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U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says that the collapse of crypto exchange FTX shows that the crypto industry “really needs to have adequate regulation.” She added: “It’s a Lehman moment within crypto, and crypto is big enough that we’ve had substantial harm with investors.” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on FTX Implosion and the Need for Adequate Crypto Regulation U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen talked about the need for adequate crypto regulation following the collapse of crypto exchange FTX at an event hosted by the New York Times Dealbook Wednesday. She said: I have been skeptical, and I remain quite skeptical. While emphasizing the importance of ensuring that crypto assets have adequate customer protections, the treasury secretary noted that it is also important to remain open to financial innovations, particularly those that could lower cross-border transaction costs and help improve financial inclusion. Yellen proceeded to comment about the meltdown of FTX, whi...

Tesla CEO and Twitter boss Elon Musk has warned of a severe recession in the U.S. The billionaire stressed that the Federal Reserve needs to cut interest rates “immediately,” emphasizing that the Fed is “massively amplifying the probability of a severe recession.” Elon Musk Warns About Severe Recession Tesla CEO and Twitter chief Elon Musk warned about a severe recession in the U.S. on Wednesday. Replying to Vincent Yu who tweeted that he is “expecting a real economic recession in 2023,” Musk said the trend is concerning, emphasizing that the Federal Reserve “needs to cut interest rates immediately.” The billionaire stressed that the Fed is “massively amplifying the probability of a severe recession.” Sven Henrich, founder and the lead market strategist for Northmantrader, joined the discussion. He replied to Musk and Yu: “Ironically the Fed continues to project positive GDP growth for next year despite all the obvious signs. But they did the same thing in 2008. As always they wi...

India’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), is launching its first retail digital rupee pilot on Dec. 1 with the participation of eight banks. The pilot will start in four cities and then expand to cover nine more cities across India. RBI Picks 8 Banks, 13 Cities to Test Retail Digital Currency The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced Tuesday that “the first pilot for retail digital rupee (e₹-R)” will launch on Dec. 1. This announcement followed the RBI’s wholesale central bank digital currency (CBDC) pilot which began on Nov. 1. Eight banks will participate in the retail digital currency pilot in two phases. State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, Yes Bank, and IDFC First Bank in four cities across India will participate in the first phase. Bank of Baroda, Union Bank of India, HDFC Bank, and Kotak Mahindra Bank will participate in the second phase. The Indian central bank detailed: The pilot would initially cover four cities, viz., Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, and Bhuban...

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has revealed some initiatives involving crypto assets in its Strategic Plan for the fiscal years 2022-2026. The initiatives are intended to address the SEC’s top priorities over the next four years. SEC’s Strategic Plan for FY 2022-26 The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) published its “Strategic Plan” for the fiscal years 2022-2026 last week. The regulator stated that “the initiatives outlined in this Strategic Plan are intended to address its top priorities over the next four years.” One of the goals of the Strategic Plan is to “develop and implement a robust regulatory framework that keeps pace with evolving markets, business models, and technologies.” The securities regulator explained that an initiative aimed at achieving this goal is to “examine strategies to address systemic and infrastructure risks faced by our capital markets and our market participants.” Noting that “the rapid growth in crypto assets” also rep...

Tech giant Apple has threatened to withhold Twitter from its app store, according to Tesla CEO and Twitter chief Elon Musk. The billionaire added: “This is a battle for the future of civilization. If free speech is lost even in America, tyranny is all that lies ahead.” Apple’s Threat to Musk and Twitter The battle for free speech has escalated for Elon Musk and his newly acquired social media company as Apple has threatened to withhold Twitter from its app store, Tesla CEO and Twitter chief Elon Musk revealed Monday, noting that Apple will not say why. In a follow-up tweet, Musk confirmed that Apple is “making moderation demands.” According to reports, Apple was one of Twitter’s top advertisers, spending more than $100 million per year advertising on the social media platform. However, Musk tweeted Monday: Apple has mostly stopped advertising on Twitter. Do they hate free speech in America? Replying to Musk asking who else has been withheld by Apple, blockchain firm LBRY shar...

JPMorgan has outlined key changes it expects in the crypto industry and its regulation following the collapse of crypto exchange FTX. The global investment bank envisages several new regulatory initiatives, including those focusing on custody, customer asset protection, and transparency. JPMorgan Expects Major Changes in Crypto Industry Post FTX Meltdown Global investment bank JPMorgan published a report Thursday outlining major changes it expects to happen in the crypto industry following the collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX. Global strategist Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou explained that “Not only has the collapse of FTX and its sister company Alameda Research created a cascade of crypto entity collapse and suspension of withdrawals,” but it is also “likely to increase investor and regulatory pressure on crypto entities to disclose more information about their balance sheets.” Panigirtzoglou proceeded to list the main changes JPMorgan expects after the FTX meltdown. Firstly, he ...

Mayor of New York City Eric Adams took a supportive, if somewhat veiled, stance on the partial crypto mining ban imposed in the state. A law signed by fellow Democrat and New York Governor Kathy Hochul temporarily limits the minting of digital currencies using fossil fuels. New York Mayor and Bitcoin Supporter Eric Adams to Seek Balance With Environmental Goals Cryptocurrency proponent and New York City Mayor Eric Adams has spoken in a supportive tone about the state’s two-year moratorium on certain crypto mining operations relying on carbon-based energy resources. The partial ban, which will prevent companies involved in proof-of-work (PoW) mining from expanding, renewing, or obtaining new permits, will be enforced with a law signed by Governor Kathy Hochul on Tuesday. Quoted by the New York Daily News, Adams insisted he is still focused on establishing New York as a hub for crypto. At the same time, he emphasized that a balance can be found between this goal and the efforts to r...

Alameda Research reportedly withdrew the most funds from FTX US, the U.S. arm of FTX, days before the crypto exchange filed for bankruptcy. The majority of the withdrawn cryptocurrencies were sent to wallets owned by FTX International, “suggesting that Alameda may have been operating to bridge between the two entities,” crypto intelligence firm Arkham said. Alameda’s Withdrawal Analysis From FTX US exchange Crypto intelligence firm Arkham shared an analysis Friday showing that Alameda Research withdrew the most funds from FTX US, the U.S. arm of FTX, days before the crypto exchange collapsed. Arkham tweeted: Arkham analyzed flows from FTX US in the final few days before the collapse, finding that Alameda withdrew the most funds, at $204M. Arkham added that it has identified eight different addresses where Alameda Research transferred the crypto assets it withdrew. The crypto intelligence firm noted that of the $204 million: $142.4M (69.8% of the total) was sent to wallets ow...

Billionaire Bill Ackman has warned that the crypto industry needs to self-police or it risks being shut down. He added that regulators need more resources to police the bad actors in the crypto space and will likely take years to catch up. Bill Ackman on Crypto Regulation and the Need for Industry to Self-Police Billionaire Bill Ackman shared his thoughts on a variety of crypto-related topics, including crypto regulation, in a series of tweets Saturday. Ackman is the CEO and portfolio manager of Pershing Square Capital Management, a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). His current net worth is about $3.5 billion. Regarding cryptocurrency regulation, he said: “I am not sure we need new rules. Much of the fraud that is taking place is old-fashioned pump and dump schemes, and failures of custodians to protect customer assets.” The executive continued: “I suspect that existing anti-fraud and other laws already govern these violations. ...

According to directives issued by Samuel A. Jinapor, the Ghanaian minister for lands and natural resources, large-scale gold mining companies will be required to “sell 20% of all refined gold at their refineries to the Bank of Ghana.” A gold-for-oil scheme is part of the Ghanaian government’s plan to stop the further dwindling of the country’s foreign exchange reserves. Bank of Ghana to Use Cedi to Pay for Gold Following the revelation that Ghana plans to buy oil products using gold, Samuel A. Jinapor, the country’s minister for lands and natural resources, announced on Nov. 25 that starting in 2023, large-scale mining companies “shall sell twenty per cent (20%) of all refined gold at their refineries to the Bank of Ghana.” Payments for the gold will be made using the local currency — the cedi — and will be “at spot price with no discounts.” According to a Facebook post shared by Ghanaian vice president Mahamudu Bawumia, the Bank of Ghana (BOG) and the Precious Minerals Marketing ...

Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ether cannot be classified as securities or investment instruments, according to a communication issued by the financial watchdog in Belgium. The authority has tried to clarify the matter, noting that the digital coins may be subject to other regulations. FSMA: Securities Laws Do Not Apply to Bitcoin and Other Decentralized Cryptocurrencies In response to multiple requests for clarification from citizens and businesses, Belgium’s Financial Services and Markets Authority ( FSMA ) has explained why it believes bitcoin, ether and other similar cryptocurrencies cannot be considered securities or investment instruments. According to its position published on Thursday, the country’s securities laws do not apply to such digital assets, which have no issuer and are created by a computer code as opposed to the execution of an agreement between an issuer and an investor. However, the regulatory body pointed out that if these crypto assets have a payment or...

Tesla CEO and Twitter boss Elon Musk says he will make an alternative phone if Apple and Google boot Twitter from their app stores. Many people want him to go ahead with a phone launch even if Apple and Google do not deplatform Twitter. Elon Musk Could Launch Alternative Phone to Compete With Apple and Google Elon Musk revealed Friday the possibility of him launching his own smartphone, which would compete with iPhone and Android, should Apple and Google deplatform his newly acquired social media company. Twitter user Liz Wheeler suggested that Musk should produce his own smartphone if Apple and Google boot Twitter from their app stores, adding that “Half the country would happily ditch the biased, snooping iPhone & Android.” Musk replied: “I certainly hope it does not come to that, but, yes, if there is no other choice, I will make an alternative phone.” Musk’s plans for Twitter as a free speech platform could put the social media company in conflict with Apple and Google a...

The famous author of the best-selling book Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki, is still bullish on bitcoin despite the collapse of crypto exchange FTX. He stressed that the cryptocurrency cannot be blamed for the actions of former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried. Robert Kiyosaki Still Bullish on Bitcoin The author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki, discussed the FTX collapse and bitcoin with guest Mark Moss on the Rich Dad Radio Show which aired earlier this week. Rich Dad Poor Dad is a 1997 book co-authored by Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter. It has been on the New York Times Best Seller List for over six years. More than 32 million copies of the book have been sold in over 51 languages across more than 109 countries. Moss is a radio host and the author of “Uncommunist Manifesto.” After listening to Moss outlining the problems at FTX and numerous fraudulent actions allegedly conducted by its former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), Kiyosaki emphasized: I’m still bullish on bitcoin … Bitco...

On Saturday, members of the forum r/cryptocurrency discussed how the current bear market is now the second-longest bear market in the history of bitcoin prices. According to the forum post, the current crypto winter has lasted more than 380 days, just below the longest bitcoin downturn that took place during the 2013-2015 bear market, which lasted 415 days in length. ‘Surviving a Bear Is a Rite of Passage’ — Redditors Discuss Surviving the Second-Longest Bitcoin Bear Run During the last few months people have been curious about how long the crypto winter will last and on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022, the Redditor u/partymsl published a forum post on r/cryptocurrency declaring the current downturn as “the second-longest bear market ever for crypto.” The post’s author notes that this crypto bear market is “likely to be the longest” and stressed that “surviving this [bear market] is no joke.” Moreover, u/partymsl also summarized how the author defines a bear market, and explained that it’...

Despite the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s Feb. 5, 2021 directive that instructed banks to block crypto entities from the financial system, the demand and use of cryptocurrencies have continued to grow. Not even the central bank’s subsequent crackdown on crypto entities it accused of defying the directive has succeeded in suffocating demand for cryptocurrencies. Africans Need ‘Access to the World of Cryptocurrency’ In contrast, Nigerians appear to have shunned the CBN’s digital currency — the e-naira. Despite the central bank’s attempts to present the e-naira as an alternative to cryptocurrencies, local residents seemingly still prefer the latter. According to Benjamin Eseoghene, the founder and CEO of a local crypto exchange, the residents’ reluctance to use the e-naira could be tied to the CBN’s failure to fully sensitize the masses about it. Eseoghene, whose company Roqqu.com recently received approval to operate in Europe, told Bitcoin.com News that Nigerian residents prefer...

The Bank of Japan is preparing to run a test trial of its own central bank digital currency (CBDC), the digital yen, with help from three top banks and regional institutions. The pilot program, estimated to last two years, will focus on testing the currency via several transactions, and experimenting with its functionality in environments without internet connections. Bank of Japan to Trial Digital Yen CBDC The Bank of Japan is planning to test the functionality of a version of its CBDC, the digital yen, in partnership with three top banks and several regional institutions, according to Nikkei . The results obtained from the pilot program, reportedly set to run for two years, will be key in the decision of the government to actually develop a digital yen. The pilot program will include different tests for the currency to determine its behavior when doing everyday transactions, such as deposits and withdrawals. Also, the bank will be testing its functionality in emergencies, where i...

EY’s global blockchain leader says that for the first time ever, crypto’s price swings do not have that big of an impact on the long-term growth of the industry. Nonetheless, he stressed: “It is also important that regulators crack down on obvious Ponzi schemes faster and with more severity.” EY’s Brody on Crypto Winter Paul Brody, global blockchain leader at EY, discussed the crypto winter, the need for regulation, and the collapse of crypto exchange FTX in an interview published by the Mint publication Thursday. He was asked whether he expects the current crypto winter to be over soon. “This is a much milder crypto winter than the last one,” he replied. “One of the major features of this winter is that there is a decoupling going on between the price of crypto assets and product and engineering development work that is going on in the crypto industry.” The EY executive opined: For the first time ever, price ups and downs don’t have that big of an impact on the long-term growth ...

Starling Bank has informed its customers that the bank no longer supports fund transfers to cryptocurrency platforms, including crypto exchanges. The bank stated that cryptocurrencies “are high risk and heavily used for criminal purposes and, as such, we no longer support them.” Starling Bank Blocks Fund Transfers to Crypto Exchanges London-headquartered Starling Bank recently notified its customers that the bank no longer supports money transfers to cryptocurrency platforms, including crypto exchanges. A number of people asked the bank for clarification on Twitter. Starling Bank provided the same response to all customers over the past couple of days, stating that crypto activity is considered high risk and it has decided to prevent all card payments to crypto merchants. The bank added that it is implementing further restrictions on outgoing and incoming transfers. Many people are unhappy with the bank’s decision. Some even said they’ve closed their accounts at the bank due to t...

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the regulator overseeing the crypto sector, has defended the action it took against crypto exchange Binance and not the collapsed crypto platform FTX. The central bank also warned that cryptocurrencies are “highly volatile and many of them have lost all value.” Singapore’s Central Bank Clarifies Its Stance on Binance and FTX The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the country’s central bank, issued a press release this week “to address some questions and misconceptions that have arisen in the wake of the FTX.com (FTX) debacle.” The central bank explained: “A first misconception is that it was possible to protect local users who dealt with FTX … MAS cannot do this as FTX is not licensed by MAS and operates offshore.” The MAS proceeded to justify the action it took against Binance and not FTX. The former was placed on the central bank’s Investor Alert List (IAL) while the latter was not. The regulator clarified: While both Binance and ...