Image Of The Day, 23 Of August: Reuters, Telegraph, The Next Web and others...
We're presenting «image of the day». Bitnewstoday.com has chosen only the freshest and most important news about the digital economy and virtual currencies. Only the most valuable stories from only the trusted sources. Each and every event from this list will change the world of the digital economy either way. The most important of today's stories in most indicative quotes are below!
1. WATCHDOGS WERE PLEASED (Financial Magnates)
UK legislators grant third e-money licence to cryptocurrency company, Wirex
The Financial Conduct Authority, the UK’s financial regulation authority, has granted an operating licence to another crypotocurrency company. This is the third e-money licence that it has issued.
The recipient company is Wirex of London, whose main product is a cryptocurrency payment card. It was established in 2014 as E-Coin, rebranded to Wirex in February 2016 and by September 2017 had registered $1 billion of transactions and 800,000 users, according to its website.
2. TEAM UP (Reuters)
Cryptocurrency exchange Bittrex teams with registered trading venue Rialto
U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange Bittrex is partnering with registered broker-dealer Rialto Trading to offer a trading venue for blockchain-based digital assets, the companies said on Thursday. Rialto runs a U.S.-registered trading platform for fixed income products and, pending approval from regulators, will expand its operations to include virtual tokens that are registered securities.
“We’re merging Bittrex’s technology, cybersecurity and blockchain expertise with Rialto’s deep knowledge of the securities industry,” Bittrex CEO Bill Shihara said in a statement.
3. CRACK DOWN! (South China Morning Post)
China blocks more than 120 offshore cryptocurrency exchanges as crackdown escalates
China is poised to block more than 120 foreign cryptocurrency exchanges as part of the government’s broader crackdown on activities related to digital money, according to state media.
Authorities will block access in China to 124 websites operated by offshore cryptocurrency exchanges that provide trading services to citizens on the mainland, the Shanghai Securities News, a newspaper affiliated with the country’s financial and markets regulators.
4. BITTER REJECTION (CNBC)
SEC rejects bitcoin ETFs. Again
The latest rejection involves two ETFs filed by ProShares that would track bitcoin futures contracts, another from GraniteShares, and five leveraged and inverse ETFs from Direxion. This follows on the heels of the SEC's rejection of the Winklevloss ETF in July that would have traded physical bitcoin.
Similar to its rejection of the Winklevoss ETF, the SEC expressed concern about fraud and manipulation of bitcoin markets. It said that NYSE Arca, which filed the ProShares application, had not met its requirement "that a national securities exchange's rules be designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices. Among other things, the Exchange has offered no record evidence to demonstrate that bitcoin futures markets are 'markets of significant size.'"
5. LAZARUS IS BACK (The Next Web)
North Korean hackers are targeting cryptocurrency traders
North Korean hacking outfit “Lazarus” is now targeting cryptocurrency exchanges. Information security firm Kaspersky Labs has discovered it is exploring new attack vectors and trojanizing cryptocurrency software.
Now, Lazarus is tricking unsuspecting users into downloading cryptocurrency-related software laced with malware. Its primary function is to load the malware suite ‘FallChill’ onto machines while opening a series of backdoors. Computers infected with FallChill can be controlled remotely and should be considered completely compromised.
6. CHEAP ELECTRICITY, COLD WEATHER AND A NICE COMPANY (JWN)
The National Energy Board (NEB) says that cheap electricity, cold weather and a light regulatory environment are encouraging cryptocurrency miners to flock to Canada, mostly to Quebec.
The NEB adds that in July 2018, following an increasing number of applications for electricity from miners, Hydro-Quebec tripled the price of electricity for new crypto-currency miners. This price increase is temporary, because Hydro-Quebec is currently proposing a new selection process to the Régie de l’énergie for future crypto-mining operations.
7. NOT YOUR LAMBO (Motherboard)
Alleged 19-Year-Old SIM Swapper Used Stolen Bitcoin to Buy Luxury Cars.
Police in California arrested another hacker accused of hijacking phone numbers with the goal of stealing cryptocurrency on August 17. Xzavyer Narvaez, 19, is accused of seven counts of computer crimes, identity fraud, and grand theft, according to a complaint obtained by Motherboard. Narvaez’s arrest comes approximately a month after that of Joel Ortiz, the first person in the US to ever be accused of hijacking phone numbers.
It appears that Narvaez spent some of the Bitcoin he stole on sports cars. Through DMV records, the police found that Narvaez purchased a 2018 McLaren paying partly in Bitcoin and partly by trading-in a 2012 Audi R8, which Narvaez purchased with Bitcoin in June 2017. The investigators obtained records from Bitcoin payment provider BitPay, and cryptocurrency exchanges Bittrex
8. ONLY THE BEST (The Business Times)
Crypto trading firm rents world's priciest offices
A cryptocurrency trading platform co-founded by former citigroup inc trader arthur hayes just rented the world's most expensive offices, a Hong Kong newspaper reported.
BitMEX leased the 45th floor of the Cheung Kong Center, the Hong Kong Economic Times reported on Wednesday, citing people it didn't identify. The skyscraper is home to Goldman Sachs Group Inc, Barclays Plc, Bank of America Corp, the securities regulator, Bloomberg LP and billionaire Li Ka-shing's empire.
9. A PLACE TO SELL FLAWLESS (Telegraph)
Japanese company sells ‘flawless’ diamonds through blockchain
Tokyo-headquartered Pure Diamond Lab will use blockchain to track the production, refinement and appraisal of its lab-grown diamonds. Company is hoping to sell its man-made gems with the help of blockchain technology in an effort to crack the consumer market. "Flawless" lab-grown diamonds are up to 50pc cheaper and almost indistinguishable from the real thing.
10. BlOCKCHAIN AS A POWER OF GOOD (TechTrust)
WWF Italy opens to blockchain-based donations
The WWF has committed to spend the entirety of the funds raised in cryptocurrenies without converting to fiat. This means that ‘crypto will stay crypto’ throughout the entire donation ‘journey’ in order for donors to reap the key benefit of being able to track further funds redistribution.
“The step by the WWF is poised to affect the way the global community perceive large charities, in terms of their structural complexity and widely considered opacity to the public when it comes to managing and allocating the funding raised,” said Francesco Nazari Fusetti, CEO and Co-Founder at AidCoin.