Altcoins Round-Up: Bitgo Adds ZEC, Wirex Supports XRP, PwC to Audit Tezos

In recent news pertaining to altcoins, Bitgo has announced the addition of Zcash to the roster of cryptocurrencies supported by the cryptocurrency custody firm; Wirex has enabled XRP support for its cryptocurrency debit card; and Tezos has commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to audit the Tezos foundation’s finances and operations. Also Read: Bitmain Reveals the Total Hashrate of … Read more

Start-Up Backed by Uber Co-Founder to Launch Fee-Free Crypto Trading

Voyager, a startup backed by Uber co-founder, Oscar Salazar, has announced that it will launch a commission-free cryptocurrency trading platform. It is intended to function as an aggregation engine for cryptocurrency prices across more than a dozen trading venues.  Also Read: J-Pop Star GACKT Caught Between Crypto Company Spindle and Minister’s Gaffe Startup Founded by Uber … Read more

Regulations Round-Up: Malta Clarifies Law, UK Wealth Managers Urge FCA Action

In recent regulatory news, Malta’s financial regulator has sought to clarify the nation’s cryptocurrency regulations following the passing of an act pertaining to crypto assets, UK-based wealth managers have called for the FCA to take a strong stance regarding cryptocurrencies, and the deputy governor of Bank of Israel has predicted that cryptocurrencies will contribute to … Read more

Regulatory Round-Up: U.K. Chief Blockchain Officer, DLT Cohort in FCA Sandbox, Central Bank Calls Crypto ”Fallacy”

In recent regulatory news, U.K. minister, Eddie Hughes has published a report that advocates for the creation of a “Chief Blockchain Officer,” the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority has announced that a number of distributed ledger (DLT) companies have been accepted into cohort 4 of its regulatory sandbox, and Finland’s Central Bank has published a report … Read more

China Round-Up: Scholar Advocates Permissive Regulations, 3 Million Estimated Chinese HODLers, Xiaolai Recording Leaks

In recent Chinese cryptocurrency news: a prominent scholar has advocated that China adopt a permissive regulatory apparatus, drawing influence from Japanese and U.S. legislation. Research conducted by the International Monetary Institute at Renmin University of China has estimated that the number of Chinese bitcoin investors exceeds 3 million, and an audio recording of famed bitcoin … Read more

ICO Round-Up: Social Media Influencers Bypass Ad Ban, Centra Tokens Deemed Securities

Three stories dominate this week’s initial coin offering (ICO) round up: It appears many ICO projects are reaching out to social media influencers in an effort to thwart advertising bans across leading platforms. A study published by the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) suggested that the country develop a licenced-based regulatory apparatus that permits cryptocurrency … Read more

Mining Round-Up: Ebang Files for IPO in HK, Miner Arrested in China

In recent mining news, major mining chip manufacturer Ebang Communications has filed for an Initial Public Offering (IPO) in Hong Kong, a Chinese miner has been arrested for allegedly stealing 150,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity in roughly one month, and a report has provided unique insight into the state of mining in the Russian exclave … Read more

Regulations Round-Up: U.S. Executive Branch Employees to Disclose Crypto Holdings, French ICO Regulations Coming by 2019

In recent regulatory news, the United States Office of Government Ethics has issued a document advising employees of the U.S. executive branch to disclose their cryptocurrency holdings. In other news, Bank of Korea has rejected the notion of central bank-issued digital currencies, Crypto Finance AG has received licensing from the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority … Read more

Regulation Round-Up: Shapeshift COO Says U.S. Regulations Worsen, Germany to Protect Financial Stability not Individual Investors

In recent regulatory news, the Shapeshift co-founder and chief operating officer, has given a damning appraisal of the current regulatory climate surrounding cryptocurrencies in the United States. The president of Germany’s Federal Financial Supervisory Authority, Felix Hufeld, has indicated that the principal concern of German regulators regarding cryptocurrency will be seeking to ensure financial stability, … Read more

Regulations Round-Up: SEC “Underwhelmed” by Exchanges’ Reporting, Quebec Halts New Mining Operations Again

In recent regulatory news, Brett Redfearn, the director of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s Division of Trading and Markets, has described the self-reporting efforts of cryptocurrency exchanges as “underwhelm[ing],” Hydro-Quebec has again suspended new applications from mining companies seeking to operate in the province, and the SEC has published a new page … Read more