No Rate Hikes in Russia, Central Bank Keeps Interest Rate Level Again

Bank of Russia decided to maintain the interest rate at 7.5% amid moderate inflation, estimated at 2.5% on an annual basis in April, although this may change later this year. The monetary authority improved its forecast for the Russian economy and now expects growth entirely in positive figures, up to 2.0% for 2023. Bank of … Read more

Bank of Russia Wants to Restrict Crypto Investments by Blocking Card Payments, Report Reveals

The Central Bank of Russia is currently reviewing various ways to prevent Russians from investing in cryptocurrency. One the options on the table is to block card payments to certain recipients such as crypto exchanges, a media report has unveiled. A recent meeting at the State Duma has indicated, however, that the authority’s hardline stance … Read more

Kazakhstan Expects $1.5 Billion From Crypto Mining in 5 Years, Estimates Suggest

Crypto miners now bring more than $230 million into the economy of Kazakhstan each year and estimates show the figure could increase significantly in the future. The industry’s leading organization has projected that the government can collect more than $300 million in taxes over the next five years. Kazakhstan Makes Millions From Cryptocurrency Miners Kazakhstan’s … Read more

Single Mining Farm Needs as Much Power as 24,000 Homes, Kazakhstan Estimates

Authorities in Kazakhstan have calculated the energy used in the country’s crypto mining industry which competes for electricity with other sectors of the economy and households. The government has also estimated the additional supply necessary to meet the growing demand from mining farms and proposed a cap on the power rating of new facilities. Kazakhstan … Read more

Hedge Funds Aim for $300 Billion in Crypto Assets Within 5 Years, Survey Shows

Hedge funds are likely to significantly increase their crypto holdings, a global poll of chief financial officers has indicated. According to an average figure based on their forecasts, the funds will keep more than 7% of assets in cryptocurrency within the next five years. Hedge Fund CFOs Expect Sizable Increase in Crypto Investments The survey, … Read more

2021’s Largest Epoch Drop: Bitcoin Network’s Mining Difficulty Dips Over 12%, Hashrate Nears 200 Exahash

Bitcoin’s mining difficulty has seen a massive drop this week, as the metric slid 12.6% and was the largest difficulty drop in 2021. The mining difficulty decline follows the recent electrical outages in China which had affected the network’s hashrate to some degree. Following the difficulty drop, Bitcoin’s hashrate is climbing northbound again nearing the … Read more

Mining Consumes Half as Much Power as BECI Estimates – Coinshares

Embellished estimates as to the total electricity consumed through bitcoin mining have again made the rounds in the media recently, with many stories claiming that energy consumed by mining annually is comparable to that which is consumed by the entire nation of Ireland. Said stories appear to have been triggered by research published by Alex … Read more