In the latest newsletter, we will see more of DeFi and compare it with traditional finance. Comments from Taras Filatov, Dappros CEO.
Blockchain
- Dash is transitioning into a decentralized cloud cryptocurrency by releasing a platform that supports blockchain-verified user data storage and a decentralized API.
- Blockchain Capital, a San Francisco-based venture firm, has joined Facebook’s Libra Association to make its network of experts available to advise on the Association’s creation of a ‘global payment system’.
- OKEx CEO Jay Hao called out the crypto exchange giant Binance and its CEO Changpeng Zhao for their recent support of certain DeFi projects.
- Blockchain Patents ‘Skyrocket’ in 2020, Alibaba owns the most crypto and blockchain patents. The Group capturing 10x the number of patents held by IBM.
- Kava to release the cross-chain money market on the blockchain. It will also release a governance token.
Crypto
- Kraken exchange sets up America’s first crypto-bank in Wyoming. Kraken Financial will provide seamless banking services between cryptocurrencies and fiat for Kraken clients in the U.S.
- Wirex became the first crypto platform to receive a Mastercard principal membership and plans to release a multi-currency crypto card. TF: Nice!
- Italian soccer club SS Lazio goes crypto with StormGain exchange. The new deal will enable StormGain and Lazio to boost fan engagement. TF: Great validation of NFT and tokenization in sports. We will be announcing our CyberCars project in this category some time soon.
Governance, Law, and Penalty
- South Korean police seize Bithumb shares in third raid this month. The plot thickens as Bithumb director’s shares are seized after he had applied for the seizure of the chairman’s shares.
- Societe Generale has confirmed to use up to five different blockchains to test digital securities and a central bank digital currency.
- The US is banning TikTok and WeChat. The ban comes into force in two days, opening the door for decentralized alternatives to start making headway.
- The European Union will release a new set of crypto rules by 2024 with the aim to streamline cross-border payments by leveraging blockchain and crypto-assets such as stablecoins.
- Huobi, one of the biggest crypto exchanges, has burned 4.8 million Huobi tokens, worth about $24 million.
- Unhappy miners threaten to fork Filecoin ahead of mainnet launch.
- Uniswap, leading decentralized exchange, has locked up a staggering $1.79 billion in total assets just two days after the launch of UNI, its native governance token.
- Indian state of Tamil Nadu announces a blockchain infrastructure plan. The advantages of blockchain will prompt countries to adopt it sooner or later.
Initiate / Launch and Funding
- HOPR, a data privacy startup, announced the release of a public incentivized testnet for its mixnet on xDai, an Ethereum sidechain.
- The Central Bank of The Bahamas is said to be launching its sovereign digital currency, Sand Dollar, next month.
- Former HSBC Europe CEO joins Libra as managing director. A member organization of Facebook’s Libra initiative has hired James Emmett. TF: Facebook Libra or shall we now call it just Libra is going to stay and persevere, by the looks of it!
- ParaSwap, a decentralized exchange aggregator, raises $2.7 million in seed funding.
- Uniswap Token UNI officially live and listed by Binance and Coinbase Pro.
- Right Place & Right Time, a digital art piece based on Bitcoin’s fluctuating price action, sold for more than $100,000. Many artists work their entire lives and never see their work sold for this kind of price tag.
- Billionaire Richard Branson to raise $460 Million for New Blank Check Company.
- Ethereum Classic partners with ChainSafe and OpenRelay to prevent more 51% attacks. The quest to protect Ethereum Classic continues.
