Public measures should be taken to ensure that blockchain’s potential as a groundbreaking infrastructure for the social economy is accessible to all. This was the advice put forward by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in its new report devoted to blockchain, an EU Reporter article published on August 1 reveals. Blockchain recalls Europe’s epoch-making inventions In key remarks accompanying its new report, the EESC says it would encourage European institutions to foster the involvement of more civil society organisations in the EU Blockchain Observatory and European Blockchain Partnership. The successful implementation of new digital infrastructures based on blockchain, …

Germany-based Bitcoin (BTC) bank Bitwala announced that it received €13 million (almost $14.5 million) in funding in a press release shared with Cointelegraph on July 31. Connecting Bitcoin and banks Per the release, an international investor consortium led by Sony Financial Ventures, Global Brain and British investment company NKB Group invested in the German bank. Furthermore, half of the funds have been reportedly provided by investors Earlybird Venture Capital and coparion. Jan Goslicki, co-founder and Chief Compliance Officer at Bitwala declared: “We started Bitwala to do something that nobody thought was possible: to connect Bitcoin and the conventional financial system …

While fresh data confirms that the crypto community continues to be male-dominated, the gender imbalance may be less extreme than previously thought. A report published by fintech firm Bitpanda and market research company GlobalWebIndex on July 31 examined a broad set of data points to glean insight into the profile of European crypto investors. One in five European crypto holders are women The report notes that while prior research has suggested that as much as 90%+ of crypto investors are male, fresh analysis indicates that the gender distribution among European crypto holders is 78% male and 22% female. Female crypto …

Major European crypto exchange Bitstamp has partnered with digital asset brokerage BCB Group to enable direct transfers in British pounds sterling (GBP). A press release shared with Cointelegraph on July 29 revealed that following the new partnership, United Kingdom-based investors will be able to make GBP withdrawals and deposits directly to and from their Bitstamp accounts by the end of this year. In a statement, BCB Group founder and CEO Oliver von Landsberg-Sadie said that the partnership aligns with the company’s broader aim of providing robust and frictionless services infrastructure “covering compliance, trade execution and settlement and custody for clients …

Morgan Creek Digital Assets co-founder Anthony Pompliano says the European Central Bank (ECB)’s expected dovish turn will be “rocket fuel” for Bitcoin. In a tweet posted on July 26, Pompliano commented on a fresh Bloomberg article investigating the ECB’s imminent policy moves — potentially including interest-rate cuts and renewed quantitative easing — designed to boost a faltering Eurozone economy. He said: “ROCKET FUEL: They’re going to cut rates and print money right as we march towards the Bitcoin halving. Buckle up. This will be wild 🚀” Pompliano had notably recently cited bitcoin’s halving — the reduction of mining rewards in …

About 71% of German citizens are skeptical about Facebook’s Libra stablecoin, while only 12% welcome it, according to a survey published by German financial association Bürgerbewegung Finanzwende on July 23. Most Germans already have an opinion Notably, the survey also showed that almost every one of the 2,093 German adults surveyed had an opinion on the matter, with only 17% saying that they are not sure what to think about the stablecoin. Furthermore, 52% of the respondents also pointed out that Facebook’s impact on society is already problematic today, and over a quarter (26%) stated that they believe further growth …

The Republic of San Marino has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with blockchain application platform VeChain. Per the agreement, the two entities aim to deploy blockchain technology to incentivize sustainable ecological behavior from citizens, local news agency askanews reported on July 22. The MoU was signed between San Marino Secretariat of Industry, Craft, Trade, Labor, Cooperation and Telecommunications, Republic of San Marino Innovation Institute S.p.A, management systems certification body DNV GL Business Assurance Group AS, and VeChain Foundation Limited. “To become the first zero-emissions country in the world” The cooperation is part of San Marino’s strategy to create and …

Until recently, cryptocurrency debit cards appeared to fall short of expectations. Despite many failed efforts in recent years, crypto debit cards are enjoying a second wind thanks to a surge in crypto prices over the summer. With some of the crypto world’s biggest names launching crypto debit cards, Cointelegraph takes a look at the latest updates in the burgeoning payments sector. What are cryptocurrency debit cards and how do they work? Cryptocurrency debit cards are almost exactly the same as the bank card you carry around every day in your wallet, except for the fact that you can use them …

Italian football club AS Roma will join blockchain-based voting platform Socios through a partnership with sports and entertainment blockchain firm Chiliz. In an official announcement published on July 19, Chiliz revealed that AS Roma is joining Socios, a sports platform powered by Chiliz, in order to launch an AS Roma fan token. The dedicated tokens are set to provide fans with the right to vote in certain club-delegated decisions. The post further explains that “the more fans vote and interact with the club through the app, the more rewards they can earn, competing for once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and gaining access to …

A European Central Bank (ECB) official has stated that users should be aware of the risks associated with the stablecoins use, but not to be alarmed. As Reuters reported on July 18, member of the ECB’s governing council and president of the Deutsche Bundesbank, Jens Weidmann said that stablecoins — digital currency designed to minimize price volatility by being pegged to another asset — offer users opportunities for prosperity, however users should be vigilant in regards of the associated risks. Weidmann delivered his comments at a news conference at a meeting of the G7 finance ministers and central bankers. “There …

Fiat-crypto exchange Binance Jersey has listed a proprietary GBP-backed stablecoin, according to a press release shared with Cointelegraph on July 19. ‘Overwhelming demand’ for stablecoin diversification Listing of the Binance GBP Stablecoin (BGBP) confirms earlier indications that the major industry player had its sights on imminently issuing its own fiat-pegged assets, starting with a cryptocurrency 100% backed by the British pound. Binance Chief Financial Officer Wei Zhou has given an official statement, in which he noted that: “There has been an overwhelming demand in the market and Binance community for more stablecoin diversification, including a GBP-pegged stablecoin.” Zhou added that …

The volume of blockchain in healthcare market worldwide is forecast to reach more than $1.7 billion by 2026. In a press release published on July 16, consulting services to information technologies firm Acumen Research and Consulting (ARC) has projected that the global blockchain in healthcare market on the global scale will reach over $1.7 billion by 2026, with a compound annual growth rate of 48.1%. Based on geography, America purportedly dominates with the largest share in the global blockchain in healthcare market, wherein the United States is a mature market that hosts the greater adoption of smart technology in manufacturing …