Author: Redaktion cvj.ch

The Crypto Valley is known to be one of the most “crypto-friendly” regions in the world. But what specifically is happening within the Blockchain ecosystem? The “Crypto Valley Roundup” aims to provide insight and highlights from selected events every two months. With the first Blockchain companies settling in the area of Zug from 2013 onwards, the term “Crypto Valley” was soon born in reference to the “Silicon Valley”. Thanks to politics and regulation, Switzerland was able to create the necessary legal certainty for a flourishing ecosystem around Blockchain and cryptocurrencies at an early stage. The regulator, which provides the necessary…

What has been happening around Blockchain Technology and Cryptocurrencies this week? The most relevant local and international developments as well as appealing background reports in a pointed and compact way in retrospect in our weekly review. Our payment systems are becoming increasingly digitized. Many of these settlements are being handled by private fintech companies, but also increasingly on public blockchains. Central banks around the globe are now working on pilot projects to introduce central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). CBDCs empower monetary authorities with new capabilities in fiscal policy as well as in the monitoring of money flows. In particular, China’s…

What has been happening around Blockchain Technology and Cryptocurrencies this week? The most relevant local and international developments as well as appealing background reports in a pointed and compact way in retrospect in our weekly review. Over the past two weeks, the crypto markets have been hit by an impressive sell-off wave. Within a few days, most cryptocurrencies plummeted more than 50%. Prices have since recovered a bit, however, crypto assets are still well off their highs. Although increased volatility has historically always accompanied these markets, it particularly catched investors who use leverage on the wrong foot. The depth of…

Since last week, a huge sell-off has caused cryptocurrencies to suffer massive price losses. What were the reasons and what are the prospects for the future? A summary of what happened, and an outlook on the status of digital assets. Within two weeks, the price of Bitcoin (BTC) plummeted by 50% – from just under USD 60,000 USD to below 30,000 USD at its lowest point. Ethereum (ETH) and other altcoins were hit even harder. The second largest cryptocurrency plummeted from 4,300 USD to 1,800 USD in the same period, a correction of 60%. Prices have since recovered a bit,…

What has been happening around Blockchain Technology and Cryptocurrencies this week? The most relevant local and international developments as well as appealing background reports in a pointed and compact way in retrospect in our weekly review. Last week, carmaker Tesla announced that it would no longer accept Bitcoin as a means of payment due to climate concerns. Accordingly, the cryptocurrency’s energy consumption became more of an issue and was partly responsible for this week’s sell-off. Galaxy Digital, one of the leading digital asset managers, published a report on the topic. The authors calculated the actual energy consumption of the network…

Wells Fargo & Co. plans to evaluate and offer an actively managed cryptocurrency strategy with its investment institution for qualified clients. Other investment products could be added in the near future. The trend of institutional adoption seems to be continuing. In a report titled “The Investment Rationale for Cryptocurrencies” the Wells Fargo Investment Institute (WFII) announced that it views digital assets as an alternative investment for qualified investors, and plans to provide them access through a professionally managed fund. “Cryptocurrencies have gained stability and viability as assets, but the risks lead us to favor investment exposure only for qualified investors,…

What has been happening around Blockchain Technology and Cryptocurrencies this week? The most relevant local and international developments as well as appealing background reports in a pointed and compact way in retrospect in our weekly review. After a long period of restraint, banks are starting to expand their services to cryptocurrencies due to strong customer demand. This trend can be observed particularly in the United States. However, in the “crypto nation” Switzerland, the big banks have been slow to act. The largest Swiss bank, UBS, has been negative about Bitcoin & Co. without exception in the past. Criticism was primarily…

What has been happening around Blockchain Technology and Cryptocurrencies this week? The most relevant local and international developments as well as appealing background reports in a pointed and compact way in retrospect in our weekly review. For many years, US banks were reluctant to engage with cryptocurrencies. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon repeatedly called Bitcoin a “scam” and Goldman Sachs saw it as “not an investable asset class.” However, after the sharp price increases recorded in the past, the pressure from customers became too strong and the first services were launched. According to crypto custodian NYDIG, “hundreds more” U.S. banks will…

What has been happening around Blockchain Technology and Cryptocurrencies this week? The most relevant local and international developments as well as appealing background reports in a pointed and compact way in retrospect in our weekly review. The invention of the blockchain technology has revolutionized how value is transferred over the Internet. Henceforth, intermediaries are no longer necessary to transfer values from A to B. The aging international payment infrastructure with its various layers being involved can particularly benefit from the blockchain. Accordingly, more and more financial institutions are banking on the efficiency benefits of the new technology. The latest example…

The European Investment Bank (EIB), the financing arm of the European Union (EU), has announced a two-year digital bond on the Ethereum blockchain. The project is for €100 million and shows increasing institutional adoption of the second largest crypto asset. Ethereum is the second largest blockchain network after Bitcoin. However, unlike “digital gold,” it is a so-called smart contract platform that allows for decentralized execution of applications. According to Bloomberg, the European Investment Bank (EIB) now plans to offer €100 million in two-year bonds in an inaugural sale. The EIB’s digital bonds will reportedly be registered on the public Ethereum…

What has been happening around Blockchain Technology and Cryptocurrencies this week? The most relevant local and international developments as well as appealing background reports in a pointed and compact way in retrospect in our weekly review. Increased access to cryptocurrencies is ongoing as existing payment providers and fintech companies enter the market. The latest example is the US payment service Venmo. The PayPal subsidiary, which counts 70 million customers, is now embedding cryptocurrency trading and transfers into its existing services offering. Users can start their crypto journey from as little as one US dollar. In doing so, they will be…

What has been happening around Blockchain Technology and Cryptocurrencies this week? The most relevant local and international developments as well as appealing background reports in a pointed and compact way in retrospect in our weekly review. The foundation for success of a technology is an underlying legal environment. As blockchain technology, including cryptocurrencies based on it, continues to mature, regulators have reacted accordingly. Until now, the regulatory authorities in the United States have been acting cautiously. This is also due to the fact that various national and state authorities treat crypto assets differently. Hester Peirce, Commissioner of the Securities and…

Oracles bring off-chain data onto the blockchain for various applications and smart contracts to access. Oracles connect blockchains to the real world, the Internet, and each other.

What has been happening around Blockchain Technology and Cryptocurrencies this week? The most relevant local and international developments as well as appealing background reports in a pointed and compact way in retrospect in our weekly review. Since the emergence of Bitcoin, bridging the gap between both fiat and cryptocurrencies has been a challenge. In the early days, this function was handled mainly by crypto exchanges. On these marketplaces, it was possible to trade Bitcoin against USD or other currencies. However, many of the original exchanges have since failed due to regulation or hacking attacks. Coinbase, one of the first crypto…

The Crypto Valley is known to be one of the most “crypto-friendly” regions in the world. But what specifically is happening within the Blockchain ecosystem? The “Crypto Valley Roundup” aims to provide insight and highlights from selected events every two months. With the first Blockchain companies settling in the area of Zug from 2013 onwards, the term “Crypto Valley” was soon born in reference to the “Silicon Valley”. Thanks to politics and regulation, Switzerland was able to create the necessary legal certainty for a flourishing ecosystem around Blockchain and cryptocurrencies at an early stage. The regulator, which provides the necessary…

What has been happening around Blockchain Technology and Cryptocurrencies this week? The most relevant local and international developments as well as appealing background reports in a pointed and compact way in retrospect in our weekly review. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are undoubtedly entering into mainstream and numerous myths continue to surround the digital assets. Some are particularly persistent and are based on a flawed set of facts. Sometimes it also helps to put things into perspective. From Ponzi schemes over money laundering to power consumption: The most important myths and facts about the largest cryptocurrency. Credit card giant Visa has been…