Bitcoin-Rigging Criminal Probe Focused on Tie to Tether 2490

As Bitcoin plunges, the U.S. Justice Department is investigating whether last year’s epic rally was fueled in part by manipulation, with traders driving it up with Tether — a popular but controversial digital token.

While federal prosecutors opened a broad criminal probe into cryptocurrencies months ago, they’ve recently homed in on suspicions that a tangled web involving Bitcoin, Tether and crypto exchange Bitfinex might have been used to illegally move prices, said three people familiar with the matter.

Bitfinex has the same management team as Tether Ltd., a Hong Kong-based company that created the namesake cryptocurrency. When new coins come to market, they’re mostly released on Bitfinex.

Some traders — as well as academics — have alleged that these Tethers are used to buy Bitcoin at crucial moments when the value of the more ubiquitous digital token dips. JL van der Velde, the chief executive officer of Tether Ltd. and Bitfinex, has previously rejected such claims.

Bitfinex’s general counsel, as well as outside lawyers for the exchange and Tether Ltd., didn’t respond to phone calls and emails seeking comment.

The Justice Department’s probe adds to an existing inquiry into possible misconduct. Both Tether Ltd. and Bitfinex received subpoenas last year from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Bloomberg reported in January. The Justice Department and CFTC are coordinating their examinations, the people said.

It couldn’t be determined whether government officials are solely investigating activity that occurred on Bitfinex or if exchange executives are suspected of illegal behavior. Neither the Justice Department nor the CFTC has accused anyone of wrongdoing, and authorities may ultimately conclude that nothing illicit occurred.

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Web3: Crypto and NFTs are Not Dead – They’re Just Getting Started 4744

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It’s no secret that the cryptocurrency boom of the last few years has currently ground to a halt and there are many critical voices which are already trying to put the nail in the coffin of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. However, we are here to let you know that cryptocurrencies and every other blockchain-based technology are here to stay, and they are all part of a bigger picture that you need to understand in order to future-proof your technology and your revenue model. This bigger picture is Web3.

What is Web3?

Web3 is quite simply the next step in the evolution of the internet. When the internet started with only a few web-pages, those were essentially mostly static pages with text and images, made only to transmit information; this was Web1, or the “read-only web”. Web2 was the next generation of the internet, based on interactivity, social-media, and all in all user generated content, catered for the user experience. The major drawback that emerged of Web2 was that this gave the power to hold data to big companies, massing the power and knowledge on the internet to only a few major companies, now commonly known as the FAANG (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google). Web3 is the next meta of the internet, the new way of modeling interactions on the web in a decentralized manner, giving the power over their own data back to the users, without needing a middle man, such as a big company to do so.

Our company, Plavno, is one of the backbones at the origins of WEB3 and has worked with giants from all industries, such as Mercedes-Benz or BelVeb Bank to provide technology development solutions. The Web3 subject is somewhat of a hot potato, with many skeptics singing its demise before it has even become mainstream, but being an early adopter on revolutionary technology is never easy. What we can be sure of, is that innovators always have an upper hand in their vision for the future, which is why Plavno has always sought to implement future-proof technology and business models. This is why even the biggest market giants trusted us to thrust their solutions into the future, and why you shouldn’t sleep on Web3 and the opportunities it brings!

How does Web3 revolutionize the internet?

Web3 quite simply aims to revolutionize the internet by decentralizing the interactions between people and businesses on the internet. It all starts with blockchain, a decentralized safe model of sharing data on the internet. This data is now no longer hosted centrally on one server administered by a big company, but is now hosted and verifiable over a number of different sources, the users. This decentralized model means that, on the one hand, users no longer rely on big companies to host their data and, on the other hand, they gain control over their own data. This applies to a myriad of fields: instead of making fiat payments that go through banks, payment processors and administrators, you can now make instant cryptocurrency payments, verifiable on the blockchain and without the need to pay any middle men and companies. Instead of buying art and tickets from retailers that monopolize the market (such as the famous case of Ticketmaster), one can now go and buy new forms of digital art, such as NFTs (non-fungible tokens) directly from the artists, including tickets and virtual experiences, such as VR events and content. Instead of using storage from big companies like Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive, you can use decentralized storage solutions that split your data over multiple sources so that if one fails, you always have the guarantee of many others. Web3 is all about giving power and control back to the users over their own data, their modes of payment, their content, and their creations.

How can you make money on Web3?

Making money has never been easier than on Web3. From a business perspective, entrepreneurs and even just individuals can start their own businesses, monetize their own skills and provide services using the Web 3 model. You can now create your own e-commerce business based on blockchain technology, eliminating the need to pay fees to a third-party company or to create your own website in which the commercial relationship is trust-based. There is no need to question the trust between the buyer and the seller if the contract is decentralized and carried out using immutable automated codes, such as smart contracts. You can then enhance your commerce business by adding NFTs, services driven by AI, safe identity management with customer authentication mechanisms that are  of unprecedented safety compared to Web2 standards. Even if you are not entrepreneurially-minded and want a more standard job, Web3 companies are currently the place to be; creating future-proof products with cutting-edge technology, a very liberal remote-based model and new benefits such as tokens, bonuses, a fast-tracked career progression, as opposed to the slow hierarchical tedium of large companies where you cannot personally make a difference. Finally, you can choose the path of creating your own cryptocurrency startup or marketplace, which is exactly what we help our clients do.

How to create your Web3 business or Web3-proof your company?

Plavno has unprecedented experience in creating Web3 IT solutions. On our last project, we helped our client save more than $400k in initial investments on the launch of a crypto-startup which reached more than 1 million onboarded users in the first year. How do we do this? The secret is in our dedicated software development team. Plavno has 14 years of experience in the field of dedicated software development. Our teams create Web3 software solutions from scratch, dedicated to each client’s needs. And it’s not only the technology that is future-proof, but also all the aspects of the business model: Plavno works on the basis of outstaffing and outsourcing projects, so that solutions can be created remotely and efficiently, taking full advantage of technical advancements in workflow solutions. We use the SAFe methodology to ensure that our work is always transparent and clear to the client, that their needs are met, and that ongoing support is provided after the finalization of the project. For us, a finished project is just the beginning!

With the emphasis on speed that today’s markets require, you would be tempted to go for out-of-the-box systems to implement your ideas. However, this quickly turns into an unsustainable solution. With a dedicated software team, you can make sure that your own solutions are implemented naturally, that you can create an ecosystem between your hardware and software, as well as sustaining the tokenized decentralized economy. By using ready-at-hand solutions, your project encounters problems such as the impossibility to turn your requirements into a final technical product, delays and additional costs in integrating third-party systems, and an overall unreliability in case your system suffers a breakdown or needs updates. By using our technicians, we can establish a long-term reliable software development partnership and make sure that your crypto marketplace is always functioning, updated with new features and most importantly, Web3 future-proof.

Join us now!

That’s the surefire way to get onto the next generation of the internet before all the skeptics and to make sure that when Web3 becomes mainstream, your business, and your ways of making revenue are already well-established and well ahead! Join us now and let us begin our Web3 journey!

Will Bitcoin continue to fall? 6562

Bitcoin

It’s no secret that the cryptocurrency market is quite volatile. Almost any piece of global news can affect the price of digital assets in one way or another. Take billionaire Elon Musk, for example, who was able to influence the price of Dogecoin simply by tweeting. However, this does not always happen because of a particular case and with a particular coin. In 2020, for example, the world went into lockdown for the first time in a long time. Countries’ borders were closed and the logistics of many goods began to be disrupted. People had to stay at home, fearing for their health. The Covid-19 pandemic was to blame. You would think that a virus could have an impact on digital assets. As it turns out, it was able to reach cryptocurrency as well. Because of problems in the economy, cryptocurrency has begun to lose value.

This did not last long, and a year later Bitcoin set a new historical high. The price of the first cryptocurrency was above $63,000. Those enthusiasts, who during the chaos and lockdown did not stop believing that cryptocurrency was the future and continued to invest in digital gold, were able to make good money in just one year. Bitcoin began to be prophesied to reach $100,000 in the near future. There were many explanations from analysts and financial experts that Bitcoin could do this. Today, however, the picture for the crypto industry does not look so rosy.

Since the beginning of 2022, the first cryptocurrency began to lose heavily in price, for various reasons. Today, we can observe that Bitcoin is in prolonged drawdown, just like all other digital assets. Some call it a “crypto-winter”. This has already happened to the crypto market more than once. But why is the fall so noticeable?

Experts attribute the prolonged decline in quotations to the fact that the Federal Reserve System is tightening policy in the US, which raises rates to contain inflation in the country.

As cryptocurrency is a risky asset, investors and traders are trying to get rid of it or keep it to a minimum.

Also, the recent news that one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, FTX, has filed for bankruptcy has not had a positive impact on the value of digital assets either. The first cryptocurrency still remains in a kind of sideways position. At the time of writing, it stands at $16,993, according to CoinGecko.

What if Bitcoin keeps falling?

If the cryptocurrency drawdown continues, nothing good can come of it. As analysts say, this will entail quite serious and large changes in the global crypto market. A similar scenario was discussed this summer, in the online edition of CNews. The publication’s experts believe that continued drawdown will mean that many tokens that are not widely known will simply disappear, until there are only the top and in-demand coins that are able to survive in today’s realities.

Of course it is too early to talk about it now, things may change tomorrow if there is any positive news. But we can only wait and see what happens.

And to start trading cryptocurrencies today, you can use the RevenueBot cryptocurrency bot service.

CME Group Announces Launch of Euro-denominated Bitcoin and Ether Futures 7049

CME Group, the world’s leading derivatives marketplace, today launched Bitcoin Euro and Ether Euro futures.

“The launch of these new futures contracts builds on the strong growth and deep liquidity we have seen in our existing U.S. dollar-denominated Bitcoin and Ether futures contracts,” said Tim McCourt, Global Head of Equity and FX Products, CME Group. “Our new Bitcoin Euro and Ether Euro futures will provide institutional clients, both within and outside the U.S., with more precise and regulated tools to trade and hedge exposure to the two largest cryptocurrencies by market cap.”

Bitcoin Euro and Ether Euro futures contracts will be sized at five bitcoin and 50 ether per contract. These new contracts will be cash-settled, based on the CME CF Bitcoin-Euro Reference Rate and CME CF Ether-Euro Reference Rate, which serve as once-a-day reference rates of the euro-denominated price of bitcoin and ether.

These new futures contracts will be listed on and subject to the rules of CME.

For more information on this product, please visit https://www.cmegroup.com/cryptocurrencies#explore-our-cryptocurrency-products.

As the world’s leading derivatives marketplace, CME Group (www.cmegroup.com) enables clients to trade futures, options, cash and OTC markets, optimize portfolios, and analyze data – empowering market participants worldwide to efficiently manage risk and capture opportunities. CME Group exchanges offer the widest range of global benchmark products across all major asset classes based on interest rates, equity indexes, foreign exchange, energy, agricultural products and metals. The company offers futures and options on futures trading through the CME Globex® platform, fixed income trading via BrokerTec and foreign exchange trading on the EBS platform. In addition, it operates one of the world’s leading central counterparty clearing providers, CME Clearing.

Popular BTM Operator: Bitcoin of America Welcomes Shiba Inu Coin to Its Bitcoin ATMs 8294

Bitcoin of America has officially announced the newest addition to their Bitcoin ATMs (BTMs). Shiba Inu coin is now available at Bitcoin of America ATM locations. Bitcoin of America has more than 1800 BTMs across 31 states. They recognized the growing popularity of Shiba Inu and decided it was time to include it in their BTMs. Bitcoin of America also offers Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum options. This news comes after their recent addition of Dogecoin in March of this year.

Bitcoin of America is a popular virtual currency exchange registered as a money services business with the United States Department of Treasury (FinCEN)(RegNum). They are known for their top-of-the-line customer support while also providing a fast and hassle-free transaction.

Bitcoin of America makes it easy for everyday businesses to get their hands on a Bitcoin ATM and for customers to buy Bitcoin. They take care of their host locations by providing passive income, increased foot traffic, and marketing. They even handle customer support and any maintenance/installation services.

The popular operator has made many updates to its BTMs and services over the past year. They launched their universal kiosks, which operate as a traditional ATM combined with BTM functions. Bitcoin of America has created a point-of-sale system for their tablet program, which has allowed businesses to accept cryptocurrency as a new form of payment. Bitcoin of America is constantly expanding and improving its services.

Data Mynt Payment Processing Platform Now Supports Bitcoin Payments 8184

Data Mynt, a leading provider of simple, stable cryptocurrency payment products, now enables payments over the Bitcoin network, which already supports roughly 225,000 transactions per day and $30 billion USD dollar equivalent volume per day worldwide (as of publishing).

Data Mynt merchants and partners join the 15,000 retailers that accept Bitcoin today, making it the world’s most widely used digital asset for payments. Retailers include Twitter, Whole Foods and Overstock.com.

Now the Data Mynt payment processing platform enables payments from any wallet and asset across the $2 trillion combined market cap (as of publishing) available to make a payment over the Bitcoin, Ethereum Mainnet and Polygon networks.

The Data Mynt payment processing solution enables merchants and enterprises to expand their payment options for their customers and partners. At the same time, it reduces payment processing costs and eliminates frictions such as chargebacks and crypto price volatility.

“As a payment processor, it only makes sense for us to enable our merchants and partners to accept what the world already accepts—the biggest cryptocurrency,” noted Data Mynt CEO Alex Christian. “Almost one-quarter of the US population owns Bitcoin. Many other countries such as Brazil, Indonesia, UAE, Singapore, Israel, India, Mexico, and South Africa have even higher adoption rates. Data Mynt merchants can feel good knowing they offer these Bitcoin owners another payment option.”

The dedicated Data Mynt global sales team began rolling out its payment platform in Q1 of 2022.

About Data Mynt

Data Mynt is a leading crypto payment processor. Its wallet, asset and blockchain-agnostic suite of solutions offer partners and merchants an omnichannel approach to accepting on-chain crypto payments free from volatility and the risks and costs of traditional payment methods. The Data Mynt payment platform is also designed to streamline implementation delivering a seamless customer experience. DataMynt.com

Popular BTM Operator Bitcoin of America Wins Silver in 11th Annual Best in Biz Awards 10382

Bitcoin of America has been named a silver winner in the Company of the Year – Midwest category in Best in Biz Awards, the only independent business awards program judged each year by prominent editors and reporters from top-tier publications in North America. Bitcoin of America is a popular virtual currency exchange, registered as a money services business with the United States Department of Treasury (FinCEN)(RegNum). Apart from ensuring a fast and hassle-free transaction, their customer support makes them the best in the industry.

Bitcoin of America has demonstrated rapid growth. In June of this year, Bitcoin of America’s Chief Financial Officer reported record company growth. In January, the company had a total of 630 Bitcoin ATMs. To date, they have seen a 138.095% increase in their number of locations. They even hit a major achievement of 1500 plus BTMs. Bitcoin of America has also seen enormous growth in their number of employees. In just one year their team grew over 32 percent.

Bitcoin of America also added new products, services, and even updates to their BTMS. In May, they announced the launch of their new universal kiosk. The kiosk combines the capabilities of a traditional ATM with a Bitcoin ATM. The universal kiosk is known to offer 3 different functions. The first is the traditional ATM feature where customers can dispense cash from a debit card. The second function is being able to buy bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies with cash. The last is that customers can sell crypto in return for cash. This is huge for business owners. These universal kiosks are bringing stores additional revenue streams, while also saving floor space. They also announced that Ethereum would be available for customers to purchase from any of their locations.

Besides offering cryptocurrency services to customers, Bitcoin of America has helped hundreds of businesses across the United States. Bitcoin of America offers a host program for store owners who are interested in cryptocurrency or are just looking to earn extra income. They take care of their host locations by providing them with passive income, increased foot traffic, and marketing. They even handle customer support and any maintenance/installation services.