FinCEN Wants US Citizens to Disclose Offshore Crypto Holdings of $10K+

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network wants U.S. persons who hold crypto in offshore accounts to report holdings over $10,000.

Market Wrap: Bitcoin Closes 2020 Near Record Highs

Bitcoin nearly triples its price in 2020 and ends the year close to $29,000, but ether gained 450%.

The Most Important Bitcoin Infrastructure Developments of 2020, feat. Alyse Killeen

A look at privacy and infrastructure advances that will shape the bitcoin ecosystem in the years to come.

Crypto Dollars and CBDCs: The Battle to Come

The future of money will be a tussle between algorythmic and fiat-pegged stablecoins and central bank digital currency experiments.

What Is a Satoshi?

On today's holiday episode of Markets Daily, we take a look at the term "satoshi," its origin, what it means and why it matters.

Why Crypto Crosses ‘The Chasm’ in a Post-Coronavirus World

2020 will be looked back on as the year that marks the present era from the past; the demarcation line separating the before and the after.

Bitcoin Mining Machine Maker Ebang to Launch Crypto Exchange in 2021; Shares Rise

Bitcoin mining equipment maker Ebang announced Thursday it is preparing to officially launch a cryptocurrency exchange in the first quarter of 2021.

Governments Will Start to Hodl Bitcoin in 2021

Crypto assets not only are not going away. They will become integral to our financial and political lives.

EToro USA Becomes Latest Exchange to Suspend XRP Trading

The U.S. division of eToro is suspending XRP trading after an SEC suit alleging it is a security.

Number of People Holding Lots of Bitcoin Surges in Rare ‘Whale-Spawning Season’

The number of bitcoin whales rose to a new record high on Wednesday.

Proposed FinCen Rule on Crypto Wallets Would Likely Be Ineffective, Elliptic Says

In its public response to the US Treasury Department’s proposed rule, the blockchain analytics firm has argued that they are likely to be ineffective and counterproductive.

Xapo to Discontinue Service to US Customers in March

Companies are being asked to transfer their bitcoins to other places, such as Coinbase.

Bitcoin Hits $29K for First Time Ever, Raising HODLer Hopes for $30K by New Year’s

"I would expect to see bitcoin charge past $30,000 as we enter the new year,” said one market observer.

Serbia Legalizes Digital Assets Trading and Issuance

Serbia will now permit the issuance and trading of digital assets under a law that went into effect this week.

What Is Proof-of-Stake?

Proof-of-stake is a method of maintaining integrity in a blockchain, ensuring users of a cryptocurrency can’t mint coins they didn’t earn.

Market Wrap: Bitcoin Nears $29K While Ether Options Trader Makes Long-Shot Bet

Another day, another all-time high in bitcoin as the cryptocurrency changed hands as high as $28,871.78.

Democracy Demands a Say in the Future of Money

The U.S. Treasury’s decision to impose know-your-customer rules to private cryptocurrency wallets is flawed in more ways than one.

BitGo to Pay $93K to US Treasury to Settle 183 ‘Apparent’ Sanctions Violations

Bitcoin custodian firm BitGo agreed to pay $93,830 in a settlement pact with the U.S. Treasury over 183 “apparent violations” of multiple sanctions programs.

Binance US Says It Will Delist XRP on Jan. 13

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance announced that embattled token XRP will be delisted from Binance.US on Jan. 13, 2021, becoming the latest exchange to do so. The story is developing and will be updated.

Coinbase Sued for Allowing the Sale of XRP

A man from Missouri is filing a suit against Coinbase for its sale of XRP, a California court filing reveals.

What 2020 Taught Us About the ‘Dollar Milkshake Theory,’ feat. Brent Johnson

The Santiago Capital investor takes a look at what 2020 taught us about his notable economic theory.

VanEck Proposes ETF for Bitcoin, Once Again

So far, the SEC has considered many applications for bitcoin-based ETFs and rejected them all.

Genesis to Suspend XRP Trading, Lending

In an email sent to clients Wednesday, Genesis announced it would be halting XRP trading and lending in the new year.

Bitcoin Prices in 2020: Here’s What Happened

COVID-19 ravaged the world's economies but prompted mainstream financial markets to start taking bitcoin seriously. A look back at the year in bitcoin.

All Major Mining Pools Now Support Taproot, Bitcoin’s Biggest Upgrade in Years

Binance Pool represents 11% of Bitcoin’s mining hashrate. Adding it to the “yes” column pushes mining pool support for Taproot to about 91%.

How DeFi ‘Degens’ Are Funding the Next Wave of Open-Source Development

Gitcoin's Kevin Owocki coins the phrase "regenerative finance" to describe the future of funding open-source development.

LISTEN: Linda Lacewell, a Friendlier Regulator – Most Influential 2020

In this special episode of Markets Daily, CoinDesk's Lyllah Ledesma reads Nikhilesh De's profile of Linda Lacewell, one of CoinDesk's Most Influential People in 2020.

CBDCs: An Idea Whose Time Has Come?

Almost 50 monetary authorities and central banks are researching and developing wholesale or retail CBDCs. What does 2021 hold in store?

Ripple to Meet With SEC in First Pretrial Conference on Feb. 22

Ripple and the SEC will meet over video call, according to a court order from the US District Court of the Southern District of New York.

Statechains Scaling Solution Offers New Potential for Bitcoin Privacy

Statechains offer another way to scale bitcoin payments. New exploration has uncovered that statechains could boost Bitcoin privacy as well.

Blockchain Developers Are Focused on the Wrong Problem

If it's to reach its full potential, the decentralized economy needs to scale censorship resistance, say Solana's CEO and COO.

Russian Oil Drilling Giant Opens a Crypto Mining Farm Run on Gas Energy

A unit of oil and gas giant Gazprom has opened a mining venue on an oil drilling site using gas produced as a byproduct to produce electricity.

Valid Points: A Year in Review by Your Ethereum 2.0 Staking Experts

In our year-end Ethereum round up, we feature 4 charts from 4 Ethereum 2.0 staking experts recounting the best highlights of 2020.

Bitcoin Sets New All-Time High Above $28.5K; Bulls Back in the Driver’s Seat

Institutional investors are perceived to be driving this record-setting run.

Coinbase Underpaid Women, Black Employees, NY Times Reports

The Times' data included pay details for most of Coinbase’s roughly 830 employees at the end of 2018.

New Research Sheds Light on the Front-Running Bots in Ethereum’s Dark Forest

The report outlines how the researchers identified and isolated generalized front-running bots while evaluating their efficiency.

Market Wrap: Bitcoin Down to $26K but Traders Remain Bullish

Bitcoin fell to the $26,000 level after it hit above $28,000 on Sunday, yet markets remain bullish on both retail and institutional interest.

Polkadot Surges After Binance Home Page Listing, $10M Endorsement

Binance announced a $10 million fund to support projects that are built on top of the Polkadot ecosystem.

What Are Stablecoins?

A stablecoin is a type of cryptocurrency whose value is tied to an outside asset, such as the U.S. dollar or gold, to stabilize the price.

SkyBridge Capital Has Already Invested $182M in Bitcoin

“Bitcoin is digital gold,” SkyBridge says in its pitch to investors. “It is better at being gold than gold.”

Crypto.com to Delist, Suspend XRP in the US After SEC’s Ripple Suit

The announcement came hours after Coinbase and OKCoin took similar actions.

Opyn Upgrade Aims to Add Capital Efficiency and Liquidity to DeFi Options Market

Options marketplace Opyn is rolling out an upgrade that targets capital efficiency and liquidity in the decentralized financial options market.

The Devastation of Main Street Business, feat. Daniel Lacalle

The popular economist talks about the K-shaped recovery and why we could be in for more pain in 2021.

eToro Said to Be in Talks With Goldman About Possible $5B IPO: Report

The crypto trading/investment management platform is also considering the possibility of a merger with a special purpose acquisition company.

Japanese Internet Giant Licensed to Issue First JPY-Pegged Stablecoin in New York

The charter makes GMO one of only 27 companies licensed in New York to engage in virtual currency activities.

LISTEN: Jesse Powell, Bitcoin Banker – Most Influential 2020

In this special episode of Markets Daily, CoinDesk Podcasts editor Adam B. Levine reads Nathan DiCamillo's profile of Jesse Powell, one of CoinDesk's Most Influential People in 2020.

16 Ethereum Predictions From a Crypto Oracle

Andrew Keys has 16 reasons why crypto will take center stage economically, politically and socially in 2021.

The Fight for Consumer Adoption Is Just Beginning

In the next phase, blockchain networks have to find use cases beyond censorship resistance and permissionless access, says TRON's founder.

CME Tops in Bitcoin Futures Rankings Amid Rapidly Growing Institutional Interest

The CME has become the largest bitcoin futures exchange by open interest amid institutional onboarding.

Panthers’ Russell Okung Becomes First NFL Player to Be Paid in Bitcoin

Okung’s $13 million salary is being split fifty-fifty between bitcoin and fiat by way of Zap’s Strike product.

Payments Firm Simplex Becomes Visa Principal Member

Israel-based global fiat payment processor Simplex announced Tuesday it has become a principal member of the Visa network.

Canadian Firm NexTech AR Buys $2M Bitcoin to Diversify Capital

Canadian augmented reality (AR) company NexTech AR is jumping on the crypto bandwagon with plans to use its treasury funds to buy $2 million of bitcoin for “capital diversification.” Read more: Nasdaq-Listed Canadian Firm to Invest Over $1M in Bitcoin

The Year the Narrative Became the Truth

Bitcoin proved it could change how people think. But will the new system it enables be "better" or just "a system that better serves me?"

OKEx Launches Real-Time Settlement for Derivatives Trading

OKEx launches real-time settlement for the trading of derivatives on its platform allowing users to make withdrawals at any time.

Spanish City Lebrija Launches Local Virtual Currency ‘Elio’ as Form of Stimulus

The city council of Lebrija has created a virtual currency ‘Elio’ that can only be used for payments made to small and medium businesses, according to a report by Diario de Sevilla. Read more: Spain’s Second-Largest Bank Will Soon Launch Crypto Services: Sources

Grayscale Has $19B in Crypto Assets Under Management, Up from $16.4B Last Week

The digital asset manager held $19 billion in assets under management as of Monday, up from last week's $16.4 billion.

India Mulls Imposing 18% Tax on Bitcoin Transactions

The move is viewed by some as a sign the Indian government is warming up to cryptocurrencies.

Voyager Digital Takes System Offline Following Cyberattack

Voyager reassured its customers that no funds or personal information were compromised but warned it will take time to get its app back online again.

Coinbase to Suspend XRP Trading Following SEC Suit Against Ripple

Coinbase said it will suspend trading of XRP, the cryptocurrency at the heart of an SEC lawsuit against Ripple Labs.

Market Wrap: Bitcoin Hovers Around $27K While ETH/BTC Pair Goes Bullish

Bitcoin takes a break after record price-setting Sunday while some traders are plowing BTC into ETH.

Who Insures the Insurer? Cover Protocol Attack Exposes DeFi’s Promise and Peril

Defi insurer Cover Protocol, designed to reduce smart contract failure risks, was exploited by a bug in its smart contract on Monday morning.

SEC Disapproves BOX Security’s Request to Report Stock Trading Data on Ethereum Blockchain

BOX proposed a rule change to the SEC for using the Ethereum blockchain to record and publishing end-of-day securities ownership balances.

OKCoin to Suspend XRP Trading and Deposits on Jan. 4

OKCoin became the latest exchange to suspend XRP trading and deposits as of early next year.

Bitcoin, Bank Coins and Bonds, feat. George Goncalves

A macro and bond specialist joins NLW to discuss the economics of 2021.

Lending Platform Vauld Raises $2M to Grow Into a Full Crypto Bank

Vauld, formerly called Bank of Hodlers, raised $2 million in a round led by Pantera Capital to expand its crypto banking platform.

Cover Protocol May Launch New Token Following Attack

Cover Protocol announced it's exploring launching a new COVER token through the snapshot before the attack by a "white hat" hacker on Monday morning.

SEC Obtains Emergency Asset Freeze Against Virgil Capital

Stefan Qin, the 23-year-old founder of Virgil Capital, has been accused by the SEC of “fabricated records” for failing to redeem $3.5 million in investments and attempting to withdraw $1.7 million in investor funds to pay off Chinese loan sharks.

LISTEN: Charles Cascarilla – PayPal Whisperer – Most Influential 2020

In this special episode of Markets Daily, CoinDesk Podcasts editor Adam B. Levine reads Zack Seward's profile of Charles Cascarilla, one of CoinDesk's Most Influential People in 2020.

2020 Saw the Fewest Bitcoin ‘Obituaries’ in 8 Years

Bitcoin has only “died” 11 times this year.

Bitcoin Mining Company Riot Blockchain Passes $1B in Market Cap

Riot's value was less than $50 million when it started mining bitcoin three years ago.

Whale Sightings Become Scarce, Removing Downward Pressure on Bitcoin: Analyst

Big bitcoin balance holders, or "whales," are moving less crypto onto exchanges, signaling some reduction of sell-side pressure, according to CryptoQuant.

Charting Asia’s Dominant FinTech Frontier

Asia looks poised to continue its trajectory towards digital dominance, says the co-founder of Zilliqa.

That Decoupling Sound: China, the US and a Year of CBDCs

This year China and the U.S. faced off over trade and technology bans. But the battler for monetary hegemony has only just begun.

XRP is a Crypto Asset in Japan, Not a Security, Ripple Partner SBI Claims

The SBI Holdings statement refers to a research article by Sadakazu Osaki of the Nomura Research Institute indicating under Japanese law XRP is a "cryptocurrency asset" and not a security.

Cover Protocol Attack Perpetrated by ‘White Hat,’ Funds Returned, Hacker Claims

The decentralized finance (DeFI) insurance project Cover Protocol was hacked earlier Monday in an infinite printing scheme, causing the price of the Cover token to plunge. Hours later, a so-called ‘white hacker’ claimed responsibility for the attack, saying all funds had been returned. The exploiter has cashed out over $4 million including about 1400 either, […]

The Rise of the Bitcoin Class

How a VC working in China finally convinced her Dad to buy into Bitcoin. The winning argument: Protection against government seizure.

Marathon Patent Agrees to Buy 70K ASIC Miners From Bitmain for $170M

The announcement comes after a holiday weekend in which the price of bitcoin hit a succession of new all-time highs.

Crypto Long & Short: The Christmas Poem Edition

Looking back on the year in bitcoin and crypto, with rhymes.

Israelis Must Now Disclose Crypto Holdings: Report

Dozens of Israelis who own digital currencies have recently received notification telling them they must fully disclose their assets for taxation purposes.

BlackRock Seeks VP Blockchain Lead to ‘Drive Demand’ for Firm’s Crypto Offerings

The investment giant has posted a job vacancy for an NY-based VP blockchain lead to help with the valuation of crypto assets.

CME’s Ether Futures Indicate Institutions Will Start Buying ETH in 2021, Messari Analyst Says

CME Group’s recent announcement that it will launch ether (ETH) futures on Feb. 8, 2021, is the “writing on the wall” that institutions will being buying the cryptocurrency next year, according to a pair of tweets by Ryan Watkins, an analyst at crypto data provider Messari.

Ether Trades Above $700 for the First Time Since 2018

Ether is up over 11% in the past 24 hours.

DLT Regulation in 2020: Backwards or Sideways?

Regulators are no longer standing on the sidelines of distributed ledger innovation, says Gibraltar’s Minister for Digital and Financial Services.

Proof-of-Stake Was Bigger Than Eth 2.0 in 2020

Four of the top nine crypto assets by market cap are on a path to proof-of-stake, says the CEO of Staked.

Bitcoin Tops $28K for 1st Time, Hours After Crossing $27K; Market Cap Now Tops $500B

After eclipsing $27,000 for the first time ever only a few hours before, the price of bitcoin surged past $28,000 Sunday morning as the leading cryptocurrency’s recent meteoric rise continues. BTC’s market value now exceeds $500 billion.

Sound Money vs. the Great Reset, feat. Mark Moss

One of the most popular economics and bitcoin YouTube host joins NLW for a conversation about how to make 2021 better.

Crypto’s Choice: Join the Financial System or Fight It

The crypto industry faces a momentous choice. Does it integrate with the existing financial system's rules? Or does it choose to fight for its anti-status quo principles?

Bitcoin Tops $27K for First Time, Has Risen More Than $2K in a Little Over a Day

After hitting $25,000 on Dec. 25 and $26,000 on Dec. 26, quite naturally the price of bitcoin (BTC) soared past $27,000 early on Dec. 27 as the leading cryptocurrency’s recent meteoric rise continues.

Fed’s Powell Wins Forbes’ Crypto Person of the Year Honors; Do They Give Awards for Snark?

A side effect of the Fed's medicine for the pandemic-stricken U.S. economy was to create conditions ideal for the rise of cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin Tops $26K for First Time, Less Than a Day After Passing 25K

The leading cryptocurrency set another all-time high this month.

B2C2 Becomes Latest Crypto Market-Maker to Stop XRP Trading: Report

Non-U.S. clients can still trade the token but need to pre-fund all short trades, the report said.

Three Market Trends Fueled Enterprise DLT Adoption in 2020

Hedera Hashgraph's CEO says integrating novel technologies with existing enterprise systems will drive adoption in the years ahead.

Deribit Adding Options to Allow Bitcoin Traders to Bet on Rally to $120K and Beyond

A week ago last Thursday, Deribit made news by introducing call and put options at the $100,000 strike price.

Digital Currencies May Make SWIFT Redundant, Says Russian Central Bank: Report

Digital currencies may challenge and someday could make redundant the SWIFT global banking payment system, according to a Central Bank of Russia official, Russia Today reported. Read more: Bank of Russia Chair: Digital Ruble Is No Threat to Banks

Central Banks Gone Wild! Feat. Bill Barhydt

The founder of mobile crypto bank Abra discusses the massive expansion of global central bank balance sheets.

Now Is the Time for Enterprises to Look at ETH 2.0

Staking on Ethereum 2.0 is a business opportunity for early adopters in 2021.

Building the Next Wave of Web 3.0

Building an internet we can trust requires trustless protocols.

Building the Next Wave of Web 3.0

Building an internet we can trust requires trustless protocols.

Bitcoin Hits $25K for First Time Ever

The event happened just a week after the leading cryptocurrency broke $24k.

Turkey to Pilot Digital Currency in 2021, Says Central Bank Governor

Naci Ağbal's comments would place Turkey on the fast track to central bank digital currency.

The View on Bitcoin From Inside Fidelity Digital Assets, feat. Ria Bhutoria

The director of research at Fidelity Digital Assets gives her take on the crypto space.

Get Yourself a Little Bit of Bitcoin | 2020 Holiday Episode

On today's holiday episode of Markets Daily, we're joined by John Barrett for a holiday classic.

UK Crypto Exchange EXMO Says $4M of Hacked Funds Was Through Poloniex

Cryptocurrency exchange EXMO said an estimated $4 million of the cryptocurrency stolen during a hack on Dec. 21 was through the exchange Poloniex.   Read more: Crypto Exchange EXMO Says Hackers Have Stolen 5% of Total Assets

Bitstamp to Halt XRP Trading, Deposits in US Due to SEC Lawsuit

Bitstamp is the first major U.S.-based crypto exchange to respond to the SEC lawsuit.

Bitcoin Sets New All-Time High of $24,667.63, Giving HODLers an Xmas Gift

Bitcoin cut through $24,500 on Christmas Day, setting a new record high as the leading cryptocurrency’s ongoing rally continues the holiday season. Read more: Over $20K? Why Is Bitcoin Worth Anything at All?

DeFi Christmas: DEX Aggregator 1inch Launches Governance Token to Take On Uniswap

The token, named 1INCH and running on Ethereum, will be distributed to all wallets that have previously interacted with the platform.

Tierion to Repay ICO Investors Up to $25M Plus Interest in SEC Settlement

The SEC order effectively blows up 1 billion TNT tokens.

Market Wrap: Bitcoin Stays in Tight Range but Gains Dominance as XRP Crumbles

With XRP’s sell-off, bitcoin’s dominance increases. However, the derivatives market hints at more volatility ahead for the world's leading cryptocurrency.

‘Bitcoin and Ethereum Have Gone Completely Separate Directions,’ Feat. Bully Esq.

One of crypto twitter's best-known personalities discusses DeFi, bitcoin and how 2020 was and wasn't like 2017.

Miami Mayor ‘Exploring’ Ideas in Crypto Governance

Mayor Suarez is open to everything from blockchain voting to tokenization.

Crypto Exchange Livecoin Begs Users to Stop Trading After Losing Control of Servers

Livecoin asked clients to stop making deposits and trading after suffering a "carefully planned attack."

XRP Liquidations Soar as SEC Lawsuit, Token Airdrop Whipsaw Markets

Over $1.5 billion in XRP futures have been liquidated since the start of November.

It’s Beginning To Look a Lot Like Bitcoin | 2020 Holiday Episode

On today's holiday episode of Markets Daily, we're joined by Santa Clause for a bitcoin holiday classic.

The Global Challenge of Regulating Virtual Assets

Moving through the high-level confusion of an emergent field of digital assets during a pandemic presented unique challanges.

Japan Gearing Up to Launch Its Own Digital Currency: Report

The group is preparing to conduct a feasibility study for its virtual currency in 2021.

Coinbase, Other Big Exchanges ‘Between Rock and a Hard Place’ on Delisting XRP

The question of whether or not to delist XRP isn’t a black-and-white one for crypto exchanges.

Roisman Named Acting SEC Chairman, Peirce Tweets

The news comes a day after former Chairman Jay Clayton announced that yesterday was his last day.

Hong Kong ATMs Must Be Excluded From Coming AML Regulations, Group Says

The government’s plan to regulate cryptocurrency exchanges in Hong Kong could mean ATMs may also be off-limits, the group claims.

Crypto’s Big Rupture Is Coming in 2021

Crypto is about to split in two. On the one side: KYC-compliant digital currencies. On the other: money "Legos" self-organized in DAO structures.

BitcoinPoint, Cashzone Allow Users to Sell Bitcoin Using 16K ATMs Across UK

London-based cryptocurrency company BitcoinPoint announced Thursday bitcoin holders can now cash out bitcoin from 16,000 Cashzone automated teller machines (ATMs) situated across the entire U.K.

PayPal Talks to Buy Crypto Firm BitGo Have Ended: Report

Talks regarding a possible acquisition by PayPal of bitcoin custodian BitGo have fallen through, Fortune reported, citing multiple sources. Read more: PayPal Said to Be in Talks to Buy Crypto Firms Including BitGo: Bloomberg

Crypto Exchange Binance Terminates Korea Operations Due To Low Usage

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance announced Thursday it is closing its Korea operations after eight months of operating due to low usage and volume.

Crypto Hedge Fund Founder Stefan Qin Accused of Fraud by SEC

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is accusing the founder of hedge fund Virgil Capital which specializes in cryptocurrency arbitrage, of fraud.

Here Comes the Open Lending Era

Open lending grew from a fringe use-case to a burgeoning engine powering the next phase of the digital economy.

Grayscale Has $16.4B in Crypto Assets Under Management, Up From $13B a Week Ago

The firm's bitcoin AUM rose by more than $3 billion in a week.

SEC Chairman Clayton Says Wednesday Is His Last Day in Office

Clayton announced in November he would be leaving by the end of the year but hadn't specified a date.

Market Wrap: Bitcoin Rangebound as XRP Plummets After SEC Lawsuit

Bitcoin continues trading below $24,000 as legal action by the SEC rattles the XRP market.

FinCEN’s Proposed Crypto Wallet Rule Might Hit DeFi

FinCEN’s proposed rule regulating “unhosted” wallet transfers has a number of potential issues, including unintended consequences for decentralized finance.

How 2020 Unlocked a New Generation of Investors, feat. Jill Carlson

No one would have expected an economic crisis to bring a new generation of investors to the table, but that's exactly what it did.

Camila Russo on Building The Defiant and the Future of DeFi

The Defiant is required reading about DeFi these days. How did "one more Bloomberg journalist" become a successful media entrepreneur and influencer?

$175K Donation to Coin Center Tops Latest Fundraising Push for Crypto Policy Group

The donation from a group headlined by NEAR, Solana and Celo comes in addition to $300,000 raised via Gitcoin.

SEC Gives Broker-Dealers Room to Handle Crypto Securities

The SEC's broker-dealer guidance was generally welcomed as a step in the right direction by industry players.

Bitcoin News Roundup for Dec. 23, 2020

With BTC struggling to break past $24K and the SEC suing Ripple, CoinDesk’s Market’s Daily is back with the latest crypto news roundup.

Bitwise Liquidates XRP Position in Crypto Index Fund Following SEC Suit Against Ripple

Crypto money manager Bitwise has liquidated $9.3 million worth of XRP in its crypto index fund.

Why I’m Long Crypto, Short DLT

"Too many champions of crypto want to be the epicenter of decentralization," says our columnist.

First Mover: XRP Plunges 20% as Traders Assess SEC’s Ripple Suit

The SEC's suit against Ripple has triggered a steep sell-off in price for the payments token XRP. Meanwhile, prices for Chainlink's token have increased seven-fold this year, most among CoinDesk 20.

Canada-Listed Firm to Invest Over $1M in Bitcoin

Mogo, a Canadian fintech listed on the Nasdaq and Toronto stock exchanges, said it may make further bitcoin investments next year.

Axie Infinity Launches Public Testnet of Ronin Sidechain to ‘Scale Even Faster’

Axie Infinity has launched the public testnet of its Ronin sidechain with video game giant Ubisoft as an initial validator.

Pantera’s Paul Veradittakit’s 2021 Predictions

What is bringing us closer to a decentralized financial future?

Miami Heat’s Tyler Herro Lends Voiceover Chops to Dapper Labs’ NBA Top Shot

The Miami Heat's Tyler Herro is the first NBA player to provide a voiceover for a crypto game.

Cere Network Raises $1.5M More to Bring Its ‘Decentralized Salesforce’ to Polkadot

Binance-backed Cere Network has raised another $1.5 million to become a decentralized version of Salesforce.

South Korea’s Hashed Raises $120M Venture Fund for Crypto Deals

Hashed Ventures has raised $120 million for a fund that will be focused on a new era of distributed networks.

Valid Points: Forget Staking, There Are Still Coins to Be Mined on PoW Ethereum

Ethereum miners are making investments to maximize profits before mining becomes obsolete and gets replaced by validating on Ethereum 2.0.

Swiss Crypto Bank SEBA Raises $22.5M to Fuel Growth

The Swiss firm plans to expand into the Middle East and Asia and offer services for U.S. institutional clients.

Ethereum Developer Virgil Griffith Will Likely Face Trial Next September

Ethereum developer Virgil Griffith is likely headed to trial on charges of violating international sanctions, after a Tuesday hearing which saw a federal judge clarify what's being argued.

Hong Kong Trading Platform OSL Suspends XRP Services as SEC Sues Ripple

The SEC is accusing Ripple of violating federal securities laws via sales of the XRP cryptocurrency to retail consumers.

Hashed Ventures Forms $108M Fund to Invest in Blockchain and ‘Protocol Economy’ Startups

The regulated fund is aimed to help grow the DeFi and blockchain ecosystem by attracting institutional investors, said CEO Simon Kim.

MoneyGram Takes Wait-and-See Approach as SEC Sues Partner Ripple

"MoneyGram will continue to monitor the situation" following an SEC lawsuit against its part-owner, Ripple, a spokesperson told CoinDesk.

Coinbase Awards Its First Round of Bitcoin Developer Grants

Coinbase, one of the oldest and most profitable companies in crypto, has awarded its first round of Bitcoin developer grants.

Bitcoin News Roundup for Dec. 22, 2020

With bitcoin higher after falling for two days and XRP falling amid warnings the SEC may sue Ripple, CoinDesk’s Market’s Daily is back with another crypto news roundup.

Abandon ShipChain! Logistics Startup Torpedoed by SEC Over $27M Unregistered ICO

ShipChain is the latest ICO project felled by Jay Clayton's SEC.

Crypto Needs to Engage With the World

Look beyond the casino-like financial experiments that currently offer only speculation and “get rich quick” schemes, says Cosmos' cofounder.

Why Argentines Are Turning From Dollars to Stablecoins Like DAI

A cocktail of high inflation, devaluation and lack of access to U.S. dollars has led Argentines to find in the decentralized stablecoin a way to protect their battered incomes.

Los argentinos están cambiando su obsesión histórica con el dólar por DAI

Un cóctel de alta inflación, devaluaciones y falta de acceso a dólares los ha llevado a encontrar en esa moneda descentralizada una manera de proteger sus castigados ingresos.

Italian Banks Start Experiments With Digital Euro Built on Blockchain Tech

The Italian Banking Association said the work would help financial institutions prepare for the future.

Polkadot-Based DeFi Insurance App Raises $1.95M Led by KR1

Tidal will use the Polkadot blockchain to allow users to insure a set of DeFi applications against smart-contract failure or breaches.

Riot Purchases Additional 15,000 Mining Machines From Bitmain

Nasdaq-listed bitcoin mining firm Riot Blockchain (RIOT) announced its purchase of 15,000 additional mining ASIC machines from Bitmain, pushing the total number of machines ordered by the mining company to over 31,000 in 2020.

FTX Coinbase Futures Soar 140% in First Hour of Trading

FTX worked with CM-Equity for legal clarity ahead of the launch.

The Blockchain NFT Wars Are Here

NFTs could become a trillion-dollar industry, but not before its scalability issues are adequately addressed.

Druckenmiller, Jones and Bitcoin’s Perfect Trading Machine

Speculators like Stanley Druckenmiller and Paul Tudor Jones love to play the game. Just don't pin them down to a side, says our columnist.

First Mover: What People Said About Bitcoin In 2020 (Both Good and Bad)

A lot of people said a lot of things, both good and bad, about bitcoin in 2020, as the 11-year-old cryptocurrency defied doubters with a tripling in price. 

First Cryptocurrency Used by Pornhub Eyes New Use Case in Mobile Charging

Verge is teaming with a U.S. firm to launch a mobile-charging device that accepts crypto payments.

Native NFTs Look to Boost Engagement (and Monetization) for THETA.tv Streamers

The addition of NFTs to the gaming-focused network means streamers can create their own unique items to share with their fans.

Payments Firm Wirex Becomes Visa Principal Member Ahead of Crypto Card Launch

The crypto and fiat payments firm can now issue Visa cards.

Ford Finds Using Blockchain With Hybrid Vehicles Can Help Cut Air Pollution in Cities

The automaker's study used blockchain to record hybrid vehicles as they automatically shifted to low-emissions mode in restricted city zones.

Craig Wright’s Wife Wins UK Lawsuit Over Bitcoin Trading Account Closure

The exchange operator failed to convince the court that Craig Wright had in fact been trading through his wife's account.

Why NFT Collector ‘WhaleShark’ Spent 22 ETH on These Sneakers

Sneaker studio RTFKT combined physical and digital collectibles in an NFT auction that drew $13,331 for a pair of shoes.

Crypto Exchange Coinbase Is Hiring for a New Canada Operation

The cryptocurrency exchange said the new offices are due to open in 2021, subject to the local coronavirus situation.

Huobi Crypto Exchange Returning to US After Winning Nevada Trust License

After an abrupt departure over a year ago, Huobi has now secured a state trust license for its return to the U.S. market.

India’s Leading Bitcoin Exchange Raises $13.9M From Block.One, Coinbase Ventures

India's largest cryptocurrency exchange, CoinDCX, has raised $13.9 million in a Series B funding round led by Block.one.

‘There Is No Emergency Here’: Coinbase Asks FinCEN to Extend Comment Period on Wallet Regs

Two weeks during the holiday season and a pandemic is not enough time, the exchange said, asking for the customary 60 days.

Ripple CEO Warns SEC May Sue Company Over XRP Sales

"It’s an attack on the entire crypto industry and American innovation," Brad Garlinghouse said in a statement.

Central Banks Had to Up Their Money Game This Year – And They Did

Faced by the rise of stablecoins and other blockchain experiments, central banks had to up their monetary game – and they did.

Linzhi Begins Rollout of Long-Awaited Ethereum Miner ‘Phoenix’

Linzhi’s “Phoenix” Ethereum ASIC miner is three times more powerful than other machines on the market, as well as more energy efficient.

Raoul Pal on the Coming Transformation of Monetary and Fiscal Policy

The founder of Real Vision joins NLW for a discussion of CBDCs, bitcoin and why he remains "irresponsibly long."

Author Ben Mezrich on Capturing the Winklevii and Plans for a ‘Bitcoin Billionaires’ Movie

Mezrich, who wrote the book that became "The Social Network," says that movie failed to present the real Winklevoss twins.

Scaramucci’s SkyBridge Launching a Bitcoin Fund

Anthony Scaramucci's $9.2B hedge fund manager is launching its first bitcoin fund.

Uniswap Is the Number One Gas Guzzler on Ethereum

Decentralized exchange Uniswap burns through more gas than any other application on Ethereum.

Bitcoin News Roundup for Dec. 21, 2020

With BTC retreating from its eight-day streak of gains and MicroStrategy's most recent bitcoin splurge, CoinDesk’s Market’s Daily is back with another crypto news roundup.

Grayscale Halts Bitcoin Trust Inflows as JPMorgan Warns Slowdown Could Hit BTC Price

Without new capital inflows, Grayscale will not be able to buy more bitcoin or ethereum.

Bank of Russia Chair: Digital Ruble Is No Threat to Banks

Russian banks are concerned the digital ruble might hurt their business, but the Bank of Russia is nonchalant

BitGrail Operator May Have Hacked Own Exchange to Steal €120M, Police Allege

Italian police said the Florence-based man is either behind the breaches or took no action after the first attack came to light.

Public Blockchains Are Set to Reshape Global Commerce (2020 Was the Start)

EY's blockchain leader says blockchain technology's biggest impact will be in lowering transaction costs in the global economy.

India’s State-Led Payment Network Is Growing. Now Nation Wants to Export It

India’s state-led payments system, United Payments Interface (UPI), was first rolled out in 2016 and is currently used by 175 million people.

First Mover: As Markets Turn Ugly, Bitcoiners Thank Secular Trend

At start of October, bitcoin analysts were bullish, but few would have guessed the cryptocurrency's price could double by the end of 2020.

Crypto Exchange EXMO Says Hackers Have Stolen 5% of Total Assets

The incident saw losses of bitcoin, XRP, zcash, tether, ether and ethereum classic, according to early analysis.

Tezos Israel Develops Hardware Device to Protect Network Validators’ Staked Assets

Innovation hub Tezos Israel has built a hardware security device it says will better secure the staked assets of Tezos' network validators.

Robot Ventures, Others Back ‘Crypto Stripe’ Flexa in $20M Raise

The crypto payment provider has raised $20 million from a private sale of its AMP token used for its new backend.

MicroStrategy Splurges Another $650M in Latest Bitcoin Investment

MicroStrategy is transforming itself into corporate America's boldest bitcoin bull, now owning bitcoin worth over $1.596 billion.

IBM Launches Test Service Using ‘Holy Grail’ of Data Privacy Technology

The privacy technology, called fully homomorphic encryption, keeps data hidden even when being processed.

Puerto Rico-Based FV Bank to Offer Regulated Crypto Custody in the US

FV Bank says it has received permission from a Puerto Rico banking regulator to provide custody services for bitcoin, ether and more in the U.S.

Decentralized Stock Trading Launches on DeFi Platform Injective Protocol

The tokenized stock offerings initially include Airbnb, Tesla, Amazon and Google.

A Slowing of Grayscale Bitcoin Fund Inflows Could Prompt Price Correction: JPMorgan

Digital asset investment firm Grayscale is sucking up so much bitcoin it could sway prices.

Why Ledger Kept All That Customer Data in the First Place

Sunday’s dump of customer emails and addresses serves as a sobering reminder that even a maker of hardware crypto wallets can become a data honeypot.

Bitcoin Price Caps Best Week in 20 Months With 23% Gain

Bitcoin ended the week trading just below $23,500.

Crypto Long & Short: Bitcoin Is More Than a Hedge Against Inflation – It’s a Hedge Against ‘Crazy’

For many, bitcoin is hedge against inflation. But it's also a safety play for a world where old ideas about economics are up in the air.

US Lawmakers ‘Hours Away’ From Stimulus Bill, McConnell Says: WSJ

Negotiators on Sunday were hammering out final details of a $900 million pandemic stimulus, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The Graph’s Token Soars as a Bevy of Exchanges Add the Cryptocurrency

Coinbase, Kucoin, OKEx, Kraken, Binance and other exchanges are now allowing trading of the GRT token.

You Say You Want a Bitcoin Revolution

The way the Beatles revolution was corporatized has lessons for Bitcoin's future. It needs to remain true to its roots.

Square’s Cash App Now Lets Customers Get Bitcoin Back on Purchases

Previously, Cash App had only allowed clients to get U.S. currency back on transactions.

Warp Finance Says It Recovered 75% of the $7.76M Funds Taken in Flash Loan Attack

The recovered funds should be distributed sometime late Sunday night.

Road to IPO: Coinbase’s Power Struggles

A new book about Coinbase, which this week announced plans for an IPO, lifts the lid on executive infighting at the startup in 2018 and 2019.

Where Peer-to-Peer Finance Grabbed Hold This Year

Nigeria, China, India, the U.S. and Vietnam were leading markets for peer-to-peer finance. South Africa and Turkey saw more stablecoin use.

Why Bitcoin and Rehypothecation Don’t Mix

A reading of Jeffrey Snider’s latest essay and Caitlin Long’s companion tweet thread.

Dogecoin Jumps 20% After Elon Musk Twitter Shout-Out

Musk fired off a series of bitcoin-related tweets too.

Tiny Capital’s Wilkinson Shows Interest in Bitcoin

Wilkinson's tweeted inquiry started a lively debate on the merits of the most valuable cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin Tops 24K, Setting New All-Time High

The price of bitcoin (BTC) topped 24,000, for the first time ever before falling back.

Bitcoin.org Briefly Shut Down by Denial of Service Attack; Bitcoin Not Affected

While the site was inaccessible, Bitcoiners shared the software to newcomers wanting to download Bitcoin's code.

Jefferies’ Wood Cuts Gold Exposure in Favor of Bitcoin

Wood will be cutting the gold position in his long-only asset allocation for U.S.-dollar-based pension funds to 45% from 50% and initiating a 5% holding of bitcoin

COVID and Big Tech Burnout Are Pushing Social Tokens Mainstream

Before this year, social tokens were an intriguing but mostly hypothetical way to build a creator community.

Preston Pysh on Why Currencies Fail

An encore presentation of NLW’s conversation with Preston Pysh recorded on March 12 – the infamous Black Thursday.

What This Digital Asset Investment Firm Missed and Capitalized on in 2020

Arca's CIO on DeFi's big year, Bitcoin's ascent to “mainstream global investment,” and the promise of digitizing the live sports experience.

The Pandemic Turbocharged Online Privacy Concerns

End-to-end encryption was never more important than this year. In 2021, battles over the future of online privacy – and therefore the nature of the internet itself – will come to head.

Balaji Srinivasan on Communist Capital vs. Woke Capital vs. Crypto Capital

One of the internet’s most fluid thinkers joins to give a brief history of the future.

Lil Pump Is Doing a Social Token Called PumpCoin

Rapper Lil Pump is the latest celebrity to dip into the crypto world with the launch of his “PumpCoin” social token.

Blockchain Bites: The Fight for Private, Digital Cash

Coinbase send IPO smoke signals. FinCEN wants crypto experts. Bitcoin is still above $20K.

Ruffer Investment Used Coinbase to Execute $745M Bitcoin Buy

Coinbase and One River Digital worked in tandem to execute U.K mega-manager Ruffer Investment's $745 million bitcoin purchase in November.

Coinbase Picks Goldman Sachs to Lead Upcoming IPO: Report

Coinbase's selection comes per industry sources cited by Business Insider.

Bitcoin News Roundup for Dec. 18, 2020

With Deribit providing options for betting on a bitcoin rally and the IMF's predictions for digital currencies, CoinDesk’s Market’s Daily is back with another crypto news roundup.

Money Reimagined: Your Data, Our Humanity

At stake as we debate the data-monopolizing power of the internet’s biggest companies: the future of what it means to be human.

Privacy, Social Media and the Reinvention of Company Towns

Join Michael Casey and Shelia Warren as they speak with tech ethnographer Tricia Wang and metaMe CEO Dele Atanda, as they dig into the value of personal data and privacy in the modern era.

Akon: Crypto Can Give Africa Financial Freedom

The revolutionary power of blockchain will play a significant role in the golden age of African development.

First Mover: Bitcoin Rally Stalls as ‘DeFi Summer’ Proves Endless

This year's explosion in decentralized finance, or DeFi, highlighted just how much innovation was happening in digital-asset markets, beyond bitcoin.

FTX Seeks to Launch Coinbase Futures Market Ahead of Public Listing

Launching the new futures market depends on regulatory clarity.

Mizuho Analyst: Bitcoin Will Make PayPal ‘Center of People’s Financial Lives’

Mizuho sees bitcoin not as a source of revenue itself, "but as a vehicle to boost engagement on the app," and that could drive revenue growth.

Scottish University Taps Blockchain Tech to Fight Whisky Fakes

Anti-tamper bottle tags and the blockchain tracking platform from Everledger are being deployed to help tackle the trade in counterfeit whiskies.

The Good, the Bad and the DAOs Only a Founder Could Love in 2020

Founder of DAO Leadership Grace Rachmany gives a rundown on the current state of the DAO landscape.

Japan’s SBI, Securitize Bringing Security Tokens to Crypto Wallet for Institutions

The integration with Securitize will enable users of the "sbiwallet" to sell, issue and manage tokenized securities directly within the app.

Beyond ASICs: 3 Trends Driving Bitcoin Mining Innovation

The bitcoin mining industry needs more than a market rally to survive – it needs to find answers to its environmental and geographical threats.

Self-Hosted Bitcoin Wallets Become Front Line in Fight Over Crypto Regulations

The steady creep of know-your-customer (KYC) requirements over firms that touch digital assets is now at the foot of self-hosted wallets.

Deribit’s New Options Allow Bitcoin Traders to Bet on Rally to $100K

Options at the $100,000 strike price expiring on Sept. 24, 2021, went live on Deribit Thursday.

US Man Admits Using Bitcoin to Help Launder $630K From Romance, Lottery Scams

Austin Nedved pleaded guilty to involvement in scams that reaped over $600,000 by targeting the elderly and vulnerable.

Bitcoin Exchange Safello Raises $1.3M for Planned 2021 IPO

The Sweden-based exchange says it aims to list on Nasdaq's First North Growth Market next year.

FC Barcelona Footballer Invests $4.3M in Fan Token Platform Sorare

Sorare, the platform for digital soccer collectibles, announced that FC Barcelona's Gerard Piqué is investing $4.3 million in the NFT site.

US Treasury Bulking Up Crypto Policy Advisers as Wallet Reg Rumors Swirl

FinCEN has posted a pair of job listings for crypto policy advisors amid rumors that new regulations around wallets will arrive soon.

Warp Finance Suffers Possible $8M Flash Loan Attack

The scheme has become common in the fast-growing DeFi sector.

Web 3.0 Infrastructure Blockchain ‘The Graph’ Now Live on Ethereum

The Graph seeks to create usable decentralized indexes and API feeds for blockchain-based projects through its own blockchain and native token GRT.

CFTC’s Latest Crypto Primer Highlights DeFi, Governance

Decentralized finance and crypto governance are among a growing list of topics the Commodity Futures Trading Commission is watching in the digital asset space, it said in a new primer.

DeFi Startup Brings Corporate Lending Terms to Miners, Traders and Market Makers

Maple Finance is a new firm out of Australia releasing a token-governed platform for institutional lending.

Binance Labs Leads $12M Series B for Multi-Asset Wallet Developer MATH

NGC Ventures, Capital6 Eagle and Amber Group co-led the round.

Bridging Cultural Gaps in 2021: Crypto in China and the US

Culture nuance defines a business climate. Multicoin investment principal Mable Jiang breaks down the divisions between East and West.

Bitcoin Chatter on Twitter Nears Highest Level in 3 Years Amid Price Surge

Unique Twitter accounts joining the bitcoin conversation also surged, according to data from The TIE.

Robinhood Pays SEC $65M to Settle Allegations It Misled Customers

Robinhood's commission-free trading model actually deprived customers of $34 million, the SEC alleged.

The Year We Learned the Rewards and Risks of Smart Devices

Moving into 2021, smart devices may be the most important battleground for data ownership and personal privacy.

First Mover: Geek-Fest Turns Relevant as Bitcoin Passes $21K, $22K, $23K

As bitcoin prices push to new all-time highs, it's worth recalling May's "halving," which highlighted the cryptocurrency's potential inflation-resistance.

Global Stablecoins Could Eventually Become Reserve Currencies: IMF Paper

The IMF paper suggests that the U.S. dollar's role as a reserve currency is safe for now, but private digital currencies could come to compete in time.

Digital Assets Find Their Footing in Unstable Times

Socioeconomic forces have tipped in crypto's favor this year.

US Bitcoin Mining Firm Core Scientific to Triple Capacity With Massive 59,000-Machine Order

U.S. blockchain and AI infrastructure provider Core Scientific has expanded its fleet of state-of-the-art crypto miners to over 77,000.

Salvation Army Now Accepts Bitcoin, Ether Donations in US

The Salvation Army Western Territory is now accepting crypto donations through Engiven’s platform.

Above $100: Litecoin Hits Highest Price Since Summer 2019

Litecoin hasn't been in three figures since its second mining reward halving in 2019.

Mining Market NiceHash Refunds Users 4,640 Bitcoin Lost in 2017 Hack

The company has "regularly waved profits" for three years, the firm's CEO wrote Thursday.

Musician Sells NFT Token Bringing Royalty Rights for $26K in Crypto

Music streaming platform Rocki has announced its first NFT sale as it prepares for beta launch.

Paxos Raises $142M Series C Following PayPal Deal, OCC Bank Charter Application

Paxos has raised $142 million to facilitate mainstream adoption. “We think that opportunity is now,” said CEO Charles Cascarilla.

Bitcoin Drops Nearly 7% After Setting New Record High of $23,770

Bitcoin surged to new record highs above $23,000 earlier on Thursday, before quickly falling back by over $1,500.

American Express Invests in Institutional Trading Platform FalconX

FalconX announced Wednesday that American Express Ventures made the investment as an extension of a fundraise earlier this year, but did not disclose an amount.

Crypto Exchange Bitpanda to Double Workforce With €10M Tech Hub Launch

The new hub in Krakov, Poland, will help the company expand and launch new services, execs said.

Bitcoin Sailing in Uncharted Waters as Price Crosses $22K for First Time

Bitcoin is heading north having blown past two price hurdles to reach another record all-time high.

Coinbase CEO Pens Words of Caution to Crypto Newcomers

Brian Armstrong has provided sobering words to new entrants of cryptocurrency.

Lil Yachty Collectible Fetches $16K in Latest String of High-Profile NFT Auctions

The lucky winner is “westcoastbill” – a user who appears to have sniped Tyler Winklevoss by $50 at the last minute.

Bitcoin Mining Stocks Soar as BTC Blows Past $20,000

Share prices for publicly traded bitcoin mining companies are climbing as the leading cryptocurrency sliced through $20,000 Wednesday.

Bitcoin News Roundup for Dec. 16, 2020

With BTC breaking $20K for the first time and the Fed announcing yet another change to monetary policy, CoinDesk’s Market’s Daily is back with another crypto news roundup.

Bitcoin Scam Using Unauthorized Celebrity Images in Ads Traced to Moscow: Report

A Guardian Australia investigation traced the source of a major crypto scam using Google ads to addresses in Moscow.

Why $20,000 Bitcoin Matters

Validation. Psychology. FOMO. NLW looks at why today’s price achievement marks a turning point in bitcoin’s history.

Why You Should or Shouldn’t Fire Your Financial Adviser Over Bitcoin

On this special holiday episode of "On Purpose," host Tyrone Ross breaks down his viewpoint on the abuse financial advisers are receiving for missing the boat on bitcoin.

First Mover: Stimulus Tests Bitcoin in Real-Time, and It Passes $20K

Bitcoin has climbed as more big investors said it might serve as a hedge against inflation. On Wednesday prices crossed $20K for the first time.

CME Announces Ether Futures Contracts

The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) announced Wednesday that it will launch a futures contract on ether, the world's second-largest cryptocurrency by market value, in February 2021.

OKCoin Debuts CeFi-DeFi Mashup With Portal for Stablecoin Deposits

OKCoin is allowing users to invest in decentralized finance (DeFi) applications through its site without paying gas fees.

Experiments in Crypto’s Governance Lab

Governance is one of the least appreciated fields of innovation in crypto and this year we saw exciting new ideas emerge.

French Fashion Brand Adds Blockchain Tracking to Clothes Made From Ocean Plastic

True Tribe is using the Ethereum-based SUKU protocol to track the provenance of clothing made from recycled ocean trash.

Kraken Exchange Will Integrate Bitcoin’s Lightning Network in 2021

The Kraken Exchange will be implementing Bitcoin’s Lightning Network in 2021, and it’s begun hiring a team to manage the feature.

Bitcoin Hits Record Above $20K as Analysts Remain Confident of Future

Bitcoin has risen above $20,000 to reach the highest point in its 12-year history.

Robinhood Faces Legal Action from US Regulator Over ‘Aggressive Marketing’: WSJ

The Massachusetts Securities Division reportedly wants Robinhood to better protect its inexperienced traders.

Ruffer Investment Confirms Massive Bitcoin Buy of $744M

UK-based Ruffer confirmed the size of its tremendous bitcoin investment from November in an email to CoinDesk Wednesday.

Crypto Is a Low-Risk, High-Reward Career Move These Days

Betting your career on crypto is dangerous now we have billion dollar businesses and people like Paul Tudor Jones have endorsed Bitcoin.

Fintech Company Launches Platform to Assist in Central Bank Digital Currency Development

Fintech company EMTECH is launching a compliance platform that helps central banks tackle compliance issues or safely test their central bank digital currencies.

Valid Points: The Four Keys to Unlocking Ethereum 2.0, Explained

Staking services on Ethereum 2.0 come in two flavors: custodial and noncustodial. Their difference comes down to who's holding what keys.

Germany Legalizes Electronic Securities on the Blockchain

Angela Merkel's cabinet passed new legislation on Wednesday removing the requirement to have paper-based securities and allowing blockchain to be used instead.

Bitcoin Hits 2-Week High Above $19.7K

Bitcoin has jumped to its highest since setting an all-time high on Dec. 1.

Centra Tech Co-Founder Handed Prison Term for $25M Crypto Fraud

The cryptocurrency firm had falsely claimed to have an impressive executive team, as well as 38 state money transmitter licenses.

UK FCA Grants Crypto Firms Temporary Registration as It Deals With Applications Backlog

There had been fears in the industry that crypto firms might be left in no man's land as the FCA deadline looked set to pass with many applications still waiting to be processed.

Polychain, Foxconn’s Jack Lee Join 8-Figure Round for ‘Open Finance’ Project Findora

The round, said to be in the in the "tens of millions," was led by cryptocurrency venture capital firm Polychain Capital.

Silk Road’s Ulbricht Being Considered for Pardon by Trump: Report

President Trump might be considering a pardon for the notorious Silk Road figure.

New Federal Reserve ‘Qualitative’ Approach Could Push Further Into Experimental Realm

"Qualitative" is the new "quantitative" as economists predict the Federal Reserve will move to add subjectivity to its rules on money printing.

Riot to Test Immersion Cooling Bitcoin Mining Technology in Texas

The firm is looking to improve efficiency in "difficult temperature environments."

SBI Financial Acquires Institutional Crypto Desk B2C2

SBI Financial Services has acquired cryptocurrency trading platform B2C2, according to a report.

Bitcoin News Roundup for Dec. 15, 2020

With a new plan to return more than 100,000 BTC to long-suffering exchange customers-turned-creditors and with a look at Argentina and broader crypto adoption across South America, CoinDesk's Market's Daily is back with another crypto news roundup.

‘Happy Staking’: Ethereum Core’s Danny Ryan on 2.0 in 2021

An Ethereum insider reveals what it's like to work on ETH 2.0 and offers a peek at next year's development roadmap.

New York’s Quontic to Be First US Bank to Offer a Bitcoin Rewards Debit Card

Queens-based Quontic Bank is slated to become the first FDIC-insured financial institution to launch a bitcoin rewards checking program.

Estonia Has Withdrawn Licenses From Over 1,000 Crypto Companies This Year

The mass license revocation still leaves around 400 virtual currency service providers (VASPs) licensed in Estonia, according to the finance ministry.

DeFi on Bitcoin Gets a Boost as Sovryn Launches on RSK Sidechain

Sovryn is launching a lending and derivatives market on the RSK Bitcoin sidechain in a bid to promote DeFi on Bitcoin.

Las Criptomonedas Surgen en la Desafiante Economía de Argentina

La industria de la criptografía de Argentina registró volúmenes comerciales récord este año, en medio de la pandemia de COVID-19 y las dificultades económicas.

Amid DeFi Hacks, Nervos and Cardano Join Forces to Improve Smart Contract Security

Blockchain projects Nervos and Cardano are working together to improve the security of UTXOs to reduce smart contract hacks.

Secret Network Launches Bridge to Bring Transactional Privacy to Ethereum

The bridge will also give users access to Secret DeFi, privacy-preserving decentralized finance apps built on the Secret Network.

Four Big Reasons Bitcoin Belongs in Your Portfolio

Technology is deflationary, making it harder for central banks to pay back debt. Bitcoin is insurance against irresponsible monetary policy.

First Mover: Reminiscing on Pre-Pandemic Bitcoin as Rally Stalls

Back in January, few analysts could foresee the investment theme that would ultimately cause bitcoin prices to triple over the course of 2020.

Crypto Finance AG Hires SIX Group Exec to Lead Brokerage Business

The new hire, Rupertus Rothenhaeuser, was previously head of business at SIX Group's digital assets exchange.

WEF, Mining Giants Develop Blockchain Platform for Tracking Carbon Emissions

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has finalized a platform that tracks CO2 emissions during mining processes using blockchain.

Mt Gox Creditors’ Wait Nearly Over as Trustee Announces Draft Rehabilitation Plan

Mt. Gox’s trustee Nobuaki Kobayashi has at last filed a draft plan for the rehabilitation of creditors including former users. See also: Mt. Gox Deadline Extended Again After Creditors Criticize Refund Proposal

SatoshiPay to Become First User of German Bank’s Euro Stablecoin

Bankhaus von der Heydt partnered with Bitbond to launch its euro-backed stablecoin on Stellar last week.

Bitcoin May Have Hit Wall of Profit Takers Around $19,500: Analyst

Huobi Global saw an influx of larger-than-average bitcoin deposits soon before the price drop, an analyst said.

Kadena Onboards Celo’s Dollar Stablecoin, Plots January Launch for Decentralized Exchange

The hybrid blockchain maker said it is collaborating with fintech firm Celo to on-board its stablecoin, cUSD, to Kadena’s platform using a trustless bridge.

Grayscale Now Has $13B in Crypto Assets Under Management

Grayscale's bitcoin and ether trusts now make up almost the entire $13 billion in AUM value.

OCC Economist Cites Benefits of Issuing Bank Charters to Stablecoin Providers

The OCC's head economist said in a paper that chartering stablecoin providers would offer benefits to consumers, as well as to the firms themselves.

How Israeli VCs Are Doubling Down on DeFi Startups

The three co-founders of Collider Ventures agree Israel’s vibrant crypto industry waned, yet didn’t fizzle, throughout 2020.

Banca Generali Leads $14M Round in Italian Crypto Custody Firm Conio

Banca Generali, a subsidiary of Italy’s largest insurer, will also help its customers hold bitcoin following the $14 million Series B.

Market Wrap: Bitcoin Pushes Past $19.2K; Ether at 3% of BTC Price

Bitcoin is making gains after a strong volume weekend while ether’s percentage of BTC price shows it may have room to climb.

JPMorgan Discusses $600B in Potential New Bitcoin Demand

MassMutual’s $100M BTC investment has the potential to open a massive new investment category, according to analysts.

Square Crypto’s 20th Grant Will Support Bitcoin Design, User Experience

Square Crypto is issuing another Bitcoin developer grant for research on Bitcoin design and user experience.

Bloccelerate VC Raises $12M Fund to Bet on Enterprise Blockchain Adoption

The Seattle-based firm plans to invest in 10-15 ventures in the blockchain space over the next two to three years.

Microsoft, EY Expand Blockchain Platform for Gaming Rights to Include Payments

Microsoft and Ernst & Young LLP announced plans to use a blockchain platform to allow Microsoft’s Xbox gaming partners, artists, and content creators to track and manage their payments and royalty contracts.

Blockchain Bites: Google Goes Down, Nexus CEO and US Treasury Get Hacked

Yearn continues to rapidly expand through acquisitions, leading some to call it the Amazon of DeFi. While a U.S. Treasury hack serves as a reminder of the amount of financial data in circulation.

Coinstar Expands Its Coinme Bitcoin ATM Fleet to 5,000

Coinme-powered bitcoin ATMs have sold 650% more bitcoins this year than in 2019.

Ukraine Oligarch’s Troubled US Steel Plant Has Been Quietly Mining Bitcoin: Report

The Kentucky-based CC Metals & Alloys steel plant owned by Ukrainian billionaire Ihor Kolomoisky is mining bitcoin as other activities have stopped, according to a report.

Evercore Says PayPal’s Crypto Offering Could Bring Big Business Boost

An Evercore analyst named PayPal as the top payments stock and said its recently launched cryptocurrency offering could boost margin.

How the Incoming Administration Can Fix Crypto Regulation

From securities law to DeFi, there's a lot for U.S. regulatory agencies to clarify about crypto in the year ahead.

Band Protocol Becomes First Blockchain Project to Join OpenAPI Initiative

Band Protocol will help create a common standard enabling blockchain applications to easily leverage APIs and data.

Buterin Warns Followers Not to Take Out Personal Loans to Buy Crypto

Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin took to Twitter to warn his followers not to take personal loans to purchase cryptocurrencies.

First Mover: Horrible 2020 Economy Proved Best Thing for Bitcoin

In 2020, bitcoin went from fringe investment to the talk of Wall Street, as the coronavirus-induced recession spurred recovery plans built around stimulus.

Crypto Is Booming in Economically Challenged Argentina

Argentina's crypto industry saw record trading volumes this year, amid the COVID-19 pandemic and economic hardship.

Mergers Position Yearn Finance as the Amazon of DeFi

Yearn Finance looks like it could assemble the Amazon of DeFi. If it does it, it will get there like everything else in crypto: way faster.

CEO of DeFi Insurer Nexus Mutual Hacked for $8M in NXM Tokens

Nexus Mutual's CEO, Hugh Karp, lost the tokens after an attacker gained remote access to his computer.

Bitcoin Exchanges Flood London’s Metro With Adverts

Two cryptocurrency exchanges chose to kick off advertising campaigns on London's Underground system Monday.

Bitcoin Still on Track to Breach $20K in Coming Weeks: Analysts

Bitcoin's revived uptrend could soon lead to a much-anticipated breakout above the $20,000 mark, according to several analysts.

Crypto Bank Sygnum Tokenizes Shares, Eyes Public Offering

The regulated Swiss firm is now eyeing a dual listing of shares in Switzerland and Singapore in partnership with the SIX Digital Exchange.

MassMutual’s $100M Bitcoin Investment Marks Adoption Milestone: JPMorgan

JPMorgan analysts said MassMutual's recent $100 million bitcoin purchases are a sign of growing mainstream acceptance for the cryptocurrency.

Ex-People’s Bank Chief Says Digital Yuan Not Planned to Replace Global Currencies

"We are not like Libra and we don’t have an ambition to replace existing currencies,” said a former governor of the People's Bank of China.

Binance, OKEx Payments Partner Banxa Set to Make Milestone Stock Exchange Listing

The crypto payments infrastructure provider is set to list on a Canadian stock exchange in what's being claimed as a world first.

Crypto Long & Short: Bitcoin’s Relationship With Gold Is More Complicated Than It Looks

Just because gold is losing momentum and bitcoin is gaining it doesn't mean investors are selling gold to buy bitcoin – not yet, anyway.

Fidelity’s Custody Business Around Bitcoin ‘Incredibly Successful’: Johnson

Fidelity Investments CEO Abby Johnson says the mutual fund giant's custody business around bitcoin has been "incredibly successful" and has a "tremendous pipeline."

Saylor Hits Back at Claims MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin Trove Makes It an ETF

The MicroStrategy CEO took to Twitter to dismiss widespread speculation that his company's recent massive purchases of bitcoin have turned it into an investment firm or de facto ETF.

How Much Debt Can a Country Handle?

As conventional wisdom grows that central banks can go more deeply into debt than previously thought, one economist asks, how much is too much?

Bank of France’s Deputy Governor Discusses CBDC Progress, Regulatory Changes

The Bank of France’s deputy governor said there has been a “hands-on approach” with the bank’s experiment to launch a digital euro for the general public.

The Bitcoin Banking Battle Heats Up

Banks are moving into crypto and crypto companies are trying to become banks, so how does it all play out?

What Is XRP, and How Is It Related to Ripple?

XRP is a digital asset and cryptocurrency issued and partly managed by Ripple, a payment solutions company.

Aegis Custody Clears Hurdle in Bid for South Dakota Trust Charter

Aegis Custody wants to build a tokenized bridge between U.S. investors and trade finance opportunities in Asia.

Privacy Coin Advocates Persevere Amid Multiple Crypto Exchange Delistings

As delisting for privacy coins spreads, advocates argue that not only should regulators want them on exchanges but they should tell exchanges what they need to do to be compliant.

Women in Tech Say Proposed STABLE Act Harms Those It Claims to Protect

Women of color from the cryptocurrency industry are concerned the STABLE Act would make wealth disparities in the U.S. much worse.

This One Graph Shows Ether Going From CeFi to DeFi: Glassnode

Data indicates DeFi could take a huge bite out of CeFi when it comes to the ether cryptocurrency.

MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin-Driven Offering Boosted to $650M After Notes Buyer Bought $100M More

MicroStrategy's debt raise resulted in an estimated $639 million for bitcoin purchases.

Money Reimagined: Bitcoin’s Tug of War as Wall Street Moves In

As Wall Street buys bitcoin, crypto faces a fight for its soul. On the one side is mainstream acceptance. On the other: its cypherpunk roots.

Blockchain Bites: Bitcoin Whales Throwing Their Weight Around, Virgil Griffith’s Rights

There are more bitcoin "whales" than ever, and new data shows how they drive market movements.

Meet the 19-Year-Old Ukrainian Lawmaker With Millions in Monero

A 19-year old Rostislav Solod is a Ukrainian politician and a monero whale dreaming of launching his own token

Revolut App Adds 4 Cryptos to Buying, Selling Service

The fintech firm added eos, omg network, tezos and 0x for its European users.

SDX Chief Gets Philosophical About Crypto’s Swiss-Singapore Connection

The crypto corridor connecting Switzerland and Singapore is firming up, involving many of the usual suspects in banking, custody and trading.

Sweden Considering Whether to Switch to the E-Krona: Report

Sweden's central bank has begun to study the feasibility of moving the country to a digital currency.

Multicoin Capital Leads $1.15M Seed Round for DeFi Protocol Swivel Finance

The decentralized protocol says its offerings of fixed-rate lending and interest-rate derivatives will place it in a unique position in Defi.

First Mover: Stimulus Bet Wins Even as Bitcoin Slips Below $18K

MassMutual's push into bitcoin shows increasing adoption – of the narrative that the cryptocurrency can work as a hedge against central-bank money printing.

Virgil Griffith Still Doesn’t Know What Exact Crimes He Is Accused of, Attorneys Say

Attorneys for Virgil Griffith want the U.S. government to specify the charges he’s facing, rather than a broad claim that he violated U.S. sanctions.

Wallets With Over 1,000 Bitcoin Have Hit Record Number: Chainalysis

The data backs the popular narrative that institutional bitcoin investors have been leading the 2020 price rally.

Bitcoin Whales Buy High, Sell Low; Retail Investors Chase Rallies: Data

Data from OKEx gives one explanation of how bitcoin whales were able to influence the market during the rallies.

Users of Hacked Exchange Cryptopia Can Now Make Claims to Recover Funds

The liquidator of the defunct cryptocurrency exchange has opened a portal so former users can begin making claims to retrieve their trapped funds.

India’s Banks Are Once More Serving Crypto Traders and Exchanges

Indian banks have started doing business with select cryptocurrency exchanges and their customers, CoinDesk has confirmed.

Putin Orders Russia’s Public Officials to Report Crypto Holdings

Russian civil servants must start reporting their crypto assets as the country's first crypto law comes into force in January.

3 Chinese E-Commerce Giants Join Latest Digital Yuan Lottery Trial: Report

Didi, Meituan and Bilibili are reportedly taking part in the latest test of the digital yuan, allowing lottery winners to spend the digital currency online.

New York Attorney General Says Bitfinex, Tether Could Complete Loan Document Handover in ‘Weeks’

The NYAG has said Tether and Bitfinex have been cooperating in its inquiry, which is expected to progress more quickly once the documents are provided.

$76M Ether Fund Makes ‘World First’ IPO on Canadian Stock Exchange

3iQ said its Ether Fund has completed an initial public offering on the Toronto Stock Exchange, calling it a "world first."

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce on a Bitcoin ETF, Custody Rules and What’s Next for the SEC

The SEC commissioner explains why the SEC’s approach has been “too slow and too ambiguous” and why she’s optimistic for 2021.

MassMutual Buys $100M in Bitcoin, Bets on Institutional Adoption With $5M NYDIG Stake

Massachusetts Mutual has made a $100 million investment in bitcoin and a $5 million equity stake in New York Digital Investments Group.

SEC Enforcement Director to Step Down by End of Year

Enforcement Director Stephanie Avakian led SEC investigations during the heart of its ICO crackdown.

Rapper Lil Yachty Sells Out Social Token in 21 Minutes

The token was listed on social money platform Fyooz, where buyers, most likely fans of the rapper, bought $YACHTY for $15 each.

Blockchain Bites: Paxos’ Banking Play, France’s KYC Terreur, FinCEN’s Personal Data Honeypot

U.S. lawmakers are asking the nation's financial guardians to clarify crypto custodianship while France wages war on anonymity.

Bitcoin Chart Views Soared Along With Price in November, TradingView Says

BTCUSD is consistently the most popularly viewed symbol in 2020.

Ethereum Far Outpaces Bitcoin in Developer Activity in 2020: Electric Capital Report

The number of developers in crypto is ticking up again, and one network remains a clear winner in attracting coders.

Will the Next M-Pesa Be a Blockchain App?

A contest for inclusive fintech shows the potential for crypto-related tech to help the world's poor, but also how much it still needs to develop.

Crypto-Friendly CFTC Chairman Tarbert Intends to Resign ‘Early Next Year’

CFTC Chairman Heath Tarbert intends to leave the role early in 2021, opening the door for President-elect Joe Biden to name a new top commodities regulator.

First Mover: Bitcoin Stuck as ECB’s Lagarde Primes Extra €500B Stimulus

The ECB's decision to expand an emergency bond-buying program by €500B may represent latest installment of years-long balance-sheet increase.

Curv Partners With MetaMask to Help Institutions Custody DeFi Assets

Curv is teaming up with MetaMask to allow institutions to invest in DeFi protocols while having institutional-grade custody options.

JPMorgan Completes Live Blockchain Repo Trade Ahead of New Product Launch

The live repo trade used a blockchain application built in-house, as well as the bank's jpm coin.

YIELD Raises $4.9M in Bid to Simplify DeFi

YIELD sets out to simplify the process of investing in DeFi products.

S&P, State Street Lead $15M Investment in Crypto Data Startup Lukka

Lukka is looking to go mainstream with a strategic investment from three stalwarts of traditional finance.

Kenyans Can Now Buy and sell Crypto Through Paxful’s P2P Marketplace

Paxful has partnered with Kenya-based remittance network BitLipa to allow users to buy and sell bitcoin and the tether stablecoin.

ECB Boosts Emergency Bond-Buying Program By 37% to €1.85T Amid Pandemic Resurgence

The ECB says the additional monetary policy actions were needed because of a resurgence in coronavirus cases.

How FinCEN Became a Honeypot for Sensitive Personal Data

Financial data records collected by FinCEN are a valuable tool for law enforcement. They’re also a trove of personal data on people who have not committed a crime.

SpaceChain Awarded $585K Grant to Co-Develop Decentralized Satellite System

U.K.-based SpaceChain beat 13 other national applicants to secure the funding.

Ukrainian Politician Discloses Owning $24M in Privacy Coin Monero

The city council member in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, bought 185,000 XMR in 2015 when the cryptocurrency's price was well below $1.

DBS Bank’s Digital Exchange to Begin Trading Crypto ‘Next Week’

The DBS Digital Exchange is 10% owned by Singapore's SGX stock exchange.

Airbnb Pre-IPO Derivatives Contract Listed on Crypto Exchange FTX

FTX exchange has listed an Airbnb derivatives product ahead of the home rental giant's initial public offering today.

Cryptocurrency Founder Charged With Avoiding Tax to Buy Yachts and Homes

"Bruno Brock" is alleged to have avoided tax on sales of the pearl cryptocurrency as well as minting free tokens for himself.

US Lawmakers Tell Mnuchin to Back Off From Potential Crypto Wallet Regs

Reps. Warren Davidson, Tom Emmer, Ted Budd and Scott Perry urged Steven Mnuchin to rethink his rumored self-hosted wallet regulations in an open letter Wednesday which warned such rules might "crush a nascent industry."

Bitfury to Sell Its 38% Stake in Bitcoin Miner Hut 8

Bitfury current holds 37.2 million shares of Hut 8.

Fidelity Digital to Accept Bitcoin Collateral on Cash Loans for Institutions

Fidelity Digital Assets is reportedly partnering with crypto lender BlockFi for the new business angle.

Crypto Remittances Prove Their Worth in Latin America

Crypto remittances are growing in Latin America, particularly in the wake of other remittance platforms shutting off access to some markets.

Over 13% of Bitcoin Crime Proceeds Laundered Through ‘Privacy Wallets’: Elliptic

The number of crypto criminals using so-called privacy wallets to help hide their identities is on the rise, according to analytics firm Elliptic.

Coinbase-Backed Bitso Raises $62M to Expand Crypto Footprint in Brazil

Latin American crypto exchange Bitso has raised a whopping $62 million funding round, the largest in the region for a digital asset firm.

Bitcoin’s Rising Popularity With Investors Means Gold Will ‘Suffer’: JPMorgan

"The adoption of bitcoin by institutional investors has only begun, while for gold, its adoption by institutional investors is very advanced," a JPMorgan managing director wrote in the report.

MicroStrategy, Raising Funds to Buy More Bitcoin, Boosts Notes Offering to $550M From $400M

MicroStrategy said Wednesday it anticipates raising $537.2 million in net proceeds from a debt offering the business intelligence company is conducting in its most brazen play yet to buy more bitcoin. The story is developing and will be updated with additional information.

First CoinSwap Test Could Herald an Era of Stronger Bitcoin Privacy

"A big day for bitcoin privacy" said developer Chris Belcher as he announced a test transaction implementing a promising privacy technology invented years ago

First Mover: Why Wells Fargo Won’t Recommend Bitcoin to Clients

A Wells Fargo unit doesn't recommend bitcoin to clients, since they can't yet hold cryptocurrency in their accounts. What if that ever changed?   

One of the World’s Oldest Banks Is Issuing a Euro Stablecoin on Stellar

Germany’s Bankhaus von der Heydt is working with Bitbond for the first direct issuance of a stablecoin by a bank on Stellar, the firms said.

Mastering Blockchain: A Virtual Book Launch in a Physically Distant Yet Still-Connected World

Join Tim O'Reilly, Michael Casey, Adam Levine, Daniel Cawrey and Lorne Lantz among others for a very special "Mastering Blockchain" book launch event.

OKCoin Agrees to List Blockstack’s STX Token in US Following SEC Turnabout

OKCoin announced it will become the first U.S.-based crypto exchange to list Blockstack PBC’s stacks token (STX).

Standard Chartered, Northern Trust to Launch Crypto Custody Service in the UK

Zodia Custody is currently pending approval by the U.K.'s Financial Conduct Authority and is expected to launch in 2021.

Valid Points: Ethereum 2.0 Soars Past 1M ETH Staked

Breaking down Ethereum 2.0 and its sweeping impact on crypto markets, weekly.

Bitwise’s Crypto Index Fund Becomes Available To U.S. Investors

Bitwise has launched the first crypto index fund available to investors in the U.S.

Bitcoin’s Options Market Skews Bearish as Spot Price Loses Ground

Bitcoin's fall toward $18,000 has revived demand for short-dated put options as a way to hedge downside risk.

Coinbase UK Discloses 22% Profit Drop in 2019

The British arm of the U.S. cryptocurrency exchange saw a sharp downturn in business in 2019.

ING Bank Opens Up About Crypto Custody Solution at Singapore Fintech Event

Speaking at the Singapore Fintech Festival, ING's blockchain lead spoke publicly for the first time about the bank's trials with digital assets.

Bridgewater’s Ray Dalio Softens Stance on Bitcoin, Says It Has Place in Investors’ Portfolios

The founder of the world's largest hedge fund says bitcoin can for part of a diversified portfolio, though he may still prefer gold.

Publishing Giant Bertelsmann Invests in Berlin-Based Crypto Fund

Bertelsmann has invested in the second fund of Berlin's Greenfield One, a crypto venture firm with earlier bets on NEAR, Arweave and others.

India’s State-Regulated Digital Payments Network Is Dominated by Google and Walmart

A shared payments infrastructure initiated by the state and joined by major Indian banks, the United Payments Interface (UPI) accounted for over 2.2 billion transactions in November.

Bitcoin Price Drops $1,000 in Worst Sell-Off in a Week

Bitcoin has fallen toward a key area of psychological support near $18,000.

Robinhood Hires Goldman Sach to Lead Possible $20B+ IPO: Report

The company was valued in its last funding round in September at $11.7 billion, showing how the platform has grown during the pandemic and among millennials, the NY Post said.

Andre Cronje: DeFi Expressionist

Andre Cronje founded the platform that kick-started 2020's DeFi summer that made thousands rich. It almost broke him.

Cathie Wood: Ahead of the Curve

Described by Bloomberg as the "best investor you've never heard of," Cathie Wood has made a string of smart, future-facing bets, including a big stake in Bitcoin.

Juan Benet: From Idea to Action

Filecoin and IPFS creator Juan Benet is unafraid of taking on imposing problems. Like, say, rebuilding the internet.

Linda Lacewell: A Friendlier Regulator

NYDFS Superintendent Linda Lacewell is a regulator prepared to work with the grain of crypto rather than against it.

Jesse Powell: Bitcoin Banker

In 2011, Jesse Powell stored digital assets for online gamers. Now, his crypto exchange has created a bank for which he helped develop the rules.

Bitcoin Dissidents: Those Who Need It Most

The global pandemic and interwoven political and economic crises became fertile ground for Bitcoin to become a tool for human rights.

Charles Cascarilla: PayPal Whisperer

PayPal pumped excitement into the bitcoin market this year. And on the back-end of every purchase is Charles Cascarilla's Paxos.

Michael Saylor: Bitcoin’s Cyber Hornet

Michael Saylor has been a bitcoin evangelist and dollar doomsayer for less than 6 months. But the bits that would become his bitcoin philosophy began forming three decades ago.

Blockchain Bites: Square’s Green Bitcoin Pledge, $15B AUM in Crypto Funds

Crypto markets are trading sideways, while Spain's second-largest bank is reportedly planning a leap into the digital asset industry.

Secondary Mining Markets Surge Amid ASIC Manufacturing Delays

Miners are “scrambling” for any available machines as manufacturers stay sold out.

How BitGo Is Getting Into the Events Business

BitGo has added cap intro services, a kind of marketing activity carried out among hedge fund investors, to its crypto brokerage offering.

Standard Chartered Bank to Launch Crypto Trading for Institutional Investors: Sources

Standard Chartered has gathered a group of crypto exchanges for a new digital asset trading platform tailored to the institutional market, according to sources.

Ohio Bill Enabling Blockchain Use by Government Moves to State Senate

House Bill 220 would enable Ohio's governmental bodies to use blockchain and DLT in their operations if signed into law.

RSK Is Changing How It ‘Pegs’ Bitcoin to Its Sidechain

Bitcoin sidechain developer RSK is revamping how users swap bitcoin for its network’s tokenized version for the cryptocurrency.

NEM’s Enterprise Blockchain ‘Symbol’ Enters Final Stage Before Launch

The code for Symbol has now been "frozen" in its current iteration, marking the last step in preparing for its mainnet launch.

Square to Support Greener Bitcoin Mining as Part of Zero-Carbon Pledge

Square will dedicate $10 million to the development of clean bitcoin mining technologies.

First Mover: Wells Fargo Bitcoin Briefing Could Signal Bull Run Intact

As banks like Wells Fargo come around to writing about bitcoin, pro crypto analysts are scrutinizing blockchain network activity for clues on market cycle.

Crypto Demand Surges on Indiegogo Founder’s Alternative Investments Platform

Vincent, the investment platform founded by Slava Rubin, is seeing an 80% growth in searches for digital assets.

Huobi’s HUSD Stablecoin to Run on Nervos Blockchain

China's Nervos picks Huobi's HUSD as the first available stablecoin on its blockchain amid a DeFi boom in China.

Fashion Brand Desigual Turns to Blockchain Tech for Supply Chain Visibility

The Barcelona-based fashion brand is to start tracing its supply chains on a blockchain platform from Finboot.

Bitcoin Drops 2% as European Stocks See Losses on Brexit Concerns

Bitcoin took a dip Tuesday as traditional markets suffer the jitters over fears of a "no-deal" Brexit.

SBI Teams Up With Swiss SIX Exchange to Offer Institutional Crypto Services in Singapore

An SBI Holdings subsidiary and SIX Digital Exchange will offer digital asset services for institutional investors in Singapore.

Crypto Funds Have Seen Record Investment Inflow in Recent Weeks

In the last month, weekly inflows to cryptocurrency funds from institutional investors have been breaking records, according to data reported by Reuters.

Blockchain-Based Immunity Passports Don’t Resolve Core Privacy Issues: Report

Proposals for immunity or vaccine passes have resurfaced with promising news about vaccines, but the web standards they’re based on contain flaws.

How One Bitcoin Options Trader Turned $638K Into $4.4M in 5 Weeks

As bitcoin rallied from $13,400 to over $19,000, a trader who bought the $36,000-strike January expiry call saw a paper profit of more than $4 million.

China’s Latest Digital Currency Trial Is Its Most Important Yet

More money, more participants, more participating banks and merchants – a look inside the latest DC/EP trial in Suzhou.

Rebranded Libra Still a ‘Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing’: German Finance Minister

German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz took aim at the rebranded lDiem and said it would take more than cosmetic changes to smoothen regulatory concerns.

Biden Administration Will ‘Ultimately Be Supportive’ of Crypto: Circle CEO

Oon CNBC’s ‘Squawk Box’ on Monday, Allaire spoke about the regulatory attitudes toward stablecoins and how the incoming administration may treat crypto.

Spain’s Second-Largest Bank Will Soon Launch Crypto Services: Sources

BBVA is poised to enter the cryptocurrency trading and custody space, according to two people familiar with the plans.

Fiat-to-Crypto Partnerships Expand Abra’s Footprint to 150+ Countries

Abra is expanding its crypto marketplace to dozens more countries through partnerships with four fiat-to-crypto gateways.

Blockchain Bites: $187M Blockchain Bond, $522M BTC Mining Revenue and ‘Ethereum-First’ Institutional Investors

Singapore is funding blockchain R&D. Germany's second-largest stock exchange's crypto app saw $1.21 billion in trading volumes this year. Grayscale is seeing a growing number of "Ethereum-first" institutional buyers.

Blockstack’s Stacks Tokens Could Be Tradable in US Amid New Blockchain Launch

Blockstack's Stacks tokens could soon no longer be a security in the US and become available to US investors.

G7 Officials Stress Need to Regulate Digital Currencies: US Treasury

The U.S. Treasury Department issued a statement following a virtual call with other G7 members.

Cryptocurrency Advised by Signal Founder Goes Live, Begins Trading on FTX

MobileCoin, which has been a bit of a white whale since the initial coin offering (ICO) era of 2017, announced a mainnet launch on Monday.

Bit Digital Completes $13.9M Deal for New Mining Machines

The company acquired nearly 18,000 new ASICs in an all-stock transaction.

SIX Stock Exchange Joins Venture Opening Up Digital Assets to Swiss Banks

SIX will join Swisscom and Sygnum in a new venture aimed to enable Swiss banks to offer digital assets to their customers.

BTC-e Operator Vinnik Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison on Money Laundering Charges

Alexander Vinnik, an alleged BTC-e operator, was found guilty of money laundering in France and sentenced to five years in prison.

Crypto Exchange Bittrex Lists Tokenized Apple, Amazon, Tesla Stocks for Trading

Bittrex's tokenized shares can be bought in fractions, rather than whole shares.

First Mover: Why Mohamed El-Erian Might Have Held Bitcoin at $19K

This year's rapid price gains are unnerving some investors, but NYDIG's Greg Cipolaro argues that bitcoin's growing network could justify $52K in five years.

Boerse Stuttgart Group Says Its Crypto Trading App Has Hit €1B Volume in 2020

Germany’s second-largest stock exchange says its trading app Bison exceeded its expectations this year.

We Don’t Need the OCC’s ‘Political Discrimination’ Rule

A proposed OCC rule would stop banks from using political criteria in lending. But we don't need it, says our columnist.

Singapore’s National Research Foundation Invests $9M in Blockchain Innovation

The government-backed foundation is funding research and development of commercial use cases for blockchain technology.

Standard Chartered, Philippines Bank Issue $187M Blockchain Bond

The proof-of-concept issuance of tokenized bonds was carried out on a blockchain platform built by Standard Chartered's fintech investment unit.

Thai Excise Department Will Deploy Blockchain Tech to Boost Tax Collection

All three of Thailand's tax departments reportedly aim to improve tax revenue collection using blockchain technology.

Japanese City to Trial Blockchain Voting System

Kaga, Ishikawa Prefecture, is looking at blockchain tech to solve problems in the city, starting with an e-voting system.

Bequant, Global Digital Finance Look to Create Best Practices for DeFi

A working group wants to create some best practices for decentralized finance in an effort to improve adoption while warding off potential regulations.

Crypto Long & Short: Why Some Investors Get Bitcoin So Wrong, and What That Says About Its Strengths

Bitcoin may be rooted in blockchain technology, but it's evolved into something much more than code. That's why it's not easy to replicate.

Hong Kong in Talks With PBOC on Digital Yuan Trial for Cross-Border Payments

PBOC’s Digital Currency Institute and the HKMA are discussing the technical pilot testing of using e-CNY form making cross-border payments.

Bitcoin Miners Saw 48% Revenue Increase in November

Nearly 11% of revenue came from fees, down slightly from October.

Grayscale Sees a New Group of Ethereum-First Investors

"We are seeing a new group of investors who are Ethereum-first and in some cases Ethereum-only," Michael Sonnenshein told Bloomberg.

The Fiat Standard and Debt Slavery

In this exclusive extract, the author of "The Bitcoin Standard" introduces its sequel, "The Fiat Standard."

Niall Ferguson on Why Bitcoin and China Are Winning the Monetary Revolution

The well-known economic historian connects the dots between bitcoin and CBDCs in the COVID-19 money era.

Coinbase to Support Spark Token Airdrop to XRP Holders

Coinbase announced Saturday its plans to support an airdrop that has been seen as a factor in boosting XRP’s price in recent weeks.

Cardano to Launch Hard Fork Before Next Major Development Phase

The hard fork will introduce the token locking mechanism, one of its most significant new functions, to the mainnet.

Hong Kong Crypto Exchange Founder Taken Amid China’s Crackdown on Fraudulent Bank Accounts

The platform will close all its over-the-counter (OTC) trading services because of the risks related to uncertainties from China’s regulatory policies/

Apple Co-Founder Wozniak’s New Venture Lists Token to Help Fund Energy Efficiency Projects

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has launched Efforce, a company that facilitates investments in energy efficiency projects via cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.

CME Leveraged Funds Double Down on Shorts as Bitcoin Maintains $19,000

Short open interest for leveraged funds grows on CME as likely hedge trades continue to increase.

India Plans to Tax Income From Bitcoin Investments: Report

The country's income tax authority is tracking investors making money amid the ongoing bitcoin price rally and is all set to demand taxes, two sources familiar with the matter told The Economic Times.

$50K BTC in 2021? Bloomberg Analysts Join the ‘Traditional Onslaught’ Driving Bitcoin’s Rally

A new crypto outlook from Bloomberg suggests BTC could reach $50,000 in 2021, topping off a month of major institutional momentum for the asset.

JD.Com Says It’s Accepting China’s Digital Yuan for Latest Lottery

Chinese e-commerce firm JD.Com says it's become the first online platform to accept the nation's central bank digital currency.

US House Financial Services Chair Waters Recommends Joe Biden Rescind OCC Crypto Guidance

House Financial Services Chair Maxine Waters told President-elect Joe Biden to undo the OCC's crypto guidance after he takes office next year.

MicroStrategy Buys Additional $50M in Bitcoin

MicroStrategy's share prices have increased over 170% since the company first announced its interest in bitcoin in July.

Coin Center Donations Top $100K Worth of Dai Following Anti-Stablecoin Bill Proposal

Donations in dai, USDC, and ether were sent to Coin Center via Gitcoin.

What Is a CBDC?

A CBDC is a central bank digital currency, a new type of money governments are experimenting with that often has blockchain at its core.

Market Wrap: Bitcoin Dips Below $19,000 as Ether Options Volume Drops

Bitcoin briefly dropped below $19,000 on a low-volume day while the ether options market seems to be in decline for now.

Psychology, Sell Pressures Keep Bitcoin Below $20K

Psychology and selling pressures have kept bitcoin's price below $20,000.

A ‘Santa Claus Rally’ for the Stock Market?

Since 1969, 34 out of 45 years have seen a late December rally. Here are 5 reasons why that might not happen this year.

Solana Devs Call ‘All Hands on Deck’ as Unknown Bug Stops Block Production

Solana, a proof-of-stake (PoS) blockchain spearhead by FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, is "stuck" due to an unknown issue.

Money Reimagined: Bitcoin vs. Gold Is a Battle of Narratives

The success of a store-of-value asset, like bitcoin or gold, isn't just a matter of durability, fungibility or scarcity. It's about whether people believe in it.

Binance Expects to Earn From $800M to $1B This Year, CEO Says: Report

That's up from about $570 million in 2019.

Blockchain Bites: Price Point! Bitcoin at $50K? $60K? $318K?

Traders have begun unwrapping tokenized bitcoins. The U.S. Treasury Department will keep a vigilant eye on digital innovations. And trading volumes on OKEx have plummeted.

Citigroup Helping World Governments Build Digital Currencies, CEO Says

Michael Corbat's multinational banking giant has been calling digital currency all but inevitable since 2014.

Jack Ma’s Ant Group, Three Other Digital Banks Get OK to Operate in Singapore

The approved digital banks will be able to start operating from Singapore in early 2022

Bolivia Essentially Banned Crypto but Blockchain Advocates Are Pushing Back

Bolivia is one of the rare countries that has essentially banned cryptocurrency, but the nation's blockchain advocates aren't giving up.

First Mover: Bitcoin Below $19K and Customers Flee OKEx

OKEx appears to suffer customer outflows after lifting of five-week withdrawal suspension, highlighting the existential threat of operational risk.

OCC Chief Hints at Coming ‘Good’ Actions on Crypto by End of Trump’s Term

Brooks hinted at a flurry of crypto clarity actions in the next 6 weeks that could drive more institutions into the asset class.

Bitcoin Price Could Hit $50K in 2021, Bloomberg Analysts Say

"Bitcoin's macroeconomic, technical and demand vs. supply indicators supportive of $50,000 target resistance," according to Bloomberg.

Russia’s Crypto Community Fears Digital Ruble Plan Means ‘Back to USSR’

Russian cryptocurrency and blockchain association warns the Bank of Russia against the excess centralization of the digital ruble

Ripple CTO Says Majority Vote Would Force the Burning of Billions in XRP

The Ripple exec was responding to a question asking whether a majority vote could force the destruction of XRP held in escrow.

US Treasury Wants Regulators to Watch for ‘Potential Risks’ in Digital Asset Innovation

The department wants state and federal regulators to keep a vigilant watch on digital asset innovation.

OMG Rallies as Genesis Block Ventures Acquires OMG Network

OMG helps speed transactions and lower fees on the Ethereum by handling transactions off-chain,

Stripe Partnering With Goldman, Citigroup, Others to Offer Checking Accounts, Services: Report

Payments processor Stripe is teaming up with banks like Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, and Barclays to provide checking accounts and other banking services, reports the Wall Street Journal. See also: Stripe to Pay $120,000 in PlexCoin ICO Settlement With Massachusetts Attorney General

Spotify Looking for Associate Director to Lead Activity on Libra Project, Other Crypto Efforts

The world's largest audio streaming service is on the hunt for a new associate director to lead its activity within the Libra stablecoin project.

SEC Makes FinHub a Stand-Alone Office

The reorganization strengthens FinHub's ability to address the digital assets space.

OKEx’s Trading Volumes and Tether Reserve Plunge on Possible User Exodus

A sharp drop in OKEx’s trading volume and stablecoin reserves – tether in particular – may reveal an ongoing exodus of its users after the popular crypto derivatives exchange unexpectedly halted all crypto withdrawal activities for about five weeks.

Wrapped Bitcoin ‘Burns’ Increase as Traders Rotate Capital Out of Cooling DeFi

WBTC burns picked up in November, continuing into December.

Terra Brings 24-Hour Trading to Synthetic Versions of Stocks Like TSLA and AAPL

The creators of the stablecoin platform Terra are launching Mirror Protocol, a way to mint crypto assets that mimic U.S. stocks.

Bitcoin Undervalued Relative to Gold, Equities, Tudor Jones Says

The hedge fund manager has 1% to 2% of his multi billion-dollar portfolio in bitcoin.

Why Stablecoins Are the First Battleground of the Coming Crypto Regulation Wars

The STABLE Act would force all stablecoin issuers to have bank licenses, a shot across the bow that portends an emerging legal challenge for the industry.

Protocol Hosting Google reCAPTCHA Competitor Expands to Polkadot

Human Protocol, home of the anti-bot hCaptcha system, announced it is expanding beyond Ethereum to a future Polkadot parachain, Moonbeam.

Blockchain Bites: Bitcoin’s Edge as a Hedge and Crypto’s Reaction to the STABLE Act

Crypto Twitter, like the U.S. Congress, is usually divided. A proposed law to strengthen stablecoin oversight has brought crypto together.

Valuing Open Source: Principles for Acquiring DeFi Projects

As DeFi sees its first M&A, we’re left with a big question: How do you value an open-source project in a very new industry?

Swiss Wholesale CBDC Trial Shows ‘Feasibility’ for Central Bank Money on Distributed Ledger, BIS Says

A Swiss experiment on how central bank money can be linked to markets built on distributed ledger technology (DLT) yielded positive results.

Darknet Markets Face Headwinds After Year of Mixed Results

Darknet markets are falling off the radar and watching their customer base level off.

Aave Launches V2 in Bid to Make Borrowing Against Volatile Assets Less Risky

DeFi platform Aave has rolled out its second version, with several features that should make it more flexible and more capital efficient.

Private German Bank to Launch Cryptocurrency Fund

Hauck & Aufhauser is launching a cryptocurrency fund in January 2021.

S&P Dow Jones Indices to Launch Crypto Indexes in 2021

Financial data provider S&P Dow Jones Indices is launching a crypto asset index in 2021.

Kraken Exchange to Offer First Grants for Open-Source Ethereum Projects

Kraken is for the first time funding open-source Ethereum projects.