Bitcoin

As the first blockchain and cryptocurrency, Bitcoin (BTC) paved the way for everything that’s come since: nonfungible tokens (NFTs), smart contracts, tokenization, layer-2 solutions, and all the rest. Due to Bitcoin’s value to the cryptosphere, forming the bedrock that supports the rest of the market, its protocol is rarely altered. With hundreds of billions of

One of the first cross-border payment platforms in Russia has officially announced its launch and says it will be facilitating local legal entities to process international settlements in cryptocurrency. Exved, a local digital settlement platform — which describes itself as a “digital counterparty search system” — announced the launch on Dec. 7, stating that Russian

The potential approval of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), the looming BTC mining reward halving and major regulatory and enforcement actions have a profound psychological effect on market prices.  This is a key takeaway from the Next Block Expo conference in Berlin, just as Bitcoin tipped past $42,000 for the first time in over a

Bitcoin (BTC) has seen a mass profit-taking event which rivals its $69,000 all-time highs, new analysis reveals. In a post on Dec. 5, James Van Straten, research and data analyst at crypto insights firm CryptoSlate, flagged billions of dollars heading to exchanges. Bitcoin speculators sell as if all-time highs are back BTC price gains have

Brazilian bank Itau Unibanco has launched a cryptocurrency trading service for its clients as part of its investment platform, Reuters reported on Dec. 4. Itau, the largest bank by assets in Brazil and one of the leading lenders in Latin America, is debuting crypto trading with Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH), digital asset head Guto

Bitcoin (BTC) held closer to the $40,000 mark on Dec. 3 after weekend gains reinforced a “strong” uptrend. BTC/USD 1-hour chart. Source: TradingView Bitcoin leaves $60 million in shorts hanging Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView tracked a fresh BTC price surge, which took BTC/USD to new 2023 highs of $39,730. These built on

British legislators are urging a careful stance regarding implementing a retail digital pound. They stress the importance of finding an equilibrium between technological advancements and potential drawbacks.  Members of the Treasury Select Committee have expressed reservations regarding the possible launch of a retail digital pound, underscoring the need for thoughtful examination before execution. Despite recognizing

While grassroots cryptocurrency adoption went stale after last year’s implosions in the industry, trading platform eToro’s chief executive believes that the appeal of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for institutions and ease of investing through various platforms for non-professionals could further drive Bitcoin (BTC) adoption. EToro CEO Yoni Assia told Cointelegraph at the recent Abu Dhabi Finance

Cryptocurrency payment platform Alchemy Pay is scaling its payment options by integrating new on-ramps — new ways to buy crypto — in Europe and the United Kingdom. Alchemy Pay has introduced new deposit options, including the euro instant solution, Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) Instant, and the U.K. fast money transfer option, Faster Payments. Announcing

An ongoing crypto donation campaign dedicated to improving the lives of children worldwide has received over $7.6 million to date, half of which was donated in Ether (ETH).  Philanthropic foundation Save the Children’s HODL Hope Campaign remains nearly $2.4 million short of the $10 million it intends to collect by the end of 2023. ETH

The explosive growth and success of Binance outside of the control of traditional financial and political establishments led to heavy-handed enforcement actions against the exchange, according to former BitMEX CEO Arthur Hayes.  Hayes delved into the recent $4.3 billion settlement paid out by Binance in a lengthy Substack blog. This comes after the exchange and

Developers working on the Bitcoin layer 2 Lightning Network have become less security-oriented and more focused on producing cash flow for their investors, argues a former Lightning Network developer. Bitcoin core developer and security researcher Antoine Riard, made headlines last month after leaving the Lightning ecosystem over concerns about a new attack vector called “replacement cycling,” which exploiters

Top Stories This Week US officials announce $4.3B settlement with Binance, plea deal with CZ Binance and its co-founder, Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, have reached a settlement over criminal and civil cases with the United States Department of Justice. CZ will plead guilty to one felony charge as part of the negotiated agreement. Attorney General Merrick

Bitcoin (BTC) buyers should enjoy the chance to add to their stack below $40,000, says one of the crypto industry’s household names. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Nov. 24, PlanB, creator of the stock-to-flow family of BTC price models, hinted that current levels would not be around long. PlanB: Time is ticking

The Austrian subsidiary of European lender Raiffeisen Bank is preparing to allow its clients to trade cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) in the coming months. After initially announcing its crypto plans in April 2023, Raiffeisen Bank’s Raiffeisenlandesbank Niederösterreich-Wien (RLB NÖ-Wien) is moving forward with a crypto rollout in collaboration with the Austrian crypto firm Bitpanda. RLB

Binance’s $4.3 billion settlement with the United States was the final hurdle before the country’s securities regulator approves spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), many industry watchers claim. The settlement involved Binance agreeing to Justice Department and Treasury compliance monitors for up to five years, allowing the agencies sweeping powers to keep the exchange in line

Bitcoin’s (BTC) market dominance has traditionally been viewed as a key indicator of its market strength. Currently, the metric is at a multi-year high above 51%.  Bitcoin dominance. Source: Coinmarketcap.com However, a closer analysis suggests that the concept of “Bitcoin dominance” might not be as informative as it seems, especially when considering the broader dynamics

Average daily transaction fees on Bitcoin (BTC)  have flipped with Ethereum following a frenzy of Ordinals-related activity on the Bitcoin network.  On Nov. 20, the average daily transaction fee for Bitcoin stood at $10.34, while Ethereum’s transaction fees came to an average of $8.43, according to BitInfoChart data. Bitcoin’s average daily trading fee notched a

Argentina’s Bitcoin (BTC)-friendly Javier Milei won the country’s presidential run-off election on Nov. 19, beating out his opponent Sergio Massa. With almost 99% of the vote counted, Milei won over 55% of the votes with a nearly 3 million vote lead according to Bloomberg data. Massa, the country’s minister of economy, called Milei to congratulate

Mike Belshe, CEO of cryptocurrency exchange BitGo, has suggested that all indications are leaning towards a favorable outcome for a spot Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded fund (ETF). However, he emphasized that the journey ahead won’t be without challenges. In an interview with Bloomberg on November 16, Belshe explained that based on the discussions taking place between