Nexo Bitcoin Withdrawals Surge Following Raid of Bulgarian Offices

After the offices of crypto lender Nexo were raided in Bulgaria, the digital currency lending platform experienced a significant amount of withdrawals starting Jan. 12, 2023. An archived snapshot of Nexo’s real-time attestation shows that the company held 133,263 bitcoin on that day. As of Jan. 13, 2023, Nexo’s attestation indicates that the company now … Read more

Top 3 Macroeconomic Events to Watch in 2023 Amid Volatile Market Conditions

2022 was a tough year for crypto assets, and as the world welcomes 2023, the macroeconomic backdrop remains uncertain. Macroeconomic events will continue to shape the crypto economy and the economy as a whole. This editorial takes a look at the top three macroeconomic events to keep an eye on in 2023. Examining the Top … Read more

US Treasury Charges Bittrex With Sanctions Violations, Crypto Exchange Agrees to Settle With Regulator

On October 11, the U.S. Treasury department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced that it has settled charges with the cryptocurrency exchange Bittrex. The crypto exchange was accused of sanctions violations and failure to “implement effective sanctions compliance controls” between March 2014 and December 2017. Crypto Exchange … Read more

Putin Threatens to Let Europe ‘Freeze’ — Russian President Warns ‘We Will Not Supply Gas, Oil, Coal, Heating Oil’

Following the discussions concerning the inter-governmental political forum Group of Seven (G7) pledging to impose price caps on crude oil and the European Commission talking about fixing electricity prices, Russian president Vladimir Putin explained on Wednesday that Russia will not supply the industrialized economic powers and the West with energy. “We will not supply gas, … Read more

Russia Shuts off Europe’s Main Gas Pipeline Until the West’s Sanctions Are Lifted, Iran Tempts EU With Similar Deal

Russia has seemingly drawn a line in the sand and will not turn on Europe’s main gas pipeline until the “collective West” lifts the financial sanctions against the country. The move follows the Nord Stream 1 pipeline allegedly shutting down for “maintenance,” but reports from Interfax that followed five days later indicate Moscow will not … Read more

Russia’s GDP Decline Less Severe Than Expected, Wall Street Returns to Russian Bonds, Putin Criticizes US ‘Hegemony’

While the ongoing war in Ukraine continues, the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation detailed this week that Russia’s economic hardships are less severe than expected. Russia’s economic ministry says that the economy’s gross domestic product (GDP) is estimated to drop by 4.2% this year and Russia’s inflation won’t be as elevated as … Read more

Report: 100,000 Cubans Are Using Cryptocurrencies to Bypass Financial Sanctions

On May 2, 2022, a report stemming from the broadcast television and radio network the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), 100,000 Cubans are leveraging crypto assets. The report says increased crypto usage is due to the fact that Cubans cannot use certain payment vehicles due to the sanctions placed on Cuba by the United States. 100,000 … Read more

Former Chinese Central Bank Governor: US Dollar Will Remain Global Reserve Currency, Says It ‘Has Great Inertia’

In remarks that appear to pour cold water on assertions that digital currencies will topple the U.S. dollar anytime soon, a former governor of the Chinese central bank, Zhou Xiaochuan, insisted the greenback will remain in its position as the global reserve currency. Xiaochuan said the dollar still “has great inertia.” Process to Change Role … Read more

Report: Compass to Sell $30 Million in Crypto Mining Equipment Located in Russia

The U.S.-based company Compass Mining plans to sell $30 million worth of bitcoin mining equipment that’s currently located in Siberia. The decision to sell the mining rigs follows the U.S. government sanctioning the bitcoin mining operation Bitriver and ten subsidiaries. Compass is hoping to offload 12 megawatts of capacity, according to a company executive. Compass … Read more

Analysts Warn of Regulatory Risks if Russia Is Able to Use Crypto to Evade Sanctions

Russia could turn to cryptocurrency if it is banned from the SWIFT payments system. Analysts have warned that if Russia is able to use crypto to evade sanctions, “political support in the U.S. for crypto will fall and regulatory risk will rise.” Crypto Faces Regulatory Risks if Used by Russia to Evade Sanctions Amid growing … Read more