NewsBriefs - Ant Group boosts blockchain subsidiary capital amid China's crypto restrictions

Jul 1, 6:41 AM The Block

Ant Group boosts blockchain subsidiary capital amid China's crypto restrictions

Ant Digital Technologies, the blockchain division of Alibaba's Ant Group, has significantly increased the registered capital of its subsidiaries, Ant Blockchain Technology (Shanghai) and Ant Chain (Shanghai) Digital Technology. The strategic capital injections rise to 1.5 billion yuan and 2.1 billion yuan respectively, reinforcing Ant Group's commitment to advancing blockchain technology within the regulatory framework of China, which supports blockchain innovation despite a ban on cryptocurrency transactions. This development underscores a growing trend among Chinese tech giants to focus on blockchain technologies.

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• Nov 18, 2:00 PM Coindesk

  Lido co-founders to challenge Sam Altman's World Network with new crypto identity platform Y

  Lido co-founders are set to launch a new crypto identity platform named Y to compete directly with Sam Altman's World Network. Unlike World, which utilizes biometric iris scans, Y will rely on user's online activity traces for authentication, offering a privacy-focused alternative. This new platform is highlighted in an internal document from Cyber Fund, aiming to use World Network's privacy issues and user recruitment controversies as leverage in gaining users. Y also plans to integrate the Ethereum Attestation Service for a secure verification process.

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• Nov 18, 1:29 PM The Block

  Ethereum-compatible Layer 1 Monad begins rolling out testnet

  Monad has started the phased rollout of its testnet, following the launch of Monad’s devnet that achieved 10,000 transactions per second. Designed with a revamped EVM architecture for improved transaction throughput, Monad offers up to 10,000 TPS and instant block finality. The network supports easy migration for Ethereum developers and utilizes a network token for transaction and execution costs. Monad Labs recently secured a $225 million funding, affirming strong investor support.

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• Nov 18, 1:18 PM The Block

  MARA to sell $700 million in convertible notes for Bitcoin acquisition and debt management

  MARA Holdings plans to issue $700 million in convertible senior notes to institutional buyers, maturing in 2030. The proceeds will be used to repurchase existing notes due 2026 and to purchase additional Bitcoin for various corporate needs, including potential strategic acquisitions and debt repayment.

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• Nov 18, 3:50 PM ACCESSWIRE

  Cosmos Health adopts Bitcoin and Ethereum as treasury reserve assets

  Cosmos Health Inc. has incorporated Bitcoin and Ethereum into its treasury reserve assets, expanding its investment strategy to include crypto. This decision aligns with the company's aim to diversify its balance sheet and capitalize on the growing global adoption of cryptocurrencies. Additionally, Cosmos Health is preparing to accept crypto payments, enhancing its customer service flexibility and maintaining its commitment to innovative investment approaches.

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• Nov 18, 6:28 AM Coindesk

  Metaplanet announces ¥1.75B bond sale to purchase more Bitcoin

  Tokyo-listed Metaplanet plans to issue one-year bonds valued at 1.75 billion yen ($11.3 million) to finance the purchase of additional bitcoin. The company aims to increase its bitcoin holdings, which currently stand at 1,018 BTC, as a hedge against local economic instability. Since April, Metaplanet has been actively buying bitcoin and employing options strategies to enhance its investments.

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• Nov 15, 2:30 PM Globe Newswire

  Nasdaq-listed Thumzup Media adopts Bitcoin as treasury reserve asset

  Thumzup Media Corporation, listed as TZUP on Nasdaq, has authorized the acquisition of up to $1 million in Bitcoin for its treasury reserves. This decision reflects the company's recognition of Bitcoin as a stable reserve asset, bolstered by the growing institutional support and its qualities of limited supply and resistance to inflation.

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• Nov 15, 9:11 AM Cointelegraph

  Korea's financial watchdog detects up to 600K KYC violations at Upbit during license renewal

  South Korea's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has identified between 500,000 and 600,000 potential Know Your Customer (KYC) violations at the cryptocurrency exchange Upbit. During its license renewal process, the FIU discovered that Upbit may have allowed the use of blurred IDs for customer verification, compromising the rigorous KYC standards required for crypto exchanges in South Korea. The breach could lead to substantial fines and affect Upbit's business license renewal.

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• Nov 14, 2:52 PM The Block

  Royal Government of Bhutan transfers 365 BTC to Binance amid BTC price rally

  The Royal Government of Bhutan has transferred approximately 365 BTC, valued at $33.3 million, to a Binance deposit address as Bitcoin reaches new highs over $90,000. This movement follows a previous transfer of 929 BTC to Binance in October. Despite these transactions, Bhutan maintains a balance of over 12,206 BTC, positioning it as the fifth-largest nation-state holder of Bitcoin worldwide. Bhutan uses its hydroelectric resources to mine bitcoin, boosting its reserves while being eco-friendly.

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• Nov 14, 1:58 PM The Block

  Coinbase climbs US Apple App Store rankings, secures top spot in finance category

  Coinbase significantly improved its position in the US Apple App Store, entering the top 10 following a rise in Bitcoin prices driven by pro-crypto policies from newly elected President Donald Trump. The app ranked 8th overall and first in the finance category, demonstrating a strong correlation between its app store ranking and Bitcoin market performance, which soared to new highs exceeding $93,000.

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• Nov 14, 6:20 AM Crypto.com

  Crypto.com acquires Australian brokerage Fintek Securities to expand financial product offerings

  Crypto.com has acquired Fintek Securities Pty Ltd., an Australian brokerage with a Financial Services License, allowing it to expand its offerings to include derivatives, securities, and other financial products. This acquisition, regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, marks Crypto.com's continued expansion into traditional brokerage capabilities, following a previous acquisition of Watchdog Capital, LLC. CEO Kris Marszalek highlighted this step as part of Crypto.com's strategy to provide a comprehensive set of financial services to its users.

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• Nov 14, 4:15 AM Cointelegraph

  Phantom releases emergency update for iOS app after wallet resets impact users

  Phantom, a provider of a Solana-based DeFi wallet, issued an emergency iOS update after users reported app resets that locked them out of their wallets, requiring recovery phrases to regain access. The company advised users to securely store their seed phrases and pushed a new update to prevent further issues. Responses on social media suggest some users experienced significant losses and were logged out or had their balances deleted following the update. Phantom, being a non-custodial wallet, offers limited recovery options for those who lost their seed phrases.

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• Nov 13, 5:40 PM Cointelegraph

  Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht expresses hope for sentence commutation from Trump

  Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, currently serving a life sentence, expressed hope via social media that President-elect Donald Trump would commute his sentence. Ulbricht was convicted in 2015 for multiple charges including money laundering and narcotics trafficking. Despite prior advocacy and Trump's promises during his campaign, there is skepticism among some in the crypto community regarding Trump's commitment to fulfilling this promise.

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• Nov 13, 11:01 AM The Block

  Linea announces LINEA token launch for Q1 2025 and new governance association

  Linea, incubated by Consensys, is set to decentralize further by establishing the Linea Association in Switzerland to govern its Layer 2 Ethereum network. The Association plans to launch the LINEA token by Q1 2025, advancing Linea's zkEVM mainnet development and decentralization via tokenholder governance. It aims to enable more autonomous community and developer involvement in the protocol's future, with tokens distributed to ecosystem contributors.

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• Nov 13, 3:30 AM Bitcoinist

  Federal judge denies former Celsius CEO's dismissal request in fraud case

  Former Celsius Network CEO Alex Mashinsky faces ongoing legal challenges as a US federal court has denied his motion to dismiss charges of crypto price manipulation and fraud. This ruling by Judge John Koeltl ensures that Mashinsky will contend with all seven charges against him related to his leadership at the defunct crypto platform. The judge dismissed the arguments that the same conduct should not lead to multiple charges under different acts, reinforcing the seriousness of the allegations.

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• Nov 12, 9:55 PM Cointelegraph

  Italy's government proposes reducing planned crypto tax increase to 28%

  Italy's government has revised its plan, proposing to increase the capital gains tax on crypto from 26% to 28%, rather than the previously considered 42%. Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti supported this new proposal, which is still under review by Italian lawmakers.

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