DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Crypto watchdogs have a giant offshore problem
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Liam Proud | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The European Union’s mammoth crypto regulation would help. Known as MiCA and recently agreed by lawmakers, the rulebook forces custodians to segregate clients’ crypto holdings from the firm’s own assets. Security firm Chainalysis reckons almost three-quarters of stolen crypto in 2021 was taken from DeFi services. Take Binance, by the far largest crypto exchange. Reuters GraphicsFollow @liamwardproud on TwitterCONTEXT NEWSFTX suffered a “severe liquidity crisis” that led to its bankruptcy, according to court filings dated Nov. 14.

☆ Feds announce $3.36 billion seizure of bitcoin, the second-largest recovery of crypto so far
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Paige Tortorelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Department of Justice announced Monday that it seized about $3.36 billion in stolen bitcoin during a previously-unannounced 2021 raid on the residence of James Zhong. It follows the $3.6 billion in allegedly stolen cryptocurrency linked to the 2016 hack of the cryptocurrency exchange, Bitfinex. Silk Road was launched in 2011, but the Federal Bureau of Investigation shut it down in 2013. IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher said Zhong used a "sophisticated scheme" to steal the bitcoin from the Silk Road marketplace. In October 2022, Binance, the world's largest crypto exchange by trading volume, suffered a $570 million hack.

☆ In bankrupt Lebanon, locals mine bitcoin and buy groceries with tether, as $1 is now worth 15 cents
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +32 min

Others arrange clandestine meetings via Telegram to swap the stablecoin tether for U.S. dollars in order to buy groceries. In Jan., police raided a small crypto mining farm in the hydro-powered town of Jezzine, seizing and dismantling mining rigs in the process. But mining crypto tokens to earn a living is not for everybody. Younes tells CNBC that he initially moved 15% of his money into bitcoin, and he kept the remaining balance in cash. Lebanon has six bitcoin ATMs — one in Aamchit and five in Beirut, according to metrics offered by coinatmradar.com.

Almost all the funds, some $7.8 billion, flowed between Binance and Iran's largest crypto exchange, Nobitex, according to a review of data from leading U.S. blockchain researcher Chainalysis. The scale of Binance's Iranian crypto flows – and the fact that they are continuing – has not been previously reported. The total volume of Iranian transactions flowing through Binance is far greater than through any other exchange, the data show. The vast majority of the $8 billion in Iranian crypto transactions identified by Reuters involved the main Binance exchange. This October, the Treasury fined Seattle-based crypto exchange Bittrex $24 million for violating sanctions on Iran and other countries by processing crypto transactions worth over $260 million.

☆ Britain's new PM is a fan of crypto. There are hopes he'll give the industry a boost
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Dan Kitwood | Getty ImagesU.K. cryptocurrency firms and investors have high hopes that new prime minister Rishi Sunak could turn around Britain's fading crypto aspirations. Crypto isn't exactly high up on his priority list, but industry insiders say there's reason to be optimistic. Before Sunak's appointment as PM, confidence in the U.K.'s position in the global crypto market had been waning. In a survey of 300 British fintech founders, only 9% believe it's leading the way on crypto. Yet the U.K. is home to a fairly active crypto market.

☆ Dubai's BitOasis signs deal with Mastercard for crypto-linked cards
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Neil Jerome Morales | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DUBAI, Oct 25 (Reuters) - BitOasis, a Middle East-focused cryptocurrency exchange based in the United Arab Emirates, said on Tuesday it had signed an agreement with Mastercard (MA.N) to launch payment cards linked to cryptocurrencies, they said in a joint statement. "Currently, cryptocurrency payments and cash-outs are considered cumbersome, with the overwhelming majority of merchants not accepting such payments directly," the statement said. "The partnership will address these pain points and further drive customer awareness and crypto adoption in the region." BitOasis, founded in Dubai in 2015, said in June it laid off nine of its staff, as the crypto sector faced a steep downturn and market turmoil. Reporting by Yousef Saba; Editing by David HolmesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Binance is ‘narrowing down’ identity of hacker behind $570 million crypto attack, CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance is getting closer to figuring out the identity of a hacker that orchestrated a $570 million hack on its BNB blockchain, CEO Changpeng Zhao told CNBC Monday. After getting some tips from law enforcement on who the hacker might be, Binance is now "narrowing down" the person or persons behind the attack, Zhao said in an interview on CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe." The attack in question saw a so-called cross-chain bridge targeted, allowing an as-yet unknown hacker or hackers to withdraw 2 million of Binance's BNB tokens worth around $570 million at the time. "We're still actually chasing … helping [authorities] to chase the bad players, working with law enforcement around the globe," Zhao said. "Working with law enforcement is one of the ways that we can try to make the space safe."

☆ Although the crypto hype is fading, 3 VCs say there's still 'low-hanging fruit' opportunities in Web3 security and compliance. Here's why.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( April Joyner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Despite the crypto winter and a funding slowdown, several VCs remain interested in Web3 security. Like in most other areas of the market, venture funding for cybersecurity has dropped this year. These are prime areas, in his view, for security startups to step in. In September, Solidus Labs made Insider's list of the most promising crypto startups of 2022. Crypto security, according to Seewald, is not so different from security for other tech applications.

☆ Digital LeBron vs. analog Mantle: Sports collectibles remain hot despite NFT boom
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-15 | by ( Jake Traylor | Jake Traylor Is An Associate Producer For Msnbc. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

But amid a crypto winter, the future trajectory of the sports memorabilia market, tangible or NFT, is being disputed. Meanwhile, the success of NBA Top Shot, arguably the most successful sports NFT market, soared and eventually crashed. Millennials are driving the NFT market, according to a Morning Consult survey that found 42% of all NFT collectors are 26 to 40 years old. Some sports market experts argue that regardless of an NFT bounce back, tangibles and NFTs in the sports memorabilia market don’t compete with each other. “I don’t think that [NFTs] are going to eat into the physical memorabilia market,” said Pete Giorgio, leader of Deloitte Consulting’s global and U.S. sports practice, who tracks and forecasts the sports memorabilia market.

☆ Crypto firm 21Shares lists bitcoin ETP on Nasdaq Dubai
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Yousef Saba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DUBAI, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Crypto investment products firm 21.co said on Wednesday its subsidiary 21Shares AG has listed a bitcoin exchange-traded product on Nasdaq Dubai, making it the Middle East's first physically-backed bitcoin ETP. The 21Shares Bitcoin ETP trades, under the ticker ABTC, in the same way as the 21Shares Bitcoin ETP in Europe, 21.co said in a statement. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterFollowing the Dubai listing, 21Shares has 46 listed products in seven countries, 21.co added. But Sherif El-Haddad, appointed 21Shares head of Middle East in August, was upbeat, saying cryptocurrencies were "fast becoming the asset of the future for investors and wealth managers around the world". Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Yousef Saba; editing by Barbara LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ BNY Mellon to offer crypto services
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 11 (Reuters) - Bank of New York Mellon Corp (BK.N) is adding cryptocurrencies to assets that it holds as a custody manager, as it looks to attract a diverse set of investors and traders by tapping into the popularity of bitcoins and ethers. Trading in cryptocurrencies has skyrocketed worldwide, drawing many traditional institutions to an asset that was previously shunned by Wall Street due to its wild swings and increased scrutiny. Nasdaq Inc (NDAQ.O) and BlackRock Inc (BLK.N) have already rolled out custody platforms for their clients, as they look to gain foothold in a market dominated by traditional players like Coinbase Inc (COIN.O) and Binance. BNY formed an enterprise Digital Assets Unit in 2021 to develop solutions for digital asset technology, and tapped tapped digital asset technology companies Fireblocks and Chainalysis, it said in a statement on Tuesday. https://on.wsj.com/3T8ysYRRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Mehnaz Yasmin and Manya Saini in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'SilvaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Cryptoverse: Hack jitters push bitcoin investors back to the future
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Hannah Lang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The global hardware wallet market, valued at $245 million in 2021, is expected to swell to over $1.7 billion by 2030, according to market research firm Straits Research. Reuters GraphicsBLOWING HOT AND COLDAlthough hot wallets are usually free and offer quick access to crypto, they can be vulnerable to hacks. In August, nearly 8,000 crypto wallets on the Solana blockchain were hit by hackers who made off with more than $5 million in crypto. loading"Users are strongly encouraged to use hardware wallets," Solana said at the time. France's Ledger, another hardware wallet maker, said it saw a spike in sales after the Solana wallets heist.

REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File PhotoLONDON, Oct 7 (Reuters) - A blockchain linked to Binance, the world's largest crypto exchange, has been hit by a $570 million hack, a Binance spokesperson said on Friday, the latest in a series of hacks to hit the crypto sector this year. Criminals have increasingly targeted them, with some $2 billion stolen in 13 different hacks, mostly this year, researcher Chainalysis said in August. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe hackers stole around $100 million worth of crypto, Zhao said in his tweet. BNB Chain later said in a blog post that a total of 2 million of the BNB cryptocurrency - worth around $570 million - was withdrawn by the hacker. BNB Chain suspended its blockchain for several hours before resuming at around 0630 GMT, it said in a tweet.

☆ Binance is launching a training program for law enforcement to catch crypto criminals around the world
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Carla Mozée | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Binance has launched a program to train law enforcement on how to spot cyber crimes, moving in response to greater demand for help. The world's largest crypto trading platform said Tuesday its investigations team has responded to more than 27,000 law enforcement requests since November. The FBI recently warned about cyber criminals increasingly exploiting vulnerabilities in decentralized finance, or DeFi, platforms. Last month, the FBI issued a warning about cyber criminals increasingly exploiting vulnerabilities in decentralized finance, or DeFi, platforms to steal cryptocurrency from investors. Binance said its investigations team has responded to more than 27,000 law enforcement requests since November.

☆ Read the pitch deck customer management startup Catalyst used to turn some of its top customers into investors in a $20 million round
▼ + stars: | 2022-08-24 | by ( Paayal Zaveri | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Customer management startup Catalyst raised a $20 million round, partially from its own customers. Here's the pitch deck Catalyst used for this $20 million strategic funding round. Customer management startup Catalyst wasn't looking to raise funding. The result was a $20 million non-traditional round with participation from 20 execs or leaders from companies in their customer base. Here is the pitch deck Chiu used to convince customers and key investors to invest.

☆ India's young investors prefer crypto to gold and 'boring' stocks
▼ + stars: | 2022-03-03 | by ( Diksha Madhok | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

New Delhi CNN Business —Indian businesswoman Swati Daga first bought bitcoin in 2017, when the cryptocurrency was trading well under $3,000. “I find stock markets boring,” she told CNN Business, adding that she enjoys the “thrill” and “recklessness” that comes with investing in volatile currencies. The growth is driven by younger investors — mostly under the age of 35 — and many of them are coming from smaller cities and towns, founders of two of India’s biggest crypto exchanges told CNN Business. WazirX also has over 10 million users, and called 2021 a “phenomenal year” for crypto trading in India. On-again, off-again relationshipThe excitement over crypto is rising in India despite the country’s on-again, off-again relationship with digital currencies.

☆ Un bărbat a pierdut Bitcoin în valoare de 600.000 de dolari după ce a descărcat aplicația greșită
▼ + stars: | 2021-04-02 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: +1 min

Un bărbat a pierdut Bitcoin în valoare de 600.000 de dolari după ce a descărcat aplicația greșită. S-a întâmplat în luna martie, când Phillipe Christodoulou a descărcat o aplicație greșita pentru a-și stoca valuta de criptomonede, scrie b1.ro. Bărbatul nu știa că aplicația a fost lansată special pentru a frauda pe cei care dețin monede virtuale. Însă, Christodoulou a dat vina mai mult pe companie decât pe hoții care i-au furat aproape toate economiile. Hoții și-au strecurat aplicația sub deghizarea unui serviciu de criptare, iar după ce a fost aprobată, aplicația a fost schimbată într-o imitație a dezvoltatorului de portofele pentru criptovalută Trezor.

Persons: Phillipe Christodoulou Organizations: Apple, Google, Compania

☆ FBI cercetează posibilele IMIXTIUNI străine în evenimentele de la Washington; S-au făcut plăți de 500.000 de dolari
▼ + stars: | 2021-01-17 | by ( ) www.jurnal.md time to read: +2 min

FBI cercetează posibilele IMIXTIUNI străine în evenimentele de la Washington; S-au făcut plăți de 500.000 de dolariFBI investighează dacă guvernele străine, organizațiile sau persoanele fizice au oferit sprijin financiar persoanelor care au ajutat la planificarea evenimentelor de la Capitoliul din Statele Unite ale Americii. Plățile au fost documentate și postate online săptămâna trecută de o companie care analizează transferurile de criptomonede. Actualul oficial al FBI a fost citat spunând că transferurile de bitcoin par să fi fost făcute de un programator francez care și-a luat viața pe 8 decembrie anul trecut, după efectuarea transferurilor, transmite DC News. Pe 8 decembrie, Chainalysis a raportat că donatorul a trimis 28,15 bitcoini, în valoare de aproximativ 522.000 de dolari. De exemplu, mass-media chineză „a profitat de poveste pentru a denigra guvernarea democratică a SUA, pentru a justifica represiunea Chinei împotriva protestatarilor din Hong Kong”, potrivit AlJazeera.

Persons: Chainalysis Organizations: FBI, Investigații, NBC News, DC News, Securitate Locations: Washington, Statele Unite ale Americii, Capitoliu, francez, D.C ., SUA, Chinei, Hong Kong

☆ Un american care și-a pierdut parola nu poate accesa portofelul cu bitcoini în valoare de peste 200 de milioane de dolari
▼ + stars: | 2021-01-13 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: +2 min

Valoarea acestora, chiar și după ce criptomoneda a mai scăzut, tot depășește cu mult 200 de milioane de dolari, scrie digi24.ro. Valoarea criptomonedei nu mai este de peste 40.000 de dolari, unde ajunsese săptămâna trecută, însă chiar și la nivelul actual, în jurul a 35.000 de dolari, portofelul lui Stefan Thomas valorează peste 240 de milioane de dolari. Programatorul a pierdut acum câțiva ani bilețelul pe care notase parola de acces a drive-ului IronKey. Până acum, Thomas a epuizat opt încercări - fără succes. El a pierdut parolele de acces acum mulți ani, iar acum și-a securizat computerele în niște pungi vidate, pe care le-a pus bine.

Persons: Stefan Thomas, Thomas, Brad, Brad Yasar Locations: San Francisco, New York Times, Wallet, Brad Yasar, Los Angeles, Brad

☆ O familie a plătit doar cu bitcoin, timp de patru ani, călătorind în 40 de țări
▼ + stars: | 2020-12-09 | by ( ) www.jurnal.md time to read: +3 min

Timp de patru ani, familia a supraviețuit doar cu bitcoin. „Am așteptat până am găsit o persoană care era dispusă să accepte bitcoin”, a spus Didi Taihuttu, capul familiei Bitcoin. Adoptarea în masă a criptomonedelor în ultimii ani a făcut ca familia să poată tranzacționa criptomoneda, dar pentru a se descurca, au trebuit să devină creativi. Printr-o combinație de troc, negociere, carduri de debit bitcoin și convingerea vânzătorilor să accepte criptomoneda, familia a reușit să traverseze o mare parte din Europa, Asia și Oceania. Prețul bitcoin a atins maxime istorice, aproape de 20.000 de dolari, iar unii analiști spun că are încă spațiu pentru a urca mai sus.

Persons: Didi, Taihuttus, Mike Novogratz, Tom Fitzpatrick Organizations: olandeză, California, Galaxy, Citibank Locations: Kapıkule, Bulgaria, Turcia, Europa, Asia, Oceania, slovenă Ljubljana, Ljubljana, criptomonedă

Search resuls for: "Chainalysis"

20 mentions found