Australia’s Oldest Bank, Westpac, Takes Aim at Scams with Cryptocurrency Exchange Ban

Westpac, Australia’s oldest bank, has made headlines by announcing a ban on cryptocurrency transactions to certain exchanges as part of a trial to reduce scam losses. The move comes in response to internal data revealing that half of all scam losses stem from investment scams, with one-third of scam payments being transferred to cryptocurrency exchanges. Investment scams have been identified as the largest portion reported to various Australian agencies, including Scamwatch, ReportCyber, the Australian Financial Crimes Exchange, IDCare, and ASIC. Westpac’s decision to block transactions to crypto exchanges has the…

Bitcoin exchanges now own 16% less BTC than the oldest hodlers

Bitcoin (BTC) exchanges have less BTC to buy than at any time since early 2018, the latest data shows. On-chain analytics firm Glassnode confirms that as of February 2023, exchange reserves are at five-year lows. “Wild stat” shows Bitcoin supply maturation The latest statistics to reflect the determination of Bitcoin hodlers, major exchanges’ BTC balances are in “down only” mode. As of Feb. 27, the latest date for which data is available, the platforms tracked by Glassnode held a combined 2,272,798 BTC. It was in March 2018 that the number…

Brazil’s oldest bank allows residents to pay their taxes using crypto

A major Brazilian bank is offering a new and convenient option for taxpayers to settle their dues using cryptocurrencies. According to a statement published by Brazilian bank Banco do Brasil on Feb. 11 it is now “possible” for Brazilian taxpayers to pay their tax bill with crypto, in a joint initiative with Brazilian-based crypto firm Bitfy. This initiative is available to Brazilian’s who have their crypto under the custody of Bitfy, which will act as a “collection partner” for the major Brazilian bank. It noted that besides the convenience it…

How Bitcoin mining saved Africa’s oldest national park from bankruptcy

Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has become the first national park in the world to run a Bitcoin (BTC) mine in an effort to protect its forests and wildlife. Cointelegraph spoke with Sébastien Gouspillou, CEO of Big Block Green Services, and the man who introduced Bitcoin mining to the park.  Speaking via video call, Gouspillou said with a smile: “Bitcoin mining saved the park from bankruptcy.” Virunga is Africa’s oldest protected park and a symbol of the continent’s biodiversity. A report by journalist Adam Popescu,…

Mysterious Bitcoin miner shows off oldest signature dated Jan. 2009

Online forums are integral to the Bitcoin origin story, where Satoshi Nakamoto and early contributors collaborated to discuss and create a disruptive financial system from scratch. One of the oldest Bitcoin forums — bitcointalk.org — still preserves historical discussions around creating the Bitcoin (BTC) logo and the payment system. A curious member of the bitcointalk.org forum recently sought to identify Bitcoin miners from the early days. To their surprise, an anonymous member shared a signature dating back to January 2009, just a week after Bitcoin came into existence. The oldest…

The Oldest Bank in America, BNY Mellon Can Now Custody Bitcoin and Ethereum – Bitcoin News

America’s oldest bank, the Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, commonly known as BNY Mellon, has announced the financial institution can now custody cryptocurrencies. A report published by the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, says BNY Mellon was approved by the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS), and the bank said it was the first of eight financial heavyweights to start crypto asset custody services. BNY Mellon to Start Custody Services for Bitcoin and Ethereum on Behalf of Its Customers Last fall, New York’s financial regulator DFS gave…

BNY Mellon, America's oldest bank, launches crypto services

The bank will store private keys and provide bookkeeping services equivalent to those offered to fund managers in traditional assets. BNY Mellon launched a digital custody platform to safeguard select clients’ Ether (ETH) and Bitcoin (BTC) holdings on Oct. 11, making America’s oldest bank the first large bank in the country to offer the custody of digital assets and traditional investments on the same platform.  According to a statement, the bank will store private keys to access the funds and provide the same bookkeeping services offered to fund managers in…

Thailand’s Oldest Lender Delays Bitkub Exchange Acquisition Amid Tighter Crypto Rules – Exchanges Bitcoin News

The company that owns Thailand’s Siam Commercial Bank has postponed a deal to acquire a majority stake in Bitkub, the country’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. The decision comes amid tightening crypto regulations that limit growth in domestic crypto trading. SCB Postpones Acquisition of Thai Crypto Exchange Bitkub The parent company of Siam Commercial Bank, SCB X, has delayed a 17.85-billion-baht ($487 million) bid to acquire 51% of the largest crypto exchange in Thailand, Bitkub. The bank, which is the kingdom’s oldest lender, postponed the deal indefinitely as Thai regulations continue to…

Crypto Mining Farm Uncovered in Russia’s Oldest Prison – Mining Bitcoin News

Russian law enforcement officials are investigating a crypto mining operation at Butyrka, Russia’s oldest prison. A deputy warden has been accused of stealing electricity to mint digital coins with the help of unidentified accomplices. Deputy Warden Suspected of Mining Cryptocurrency in Moscow Prison A high-ranking representative of the management of Butyrskaya prison, in the Tverskoy District of central Moscow, is under investigation for setting up a crypto mining farm. Also known as Butyrka, this is the oldest prison in Russia, built in the distant 1771. The coin minting hardware was…

The world’s first and oldest Bitcoin mining pool has mined nearly 1.3 million BTC since inception

All things have their humble beginnings; in 2010, the first Bitcoin (BTC) mining project was created in Prague, Czechia, and was simply called Bitcoin.cz. Soon afterward, founder Mark “Slush” Palatinus decided to move on to other ventures, such as creating the world’s first cryptocurrency hard wallet, Trezor. As a result, Braiins, a company doing embedded Linux development and research, took over the mining pool and renamed it accordingly. Fast forward to today, Braiins (Slush Pool) has grown to become one of the biggest Bitcoin mining pools. There are now over…