The recent regulatory action against Paxos and Binance over the partnership’s dollar-pegged stablecoin has spooked investors. Following the crackdown from the SEC and the New York Department of Financial Services yesterday, Binance’s native token BNB fell more than 5%, before recovering some early this morning. Traders also pulled funds en masse from the crypto exchange. Data aggregated by Nansen indicates…
Month: February 2023
Rwanda Government Orders Banks to Stop Facilitating Crypto-Related Transactions – Regulation Bitcoin News
According to the National Bank of Rwanda, the country’s regulated financial services providers are now prohibited from facilitating crypto-related transactions. In her Jan. 31 letter justifying the decision, the acting governor Soraya Hakuziyaremye cites the unregulated status of most crypto assets and how this leaves users without the “guarantees and safeguards associated with regulated financial services.” Rwanda’s Growing Interest in…
Bitcoin miners already made nearly $600K from Ordinals’ NFT transactions
Bitcoin (BTC) miners have earned nearly $600,000 in two months from a new controversial NFT protocol called Ordinals that has triggered a surge in user activity. What are Bitcoin Ordinals? Ordinals allow users to inscribe data in the form of images and other media types in newly mined blocks on the Bitcoin blockchain that’s otherwise largely used for peer-to-peer monetary transactions. …
UAE Launches ‘Financial Infrastructure Transformation’ Program; CBDC Among 9 Key Objectives – Bitcoin News
On Feb. 12, 2023, the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE) announced the launch of a new initiative called the “Financial Infrastructure Transformation Program,” which has nine key objectives. One of these objectives is the research and development of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) designed to address both cross-border payments and domestic use cases. United Arab Emirates…
SEC to target crypto firms operating as ‘qualified custodians’ — Report
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is reportedly planning to propose new rule changes this week that could impact what services crypto firms can offer their clients. According to a Feb. 14 report from Bloomberg citing “people familiar with the matter,” the securities regulator is working on a draft proposal that would make it difficult for crypto firms…
Stablecoins not the target in BUSD crackdown: Matrixport head of research
Crypto financial services Matrixport’s head of research believes the recent scrutiny of Paxos and its Binance USD (BUSD) token is not a direct attack on stablecoins themselves. In a Feb. 14 analysis, Matrixport’s Markus Thielen suggested that Paxos Trust Company, the issuer of the Binance USD (BUSD), may not have been stringent enough with its oversight of the token. He…
OFAC-compliant blocks on Ethereum hits three-month low of 47%
The percentage of Ethereum blocks complying with orders set by the United States Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) has now fallen to 47% — the lowest since Oct. 11. The latest milestone in reversing censorship comes nearly three months after the percentage of OFAC-compliant blocks reached its peak at 79% on Nov. 21. OFAC-compliant blocks are those that exclude…
Meta Reportedly Preparing for a New Round of Layoffs – Metaverse Bitcoin News
Meta, the company that owns Whatsapp, Instagram, and Facebook, is reportedly preparing to announce a new round of layoffs in the coming days. According to reports, the company is delaying the finalization of the budget for each one of its teams, causing operational delays and affecting the output of employees of the company. Meta to Lay Off More Staff Meta,…
Binance withdrawals and BUSD redemptions surge post Paxos crackdown
Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has seen a surge of withdrawals over the last 24 hours as investors appear to be spooked over recent news of regulatory action against Paxos and its stablecoin Binance USD (BUSD). At the same time, the BUSD token has recorded significant redemptions, with 342 million BUSD burned over the last 24 hours according to Peckshield. #PeckShieldAlert ~342M…
Layoffs Hit Solana NFT Marketplace Magic Eden, Sheds 22 Employees
Magic Eden, the top marketplace for Solana NFTs, announced the layoff of 22 employees late Monday, citing company-wide restructuring as the wider crypto economy continues to grapple with a harsh winter. Since the beginning of 2023, several prominent crypto companies, including Huobi, Coinbase, Blockchain.com, Crypto.com, and Luno, have also announced layoffs. 🧵 Today is a sad day at Magic Eden.…