About Author:
Ashwath Balakrishnan
Ashwath is a financial market and technology junkie. He is a cryptocurrency investor, trader, and enthusiast. He has expertise in market psychology and explaining complex technology in a simple way. He aims to battle misinformation in the cryptocurrency space.
Blockchain analytics firm Elementus has raised funding from several funds, including one linked to Fidelity Investments and Morgan Creek Digital. The firm aims to broaden analytics in the space by monitoring the use of cryptocurrency for illicit activities, similar to what Chainalysis does, as reported by Fortune, September 23, 2019. Tracking...
Stephen Schwarzman, CEO of investment firm Blackstone, has offered his thoughts on the euphoria regarding blockchain and bitcoin. Schwarzman labeled bitcoin an 'odd' investment but admitted that the notion of a blockchain is quite interesting and sound, as reported by Forbes, September 22, 2019. Another Banking Veteran Against Bitcoin It comes...
The much-awaited launch of Bakkt was successfully completed, with contracts for institutional participants available for trade over the platform. A Bloomberg report highlighted the different types of contracts to be launched and what's next on Bakkt's agenda, September 23, 2019. The Road to Physical Settlement Bakkt's journey so far has by...
Blockchains are now enabling customers to avail privacy-enhanced service offerings, starting with Nebula Genomics' Anonymous Sequencing. As per a blog post, customers can submit their genome sample without any other personal information, September 19, 2019. Payments for the service are also excited using a pre-paid debit card or cryptocurrency. Harmony...
Overseas Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC) has joined JP Morgan's Interbank Information Network (IIN) as the first Singaporean bank in the consortium. Business Times reported that OCBC joins a long list of 112 APAC banks that have joined this network, September 20, 2019. Singapore in on JPM Blockchain Service Close to...
Ex-Overstock CEO, Patrick Byrne, has liquidated his $90 million stake in the company in order to fund investments in bullion and cryptocurrency. According to Bloomberg, Byrne did this to "battle the deep state" that he reportedly helped in an investigation against a Russian activist who is currently in prison for...
Hash power on the Bitcoin network has been soaring since May of this year. In the last month alone, Bitcoin has gone from a hash rate of 63.79 million EH/s to 102.85 EH/s. This massive increase directly signals major interest in mining as the block reward halving approaches with less...
As part of the Emirates Blockchain Strategy 2021, the UAE has announced a blockchain-based database for information assessment of medical professionals, including doctors, pharmacists, and technicians. Arabian Gazette reports that this is to help create a database of all the medical professionals in the country to aid the government with maintaining...
Facebook has endured several setbacks in launching Libra as governments are finding it difficult to allow it to run without robust AML practices. Reuters revealed that Facebook has multiple meetings with the finance ministry and various regulators in the U.K (FCA, BoE), September 18, 2019. Facebook's Pre Launch Discussions Before Libra was...
Crypto exchange Titan, Binance, and Jihan Wu's Matrixport have joined in on a $200 million Series B round for Mars Finance: a Chinese media firm that aims to bring more clarity and information to the space. According to Bloomberg, Mars Finance has rapidly grown in China and expanded its influence,...
