Environmental Impact of AI Models Takes Center Stage Amid Criticism Against Bitcoin Mining

While bitcoin’s effect on the environment has been discussed at length over the last two years, the latest trend of artificial intelligence (AI) software is now being criticized for its carbon footprint. According to several headlines and academic papers this year, AI consumes significant electricity and leverages copious amounts of water to cool data centers. … Read more

The Fall of Medici Bank: Lessons on Fractional Reserve Banking From 15th Century Italy

Amid the banking chaos of the 21st century, some are looking back more than 600 years ago, to the Medici Bank — one of the most powerful banks of its time. It established its business and became one of the most respected banks in Europe during its prime, and the prominent Italian family of bankers … Read more

CBDC Debate Heats Up: BIS Project Sparks Controversy Among Critics; Lynette Zang Warns of Dangers of CBDCs

During the weekend, discussions about central bank digital currencies, or CBDCs, trended on social media as many people believe the idea will result in increased financial surveillance and a totalitarian monetary system. In a recent interview, Lynette Zang, the chief market analyst at ITM Trading, warned that CBDCs will “take the world into a full … Read more

Stablecoins Cannot Function as Money Because They Have No ‘Assured Value’ — Bank of England Governor

Andrew Bailey, the governor of the Bank of England, has asserted that stablecoins “will need to have the characteristics of, and be regulated as, inside money” before they function as money. Bailey also described crypto as a “highly speculative investment” with no intrinsic value. Stablecoins Purport to Be Money According to the Bank of England … Read more

Winner of Canadian Lottery Jackpot Says Impostors Using His Name to Steal Bitcoins

The winner of the Canadian lottery, Scott Gurney, has confirmed that scammers impersonating him on Facebook have conned unsuspecting victims of their bitcoins. To counter the scammers, Gurney said he has stopped accepting or sending friend requests on the social networking platform. ‘Too Good to Be True’ The Canadian Lotto Max jackpot winner, Scott Gurney, … Read more

Balaji Srinivasan: ‘Giant Robot’ of Crypto-Friendly States Needed to Battle ‘Giant Monster’ of US Gov., Explains Why He Made Bitcoin Bet

Tech entrepreneur, angel investor, and author of The Network State, Balaji Srinivasan, says a proverbial “giant robot” of supportive governing bodies and crypto proponents is needed to do battle with the “giant monster” of the U.S. federal government. The former CTO of Coinbase also said he will issue an update on his ongoing $1 million-dollar … Read more

FTX Debtors Unveil Report That Identifies and Discusses Control Failures by Sam Bankman-Fried Led Management

FTX Debtors said on April 9 that it had released a report that “identifies and discusses control failures” by Sam Bankman-Fried and his colleagues when they ran the collapsed cryptocurrency exchange. John Ray, the CEO of the FTX Debtors, said the FTX Group “was tightly controlled by a small group of individuals who falsely claimed … Read more

CATO Institute: CBDC the ‘Single Largest Assault to Financial Privacy Since Creation of Bank Secrecy Act’

A central bank digital currency (CBDC) may turn out to be the “single largest assault to financial privacy since the creation of the Bank Secrecy Act,” a policy analysis document released by CATO Institute has said. To stop the U.S. Federal Reserve and Treasury from threatening the financial system with the CBDC, the document said … Read more

Luxury Brand Ralph Lauren Now Accepting Crypto Payments at Its New Miami Store

The U.S. luxury brand Ralph Lauren has said customers can now pay via crypto at its Miami Design District location. The store has also been designated the luxury brand’s focal point for Web3 promotions. Bitcoin, ethereum, and polygon are among the cryptocurrencies that are accepted at Ralph Lauren’s new store in Miami. Miami Store Ralph … Read more

South African Professor Accuses US Regulators of Attempting to ‘Assassinate Crypto’

The United States’ attempts to “assassinate crypto” are illegal and unlikely to succeed because “crypto is global,” Steven Boykey Sidley, a South African professor and author, has argued. According to Sidley, many formerly U.S.-based companies and innovators have fled the country and have set up bases in countries with more “comfortable” regulatory environments. The United … Read more