In his monthly crypto tech column, Israeli serial entrepreneur Ariel Shapira covers emerging technologies within the crypto, decentralized finance (DeFi) and blockchain space, as well as their roles in shaping the economy of the 21st century. While regulation is always a hot topic for the crypto scene, it is always interesting to take a sneak peek behind the curtains and get a sense of how the people writing the rulebook see the state of the game. In late May, Israel’s crypto enthusiasts and entrepreneurs got a chance to do just that as they converged for the annual Israel Crypto Conference, …

The concept of cryptocurrency inheritance continues to rapidly evolve as the decentralized finance (DeFi) industry spawns more ways to make a “crypto will.” The Israeli crypto software provider Kirobo is moving to tackle a major void in the DeFi industry by providing crypto investors with an opportunity to pass private keys or transfer funds according to their last will. The firm announced on Tuesday the launch of an inheritance feature on its decentralized crypto wallet Liquid Vault, allowing users to designate crypto wallets to inherit their funds. The new solution enables the generation and execution of an automated last will …

Financial companies in Israel are increasingly moving into cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC), with two competing credit card firms working on BTC investment and cashback features. Two Israel-based credit card companies, Max and Isracard, have inked partnerships with crypto-related platforms in order to allow cardholders to purchase Bitcoin, the local news agency Calcalist reported on Tuesday. Max announced a collaboration with the local crypto broker Bits of Gold to launch a crypto-enabled card called MaxBack Crypto. According to Max's official website, the card will offer cashback opportunities in BTC as well as the option to buy Bitcoin through a clearing agreement …

This week will be remembered as the one when the stablecoins showed an unexpected ability to depeg. Terra’s TerraUSD (UST) dropped to a shocking $0.29 following the general meltdown of both crypto and financial markets, but it was also the headliner of stablecoins’ niche, while Tether (USDT) lost the balance and slid to $0.96 for a short time. The United States Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen felt it necessary to assure everyone that, given the stablecoins’ market size, depegging didn’t present a threat to America’s financial stability. At the same time, she called on lawmakers to develop a “consistent federal framework” …

Despite the fact that it still hasn't made a final decision on the launch of the “digital shekel,” Israel’s central bank reported that the public feedback on the project is mainly positive. According to Reuters, on Monday, The Bank of Israel summarized the results of the public consultation on its central bank digital currency (CBDC) plans. It has received 33 responses from different sectors, with half of them coming from abroad and 17 from the domestic fintech community. While specifying that the final decision on the project’s fate is yet to be made, it claimed: “All of the responses to …

Leumi Bank, one of the largest lenders in Israel, reportedly started to accept Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) trading. According to a Thursday report by Reuters, Pepper Invest, Leumi's digital platform, partnered with blockchain infrastructure provider Paxos to launch crypto trading. Pepper Invest clients can now buy, sell and hold cryptocurrencies using the new service. The move will only support BTC and ETH before adding support for other crypto assets. In addition, the minimum transaction value for cryptocurrencies was set at around $15.50 (50 shekels), as per the report. There is currently no start date announced, and the new move …

On March 10, the Bank of Israel published draft regulation of anti-money-laundering and combatting the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) risk management for the banks facilitating crypto-to-fiat transactions. The move hints at the Israeli government’s preparations to legalize and regulate the relationship between banks and virtual currency service providers (VASPs). The document cites the customers’ increased involvement with digital assets as the rationale for the new policy: “In view of the increase in customer activity in virtual currencies, and the resulting increase in customer requests to transfer money [...] the Banking Supervision Department today published a draft circular dealing with managing …

A set of 30 crypto wallets from 12 exchange accounts that have been linked to the terrorist group Hamas based in the Gaza Strip were seized on Monday by Israeli authorities. Crypto exchange al-Mutahadun held the wallets where 12 accounts were allegedly being used by Hamas leaders to fund terrorist efforts against Israel. The Times of Israel reported that Israel’s Defense Ministry said on Feb. 28 that al-Mutahadun has helped Hamas’s military wing “by transferring funds amounting to tens of millions of dollars a year.” The exact value of the seizures and specifically what crypto assets seized is not yet …

Major crypto exchange Binance has reportedly halted activities and marketing to Israelis following a request from one of the country’s financial regulators over licensing. According to a Thursday report from Israel-based news outlet Globes, the Capital Market, Insurance and Savings Authority requested Binance provide information on the services it was providing to Israelis as well as any licenses under which it operates. The regulator, responsible for handling licenses for crypto firms, reportedly never received an application from Binance allowing the exchange to do business in Israel. "Following the intervention of the capital market, Binance has at this stage stopped marketing …

Israel has reportedly enacted new regulations related to the cryptocurrency industry in order to combat illegal activities like money laundering and terrorism financing. The government of Israel enforced new Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations on Sunday, requiring local fintech companies and virtual currency service providers (VASPs) to obtain an operating license, local news agency Globes reported. The Israel Securities Authority, the Capital Markets, Insurance and Savings Authority, the country’s independent financial regulator, is now reportedly in the process of reviewing various VASPs that have applied for such a license. Shlomit Wegman, director of the Israel Money Laundering and Terror Financing Prohibition …

The Israeli government is ratcheting up its efforts to deter tax evasion and close loopholes for would-be money launderers as part of a “war against black capital.” Among the measures outlined in a new draft bill published by the Ministry of Finance this week, a new statutory requirement is being proposed to place cryptocurrency users under increased scrutiny. The proposed law would make it mandatory for cryptocurrency users who have either purchased 200,000 Israeli shekels ($61,000) worth of cryptocurrency or whose crypto holdings are currently worth the same amount and above to file a report with the Israeli tax authorities. …

Israeli defense minister Benny Ganz has signed an order authorizing security forces to seize cryptocurrency accounts believed to be tied to the militant wing of Hamas, the de facto ruling authority of the Gaza Strip in Palestine. Ganz has said that a joint security operation between the Ministry of Defense's National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing and the security forces had “uncovered a web of electronic wallets” thought to be tied to Hamas and its ongoing fundraising efforts, using Bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptocurrencies. Hamas' long-running efforts to raise funds via crypto had reportedly recently accelerated following the 11-day war …