Crypto news
Researchers find security flaw in Rarible: Users could have lost all their NFTs
The research arm of cyber security software firm Check Point said it identified a vulnerability in the Rarible NFT marketplace that could have seen many of its roughly two million active monthly users lose their NFTs in a single transaction. Check Point is a multinational IT security firm that was founded in Ramat Gan, Israel in 1993 and also claimed to have spotted issues relating to malicious airdrops on OpenSea back in October 2021. According to documents shared with Cointelegraph, Check Point Research (CPR) recently discovered that malicious actors could send users a dubious link to an NFT that executes JavaScript code after clicking that “attempts to send a setApprovalForAll request to the victim.” If the link is clicked, the user grants full access to their wallets on Rarible. CPR st...
Texas regulators order virtual casino to stop selling NFTs
A virtual, Cyprus-registered casino Sand Vegas Casino Club faced an emergency cease and desist order from Texas and Alabama state securities regulators. The company is ordered to “stop a fraudulent investment scheme tied to metaverses”. On April 13, the Texas State Securities Board reported issuing the order, accusing Sand Vegas Casino Club, Martin Schwarzberger and Finn Ruben Warnke of illegally offering nonfungible tokens (NFTs) to fund the development of virtual casinos in metaverses. Allegedly, Sand Vegas offered 11,111 NFTs to raise funds for its metaverse casinos. The firm offered those who purchased Gambler NFTs and Golden Gambler NFTs a share of the future casino’s profits. By Sand Vegas’ projections, owners of Gambler NFTs could expect profits between $1,224 and $24,48...
Elon Musk endeavors to buy Twitter but will reconsider position if rejected
In a letter sent to the chairman of Twitter’s board Bret Taylor on Thursday, entrepreneur Elon Musk, best known for founding and heading Tesla and SpaceX, has offered to purchase the entire Twitter company for $54.20 a share, stating that the social media platform has “extraordinary potential” that he will “unlock.” Published by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in a 13D filing, Musk stated that “Since making my investment, I now realize the company will neither thrive nor serve this societal imperative in its current form. Twitter needs to be transformed as a private company.” Following this, Musk categorically states that this offer is his “best and final”, and if not accepted, he “would need to reconsider his [my] position as a shareholder.” I made an offer https://t.co/VvreuP...
Top Latin America delivery app to accept crypto
Rappi, the most popular delivery service in Latin America, is working with Bitso and Bitpay to accept Bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptocurrency payments. As reported by Cointelegraph Brazil, Rappi is integrating with Bitso and Bitpay through a trial project in Mexico. However, it’s unclear whether the pilot plan will also enable access to the service in Brazil and other Latin American countries. In Mexico, Rappi, a Colombian delivery app with operations in nine Latin American countries, has launched a crypto payments pilot program. Customers will be able to convert crypto into credits that can subsequently be used to complete purchases on Rappi’s platform. — Crypto Goddy (@CryptoGoddy) April 12, 2022 Sebastián Mejia, the co-founder and president of Rappi, noted that cryptocurrenci...
‘Zone of heavy opportunity’: Analysts tip Bitcoin will stage a comeback
Several popular cryptocurrency analysts believe the future looks green for Bitcoin (BTC) as it reclaimed the $40,000 mark in a 3.5% swing following a week-long dip. Popular Bitcoin technical analyst on Twitter TechDev issued a prediction to his 381,000 followers that the general direction for the largest cryptocurrency by market cap will be up for the foreseeable future. His April 14 chart drew a comparison between the tremendous rise of the Dow Jones Industrial Average in the ’80s and ’90s to Bitcoin’s price over the past six years. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns but there are some similarities to the historic price action that if repeated, would suggest the Bitcoin price will rise from here. The analyst said “Times change. Assets chain. Macro aggrega...
Cash App and Chivo help drive Lightning payment volume up 400%
A new report highlights how the Lightning Network has grown in popularity as a way of transferring digital assets quickly and efficiently around the globe. CNBC today told the story of Alena Vorobiova, a Ukrainian refugee currently seeking sanctuary in Poland. Vorobiova used Lightning to transfer $100 worth of Bitcoin from Miami, where it was then withdrawn from an ATM in the equivalent Polish currency — all within the space of three minutes. That’s the sort of low cost, high speed transaction that has seen the Layer 2 scaling solution for Bitcoin grow 410% in payment volume over the past year. According to the report published by Arcane Research, the number of payments that occurred on the Lightning Network in the past year doubled while the total value of those payments quadrupled....
North Dakota hopes to double the $3B of clean crypto mining in the state
North Dakota government officials rocked up to the Bitcoin 2022 conference in Miami to lure cryptocurrency miners into their greener pastures. They came with the promise of the “cleanest crypto on the planet.” The North Dakota Commerce Department dropped $35,000 on the trip, saying it expected a return of 20,000% or more from its presence at the conference. The department announced that the state has already secured $3 billion of crypto investment and is close to attracting another $3 billion worth of projects. North Dakota hopes to end its reliance on agriculture and oil by enticing crypto mining companies to set up in the Upper Midwest state. There are no tax breaks or funding as the state is relying on its natural assets. It’s known for cold, dry weather which can help chill out overhea...
BoJ official says digital yen won’t be used to achieve negative interest rate
The Bank of Japan (BoJ) has said that its Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), the digital yen, will not be used to help attain negative interest rates. The BoJ’s Executive Director, Shinichi Uchida made the announcement in his most recent public speech. “While the idea of using such a functionality as a means to achieve a negative interest rate is sometimes discussed in academia, the Bank will not introduce CBDC on this ground.” Japan initially adopted negative interest rates in 2016 in an attempt to combat decades of deflation by encouraging borrowing and spending. Negative interest rates are only used as a last resort by central banks during a recession to stimulate an economy by encouraging borrowing and spending, with interest being paid to borrowers rather than lenders. Echoin...
China-based regulatory and trade associations target NFTs in latest risk notice
The China Banking Association, the China Internet Finance Association and the Securities Association of China issued a joint statement warning the public about the “hidden risks” of investing in nonfungible tokens, or NFTs. In a Wednesday notice, the three associations launched initiatives aimed at encouraging innovation in the crypto and blockchain space focused on NFTs as well as “resolutely curb[ing] the tendency of NFT financialization and securitization” to reduce the risks around illicit activities. The China Banking Association said member institutions should not consider NFTs assets like securities, precious metals, and other financial products. In addition, cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) and Tether (USDT) should not be used for the pricing and settlement of ...
Dozens of VIP backers invest $87M into crypto payment startup MoonPay
In November 2021, MoonPay announced a $555 million Series A financing round that brought the crypto payment platform’s valuation to $3.4 billion. On Wednesday, the fintech company revealed that $87 million of the total $555 million came collectively from more than 60 public figures and celebrities in the music, sports, media and entertainment industries. While the Series A round was led by firms like Tiger Global Management and Coatue with participation from Blossom Capital, Thrive Capital, Paradigm and NEA, the following household names are also considered strategic investors: Gwyneth Paltrow, Maria Sharapova, Eva Longoria, Gal Gadot, Matthew McConaughey and Bruce Willis. Other “industry VIPs” like Ashton Kutcher, Justin Bieber, Snoop Dogg, Paris Hilton and Steve A...
Binance’s NFT head adopted this implementation model during the platform’s creation
Attending and reporting from the two-day Paris Blockchain Week Summit (PBWS), Cointelegraph’s managing editor, Alex Cohen sat down with Helen Hai, head of Binance’s NFT platform for a candid discussion on the early inspirations for their NFT platform, as well as her vision for regulatory communication, among other topics. Citing the methods in which the Asian economy capitalized on the growth potential within the second industrial revolution by driving job creation for the lower and middle classes, Hai stated that the internet era — typically referenced as Web2 — was a contributing factor for the widening of digital-economic disparities between various societal groups. During the interview, Hai spoke on how this imbalance could be re-established through the usage of Web3 technologies...
Wikimedia community supports proposal to stop foundation from accepting crypto donations
Requests for comments on a proposal urging the Wikimedia Foundation to stop accepting donations in cryptocurrency have closed, with the majority of users voting in favor. According to a Tuesday update on the proposal, roughly 71%, or 232 out of 326, Wikimedia contributors who responded requested that the Wikimedia Foundation — the nonprofit that hosts Wikipedia — stop accepting cryptocurrency donations. The arguments in favor of the proposition included environmental concerns surrounding Bitcoin (BTC) transactions and “the risk to the movement’s reputation for accepting cryptocurrencies.” The community first opened the proposal to comment on Jan. 10, expanding the discussion to include topics like El Salvador adopting BTC as legal tender, crypto as a tool for illicit financial activities, ...
