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☆ Crypto’s 2023 was marred by fraud and scandal. It was its best year ever
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-24 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —Crypto’s 14th year in existence was one marred by scandal, bankruptcy, fraud and regulatory squabbling. Bitcoin, the crypto’s bellwether asset, is up 160% for the year. “It was the year of crypto’s resiliency,” Kyla Curley, a crypto expert and partner at global advisory StoneTurn, tells CNN. “Fraud is fraud,” Curley says, “Regardless of the technology or the industry … you cannot stop human nature. Adding to that bullish sentiment: the bitcoin halving, or, more menacingly, “the halvening.”While it’s often a buy-the-hype-sell-the-news kind of event, the halving does tend to push bitcoin higher.

Persons: New York CNN —, “, ”, Sam Bankman, Zhao, Alex Mashinsky, Heather “ Razzlekhan ” Morgan, Ilya Lichtenstein, ‘, Bonnie, Clyde ’, Bitcoin, crypto’s, ” Kyla Curley, ” Curley, Changpeng Zhao, Eduardo Munoz, Costas Baltas, Faryar Shirzad, bitcoin, ” Antoni Trenchev, ” Trenchev, Warren Buffett, Anthony Scaramucci, “ Bitcoin Organizations: New, New York CNN, New York CNN — Crypto’s, CNN, Department of Justice, crypto’s, grifters, Bitcoiners, SkyBridge Locations: New York, SBF, Bitcoin

☆ Binance chief will admit violating US laws as part of $4 billion deal to resolve probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Zhao Changpeng, founder and chief executive officer of Binance speaks during an event in Athens, Greece, November 25, 2022. REUTERS/Costas Baltas/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Binance Holdings Ltd FollowNEW YORK, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Binance Holdings chief Changpeng Zhao will admit violating U.S. laws as part of a deal to resolve a U.S. probe into illicit finance breaches, according to a source familiar with matter. The deal between a number of U.S. agencies and the world's largest crypto exchange will also involve charges against Binance's former compliance chief Samuel Lim, the source said. The deal will include penalties on the firm of over $4 billion, including $3.4 billion from U.S. Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and another $968 million from the Office of Foreign Assets Control, another source familiar with the matter said. Reporting by Chris Prentice; Editing by Lisa ShumakerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Zhao Changpeng, Binance, Costas Baltas, Changpeng Zhao, Samuel Lim, Chris Prentice, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: REUTERS, Binance Holdings, Treasury's, Network, Foreign Assets Control, Thomson Locations: Athens, Greece, U.S

☆ Greek economy seen growing by 2.9% next year on strong investment
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Lefteris Papadimas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The government expects economic output to rise 2.9% next year following a 2.4% expansion this year, partly with the help of European Union recovery funds. Investment is seen growing by about 15.1% in 2024 more than double compared with this year. Greece has recently regained investment grade status for its debt attracting investment as its economy strengthens after a decade-long economic crisis. Its strong economic performance is also reflected in higher than expected tax revenues. Athens also expects to raise 5.77 billion euros from state asset sales in 2024, the budget said.

Persons: Costas Baltas, Thanos Petralias, Lefteris Papadimas, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Investment, Thomson Locations: Athens, Greece

Zhao Changpeng, founder and chief executive officer of Binance greets the audience during an event in Athens, Greece, November 25, 2022. "Today, I stepped down as CEO of Binance," Zhao tweeted. Binance became the world's biggest crypto exchange within six months. As Binance hired more widely from traditional financial and regulatory worlds, Zhao's tight control over his company was undiminished. Richard Teng, a senior Binance executive who joined in 2021, is the new CEO, Zhao posted on social media on Tuesday.

Persons: Zhao Changpeng, Binance, Costas Baltas, Changpeng Zhao, Zhao, Prosecutors, Tuesday's, General Merrick Garland, Yi, Richard Teng, Teng, Tom Wilson, Lisa Shumaker, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, Justice Department, Binance, New York Times, U.S, Reuters, Futures Trading Commission, Thomson Locations: Athens, Greece, Binance, Binance ., Shanghai, China, Canada, Tokyo, New York, London

As token prices plummeted last year, the sector saw other stunning meltdowns that put several industry moguls into authorities' crosshairs. Changpeng "CZ" ZhaoThe U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sued Binance and its CEO Zhao in June for allegedly operating "a web of deception." Kwon faces multiple charges of fraud in the U.S. and was arrested in Montenegro earlier this year for allegedly forging documents, authorities said. He has pleaded not guilty to U.S. fraud charges that he misled customers and artificially inflated the value of his company's proprietary crypto token. Barry SilbertSilbert is the boss of crypto group Digital Currency Group whose subsidiary Genesis Global Capital filed for bankruptcy in January.

Persons: Zhao Changpeng, Binance, Costas Baltas, Sam Bankman, Fried, he's, Zhao, Kwon, Luna, Terraform, Alex Mashinsky, Mashinsky, Barry Silbert Silbert, Letitia James, Silbert, Stephen Ehrlich Stephen Ehrlich's, Ehrlich, Justin Sun, Sun, Niket Nishant, Hannah Lang, Michelle Price, Anil D'Silva Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Zhao, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, U.S . Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Korean, Terraform Labs, Montenegrin, Mashinsky, CFTC, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Digital Currency Group, Genesis Global Capital, New York, FTC, Tron Foundation, Thomson Locations: Athens, Greece, China, Canada, U.S, Montenegro, New York

The Liberian-flagged oil tanker Ice Energy transfers crude oil from the Iranian-flagged oil tanker Lana (former Pegas), off the shore of Karystos, on the Island of Evia, Greece, May 26, 2022. The United States has sought to limit Iran's oil exports since Donald Trump exited a 2015 nuclear accord in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions aimed at curbing revenues to Iran's government. SVB International, a consultant, estimates Iran's oil production increased in August to 3.15 million barrels per day (bpd), the highest since 2018, with crude oil and condensate exports at just under 2 million bpd. Kpler, a provider of flows data, expects August crude exports to average about 1.2 million bpd, down from a 2018 high of 1.54 million bpd reached in May. Iran's oil minister was quoted by state media as saying crude output will reach 3.4 million bpd by the end of September.

Persons: Costas Baltas, Donald Trump, Joe Biden's, Sara Vakhshouri, Jake Sullivan, Biden, Kevin, Ben Cahill, Vakhshouri, Alex Lawyer, Timothy Gardner, Andy Sullivan Organizations: Liberian, Ice Energy, REUTERS, Analysts, United, SVB, Reuters, White, National, ClearView Energy Partners, U.S . State Department, Treasury Department, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Organization of, Petroleum, Tanker, Thomson Locations: Karystos, Evia, Greece, WASHINGTON, Tehran, China, United States, Iran, South Korea, U.S, Syria, Venezuela, OPEC, Russia, London, Washington

A Venture Global LNG spokesperson did not comment on the Shell and BP claims. Shell and BP missed out on billions of dollars in sales that went to Venture Global LNG because they were unable to get their contracted fuel, one of the people familiar with the arbitration filings said. Another Venture Global LNG contract customer, Spanish energy firm Repsol SA (REP.MC), has asked U.S. regulators to release confidential records that would shed light on the plant's startup. Founded by a former energy lawyer and investment banker, Venture Global LNG has emerged as a market force with its ability to obtain financing and rapidly build export plants. The contracts were tied to Calcasieu Pass LNG, the first of Venture Global LNG's three planned facilities.

Persons: Costas Baltas, Ira Joseph, Marwa Rashad, Curtis Williams, Scott DiSavino, Gary McWilliams, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, Top, Shell, BP, U.S, Venture Global LNG, Venture Global, London Court, International, Edison SpA, Repsol SA, Columbia University's Center, Global Energy, Thomson Locations: Bermuda, Revithoussa, Greece, Europe, Calcasieu, London, Houston

[1/2] Zhao Changpeng, founder and chief executive officer of Binance speaks during an event in Athens, Greece, November 25, 2022. REUTERS/Costas BaltasATHENS, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Binance Chief Executive Officer Changpeng Zhao said on Friday regulation rather than opposition of the crypto sector is a better option for world governments as digital currencies become more mainstream. Regulation of crypto currencies has come into sharp focus following the collapse of several platforms, culminating in the crash of the FTX currency exchange earlier this month. It's better to regulate the industry instead of trying to fight against it," Zhao said, speaking at a Binance event in Athens. Asked whether he saw countries adding crypto currencies such as Bitcoin to their reserves in the future, Zhao said he expected countries to start, particularly those which did not have their own currency.

☆ Greeks march to commemorate 1973 student uprising
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/4] People march during a rally marking the 48th anniversary of the 1973 student uprising against the military dictatorship that was ruling Greece, in Athens, Greece, November 17, 2021. REUTERS/Costas BaltasATHENS, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Thousands of Greeks marched through central Athens on Thursday to mark the anniversary of a violently quashed student uprising in 1973 that helped topple the military junta which then ruled the country. Brief tension broke out between police and protesters before the march reached the heavily guarded parliament on Syntagma square. At the front of the procession, youths held a blood-stained flag that belonged to the students engaged in the 1973 revolt. Earlier, people laid wreaths and carnations at the Athens Polytechnic, site of a bloody clamp-down on Nov. 17 1973 when tanks smashed through the gates to crush the revolt that heralded the end of the junta.

☆ Ancient Greek artifacts go on display for first time, amid protests
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] A visitor takes a picture of a marble Cycladic female figurine, during the opening of the exhibition ''Homecoming. Cycladic treasures on their return journey'' at the Museum of Cycladic Art, in Athens Greece, November 2, 2022. REUTERS/Costas BaltasATHENS, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Fifteen ancient Greek artifacts from the private Cycladic art collection of a U.S. billionaire went on display for the first time on Wednesday in Athens, under an agreement which has stirred controversy in Greece. A small group of protesters held a white banner outside the museum during the event on Wednesday reading, "They're stolen." Reporting by Karolina Tagaris; Additional reporting by Angeliki Koutantou; Editing by Rosalba O'BrienOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Google to build its first cloud region in Greece
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

President of Google Cloud International Adaire Fox-Martin speaks during her meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the Maximos Mansion in Athens, Greece, September 29, 2022. REUTERS/Costas BaltasATHENS, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's Google will set up its first cloud region in Greece, the company said on Thursday, giving a boost to the country's efforts to become a world cloud computing hub. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register"Today, we are very pleased to be announcing our first cloud region in Greece which will provide storage and cloud services for Google customers," said Adaire Fox-Martin, president of Google Cloud International, announcing the investment at an event in Athens. A cloud region usually is based around a cluster of data centres. Amazon Inc's cloud computing division also opened its first office in Greece last year to support what it said was a growing number of companies and public sector agencies using its cloud services.

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