On The Web

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Systems

Can Cryptocurrency Become the UN Money of the Future?

February 27 2020

• in
• Cryptocurrencies

“As it does in other settings, cryptocurrency presents opportunities and challenges for UNICEF and, more broadly, the whole UN system. Cryptocurrencies are volatile and vulnerable to scams and money laundering. But they are also highly traceable and, when it comes to the UN, could some day provide the international organization greater independence from the countries […]

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Companies

Shopify Joins Libra, Defying a Wave of Defections From the Crypocurrency Venture

February 21 2020

• in
• Cryptocurrencies
• Facebook
• Shopify

“The controversial Libra cryptocurrency project gained a new member Friday with Shopify Inc.’s announcement it will join the Libra Association , the governing body for the fledgling venture. Shopify’s decision comes in the face of a string of eight high-profile defections from the association since October, including decisions by Mastercard Inc., PayPal Holdings Inc., Stripe […]

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Companies

Coinbase becomes a Visa Principal Member to double down on debit card

February 19 2020

• in
• Cards
• Coinbase
• Cryptocurrencies
• Visa

“Cryptocurrency company Coinbase has been working with Paysafe to issue the Coinbase Card , a Visa debit card that works with your Coinbase account balance. The company is now a Visa Principal Member, which should help Coinbase rely less on Paysafe and control a bigger chunk of the card payment stack. Coinbase says it is […]

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Systems

Central Banks Are Contemplating a World Without Cash

March 2 2020

• in
• Central bank digital currencies (CBDC)
• Checks
• Cryptocurrencies

“As money gets swept up by tech innovation, government authorities are taking a closer look at old fashioned notes and coins. More than a dozen countries are either researching, piloting, or, like China, have ongoing work in place for central bank digital currencies, according to a Bank for International Settlements report published today .”

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Systems

India lifts ban on cryptocurrency trading

March 4 2020

• in
• Cryptocurrencies

“India’s Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned central bank’s two-year-old ban on cryptocurrency trading in the country in what many said was a “historic” verdict. The Reserve Bank of India had imposed a ban on cryptocurrency trading in April 2018 that barred banks and other financial institutions from facilitating “any service in relation to virtual currencies.””

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Systems

Opera Browser Adds Apple Pay, Debit Card Cryptocurrency Purchase Options – CoinDesk

March 18 2020

• in
• Cryptocurrencies

“In a deal that primarily caters to mobile crypto buyers in the U.S., the Opera – Wyre partnership brings Apple Pay functionality to iOS and debit card integration to Android. It lets users of either system purchase up to $250 in bitcoin or ether daily, for a 30 cent fee plus a 2.9 percent transaction […]

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Deals

Bakkt Raises $300M Series B From Microsoft, Pantera

March 18 2020

• in
• Cryptocurrencies

“Crypto derivatives provider Bakkt closed a $300 million Series B fundraising round and shared additional details about its upcoming mobile application in a blog post Monday. According to the post, authored by CEO Mike Blandina, Microsoft’s M12, PayU, Boston Consulting Group, Goldfinch Partners, CMT Digital, Pantera Capital and Bakkt parent firm Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) all […]

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Regulation

Fed’s View on the Digitalization of B2B Payments and Digital Currency

March 18 2020

• in
• Cryptocurrencies

…This all comes with the knowledge that banks are subject to regulatory oversight, (i.e., they are safe) and payment card networks promise to not make cardholders pay for fraud as long as they get the right to charge usury interest to cardholders. That’s the implicit arrangement they make with the Fed. But as non-banks make […]

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Systems

Amendment to Special Reporting Act Passes – Cryptocurrency Now Fully Legal in South Korea

March 5 2020

• in
• Cryptocurrencies

“The amendment to the Act on Reporting and Use of Specific Financial Information passed this afternoon in a full session of National Assembly. The passing of the amendment signifies the official entry of cryptocurrency trading and holding into the legal system for the South Korean government. A restructuring of the domestic blockchain industry is expected […]

On The Wires

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Systems

BitPay and Poynt Take Bitcoin to the Streets

February 11 2020

• in
• Cryptocurrencies

“BitPay , the world’s largest provider of blockchain payment services, together with Poynt , the world’s first open commerce platform, today announced the integration of BitPay’s Bitcoin and cryptocurrency payments with Poynt’s Smart Terminal point-of-sale devices at more than 100,000 Poynt retailers worldwide.”