The Venezuelan National Power Ministry announced a special operation to disconnect all bitcoin mining farms from the grid. Authorities have seized over 11,000 bitcoin miners as the government seeks to reduce the power usage from high-power customers siphoning energy from the national electric system. Venezuelan Authorities Seize and Disconnect Over 11,000 Bitcoin Miners Amidst Energy […]
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Lumerin and Quai Announce Strategic Collaboration to Enable On-Chain Compute Power Trading
PRESS RELEASE. Chicago, IL — April 4, 2024 — Lumerin, a pioneer in the decentralized Bitcoin mining marketplace, and Quai, a groundbreaking Layer-1 crypto network for the global and compute economies, proudly announce a strategic alliance aimed at expanding access to Bitcoin mining. This collaboration seeks to combine Lumerin’s expertise in decentralized data stream routing […]
Bitcoin News
Alchemy Pay and Polyhedra Network Announce Upcoming Collaboration for Seamless Ramp Solution
PRESS RELEASE. Alchemy Pay has announced that it has entered into a partnership with Polyhedra Network, a Web3 ZK infrastructure provider that aims to revolutionize interoperability and scalability through Zero-knowledge (ZK) proof technology. Through this collaboration, Alchemy Pay will integrate Polyhedra Network’s ZK infrastructure to improve the interoperability, security, and user experience of its global […]
Bitcoin News
AVAX Soars 9% As Avalanche And Chainlink Announce Partnership For Global Asset Circulation
According to a recent announcement from blockchain platform Avalanche (AVAX), Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) has partnered with Chainlink (LINK) Labs to explore the potential of on-chain digital assets for global movement and settlement.
Using Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP), the collaboration aims to connect the Avalanche and Ethereum (ETH) blockchains to enable uninterrupted delivery versus payment (DvP) settlement of tokenized assets across networks in multiple currencies.
Tokenized Asset Transaction Across Avalanche And Ethereum Using Chainlink
ANZ, a provider of banking products and services to millions of customers in nearly 30 markets, has reportedly taken an unusual approach to exploring the world of on-chain digital assets.
By leveraging Chainlink’s CCIP, ANZ is validating how customers can access, trade, and settle tokenized assets across multiple networks and currencies using Delivery vs. Payment. This approach aims to improve settlement efficiency and risk management for digital assets that fall under the classification of “securities” and their transactions.
According to Avalanche, Chainlink’s CCIP has been “crucial” in abstracting the complexities of moving tokenized assets across various blockchains, ensuring “atomic” cross-chain Delivery vs. Payment settlement.
Notably, within the collaboration, ANZ simulated a transaction where a customer used ANZ’s Digital Asset Services (DAS) portal to purchase tokenized ANZ-issued New Zealand dollar stablecoins (NZ$DC) on Avalanche.
Subsequently, the customer purchased tokenized Australian nature-based assets issued as non-fungible tokens (NFTs), denominated in tokenized ANZ-issued Australian dollar stablecoins (A$DC), on Ethereum.
Furthermore, ANZ facilitated the FX conversion between the two currencies, while CCIP provided the necessary infrastructure to transfer tokens and data between Ethereum and Avalanche.
ANZ Harnesses Avalanche’s Evergreen Subnet
Monday’s announcement also revealed that ANZ used its Avalanche Evergreen Subnet for the project, leveraging its Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatibility, permissioning, and custom gas token features.
The Evergreen Subnet allowed ANZ to explore new use cases and business models using customizable networks like Avalanche.
ANZ’s collaboration with Chainlink and Avalanche showcases how traditional financial institutions embrace blockchain technology to enhance capital markets.
Ultimately, Avalanche revealed that the initial results of the test transactions were promising, and the initiative could change how the financial services industry approaches tokenized assets.
The next steps include deploying the solution on blockchain mainnets and extending the workflows to include communication between different blockchain networks for different use cases.
AVAX Nears 22-Month High
At the time of writing, Avalanche’s token AVAX has been on a steady uptrend, resulting in a remarkable increase of over 60% in the last 30 days. Currently, the token is trading at .31, just below its 22-month high of set on Monday the 18th.
Within the last 24 hours, AVAX experienced a 9% increase after the announcement of the collaboration with Chainlink and ANZ Group. This surge allowed the token to break through the resistance level. However, the level is expected to be another obstacle that could lead to a consolidation period between and should the bullish momentum fade.
Further demonstrating the interest in AVAX, the token’s trading volume in the last 24 hours reached ,135,122,192, indicating a significant increase of 127.20% compared to the previous day.
Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com
Ripple and Palau Announce CBDC Stablecoin Pilot Program
Palau, an insular nation in the Philippines Sea, has partnered with Ripple, announcing a limited pilot for its own U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin issued using XRP technology. According to Jay Hunter Anson, a member of the board of directors of Palau’s Ministry of Finance, the test started about three weeks ago to validate the design of the stablecoin system.
Palau and Ripple Announce Test Pilot of U.S. Dollar-Pegged Stablecoin
Palau, a country comprising more than 300 individual islands, is testing a U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin on top of the Ripple network. Jay Hunter Anson, a member of the board of directors of Palau’s Ministry of Finance, stated that the pilot started in March and that the project has been distributing Palau’s Stablecoin (PSC) for three weeks.
Hunter Anson was the first to make a purchase using PSC, dubbed the “kluk,” purchasing a Micronesian breakfast at a collaborating vendor on July 13. He explained that PSC was “a prototype digitization of the U.S. dollar under development in partnership with Ripple using the XRPL blockchain.” If successful, this pilot could ostensibly revolutionize how inhabitants of Palau pay for goods and services.
The pilot has since expanded, adding more pilot volunteers to test the digital currency in the three enrolled vendors. On July 23, Hunter Anson announced that the second batch of PSC was distributed to 35 more volunteer users.
Pilot Definitions
In a press release on Wednesday, Ripple gave more details about this pilot program, stating that it would only allow 200 of Palau’s government employees to use PSC with the enrolled local vendors in its first phase. Also, PSC will be issued using the Ripple central bank digital currency (CBDC) platform, allowing Palau’s Ministry of Finance to mint, distribute, redeem, and destroy the digital token.
Furthermore, Palau’s Finance Ministry will guarantee the reserve to redeem PSC for U.S. dollars at a 1:1 ratio. The objective that Palau’s government seeks to reach with this pilot is to “reduce service charges for transaction costs like cash transfer, credit card payment fees” and include more of its citizens in its financial services programs through digital means.
On this, the President of the Republic of Palau, Surangel S. Whipps, Jr., stated:
By digitizing our currency, we hope to mobilize our economy and government processes to improve financial transactions and empower our citizens. As a smaller country, Palau has the advantage to be innovative and nimble in releasing our stablecoin.
What do you think about Palau’s U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin pilot test? Tell us in the comments section below.
Foxify Announce Partnership with Tyson Fury
PRESS RELEASE. Foxify have just confirmed a brand partnership with Tyson Fury in an industry leading move. It comes following the hype of the brand reveal in January. The two-time world heavyweight champion is undefeated, with a legion of fans that follow his extraordinary career.
What is Foxify? From the founding team of MDB (Make DeFi Better) comes the next generation of peer-to-peer trading, a unique platform that is yet to be seen in the DeFi space: Foxify.
Following from previous successes, the team brings you their latest innovation, enter: Foxify. A first of its kind, decentralized peer-to-peer trading platform. Foxify will allow users to trade any pair or any token. The technology is built with the power to enable trading on pegged tokens that track currencies, commodities and assets beyond crypto. It’s 100% trustless, managed completely by smart contracts and is free to use. More details will be revealed as launch approaches, but it is set to be huge as it has the power to disrupt a 0 trillion dollar industry, and is scalable across global markets.
Foxify aims to put the power in users hands, traditional exchanges and decentralized trading platforms are still heavily weighted against the user being successful, Foxify levels the playing field and allows traders opportunities to trade against peers without the ‘house advantage’.
Foxify is a Diamond Sponsor at the Blockchain Economy London Summit in February, so you will be able to go and meet members of the team in person and find out more about the platform. Foxify founder and CEO Danny Winn will be a speaker there also, discussing the future of decentralized finances and trading. The team will also be exhibiting at the Blockchain Economy summits in Dubai, Texas and Istanbul later in the year, and will be attending numerous other industry events.
The team has a wealth of experience – including the 2022 bear market success story, Make DeFi Better. Make DeFi better has continued to buck the trend of the bear market with a consistent, upward trending chart and offering users sustainable passive income through their dApp.
Foxify will also run an affiliate programme, allowing you to earn a percentage of fees generated by those who sign up and trade via your referral link.
Launching June 2023, get early access to alpha, presale information and seed funding options and more by joining now.
Foxify: Your future, today.
Find out more: https://linktr.ee/foxifytrade
This is a press release. Readers should do their own due diligence before taking any actions related to the promoted company or any of its affiliates or services. Bitcoin.com is not responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in the press release.
Independent Developers of Ton Announce the Latest Upgrade of the @Wallet Bot, Transforming It into a Full-Service Cryptocurrency Wallet
The development of Toncoin, designed to work in conjunction with the Telegram messaging app, has been one for the books. TON, which stands for “The Open Network,” got its own @wallet bot on Telegram’s open WebApps platform back in April, enabling users to transact Toncoin from within the messaging app. The revolutionary development has since then witnessed growth in terms of usage and transaction volumes.
This time around, with a significant upgrade, a group of independent TON developers have taken it another step further by launching a fully-fledged cryptocurrency wallet inside the messaging app. This new innovation will allow users to buy and send Toncoin much faster and cheaper compared to before.
Changing The Space With @Wallet
Anyone who uses cryptocurrency is no stranger to the anxiety that comes with sending crypto from one wallet to another. This starts with downloading different apps for different purposes and having to copy and paste complicated wallet addresses to send crypto. This is the reason the @wallet bot was created; to make the process of sending and receiving crypto much easier.
TON users need only have the Telegram handle of the recipient to send Toncoin. The payments are fast, and there are no transaction fees. Now, with the latest update, the TON Foundation has made the @wallet bot more like a bank app. Users can now easily buy Toncoin using their credit cards right inside the Telegram app. Furthermore, users do not need to go to a third-party website to complete their KYC verification, as the integration of the Sum&Substance system with the @wallet bot makes it easier.
This way, @wallet can now facilitate easy P2P transfer of Toncoin through Telegram chats. Using the WebApps platform, the TON Foundation team has been able to create an easy-to-understand interface with a native appearance built into it. The latest update has been referred to as “a small revolution” by the TON Foundation team.
Andrew Rogozov, a founding member of the TON Foundation, lauded the latest upgrade. “We are pleased that TON ecosystem products are rapidly evolving and entering the lives of blockchain veterans and novices alike,” Rogozov said. “The widescale adoption of TON by users, regardless of their experience, is one of our key goals. This update is just one example of the project’s tangible success. Thanks to @wallet, it is now easier to buy and send cryptocurrencies within the Telegram app and get acquainted with the world of blockchain payments.”
About The Open Network (TON)
TON was initially the brainchild of the Durov brothers, who founded Telegram Messenger. However, after developing “The Open Network” in 2018, the Durov brothers eventually handed the project over to the TON community, and it has been developed and scaled by the community since then.
TON still keeps close to its original design, which is to facilitate cheap, user-friendly, fully scalable, and lightning-fast transactions. The TON Foundation was later formed to oversee the development of the TON Blockchain, and it is made up of a group of non-commercial supporters who help develop the blockchain.
A creation by the TON developer community, the @wallet bot helps users carry out crypto transactions inside Telegram Messenger. Since it was launched, the @wallet has gained a lot of traction, achieving over 1 million wallets and an operating turnover of million in the last quarter alone.
Using @wallet to send crypto transactions is as easy as sending a text, so it is no wonder that it has grown so rapidly as users can also purchase and hold Toncoin all inside the Telegram app. With its latest update, TON plans to onboard millions of users into crypto.
To learn more, visit ton.org/
Leading BSC GameFi Projects Announce Massive $30,000 Airdrop Campaign
It was recently announced that 15 leading GameFi projects on Binance Smart Chain (BSC) will host a coordinated airdrop with over ,000 for participants. The participants include PlanetSandbox, Deathroad, MechMaster, AMAKUNI, MetaStrike, Rise of Defenders, Kingspeed, Ancient Kingdom, My Master War, Metaxiz, Heroes & Empires, Etermon, Hydraverse and Animverse.
In total, ,000 worth of crypto assets is up for grabs. Rewards are made up of governance/utility tokens, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and so-called hero boxes, and a total of 100 winners will be selected to share the prize pot. On average, total prizes from each project are roughly ,000, with many split between multiple tiers.
To be in with a chance of winning, all users have to do is follow each of the projects on Twitter, log their entry here, and enter their BEP20 wallet address. Entries must be logged by 11.59 pm on April 27.
BSC Bonanza
Binance Smart Chain is carving out a reputation as the go-to GameFi network. Last December, the network teamed up with gaming giant Animoca Brands to launch a 0 million investment program to incubate GameFi projects building on BSC. The network now supports over 500 gaming dApps according to DappRadar.
For retail users around the world, BSC is an attractive alternative to ERC-20 assets as it boasts low transaction fees while maintaining speed and effectiveness. For this reason, many GameFi projects have built on BSC as a way to provide fair access to users around the world, while making sure scalability is not jeopardized.
As a result, BSC has become a magnet for leading GameFi projects, particularly in Southeast Asia. Southeast Asia, with strongholds like Vietnam and Indonesia, was the driving force behind the rise of Axie Infinity and the recent play-to-earn narrative which fueled the rise of GameFi in 2021. Beyond engaged users, Southeast Asia brings passionate gamers that are mobile-native and understand the mix of game mechanics and blockchain-savvy that is required to perform at a competitive level.
The First Airdrop of its Kind
Airdrops are a common mechanism to attract new community members and reward existing ones for their loyalty. In this case, 14 leading communities will combine forces, creating what is expected to be a massive wave of cross-adoption between platforms. Users will be exposed to new games while having a chance to win prizes that will immediately give them a leg up on the competition.
Prize Pool Specifics
The following prizes have been confirmed for airdrop winners:
- 00 worth of PlanetSandbox PSB tokens
- 10 NFT SARU by AMAKUNI (~00)
- 00 worth of Rise of Defenders RDR tokens; 40 Boxes of Heroes
- 00 worth of KingSpeed KSC tokens; 00 worth of KingSpeed NFTs
- 00 worth of Mech Master MECH tokens; 00 worth of Mech Master NFTs
- 00 worth of MetaStrike MTS tokens; 50 Uncommon Boxes
- 00 worth of Metaxiz MEXI tokens; 00 Common Boxes
- 00 worth of Etermon ETM tokens
- 00 worth of Heroes & Empires HE tokens; 00 Genesis Rare Chest
- 00 worth of Deathroad DRACE tokens
- 00 worth of Ancient Kingdom DOM token; 8 Standard Boxes
- 00 worth of Hydraverse HDV tokens; 40 Standard Eggs
- 00 worth of MyMasterWar MAT tokens; 20 NFT Heroes (~00)
- ,000 worth of Animverse ANM tokens
By participating in Binance Smart Chain’s latest headline-grabbing campaign, companies like Planet Sandbox, DeathRoad, Etermon and others will be looking to attract yet more interest in the network’s fast-growing GameFi ecosystem. The partnership can be looked at as a coalition of sorts, where games can use each respective competitive advantage to build a combined network effect to help the ecosystem flourish as a whole.
The best part is that the airdrop is easy and straightforward. A reminder for interested gamers: all you need to do is follow each project on Twitter, document the record of this action here, and submit your BEP20 wallet address. Make sure to do so by April 27 as well.
Will Strike Announce A Partnership With Apple At Bitcoin 2022? Here’s The 411
Is Apple ripe for bitcoin adoption? Something’s up with Strike’s CEO. Through Twitter, Jack Mallers seems to be dropping clue after clue. And the Bitcoin 2022 conference is next week in Miami. Last year, in the same event, Mallers himself announced that El Salvador would make bitcoin legal tender. Definitely one of the biggest news items of 2021. What will he and other guests of honor announce this time?
Related Reading | Comparing Apple’s Growth With Bitcoin, Why This Expert Sets 0K As Long-Term Goal
Could bitcoin-only Strike be about to announce an Apple partnership? How would such gigantic news affect the market? Let’s analyze Mallers’ cryptic tweets and see what we come up with.
The Curious Case Of Jack Mallers’ Apple Tweets
It all started with what appears to be a teaser for Mallers’ still-untitled “Announcement Keynote” at Bitcoin 2022. “With Bitcoin as the monetary network, the financial system will be cheaper, faster, more innovative, and more inclusive,” the Strike CEO wrote.
With #Bitcoin as the monetary network, the financial system will be cheaper, faster, more innovative, and more inclusive.
Two weeks #Bitcoin pic.twitter.com/9u9SkIVSdN
— Jack Mallers (@jackmallers) March 24, 2022
Ok, but what does it have to do with Apple? You saw it and you missed it. In the photo, Jack Mallers’ hat features an old-school Apple logo while he’s flipping the bird to a Chase ATM.
History rhymes…#Bitcoin pic.twitter.com/gEQzZvh6OV
— Bitcoin Archive (@BTC_Archive) March 30, 2022
That’s not all, is he referencing the photo of Steve Jobs flipping the bird to an IBM building? That might seem like a stretch, but that’s only because we haven’t shown you the other set of Apple-related tweets. First, the Strike CEO posted the classic Think Different, “here’s to the crazy ones” Apple ad.
pic.twitter.com/pG8w209uWV
— Jack Mallers (@jackmallers) March 28, 2022
The comments exploded, the ad’s relationship to the hat’s logo wasn’t lost on people. Everybody knows that the Bitcoin 2022 conference starts in a week or so and companies have been holding their announcements. Is there something going on with Strike and Apple?
pic.twitter.com/Y4oi5PbK1a
— Jack Mallers (@jackmallers) March 30, 2022
Then, Mallers threw us a curveball. He posted the also classic “Got Milk” ad. Maybe Mallers has just been watching old-school advertisement.
pic.twitter.com/QTuMB9Nlth
— Jack Mallers (@jackmallers) March 30, 2022
But wait, then he tweeted a classic Steve Jobs speech in which the former Apple CEO references the “Got Milk” ads saying:
“The dairy industry tried for twenty years to convince you that milk was good for you. It’s a lie but they tried anyway. And the sales were going like this [signalizing downward]. And then they tried “Got Milk” and the sales are going like this [signalizing upwards]. Got Milk doesn’t even talk about the product – as a matter of fact, the focus is on the absence of the product.”
And that’s where we are with Jack Maller’s Apple tweets.
Is Bloomberg Suggesting Something?
Does Bloomberg know something we don’t? First, they published an article titled “Apple Is Crypto’s Biggest Wild Card” in which they quote “Ric Burton, an early contributor to the Ethereum project” speculating:
“As crypto assets make up a larger portion of people’s net worth, they’ll prioritize security and privacy,” Burton says. “Cook has pushed those features from the beginning. Compared to other Big Tech players (Google, Meta), I trust Apple to do the right thing for people if it goes the crypto route.”
Yesterday, they published another article, this one titled “Apple Working to Bring More Financial Services In-House.” “The project has been dubbed “Breakout” internally, underscoring the idea of breaking away from the existing financial system,” the article says. It describes project breakout as:
“A multiyear plan would bring a wide range of financial tasks in-house, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans aren’t public. That includes payment processing, risk assessment for lending, fraud analysis, credit checks and additional customer-service functions such as the handling of disputes.”
Does this point directly at Strike and Bitcoin integration? No, it doesn’t. However, it shows the direction that Apple is pointing to as a company. Their ApplePay product is successful and the company is looking into financial services as a whole.
BTC price chart for 03/31/2022 on Exmo | Source: BTC/USD on TradingView.com
Other Apple-Related Strike Tweets
The Twitterati has been cautious about the possibility of an Apple and Strike partnership. The evidence is circumstantial at best and there’s no point celebrating just yet. However, interesting information and theories are already circulating. These are some of the best ones:
Related Reading | Strike Launches New Feature To Allow Users Convert Salaries To Bitcoin
- According to Dennis Porter, Senator Cynthia Lummis mentioned a big Strike announcement for next month.
BREAKING: Senator Lummis says, “@jackmallers and @Strike will make an announcement next month.” On their work with the Lightning network.
— Dennis Porter (@Dennis_Porter_) March 24, 2022
- Bitcoin Magazine contributor Level39 believes that Strike will just announce they’re integrating “Apple’s upcoming Tap to Pay feature and make Bitcoin more usable and accessible for humanity.”
While it would be exciting if @Strike partners with Apple. Strike will likely integrate Apple's upcoming Tap to Pay feature and make #Bitcoin more usable and accessible for humanity.https://t.co/yixQakspxn
— Level39 (@level39) March 31, 2022
- Bitcoin Archive found some bitcoin icons for the Apple OS, but, as it turns out, they’re at least three years old. Still, the icons exist.
Apple’s new #Bitcoin logos for their OS. It’s probably nothing…
c:@hugodouchet pic.twitter.com/eK5OIHBc8y
— Bitcoin Archive (@BTC_Archive) March 30, 2022
- Investor James Lavish asks, “So, when Apple announces that it has integrated Bitcoin into ApplePay, are you still going to insist it is going to zero?”
So, when Apple announces that it has integrated #Bitcoin into ApplePay, are you still going to insist it is going to zero?
— James Lavish (@jameslavish) March 31, 2022
And that’s where we are with Twitter-based information and theories regarding Apple and Strike.
Featured Image: The Apple hat from this tweet| Charts by TradingView
NewsBTC
UAE Authorities Announce New Stringent Measures Against Crypto Scammers
Under stringent new UAE regulations designed to safeguard the public from financial fraud, cyber criminals who promote cryptocurrency frauds online face up to five years in prison and fines of up to 2 million.
Crypto-scammers To Face 5 Years Imprisonment
Promoters of online cryptocurrency frauds now risk a possible five-year prison sentence and a maximum fine of almost 0,000 under the UAE’s new internet security regulations, which take effect on January 2, 2022.
The crackdown was announced last month as part of President Sheikh Khalifa’s series of broad legal reforms.
The new law expands the country’s existing cyber-crime rules to include the promotion of rogue cryptocurrency schemes that are not recognized by UAE authorities.
Despite the fact that many countries routinely issue warnings in this area, the UAE government has decided to take it a step further by imposing hefty penalties on those who violate the law. Cybercriminals who promote cryptocurrency frauds on the internet risk up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to 1 million DH (2,259), as the country’s government has strengthened its regulations to protect residents from cyber fraud.
“As per article 48, posting misleading ads or inaccurate data online about a certain product will be punishable with jail and/or a fine between Dh20,000 and Dh500,000,” said Dr Hassan Elhais, of Al Rowaad Advocates, who outlined new legislation tackling cyptocurrency scams.
“The same penalty applies to members of the public who promote cryptocurrencies unrecognised by authorities in the country.”
BTC/USD float above k post-xmas. Source: TradingView
Related article | Bittrex Global CEO Declares Dubai Will Gain Benefit From Cryptocurrency Market Expansion
UAE Citizens Fell For Crypto-Scams This Year
Despite strong regulation and a crypto-friendly climate, UAE citizens have continued to be victims of financial crime. In fact, in the first half of 2021, consumers in Dubai alone lost about 80 million DH in hundreds of such frauds. The UAE police responded by issuing warnings to people about bogus cryptocurrency trading and profit-making schemes.
Regardles, DubaiCoin was one of the most intricate phishing frauds the city had to deal with. The digital asset was marketed as having government backing, and investors jumped at the chance, causing its value to skyrocket in a short amount of time.
Others have not been so fortunate, as nine individuals from the country were sentenced to ten years in prison earlier this month for defrauding people out of 18 million DH through a get-rich-quick bitcoin trading scheme.
When it comes to creating a comprehensive and inclusive crypto framework, the UAE is at the forefront. The Dubai World Trade Center was declared both a comprehensive crypto zone and a regulator earlier this month, allowing it to create an enormous hub for the sector’s expansion.
Related articles | Authorities To Imprison A Man From Ohio For Defrauding Million In A Cryptocurrency Scam