Hong Kong Launches Project Ensemble, a Wholesale CBDC and Tokenized Deposits Initiative

The government of Hong Kong has announced Project Ensemble, an initiative that will test the functionality of a wholesale central bank digital currency (WCBDC) and the movement of tokenized deposits. If there is “sufficient interest” in the project, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) will conduct a live issuance of the WCBDC in the future. … Read more

Mogo Takes a Further Leap Into BTC, Eyes Long-Term Gains With $5M Bitcoin Reserve Investment

In a statement released on March 7, the Canadian fintech entity Mogo disclosed its strategy to diversify its portfolio by investing in bitcoin and bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), earmarking an initial outlay of as much as $5 million. Canadian Fintech Mogo Dives Deeper Into Bitcoin The publicly traded Canadian enterprise Mogo (Nasdaq: MOGO) (TSX: MOGO) … Read more

Egyptian Fintech Startup Moneyhash Secures $4.5 Million in Seed Funding Round

Moneyhash, a digital payments fintech startup, recently secured $4.5 million in a seed funding round. The fintech startup said it will use the capital raised to enhance its technology and fund its regional expansion drive. The Impact of COVID on Payments Moneyhash, an Egyptian fintech startup, recently secured $4.5 million in a seed funding round. … Read more

Indonesia’s Commodities Regulator Requests Finance Ministry to Review Crypto Taxes

The Indonesian Finance Ministry has been called upon to assess the implementation of cryptocurrency taxes by the nation’s Commodity Futures Trading Supervisory Agency. In the past few months, Indonesia’s revenue from crypto-based transactions has been surpassing that generated from fintech businesses. Crypto Industry Generates More Revenue than Fintech Companies Indonesia’s Commodity Futures Trading Supervisory Agency … Read more

Digital Euro Association Partners With HBAR Foundation to Boost Understanding of CBDCs and Stablecoins

The Digital Euro Association (DEA) has entered into a partnership with the HBAR Foundation. This collaboration aims to bolster its comprehension of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and stablecoins. Although this partnership marks a significant milestone in the digital currency landscape it nevertheless does not amount to an endorsement of any ideologies or products. Enhancing … Read more

Digital Yuan Now Used to Complete Car Prepurchase Payments

The digital yuan, China’s central bank digital currency (CBDC), is being used as a security element in car prepurchase payment settlements. According to local media reports, a pilot test that allows customers to pay for their cars with digital yuan was established in early February in Shenzhen, and several customers are already purchasing their vehicles … Read more

Stablecoin Issuer Circle Announces Discontinuation of USDC Support on Tron Blockchain

The U.S. financial technology firm Circle said on Feb. 21 that it will discontinue support for USDC on Tron blockchain. The move comes just a few months after Circle refuted allegations that it was Tron blockchain founder Justin Sun’s bank. Despite discontinuing support for USDC on Tron, Circle said it is still committed to growing … Read more

Nigerian Microfinance Bank Carbon Acquires Fintech Startup Vella Finance

Vella Finance, a Nigerian fintech startup, was recently bought by the microfinance bank Carbon. The acquisition of the fintech startup paves for Carbon to launch a new banking platform targeting Nigerian businesses. New Business to Leverage Artificial Intelligence The Nigerian microfinance bank, Carbon, has reportedly acquired the fintech firm Vella Finance for an undisclosed amount. … Read more