A new draft law has replaced an earlier bill introducing a one-year tax and customs amnesty for cryptocurrency miners in Russia. The initial proposal has been withdrawn on the grounds that the tax break would have resulted in losses for the state budget. Revised Crypto Mining Legislation Submitted to Russian Parliament Without Amnesty for Miners Russian lawmakers have again filed legislation with the State Duma designed to regulate cryptocurrency mining. The new draft substitutes a bill submitted at the end of April, which has now been withdrawn. The revised version is missing some provisions that would have reduced the tax burden on miners at the expense of the federal budget, the deputies noted. On the positive side for those extracting digital currencies, mining operators will not… [Read More...]

With the Verse token sale slated for June, and registration already open at getverse.com, Bitcoin.com’s Head of Financial Services Corbin Fraser hosted an ‘Ask-Me-Anything’ with special guest Director of Engineering Andrei Terentiev. Addressing questions submitted across Twitter, Discord, and Telegram, the AMA premiered today and can be viewed in its entirety here. Topics addressed in Bitcoin.com’s Verse AMA included: How Verse fits into the Bitcoin.com ecosystem and the synergy created Initial distribution and token sale details The unlocking mechanism, supply mechanics, and how tokens will be allocated to the community Bitcoin.com’s strategy to accommodate low-fee chains The Verse vision and roadmap The Verse DEX, and more. VERSE is a rewards and utility token for users who contribute to and… [Read More...]

Russian law enforcement officials are investigating a crypto mining operation at Butyrka, Russia’s oldest prison. A deputy warden has been accused of stealing electricity to mint digital coins with the help of unidentified accomplices. Deputy Warden Suspected of Mining Cryptocurrency in Moscow Prison A high-ranking representative of the management of Butyrskaya prison, in the Tverskoy District of central Moscow, is under investigation for setting up a crypto mining farm. Also known as Butyrka, this is the oldest prison in Russia, built in the distant 1771. The coin minting hardware was found in the premises of a psychiatric clinic run by the Federal Penitentiary Service at the prison. The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation is currently checking one of the deputy wardens for possible abuse of power… [Read More...]

The rulers of Dubai have created a committee that is mandated with tracking the latest developments in the digital economy. The committee is also expected to bolster the rulers’ quest to make Dubai a “key city in the metaverse.” Dubai Rulers’ Vision The Dubai rulers, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum the crown prince and the deputy prime minister, Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, reportedly “reviewed vital technology trends in the metaverse and issued directives to form a task force to track the latest developments in the digital economy.” According to Sheikh Hamdan, the creation of the task force will likely help Dubai in its endeavour to become “a key city in the metaverse.” Extolling the decision by the… [Read More...]

Hacktivist collective Anonymous has allegedly breached the systems of one of the largest financial institutions in Russia, Sberbank. The attackers announced on social media they have published thousands of emails, phone numbers, and addresses. Anonymous Hackers Reportedly Gain Access to Sberbank Database Decentralized hacking group Anonymous claims to have hacked Sberbank. A Twitter account associated with the collective, @YourAnonOne, announced the attack earlier this week, noting the institution is the largest bank in the Russian Federation and the region of Eastern Europe. The #Anonymous collective hacked Sberbank, it is the largest bank in Russia and Eastern Europe. — Anonymous (@YourAnonOne) May 17, 2022 Moscow-headquartered Sberbank, currently called Sber, is a majority state-owned banking and financial services company with a presence in several European nations, mostly in the… [Read More...]

A soccer referee’s decision to toss a bitcoin before the start of a recent match between Istanbul giants Be?ikta? and Fenerbahçe has sparked controversy in Turkey. The country’s football authority is trying to establish why a crypto coin was used for the ritual when that role should have been reserved for the Turkish lira. Bitcoin Coin Toss at Soccer Game Under Investigation in Turkey The latest clash between Istanbul soccer clubs Be?ikta? and Fenerbahçe ended in a 1-1 draw but it’s not the tight game that drew the most attention, the Turkish daily Hürriyet wrote in article about the sports event. With photos posted on social media showing the referee flipping a Bitcoin-branded coin, it’s the kick-off ceremony that came to the forefront, the newspaper notes… [Read More...]

As markets slid in value during the past week, non-fungible token (NFT) floor values have dropped considerably. Blue-chip NFT collections like Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), Cryptopunks, and more have seen their floor values drop between 2-25% in the last 24 hours. NFT Floor Values Take a Significant Beating NFT sales have dropped 64.84% lower than the week prior during the last seven days. Nearly every popular NFT collection is down considerably when it comes to week-over-week sales. Otherdeed sales are down 90.31%, BAYC sales have slid 63.73%, Mutant Ape Yacht Club (MAYC) sales are down 65.73%, and Cryptopunks sales are under by 3.39% this past week. NFT floor values have slid a great deal in value during the past 24 hours as the crypto… [Read More...]

Chainalysis, a cryptocurrency security and blockchain auditing firm, has announced it has completed a new funding round for its operations. The company raised $170 million in its Series F funding round, which was led by GIC — the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation — and also had the participation of earlier investors. With this capital influx, the company reached a valuation of $8.6 billion. Chainalysis Gets Investment From GIC Chainalysis, a cryptocurrency and blockchain auditing firm, has announced it raised $170 million in its latest funding round, with investments led by GIC, the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation. The Series F funding round also had the participation of earlier and new investors, including Accel, Blackstone, Dragoneer, Fundersclub, the Bank of New York Mellon, and Emergence Capital. With… [Read More...]

United24, a new fundraising platform announced recently by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accepts a number of cryptocurrencies, alongside traditional payment methods. The initiative also permits donors to choose how their money will be spent. Kyiv Launches New Platform for Donations Amid Ongoing War With Russia Ukraine, which has been increasingly relying on foreign donations to support its defense efforts and overcome humanitarian challenges following Russia’s invasion, now offers those who want to help an integrated platform that streamlines the process and allocates financial support in accordance with the donor’s will. According to its website, United24 was launched by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the main venue for collecting charitable donations to support Ukraine. The Ukrainian head of state announced the global initiative last week, with his administration pointing… [Read More...]

On May 6, the financial services company Robinhood announced the firm has listed Grayscale’s Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) and Ethereum Trust (ETHE). Robinhood customers can now gain access the crypto investment products in order to get exposure to bitcoin or ethereum without actually owning the digital currencies. In Addition to Cryptos, Robinhood Adds Grayscale’s GBTC and ETHE This week Robinhood added GBTC and ETHE to the company’s platform and the firm’s brokerage account customers can now buy or sell GBTC and ETHE stock and options commission-free. There’s two new ways to access crypto on @RobinhoodApp. You can start trading $GBTC and $ETHE today. https://t.co/n09aiEVhqEhttps://t.co/6tFrYCsmzx pic.twitter.com/AxKH7xZ0nS — Grayscale (@Grayscale) May 6, 2022 Robinhood adding GBTC and ETHE investment… [Read More...]

Following the governance vote that aimed to implement a semi-dynamic earn rate for the Anchor Protocol, the decentralized finance (defi) platform’s earn rate adjusted downward for the first time this month. After holding steady with a 19.4% annual percentage yield (APY) since the project started, Anchor Protocol’s earn rate is now roughly 18% APY for the month of May. Defi Lending Protocol Anchor’s Earn Rate Adjusts Downward The lending platform Anchor Protocol is the third-largest defi protocol today with $16.5 billion total value locked (TVL). Statistics show that during the last 30 days, Anchor’s TVL has increased 9.25% since last month. Around 45 days ago, the team behind the lending protocol announced that a proposal had passed and the decentralized money market would have a fluctuating earn… [Read More...]

The anti-monopoly service of Russia has suggested that Russians minting digital currencies at their homes should pay more for the spent electrical energy. The proposal comes after the submission of a bill tailored to regulate cryptocurrency mining to the Russian parliament. Russian Miners Using Household Electricity Should Pay Higher Bills, Anti-Monopoly Body Says Russia’s Federal Anti-monopoly Service (FAS) has designed a scheme to charge amateur crypto miners increased rates for the electricity they use. The agency insists its approach to solving the problem with rising consumption in residential areas, due in part to the growing popularity of mining, can reduce the load on the electrical networks. Authorities in the Russian Federation maintain differentiated electricity tariffs depending on the status and location of consumers, the… [Read More...]

Following the Federal Reserve’s rate hike on Wednesday, economist Peter Schiff has had a lot to say since the U.S. central bank raised the benchmark rate by half a percentage point. Schiff further believes we are in a recession and says “it will be much worse than the Great Recession that followed the 2008 Financial Crisis.” Peter Schiff Says ‘Fed Cant Win a Fight Against Inflation Without Causing a Recession’ While many analysts were shocked by the U.S. Federal Reserve’s move, since it was the largest rate hike since 2000, a report by schiffgold.com says the increase was hardly “aggressive,” and akin to a “weak swing that looks more like shadow boxing.” Moreover, the report explains Powell’s commentary this week contained some “subtle… [Read More...]

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has received regulatory approval from the French financial regulator to operate as a registered digital asset service provider. “Binance will significantly scale our operations in France to make crypto and our services more accessible to all,” the exchange said. Binance Becomes a Fully Regulated Crypto Exchange in France Crypto exchange Binance announced Wednesday that it received approval from the French financial regulator, the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF), to operate as a registered digital asset service provider (DASP). The exchange wrote: Binance is now a fully regulated digital asset service provider in France. The French arm of Binance is now listed as a registered digital asset service provider on the AMF website. Specifically, the exchange is permitted to provide exchange and custody services… [Read More...]