The TON Foundation launches TON Storage – a next generation file-storage solution

The Open Network

The TON Foundation has announced the long-awaited launch of TON Storage, a decentralized file-sharing and data storage solution that is set to solve a host of the issues posed by the volume of data our modern way of life requires. TON Storage is similar to peer-to-peer file sharing through “torrents,” but uses the TON (The Open Network) blockchain to transfer data through a decentralized, secure, and private computer network. In this way, users will be able to exchange files of any size freely and securely, with all data automatically backed…

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Bank of Russia stands against free crypto investment

Bitcoin trading

Russia’s central bank is ready to consider allowing cryptocurrency use within the country, but only as part of a legal experiment, said governor Elvira Nabiullina. “It’s possible to consider transactions through an authorized organization in the country as part of an experimental legal regime, but that would require a relevant law,” Nabiullina stated during a Bank of Russia press conference on Dec. 16. The Bank of Russia’s primary objection to crypto has always been that it cannot be used as a payment instrument, Nabiullina emphasized. She added that the central…

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350 new ‘scam tokens’ were created every day this year

Solidus Labs

More than 350 fraudulent cryptocurrency tokens were created per day this year, defrauding millions of investors, according to blockchain risk monitoring firm Solidus Labs. From the start of the year to Dec. 1, 117,629 “scam tokens” were deployed, according to Solidus’ 2022 “Rug Pull Report.” That’s a 41% increase from the nearly 83,400 scam tokens that Solidus detected in 2021. The report claims that BNB Chain harbors the greatest number of scam tokens, with 12% of all BEP-20 tokens being fraudulent. The Ethereum network was second, with a purported 8%…

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Japan set to ease 30% crypto tax on paper profits for token issuers

Mount Fuji Yokohama

The Japanese government is set to ease tax requirements for local crypto firms, as it pushes to stimulate growth in the domestic finance and tech sectors. At present, Japanese firms that issue crypto are required to pay a set 30% corporate tax rate on their holdings, even if they haven’t realized a profit through a sale. As such, a number of domestically founded crypto/blockchain firms and talent have reportedly chosen to set up shop elsewhere over the past few years. Japan’s ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) tax committee…

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Italy to impose 26% capital gains tax on crypto profits

Rome Italy crypto tax

Italy is planning to tighten regulations on digital currencies in 2023 by expanding its tax laws to include cryptocurrency trading, according to budget documentation released on Dec. 1. Included in its 2023 budget are plans to impose a 26% levy on profits larger than 2,000 euros ( $2,062) made on cryptocurrency trading, according to Bloomberg. Historically, digital currencies have had lower tax rates because they have been considered “foreign currency.” If the proposed bill is signed into law, taxpayers will have the option to declare the value of their digital…

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Hong Kong working on investor protection regulations, says central bank exec

Hong Kong crypto

Central bank governors from around the globe are currently in Thailand to discuss the role of central banks amid evolving financial technology. The conference is jointly hosted by the Bank of Thailand (BOT) and the Bank for International Settlements (BIS). A panel discussion on digitalized monetary systems saw Eddie Yue, chief executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Changyong Rhee, governor of the Bank of Korea, Adrian Orr, governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and Cecilia Skingsley from Bank for International Settlements discuss the rise of digital assets…

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Putin wants to create new worldwide payment system

Bitcoin Russia

Over the weekend, Russian President Vladimir Putin raised the proposal of building a new blockchain-based global payments system for international settlements. Putin said that the new system shall involve a digital currency for transactions and must be independent of banks and third-party interferences. The latest announcement from the Russian President came while speaking at a Sberbank-organized artificial intelligence conference. Mr. Putin said that the existing global payments and financial transactions between countries are in jeopardy. This has been mainly due to the rising tensions between Russia and the West. Also,…

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Brussels to Put Out Digital Euro Law Shortly, ECB’s Lagarde Says

President of European Central Bank Christine Lagarde

The European Commission is going to present a legislative proposal for a digital euro in the near future, President of European Central Bank Christine Lagarde has indicated. EU legislators are expected to define the new currency’s legal tender status and determine its privacy features. EU Commission to Propose Legislation for Eurozone’s Digital Currency Authorities in the euro area have already made good progress in exploring the rationale and the potential benefits and risks of a central bank digital currency (CBDC), the head of the European Central Bank (ECB) noted during…

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Chinese central bank exec says digital yuan will offer ‘controllable anonymity’

Governor Yi Gang's Interview by CGTN

Chinese central bank governor Yi Gang, in a recent speech at Hong Kong Fintech Week, talked about the progress of their national digital currency called the digital yuan. He outlined the progress and the adoption of the national digital currency. During his speech, Yi noted that the digital yuan is being positioned as an alternative to cash in China, a country with a robust digital payment infrastructure. He added that “privacy protection is one of the top of the issue on our agenda.” He went on to describe the two-layer…

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Dogecoin price rallies 150% in 4 days, but DOGE now most ‘overbought’ since April 2021

DOGE-USD daily price chart. Source TradingView

The Dogecoin price rally extended further on Oct. 29 in hopes that the cryptocurrency would get a major boost from Elon Musk’s Twitter acquisition. Dogecoin price jumped by nearly 75% to reach $0.146 on Oct. 29, its biggest daily gain since April 2021. Notably, the memecoin’s massive intraday rally came as a part of a broader uptrend that started earlier this week on Oct. 25. In total, DOGE’s price gained 150% during the Oct. 25-29 price rally. The surge was also accompanied by a decent increase in its daily trading…

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9 years after the first Bitcoin ATM, there are now 38,804 globally

Bitcoin ATM operated by Robocoin

On Oct. 29, 2013, a coffee shop in downtown Vancouver, Canada, opened what is understood to be the world’s first publicly available Bitcoin ATM, operated by Robocoin. The crypto ATM saw 348 transactions and $100,000 transacted in its first week of operation. As of Oct. 30, 2022 — nine years and one day on — Robocoin has ceased operations and the first crypto ATM has likely been removed or replaced, but crypto ATMs have continued to increase in number with 38,804 cryptocurrency ATMs in existence today, according to Coin ATM…

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Telegram launches marketplace to auction rare username handles

marketplace to auction rare username handles

The popular messaging app Telegram announced on Oct. 26 the official launch of its new marketplace built on the Telegram Open Network (TON) blockchain. The marketplace will serve as an auction platform on which rare Telegram handles will be up for grabs. The idea was first mentioned back in August on app founder Pavel Durov’s Telegram channel after the TON Foundation successfully auctioned off TON DNS domains. Telegram will start with auctions of four- and five-letter handles, with this being the first time shorter handles will be made available to…

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A record 55,000 Bitcoin, or over $1.1 billion, was withdrawn from Binance

Bitcoin exchange netflow (Binance) chart. Source CryptoQuant

Bitcoin has seen record buying activity as BTC/USD returns to six-week highs. The latest data from on-chain analytics firm CryptoQuant shows more BTC leaving major exchange Binance in a single day than ever before. Despite warnings that a macro bottom may not yet have occurred, Bitcoin investors have wasted no time snapping up BTC above $20,000. The past two days’ gains delivered a sea change to exchange user behavior, with BTC balances dropping across the board. As the largest exchange by volume, Binance was of particular interest and saw a…

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Apple Released New Rules for Cryptocurrenсy Apps and Games, and It’s Not Good

Apple NFT crypto terms

Apple released a new set of rules for crypto apps in the App Store that reflects the company’s stance on NFTs, crypto and payment. Considering the size of the iOS applications market, it will certainly have an enormous effect on the development path that decentralized applications will choose for the foreseeable future. Enabling NFT buying From now on, developers will be able to leverage IAP to sell NFTs or offer services tied to non-fungibles like minting, listing and transferring. Technically, Apple officially created a gateway into crypto for mobile users.…

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$740M in Bitcoin exits exchanges

Bitcoin exchange netflow from all exchanges Source CryptoQuant

The amount of Bitcoin flowing out of cryptocurrency exchanges picked up momentum on Oct. 18, hinting at weakening sell-pressure, which could help BTC price avoid a deeper correction below $18,000. Bitcoin forming a “bear market floor” Over 37,800 BTC left crypto exchanges on Oct. 18, according to data tracked by CryptoQuant. This marks the biggest Bitcoin daily outflow since June 17, wh traders withdrew nearly 68,000 BTC from exchanges. Moreover, over 121,000 BTC, or nearly $2.4 billion at current prices, has left exchanges in the past 30 days. A spike in…

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