Goldman Sachs-backed digital payment company Circle has officially disclosed plans to become a full-reserve national digital currency bank in the United States. Announcing the news on Monday, Circle co-founder and CEO Jeremy Allaire noted that Circle is willing to operate under the supervision and risk management requirements of the Federal Reserve, the U.S. Treasury, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. “We believe that full-reserve banking, built on digital currency technology, can lead to not just a radically more efficient, but also a safer, more resilient financial system,” Allaire stated. The CEO added …

A new cryptocurrency-related bill in Ukraine will allow payments in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) despite not recognizing crypto as legal tender, a government official claimed. Deputy minister of Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation Oleksandr Bornyakov is confident that it would be “quite legal to pay with cryptocurrencies” in Ukraine through payment intermediaries that enable crypto-to-fiat conversions. The official said in a Friday interview with local financial publication Minfin that Ukraine’s draft bill on virtual assets “clearly states” that cryptocurrencies do not constitute legal tender in the country, only allowing crypto purchases. However, the bill stipulates that local payment processors would …

Maybe Amazon really isn’t preparing to accept Bitcoin (BTC) as payment for its goods and services before year’s end, and perhaps Apple isn’t in fact adding $2.5 billion of Bitcoin to its balance sheet — although both events were reported recently, they are still unconfirmed. The question still remains: If and when the tech giants do commit, what impact will they have on the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry? Would it spur crypto adoption or revive Bitcoin as a medium of exchange? Would it confer a seal of approval on digital assets and discourage governments from clamping down on blockchain-based tokens? …

The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) continues progressing with its central bank digital currency- (CBDC)-like initiative known as Bakong, disclosing several project milestones. NBC’s director general and the Bakong project lead Chea Serey said in a Wednesday interview with The Nikkei that Bakong’s electronic wallet reached 200,000 users in June, doubling from three months earlier. Based on blockchain technology, the Bakong payment and money transfer service was originally launched by the NBC in October 2020. The digital money project has amassed nearly six million users in the first half of 2021, including those reached indirectly through member bank mobile apps, …

Chinese electronics manufacturer Xiaomi has denied the company's involvement in a move by a Portuguese Xiaomi shop to start accepting Bitcoin (BTC) payments. Mi Store Portugal, a Xiaomi retailer in the country, announced Wednesday on Facebook that it now allows customers to purchase devices using five cryptocurrencies, including BTC, Ether (ETH), Tether (USDT), Dash (DASH) and the Utrust (UTK) token. A spokesperson for Xiaomi subsequently reacted to the news on Chinese social media platform Weibo, stressing that the Mi Store Portugal is not directly related to Xiaomi’s operations. “We are concerned about the information that Mi Store Portugal accepts digital …

Spanish lawmakers are backing a new legal initiative to legitimize the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry by proposing a new bill on digital transformation. The new draft bill was introduced by Spanish political party the People’s Party (PP). It aims to drive innovation in multiple industries through regulating emerging technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC). As part of the draft bill, the PP proposed to legalize the usage of cryptocurrency and blockchain tech for mortgage and insurance purposes. Specifically, the proposal aims to allow property owners to pay mortgages with crypto and authorize the real …

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volumes, continues actively expanding into the crypto payments industry through a new crypto-to-fiat integration. The company announced Tuesday a partnership with crypto-fiat hybrid payment platform Alchemy Pay to enable peer-to-peer (P2P) crypto payments at over 2 million global merchants through its payments application Binance Pay. The new integration will allow users and merchants to pay and accept payments using 40 supported cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) in 18 countries where Alchemy Pay operates. Binance Pay users will be able to pay across merchants of Alchemy Pay’s partners, including e-commerce …

An upcoming collaboration between Bakkt and Quiznos will allow customers to pay for meals at certain locations with Bitcoin (BTC). Customers will be able to pay in BTC at certain Quiznos shops in Colorado’s capital as part of an initial test run, according to a public statement on Tuesday. “The pilot will be available at select Quiznos locations across the Denver market, including the high-traffic Denver airport location, starting in mid-August,” the statement said. Folks will be able to pay with Bitcoin via Bakkt’s app — a versatile hub for holding and spending Bitcoin, as well as managing reward points …

Payments in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) make up one of the biggest use case demands among consumers alongside long-term investment, according to new data. Pymnts, a major payments-focused publication, released Monday a report on consumer preferences regarding cryptocurrency payments. Dubbed “Cryptocurrency Payments Playbook: Cryptocurrencies Gain Momentum As A Payment Option,” the study analyzes a survey of over 8,000 consumers in the United States, including existing and former crypto holders, as well as crypto non-owners. Conducted in collaboration with crypto payment firm BitPay, the study found that crypto holders and non-owners are interested in crypto payments. As many as 93% of …

Enterprise technology provider NCR Corporation has announced an agreement to buy LibertyX, the company that launched one of the first retail Bitcoin ATMs. In a Monday announcement, NCR said it expected to purchase LibertyX later this year depending on regulatory licensing consents and approvals. The firm said it planned to offer LibertyX’s capabilities as part of its solutions for banks, retailers and restaurants, implying NCR clients could see crypto withdrawals, purchasing and payment features after the deal is finalized. “Our customers require a complete digital currency solution, including the ability to buy and sell cryptocurrency, conduct cross-border remittance and accept …

Crypto-asset trading firm Voyager Digital has arranged to purchase payments company Coinify in a deal worth $85 million in cash and stock. In a Monday announcement, Voyager said it would issue 5.1 million shares of its stock — worth roughly $70 million at the time of publication — as well as provide $15 million in cash to Coinify investors. The company said it would retain $5.5 million in cash from Coinify’s balance sheet. The acquisition of Coinify is aimed at helping Voyager expand its capabilities, potentially giving crypto users around the world more options for cross-border payments. Voyager has been …

Crypto as a payment option for real estate continues to gain traction as the adoption of digital currencies for commercial transactions continues to take shape. Scott Paul, founder of Utah-based marketing agency Wooly, put up his Saratoga Springs home for sale, with Dogecoin (DOGE) as an acceptable payment method, according to a report by Fox 13 on Sunday. While the listing price is set at $399,000, Paul is reportedly ready to offer a 10% discount if the purchase is made via Dogecoin. Commenting on the potential volatility risk associated with a real estate deal conducted via DOGE, Paul remarked, “I’m …