Author: Andrei Ionescu
The U.S. Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on two individuals and an entity accused of laundering cryptocurrencies for North Korea, as part of efforts to counter the country’s illicit financial activities. The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) identified Lu Huaying and Zhang Jian, both Chinese nationals, as key figures in the laundering network. They are alleged to have facilitated money laundering on behalf of Sim Hyon Sop, a sanctioned banking representative for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). The pair reportedly operated through a front company in the United Arab Emirates named Green Alpine Trading, which has…
The Ethereum Name Service (ENS), the blockchain-based service simplifying address resolutions, has announced plans to develop its own Layer 2 network, dubbed Namechain, using Linea’s advanced technology stack. Leveraging Linea’s zkEVM Technology ENS chose Linea, a zkEVM-based Layer 2 solution, for its ability to maintain full compatibility with Ethereum’s existing smart contracts and tools. The zkEVM technology ensures trustless and seamless interactions between Ethereum’s Layer 1 and the new Namechain Layer 2, ENS shared in a recent blog post. Linea is also recognized as the first Layer 2 team to implement a trust-minimized version of ERC-3668, enabling decentralized cross-chain name…
Binance has announced the addition of two new trading pairs and the rollout of Trading Bots services to enhance user experience on its Spot trading platform. Effective December 19, 2024, at 08:00 UTC, users will be able to trade the following pairs: New Trading Bots Services Starting at the same time, Binance will also enable Spot Algo Orders for these pairs, allowing users to automate and optimize their trading strategies. Special Promotion on USDC Trading To celebrate the launch, Binance is introducing a special promotion: More details about the promotion, including terms and conditions, are available in Binance’s official announcement.…
Binance announced its decision to delist three tokens Kaon (AKRO), Bluzelle (BLZ), and WazirX (WRX) effective December 25, 2024, at 03:00 UTC. This move comes as part of Binance’s regular review process to ensure that all listed digital assets meet the platform’s high standards and evolving industry requirements. Reasons for Delisting The decision was based on several factors, including: Impacted Trading Pairs The following spot trading pairs will cease trading at the specified time: Key Deadlines and Actions for Users Next Steps for Users Binance emphasized that delisted tokens might be converted to stablecoins after February 26, 2025, though this…
QCP Capital stated that it is becoming increasingly difficult to find reasons to be bearish on Bitcoin’s spot price. However, the options market has issued a warning, suggesting that investors may currently favor hedging over actively chasing upward momentum. The firm noted that supportive regulatory environments could drive a cross-asset feedback loop. Companies holding Bitcoin (BTC) would find it easier to raise capital, which could, in turn, non-linearly stimulate institutional demand for BTC. This cautious sentiment in the options market indicates that while optimism for Bitcoin’s price remains strong, some traders are preparing for potential volatility or pullbacks. QCP Capital’s…
On December 16, Bitcoin and Ethereum spot ETFs continued to experience significant inflows, reflecting robust institutional demand. The total net inflow for Bitcoin spot ETFs reached $637 million, marking the 13th consecutive day of positive inflows. The largest single-day inflow was recorded by BlackRock’s IBIT ETF, which saw $418 million in net inflows. Ethereum spot ETFs also maintained their momentum, with a total net inflow of $51.13 million on the same day. This marks the 16th consecutive day of net inflows for Ethereum-based products. BlackRock’s ETHA ETF led the category with a single-day net inflow of $30.72 million. The sustained…
Binance has announced the addition of Simon’s Cat (1000CAT) and Pudgy Penguins (PENGU) to its comprehensive suite of services, including Simple Earn, Buy Crypto, Convert, Margin, Auto-Invest, and Futures. The rollout will begin on December 17, 2024, with the tokens integrated into various offerings according to the schedule outlined below. Binance Simple Earn Buy & Sell Crypto Users will be able to buy 1000CAT and PENGU using VISA, MasterCard, Google Pay, Apple Pay, or their wallet balances on Binance’s “Buy Crypto” page within one hour of each token being listed on Binance Spot. Binance Convert Both tokens will be tradable…
Binance is enhancing the accessibility and utility of Vana (VANA) by integrating it into multiple services, offering users a variety of options to engage with the token across its platform. Here’s what to expect from the rollout: Binance Simple Earn Buy Crypto Users can purchase VANA using various payment options, including VISA, MasterCard, Google Pay, and Apple Pay, or directly buy and sell using wallet balances on Binance’s “Buy Crypto” page. These options will be available within one hour of VANA’s spot listing. Binance Convert Trading VANA against BTC, USDT, and other supported tokens will be available at zero fees…
Binance, the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange, has announced Vana (VANA) as the 62nd project on its Launchpool platform. Vana is a native EVM-compatible Layer 1 blockchain designed to empower user-owned data. Farming VANA on Binance Launchpool Users can lock BNB and FDUSD to earn VANA tokens as rewards. Farming begins at 00:00 UTC on December 14, 2024, and continues for two days until 23:59 UTC on December 15, 2024. Key Launch Details Trading Information Binance will list VANA on December 16, 2024, at 10:00 UTC, with the following trading pairs: The Seed Tag will be applied to VANA, highlighting it…
The Federal Court of Australia has ordered Bit Trade, the operating firm behind Kraken’s Australian crypto exchange, to pay a penalty of 8 million AUD (approximately $5.1 million) for failing to comply with regulatory requirements. Background and Violations The ruling follows a legal case brought by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), which accused Bit Trade of offering a margin trading product without proper authorization. Between October 2021 and August 2023, Bit Trade allegedly failed to conduct a target market determination before offering its margin extension product to over 1,100 customers. This oversight reportedly resulted in customer losses exceeding…