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May 9 (Reuters) - Digital stablecoin tether is winning the race for the title of the crypto world's "least risky" asset. Tether is already the top performer among stablecoins -- digital tokens pegged to some fiat asset like the dollar -- and has seen its market value soar since March. Buying tether and bitcoin is really a vote against the U.S. system," says Jensen. On CoinMarketCap's database of 23,891 tokens, tether has risen to number 3 with a market cap of $82 bln and a share of 6.83%. NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWSTo be sure, tether has long been dogged by doubts about its peg being backed by dollar reserves.

The seizure was to "thwart the activity" of Islamic State and "impair its ability to further its goals," the NBCTF said on its website. The NBCTF document, which has not been previously reported, did not give any details on the value of the crypto seized, nor how the accounts were connected to Islamic State. Binance, the world's largest crypto exchange by trading volumes, did not respond to Reuters' calls and emails seeking comment. The U.S. Treasury said in a report last year that Islamic State had received crypto donations it later converted to cash, accessing funds via crypto trading platforms. The owner of the two Islamic State-linked Binance accounts seized by Israel was a 28-year old Palestinian called Osama Abuobayda, the NBCTF document shows.

GAZA, April 28 (Reuters) - The armed wing of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas said on Thursday it would stop receiving fundraising via the crypto currency bitcoin, a method it has used for years, citing an increase in "hostile" activity against donors. Hamas had endorsed crypto as a fundraising method for years, previously developing sophisticated tactics to solicit bitcoin donations. Iran has also always been a major financial and military backer of the group, according to officials from both sides. Hamas is designated a terrorist organization by the United States, Britain and the European Union. In 2020, the U.S. broke up efforts by the military wing of Hamas, al-Qaeda and Islamic State to raise funds via cryptocurrency, seizing some $2 million worth of crypto.

LONDON, April 24 (Reuters) - Top cryptocurrency bitcoin could reach $100,000 by the end of 2024, Standard Chartered (STAN.L) said on Monday, saying that the so-called "crypto winter" is over. "While sources of uncertainty remain, we think the pathway to the USD 100,000 level is becoming clearer," Kendrick wrote. Bitcoin has rallied so far this year, rising above $30,000 in April for the first time in ten months. It gains represent a partial recovery after trillions of dollars were wiped from the crypto sector in 2022, as central banks hiked interest rates and a string of crypto firms imploded. A Citi analyst said in November 2020 that bitcoin could climb as high as $318,000 by the end of 2022.

LONDON, April 20 (Reuters) - Major U.S. crypto exchange Coinbase Global Inc (COIN.O) has said it has secured a licence to operate in Bermuda, as part of a wider push to expand globally. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said on Tuesday that crypto firms will develop in "offshore" havens unless the U.S. and UK create "clarity about regulation" for crypto. Coinbase is planning to launch a crypto derivatives exchange in Bermuda as soon as next week, Fortune reported on Wednesday, citing a person close to the company. In March, derivatives trading volumes on major exchanges hit some $2.8 trillion, according to London researcher CCData, versus spot trading volumes of just over $1 trillion. Crypto firms say they need clarity about regulations, but Gensler has said that crypto markets "suffer from a lack of regulatory compliance, not a lack of regulatory clarity".

☆ NHL roundup: Knights wrap up West's No. 1 seed
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +12 min

Reilly Smith, Alec Martinez and Chandler Stephenson scored for the Golden Knights (51-22-9, 111 points), who closed the regular season with an eight-game points streak (5-0-3). Liam O'Brien led the Coyotes with a pair of goals and Nick Schmaltz and added a goal and an assist. The Stars, who are looking to win a division title for the first time since the 2015-16 campaign, are atop the division. The Bruins set NHL records for most wins and most points in a single season. Tage Thompson scored his 47th goal of the season for Buffalo, which improved to 8-2-1 over its last 11 games.

LONDON, April 13 (Reuters) - Cryptocurrency investors are facing delays to withdraw funds deposited on the Ethereum blockchain after its major software upgrade, highlighting persistent headaches for Ethereum which aims to have the technology widely used for instant payments. The software upgrade, known as "Shapella," was set to unlock more than $30 billion worth of ether , the second-biggest cryptocurrency, which investors had deposited on the Ethereum blockchain in return for interest. Until Wednesday's upgrade, investors could not withdraw funds they had deposited via this method, known as "staking", on the Ethereum blockchain. As of Thursday, ether worth around $1.4 billion was stuck in a withdrawal queue, blockchain data firm Nansen said. "Due to the processing limitations on the Ethereum network, Binance will set a daily ETH redemption quota for each Binance user," Binance said on its website.

Known as Shapella, the latest upgrade to the Ethereum blockchain since its Merge upgrade will enable investors to redeem an offshoot of ether tokens that they have deposited in return for interest on the blockchain network over the past three years. Such so-called "staked ether" tokens currently account for about 15% of all ether tokens, according to data firm Dune Analytics, and are worth some $31 billion. Deposits & withdrawals for ETH, OP, ARB and ERC-20 tokens via the Ethereum, Optimism, and Arbitrum networks are now back online," Binance said in a tweet. The changes will likely lead to heightened volatility for ether, investors have predicted. In its last significant upgrade, Ethereum in September drastically reduced its energy usage - a move proponents said would give Ethereum an advantage as it seeks to surpass bitcoin.

April 12 (Reuters) - The software that underpins the second-biggest crypto coin ether is due for a software upgrade on Wednesday that will give investors access to more than $30 billion of the digital tokens. Such so-called "staked ether" tokens currently account for about 15% of all ether tokens, according to data firm Dune Analytics, and are worth some $31 billion. The upgrade is due for around 2230 GMT, according to a tweet by Tim Beiko of the Ethereum Foundation, a body that speaks for the Ethereum network. loadingThe changes will likely lead to heightened volatility for ether, investors have predicted. In its last significant upgrade, Ethereum in September drastically reduced its energy usage - a move proponents said would give Ethereum an advantage as it seeks to surpass bitcoin.

☆ NHL roundup: Claude Giroux reaches 1,000 points in Senators' win
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Giroux entered the game with 998 points but reached the milestone before the first intermission. Giroux followed up with a backhand shot at the 9:37 mark for his 34th goal of the season, his 1,001st career point and his 52nd career game-winning goal. Jets 6, Sharks 2Defenseman Erik Karlsson reached 100 points this season but couldn't spark his team to victory as host Winnipeg beat San Jose. Stars 6, Red Wings 1Roope Hintz had a goal and three assists to help Dallas earn a road win over Detroit. Wild 4, Blackhawks 2Marcus Johansson scored two of Minnesota's three goals over the final six minutes in its win over host Chicago.

☆ NHL roundup: Connor McDavid hits 150 points in Oilers' win
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +12 min

Tomas Hertl scored, and James Reimer made 29 saves for the Sharks, who have lost seven straight against the Oilers. McDavid notched his 150th point when he scored with 1:44 left in the opening period for a 2-1 lead. Jesper Bratt scored the lone goal and MacKenzie Blackwood made 38 stops for the Devils, who had won back-to-back games. Avalanche 4, Kings 3Denis Malgin scored two goals for visiting Colorado in a win against Los Angeles. Alex Nylander, Danton Heinen and Evgeni Malkin each scored a goal and Tristan Jarry made 19 saves for the Penguins.

Reuters could not determine Coley's status in the government investigations or whether she had cooperated. While he was its director of enforcement, the CFTC increasingly worked on investigations in parallel with federal prosecutors. McDonald's representation of Coley comes as the U.S. investigations pile pressure on Binance, which dominates the crypto sector as the world's largest digital currency exchange. The CFTC's complaint said that Binance personnel, including Zhao, have "dictated Binance.US's corporate strategy, launch, and early operations." In a subpoena addressed to Coley that same month, the SEC also requested all records of her activities and meetings.

LONDON, March 28 (Reuters) - Binance founder Changpeng Zhao could never be accused of thinking small. The 46-year-old CEO didn't waver in his belief as he built up his crypto exchange. Binance and Zhao did not respond to requests for comment for this article. Binance became the world's biggest crypto exchange within six months, and now accounts for about 60% of global crypto trading volumes, according to research firm CryptoCompare. While Binance has hired widely from the traditional financial and regulatory worlds in recent years, Zhao's tight control over his company has continued.

March 27 (Reuters) - Major cryptocurrency exchange Binance and executives, including CEO and founder Changpeng Zhao, have been sued by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) for regulatory violations, according to a court filing on Monday. Binance's compliance program has been "ineffective" and the firm, under the direction of Zhao, told employees and customers to go around compliance controls, the CFTC said. It also accused Binance's former Chief Compliance Officer Samuel Lim of aiding and abetting Binance's violations. "For years, Binance knew they were violating CFTC rules, working actively to both keep the money flowing and avoid compliance. Its core Binance.com exchange, the world's biggest, processed trades worth about $23 trillion last year, according to data provider CryptoCompare.

☆ Factbox: Binance, world's top crypto exchange, at the center of US investigations
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Tom Wilson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, March 27 (Reuters) - The world's biggest cryptocurrency exchange Binance and its CEO Changpeng Zhao have been sued by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) over regulatory violations, according to a court filing on Monday. The exchange offers spot and derivatives trading and a host of services from non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to crypto loans and asset management. FINANCESBinance's global trading platform, Binance.com, is by far the world's biggest cryptocurrency exchange. Last year it processed crypto trades worth about $65 billion a day, Binance said, dominating the crypto trading landscape with more than half of the market, CryptoCompare data shows. Binance last year extended its reach beyond the crypto sector in 2022, investing $500 million in Tesla boss Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter.

The CFTC sued Binance, Zhao and its former top compliance executive with "willful evasion" of U.S. law, "while engaging in a calculated strategy of regulatory arbitrage to their commercial benefit." "Upon an initial review, the complaint appears to contain an incomplete recitation of facts, and we do not agree with the characterization of many of the issues alleged in the complaint," Zhao said in a statement. Firms such as brokers that facilitate U.S. customers' trading of such products are required to register with the agency. 'PIRATE SHIP'Founded in Shanghai in 2017, Binance sits at the heart of the global crypto industry. With a holding company based in the Cayman Islands, Binance has never revealed the location of its core exchange.

☆ NHL roundup: Bruins lock down Atlantic Division title
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +11 min

Hathaway has scored three goals since joining the Bruins in late February, two of which have been go-ahead tallies. Linus Ullmark made 11 of his 26 saves in the third period, improving to 11-1-0 in his last 12 starts. For the Lightning, Victor Hedman scored the lone goal and Andrei Vasilevskiy was credited with 32 saves. Leon Draisaitl had a goal and an assist, and Zach Hyman and Warren Foegele also scored for Edmonton. Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk scored his seventh goal in seven games and Mark Kastelic and defenseman Thomas Chabot also tallied.

☆ Analysis: What's behind bitcoin's latest surge?
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Tom Wilson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The original and biggest cryptocurrency has been here before, its 15-year history peppered with dramatic price increases and equally vertiginous drops. Driving bitcoin's gains have been its core user base of retail investors, analysts said. In the past, too, dramatic price swings for bitcoin have been closely tied to shifts in monetary policy globally. In 2022, bitcoin plummeted over 65% as higher rates triggered the fall of a major crypto token, precipitating the closure of major hedge funds and crypto lenders. To be sure, some investors say developments to bitcoin's intrinsic characteristics are now capable of supporting its price.

The biggest cryptocurrency rose as far as $28,567, its highest since mid-June, and was last up 0.9%, amid growing expectations that central banks would slow the pace of interest rate hikes. Top central banks, faced with the risk of a fast-moving loss of confidence in the stability of the financial system, moved on Sunday to bolster the flow of cash around the world. Other market players predicted that bitcoin would benefit from central bank efforts to bolster liquidity in the global financial system. It rose to a record of $69,000 in November 2021 after central banks and governments launched unprecedented monetary and fiscal stimulus measures. Reporting by Tom Wilson in London and Georgina Lee in Hong Kong; Editing by Christian SchmollingerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Bitcoin jumped as much as 9.6% to $26,533, its highest since June 2022, in its fourth straight days of gains. Major cryptocurrencies have been buoyed in recent days by U.S. authorities announcing plans to limit the fallout from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB). U.S. authorities' action helped stabilise the major USDC stablecoin, whose issuer Circle had deposits of $3.3 billion at SVB. The widely anticipated reading may lead the Federal Reserve to slow or even pause hiking interest rates next week. Reporting by Elizabeth Howcroft and Tom Wilson, editing by Sinead Cruise and Susan FentonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

LONDON, March 14 (Reuters) - Binance is halting its sterling deposits and withdrawals, a company spokesperson said on Tuesday, a month after the world's largest crypto exchange ceased dollar transfers. Binance has been informed by its partner for sterling transfers, Paysafe, that it would halt its services from May 22, the spokesperson said, impacting all Binance customers. Sterling transfers for new users were stopped on Monday, it said. The company is working to find an "alternative solution" for sterling transfers, the spokesperson said. The cessation of sterling transfers, first reported by crypto news outlet The Block, is the latest obstacle for Binance in accessing traditional currencies.

LONDON, March 9 (Reuters) - Bitcoin steadied on Thursday near its lowest since mid-February, after U.S. crypto-focused bank Silvergate said it would voluntarily liquidate, the latest in a series of high-profile crypto collapses triggered by the collapse of the FTX exchange. Silvergate Capital Corp (SI.N) said on Wednesday it planned to close and voluntarily liquidate, after warning last week that it was evaluating its ability to operate as a going concern. Bitcoin was last down 0.4% at $21,624 , having fallen 2.2% on Wednesday to a 3-1/2 week low of $21,590. Multiple partners of the bank, including major crypto exchange Coinbase Global Inc (COIN.O), severed ties with Silvergate last week. Others, including Binance, said they did not have any asset losses at Silvergate.

Senators have asked giant cryptocurrency exchange Binance and its U.S. partner Binance.US for information about their regulatory compliance and finances, citing a series of investigations by Reuters and some other media reports, according to a letter released on Wednesday. The collapse of rival crypto exchange FTX, whose founder Sam Bankman-Fried has been charged with fraud, “underscored the need for real transparency and accountability in the crypto industry," the senators wrote. Binance has previously disputed Reuters’ articles, calling the illicit-fund calculations inaccurate and the descriptions of its compliance controls "outdated." In the letter, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, the senators requested Binance and Binance.US provide documents and answers to their questions by March 16. The senators are seeking information about the companies’ balance sheets, U.S.-based users, anti-money laundering policies.

☆ NHL roundup: Connor McDavid's historic multi-goal streak hits 5
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

McDavid has scored two goals in each of the past five games and has an NHL-leading 52 for the season. Klim Kostin and former Maple Leaf Zach Hyman added a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who had lost their previous two games. Mitchell Marner logged a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs, who had a three-game winning streak end. Owen Tippett and Scott Laughton scored one goal apiece for the slumping Flyers, who have dropped four in a row. Jordan Staal and Martin Necas scored goals for Carolina, which took its second straight loss.

[1/2] A representation of the virtual cryptocurrency Bitcoin is seen in this picture illustration taken October 19, 2021. Crypto payment specialists have also seen strong volumes. Nonetheless, proponents say bitcoin offers lower transaction costs and quicker speeds than traditional cash, especially for cross-border transfers. For others, though, growing interest in CBDCs is evidence that blockchain payments tech is here to stay. Traditional finance firms looking to embrace crypto payments have also shrugged off recent market volatility.

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