The government of Nigeria is still open to crypto businesses operating in the country despite the ongoing lawsuit against crypto exchange Binance and the high-profile detention of Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan. Nigerian Information Minister Mohammed Idris told Semafor that many crypto businesses operate inside the country that are not facing litigation or criminal prosecution. “This is part of the effort to strengthen our laws, not to cripple anybody. We are ensuring that no one comes and operates without regulation,” Idris told the outlet. Nigeria filed an $81.5 billion lawsuit against…
Tag: Report
Coinbase in talks to buy derivatives exchange Deribit: Report
Coinbase is in advanced talks to buy Deribit, a cryptocurrency derivatives exchange, according to a March 21 report by Bloomberg. Acquiring Deribit — the world’s largest venue for trading Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) options — would bolster Coinbase’s existing derivatives platform, which currently focuses on futures. Coinbase and Deribit have reportedly alerted regulators in Dubai to the deal talks. Deribit holds a license in Dubai, which would need to be transferred to Coinbase if a deal goes through, according to Bloomberg, which cited unnamed sources. In January, Bloomberg reported…
Swiss Central Bank rejects Bitcoin for reserves, citing volatility: report
Swiss National Bank Governor Martin Schlegel reaffirmed the central bank’s position against incorporating Bitcoin or other digital assets into its foreign exchange reserves. Schlegel expressed concerns to Bloomberg regarding Bitcoin’s (BTC) high volatility, instability, and the regulatory challenges associated with cryptocurrencies. These factors were cited as the main reasons for his position. He highlighted that the Swiss National Bank’s reserves are meant to support monetary policy, and he noted that digital assets do not align with this goal. This position is consistent with Schlegel’s earlier remarks. In a November 2024…
Kraken nears $1.5B deal allowing it to offer US crypto futures: Report
Crypto exchange Kraken is reportedly closing in on a $1.5 billion acquisition of trading platform NinjaTrader, a move that would expand Kraken’s customer base and enable it to offer crypto futures and derivatives in the US. The deal could be confirmed by the morning of March 20 in the US, The Wall Street Journal said in a March 19 report, citing people familiar with the matter. Kraken’s expanded offerings would be made possible through NinjaTrader’s registration as a Futures Commission Merchant. The move would help Kraken’s strategy to work across…
Trump to speak at Digital Asset Summit: Report
United States President Donald Trump will reportedly speak at Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit in New York on March 20, Blockworks said. His speech will mark the first time a sitting US president has ever spoken at a cryptocurrency conference, Blockworks said in a March 19 announcement. Trump’s presence at the event underscores his embrace of an industry that, under former US president Joe Biden, was the target of more than 100 enforcement actions by federal regulators. “When we started Blockworks we could barely get someone from a bank to attend…
Stablecoin users grew 53% in one year: Report
A joint report by onchain analysis platforms Artemis and Dune showed that active stablecoin wallets increased by over 50% in one year. The report, titled “The State of Stablecoins 2025: Supply, Adoption & Market Trends,” showed that from February 2024 to February 2025, active addresses increased from 19.6 million to 30 million. This represents a 53% increase year-on-year. The onchain analysis platforms said this expansion suggests wider user engagement. The report added that in 2024, stablecoins have emerged as a bridge between traditional finance and crypto, becoming a critical component…
Crypto companies seeking bank charters under Trump admin — Report
Cryptocurrency and fintech companies are increasingly seeking bank charters in an attempt to grow their businesses under the Trump administration, according to a report from Reuters, which talked to more than half a dozen industry executives. The moves come as the administration is seen as more industry-friendly and there are opportunities to gain the licenses that regulators under previous administrations may have been slow to approve. While discussions about pursuing bank charters are on the rise, it is unknown how many companies will ultimately follow through. It can cost tens…
Paul Atkins closes in on SEC chair role amid setbacks: Report
Paul Atkins could move one step closer to becoming the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s new crypto-friendly chair, with a Senate committee hearing reportedly in the works for March 27. President Donald Trump nominated Atkins to lead the SEC on Dec. 4, but his marriage into a billionaire family has reportedly caused headaches with financial disclosures — delaying his potential start date. While it isn’t clear whether the White House has produced those papers to the Senate, Senate Banking, House and Urban Affairs Chair Tim Scott is reportedly eyeing a…
Bitcoin choked by ‘exacerbating sell-side pressure’ from short-term holders: report
Bitfinex analysts said Bitcoin buyers with purchases in the last month were the hardest hit during recent crypto market selloffs. Bitcoin (BTC) shed 13.5% of its value in the past 30 days and has dropped over 29% from its all-time high set in January, the biggest correction of the current bull cycle, according to the Bitfinex Alpha Report released on March 17. Past cycles witnessed similar drawdowns ranging from 30% to 50%. However, some expected a different outcome this time due to new institutional adoption through spot BTC exchange-traded funds…
S.Korea Cuts Out Bitcoin Strategic Reserve Considerations: Report
South Korea’s central bank, the Bank of Korea (BOK), has taken a cautious stance on including bitcoin in its foreign exchange reserves, per a Korea Economic Daily report. In response to a question posed by a member of the National Assembly’s Strategy and Finance Committee, the BOK made it clear on Sunday that it has not entertained the notion of embracing BTC. The primary deterrent for the BOK is bitcoin’s notorious price instability, where the central bank fears that the wild swings in…