Bitcoin Accounts Frozen As Australia Banks Crack Down on Crypto

Investing, News, Regulation | December 31, 2017 By:

Cryptocurrency investors in Australia are claiming several big banks are freezing their accounts and any transfers to outside exchanges.

A report in the Sydney Morning Herald quotes a cryptocurrency trader named Alex Saunders, who says the National Australia Bank, ANZ, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Westpac Banking Corporation have been freezing customer accounts and transfers to four different bitcoin exchanges  – 

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Update: Ripple XRP Surpasses ETH As Second Biggest In Market Cap

Investing, News | December 29, 2017 By:

UPDATE:  Ripple XRP exploded past the magic $2 mark today, surpassing ETH as the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap. As of 3 p.m. Pacific time, XRP is at $2.14, an incredible 48 percent increase in the last 24 hours.

Rumors that XRP may soon be listed for buying and selling on Coinbase and/or strike deals with Amazon or other huge e-commerce retailers is fueling the incredible rise.

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Cryptocurrency Exchange Rules Tightened In South Korea

Investing, News, Regulation | December 29, 2017 By:

The South Korean government said that it will impose tougher measures to crack down on cryptocurrency trading in the country.

Hong Nam-ki, the minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, made the announcement after discussion with vice ministers from other governmental bodies regarding the recent rise in cryptocurrency interest and ownership domestically.

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Blockchain Consortium in Credit Cards Formed By SBI Ripple Asia

Announcements, Blockchain, Group | December 29, 2017 By:

SBI Ripple Asia has formed a consortium with some Japanese credit card companies to utilize blockchain technology. Called the Credit Card Industry Consortium, the group will be formally established in January.

Formed in 2016, SBI Ripple Asia is the Asia-Pacific partnership of Japanese financial services company SBI Holdings and FinTech payments firm Ripple.

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Blockchain Commercial Bonds Transaction Completed By Russian Depository

Blockchain, FinTech, Innovation, News, Regulation | December 29, 2017 By:

The National Settlement Depository of the Russian Federation (NSD) has successfully completed the country’s first transaction issuing commercial bonds based on blockchain technology.

In October, The NSD partnered with mobile network operator MegaFon and Raiffeisenbank Russia for the issuance and initial placement of the blockchain commercial bonds on the Russian market.

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Blockchain Smartphone Developer Sirin Labs Secures $157M USD in ICO

Announcements, Blockchain, ICO News | December 29, 2017 By:

Sirin Labs‘ initial coin offering (ICO) has become the fourth-largest crowdsale in history, raising over $157 million.

Switzerland-based Sirin Labs, the creator of the $17,000 ultra-secure Solarin smartphone, said the amount raised through the ICO would be used to fund the development of the first blockchain smartphone and all-in-one personal computer called Finney.

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Bitcoin Exchange Executive Kidnapped in Ukraine

Crime, News | December 29, 2017 By:

Pavel Lerner, the head of Analytics and Trading for UK-based bitcoin exchange EXMO, has reportedly been kidnapped in Ukraine.

According to local media reports, 40-year-old Lerner was kidnapped while leaving his office in Kiev’s Obolon district on December 26. He was dragged into a car by force and taken away to an unknown destination.

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