Despite the turbulence that broke out in the crypto market this summer, there is an important long-term marker that should be considered in any complex assessment — the combination of adoption and regulation. The latest report by EUBlockchain Observatory, named “EU Blockchain Ecosystem Developments,” tries to measure this combination within the European Union, combining the data on each and every member country from Portugal to Slovakia. As the original report counts more than 200 pages, Cointelegraph prepared a summary with the intent to capture the most vital information about the state of crypto and blockchain in Europe. We started from …

French authorities have reportedly utilized research from pseudonymous blockchain sleuth ZachXBT to charge five people on suspicion of stealing $2.5 million worth of nonfungible tokens (NFTs) via phishing scams. According to an Oct. 12 report from the Agence France Presse (AFP) shared by Barron’s, the alleged fraudsters built a website that masqueraded as a service that animates the static artwork from people’s Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) and Mutant Ape Yacht Club (MAYC) NFTs. Unfortunately for the victims, they had their credentials swiped and their NFTs stolen via the phishing website instead. The five young suspects are said to be …

Digital asset exchange Crypto.com has chosen Paris, France as the center for its European headquarters and has invested $145.7 million in the country to establish the new operations. The Singapore-based crypto exchange announced Wednesday that its new regional headquarters reflects its “long-term commitment to France” and that it plans to hire local talent to support its European operations. Additional resources will be allocated to advancing Crypto.com’s brand presence through customer engagement and education initiatives. Bonjour Paris We’re excited to deepen our commitment and presence in France, by making Paris our new European regional HQ Full details:https://t.co/nBoixpyMHi pic.twitter.com/EhkbKYUOZQ — Crypto.com (@cryptocom) …

Singapore-based digital asset platform Crypto.com scored a major regulatory approval in France. The digital asset platform was approved to register as a Digital Asset Service Provider (DASP) by the stock market regulator Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF). The approval was granted after getting clearance from the Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution (ACPR), the financial regulator in the country. The regulatory approval will help the digital asset platform offer a suite of products and services in compliance with local regulations to customers in France. The platform hopes to bank on the latest approval for expanding its services in Europe. …

Over a decade-long evolution later, for self-justified personal reasons, a handful of the crypto community members chose to believe in siding against Bitcoin (BTC), resulting in a narrative that preached "blockchain is great, Bitcoin is bad." Josselin Tonnellier, the founder of Bitcoin exchange StackinSat and organizer of the Surfin' Bitcoin 2022, believes that this particular notion is one of the main barriers to broader BTC adoption in France. In an exclusive interview with Cointelegraph reporter Joseph Hall, Tonnellier discussed several important topics, including the adoption of Bitcoin and crypto in France, the origins and goals of the Surfin' Bitcoin conference, …

Despite the ongoing cryptocurrency market decline and associated forced layoffs in major crypto firms, a career in crypto doesn’t turn less attractive to many traditional finance executives. European crypto exchange-traded fund (ETF) provider 21Shares announced three major hires on Wednesday to expand its presence in countries like France, Germany and the United Arab Emirates. Marina Baudéan, 21Shares’ newly appointed head of France, Belgium and Luxembourg, is debuting her crypto career after working for more than 15 years at the British universal bank Barclays. Baudéan is confident that crypto is “all about the next generation of technology,” and it’s here to …

Major European digital asset manager CoinShares is finalizing the acquisition of the French fintech firm Napoleon Group despite the ongoing market decline. CoinShares announced on July 4 that the firm has acquired Napoleon Asset Management, a digital asset management subsidiary of Napoleon Group. CoinShares previously entered into a sale and purchase agreement (SPA) to acquire the entire issued share capital in Napoleon Crypto SAS for 13.9 million euros ($14.5 million) in November 2021. The latest acquisition came shortly after the French financial regulator, the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF), authorized the acquisition of Napoleon AM on June 28. CoinShares subsequently …

The French government has given former United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission chair Chris Giancarlo, also known as "Crypto Dad," the equivalent of a knighthood. In a Tuesday tweet from Giancarlo, the former CFTC head said France’s National Order of Merit awarded him a Chevalier — the equivalent of a knighthood — in a ceremony at the French ambassador's residence in Washington D.C. Those attending included current and former CFTC commissioners Rostin Behnam, Brian Quintenz, Christy Goldsmith Romero, Kristin Johnson, Caroline Pham, as well as Hester Peirce of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Merci for honor of l’Ordre National du …

The war between the luxury industry and counterfeiters is a story as old as the goods themselves, with many normalizing the concept of vendors filling busy city streets with realistic-looking knock-offs and finding quality dupes online. Sadly, what few realize is the impact that counterfeiters have on the economy as a whole, a reality that has forced many companies to invest in ultra-sophisticated tech solutions such as artificial intelligence (AI) to verify the authenticity of their products. When technology hasn’t been an option, brands have looked to the government for their power to seize and destroy fake goods in an …

Central bank governors and finance ministers from the Group of Seven, or G7, are reportedly planning to discuss the regulation of cryptocurrencies. According to a Tuesday report from Reuters, Bank of France Governor François Villeroy de Galhau said representatives from the United States, Canada, Japan, Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom will likely speak on issues related to a regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies at a meeting in Germany's cities of Bonn and Königswinter starting on Wednesday. Villeroy reportedly said that the recent crypto market volatility — likely referring to some stablecoins depegging from the U.S. dollar and prices of …

The Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF), France’s authority responsible for regulating the financial market, has granted Binance’s registration to provide crypto-related services in the country. In a Wednesday update, the AMF included Binance France SAS in its list of registered digital asset service providers in France. The registration was a step toward allowing the crypto exchange to provide crypto-related services in France, including custodying assets, exchanging digital assets for other tokens or legal tender, and operating a digital asset platform. According to the AMF, registration requires checks to ensure “good repute and competence of the managers and beneficial owners” as …

As France braces for the April 24 presidential election in a runoff, political pundits around the globe are making their bets. The choice is between the centrist incumbent Emmanuel Macron and right-wing populist Marine Le Pen. Much of the political debate this time revolves around economics, but there is one indispensable part of it that is largely absent from the candidates’ electoral agendas: digital assets. While both have a record of public statements on matters related to crypto, neither Macron nor Le Pen seems to be likely to trigger any significant policy change with regard to the French digital economy. …