The first woman to gain more than a million YouTube subscribers is now going all-in on bitcoin to promote financial freedom to her loyal fanbase. “I kind of view bitcoin as similar to YouTube, which…
State of Crypto: India and Nigeria’s Crypto Crackdowns…
Welcome to State of Crypto, a CoinDesk newsletter looking at the intersection of cryptocurrency and government. I’m your host, Nikhilesh De. Are governments worrying more about the growth of crypto? Two countries already announced crypto-related…
State of Crypto: How Will the Government React…
Welcome to State of Crypto, a CoinDesk newsletter looking at the intersection of cryptocurrency and government. I’m your host, Nikhilesh De. Yeah, of course we’re talking about GameStop (GME) today. Here are my questions: What…
Crypto Fund Manager Charged in $5M Ponzi Scheme,…
A cryptocurrency fund manager has been charged in a U.S. federal court. He allegedly took over $5 million from investors interested in investing in his crypto funds, promising them high returns. In reality, he was…
Bitcoin Is The Only Investment-Grade Digital Asset
Every four years or so, bitcoin’s seemingly cyclical nature rears its head and the rise of another bull market begins. There are headlines across mainstream media outlets boasting massive price action, and droves of people…
State of Crypto: Unpacking the Trump Presidency’s Crypto…
Welcome to State of Crypto, a CoinDesk newsletter looking at the intersection of cryptocurrency and government. I’m your host, Nikhilesh De. A number of crypto issues are on deck as Joe Biden enters the second…
The CFTC Asks Court to Issue Fines in…
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has filed a motion with the New York Southern District Court that seeks heavy penalties against Michael Ackerman, the mastermind of a fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme. According to the motion,…
Tether (USDT) To Face Do or Die Situation…
Tether is the cryptocurrency industry’s biggest threat in 2021, says a report penned by Messari’s Founder Ryan Selkins. The 134-page thesis ventured into the stablecoin’s emergence as a proxy for the US dollar that helps…
16 Ethereum Predictions From a Crypto Oracle
Every year since 2016, I’ve made predictions about what the next year will bring for the industry. If you pay attention to the incremental change that occurs year after year, you realize everything is connected…
Pantera’s Paul Veradittakit’s 2021 Predictions
It has been an eventful year, to say the least. In terms of blockchain and crypto, we saw several key developments: the halving of Bitcoin, liquidity mining and the explosive growth of several decentralized finance…
First Mover: XRP Plunges 20% as Traders Assess…
Bitcoin (BTC) was little changed, with prices appearing unable to hold levels above $24,000. “Bitcoin has moved vertically for a few weeks now and pullbacks will happen,” the Norwegian cryptocurrency-analysis firm Arcane Research wrote Tuesday in a…
Crypto Long & Short: How Bitcoin Development Is…
Today I want to talk about code. I know, this newsletter is for professional investors and not developers – why aren’t we talking about price? Don’t worry, we will further down. But things are evolving…
Blockchain Bites: Coinbase Cuts Margin Trading, Binance Sweeps…
Coinbase cuts margin trading. Binance sweeps out U.S. customers. OKEx offers rebates to clients affected by its five-week pause. Top shelf Tax changeCoinbase will no longer send customers 1099-Ks, the U.S. tax form that led…
CFTC’s New Rules Cause Coinbase to Stop Offering…
Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase is disabling its margin trading product in order to comply with the new rules set by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). CFTC’s Rules Affecting Margin Trading Offerings Coinbase’s chief legal officer,…
Pakistan’s SEC Discusses Cryptocurrency Regulation, Central Bank Confirms…
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan has published a paper discussing cryptocurrency regulation in the country. Meanwhile, the central bank has reportedly confirmed that there is no cryptocurrency ban. Pakistan’s Crypto Regulation in the…
Hedge Fund Manager Brian Kelly Says Increasing Institutional…
Hedge fund manager Brian Kelly says the surging number of institutional investors owning bitcoin is down to the digital currency’s core value proposition- a fixed coin supply. On the other hand, the same institutional investor…
Money Reimagined: The US’ Kodak Moment
In the lore of digital disruption, Eastman Kodak Co.’s downfall looms large. Kodak was once one of the world’s most powerful companies. But it failed to act on digital cameras and online photo sharing, despite…
Blockchain Bites: Figure Files for Banking Charter, Cred…
Cred is the first U.S. crypto lender to file for bankruptcy in the country. Ripple is opening regional headquarters in the Middle East. President-elect Joe Biden’s incoming administration appears to be courting at least two…
Election 2020: What’s at Stake for the Crypto…
The 2020 U.S. presidential election will shape crypto policy for the next four years – even if no one’s actually pitching crypto-specific positions. While presidential candidates aren’t campaigning on their blockchain savvy – and indeed,…
Institutions Long and Hedge Funds Short: Bitcoin Options…
Trends in bitcoin options markets are making it difficult for financial analysts to pinpoint BTC’s next move. Data from CME’s recently published trader report shows that institutional investors are capturing a larger number of bitcoin…
The US Risks Getting Left Behind on CBDCs
This week, as world leaders gather virtually for DC Fintech Week in Washington, D.C., a key focus will be on central banks issuing their own digital currencies (CBDC). A pivotal player here is the United…
Cryptocurrency ETFs: SEC Wants to Facilitate Tokenized Products
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) wants to facilitate tokenized exchange-traded funds (ETFs), according to chairman Jay Clayton. The agency is collaborating with other U.S. regulators to determine how to regulate different crypto products.…
Coinbase Received 1,900 Requests for Client Info From…
Coinbase has revealed that it received a total of 1,914 requests for customer data from global law enforcement agencies during the first six months of 2020. It is, however, not clear how many of the…
CFTC Chairman Heath Tarbert Talks Ethereum, DeFi and…
After the BitMEX enforcement action, are other noncompliant exchanges on the CFTC's radar? "Maybe," said Chairman Heath Tarbert. In an appearance Wednesday, the regulator largely deferred to his colleagues at the SEC on the question…
Is the FCA’s Crypto Derivatives Ban a Sign…
Last week the United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published a set of rules that officially banned the sale of derivatives and exchange-traded notes (ETNs) that are based on the sale of certain kind of…
Yearn Finance Connect (YFIC) New DeFi Project Decentralized…
Tether's Stablecoin Dominance Drops Below 80% as Audit Controversy Lingers On The total volume of stablecoins in circulation is closing in on the $20 billion mark, while the market-leading coin, USDT's share of the total…
Bitcoin Open Interest on BitMEX is Down 25%…
Bitcoin’s market dynamic has been shifting over the past week. The CFTC’s pursuit of the BitMEX co-founders has sparked some fear regarding the safety of funds on margin trading platforms that could be vulnerable to…
Market Wrap: Bitcoin Gains Steadily to $10.7K; Ethereum…
Bitcoin’s price is steadily increasing after last week’s bad news dump; while Ethereum’s fees fall. Bitcoin (BTC) trading around $10,734 as of 20:15 UTC (4:15 p.m. ET). Gaining 0.51% over the previous 24 hours. Bitcoin’s…
Bitcoin.com Exchange Acquires BOA Exchange To Reach New…
Tether's Stablecoin Dominance Drops Below 80% as Audit Controversy Lingers On The total volume of stablecoins in circulation is closing in on the $20 billion mark, while the market-leading coin, USDT's share of the total…
Bitcoin’s Black Swan: What Happens If The CFTC…
The unthinkable just happened: Bitcoin derivatives trading platform BitMEX is being targeted by the CFTC for a variety of charges, and the company’s CTO has already been arrested related to the case. Now, the worst…
Money Reimagined: Trump, Crypto and Fairer Taxes
For Democrats, it was a moment of truth. For Republicans, it was “fake news.” Among some members of the crypto commentariat, there was a very different reaction to The New York Times’ recent scoop on…
Bitmex Charged With US Rules Violations — Owners…
Cryptocurrency derivatives trading platform Bitmex has been charged with illegally operating in the U.S. Concurrently, its executives, including CEO Arthur Hayes, have been charged with violations of the Bank Secrecy Act and are facing prison…
Market Wrap: Blame BitMEX as Bitcoin Dumps to…
Derivative exchange BitMEX’s legal issues with U.S. regulators took a toll on bitcoin’s price while DeFi gave Ethereum miners more fee revenue than ever. Bitcoin (BTC) trading around $10,582 as of 20:00 UTC (4 p.m.…
JPMorgan Admits Fraud, Agrees to Billion Dollar Settlement…
JPMorgan Chase has admitted to fraud charges and agreed to settle with the U.S. Department of Justice, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm has agreed to pay nearly…
Crypto Long & Short: The OCC’s Stablecoin Statement…
An unsurprising statement from a financial regulator is sending some welcome signals that point to a spurt of innovation ahead. The U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) issued a statement earlier this…
The CFTC Files Complaint Against Crypto Trading Company
The United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Thursday, September 24, filed a complaint against crypto dealing Paxforex for allegedly soliciting or accepting business from US customers without relevant registration. According to a report,…
Digital Commodity Exchange Act of 2020: US Lawmakers…
Lawmakers in the U.S. have introduced the Digital Commodity Exchange Act of 2020 to create a single, national regulatory framework for cryptocurrency trading platforms, including those that trade bitcoin, ether, their forks, and other cryptocurrencies.…
Prediction Markets’ Time Has Come, but They Aren’t…
This should be prediction markets’ moment to shine. In about 60 days, Americans will vote in a presidential election both sides consider pivotal for the country’s future amid a pandemic, civil unrest and the highest…
‘It’s Part and Parcel of Crypto’: How Memes…
“YAMs = Ponzinomics of AMPL + Chad launch of YFI + Meme math of Tendies,” Messari analyst Ryan Watkins tweeted about the latest decentralized financial application to set crypto atwitter. It’s the type of back…
Crypto Long & Short: What Are Regulators Thinking?
When the news came out last month that the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) had cleared banks to custody crypto assets, you may remember that I expressed surprise that the new…
Blockchain Bites: Ledger’s Breach, Celsius’ Contradictions and DeFi’s…
Ledger suffered a data breach, crypto mining in India comes with questions and a new decentralized finance (DeFi) looks to offer lending and saving opportunities for PoS token holders. You’re reading Blockchain Bites, the daily roundup…
First Mover: Crypto Traders ‘Greedy’ as Goldman Warns…
During a turbulent year when cryptocurrencies have outperformed just about every other major investment category, traders in digital-asset markets are getting even greedier. Bitcoin, the oldest and largest cryptocurrency, sits at an 11-month high of…
How Grayscale Investments Sells Bitcoin to Financial Advisors
In a webinar hosted by InvestmentNews, Grayscale Investments’ managing director, Michael Sonnenshein, and financial consultant, Tyrone Ross Jr., educated financial advisors about the benefits of crypto investments. A slide from Sonnenshein’s presentation. Grayscale offers ten…
Money Reimagined: China’s ‘Cold War’ Blockchain Strategy
Which one is the centrally managed police state? Which one is the pro-innovation jurisdiction embracing open-source technologies and decentralized governance networks? OK. I’m being a tad facetious. The reality is Chinese President Xi Jianping has…
FreeBitcoins.com is Open Again With Three Helpful Tools…
700,000 Expedia Hotels Can Now Be Paid With Cryptocurrencies via Travala More than 700,000 Expedia Group hotels and accommodations are now available via crypto-friendly travel booking platform Travala. Bookings can be paid with more than…
Abra Crypto App Charged by SEC for Transactions…
Abra cryptocurrency app has been charged by two U.S. regulators: the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The company has agreed to cease-and-desist orders as well as fines. The…
Jay Clayton Leaves SEC: Crypto Industry Hopeful for…
Chairman Jay Clayton is geared to leave the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) after President Donald Trump nominates him to serve as the next U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. With…
Interest in Ether Options Outpaces Bitcoin, Can Drive…
Ether (ETH) options are having a fantastic year, with open interest on Deribit — the largest market for these options — having surged 315% to $158 million over the past two months, breaking the $150-million…
CFTC Chairman: US Must Lead the World in…
The chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has called on other regulators to establish a framework for sound crypto regulation. He believes that the U.S. must lead in the crypto field and “applying…
Two Sides of the Same Derivative: Comparing Traditional…
Crypto derivatives volumes have hit a new record high in May 2020. The early generation of crypto investors mostly worked with a hold-and-sell perspective. With the inevitable evolution of the market and the advent of…
Blockchain Bites: Your Guide to Consensus Distributed
Today’s the day. Consensus: Distributed will kick off this morning at 6:15 a.m. ET, beginning five days of in-depth coverage and conversation on the crypto and blockchain industry. And it starts with a bang. For the next…
The Rise Of The Dollar Killers
Could the dollar be replaced by a single new, dominant currency like China’s DCEP, or is a multipolar currency world more likely? Presented in documentary podcast and full transcript formats below. For more episodes and…
The Global Contenders Trying to Displace the Dollar
Could the dollar be replaced by a single new, dominant currency like China’s DCEP, or is a multipolar currency world more likely? Presented in documentary podcast and full transcript formats below. For more episodes and…
First Mover: US Arms of Binance, FTX Push…
Cryptocurrency exchanges based outside the U.S. are pushing to fill what they see as a competitive gap in the world's biggest economy – offering more leverage to traders who have limited alternatives due to a…
First Mover: U.S. Arms of Binance, FTX Push…
Cryptocurrency exchanges based outside the U.S. are pushing to fill what they see as a competitive gap in the world's biggest economy – offering more leverage to traders who have limited alternatives due to a…
Why the Dollar Has Never Been Stronger or…
In this new, multi-part documentary series, NLW is joined by more than a dozen prominent voices to tell the story of how and why, with trillions in money printing, the dollar seems like it should…
Blockchain Bites: What the Bitcoin Halving Means for…
Predictions and price models proliferate ahead of Bitcoin's programmatic halving, expected in less than two weeks. While some are turning to esoteric economic models to make the claim that the occasion will be bullish for…