September 3, 2018 @ 9:32 pm By Cali Haan  |  

Police in Russia have seized all 22 Bitcoin ATMs belonging to the company BBFpro without warning, Russian media outlet RBC reports. Police are said to be acting on orders from the Prosecutor General’s Office, orders induced by a letter from the Central Bank of Russia… Read More

September 1, 2018 @ 1:28 pm By Cali Haan  |  

A Russian lawmaker, Vladimir Gutenev, told Russian news agency TASS  last week that Russia should consider ‘an asymmetric response’ to US pressure and sanctions, including deployment of nuclear weapons to Syria, suspension of missile non-proliferation treaties and development of a gold-backed cryptocurrency to help Russian… Read More

September 1, 2018 @ 1:22 pm By Cali Haan  |  

Japan’s banking, securities and insurance regulator, the Financial Services Agency (FSA), has told Bitcoin.com that around 160 companies have applied to open cryptocurrency exchanges in the country: “Including preliminary consultation/inquiries regarding registration, around 160 operators are expressing their intention of market entry.” The applications appear to… Read More

August 30, 2018 @ 8:47 pm By Cali Haan  |  

Charlie Lee, founder of a retail payments-focussed cryptocurrency called Litecoin, told CNBC this week that crypto bear markets can be a good time for people working on crypto projects to keep their noses to the grindstone, and might also be a good time to pick… Read More

August 30, 2018 @ 7:44 pm By Cali Haan  |  

For the past two weeks, the Brazilian government has been sending questionnaires to the country’s crypto exchanges soliciting information about their operations, Portal do Bitcoin reports. The requests for info have been being sent through the exchanges’ online contact forms, and the notices are signed by a… Read More

August 30, 2018 @ 4:39 pm By Cali Haan  |  

The agency responsible for combatting money laundering and terrorist financing in Russia is developing a software tool to help it monitor crypto transactions, particularly those done in Bitcoin, Russian BBC reports. Publicly available contract information shows that a crypto-tracking analytical software package has been ordered by the Federal… Read More

August 30, 2018 @ 2:37 pm By Cali Haan  |  

The Polish government has published proposed legislation seeking to define how cryptocurrencies will be taxed in the country, Kryptowaluty reports. The bill reportedly defines cryptocurrencies as, “a digital mapping of value,” and includes rules governing both the use of cryptos in retail purchases and their use as… Read More

August 30, 2018 @ 12:52 pm By Cali Haan  |  

An Iranian politician has once again taken to state-owned media to promise the release of a government cryptocurrency to help Iran sidestep sanctions and participate freely in the global economy, Press TV reports via ISNA. The latest comments were made by the Deputy for Management and… Read More

August 29, 2018 @ 7:45 pm By Cali Haan  |  

Following a ban on crypto promotional events in Beijing’s central business district last week, the Financial Development Bureau of Guangzhou (FDBG) has required that, “all relevant units in the district (of Guangzhou) may not undertake any form of virtual currency promotion and publicity activities,” National Business Daily… Read More

August 29, 2018 @ 12:32 pm By Cali Haan  |  

The Venezuelan state’s push to legitimate its new El Petro cryptocurrency now involves an order to the region’s banks that they must adopt El Petro as a unit of account. According to France 24, a resolution from the Venezuelan Sudeban banking regulator now requires, “Public and… Read More

August 29, 2018 @ 10:30 am By Cali Haan  |  

Three companies ordered by the Colorado Securities Commissioner Gerald Rome to justify their ICOs (initial coin offerings) in a live hearing before commissioners August 24th failed to appear, according to notice by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies. Expectations are there likely won’t be another hearing…. Read More

August 29, 2018 @ 8:38 am By Cali Haan  |  

200 active investigations into ICO (initial coin offering) fraud are presently being conducted across North America as part of “Operation Cryptosweep,” the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) announced yesterday. Operation Cryptosweep, an investigative and enforcement action being coordinated by over 40 state and provincial… Read More

August 28, 2018 @ 9:47 am By Cali Haan  |  

Jordan Belfort, the former stockbroker portrayed in Martin Scorsese’s splashy tale of excess, “The Wolf of Wall Street,” has taken to the press again to warn about rampant “rip offs” and misconduct in Bitcoin markets and increasing regulatory distaste, CNBC reports. “It’s not that bitcoin’s… Read More

August 27, 2018 @ 10:39 pm By Cali Haan  |  

“Diversified holding company” DPW has announced it will be reactivating a hydro dam in Valatie Falls, New York, “to serve as a fully-dedicated source of low-cost, renewable power for a new co-located cryptocurrency mining farm…” The “historic 1-megawatt Valatie Falls dam” has been retrofitted to… Read More

August 27, 2018 @ 8:12 pm By Cali Haan  |  

North Korea, a country more known for its ties to devastating hacks on South Korean crypto exchange than for white hat blockchain development, will evidently host a blockchain conference in Pyongyang this October, The Straits Times reports. The “Korean International Blockchain Conference” is set to take… Read More

August 27, 2018 @ 4:53 pm By Cali Haan  |  

Chinese search giant Baidu will no longer allow discussions of crypto on its popular forum site, Baidu Tieba, China Times reports. The decision is the latest in a spate of recent crackdowns being waged against crypto-industries in China, actions seeking to give teeth to a… Read More

August 27, 2018 @ 4:41 pm By Cali Haan  |  

A new bitcoin and crypto-themed hostel has opened in the historical beach town of Paraty, Brazil, Portal do Bitcoin reports. Rooms, meals and tours at “Hostel Bitcoin” can presently be paid for using regular currencies or bitcoin, though hostel proprietor, Alessandro Santos, says he plans… Read More

August 26, 2018 @ 4:12 pm By Cali Haan  |  

Turkish-American economist, professor and blockchain/crypto skeptic Nouriel Roubini spent the 25-minutes allotted him as an opening speaker at BlockShow Vegas this week systematically taking down the sacred cows notions of blockchain crypto. Roubini also had choice words for so-called utility tokens, which he characterized as… Read More

August 26, 2018 @ 2:02 pm By Cali Haan  |  

Two-thirds of all trade volume in crypto- or $6 billion dollars per day- is faked, say researchers at the Blockchain Transparency Institute (BIT), and many of the world’s “top” crypto exchanges aren’t even coming close. The researchers made their conclusions after comparing the order books… Read More

August 26, 2018 @ 1:31 pm By Cali Haan  |  

The head of Russia’s Main Directorate for Drug Trafficking, Andrey Khrapov, has asked the country’s legislators to require that all cryptocurrency transactions exceeding 600 000 rubles ($900 USD) be registered with or monitored by Russian authorities, Izvestia reports. Mr Khrapov reportedly contacted the Ministry of… Read More