Citizens Trust Bank to Hold $65 Million in USDC Reserves as Circle Expands Bank Partnerships

On Friday, the cryptocurrency firm and stablecoin issuer Circle announced that the financial institution Citizens Trust Bank will hold $65 million in usd coin cash reserves. Circle said the move is part of the company’s plan to allocate shares of the stablecoin’s denominated reserves to minority-owned depository institutions (MDIs) and community banks across the United … Read more

Report Reveals Limited Accounting Records, Commingled Funds at FTX Digital Markets in the Bahamas

PWC, one of the ‘Big Four’ auditors and among the largest professional services networks globally, recently published a report on FTX Digital Markets, the bankrupt crypto exchange’s Bahamian subsidiary. The report indicates that the entity’s accounting records have been limited, and it also noted that there is “little distinction between what represents potentially client monies … Read more

14th Anniversary of Bitcoin’s Genesis Block: A Look Back at the Birth of Cryptocurrency

14 years ago on Jan. 3, 2009, Satoshi Nakamoto launched the Bitcoin network and block zero at approximately 1:15 p.m. (ET) on a Saturday afternoon. Satoshi’s technology allows “online payments to be sent directly from one party to another without going through a financial institution.” Since Bitcoin was born it changed the financial system significantly, … Read more

Russia to Ban Banks From Using Messengers Like Telegram to Contact Customers

Financial institutions in Russia will not be able to communicate with clients through instant messengers based outside the country, local media revealed. A new law passed by the State Duma also prohibits banks from using chats to send personal data and payment documents. Bill Restricts Russian Banks and Brokers From Sending Sensitive Information Through Foreign … Read more

Russia’s Sber Bank Aims for Blockchain Integration With Ethereum and Metamask

Banking giant Sber wants to integrate its blockchain platform with the Ethereum blockchain and the Metamask wallet. The Russian bank believes the integration will give developers more options and create new opportunities for users when in operations with tokens and smart contracts. Sber Bank to Provide Ethereum and Metamask Support on Proprietary Blockchain The blockchain … Read more

Basel Study Shows World’s Largest Banks Are Exposed to $9 Billion in Crypto Assets

A first-of-its-kind study published by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision details that the world’s largest financial institutions are exposed to roughly €9.4 billion (US$9 billion) in crypto assets. The research paper authored by the Basel Committee’s secretariat Renzo Corrias further explains that out of all the banks’ total risk exposure, cryptocurrency exposure is estimated … Read more

FBI Issues Alert Concerning Malicious State-Sponsored North Korean Hackers Targeting Crypto Firms

On April 18, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Treasury Department, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) published a Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA) report concerning malicious North Korean state-sponsored cryptocurrency activity. According to the U.S. government, law enforcement officials have observed North Korean cyber actors targeting specific blockchain companies in the industry. … Read more

Digital Ruble ‘Much Needed,’ Russia’s Central Bank Says, Won’t Delay Testing

The Central Bank of Russia has emphasized the importance of moving forward with its digital ruble project. According to a statement by a top representative, the monetary authority has no intention to delay the trials despite not all invited banks being ready to participate yet. Bank of Russia to Experiment With Digital Ruble Payments This … Read more

OFAC Update Claims Ronin Hack Is Tethered to North Korea’s Hacker Syndicate Lazarus Group

According to the U.S. Treasury and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the recent Ronin bridge hack may have been tied to the North Korean hacker syndicate called Lazarus Group. Federal law enforcement officials have tied the flagged ethereum address connected with the Ronin bridge exploit to the group of hackers and added the … Read more