Crypto’s Sanction-Slipping Power: Why Bitcoin’s Neutrality Is Its Greatest Humanitarian Asset

Decentralized networks such as Bitcoin’s don’t know national allegiance, they only know math. And when you’re trying to get your savings out of an ATM, or send a payment to relatives in a war-torn environment, someone else’s politics is the last thing you want standing in the way of you and your loved ones’ well-being … Read more

Coinbase ‘Will Not Institute a Blanket Ban’ on All Transactions Tied to Russian Crypto Addresses

The popular cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has addressed the request from Ukrainian officials to freeze the accounts of all Russian users. A Coinbase spokesperson noted that the digital currency platform would not “institute a blanket ban” against ordinary Russian users. Coinbase, Coinberry, and Kucoin Follow Binance’s and Kraken’s Decision to Refuse ‘Sabotaging Ordinary Russian Users’ On … Read more

Ukraine Asks Crypto Exchanges to Freeze Accounts of All Russian Users — Major Exchanges Deny Request

The vice prime minister of Ukraine has asked all major cryptocurrency exchanges to freeze accounts of all Russian users. However, some crypto exchanges have already denied the request. Binance confirmed it is “not going to unilaterally freeze millions of innocent users’ accounts” while Kraken says it is “not really a viable business option for us.” … Read more

Canadian Regulator Alerts Police to Tweets by Coinbase and Kraken Advocating Non-Custodial Wallets

Canada’s securities regulator has flagged tweets by Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and Kraken CEO Jesse Powell encouraging people to use non-custodial wallets to evade freeze orders by the Trudeau government. “We are aware of this information and have shared it with the RCMP and relevant federal authorities,” said the Canadian regulator. Tweets by CEOs of … Read more

Despite Recent Threats From Canadian Officials, ‘Real Crypto’ or Decentralized Assets Cannot Be Frozen

Over the last week, there’s been a lot of discussion about Canada ‘freezing’ digital currency accounts that are associated with the Canadian trucker’s Freedom Convoy. Amid the topical conversation, it should be stressed that decentralized cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum, cannot be frozen directly within the network. However, the Canadian government can flag specific digital … Read more

Digital Currency Exchange Kraken Acquires Crypto Staking Firm Staked

The digital asset company Kraken announced it has acquired the non-custodial staking platform Staked for an undisclosed sum. While the sum of the purchase was not disclosed, the company claims that it was “one of the largest crypto industry acquisitions to date.” Kraken Acquires Non-Custodial Staking Firm Staked On December 21, Kraken announced that it … Read more

Kraken Weighs in on IPO After Coinbase’s Lackluster Direct Listing Performance

Kraken, the US-based exchange, is weighing in on whether to use an IPO or a direct listing to go public. Kraken’s CEO Jesse Powell stated that after Coinbase’s performance, they were considering other options for going public next year. The company will be the second crypto exchange to go public in the US if things … Read more