Ex-Coinbase Exec Balaji Srinivasan Closes Out $1 Million Bitcoin Bet

Former Chief Technology Officer at Coinbase, Balaji Srinivasan, closed out early a bet that the price of bitcoin would hit $1 million by mid-June amid hyperinflation of the U.S. dollar. Srinivasan paid a total of $1.5 million, more than the initially committed $1 million, with two-thirds of the money donated to two organizations. Former Coinbase … Read more

Syria Urges BRICS to Lead in Ditching Dollar, Talks Yuan Adoption With China

BRICS nations can lead efforts to abandon the U.S. dollar in international settlements, according to President Bashar Assad of Syria. At a meeting with China’s top diplomat for the region, the leader of the war-torn Middle Eastern country called for using the Chinese yuan for cross-border trade. Economic Clash With West Requires Discarding Dollar, BRICS … Read more

US Senator Rand Paul Warns of US Dollar Losing Reserve Currency Status — Says ‘It’s Not an Unfounded Prediction’

U.S. Senator Rand Paul has warned that the U.S. dollar could lose its status as a global reserve currency. “For a variety of reasons, both foreign policy as well as fiscal irresponsibility, yes, the dollar is in a precarious position,” said the lawmaker. Senator Rand Paul on U.S. Dollar Losing Reserve Currency Status U.S. Senator … Read more

Almost 50 Russian Banks Accept Yuan Deposits Amid Low Demand for Dollar Accounts

A growing number of banking institutions in Russia are offering customers the option to save in Chinese yuan. The trend coincides with declining demand for U.S. dollar and euro deposits amid currency restrictions that triggered a flight of funds to bank accounts abroad. Demand for Dollar, Euro Accounts Expected to Drop Further, Requests for Yuan … Read more

World’s Largest Regional Organization to Switch to Settlements in National Currencies

A China-led regional organization that covers more than half of Eurasia intends to transition to settlements in the currencies of its members. While the plan is to abandon the U.S. dollar in mutual payments, participating nations are yet to consider a common currency. Shanghai Cooperation Organization to Abandon Dollar in Favor of National Currencies The … Read more

Central Banks Reduce US Dollar Swap Lines to Weekly Auctions Amid Moody’s US Banking Sector Downgrade

After the tumultuous downfall of three major banks, namely Silvergate Bank, Silicon Valley Bank, and Signature Bank, several central banks made a collaborative announcement of a swift, coordinated emergency response. The intervention aimed to furnish U.S. dollar liquidity, with the intention of alleviating the impact of such severe shocks on the flow of credit to … Read more

Latam Insights: Argentine Peso Plunges, Venezuela and Russia to Develop SWIFT Alternative, Bitcoin Mining Still Paused in Venezuela

Welcome to Latam Insights, a compendium of the most relevant crypto and economic development news from Latin America during the last week. In this issue: the Argentine Peso plunges against the U.S. dollar, Venezuela and Russia agree to develop a joint SWIFT alternative, and Bitcoin mining is still paused in Venezuela. Argentine Peso Plunges 10% … Read more

Syrian Official Says US Imposes Sanctions to Steal Nations’ Assets and Exert Control

The Syrian foreign minister says the U.S. imposes sanctions on Syria and Russia to steal their assets and keep them under its hegemony. The U.S. is “the biggest beneficiary of wars and fueling global conflicts, with the aim of maintaining the dominance of the dollar in the global economy and trade,” said a Russian official. … Read more