The Central Bank of Jamacia recently announced that it would be launching its central bank digital currency (CBDC), dubbed the Jamaican Digital Exchange, or Jam-Dex, in the first quarter of 2022. According to the Jamaican government, the national digital currency will help to lower transaction costs while allowing the unbanked to access financial services. It is estimated that over 17% of Jamaicans are unbanked, but it is feared that many more are underbanked. This is largely due to systemic financial sector impediments. High transaction costs, in particular, are a huge…
Tag: Digital
Russia-Ukraine War Has Potential Impact on Accelerating Digital Currencies – Featured Bitcoin News
The CEO of the world’s largest asset manager, Blackrock, says the Russia-Ukraine war has a “potential impact on accelerating digital currencies.” He confirms that Blackrock “is studying digital currencies, stablecoins and the underlying technologies to understand how they can help us serve our clients.” Blackrock on the Acceleration of Digital Currencies Blackrock CEO Larry Fink published his 2022 letter to shareholders Thursday with a section on digital currencies. Blackrock is the world’s largest asset manager, overseeing more than $10 trillion. “The Russian invasion of Ukraine has put an end to…
Digital currencies could get a boost from the international crisis: Blackrock CEO
Larry Fink, the CEO of the world’s largest asset manager BlackRock, believes the ongoing Russia – Ukraine crisis has boosted the case for digital currencies as a tool of settlement for international transactions. In a shareholders letter, Fink noted that the ongoing war would force nations to reassess their currency dependencies which could eventually make way for a global digital payment network, reported Reuters He said the war has put an end to the globalization forces at work over the past 30 years. Fink’s observation about the boost in the…
Taiwan’s Red Door Digital Raises $5M to Build AAA-Games for Web 3
The leader in news and information on cryptocurrency, digital assets and the future of money, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups. As part of their compensation, certain CoinDesk employees, including editorial employees, may receive exposure to DCG equity in the form of stock appreciation rights, which vest over a multi-year period. CoinDesk journalists are not allowed to purchase…
Meta files 8 digital asset and Web 3 trademark applications
Meta, formerly Facebook, has filed eight trademark applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, or USPTO, relating to blockchain technology and its proposed metaverse. The applications and their fields of interest are as follows, organized by serial number: 97320155: Online social networking and dating services, including a specific branch tailored for networking between cryptocurrency investors. 97320153: Design and development of computer hardware and software relating to Web3, including gaming, e-commerce, blockchain transactions, etc. 97320149: Entertainment and electronic publishing services, partly within virtual reality. 97320147: Telecommunication services for electronic…
Investment Bank Cowen Launches Digital Unit, Aims to Compete With Bulge-Bracket Firms
The leader in news and information on cryptocurrency, digital assets and the future of money, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups. As part of their compensation, certain CoinDesk employees, including editorial employees, may receive exposure to DCG equity in the form of stock appreciation rights, which vest over a multi-year period. CoinDesk journalists are not allowed to purchase…
Cypher Capital Rolls Out Worth $100m Blockchain and Digital Assets Fund
To expand the blockchain ecosystem, UAE-based venture capital firm Cypher Capital has launched a $100 million seed fund with a special interest in digital asset investments. The fund to be financed by Bijan Alizadeh, the firm’s founder, will be pumped into projects in decentralized finance (DeFi), metaverse, and blockchain gaming sectors. Cypher Capital plans to create a holistic blockchain community by collaborating with outstanding talent, visionary innovators, and other venture capital partners to make a significant difference. Alizadeh noted: “We will collaborate closely with our portfolio projects, offering them…
US exceptionalism could be tested as digital assets find footing worldwide — Sheila Warren
Sheila Warren, CEO of the Crypto Council for Innovation and former head of data, blockchain and digital assets at the World Economic Forum, said the digital yuan may present certain challenges for the United States. However, regulators and lawmakers may want consider how to encourage digital innovation, as China is already “massively tech forward” for its residents. Speaking to Cointelegraph during Austin’s SXSW festival, Warren said that though she believed China’s digital yuan was unlikely to significantly affect retail payments in the United States, the adoption of the technology surrounding…
Euroclear invests in Fnality to advance digital ledger technology strategy
On Monday, Euroclear, a securities clearing firm that claims it has over 37.6 trillion euros in assets under custody, announced an investment into Fnality, a consortium of financial institutions focused on the regulated adoption of tokenized assets and marketplaces, for an undisclosed amount. Meanwhile, Euroclear is also focusing on developing its distributed ledger technology, or DLT, to settle digital securities against digital cash through the partnership. The solution aims to increase the speed and efficiency of post-trade operations in areas such as market issuance, collateral trades and servicing interest payments.…
Arab States of the Gulf open up to digital asset services, March 14–21
Last week got off to an antsy start as the clause that many interpreted as a direct route to ban proof-of-work-(PoW)-based cryptocurrencies made a sudden comeback to the draft of the European Union’s key directive on digital assets. Many in the crypto policy space got immediate flashbacks to other instances of harmful last-minute additions to must-pass legislation days and hours before the vote. It all ended well, though, as the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs voted against the draft that contained the hostile language. Over in the United States,…