The island country of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea has been known to be friendly toward cryptocurrency solutions and blockchain technology for years now. According to a regional report, government sources say more than $70 billion moved through the country over past years while regulations were lax. Furthermore, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) was…
400+ Miners Seized in Venezuela Due to Lack of Permits
Authorities seized more than 400 Bitcoin miners in Venezuela this weekend in two major confiscations. Local reports indicate military personnel seized 332 miners from a transport truck. In another procedure, authorities seized 72 miners hidden in a house. These activities resulted in the apprehension of four individuals. Mining in Venezuela is perfectly legal, but it…
Microstrategy Buys $489M Worth of Bitcoin — Company Now Holds More Than 100,000 BTC
The independent, publicly-traded business intelligence company Microstrategy announced the acquisition of 13,005 bitcoin on Monday, at a purchase price of approximately $489 million in cash. The company’s CEO Michael Saylor revealed the latest purchase on Twitter, and the firm now has more than 100,000 bitcoins on its balance sheet. Microstrategy Now Holds 105,085 Bitcoin Michael…
The US Government Is Auctioning $377K Worth of Bitcoin and Litecoin
The U.S. government is selling bitcoin and litecoin worth $377K via the General Services Administration (GSA). The auction closes at 5 p.m. on Monday, with the possibility of an extended closing time. The government auction house is selling the digital assets in 11 lots and so far, the lots have seen active bidding. The GSA…
PBOC Instructs China’s Banks to Forbid All Cryptocurrency Related Activities Immediately
China’s central bank has sent notice to the country’s financial institutions instructing them to stop dealing with cryptocurrency transactions. The disclosure notes that the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) aims to protect Chinese citizens and “combat the speculation of Bitcoin and other virtual currency transactions.” PBOC Tells Banks to Stop Dealing With Crypto Exchanges and…
New World Bank Report: Nigeria’s Exchange Rate Policies Fueling Inflation, Affecting Food Prices
Nigeria’s use of multiple exchange rates regimes may have contributed to a rise in the country’s inflation rate, the latest World Bank report has said. In addition, the report says ongoing restrictions on the use and movement of foreign exchange are “further pushing up prices of food and agricultural inputs like fertilizer.” Misaligned Exchange Rates…