Circle to Go Public via Bob Diamond-Backed SPAC Deal — Boston Firm Valued at $4.5 Billion

The Boston-based crypto financial company Circle has announced the firm plans to go public this year in a merger with Concord Acquisition Corp. Circle revealed the news on Thursday and noted that the company expects to close the deal in Q4 with a valuation of $4.5 billion. Circle Announces SPAC Deal With Plans to Go … Read more

Standard Chartered, Fidelity, TP ICAP to Launch Cryptocurrency Trading Platform

Fidelity, Standard Chartered Bank, and TP ICAP are collaborating to launch a cryptocurrency trading platform. It will feature a marketplace for spot crypto trading and provide “connectivity and post-trade infrastructure into a network of digital assets custodians.” TP ICAP, a leading provider of market infrastructure, announced Tuesday that it is launching a cryptocurrency trading platform … Read more

Crypto Travel Rule Working Group Launches 2.0 Protocol ‘Solving the Discoverability Problem’

Just before the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published the organization’s 12-month review, a working group called the Travel Rule Protocol (TRP) released its 2.0 version of the TRP crypto application programming interface (API) in order to “simplify the end-user crypto exchange experience.” TRP is backed by big banks like Fidelity Investments, Standard Chartered, and … Read more

Figuring Out How Much Bitcoin Hashrate Resides in Mainland China Still a Mystery

Over the last few weeks, there have been many reports about crackdowns in China tied to bitcoin mining operations in various provinces. 30-day statistics show the hashrate has been fluctuating wildly, and across the last week it has slid downward roughly 26%. Reports Show Bitcoin Mining Crackdowns in Five Chinese Provinces Despite the slide, the … Read more

Fidelity Executive Believes Bitcoin’s Price ‘Bottom Is in’ After Last Month’s Market Carnage

On Monday, Jurrien Timmer, director of global macro at Fidelity and co-manager of the Fidelity Global Strategies Fund, told his 56,000 Twitter followers his perspective on the current bitcoin prices. “In my view, it looks like the bottom is in,” the Fidelity executive explained, sharing a BTC/USD chart. Fidelity’s Jurrien Timmer Attempts to Call Bitcoin’s … Read more

Circle Captures $440 Million in Financing, Rumors of SPAC Deal Follow

The Boston-based cryptocurrency finance firm Circle has announced the company has raised $440 million in financing in order to “drive market expansion and growth.” The investment was led by prominent finance firms like Digital Currency Group, Fidelity Management and Research Company, and FTX. Circle Reveals $440 Million in Financing Circle Internet Financial, Inc. has revealed … Read more

Asset Managers UBS, Pimco, T. Rowe Price Caution of Cryptocurrency Investing, Expect Strict Regulations

A number of asset managers have cautioned about investing in cryptocurrencies, including UBS Wealth Management, Pimco, T. Rowe Price, and Glenmede Investment Management. “We expect more stringent policy and regulatory controls ahead for crypto as it becomes more mainstream,” said UBS. Asset Managers Caution of Crypto Investing A number of asset managers have expressed caution … Read more

Hundreds of Banks in US to Allow Customers to Buy, Sell, Hold Bitcoin Through Existing Bank Accounts

Hundreds of banks in the U.S. will reportedly start offering access to bitcoin to their customers this year, thanks to a partnership between Fidelity National Information Services and the New York Digital Investment Group. Hundreds of banks have enrolled to participate in the program as they see funds moving from bank accounts to crypto exchanges. … Read more