Bitcoin

India’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), is launching its first digital rupee pilot on Nov. 1. with the participation of nine banks. “Settlement in central bank money would reduce transaction costs by pre-empting the need for settlement guarantee infrastructure or for collateral to mitigate settlement risk,” said the central bank. RBI’s First CBDC Pilot Starts Nov. 1 India’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), announced Monday that “The first pilot in the digital rupee — wholesale segment (e₹-W) shall commence on November 1, 2022.” The announcement adds: Nine banks, viz., State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Union Bank of India, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Yes Bank, IDFC First Bank, and HSBC have been identified for participation in the pilot. “The use case for this pilot is settlement of secondary market transactions in government securities,” the RBI described. “Use of e₹-W is expected to make the inter-bank market more efficient. Settl

India’s tax authority has reportedly asked major cryptocurrency exchanges in the country to provide information pertaining to the coins traded on their platforms. The tax authority is also evaluating the taxability of crypto transactions to determine if the goods and services tax (GST) can be applied to them. Indian Crypto Exchanges to Provide Details of Coins Traded on Their Platforms to Tax Authority India’s Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has asked major Indian crypto exchanges to provide details about the cryptocurrencies traded on their platforms, Business Standard reported Friday. A senior official was quoted as saying: We had meetings with crypto exchanges on wide-ranging issues relating to the asset class. We have sought a detailed report on different crypto products being traded and their respective transaction fees and how they are getting calculated. In addition, the CBIC is reportedly evaluating the taxability of crypto transactions to determine if

The chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Gary Gensler, has wished Satoshi Nakamoto’s Bitcoin whitepaper a happy birthday. “It has led to innovation and crypto asset investing. Let’s make sure as crypto enters its 15th year that investors get proper protection,” said the SEC chairman. SEC Chair Gary Gensler Wishes Satoshi Nakamoto’s Bitcoin Whitepaper Happy Birthday Satoshi Nakamoto introduced Bitcoin to the world approximately 14 years ago today with the publication of the Bitcoin whitepaper. Many people tweeted happy birthday to the pseudonymous creator’s whitepaper, including the chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Gary Gensler. He wrote on Oct. 31: Happy 14th birthday to Satoshi Nakamoto’s whitepaper! It has led to innovation and crypto asset investing. Let’s make sure as crypto enters its 15th year that investors get proper protection. At the time of writing, his tweet has received nearly 2,500 comments and has been like

Whitelisted Individuals for the Sale Will Be Able to Purchase VERSE Tokens Using BTC , BCH , ETH and USDT /USDC. November 1, 2022 – Bitcoin.com , a digital ecosystem and secure self-custody platform where users can safely and easily interact with cryptocurrencies and digital assets, has announced that the public sale of the VERSE utility token is now live. VERSE will reward participants for buying, selling, storing, using, and learning about cryptocurrency, while supporting those who are seeking accessible onboarding into Bitcoin and DeFi. VERSE will fuel the growth and expansion of Bitcoin.com ’s ecosystem, which includes over 35 million self-custody wallets created in its multi-chain DeFi-ready mobile app, and an award-winning news portal with over 2.5 million monthly readers. VERSE will provide access to exclusive platform services and act as the cornerstone for new initiatives, ultimately expanding access to decentralized technologies and finance. By interacting with the Ve

The Nigerian central bank was, on Oct. 29, forced to defend its controversial currency redesign plans, just a few days after they were publicly questioned by Nigerian Finance Minister Zainab Ahmad. The central bank insists the move is long overdue and urged Nigerians “to support the currency redesign project which is in the overall interest of every citizen of the country.” President Muhammadu Buhari’s Written Approval The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has insisted its recently announced plan to issue newly designed naira banknotes is above board and “12 years overdue.” In an apparent rebuke of Nigerian Finance Minister Zainab Ahmad, who has publicly questioned the plan, the central bank said it had “obtained the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari in writing to redesign.” Addressing lawmakers a day after the CBN’s surprise announcement, Ahmad reportedly said she had not been consulted and therefore could not comment “on it as regards merits or otherwise.” As recently reported

The central bank of Thailand is not going to rush with the launch of its digital currency as it’s not yet sure about the benefits it would bring. According to the head of the monetary authority, the development of the state-issued coin may take several years. Thailand’s Central Bank Wants to Better Understand Risks of Central Bank Digital Currency The Bank of Thailand ( BOT ) intends to take more time to complete the development of its retail central bank digital currency ( CBDC ). The monetary policy regulator aims to ensure that this version of the national fiat will offer additional benefits to the country’s financial system under sufficient risk management. A number of central banks, including that of Thailand, have been developing retail CBDCs but they are yet to fully implement them, the Bangkok Post noted in a report. Retail CBDC development is expected to take more than five years before market launch, according to the BOT Governor Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput, quoted by the

The Argentine Tax Authority (AFIP) is ramping up its fight against cryptocurrency-related tax evasion. On Oct. 28, the organization informed it had sent notifications to 3,997 taxpayers about incongruencies between their tax statements and reports on their cryptocurrency holdings. These statements being reviewed correspond to reports of operations happening in 2020. Argentine Tax Authority AFIP Ramps up Crypto Vigilance The Argentine Tax Authority (AFIP) is using the reports coming from local exchanges to cross the data in the tax statements and the crypto holdings of several taxpayers and has already found incongruencies. According to reports, the organization has already sent notifications of these problems to 3,997 Argentine citizens, that will have the opportunity to correct their statements to include their cryptocurrency holdings and pay additional taxes. These notifications would be linked to statements that were filed during 2020 and would be sent to taxpayers that have ope

A member of the defense team of the alleged BTC-e operator Alexander Vinnik has called on the head of the Russian Orthodox Church to intervene in support of his client. The Russian national may be sentenced to over 50 years in prison for his role in the infamous cryptocurrency exchange. Prisoner Swap for Americans in Russian Custody Is Vinnik’s Only Chance to Return Home, Lawyer Says Frederic Belot, the French lawyer who has been representing Russian crypto entrepreneur and alleged money launderer Alexander Vinnik in courts for years, has written to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia with a request to help for his client’s return to the homeland. “The Vinnik case for the United States is not a legal, but a political trial,” the attorney said in the letter, quoted by the Russian Tass news agency. In the U.S., he may face imprisonment for more than 50 years, Belot warned and emphasized: Now the only thing that can save Alexander is his exchange, among other Russians, for Ame

Economists have weighed in on reports that China and Russia may be developing a new gold-backed currency that could undermine the U.S. dollar’s status as the world’s primary reserve currency. Russia and China May Be Developing Gold-Backed Currency Several experts have shared their views on Russia and China potentially creating a new gold-baked currency, Fox Business reported Saturday, emphasizing that China has been buying up huge quantities of gold while Russia was forced off the U.S. dollar due to sanctions imposed on the country following its invasion of Ukraine. The news outlet noted that some experts have cautioned that these moves, along with the closer relationship that has developed between Moscow and Beijing, point to the likelihood of China attempting to launch a gold-backed currency. However, neither Russia nor China has officially confirmed plans for such a currency. Craig Singleton, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a former U.S. diplomat,

Veteran trader Peter Brandt says the dogecoin bear market that began in May last year has ended. His comment came after the price of dogecoin soared following Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s acquisition of the social media platform Twitter. Peter Brandt on Dogecoin Outlook Veteran trader Peter Brandt shared his analysis of dogecoin (DOGE) Sunday. Brandt has been a futures and FX career trader since 1975. He is a chartist and the author of the Factor Report. He trades a variety of markets, including Dow futures, bonds, corn, crude oil, European wheat, Osaka Dow, U.S. dollar, and sugar. Tweeting a chart of DOGE, Brandt wrote: “This is called a bear channel, the upside violation of which has ended the bear market that began at the May 2021 high.” However, Brandt followed up with another tweet, warning traders not to fall for the common mistake of assuming that the end of a bear market automatically means a bull market has begun. He cautioned: A common mistake made by novice and wanna-be tra

Amid the chaotic economy, plagued with central bank tinkering, supply chain issues, and red-hot inflation, the professor of applied economics at Johns Hopkins University, Steve Hanke believes a “pretty big recession” will take place in 2023. Speaking in an interview on Oct. 28, Hanke said that he updated the probability of a U.S. recession to a 90% chance, as he believes the money supply has tightened at an “unprecedented” rate. Economics Professor Steve Hanke Says Probability of a U.S. Recession is Now 90% Professor Steve Hanke has been critical of the central banks worldwide and on Friday, he said the chances of a recession is very likely. Hanke spoke with the news anchor for Kitco News David Lin, and explained that he upped his prediction to a 90% chance a U.S. recession will occur. “Where we’re going is determined by where the money supply is going,” Hanke told Lin on Friday. “The Quantity Theory of Money is a way to determine national income determination.” The professor of

Industry associations from Hungary and Thailand plan to cooperate on implementing blockchain technologies in the financial services sector. The two sides hope to share experience and produce ideas for alternative services as part of their new partnership. Thailand and Hungary Announce Blockchain Pact During Bilateral Fintech Forum The Thai Fintech Association and Hungary’s Blockchain Coalition have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support the introduction of new technologies to their financial markets. The agreement was inked during the first edition of the “Thai-Hungarian Fintech Forum: Powering the Financial Revolution Together,” the Bangkok Post reported on Saturday. The event devoted to showcasing financial technology services was organized by the Hungarian embassy. Hungary’s Blockchain Coalition was established on the initiative of the Ministry of Innovation and Technology and the National Data Economy Knowledge Center in March, to promote the country as an innovator in

A new study by Fidelity Digital Assets, a subsidiary of financial giant Fidelity Investments, shows that 58% of institutional investors surveyed invested in digital assets in the first half of this year and 74% plan to invest in the future. Fidelity’s Institutional Investor Digital Assets Study Fidelity Digital Assets, a subsidiary of financial giant Fidelity Investments, released its fourth annual “Institutional Investor Digital Assets Study” Thursday. The study features a blind survey conducted between Jan. 2 and June 24. A total of 1,052 institutional investors in the U.S. (410), Europe (359), and Asia (283) participated. According to the study: Nearly six in 10 (58%) institutional investors surveyed invested in digital assets in the first half of 2022, while 74% plan to invest in the future. In addition, 88% of institutional investors surveyed “find characteristics of digital assets appealing” and 51% “have a positive perception of digital assets.” More than 81% of institu

Hong Kong is relaxing its crypto regulation to allow retail investors to trade digital assets directly. A licensing regime for crypto platforms that allows retail crypto trading is reportedly set to be enforced in March next year. Hong Kong Nears Allowing Retail Crypto Trading Hong Kong is reportedly relaxing its strict cryptocurrency regulation with a plan to allow retail crypto trading, Bloomberg reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. A mandatory licensing regime for cryptocurrency platforms that allows retail crypto trading is set to be enforced in March next year, the publication conveyed, elaborating: Hong Kong plans to legalize retail trading for crypto starting in March after years of skepticism — a stark contrast to mainland China’s ban. Moreover, regulators are seeking to allow retail exchanges to list large cryptocurrencies, like bitcoin ( BTC ) and ether ( ETH ), the news outlet added. The listing rules are likely to include criteria such as the

U.S. lawmakers have raised concerns about the revolving door between financial regulators and the crypto industry. “Over 200 government officials have moved between public service and crypto firms,” the lawmakers said, adding that they include 31 Treasury Department officials and 28 Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) officials. Revolving Door Between Financial Regulators, Like SEC, and Crypto Industry Five U.S. lawmakers have sent a letter to seven financial regulators inquiring about measures they are taking to prevent the revolving door between their agencies and the crypto industry. The letters, dated Oct. 24, were signed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and Rep. Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-IL). The letters were sent to Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler, Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chair Rostin Behnam, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Federal

The famous author of the best-selling book Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki, has warned that stock, bond, and real estate markets will crash as the Federal Reserve continues to raise interest rates. Noting that the Fed will pivot, he advises investors to buy bitcoin. Robert Kiyosaki Recommends Buying Bitcoin Before Fed Pivot The author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki, has advised investors to buy bitcoin before the Fed pivots, reiterating that the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes will destroy the U.S. economy. Rich Dad Poor Dad is a 1997 book co-authored by Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter. It has been on the New York Times Best Seller List for over six years. More than 32 million copies of the book have been sold in over 51 languages across more than 109 countries. Kiyosaki tweeted early Saturday morning that the prices of gold and silver are plunging as the Federal Reserve continues to raise interest rates. He warned that rate hikes will kill the U.S. economy, cautioning

One of the largest publicly listed bitcoin miners, Core Scientific, has shaken investors with a recent filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that raises the possibility the company may apply for bankruptcy protection. The filing notes that Core Scientific will be unable to pay down debt payments due for Oct. and early Nov. 2022. SEC Filing Shakes Core Scientific Investors, CORZ Slides 97% in 12 Months Bitcoin miners are having issues after the price of bitcoin ( BTC ) has slid roughly 70% against the U.S. dollar since Nov. 10, 2021. Moreover, the network’s mining difficulty is currently at an all-time high, making it harder than ever before to find a block subsidy. At the end of September, Bitcoin.com News reported on Compute North filing for bankruptcy and how it led to Marathon Digital’s shares getting downgraded. Now Core Scientific (Nasdaq: CORZ ) seems to be leaning in the direction of filing for bankruptcy protection or some sort of restructuring process. T

Toda City, located north of Tokyo in Saitama prefecture, is using metaverse-based tools to fight the absenteeism problem that Japan faces. The city includes children in virtual spaces where they can explore virtual campuses and attend classes online, while preparing to eventually rejoin regular classes again. Toda City Is Battling Absenteeism With Metaverse Tools The metaverse is beginning to be harnessed as part of educational and therapeutic processes. Toda City, in Japan, is currently fighting the problem of school absenteeism by using metaverse-based tools. The children, who are said to present school attendance problems, are using a tool created by a nonprofit last year with the idea of letting children roam around in a virtual world. This digital world allows the children to explore a virtual campus and attend virtual classes, letting them prepare to begin attending regular classes again. At least this is what city officials hope, having also proposed to count these metavers

Starting December 15, Nigerians will be using newly-designed 100, 200, 500 and 1,000-naira banknotes, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said. The announcement has since resulted in the naira’s parallel market exchange rate versus the U.S. dollar dropping to a new low of N781:$1. Redesigning Currency a Global Best Practice The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele, recently said his institution will begin circulating newly-designed naira banknotes on December 15. Emefiele claimed the injection of the new notes into Nigeria’s financial system is intended to help the CBN tackle fraud, inflation, and the insecurity challenge. According to Emefiele, who made the announcement at a recent press conference, the affected banknotes are 100, 200, 500 and 1,000-naira banknotes. In justifying the decision to redesign the banknotes, the CBN governor said doing so is a global best practice which must be carried out every five to eight years. Emefiele said Nig

The number of bitcoin ATMs has been on the rise in Russia’s capital and the rest of the country, a press report revealed this week. There is demand for the service as it offers easy access to cryptocurrencies, although not at the best exchange rates and still amid regulatory uncertainty. More Crypto ATMs Installed in Russian Federation Despite Absence of Regulations With growing interest in cryptocurrencies, the number of devices offering automated teller services for digital assets is increasing, the Russian business daily Kommersant noted in article. Several dozen bitcoin ATMs (BATMs) are now operating across the country, despite the lack of clarity in terms of regulation. Moscow has taken the lead when it comes to new installations. Quoting one of the companies behind them, Rusbit, the newspaper revealed that 14 new ‘cryptomats’ have appeared in the capital city this year, bringing the total across the Russian Federation to 52 units. Given Russia’s territory and population, that

Payments giant Visa has filed two trademark applications covering a wide range of cryptocurrency products and services, including its own crypto wallet. The filings also mention crypto transaction management and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Visa’s New Trademark Applications Visa has filed two trademark applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Mike Kondoudis, a USPTO-licensed trademark attorney, tweeted Thursday: Visa has filed 2 trademark applications claiming plans for managing digital, virtual, and cryptocurrency transactions, digital currency + cryptocurrency wallets, NFTs + virtual goods, providing virtual environments … and more. Filed on Oct. 22, the applications’ serial numbers are 97643605 and 97643607. Visa International Service Association, a subsidiary of Visa Inc., is listed as the owner of the trademarks. An excerpt of one of the trademark applications reads: “online non-downloadable software for management of digital transactions; n