The world is still struggling to comprehend the geopolitical and human impact of the Ukraine war. With more than 10 million people fleeing their homes and 6 million seeking refuge in foreign countries, it's been a time to support a sovereign country under attack. It has also proven to be the moment where cryptocurrency proved its true value to real people. Not as the high-concept tech toy for the wealthy elite as many had previously dismissed it, but rather as an empowering force for good in a dangerously unstable world. When the Russian invasion began in February, Twitter accounts belonging …

The Metaverse has become one of the biggest buzzwords of the year as a number of brands, companies and even countries begin to explore virtual worlds to conduct business. Even though Metaverse development is still underway, a recent report from the technology research and advisory firm Technavio found that the Metaverse will hit a market share value of $50.37 billion by the year 2026. Another report predicts that the growth of the Metaverse will be driven by e-commerce, which is expected to reach a market share of $60.47 billion by the year 2026. E-commerce across social media platforms is also …

Interlay, a London-based blockchain firm, launched a Bitcoin (BTC)-based cross-chain bridge on Polkadot (DOT). Named interBTC (iBTC), the bridge allows the use of Bitcoin on non-native blockchains for decentralized finance (DeFi), cross-chain transfers and nonfungible tokens (NFTs), among others. interBTC operates as a BTC-backed stablecoin, secured by a decentralized network of overcollateralized vaults, which according to Interlay, resembles MakerDAO’s DAI token, a stablecoin on the Ethereum blockchain. The iBTC vaults use mixed-asset collateral to insure BTC reserves, making iBTC redeemable 1:1 with BTC over the Bitcoin blockchain. As a preventive measure during unforeseen vault failure, the collateral is programmed to …

The excitement surrounding blockchain technology is palpable, but it's been coupled with growing concerns about the impact that mining has on the environment. But some crypto projects are tackling these climate fears head-on — with Algorand positioning itself as a high-performance, decentralized network that achieves sustainability without sacrificing speed, scale, or security. Built as a blockchain with very low energy use, those behind this platform have started a foundation that aims to highlight why blockchains must be eco-friendly — all while offering a lasting solution that's carbon negative, fast, scalable and secure. The vision? To prove that our financial futures …

The Treasury Committee of the United Kingdom’s House of Commons has called on the public to submit evidence related to the role of crypto’s risks and opportunities. In a Tuesday notice, the committee said it had opened an inquiry allowing people to write in about the role of crypto assets in the United Kingdom. The Treasury Committee said it would be exploring how the U.K. government, the Financial Conduct Authority, or FCA, and the Bank of England could balance regulation “to provide adequate protection for consumers and businesses without stifling innovation” as well how cryptocurrencies and distributed ledger technology could …

The United State Department of the Treasury has requested comments from the public on the potential opportunities and risks of digital assets in compliance with President Joe Biden’s executive order from March. In a Tuesday announcement, the U.S. Treasury said it was asking for input from the public that will “inform its work” in reporting to the president on the possible implications of digital assets on the financial markets and payment infrastructures. Biden’s executive order directed the Treasury Department to take the lead among other government agencies in developing policy recommendations aimed at mitigating both systemic and consumer risks around …

ING Group, a Dutch multinational banking and financial services corporation, has spun out its digital asset business Pyctor to multi-asset trading infrastructure firm GMEX. GMEX has acquired ING’s institutional-grade digital asset custody solution Pyctor in a multi-million dollar deal, the companies said in a joint announcement on Monday. The Pyctor offering compliments GMEX’s MultiHub service, an institutional cross-platform business launched last year with the mission to bridge the gap between centralized finance (CeFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi), GMEX CEO Hirander Misra told Cointelegraph. Pyctor expands MultiHub with a number of digital asset-focused capabilities, including smart contract features, post-trade custodial and …

Crypto and equities markets are down, and aside from the positive news of Celsius repaying all of their debt and avoiding a massive liquidation, there are few on-the-spot reasons that are prompting investors to buy Bitcoin (BTC) and altcoins. The collapse of numerous decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols, crypto investment funds and BTC trading 60% below its all-time high continue to weigh on sentiment, but a few positive tidbits of data could be a sign that the market is ready to enter a consolidation phase. expect people will shift from a comatose state of fear to the realization that tens of …

A new NFT collection is driven by Egyptian mythology — and has bold ambitions to be at the heart of an immortal world. Immortal Cat has been inspired by Anubis — one of the most iconic deities in Ancient Egypt — the god of mummification and the afterlife, and the patron god of lost souls. A total of 2,266 NFTs form part of this collection, and they've been carefully separated into five distinctive species: Wisdom, Art, Genesis, Magic and Smith. The type of species determines the rewards that collectors may receive through staking. As they were created, artists extracted characteristics …

Among the numerous reports and other written material mandated in United States President Joe Biden’s March 9 executive order “Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Assets” is a framework for enhancing United States economic competitiveness in digital asset technologies, due from the Commerce Department on September 5. In preparation for that document, the Commerce Department requested public comments through Tuesday, providing 17 questions to encourage discussion. As of midday on Tuesday, eight comments had been received by the Commerce Department. They ranged from a few paragraphs to pages of detailed analysis. Mastercard’s 16-page response was the longest. Mastercard said in its …

VTB Factoring, a subsidiary of Russia’s state-owned bank, reported the first major deal with digital finance assets. As part of the deal, the bank subsidiary acquired a tokenized debt pool of the engineering company Metrowagonmash, issued via the fintech platform Lighthouse. On Wednesday, June 29, VTB reported the deal on its webpage, claiming it to be the first issuance and placement of digital financial assets secured by cash in the Russian Federation. In the announcement, the bank compares it with the issue of short-term commercial bonds. Anton Musatov, CEO at VTB Factoring, emphasized the new technology’s potential regarding the access …

A major crypto trading platform has unveiled a new wallet that's designed to help users make the most out of what Web3 has to offer. KuCoin Wallet allows customers to create a decentralized account in a few taps — creating a secure environment where major coins including Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT and USDC can be received, sent and stored. The product's designed to be much more than a crypto wallet — and in the coming months, new features will cater directly to NFT collectors, DeFi investors and GameFi enthusiasts. KuCoin has also revealed that its wallet has integrated Windvane, a "one-stop" …