crypto blog
CBOE’s operating expenses spiked 312% due to underperformance of acquired crypto firm
On Friday, Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), the largest options exchange in the United States, announced its second-quarter earnings results. Of particular interest was its total operating expenses, which soared 685% year-over-year from $160.6 million. CBOE explained: “This was primarily due to the $460 million impairment of goodwill recognized in the Digital reporting unit, driven by negative events and trends in the broader digital asset environment. The said environment has changed dramatically since we closed the ErisX transaction on May 2, which resulted in the accounting adjustment.” ErisX enables self-directed individual retirement accounts, or IRAs, for U.S. residents to invest in crypto assets. This was CBOE’s first venture into the digital assets sector; t...
Binance US will delist AMP following SEC claim token is a security
United States-based crypto exchange Binance.US said it will be delisting the AMP token “out of an abundance of caution” of possible enforcement by federal regulators. In a Monday blog post, Binance.US said it will be closing deposits of Amp (AMP) and removing the AMP/USD trading pair on Aug. 15 following the token’s mention in a legal action from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC. The federal regulator filed a complaint against a former Coinbase product manager and two individuals in July that claimed that AMP and eight other cryptocurrencies were “crypto asset securities” that fell under the SEC’s purview. “We believe that, in some circumstances, delisting an asset best protects our community from undue risk,” said Binance.US. “We operate in a rapidly evolvin...
Coinbase, Binance and Kraken under scrutiny: Law Decoded, July 25-August 1
Despite some good signs of the crypto prices recovery, last week could hardly be called bright for the market, as the major news came from the enforcers and not the regulators. According to a report from the New York Times, the United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has been investigating crypto exchange Kraken for allegedly allowing users based in Iran and other countries to buy and sell crypto in a potential violation of U.S. sanctions. In the other hemisphere, the Philippines’ think tank Infrawatch PH filed a twelve-page complaint calling on the local Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to crack down on Binance’s activities in the country. The news comes shortly after the Philippines’ Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) waved off a Bina...
Ethereum futures backwardation hints at 30% ‘airdrop rally’ ahead of the Merge
Ether (ETH) bulls like a positive spread between its spot and ETH futures prices because the so-called contango reflects optimism about a higher rate in the future. But as of Aug. 1, the Ethereum futures curve slid in the opposite direction. Ethereum quarterly futures in backwardation On the daily chart, Ethereum futures quarterly contracts, scheduled to expire in December 2022, have slipped into backwardation, a condition opposite to contango, wherein the futures price becomes lower than the spot price. The spread between Ethereum’s spot and futures price grew to -$8 on Aug. 1. ETH230-ETHUSD daily price chart. Source: TradingView One one hand, the current ETH spot price being higher than its year-end outlook appears like a bearish sign. However, the conditions surrou...
How blockchain technology can revolutionize international trade
Since time immemorial, technological innovations have shaped the structure of commerce and trade. The discovery of electricity encouraged mass production and the advent of steam engines ushered in an era of mechanized production. From information to communication, technology has been used everywhere to make life easier. For this reason, blockchain technology has been tapped by many as the next big thing, considering its use cases which cut across numerous industry verticles. Mainly used in keeping records of transactions, blockchain technology is a type of distributed ledger technology. Blockchain makes a difference According to Statista, blockchain makes keeping data records easier, more transparent, and even more secure. Owing mostly to its resistance to alteration, blockchain offe...
CryptoPunks’ trading volume surges 1,847% after Tiffany & Co. launches exclusive NFT collection
On Monday, the trading volume of CryptoPunks, one of the sector’s most popular nonfungible token (NFT) collections, surged by 1,847% over 24 hours. Over $1,226.68 Ether (ETH) worth of Punk NFTs was traded during that time. The surge in interest appears to be tied to luxury jewelry retailer Tiffany & Co. launch of its own NFT collection, which has a special perk for Punk holders. Dubbed “NFTiffs,” the collection consists of 250 digital passes. Anyone can purchase NFTiffs, which are minted on the Ethereum blockchain. However, CryptoPunk holders can redeem the NFT for a customized-jewelry experience. After purchase, Punk holders can elect to receive a custom-designed pendant and an NFT digital artwork that resembles the final jewelry design. These are crafted by the...
New York AG calls for whistleblowers ‘deceived or affected’ by the crypto market crash
New York Attorney General Letitia James has opened the doors for investors who may have witnessed misconduct at a crypto firm amid the extreme market volatility to file a complaint as a whistleblower. In a Monday notice, James called on New York-based crypto users who have been locked out of accounts at exchanges or lending platforms, unable to access funds, or “deceived about their cryptocurrency investments” to contact the Office of the Attorney General. As a whistleblower, an individual filing a complaint with authorities could be kept anonymous — the New York Attorney General’s website already includes the option to submit relevant documents and information through a Tor Browser. “Investors were promised large returns on cryptocurrencies, but instead lost their hard-earned money,” said...
DeFi Project ChangeX launches its CHANGE token on Uniswap, HydraDEX to strong investor interest
Sofia, Bulgaria, 1st August, 2022, Chainwire DeFi project ChangeX has successfully launched its CHANGE token for trading on HydraDEX and Uniswap to strong investor interest, company officials said. The app supports several trading pairs in order to offer a broader range of possibilities to investors, BTC and ETH cross-chain swaps included. The CHANGE token launch comes after ChangeX successfully completed their ICO, defying bear market sentiment. The ICO resulted in close to $2M proceeds which will fund the company’s operations for at least 24 months, providing a solid financial starting point despite gloomy market conditions. CHANGE was introduced to the app on July 19 together with in-app staking and compounding of rewards, paid out in CHANGE. The staking APR on release day was in the 50...
Honduras attracts crypto investor tourists with Bitcoin Valley
A small tourist town in Honduras has begun accepting Bitcoin payments as part of the “Bitcoin Valley” initiative designed to increase tourism revenue across 60 local businesses. Some locals of Santa Lucia, like shopping mall owner Cesar Andino, expect the initiative to open up more opportunities for shops in the area and “attract more people who want to use this currency,” according to a report from Honduran news outlet La Prensa. Andino added: “Accepting Bitcoin will allow us to open another market and win more customers. We have to globalize. We cannot close ourselves off from technology, and we cannot be left behind when other countries are already doing it.” The program started on July 28, allowing patrons of local area shops to pay with United States dollars, Honduran Lempira, or Bitc...
Israel puts the brakes on cash to spur digital payments
Authorities in Israel on Monday has in put in place further restrictions on cash payments as a means to combat illegal activity and spur digital payments in the country. Since January 2019, Israeli businesses and consumers have been subject to limits on cash payments under the Law for the Reduction in the Use of Cash. It’s aimed at shifting the country’s citizens and businesses toward digital payments, allowing authorities to more easily track tax evasion, black market activity, and money laundering. From August 1, the limits on cash payments have been tightened to 6,000 Israeli Shekel (NIS), equivalent to $1,760 United States dollars (USD) for business transactions and NIS 15,000 ($4,400 USD) in personal transactions. Further restrictions are expected to follow in the future, prohib...
Facebook’s metaverse will ‘misfire,’ says Vitalik Buterin
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin doesn’t believe that any of the existing attempts by corporations to create a Metaverse are “going anywhere,” pointing to Meta as being one he believes will “misfire.” Responding to a tweet from Dialectic co-founder Dean Eigenmann, who believes venture capitalists may be wrong about what constitutes an ideal metaverse, Buterin said that while he believes “The metaverse is going to happen,” he doesn’t think any of the current attempts from corporates such as Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta are “going anywhere.” The “metaverse” is going to happen but I don’t think any of the existing corporate attempts to intentionally create the metaverse are going anywhere. https://t.co/tVUfq4CWmP — vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) July 30, 2022 The Metaverse...
Best monthly gains since October 2021 — 5 things to know in Bitcoin this week
Bitcoin (BTC) starts a new week and a new month on a cautiously positive footing after protecting crucial levels. After an intense July in which macro factors provided significant volatility, BTC price action managed to provide both a weekly and monthly candle favoring the bulls. The road to some form of recovery continues, and at some points in recent weeks, it seemed like Bitcoin would suffer even harder on the back of June’s 40% losses. Now, however, there is already a sense of optimism among analysts, but one thing remains clear — this “bear market rally” does not mean the end of the tunnel yet. As Summer 2022 enters its final month, Cointelegraph takes a look at the potential market triggers at play for Bitcoin as it lingers near its highest levels since mid-June. Spot price snatches ...
