Australian crypto exchange Swyftx is set to shutter its crypto-interest product this week, citing a “constantly changing regulatory landscape” for crypto products in the country. From Jan. 10, the crypto exchange will cease to operate the “Earn” program, with users having their entire Earn balances returned to their trade wallets. Swyftx said while the decision might
Disgraced FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) is attempting to regain access to his Robinhood shares, worth over $460 million. The former CEO of the collapsed crypto exchange claimed that he needs them to “pay for his criminal defense,” stressing that without them the consequences would be serious and “irreparable.” FTX customers, on the other hand,
OpenSea, a leading marketplace for digital collectibles and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), has announced support for Arbitrum Nova, a Layer 2 blockchain that aims to provide low-cost data availability. Arbitrum Nova, a new addition to the Arbitrum ecosystem, is intended to be the premier choice for Web3 gaming and social applications. Together with Arbitrum One, which
Gold is on the rise in 2023 and in the first week of the new year alone, the precious metal has jumped 2.36% against the U.S. dollar. Over the past 65 days, gold has soared 14.55% while silver has skyrocketed 22.31% against the greenback since Nov. 3, 2022. According to the head of metals strategy
In the spring of 2022, the Central African Republic (CAR) became the first African country to adopt Bitcoin (BTC) as a legal tender. As the second country globally to recognize Bitcoin in such a fashion, the CAR followed in El Salvador’s footsteps. El Salvador has since boasted surging tourism numbers, a resilient economy and a
Huobi cryptocurrency exchange has confirmed plans to lay off 20% of its employees as part of the ongoing restructuring following Justin Sun’s acquisition of the firm. “The planned layoff ratio is about 20%, but it is not implemented now,” a spokesperson for Huobi said in a statement to Cointelegraph on Jan. 6. The representative emphasized
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission and prosecutors are reportedly investigating former FTX engineering director Nishad Singh for potentially having a role in defrauding investors and users. According to a Jan. 5 report from Bloomberg, U.S. officials are looking at individuals in former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried’s inner circle as
France has to adopt a licensing regime for crypto service providers, the head of the country’s central bank has suggested. According to the executive, the need to tighten regulatory oversight stems from the “disorder” in the industry throughout the past year. Licensing Should Replace Registration for Crypto Firms in France, Governor Galhau Says Banque de
Bitcoin (BTC) could be busy forming fundamental support in its current tight trading range, the latest research suggests. In a tweet on Jan. 6, trading platform Trend Rider noticed that $16,800 is becoming an increasingly important BTC price support zone. Point of control establishing below $17,000? Bitcoin’s lack of volatility has led commentators to debate
United States prosecutors are investigating hedge funds’ relationships with cryptocurrency exchange Binance for money-laundering violations. According to anonymous sources cited by the Washington Post, the U.S. attorney’s office for the Western District of Washington in Seattle subpoenaed investment firms to provide records of communications with Binance in the past months. The allegedly subpoenas do not
Top Stories This Week Sam Bankman-Fried enters not guilty plea for all counts in federal court Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (has pleaded not guilty to all charges related to the collapse of the crypto exchange, including wire fraud and securities fraud. He faces eight criminal counts, which could result in 115 years in prison
Following reports that the crypto payments firm Wyre was shutting down operations, CEO Ioannis Giannaros offered a contradicting story, stating that the firm was merely “scaling back.” Wyre has now announced that it is “modifying” its withdrawal policy, citing the crypto industry downturn and the “macroeconomic climate” as factors that have affected the company. On
Mt. Gox creditors will have more time to decide on which repayment method they want to be paid in and register their payee information at the defunct crypto exchange. In an announcement dated Jan. 6, Mt. Gox trustee Nobuaki Kobayashi stated that the previously announced deadline for repayment selection which was on Jan. 10, has
The Bank of France’s governor has called for more stringent licensing requirements for crypto companies in France, citing the current turmoil in the crypto markets. During a speech in Paris on Jan. 5, Francois Villeroy de Galhau said France shouldn’t wait for upcoming EU crypto laws to enact obligatory licensing for local digital asset service
SuperRare, a non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace, has laid off 30% of its staff due to the prolonged crypto winter. CEO John Crain stated that the company overhired during the market boom, leading to unsustainable growth. The layoffs were necessary to “rightsize” the company and ensure its ability to continue serving the artist and collector communities.
Since the beginning of 2023, cryptocurrency miners operating in Kazakhstan are obliged to pay new fees for the power they need to mint digital coins. A surcharge introduced in 2021 now depends on the price of electricity consumed by bitcoin farms and can be much higher than the original levy. New Year Brings Higher Costs