Author: Ana Paula Pereira

Celsius auction has Gemini and Coinbase as new bidders: Report

Ana Paula Pereira

Two new consortiums will dispute the assets of bankrupt crypto lender Celsius Network in an auction scheduled for April 25 in New York. According to reports and court filings, crypto exchanges Gemini and Coinbase are among the companies participating in the bids.  Court documents show that one of the consortiums is Fahrenheit, backed by venture capital firm Arrington Capital, which is owned by blockchain investor Michael Arrington. Other participants in the consortium are Proof Group Capital Management, former Algorand CEO Steven Kokinos and investment banker Ravi Kaza. Arrington mentioned that Coinbase…

Blockchain platform for trading securities OTC moves forward with SEC approval

Ana Paula Pereira

A Delaware company is seeking registration with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to carry out over-the-counter (OTC) stock trading on-chain.  BlackStar Enterprise Group has been developing the platform since 2018 and spent almost two years in communication with the regulator, answering dozens of questions and comments from examiners. Recently, the company has taken the next step in providing a detailed plan to the SEC Trading and Market division about how its platforms will be operated. BlackStar CEO Joseph Kurczodyna told Cointelegraph that he sought the SEC’s permission…

Germany plans to issue electronic shares on blockchain, boost startups

Ana Paula Pereira

The German government is pushing for more welcoming regulations for startups working with financial innovation in the country, according to the newly drafted legislation of the “Future Finance Act” introduced by the finance ministry on April 5.  Key goals of the legislation include capital markets digitalization through the issuance of electronic securities on a blockchain and improved portability of crypto assets. According to a translated version of the draft bill, Germany’s “capital market should become more modern and efficient in order to mobilize more private capital for future investments.” Among…

A spotlight on Binance, Galaxy Digital swings to profit, China’s blockchain push

Ana Paula Pereira

Regulators in the United States have a fresh target on their radar: Binance. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has sued the world’s biggest crypto exchange by trading volume for regulatory violations. Accusations range from insider trading to concealing office locations around the world to evade authorities’ oversight.  Binance denies the claims, suggesting another court battle between crypto firms and U.S. regulators is just around the corner. On another front, Binance’s U.S. arm must wait to close its $1 billion deal for Voyager Digital’s assets until the Department of Justice…

Mastercard opens network to USDC, OKX departs Canada, Bitcoin climbs

Ana Paula Pereira

Take, for example, the recent issues that Circle-issued USD Coin (USDC) faced when it depegged from the U.S. dollar following Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse. Two weeks later, Mastercard boldly integrated the stablecoin into its infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific region, allowing users to spend USDC through its network. It’s happening, folks! And let’s not forget about Bitcoin (BTC) — that digital gold is still on the rise and decoupling from Wall Street, once again proving its value proposition and prompting calls for a hedge against equity markets in the long run.…

Near Protocol releases blockchain operating system for Web3

Ana Paula Pereira

The decentralized application (DApp) Near Protocol is releasing a new blockchain operating system, focusing on improving user experience on Web3 through a common layer for browsing and discovering open web resources, the company disclosed at the Web3 and innovation festival ETHDenver 2023. In an interview with Cointelegraph’s Turner Wright during the event, Near co-founder Illia Polosukhin spoke on how the ecosystem is moving closer to user’s needs and the release of the Blockchain Operating System (BOS). According to the Near team, the system works with any blockchain or Web2 backend, allowing…

U.S. Treasury Janet Yellen calls for ‘strong regulatory framework’ for crypto activities

Ana Paula Pereira

United States Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen stressed the importance of implementing a strong regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies during a G20 meeting on Feb. 25.  Speaking to Reuters, Yellen said that it was “critical to put in place a strong regulatory framework.” She also noted that the United States is not suggesting an “outright banning of crypto activities.” Yellen’s remarks follow earlier ones from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, stating that banning crypto should be an option: “There has to be very strong push for regulation… if…

France’s top modern art museum to display CryptoPunks, Autoglyphs NFTs

Ana Paula Pereira

Paris’s leading contemporary art museum, the Centre Pompidou announced on Feb. 10 an upcoming permanent exhibition targeting the intersection between art and the blockchain represented by nonfungible tokens (NFTs).  According to an announcement on Feb. 10, the Centre will feature NFTs from over 16 digital artists around the world, including popular collectables such as CryptoPunk #110 and Autoglyph #25, both donated to the Centre Pompidou. Le Centre Pompidou fait l’acquisition d’un ensemble d’œuvres traitant des relations entre blockchain et création artistique, dont ses premiers NFT ! Ce sont 18 projets…

Sam Bankman-Fried seeks to access FTX funds

Ana Paula Pereira

Sam Bankman-Fried’s legal team is seeking to remove a bail condition that prevented him from accessing FTX’s funds, according to court filings from Jan. 28. A letter from Bankman-Fried’s lawyer, Mark Cohen, to United States District Court Judge Lewis Kaplan stated that Bankman-Fried should have access to assets held by FTX, claiming the client was not involved in previous unauthorized transactions. FTX and FTX US have sought over $659 million in unauthorized transfers amid the collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange in November 2022, according to Nansen data reported by Cointelegraph.…

3 blockchain use cases that extend beyond crypto

Ana Paula Pereira

Blockchain use cases have expanded far beyond cryptocurrency in recent years, with multiple industries embracing the technology in a wide range of fields, including healthcare, logistics and financial services.  There are many factors behind the hype. Blockchains are decentralized, transparent and increase the capacity of a whole network, opening a window for solutions that require significant computational power. More importantly, they give users the capacity to control their assets, including their data, without relying on third parties. As blockchain evolves, companies across the world are working to find the best…