PRESS RELEASE. Excitement is brewing in the heart of Asia as Hong Kong regulators pave the way for a new era of innovation with the recent approval of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). This groundbreaking development underscores Hong Kong’s commitment to becoming a regulated hub for Bitcoin. At the same time, the Bitcoin Conference is […]
https://news.bitcoin.com/bitcoin-conference-to-bring-star-studded-lineup-of-speakers-to-hong-kong-on-dawn-of-historic-etfs/

The chairman of the Swiss National Bank has expressed reservations about incorporating bitcoin into the central bank’s currency reserves. He stated that no decision has been made yet to invest in bitcoin, underscoring the necessity for currency reserves to be liquid, sustainable, and easily tradable, given their use in international payments. Swiss National Bank on […]
https://news.bitcoin.com/swiss-national-bank-chief-raises-concerns-about-adding-bitcoin-to-currency-reserves/

According to Chainalysis’ “Crypto Spring Report,” stablecoin adoption and market importance are seeing a rapid increase in 2024, with a significant rise in the number of addresses holding them and their use in on-chain transactions, making them a global financial asset. Legislation efforts in the U.S., such as the Lummis-Gillibrand Payment Stablecoin Act, aim to […]
https://news.bitcoin.com/stablecoins-gain-ground-as-global-financial-asset/

A new law enabling the National Crime Agency and police to seize, freeze, and destroy crypto assets is now in effect in the UK. Under this law, police can seize crypto from suspects without needing to make an arrest first. Additionally, victims have the right to request the release of funds held in crypto accounts […]
https://news.bitcoin.com/new-uk-law-empowering-authorities-to-seize-and-destroy-crypto-assets-takes-effect-today/

The United States witnessed its first banking failure of 2024 with the closure of Philadelphia-based Republic First Bank, creating ripples within the cryptocurrency community as Bitcoin, Ether, and various altcoins experienced slight price drops following the announcement. This event has spurred discussions among crypto enthusiasts and investors, with some seeing bank failures as a compelling […]
https://news.bitcoin.com/republic-first-bank-fails-triggers-minor-crypto-market-downturn-amid-banking-sector-concerns/

Eddy Lazzarin, CTO of A16z Crypto, one of the largest cryptocurrency-focused venture capital funds, has criticized the meme coins’ effect on the broad appreciation of the cryptocurrency market. Lazzarin stated that meme coins undermined the “long-term vision of crypto” that has maintained some actors in the space, making it look “like a risky casino.” A16z […]
https://news.bitcoin.com/a16z-exec-blasts-meme-coins-they-make-crypto-look-like-a-risky-casino/

According to a recent survey, half of Canadian institutional investors and financial services organizations have actively offered at least one type of cryptocurrency asset product or service to clients in the past year. The study revealed that half of the institutional investors surveyed were exposed to crypto through exchange-traded funds (ETFs), closed-end trusts, or other […]
https://news.bitcoin.com/study-half-of-canadian-institutional-investors-actively-offered-one-crypto-asset-product-in-2023/

The balance between privacy and regulatory compliance in the crypto world is increasingly threatened as high-profile cases, such as the sanctions against Tornado Cash and the legal troubles of Samourai Wallet, come to the fore, prompting a robust response from the community and its leaders. Crypto’s Battle for Privacy Intensifies in Face of Regulatory Clampdown […]
https://news.bitcoin.com/the-eroding-state-of-privacy-in-the-crypto-world/

PRESS RELEASE. Dubai, UAE — April 27, 2024 — TOKEN2049, the premier crypto event, saw record-breaking success for its inaugural Dubai conference, which took place from April 18-19, during TOKEN2049 Week. Throughout the event, attendees experienced an impressive range of panel discussions, keynotes, workshops, and exclusive networking opportunities, overcoming torrential rain to show up in […]
https://news.bitcoin.com/token2049-dubai-hailed-as-an-outstanding-success-with-10000-attendees/

According to Nikita Ovchinnik, founder of Barter Defi, decentralized finance (defi) protocols are increasingly becoming the primary target of most hacking attacks because defi “lays bare its inner workings for all to see.” He said the open-source nature of defi means hackers and malicious actors have ample time to study and identify weaknesses or vulnerabilities […]
https://news.bitcoin.com/prioritizing-first-mover-advantage-over-security-leaves-defi-protocols-vulnerable-to-hacks-nikita-ovchinnik/

Over the past week, bitcoin has exhibited a downward trend, with its price stabilizing at around $62,950 to $63,125 per unit as of April 27. Despite this dip, the Crypto Fear and Greed Index remains firmly in the “greed” sector. According to Google Trends, interest in the term “bitcoin” has diminished, while the market intelligence […]
https://news.bitcoin.com/bitcoin-sees-rise-in-sell-calls-amid-expectations-of-asian-institutional-boost/

In the wake of a turbulent period for U.S. banks, the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities has shut down Philadelphia-based Republic First Bank, also known as Republic Bank. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has stepped in as receiver, with Fulton Bank assuming nearly all deposits and assets. Republic First Bank Shuttered as FDIC […]
https://news.bitcoin.com/philadelphias-republic-first-bank-closed-by-regulators-assets-assumed-by-fulton-bank/

While sales of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have declined by over 38% in the past 30 days compared to the previous month, NFTs minted on the Bitcoin blockchain have dominated, accounting for more than 44% of sales. Statistics from the last 30 days reveal that four of the top five best-selling NFT collections all stem from […]
https://news.bitcoin.com/bitcoin-leads-30-day-nft-sales-outpacing-24-blockchain-competitors/

According to current metrics, older bitcoin mining rigs are not generating the same revenue as they did before the halving, particularly with the hashprice at approximately $0.056 per terahash per second (TH/s) per day. On April 25, Luxor Technologies reported a significant decline in the prices of application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) bitcoin mining rigs, highlighting […]
https://news.bitcoin.com/amid-shifts-in-bitcoin-mining-economics-steep-discounts-emerge-for-older-asic-rigs/

After the Samourai Wallet indictment, the cryptocurrency community discovered that the Bitcoin blockchain analysis platform OXT is no longer operational, as it was acquired by the Samourai team in December 2017. On April 25, Laurentmt, a co-founder of OXT and bitcoin advocate, revealed the closure on the social media site X with the statement, “RIP […]
https://news.bitcoin.com/crypto-community-loses-oxt-analysis-tool-amid-legal-troubles-for-samourai-wallet/

In a decisive move, Zksnacks announced on Saturday that it will block all U.S. residents and citizens from accessing its bitcoin mixer, Wasabi Wallet. This policy change comes as U.S. authorities intensify their crackdown on unregulated crypto activities, spotlighting the recent indictment of Samourai Wallet founders. Wasabi Wallet Withdraws from U.S. Market to Avoid Regulatory […]
https://news.bitcoin.com/zksnacks-bars-us-users-from-wasabi-wallet-in-wake-of-samourai-indictment/

Slowmist, teaming up with Imtoken, has exposed a new cryptocurrency scam exploiting offline transactions and using USDT, where scammers manipulate Ethereum RPC to falsify USDT balances in the victim’s wallet. The con artists coax victims into changing their Ethereum RPC URL to one they control, making it appear as though USDT funds were deposited, only […]
https://news.bitcoin.com/scammers-trick-crypto-users-with-faked-usdt-balances-slowmist-reports/

In a notable development, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has countered a motion to dismiss the criminal charges against Roman Semenov, a developer of the cryptocurrency mixing service Tornado Cash, highlighting the alleged strength of its case in a recent court submission. Prosecutors Assert Strong Evidence Is Coming in Tornado Cash Laundering Case The […]
https://news.bitcoin.com/doj-counters-motion-to-dismiss-charges-against-tornado-cash-developer/

Rich Dad Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki has issued a stark warning that the U.S. economy is currently in a depression. He points to the subpar economic growth, with a 3.4% increase in GDP for Q4 2023 and a 1.6% rise in Q1 2024 as clear indicators. Kiyosaki asserts that a soft landing for the […]
https://news.bitcoin.com/rich-dad-poor-dad-author-robert-kiyosaki-declares-us-economy-in-a-depression/

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued a warning about using unregistered cryptocurrency money transmitting services that fail to comply with U.S. anti-money laundering laws. The agency has provided tips for the public to protect themselves, advising them to avoid providers that do not require Know Your Customer (KYC) information. FBI’s Crypto Warning The […]
https://news.bitcoin.com/fbi-warns-against-using-unregistered-cryptocurrency-money-transmitting-services/