. Freeman was also awarded a $2,000,042 bounty for discovering the bug and disclosing it to the team. The software engineer’s blog post describes how the attacker could mint an arbitrary quantity of tokens before the bug was patched. “The bug presented here — which I dub ‘Unbridled Optimism’ — can maybe be (crudely) modelled as a bug on the far side of a ‘bridge,’” Freeman wrote. “But is actually a bug in the virtual machine that executes smart contracts on Optimism. Exploiting this enables the attacker to have access to an effectively unbounded number of tokens (aka, the IOUs) on the far side of the bridge. It is my contention that this is more dangerous than merely tricking the reserves into allowing a withdrawal.” The developer continued: Further, with your unbounded supply of IOUs, you could go to every decentralized exchange running on the L2 and mess with their economies, buying up vast quantities of other tokens while devaluing the chain’s own currency. Using your access to infinite capital, you could further manipulate onchain pricing oracles to leverage for other attacks; and, until someone finally realizes your money is counterfeit, arbitragers will flock to the network to sell you their assets. The Pessimism Surrounding Cross-Chain Applications In addition to the vulnerability found in Optimism, Freeman discussed cross-chain bridge technology in great detail. The developer mentioned that the same day he disclosed the bug to Optimism, the Wormhole bridge was attacked. Freeman also touched upon the Poly Network hack in his post. “Even when hackers do steal money from a bridge, the ramifications are limited,” Freeman’s blog post explains. Freeman discovering the Optimism bug follows the slew of hacks against cross-chain bridges and the community’s newfound concern over the security of this up-and-coming technology. The Cydia developer’s blog post mentions concepts like “’insurance policies’ against crypto hacks.” Moreover, Ethereum (ETH) co-founder Vitalik Buterin recently discussed concerns tied to the security of cross-chain bridge platforms. “I am pessimistic about cross-chain applications,” a recent Reddit post by Buterin declares. What do you think about Jay Freeman’s Optimism bug discovery? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

The governor of Hungary’s central bank has called for a ban on cryptocurrency trading and mining in the European Union. “It is clear-cut that cryptocurrencies could service illegal activities and tend to build up financial pyramids,” he said. Hungarian Central Bank Chief Wants EU-Wide Crypto Trading and Mining Ban The Hungarian National Bank, the central bank of Hungary, published a statement Friday from György Matolcsy, the governor of the central bank, declaring that the “Time has come to ban crypto trading and mining in the EU.” He noted that “China declared all cryptocurrency activities illegal last September” and Russia’s central bank has proposed “a ban on crypto trading and mining.” Commenting on the Russian central bank’s crypto ban proposal, Governor Matolcsy said: I perfectly agree with the proposal and also support the senior EU financial regulator’s point that the EU should ban the mining method used to produce new bitcoin. In January, the vice chairman of the Board of Supervisors of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), Erik Thedéen, called for an EU-wide ban on cryptocurrency mining based on the proof-of-work concept. The governor of the Hungarian National Bank added that the Russian central bank “is right” in saying that “The breakneck growth and market value of cryptocurrencies is defined primarily by speculative demand for future growth, which creates bubbles.” He emphasized: “The EU should act together in order to preempt the building up of new financial pyramids and financial bubbles. EU citizens and companies would be allowed to own cryptocurrencies abroad and regulators will track their holdings.” Governor Matolcsy further opined: It is clear-cut that cryptocurrencies could service illegal activities and tend to build up financial pyramids. Russia’s central bank proposed in January to outlaw all cryptocurrency operations in the country. “Cryptocurrencies also have aspects of financial pyramids, because their price growth is largely supported by demand from new entrants to the market,” according to the report published by the Bank of Russia. However, the crypto ban proposal by the central bank was met with opposition as the Russian government, parliament, and even law enforcement departments are reportedly not willing to back the proposal. Russian President Vladimir Putin subsequently urged the government and the central bank to reach a consensus on cryptocurrency, highlighting the potential of cryptocurrency mining in Russia. Last week, the Russian government approved a plan to regulate cryptocurrency. What do you think about the Hungarian central bank governor calling for a crypto trading and mining ban in the EU? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

Financial services firm Wells Fargo says that cryptocurrencies are viable investments that have entered the “hyper-adoption” phase. “Cryptocurrencies have been following an adoption pattern similar to other new advanced technologies, such as the internet,” the firm’s global investment team detailed. Crypto in Hyper-Adoption Phase, Says Wells Fargo Wells Fargo’s investment institute published a special report titled “Understanding Cryptocurrency” this week. The report attempts to answer whether it is “too early or too late” to invest in cryptocurrencies. The Wells Fargo team explained: We believe that cryptocurrencies are viable investments today, even though they remain in the early stages of their investment evolution. They added: “We recommend professionally managed private placements for now, as the investment landscape is still maturing.” The research team continued: “We see cryptocurrencies in the ‘early, but not too early’ investment stage, which is why we have emphasized investor education. The thrust of our view comes from global cryptocurrency adoption rates, which have quickly accelerated from a low base.” They noted: Cryptocurrencies have been following an adoption pattern similar to other new advanced technologies, such as the internet. The Wells Fargo analysts reiterated, “For today’s investor trying to figure out if we are early or late to cryptocurrency investing, looking at technology investing in the mid-to-late 1990s seems reasonable.” They added: At that time, the internet hit a hyper-adoption phase and never looked back. Cryptocurrencies appear to be at a similar stage today … We are hopeful that greater regulatory clarity in 2022 brings higher quality investment options. Nonetheless, the firm recommended: “Cryptocurrency investment options today, however, are still maturing and we advise patience. For now, we suggest the consideration of only professionally managed private placements.” Wells Fargo started offering crypto investments to clients in August last year. The firm has also filed for a bitcoin fund with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). What do you think about Wells Fargo’s crypto analysis? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

Netflix has ordered a documentary series about the couple who allegedly laundered billions of dollars from the 2016 Bitfinex hack. Aspiring rapper Heather Morgan and her husband, Ilya “Dutch” Lichtenstein, were arrested in New York this week. The Department of Justice (DOJ) also seized 94,636 bitcoins stolen from the Bitfinex hack. Documentary Series About the Bitfinex Hack and the Couple Involved, Coming Soon to Netflix American subscription streaming service and production company Netflix announced Friday that it “has ordered a documentary series about a married couple’s alleged scheme to launder billions of dollars worth of stolen cryptocurrency in the biggest criminal financial crime case in history.” The company explained that Chris Smith — famed for directing “FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened” and “Tiger King” — is set to direct and executive produce the Bitfinex documentary series. In addition, writer and producer Nick Bilton — famed for “Fake Famous,” “The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley,” and “American Kingpin: The Epic Hunt for the Criminal Mastermind Behind the Silk Road” — is set to executive produce the Bitfinex documentary series. The documentary will be about the couple who allegedly laundered bitcoin worth over $4 billion from a 2016 hack of cryptocurrency exchange Bitfinex. Netflix described: Ilya ‘Dutch’ Lichtenstein and Heather Morgan were arrested in their New York City apartment on Tuesday, February 8, and now face charges of conspiring to launder nearly 120,000 Bitcoin tied to the 2016 hack of a virtual currency exchange. While Lichtenstein, who holds dual U.S. and Russian citizenship, co-founded Mixrank, a Y-Combinator backed startup, Morgan is an aspiring rapper under the name Razzlekahn. The 31-year-old rapper and former Forbes contributor described herself as an “irreverent comedic rapper” and “crocodile of Wall Street.” The videos of her rapping were widely mocked on social media after her arrest. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Tuesday that Lichtenstein, 34, and his wife, Morgan, 31, have been arrested for “alleged conspiracy to launder $4.5 billion in stolen cryptocurrency” from the 2016 Bitfinex hack. Specifically, court documents show that they “allegedly conspired to launder the proceeds of 119,754 bitcoin” that were stolen from the cryptocurrency exchange. The DOJ also seized 94,636 BTC from them, which the department described as the “largest cryptocurrency seizure to date, valued at more than $3.6 billion” at the time of the seizure. At the time of writing, the value of the BTC seized is more than $4 billion. The court documents further detail the couple’s “numerous sophisticated laundering techniques,” including using fictitious identities to set up online accounts, using computer programs to automate transactions, depositing stolen funds into accounts at various cryptocurrency exchanges and darknet markets, and leveraging “anonymity-enhanced virtual currency (AEC), in a practice known as ‘chain hopping.'” Will you watch Netflix’s documentary series about this couple who allegedly laundered bitcoin from the 2016 Bitfinex hack? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

PRESS RELEASE. InsurAce.io has announced that its proposal for a NEAR protocol development grant has now been granted, and that its deployment on NEAR shall take place very soon. InsurAce.io is constantly on the search for new ecosystems and technologies. They have stated that new procedures and protocols will be implemented ever since the initial incorporation. Needless to say, this is a significant step toward achieving that goal, and the team is therefore excited to be developing their product on the NEAR protocol as previously mentioned. Key details Both NEAR and InsurAce.io envision a society in which individuals have sovereignty of their money, data, and the instruments needed to create innovative concepts and ideas. NEAR is a sharded, layer-1, PoS (Proof-of-Stake) blockchain which is easy to use, safe, and highly scalable. Moreover, NEAR Protocol is built with both EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine) and Rust, and the InsurAce team is thrilled that their funding lets them develop on both networks. To learn more about the NEAR protocol from a developer’s viewpoint, visit their Github page and download the most recent updates and code. The NGP (Near Grants Program) has been in operation for a year. The ecosystem revealed a $250 million investment in several DeFi initiatives which they believe would greatly benefit their system and community. They are pleased to be working to develop the NEAR protocol because they believe it will help millions of people redefine commerce, creativity, and community for a much more inclusive future. Additional details and regular updates are expected throughout 2022. About InsurAce InsurAce.io may best be understood as a decentralized multi-chain insurance protocol designed to strengthen the DeFi community’s risk protection infrastructure. InsurAce.io therefore offers portfolio-based insurance products with optimised pricing models to significantly reduce costs in addition to launching insurance investment functions that contain flexible underwriting mining programmes to generate long-term returns for participants. Finally, they also provide coverage for various cross-chain decentralized finance projects so as to benefit the entire ecosystem. InsurAce.io was founded less than a year ago with the overall objective of providing insurance solutions and protection against numerous potential exploitations in the DeFi industry. One of the team’s key priorities has thus always been to become completely multi-chain as part of their drive to continuous growth, enhancing community experience, and providing the best possible service. To that end, over 100 protocols have been protected thus far, and over 42.7 million TVL has been achieved with 238.4 million in total value covered along with 16 chains also receiving coverage.In terms of future goals, the InsurAce team shall be focusing on V2 and updating their branding, tokenomics, underwriting, establishing a well-thought out strategic PR campaign, and much more as per their roadmap. For more information, visit the official website as well as the Telegram, Twitter 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 truckers Freedom Convoy in Canada continues even after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has warned the truckers the government is ready to “respond with whatever it takes.” Furthermore, an Ontario judge on Friday ordered protestors to end the blockade at Ambassador Bridge, and TD Bank gave around a million dollars donated to the Freedom Convoy to the Canadian court. Meanwhile, two cryptocurrency fundraisers have successfully completed and Canadian officials are aware of these efforts. Trudeau Warns Freedom Convoy Participants Could Face ‘Real Consequences’ if They Don’t Leave Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he’s had enough of the protestors and he’s warned participants that they could face “real consequences” if they don’t pack it up. “Today, I shared a clear message to those taking part in illegal blockades and occupations: We’ve heard you. But there are consequences for breaking the law, and those consequences are becoming increasingly severe. It’s time to go home to your communities,” Trudeau further explained at a press conference. According to reports, the Biden administration is being briefed regularly about the protests in Canada and Trudeau tweeted that he’s been in touch with U.S. president Joe Biden. “Today, @POTUS Biden and I spoke about the illegal blockades at the border,” the Canadian Prime Minister wrote. “I updated him on the situation, and we discussed the American and global influence on the protests. We agreed that, for the security of people and our economies, these blockades cannot continue.” Judge Orders Protestors to Leave Ambassador Bridge, TD Bank Hands Over a Million Dollars in Non-Refunded Donations to Ontario Court Four days ago, Bitcoin.com News reported on the trucker’s Freedom Convoy, as thousands of protestors have been occupying the streets of Ottawa protesting the vaccine mandates. The report further noted that day, protestors moved toward the Ambassador Bridge, which is the busiest border crossing in North America. The bridge blockade had just started and traffic started to pile up near the bridge on I-75 and the service drive into Detroit, Michigan. 24 hours ago, an Ontario judge on Friday ordered protestors to vacate the Ambassador Bridge. The judge gave them until 7 p.m. that evening, so protesters could have time to pack up and leave. However, the occupation did not end and the Freedom Convoy participants have continued to protest during the weekend. Furthermore, after Gofundme shut down the Freedom Convoy’s fundraiser, around $1 million of non-refunded funds were handed over to the court by TD Bank. TD Bank told Toronto’s CTV News that it would surrender the money to the court system in Ontario. Despite the the moves by Gofundme and TD Bank, another fundraising platform called Givesendgo explained it would not comply with the Ontario court’s demands. “Know this. Canada has absolutely ZERO jurisdiction over how we manage our funds here at Givesendgo,” the company said on Twitter. “All funds for EVERY campaign on Givesendgo flow directly to the recipients of those campaigns.” ‘The Grasp of Tyrants Is Waning:’ 2 Crypto Funds Successfully Raise Close to $1 Million in Censorship-Resistant Digital Assets Meanwhile, two cryptocurrency funds have successfully completed their goals, as one fundraiser has raised 100 bitcoin cash (BCH) and another raised 21 bitcoin (BTC). 29 contributors donated the bitcoin cash worth over $32K today, using current BCH exchange rates. The BTC fundraiser for 21 bitcoin went over the goal amount, with 21.75133856 BTC worth $932K raised by 5,318 contributors. One contributor donated 5 BTC worth more than $214K at press time, and wrote: The grasp of tyrants is waning. Reports from Toronto’s CTV News indicate that Canadian officials are well aware of the cryptocurrency crowdfunding efforts dedicated to the Freedom Convoy’s truckers. Documents filed in an Ontario court, verify Ottawa Police are monitoring the cryptocurrency fundraising techniques. One officer in Canada reportedly spoke about the crypto fundraising in an affidavit. Erica Pimentel of Queens University explained to Toronto’s CTV News reporter Jon Woodward that the crypto fundraising could very well become a mainstay. “I think bitcoin is going to become the currency of social movements. And they are going to be playing international whack-a-mole trying to stand in the way of those transactions,” Pimentel remarked to Woodward during her interview. Reports published at 2 p.m. (EST) on Saturday, February 12, 2022, indicate that the Canadian police have started to “remove” protestors from blocking the Ambassador Bridge. NBC News’ reporters Henry Austin, David K. Li and Tim Stelloh note the “tense standoff appeared to be dissolving peacefully.” “The Windsor Police & its policing partners have commenced enforcement at and near the Ambassador Bridge,” the police said. “We urge all demonstrators to act lawfully & peacefully. Commuters are still being asked to avoid the areas affected by the demonstrations at this time.” Toronto’s CTV News reporter Tom Yun explained on Saturday afternoon that members of the “Ottawa convoy remain defiant.” Yun further added that police in Ottawa are expecting a “surge of trucks, vehicles and people to join the approximately 400 vehicles in the downtown core on Saturday.” Additionally, the Canadian government is reportedly dealing with a convoy prepping to protest in Toronto. The CTV News reporter concluded by disclosing that Freedom Convoy supporters have congregated in Montreal, New Brunswick, Emerson, Man. and Coutts, Alta as well. What do you think about the ongoing trucker’s Freedom Convoy and the crypto fundraisers? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

The internet content subscription service Onlyfans has announced the launch of a feature that leverages non-fungible token (NFT) technology. The newly-added feature, introduced on Thursday, gives Onlyfans members the ability to display authenticated NFTs as their profile pictures. Onlyfans Steps Into the Realm of NFTs The London-based content subscription service Onlyfans is well known for its direct funding for content creators, its one-time tips, the firm’s pay-per-view (PPV) features, and of course, NSFW content. This week, Onlyfans has revealed it is experimenting with blockchain technology as the firm is allowing users to show off their NFTs. According to a report from Reuters, Onlyfans CEO Ami Gan explained that the move is meant to empower the platform’s userbase. “Our mission is to empower creators to own their full potential,” Gan explained to the Reuters author Elizabeth Culliford. “This feature is the first step in exploring the role that NFTs can play on our platform.” Onlyfans is behind the eight ball when it comes to joining the NFT industry, as a large swathe of well-known businesses and popular brands have already jumped in. Moreover, Twitter’s verified NFT profile feature is similar to the Onlyfans NFT profile concept. Twitter launched the feature last month. On Febraury 6, Bitcoin.com News reported on Alphabet’s (Google) plans to explore blockchain and Web3 technology. Furthermore, Alphabet’s subsidiary Youtube published a blog post explaining that it has plans to leverage non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The CEO of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, said Instagram is exploring NFTs and reports note that Meta is also experimenting with the technology. According to Onlyfans CEO Ami Gan, the NFT support will be for Ethereum-based NFTs, and in order to know they are verified, an Ethereum logo mark will be present. The company didn’t disclose whether or not it would support other blockchains that support NFT tech going forward. What do you think about Onlyfans adding NFT support? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

The California-based technology company and the world’s largest semiconductor chip manufacturer by revenue, Intel, has revealed the company will “contribute to the development of blockchain technologies” by offering “energy-efficient accelerators.” Intel executive Raja M. Koduri explained that the company expects its circuit innovations will deliver “1000x better performance per watt” than today’s GPU or SHA256-based mining equipment. Intel to Engage in Blockchain Technology On Friday, the senior vice president of Intel’s Accelerated Computing Systems and Graphics Group, Raja M. Koduri, published a blog post that discussed blockchain technology and the “new custom compute group.” Koduri explained that Intel is fully aware that there are some blockchains that “translates to an immense amount of energy.” The Intel executive said that the company’s customers are asking for “scalable and sustainable solutions.” “Intel will engage and promote an open and secure blockchain ecosystem and will help advance this technology in a responsible and sustainable way,” Koduri’s blog post explains. Intel’s Koduri further added that the company’s first product will ship later in 2022. The first firms that will receive Intel’s blockchain accelerator include Jack Dorsey’s Block (formerly Square), Argo Blockchain, and Griid. Koduri remarked that Intel Labs has been focused on “reliable cryptography, hashing techniques and ultra-low voltage circuits” for decades. The Intel executive expects the company’s accelerator to have better performance per watt. “We expect that our circuit innovations will deliver a blockchain accelerator that has over 1000x better performance per watt than mainstream GPUs for SHA256 based mining,” Koduri’s blog post insists. In order to bolster these concepts, Intel has formed a new custom compute group within the company’s Accelerated Computing Systems and Graphics business unit. ”The objective of this team is to build custom silicon platforms optimized for customers’ workloads, including blockchain and other custom accelerated supercomputing opportunities at the edge,” Koduri’s blog post concludes. What do you think about Intel joining the crypto mining ecosystem by developing new energy-efficient accelerators? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

Law enforcement in Russia has blocked major sites on the dark web, including a carding market leader. The platforms have been seized amid ongoing investigations into hacking groups, with Russian authorities ramping up efforts to dismantle the cybercrime rings and detain their members. Interior Ministry of Russia Hits Stolen Credit Cards Market The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation (MVD) has brought down four prominent websites operating on the dark web, blockchain forensics firm Elliptic has revealed. The sites have been blocked by Directorate “K”, MVD’s unit combatting computer-related crime. The seized platforms are the Sky-Fraud forum, Trump’s Dumps, UAS Store, and Ferum Shop, which became the leading market for stolen credit cards after the largest marketplace in the niche, Unicc, was taken offline in January, the report details. According to Elliptic’s estimate, the sites have collectively made more than $263 million in crypto sales denominated in bitcoin (BTC), ether (ETH), and litecoin (LTC) before they were shut down. Ferum accounts for the bulk of that amount with $256 million in bitcoin generated, or 17% of the carding market. Trump’s Dumps, another website distributing compromised card data, has allegedly made around $4.1 million since its launch in 2017. Both sites were advertised on the on Sky-Fraud forum, where carding techniques and money laundering tips were among the main topics. Directorate “K” has apparently left a message in its source code, reading: “Which one of you is next?” [#Russia] SKY-FRAUD & FERUM, famous Russian #carding forums closed by Russian authorities. Authorities left an easter egg on the code source saying “WHICH ONE OF YOU IS NEXT?”#cybercrime #takedown #infosec #banking pic.twitter.com/RbNTkWPHIc — Soufiane Tahiri (@S0ufi4n3) February 7, 2022 The fourth blocked website, UAS Store, was a platform offering stolen remote desktop protocol credentials that cybercriminals use to gain access to victims’ accounts from other devices. These breaches have increased during the Covid-19 pandemic as more employees are now working from home. Since late 2017, UAS Store has made around $3 million in cryptocurrency. Elliptic notes that the latest seizures have been executed after the previous top carding marketplace, Unicc, and its affiliate proxy market Luxsocks, became inaccessible in mid-January. The seizures also came after the subsequent arrest of Unicc’s suspected administrator by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). Researchers claim the crypto proceeds of the two platforms reached $372 million. Meanwhile, the MVD has sought through a Moscow court the arrest of six unidentified hackers accused of “illegal circulation of means of payment.” Whether the group is linked to the closed-down dark web sites is not clear yet. Last month, FSB and MVD busted the notorious Revil ransomware group on a U.S. request, detaining 14 of its suspected members. Do you think Russia will continue to crack down on dark web platforms and hacking groups? Tell us in the comments section below. View the full article

Friday’s big gainer IOTX fell lower on Saturday, as a red wave continued to submerge crypto markets to start the weekend. Overall, cryptocurrencies were down around 5% as of writing. Biggest Gainers On a day where the majority of the crypto market was trending lower, finding a bull was no mean feat. However, there were two exceptions, one being EGLD, but the standout was AMP which rose by close to 10% during the session. AMP/USD, which was trading at a low of $0.03055 on Friday, climbed to an intraday high of $0.03723 earlier today. Today’s move came as the price of AMP rallied to resistance of $0.0340, briefly breaking out of this level in the process. Despite falling below this level since, prices are still higher than yesterday’s low, as bulls managed to resist the onslaught from Saturday’s bear market. Price strength rose to a high of 49, which was the highest level since January 4, but this ceiling has so far held firm. The moving averages of ten-days (red) and 25-days (blue) have since seen an upside cross over, which keeps hopes alive of upcoming bullish momentum. Biggest Losers For the third time this week, the bull of one day moved to being the biggest loser the next, as IOTX gave up some of Friday’s gains. IOTX which surged by as much as 15% yesterday, dropped by a similar percentage on Saturday, as traders appear to have secured profits. The price of IOTX/USD, which hit a high of $0.1195 yesterday, fell to an intraday low of $0.0965 today, as markets seem to be heading for support at $0.1120. Despite today’s move, price strength still remains in overbought territory, and is tracking at 52.95 on the 14-day RSI. This could be music to the ears of longer-term bears who may see this as an opportunity to maintain their short positions. Will this bearish pressure ease the deeper we get into the weekend? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. View the full article

PRESS RELEASE. INTERNET CITY, DUBAI, Feb. 12, 2022 – LBank Exchange, a global digital asset trading platform, listed Crypton (CRP) on February 11, 2022. For all users of LBank Exchange, the CRP/USDT trading pair officially became available for trading at 20:00 (UTC+8) on February 11, 2022. The internet has given people power to enter the informational space that is filled with tremendous amounts of data, but human rights in regards to privacy of communication and freedom of self-expression need to be protected from governments and private corporations that are constantly tracking people’s activities and using them for other purposes. To return privacy and freedom to people, Utopia is here to provide all-in-one kit for secure instant messaging, encrypted e-mail communication, anonymous payments and private web browsing. Its main payment unit Crypton (CRP) token will be listed on LBank Exchange at 20:00 (UTC+8) on February 11, 2022, to further expand its global reach and help it achieve its vision. Introducing Utopia Utopia is a revolutionary ecosystem designed to protect the privacy of interactions and to preserve the security and confidentiality of each participant’s personal data. The network went live on November 18, 2019 and is supported by the people who use it, based on Peer-to-Peer (P2P) technology. With no central server involved in data transmission or storage, it has no single point of failure and is truly decentralized. Each node, including user’s Utopia client, transmits network data using secure Curve25519 high-speed elliptic curve cryptography. The data transmitted cannot be intercepted by any third-party, only the recipient is able to read it. All personal account data is stored on a Utopia user’s local device in an encrypted file using 256-bit AES encryption. Utopia enables users to bypass online censorship and firewalls, allowing them to freely communicate and interact with whomever they want, whenever they want. Users can privately send instant text and voice messages, transfer files, play games and create censorship-resistant group chats, channels and websites, as well as make and accept payments denominated in Utopia’s fully integrated digital currency, Crypton. Main Features of Utopia As an all-in-one kit for secure instant messaging, encrypted e-mail communication, anonymous payments and private web browsing, Utopia has main features as follows: l Secure and surveillance resistant communication – Utopia provides instant encrypted text, voice and e-mail communication. l Decentralized P2P network – Utopia has no central servers, each user participates in network routing. l Designed for anonymity – Utopia ensures user’s privacy, the IP address and identity of user cannot be revealed. l Secure web browser – It’s a Tor alternative. Users can surf the Utopia ecosystem by using built-in Idyll browser. l Built-in wallet, crypto cards and API for merchants – Users can send and receive payments in Utopia’s own Crypton e-currency. l Mining made easy – Users can earn Cryptons by running Utopia mining bots online. l uNS, Utopia Name System – Utopia provides truly decentralized and non-censored registry, equivalent of classic DNS. l Secure storage and transmission – Utopia uses 256-bit AES and curve25519 high-speed encryption. About CRP Token Crypton (CRP) is a decentralized cryptocurrency and the main payment unit of Utopia ecosystem. The entire process of mining and buying ecosystem resources is denominated in Crypton. It was designed to provide an instant, untraceable and irreversible mean of payment, so user’s identity is 100% protected. The purpose of mining is to promote the stability of the ecosystem by increasing the number of routing connections. Utopia rewards users that support ecosystem through mining by emission of new Cryptons. When users run Utopia bot they will receive their share of collective reward. In addition to mining, users will receive regular interest on their Crypton balance. The CRP token will be listed on LBank Exchange at 20:00 (UTC+8) on February 11, 2022, investors who are interested in Utopia investment can easily buy and sell its token on LBank Exchange by then. The listing of CRP on LBank Exchange will undoubtedly help it further expand its business and draw more attention in the market. Learn More about CRP Token: Official Website: https://u.is/ Blockchain Browser: https://explorer.utopiaecosystem.com Listing Announcement on LBank Exchange: https://support.lbank.site/hc/en-gb/articles/4417323802137-CRP-Crypton-will-be-listed-on-LBank About LBank Exchange LBank Exchange, founded in 2015, is an innovative global trading platform for various crypto assets. LBank Exchange provides its users with safe crypto trading, specialized financial derivatives, and professional asset management services. It has become one of the most popular and trusted crypto trading platforms with over 6.4 million users from now more than 210 regions around the world. Start Trading Now: lbank.info Community & Social Media: l Telegram l Twitter l Facebook l Linkedin Contact Details: LBK Blockchain Co. Limited LBank Exchange media@lbank.info 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

Ethereum dropped below $3,000 to start the weekend, as cryptocurrency prices fell for a second consecutive day. Bitcoin was also lower, giving up some of this week’s gains in the process. Bitcoin Following a surge to a high above $45,000 to start the week, bitcoin prices fell for a third straight session, as bullish pressure seems to have calmed. BTC/USD fell to an intraday low of $41,892.20 on Saturday, following a peak of $43,810.83 during yesterday’s session. After attempting to breach the $44,750 resistance on Thursday, bitcoin’s price strength has weakened, moving closer to oversold territory. The 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) is currently tracking at 54, following a high of 65 only 2-days ago. This level of 54 appears to be a short-term floor, leading many to wait and see if it holds, which could then entice bulls to maintain open positions. Despite the current bearish sentiment surrounding markets, price momentum, especially short-term, still trends higher, with BTC/USD still marginally up in the last seven days. Bears will certainly continue to test this trend. Ethereum The decline of ethereum continued on Saturday, as the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency fell below its key support level. ETH/USD fell to an intraday low of $2,888.66 today, which is the lowest price ETH has seen since February 4. This eight-day low comes as price strength fell into oversold territory, breaking below the neutral zone of 50 on the 14-day Relative Strength Index. Recent momentum has meant that ETH is trading over 3% lower in the last seven days, wiping out sizable gains made during the week. Could ETH be moving towards support of $2,600? Leave your thoughts in the comments below. View the full article

Kenya’s central bank has acknowledged in a recently released document that a central bank digital currency could potentially benefit the country’s financial system. The bank, however, warned that rolling out a CBDC could also pose risks to the same. CBDC’s Impact on Financial Stability The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has suggested in a discussion paper that a central bank digital currency (CBDC) could potentially lead to enhanced cross-border payments and “efficiency gains.” However, in a recently released document that discusses CBDCs, the bank acknowledges such digital currencies could also pose risks to the financial system. For instance, in the document, the bank cites “unknowns” as to how the digital currency would impact central banks’ core functions of monetary policy, financial stability, and payment systems oversight. The CBK also regurgitates the financial disintermediation argument which is sometimes used by opponents of CBDCs. The document states: If significant deposit balances are moved from bank deposits to CBDC, banks’ ability for credit creation could get constrained. Since central banks cannot provide credit to the private sector, the impact on the role of bank credit needs to be well understood. The document added that “as banks lose a significant volume of low-cost transaction deposits” this may lead to an increase in the cost of credit. The central bank, meanwhile, claimed that launching a CBDC could possibly lead to financial exclusion “if the required technological infrastructure and technical literacy is not accessible to all sections of the public.” Public Input While the CBK argues in the document “that the potential benefits of a Kenyan CBDC remain unclear” it nonetheless emphasizes the ordinary Kenyan’s perspective on this topic needs to be heard. “In its pursuit to address the aforementioned questions, CBK reiterates that people must be at the centre of assessing any innovation. The usefulness of technology does not lie in its uniqueness but in its ability to solve a pressing societal problem,” the central bank explained. Meanwhile, in justifying the plan to seek the public’s input, the CBK points to the rise of mobile money which “placed our country as a cradle of innovation in Africa.” According to the central bank, mobile money has been a success in Kenya because it addressed the challenge of individuals transferring money to family members. Similarly, the CBDC, according to the central bank, must be based on functionality and the problem it resolves for the people, rather than the underlying technology. What are your thoughts on this story? You can share your views in the comments section below. View the full article

Bandai Namco, a game development and publishing company, has announced its intention of creating its own metaverse to increase the engagement fans have with the brand. The strategy was announced during the reveal of its new mid-term plan, which outlines the roadmap of the company for the next three years. The company expects to spend 15 billion yen ($130 million) on this project. Bandai Namco Seeks to Boost Engagement With Metaverse Project Bandai Namco, one of the leading Japanese game development and publishing companies, is creating its own metaverse. The company announced the resolution in a document outlining its mid-term plan, which details the strategy the group will follow from April 2022 to March 2025. In the document, issued February 8, the company explains that this new metaverse will be part of its “IP Axis” strategy, to boost the engagement of fans with its franchises. The plan states: In this IP metaverse, we are anticipating virtual spaces that will enable customers to enjoy a wide range of entertainment on an IP axis, as well as frameworks that leverage Bandai Namco’s distinctive strengths to fuse physical products and venues with digital elements. For this purpose, Bandai Namco announced it expects to spend 15 billion yen ($130 million) for the establishment of the data foundation and the development of the content for this intellectual property (IP) metaverse. Metaverse as Business Strategy Bandai Namco refers to this metaverse pivot as a very important part of the future of the company, citing the metaverse concept as one of the main strategies of its digital business plan. Other Japanese companies in the field have also started introducing new concepts, including token economies and user-generated content as part of their mid and long-term strategies. This is the case with Square Enix, developers of the Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and Kingdom Hearts series, which has stated that it will be focusing on blockchain-based content and tokenized economies, apart from the content the company normally produces. Square Enix president Yosuke Matsuda recently talked about the importance of these new technologies, and also how the new worlds will be able to reward users that generate content in a more fair way than is done currently. Krafton, another gaming company, announced this month it’s going to dabble in metaverse and NFT projects, revealing investments in companies that will allow it to craft a metaverse project based on its PUBG intellectual property. What do you think about Bandai Namco’s investment to build its own IP metaverse? Tell us in the comments section below. View the full article

The Bank of Zambia has said it expects to complete its study seeking to determine the feasibility of launching a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), before the end of the last quarter of 2022. Narrowing the Financial Exclusion Gap The Zambian central bank has said it expects to complete a research study that explores the benefits of launching a central bank digital currency (CBDC) in Q4 of 2022. The bank, which has been weighing the pros and cons of creating a digital currency, says the findings of this study will help it to determine whether is it beneficial to launch the CBDC or not. According to a Bloomberg report, the Bank of Zambia, like some of its peers on the African continent, wants to launch a digital currency because it believes this has the potential to narrow the financial exclusion gap and reduce transaction costs. However, before launching the CBDC, the central bank said it needs to understand the study’s findings. “The results of the research will form part of the input in the policy considerations on whether to introduce a central bank digital currency in Zambia,” explained Nkatya Kabwe, the central bank’s acting director of communications. Cryptos Not Legal Tender Besides potentially boosting the participation of citizens in the formal economy, the report said CBDCs are likely to improve transaction traceability. They’re also likely to enhance the safety and efficiency of payment systems. Meanwhile, the report that the Zambian central bank is set to complete its research into CBDCs before the end of the year comes a few days after it reportedly reiterated that cryptocurrencies are not legal tender. It added that “people who want to deal in them should have a clear understanding of all the risks that come with such payment and investment instruments.” What are your thoughts on this story? Tell us what you think in the comments section below. View the full article

The Argentinian Tax Authority (AFIP) will now be able to confiscate the assets that taxpayers have in digital wallets if they have debts with the organization. The recommendation for attorneys of this institution to include these digital accounts was made last year, but the execution of debt collection was suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic period. However, these procedures started being executed on January 31. Argentinian Tax Authority Eyeing Digital Wallets The AFIP, the Argentinian Tax Authority, has included funds in digital wallets as one of the assets that can be confiscated from taxpayers to settle tax-related debts. This addition was suggested to state attorneys in November, but the confiscation procedures of this kind were suspended until January 31st due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. The organization has now defined the procedure it needs to follow to confiscate assets in these digital accounts. It adds this to other investment vehicles at its disposal to confiscate, such as bank accounts, loans to third parties, houses, and cars. On the importance of this new addition, official sources told local media that: The development of electronic means of payment and their widespread use explains the agency’s decision to include digital accounts in the list of assets that can be seized to collect debts. The Argentinian Tax Authority has the relevant data for collection due to different regulatory measures that force financial institutions to give up customer information when required by law. There are 9,800 taxpayers whose digital accounts will be confiscated, according to reports. Current Procedures and Crypto This newly approved procedure will allow the institution to confiscate funds from more than 30 digital wallets that handle the national fiat currency in the country, such as Bimo, and Ualá. But the most important target for the Argentinian tax authority is Mercado Pago, the digital wallet of Mercadolibre, a bitcoin-friendly retail unicorn, that allows debtors to store their savings away from tax authorities. Digital wallets will not be the first target when collecting tax debt. First, the organization will pursue the confiscation of more liquid alternatives. Only when these funds are not available will the organization pursue other assets. Sebastián Domínguez from SDC Tax Advisors told local media that even cryptocurrencies could be confiscated if the custody of these assets depends on an entity based in Argentina. He explained: The novelty points to the fact that digital wallets are targeted in the procedure due to their growth, but that does not imply that the rest of the assets are not subject to possible embargoes. What do you think about the Argentinian tax authority confiscating funds from digital wallets to pay tax debts? View the full article

PRESS RELEASE. Universe Finance has stated that its IDO will begin on the 15th of February and will run till the 18th. Universe Finance wants to provide the finest Uniswap V3 active liquidity management platform on Ethereum and Polygon. What can Universe Finance offer? Security is one of the most problematic things when it comes to the DeFi sector. Several assaults have disabled various protocols and stolen countless funds from so many investors within the past ten years or so. Universe Finance believes that security is key and it has hence strived to become extremely safe by deploying mechanisms that enable it to prevent flash loan assaults, sandwich attacks, price oracle manipulation, attacks on private keys, and also excessive contract authority. Universe Finance utilizes extremely limited parameters as well as a multi-signature scheme in addition to white hat hackers, a real-time risk management system, an audit report and a private vault. To provide an even safer overall experience, Universe Finance employs a backtesting platform and active LP management quantitative methods along with different vaults like the leveraged vault, smart vault and the hedge vault. The team claims that Universe Finance’s top priorities are security and being able to offer fantastic returns on investments, a consistent source of income, minimal expenses, risk grading, and a simple method to generate income via Uniswap V3. What advantages can Uniswap V3 provide? Universe Finance picked Uniswap V3 for a variety of reasons. By expanding liquidity in a certain range, Uniswap V3 can help increase LP profit several times over when compared to V2. It is also one of the top DEXs right now, with outstanding depth and little slippage, as well as a large transaction volume and market share. Moreover, while there may be certain problems like high gas fees, rebalance timing issues, and so on, Universe Finance has developed a solution in the form of proactive liquidity management tools which users can utilize to automatically manage risk levels and reinvest with little to no complications. About Universe Finance Universe Finance is the active liquidity management platform of Uniswap V3 that is premised on risk ranking and quantitative procedures. Its goal is to maximise Uniswap V3 returns and liquidity income for consumers. As a result, its overall objective is to deliver a yield platform with the highest and most consistent real rate of return which can be found in this industry. To that purpose, it has already formed alliances with Polygon, Poolz, Instadapp, Olympus, DODO, 4sv.io, Tetu.io, Yield venture, Biconomy, and others. Universe Finance will also add support for more chains, release the leverage vault soon, manage $1 billion in Uniswap V3 liquidity by 2022, and provide a private vault for DAO treasury administration. There are plans to launch an early adopter airdrop as well. Be sure to visit the official website and check out Universe Finance’s Discord, Reddit and Twitter channels for more information. 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

India’s finance minister has revealed the current status of crypto policy in India, including whether crypto will be legalized or banned in the country. The question surrounding the legitimacy of cryptocurrency was raised in parliament after the government announced that income from crypto transactions will be taxed at 30%. Finance Minister Reveals Status of Crypto Policy in India India’s finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, clarified on Friday that the government has not made a decision on whether to legalize or ban cryptocurrency. During her Budget speech last week, the finance minister announced that income from cryptocurrency will be taxed at 30%. The taxation plan has made many believe that the Indian government has legitimized cryptocurrency. Replying to questions raised during an ongoing Budget discussion in Rajya Sabha, the upper house of India’s parliament, by Congress member Chhaya Verma on the legitimacy of cryptocurrency via taxation, the finance minister was quoted as saying: I am not going to legalize it or ban it at this stage. Banning or not banning will come subsequently, when consultations give me input. She further emphasized that whether cryptocurrency is “legitimate or illegitimate, it is a different question, but I will tax because it is a sovereign right to tax,” PTI reported. The Indian government has been working on a cryptocurrency bill for many years. A crypto bill was listed to be considered in the winter session of parliament but it was not taken up. Since then, there are reports that the government is now reworking the bill. India’s economic affairs secretary, Ajay Seth, said last week that “Regulation or ban, whatever it is, appropriate policy response to crypto assets is in the making.” He added that the government is consulting widely with stakeholders regarding crypto legislation. In addition, the finance minister said this week that the Indian government is constantly monitoring the crypto sector. Meanwhile, almost 75,000 Indians have signed a petition on Change.org for the government to introduce reasonable crypto tax policies. What do you think about the clarification by the Indian finance minister? Do you think India will end up banning or legalizing cryptocurrency? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

PRESS RELEASE. SURVIVE is going to revolutionize the Metaverse. It’s a hybrid between live-action and open-world games. Think of GTA 5, with a 3D Metaverse where you can play for free and earn money. SURVIVE is backed by NFT Global, a reputable NFT platform. This partnership is ready to disrupt the whole Metaverse game industry. Their goal is to create a game that will influence an entire generation and bring play-to-earn games into the mainstream. The collaboration between an experienced game developer team and an already existing crypto project (NFT Global) with a market cap of several million is a unique and special combination, ready to bring a disruptive and revolutionary game to the market. In addition, NFTG has a massive community of 200,000+ members across all social media channels. The global gaming market was valued at USD 173.70 billion in 2020, and it is expected to reach a value of USD 546 billion by 2026. In 2021 alone, players spent a whopping 61,000,000,000 USD (61B USD) on in-game items but received nothing back. The gaming industry is immense but flawed, built on one-sided models that limit user ownership. It’s time to change this, instead giving players ownership and control of their in-game items. Over the months, we have seen tremendous growth in the crypto world. From Gala (GALA) doing a 480X, AXIE doing a 260X to MANA doing 63X. For example, if you had invested a thousand dollars (1000USD) on the 1st of January 2021, you were making multiples of 480, 260, and 63, respectively. I bet you don’t want to miss a similar opportunity with SURVIVE. FAIR LAUNCH: SURVIVE will have pre-sale in form of a fair launch starting from 12th of February 2022. It ensures that everybody has equal access to the token distribution and it has no vesting period for investors. Also, you will be able to win 250’000 USD worth of $SURV divided and distributed to ten participants of the pre-sale. SURVIVOR NFT Characters are another thing to look out for as they launch by March 2022. These NFTs could be worth over $100,000 or more in the near future, like similar projects have proven before. So, I bet you don’t want to miss out on these good buys. Based in Switzerland, the SURVIVE team comprises top game developers with 10+ years of experience creating games with stunning visuals and addictive gameplay, complemented by a group of blockchain & marketing experts with experience in all aspects of blockchain technology. The team also consists of veteran blockchain advisors with a portfolio of many successful projects. With their highly skilled and experienced team of over 20 members, you can be sure that the team at SURVIVE is doing everything to make your investments worthwhile. ABOUT SURVIVE: “SURVIVE – Only one will last” is a unique open-world game developed in cooperation with the players and will continuously be updated. SURVIVE Metaverse is divided into Meta City and No-Go-Area. A decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) governs Meta City, where $SURV token holders control the agenda and vote on policies; for example, the rules on land auctions and what types of content are allowed in the Metaverse. The goal is to build an eco-system around Meta City that will be available on all platforms like PlayStation Network, Apple App Store, Android Play Store, Mac, and Windows. Contacts Website url: https://www.survivemeta.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/survive_p2e/ Telegram: https://t.me/survive_nft Twitter: https://twitter.com/Survive_P2E 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