Cryptocurrency
Chainalysis Valued at $8.6B Following $170M Round
- The Series F round has more than doubled Chainalysis' valuation since last year, which is not surprising considering it has increased its customer base by 75%.
- The company has claimed that its various tools are now responsible for monitoring around $1 trillion worth of transactions each month.
KuCoin Raises $150M, Announces Web3 Expansion
- KuCoin's $150 million pre-Series B funding round was led by Jump Crypto, and increased the valuation of the company to $10 billion.
- KuCoin will use the funds to expand its product offerings, as well as build and invest into DeFi, GameFi, NFT, and crypto wallet platforms.
Meta to Start NFT Tests on Instagram This Week
- Mark Zuckerberg revealed that Instagram will be the first app under Meta's control to start NFT tests, and that Facebook could soon see a similar functionality.
- Meta's CEO also noted that the company was working on augmented reality NFTs, which will allow users to place their digital art into physical spaces.
Gucci to Accept Crypto Payments in Select U.S. Stores
- The crypto payment feature will be rolled-out in five Gucci stores, located in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta, and Las Vegas, by the end of the month.
- Gucci plans to accept 12 cryptocurrencies, namely BTC, ETH, wBTC, LTC, SHIB, DOGE, and five dollar-backed stablecoins.
FIFA Welcomes Algorand as Official Blockchain Sponsor
- The blockchain has become the regional supporter in North American and Europe for the 2022 World Cup, and also the official sponsor of the Women's World Cup in 2023.
- The partnership will see Algorand help FIFA further develop its digital asset strategy, and also provide it with an official wallet solution.
Wikipedia Bans Crypto Donations, Closes BitPay Account
- The proposal to block crypto donations was made back in January, and a recent vote showed that 71% of the community supported the idea.
- As part of the decision, the Wikimedia Foundation revealed it will be closing down its account with BitPay, its crypto payment service partner.
Binance Blocks Accounts of Relatives of Russian Government Officials
- The accounts of Elizaveta Peskova, daughter of spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Polina Kovaleva, stepdaughter of Sergei Lavrov, and Kirill Malofeev, son of oligarch Konstantin Malofeev, have already been closed.
- Last week the exchange had also implemented new stricter rules for Russian users with crypto holdings of more than €10,000, following the latest sanctions on Moscow from the E.U.
Goldman Sachs Approves First BTC-Backed Loan
- A Goldman Sachs spokesperson noted that the deal was particularly interesting because of its unique structure and 24/7 risk management.
- The move comes at a time when Wall Street firms have started to increase their involvement in the crypto space.
Deus Finance Exploited for $13.4M in Flash Loan Attack
- Blockchain security firm PeckShield noted the attacker used a $143 million flash loan to inflate the price of DEI, allowing him to steal $13.4 million from Deus Finance.
- This is the second time in two months that a malicious entity had used a flash loan exploit to manipulate the price of digital assets on the DeFi platform.
Gibraltar to Combat Crypto Market Manipulation With New Rules
- The legislation will implement new standards for crypto market integrity in Gibraltar, designed to combat insider trading and market manipulation in the sector.
- DLT providers will now be required to seek out and prevent insider trading, and the publication of misleading information aimed at manipulating the crypto market.
Cuba’s Central Bank to License VASPs Starting May
- The license will be available for individuals as well as organizations and will be valid for a year, though its validity can be extended for a second year.
- VASPs that fail to comply with the new licensing regime will face penalties in line with existing banking rules and regulations.
Fidelity to Offer BTC Exposure to 401(k) Savings Accounts
- Once the change has been implemented, more than 23,000 U.S.-based companies could allow their employees to invest in BTC through their 401(k) retirement savings accounts.
- Fidelity plans to release the new option later this year, allowing 401(k) account holders to invest up to 20% of their portfolio in BTC.
Binance.US Acquires Money Transmitter License in Puerto Rico
- With this license, Binance.US now operates in 45 states and seven territories of the U.S., moving it a step closer to its goal of providing services in all states and territories.
- Binance.US CEO Brian Shroder noted that this license was important to the exchange, as Puerto Rico is a particularly important market for the growth of crypto.
KuCoin Launches $100M NFT Creators Fund
- The $100 million Creators Fund was launched by the company's venture arm, KuCoin Ventures, and its newly launched NFT marketplace, Windvane.
- It will support a wide range of NFT projects, such as art, sports, profile pictures (PFPs), Asian culture, celebrities, GameFi, and others.