Chip Giant Intel Abandons Bitcoin ASIC Production

After announcing the production of bitcoin application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), Intel, the world’s largest semiconductor chip manufacturer by revenue, appears to be abandoning its blockchain chip production. On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the chip manufacturer explained that Intel has “end-of-lifed the Intel Blockscale 1000 Series ASIC.” Intel Spokesperson Discloses Company Has End-of-Lifed the Blockscale 1000 … Read more

ECB President Lagarde Warns of ‘Major Disaster’ If US Defaults on Debt Obligations

There is a lot of discussion lately about the U.S. government’s debt ceiling and whether Congress will act before defaulting. In a recent interview, Christine Lagarde, the president of the European Central Bank (ECB), said she is confident the U.S. can maintain its debt obligations. However, she warned that if the U.S. were to default … Read more

Cleanspark Purchases 45,000 Bitcoin Mining Devices, Adding 6.3 EH/s to Current Fleet

On Tuesday, the bitcoin mining company Cleanspark announced that it had purchased 45,000 Antminer S19 XP bitcoin mining devices for a total price of $144.9 million. Cleanspark stated that the new fleet would add 6.3 exahash per second (EH/s) of computational power to the company’s current 6.7 EH/s. Cleanspark Acquires 45,000 Bitmain Antminers for $144.9 … Read more

First Citizens Bank Acquires Silicon Valley Bank, Costing FDIC Deposit Insurance Fund an Estimated $20B

According to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the troubled bank Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) was acquired by First Citizens Bank & Trust Company, which is based in Raleigh, North Carolina. First Citizens acquired all deposits and loans from SVB, as well as the 17 branches that SVB owned across the United States. Silicon Valley … Read more

UBS Considers Acquiring Credit Suisse, Requests Government Backstop in Deal

After Credit Suisse Group AG announced it would borrow 50 billion Swiss francs from the Swiss National Bank, UBS Group AG is reportedly considering acquiring the banking giant. However, UBS is requesting that the government issue a backstop to protect against any losses if it purchases Credit Suisse. According to unnamed sources familiar with the … Read more

Decentralized Exchange Pancakeswap to Launch Version 3 Iteration in April

On March 4, the decentralized exchange Pancakeswap announced that the team plans to launch its version three (v3) iteration of the platform during the first week of April 2023. Pancakeswap v3 will provide new features and improve liquidity alongside enhancements in interface accessibility and the decentralized exchange (dex) platform’s yield farming experience. Pancakeswap Announces Version … Read more

Opensea Drops Fees to Zero and Announces New Creator Earnings Model in Response to Shifting NFT Landscape

The largest marketplace for non-fungible tokens (NFTs), Opensea, has announced major changes to its fee structure and policies in response to a shift in the NFT ecosystem. The company detailed that it will drop fees to zero for a limited time and offer an optional creator earnings model with a minimum of 0.5% for all … Read more

Moonpay and Looksrare Partner to Bring Convenient NFT Purchasing to the Masses

On Thursday, the fiat-to-crypto onramp business Moonpay announced a multi-year partnership with the non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace Looksrare. According to the deal, Looksrare will allow marketplace users to buy and sell crypto assets through Moonpay’s services. Moonpay and Looksrare Join Forces to Streamline NFT Transactions Moonpay, the fiat-to-crypto service founded in 2019, revealed that it … Read more

Cryptocurrency Exchanges Still Fighting Private Banks for Right to Open Bank Accounts in Chile

The conflict between banks and cryptocurrency exchanges in Chile is still developing, as some banks are reticent to serve this kind of institution. A new report prepared by exchanges reports that most of these banks refuse to include crypto companies as customers for risks that are nevertheless managed in the case of servicing other kinds … Read more

Chinese Government Releases VR Research Plan Including Metaverse and Odor Simulation

The Chinese government has presented a plan of action regarding the inclusion of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in the lives of the Chinese people. The plan contemplates research of several technologies, including the development of an open metaverse platform for its citizens and research on odor simulation technology. Chinese Government Includes Odor … Read more