Spain’s Lawmakers Plan to Provide Basic Income to Low-Income Residents

Spain is preparing to provide universal basic income (UBI) to low-income individuals due to the wrath of the coronavirus, the country’s minister for economic affairs Nadia Calviño recently explained. There’s no set date yet for the UBI program, but Spain’s officials said they plan to “do it as soon as possible, so it can be … Read more

10 Countries Actively Regulating Cryptocurrency Despite Global Crisis

Despite the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting financial crisis, at least 10 countries have made announcements regarding cryptocurrency regulation since our last regulatory roundup. They include Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Spain, Germany, India, the Philippines, the U.S., and South Korea. Also read: IMF Declares Global Recession, 80 Countries Request Help, Trillions of Dollars Needed Regulations … Read more

Shelter-in-Place for Cash? 2 Bills Submitted by US Congress Mention ‘Digital Dollars’

During the last few days, members of the U.S. Congress have been trying to pen a stimulus plan to help the American economy. Since then, a few bills have been submitted by representatives and two particular proposals House democrats have tabled talk about a “digital dollar” and “digital ledger entries.” Following the submission of the … Read more

Wikileaks Gathers $37M in BTC Since 2010 – Over $400K Sent After Julian Assange’s Arrest

The world was shocked when Wikileaks cofounder Julian Assange was arrested in April after being cooped up in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since 2012. Following his arrest, the original Wikileaks bitcoin address saw significant support as $32,000 worth of BTC poured into the wallet in two days. Since 2010, Wikileaks’ address saw 4,043 BTC … Read more

Ireland Seizes Bitcoin Stash Worth $56M But Can’t Sell for 7 Years

Ireland’s Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) seized 6,000 BTC from a Dublin resident who was accused of growing cannabis on property located in the Wicklow Mountain region. The police found around €450,000 of marijuana plants but the €52 million ($56.1M) of BTC was the biggest single-value asset seizure by the CAB since 1996. A new era … Read more

Regulatory Roundup: Trump’s Cryptocurrency Proposals, IRS Changes Rule, China Quarantines Cash

In this roundup, we cover numerous cryptocurrency regulatory developments in the U.S., including President Trump’s crypto proposals, testimonies by the Federal Reserve chairman and the Treasury secretary, a crypto-friendly SEC proposal, and the IRS changing a crypto tax rule. We also cover China quarantining yuan bills, its central bank filing 84 digital currency patents, 40 … Read more

84 PBOC Digital Currency Patents Show the Extent of China’s Digital Yuan

The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) has reportedly filed 84 patents relating to its plans to launch a digital currency. The patents reveal the central bank’s plans which include integrating digital currency wallets into existing retail bank accounts. The potential for the Chinese central bank digital currency to achieve scale from the get-go has put … Read more

US Worried Crypto Could Undermine Dollar as World Reserve Currency, Hiring Researchers to Prepare Response

The U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence has admitted that cryptocurrency could undermine the U.S. dollar as the world’s reserve currency. The head of the U.S. Intelligence Community is seeking researchers to detail the impact of that status loss on the U.S., its economy, and national security. Also read: Fed Chair Powell Reveals … Read more

India’s Election Commission Developing Blockchain System for Voting

The Election Commission of India is collaborating with the Indian Institute of Technology to develop a blockchain system for voting, the Chief Election Commissioner has reportedly revealed. The new system aims to allow Indians to vote even when they are away from their hometowns. Furthermore, the commissioner has proposed to link voter IDs with Aadhaar. … Read more