Author: Max Bauer

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) faces criticism for lengthy processing times for cryptocurrency applications, potentially driving businesses away from the UK market. A freedom of information request (FOI) revealed that the average processing time for a crypto application is a staggering 459 days, equivalent to over 25 years of backlog. This has led to a significant decline in the number of crypto firms registering with the FCA. In the past three years, registrations have fallen by 51%, and 186 firms have withdrawn their applications. Experts warn that these delays could push crypto businesses to seek more welcoming regulatory environments…

Mastercard is taking a significant step towards enhancing online payment security by planning to eliminate traditional credit card numbers and expand the use of tokenization technology. This move aims to address the escalating issue of online fraud, projected to surpass $91 billion by 2028. Tokenization involves replacing sensitive data like credit card numbers with randomly generated digital sequences called tokens. These tokens are used during storage and transmission, significantly reducing the risk of data leakage. Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach highlighted the rapid adoption of tokenization, stating that while it initially took three years to process the first billion transactions using…

Despite recent hints from CEO Michael Dell about his interest in Bitcoin, Dell Technologies’ Q2 earnings report and call made no mention of the cryptocurrency. Speculation had arisen that the tech giant might follow companies like Tesla and Microstrategy in investing in Bitcoin after Dell’s social media posts in June signaled a bullish stance. However, the August 29th filing focused on strong earnings driven by AI demand, with no mention of Bitcoin. Michael Dell’s recent tweet about scarcity creating value ignited discussions about Bitcoin’s potential value. Previous social media activity, including sharing a video of BlackRock’s CEO endorsing BTC investments,…

Recent events surrounding Telegram founder Pavel Durov’s arrest have highlighted the complexities of content moderation on messaging platforms. However, a deeper look into Telegram’s financials reveals that its cryptocurrency operations contribute significantly more to its bottom line than messaging services. Leaked financial documents for 2023 indicate that cryptocurrency transactions play a crucial role in Telegram’s revenue model. The company, incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, reported $342.5 million in revenue last year, with a considerable portion stemming from crypto activities. Two line items in Telegram’s revenue breakdown, “integrated wallet” and “sale of collectibles,” account for over 40% of the company’s…

Australia is experiencing a rapid increase in the number of cryptocurrency ATMs, making it the fastest-growing market globally. According to Coin ATM Radar, the country has seen a surge from 73 to nearly 1,200 crypto ATMs in just two years, with over 200 more awaiting regulatory approval. These machines allow users to exchange cash for cryptocurrency or vice versa. While the US and Canada lead the market with 32,000 and 3,000 ATMs respectively, Australia’s recent growth is unprecedented. US-based Bitcoin Depot Inc. has over 200 kiosks ready for deployment in Australia once regulatory approval is granted. Proponents argue that crypto…

Feixiaohao, the largest simplified Chinese cryptocurrency market data website akin to Coingecko, is suspected to be under investigation by Chinese authorities, with its team potentially arrested. The reason behind the investigation, which has been ongoing for over half a year, remains unclear. Many of Feixiaohao’s exchange partners have reported being unable to contact them. This incident brings back memories of the 2018 ICO boom when platforms like MyToken issued their own platform coins (MT in MyToken’s case). Feixiaohao also had a coin associated with it, BQT, but the platform never officially recognized it as its own. With MyToken’s sale, only…

Gnosis Chain’s community is actively reconsidering its gas token choices following MakerDAO’s rebranding to Sky and the introduction of its new stablecoin, Sky Dollar (USDS). Gnosis, a sidechain, currently utilizes a bridged version of DAI, known as xDAI, to cover gas fees on its network. MakerDAO, the issuer of the crypto-collateralized stablecoin DAI, is implementing its “endgame” plan. This plan allows DAI holders to optionally upgrade their tokens to USDS at a 1:1 ratio, with potential native token rewards. However, the new USDS stablecoin potentially introduces more centralized features, such as the ability to “freeze” wallet addresses and restrict access…

El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele remains optimistic about his country’s bold Bitcoin strategy, despite acknowledging that adoption hasn’t reached the levels he initially anticipated. In an interview with TIME Magazine, Bukele stated, “Bitcoin hasn’t had the widespread adoption we hoped for.” Nevertheless, the president maintains that the endeavor has been a “net positive,” bringing benefits such as increased branding, investment, and tourism. Bukele asserted that El Salvador has not experienced the negative consequences that institutions like the IMF had warned about. Since El Salvador made Bitcoin legal tender in 2021 and started accumulating it as a treasury asset, the country…

Renowned economist Timothy Peterson has made a bold prediction that Bitcoin’s price could skyrocket to $100,000 within the next three months. Peterson’s forecast is based on an intriguing correlation he has observed between high-yield bonds (HYG) and Bitcoin’s price movements. In a recent analysis, Peterson highlighted that when Bitcoin is undervalued relative to HYG, it tends to significantly outperform in the subsequent three months. This relationship holds true for periods of one month or longer, suggesting a strong predictive power of high-yield bonds on Bitcoin’s price. Conversely, when Bitcoin is overvalued compared to HYG, it tends to underperform, potentially leading…

A recent Q2 research report, commissioned by OKX and authored by The Economist, has shed light on the growing interest in digital assets among institutional investors. The report projects that by 2030, the value of tokenized assets could surpass a staggering $10 trillion. Currently, asset managers typically allocate a modest 1%-5% of their portfolios to digital assets. However, institutional investors are signaling their intent to ramp up this allocation to approximately 7% by 2027. Notably, the report indicates a growing appetite for investment tools beyond cryptocurrencies, such as pledges, crypto derivatives, and tokenized bonds. This institutional shift is corroborated by…