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☆ Premarket stocks: How crypto is dealing with debt ceiling turmoil
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Here’s what’s in the debt ceiling dealPresident Biden and Republican House Speaker McCarthy put their long weekend to good use, coming to an agreement to raise the debt ceiling in the hope of avoiding a self imposed default on US government debt. If Congress doesn’t raise the debt ceiling by June 5, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warns the government will not have enough funds to pay all of the nation’s obligations in full and on time. The debt ceiling bill does that, rescinding $1.4 billion in IRS funding. Corporate America celebrates debt ceiling dealIt appears that US industry is pleased with the debt ceiling deal, and would like Congress to pass it quickly. Leading business groups praised Biden and McCarthy for forging a bipartisan agreement over the weekend, reports my colleague Matt Egan.

☆ Crypto’s biggest headwinds this year are hurting stablecoins. Here’s what investors need to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Stablecoins are like cash in crypto markets: They are supposed to be pegged to the value of a stable asset, such as the U.S. dollar. Stablecoins play an important role bridging traditional and digital currencies and giving market participants access to crypto trading and protocols. For many, that makes them a proxy for the amount of fiat money entering and leaving crypto, Panigirtzoglou said. Republican negotiators walking out of the high-stakes debt ceiling talks Friday also has implications for stablecoins. Tether and Circle's USDC hold about 65% and 57%, respectively, of their stablecoin reserves in T-bills, according to the companies' attestation reports.

☆ Tether buys $222 million worth of bitcoin to back its USDT stablecoin
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Cryptocurrency giant Tether on Wednesday said that it's going to purchase hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of bitcoin to back the world's largest stablecoin. The company said it would invest 15% of its net profit into bitcoin to "diversify" the reserves that back its USDT token, which aims to stick to a 1-to-1 peg to the U.S. dollar. That would amount to roughly $222 million, based on the company's last attestation report, which provides a breakdown of the assets that make up its USDT reserves. Tether began revealing it was making gains from its USDT operation in February, declaring a net profit of $1.48 billion in March and taking its total excess USDT reserves to $2.44 billion. USDT is the largest stablecoin in the market, with a circulating supply of more than $82.8 billion, according to CoinGecko data.

☆ EU states approve world's first comprehensive crypto rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

(Reuters) - European Union states on Tuesday gave the final nod to the world’s first comprehensive set of rules to regulate cryptoassets on Tuesday, piling pressure on countries such as Britain and the United States to play catch up. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/IllustrationAn EU finance minister meeting in Brussels approved rules that were thrashed out with the European Parliament, which gave its approval in April. Regulating crypto has become more urgent for regulators after the collapse of crypto exchange FTX. Crypto firms say they want certainty in regulation, putting pressure on countries to copy the EU rules, and on regulators to come up with global norms for a cross-border activity. The United States has focused on using existing securities rules for enforcement action in the sector while it decides on whether to introduce bespoke new rules and who would apply them.

☆ Binance pulls out of Canada amid new crypto regulations
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 12 (Reuters) - Binance said on Friday it was withdrawing from Canada, weeks after the country issued a series of new guidelines for cryptocurrency exchanges including investor limits and mandatory registrations. Canada has tightened regulations for crypto asset trading platforms in recent months, with the introduction of a pre-registration process. The companies that do not adhere to the rules will face potential enforcement action, according to the website of the Ontario Securities Commission. "Unfortunately, (the) new guidance related to stablecoins and investor limits provided to crypto exchanges makes the Canada market no longer tenable for Binance at this time," crypto exchange Binance said in a tweet. Binance said it does not agree with the latest guidance and hopes to engage with the Canadian regulators to create a comprehensive framework for crypto operations in the country.

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.

☆ Worries linger about financial stability following bank rescue, Fed report shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Banking system pressures, real estate stress and persistent inflation top worries about financial stability, though the system overall remains stable, the Federal Reserve said in a report Monday. The Fed last published its Financial Stability Report in November 2022, before the implosion about two months ago of several prominent mid-sized banks, including Silicon Valley Bank, an important funding source for technology companies. However, the stability report noted that bank capital ratios are around what would be considered normal while leverage was mostly lower. "Actions taken by the official sector reassured depositors, and the broad banking system remained sound and resilient. For the banking system as a whole, aggregate bank capital levels were ample," the report said.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailCrypto prices rise, and Coinbase shares soar after Q1 earnings beat expectations: CNBC Crypto WorldCNBC Crypto World features the latest news and daily trading updates from the digital currency markets and provides viewers with a look at what's ahead with high-profile interviews, explainers, and unique stories from the ever-changing crypto industry. On today's show, Vanderbilt Law School Professor Yesha Yadav discusses her research on stablecoins and CBDCs as well as regulation by enforcement.

☆ Vanderbilt Law Professor Yesha Yadav breaks down new research on stablecoins and CBDCs
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Talia Kaplan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailVanderbilt Law Professor Yesha Yadav breaks down new research on stablecoins and CBDCsProfessor Yesha Yadav of Vanderbilt Law School discusses her recent research papers on stablecoins and CBDCs as well as regulation by enforcement with CNBC Crypto World.

☆ De-dollarization fears are overblown, but rising debt and US brinkmanship are top threats to the greenback, Bank of America says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

De-dollarization fears are overblown, and the greenback remains strong globally, BofA said. But the main risks to the dollar are rising US debt and "fiscal brinkmanship," according to a note. "Therefore, the key threats to the USD's dominant role seem largely domestic, as opposed to competition from other currencies." "Therefore, the key threats to the USD's dominant role seem largely domestic, as opposed to competition from other currencies." Amid the looming risk of default, BofA said there are no real alternative currencies, even as others have also pointed to a rise in non-dollar arrangements as evidence of de-dollarization.

Apparently they can in some parts of the world, such as Argentina and Turkey, where soaring prices and tumbling local currencies have forced people to seek refuge in digital coins. Trading volumes for spot bitcoin are highest during U.S. opening hours, with little change from 2022, Kaiko data showed. If dollar to crypto volumes are excluded, then the next most dominant currency is South Korea's won . Crypto trading volumes in South Korea are back to levels seen in first quarter and second quarters of 2022 after a weak fourth quarter in 2022, analysts at crypto investment firm Matrixport said. "This is in stark contrast to other crypto exchanges where bitcoin and Ethereum account for the majority of the volume."

☆ North Korean bank official charged in crypto laundering conspiracies
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Hayden Field | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

On Monday, a Washington, D.C., district court unsealed two federal indictments charging a North Korean bank official for his alleged role in cryptocurrency laundering conspiracies. The alleged actions are in violation of current sanctions against North Korea by both the U.S. and United Nations. The recently unsealed indictments represent a broader pattern in recent years of North Korean workers using virtual private networks (VPNs) and other tools to illegally gain remote employment and redirect revenue to North Korea. Nearly every month so far this year, North Korea has run tests of its intercontinental ballistic missiles, the latest taking place in mid-April. "We will continue to work to disrupt and deter North Korean actors and those who aid them by following the money on the blockchain and shining a light on their conduct."

☆ New draft of House stablecoin regulation focuses on state regulators, issuers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Christina Wilkie | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The new draft bill is half the length of a previous draft and is closely tailored to focus on rules governing the registration and approval process for individual prospective stablecoin issuers. The bill contains many of the features of a version that was negotiated last year, such as the requirement that payment stablecoin issuers be approved and regulated by either a "federal payment stablecoin regulator" or "a registered State qualified payment stablecoin issuer." For example, it softens prior language that required payment stablecoin issuers to honor all requests to redeem stablecoins for cash within "one day" after the request was made. The new language says issuers must "establish procedures for timely redemption of outstanding payment stablecoins." The bill further provides states with more time to investigate and resolve potential noncompliance issues that arise with those states' approved issuers.

☆ Crypto winter is over — and bitcoin could hit $100,000 by the end of 2024, Standard Chartered says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Bitcoin's value could jump to as much as $100,000 by the end of 2024, Standard Chartered said in a note published Monday. The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and other mid-tier U.S. lenders has solidified the case for bitcoin as a "decentralised, trustless and scarce digital asset," Standard Chartered analyst Geoff Kendrick said in the note. "We see potential for Bitcoin (BTC) to reach the USD 100,000 level by end-2024, as we believe the much-touted 'crypto winter' is finally over," Kendrick said in the report, titled "Bitcoin — Pathway to the USD 100,000 level." "Given these advantages, we think BTC's share of total digital assets market cap could move into the 50-60% range in the next few months (from around 45% currently)." The woes of Circle's USD Coin and other so-called stablecoins, which aim to achieve a 1-to-1 peg to the U.S. dollar, has also benefited bitcoin, Kendrick said.

☆ House Republicans Face Resistance Reviving Stablecoin Bill
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Paul Kiernan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Crypto imploded in 2022, as investors lost faith in digital assets and the industry was plagued with crisis. WSJ explains how crypto became so interconnected. Illustration: Mallory BranganWASHINGTON—Lawmakers are at odds over how to regulate stablecoins as the fallout from cryptocurrency platform FTX’s collapse last year has left Democrats nervous about strengthening crypto’s ties to the broader financial system. House Republicans and Democrats expressed starkly different views in a hearing Wednesday on previously bipartisan legislation to regulate stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency that aims to maintain a one-to-one ratio to the dollar. The bill, which Republicans are trying to revive, would create requirements for stablecoin issuers while granting them access to the Federal Reserve’s banking services.

☆ Coinbase secures Bermuda license, and EU approves framework for crypto regulation: CNBC Crypto World
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Jordan Smith | Talia Kaplan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailCoinbase secures Bermuda license, and EU approves framework for crypto regulation: CNBC Crypto WorldCNBC Crypto World features the latest news and daily trading updates from the digital currency markets and provides viewers with a look at what's ahead with high-profile interviews, explainers, and unique stories from the ever-changing crypto industry. On today's show, Circle's Chief Strategy Officer Dante Disparte explains how stablecoins could replace collapsed banks like Silvergate and Signature.

☆ EU lawmakers approve world's first comprehensive framework for crypto regulation
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) is the first attempt at creating comprehensive regulation for digital assets in the EU. Lawmakers in the European Parliament have approved the world's first comprehensive package of rules aimed at regulating the cryptocurrency industry. In a vote Thursday, the EU Parliament voted 517 in favor and 38 against to pass the Markets in Crypto Act, or MiCA. The legislation, which seeks to reduce risks for consumers buying crypto assets, will mean providers can become liable if they lose investors' crypto-assets. The rules will impose a number of requirements on crypto platforms, token issuers and traders around transparency, disclosure, authorization, and supervision of transactions, the EU Parliament said in a statement Thursday.

☆ Legislation or lawsuits? The spot bitcoin ETF debate forges ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Kevin Schmidt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"However, I don't think that means that we all of a sudden get a bitcoin ETF," he added. "I suspect that even if Grayscale wins, Gensler is going to back even further away from crypto," Nadig said. "Put some constraints around the futures-based products while we wait for comprehensive crypto regulation and legislation someday." "The point is, we need legislation," Nadig said. "I think we have to have legislation that realizes digital assets are different and need different sets of rules."

LONDON, April 17 (Reuters) - There may need to be limits initially on the use of major stablecoins for payments, and they should also be backed by high quality and liquid assets to protect consumers, Bank of England Deputy Governor Jon Cunliffe said on Monday. "Systemic stablecoins will need to be backed with high quality and liquid assets," Cunliffe told a conference held by Innovate Finance, a UK fintech industry body. "These could include either deposits at the Bank of England or very highly liquid securities, or some combination of the two. As rules for payment stablecoins are developed it was important to also develop how tokenised bank deposits could be regulated to allow banks and non-banks to develop payments using new technologies, he said. The Bank intends to set out its approach on this alongside a consultation on the payment stablecoin regime, Cunliffe said.

☆ Crypto stablecoins might need limits to avoid disruptions to financial stability, warns Bank of England
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Regulators may need to introduce limits on the use of stablecoins in payments to prevent potential threats to financial stability, an official at the Bank of England warned Monday. Stablecoins are cryptocurrency tokens that aim to mirror the value of traditional assets such as fiat currencies. Such assets could include deposits at the Bank of England "or very highly liquid securities," he added. The Bank of England said in February that it was "likely" Britain would need a central bank digital currency if current trends around the decline in cash use continue. The Bank of England, Treasury and industry are still debating concerns over how such currencies would be implemented, such as the privacy of people transacting with them and implications for financial stability.

☆ U.S. says decentralized finance services being used for illicit transfers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, April 6 (Reuters) - North Korea, cybercriminals, ransomware attackers, thieves and scammers are using decentralized finance (DeFi) services to transfer and launder their illicit proceeds, the U.S. Treasury Department warned on Thursday. In a new illicit finance risk assessment on decentralized finance, the Treasury found that illicit actors are exploiting vulnerabilities in U.S. and foreign anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) regulation and enforcement as well the technology underpinning the services. DeFi services that fail to comply with these obligations to prevent money laundering and terrorism financing pose the most significant illicit finance risk in this domain, the assessment found. "Our assessment finds that illicit actors, including criminals, scammers, and North Korean cyber actors are using DeFi services in the process of laundering illicit funds," the Treasury's Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian Nelson, said in the statement. Nelson added that the private sector should use the findings of the assessment to inform their risk mitigation strategies and to take steps to prevent illicit actors from using decentralized finance services.

☆ Yellen says US bank rules may be too loose, need to be re-examined
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

REUTERS/Mary F. CalvertWASHINGTON, March 30 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Thursday that banking regulation and supervisory rules need to be re-examined in the wake of the Silicon Valley Bank (SIVB.O) and Signature Bank (SBNY.O) failures to ensure current banking system risks are addressed. Yellen said a 2018 roll-back of bank capital requirements and stronger supervision for smaller and mid-size banks with assets below $250 billion should be re-examined. She added that regulatory reforms put in place after the 2008 financial crisis have helped the U.S. financial system weather shocks, including the COVID-19 pandemic. adding that the financial system was significantly stronger than it was 15 years ago. The multi-regulator Financial Stability Oversight Council's restored Hedge Fund Working Group will continue to monitor risks and develop policy recommendations, Yellen said.

☆ Coinbase says it's working on 'flatcoins' that will keep pace with inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Coinbase said Friday that it's developing "flatcoins" that keep pace with inflation. The crypto exchange believes the tokens will help crypto traders shield their portfolios from soaring prices. Billionaire investor Ray Dalio is one high-profile name who's backed the idea of an inflation-linked coin in the past. Stablecoins are crypto tokens that derive their value from another asset. "I think that what would really be best is an inflation-linked coin," the billionaire investor told CNBC's "Squawk Box" last month.

☆ Tui’s pandemic payback sets path for takeoff
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, March 24 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Tui’s (TUI1n.DE) 1.8 billion euro capital raise releases it from government clutches and sets it up for brighter skies. The travel operator said on Friday it plans to issue new stock to raise 1.8 billion euros, at the high end of the 1.6 billion to 1.8 billion euros flagged in December by Chief Financial Officer Mathias Kiep. Like many travel companies Tui required funds to keep it afloat during the pandemic when holidays were cancelled and flights were grounded. The 2.7 billion euro company received a staggering 4.3 billion euros of German state aid during the Covid-19 outbreak and is repaying much of the remaining 2.6 billion euros of debt with its fresh funds. Tui’s revenue is expected to soar by over 17% this year to top 19 billion euros, according to Refinitiv estimates.

☆ Crypto firm Tether says it has around $1.6 billion in excess reserves to back its USDT stablecoin
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Cryptocurrency firm Tether estimates it will make $700 million profit in the March quarter, taking its total excess reserves to over $1 billion, the company's technology chief told CNBC, revealing the latest figures for the first time. Tether issues the USDT stablecoin, which is pegged one to one with the U.S. dollar. Tether then revealed in February that it made $700 million in profit in the December quarter. Paolo Ardoino, Tether's chief technology officer, said the company estimates that the excess reserves will increase by $700 million in the current quarter, which is not yet over. That would take Tether's excess reserves to $1.66 billion.

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