Author: Redaktion cvj.ch

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…

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 acquisition and custody of crypto assets such as Bitcoin is complex. If digital assets are to be integrated into a regulated exchange-traded product such as an “Exchange Traded Fund” (ETF), this complexity multiplies, in particular with regard to regulatory requirements. For years, established financial institutions have been trying to launch a Bitcoin ETF on the U.S. stock exchange, thereby allowing institutional investors easy…

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. Institutional interest in crypto assets is on the rise. This trend is highlighted by Morgan Stanley, one of the world’s largest investment banks. They announced that they will offer their clients access to Bitcoin through three funds. The service is limited to wealthy clients for the time being. The financial institution considers the digital asset suitable for investors with an “aggressive risk tolerance.” Investments…

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. Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) are coming. The European Central Bank (ECB) is working intensively on a digital euro, and the Chinese central bank has already put digital yuan into circulation. CBDCs open up new fiscal policy opportunities for central banks. In addition they enable the precise measurement and tracking of money flows. However, it is precisely in this area where concerns are mounting…

Bitcoin USD daily basis Bitcoin USD Chart Analysis – Breaking the downward consolidation phase At the beginning of the reporting week, the market was looking for clues of sustainability of the fast-moving breakout from Friday of the previous week. We recall: the Twitter mention by Elon Musk led to a daily excursion above $38’000 USD and briefly above the forming descending trend line since the beginning of the consolidation. However, a considerable part of these daily gains were given back and since then, the Bitcoin price has been hovering around the $33’000 zone. On Monday, the price continued to trade…

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 ratification of the new Swiss blockchain legislation is in full swing. Last year, the bill was approved by the Federal Assembly without a dissenting vote, and was expected to come into force in mid-2021. However, according to a decision by the Federal Council, the first part of the legislation is already effective as of this Monday. This will allow, among other things, companies…

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. In December, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin proposed new KYC (Know Your Customer) regulations for the crypto industry. These regulations would go far beyond the existing ones and would require exchanges and other service providers to forward a significant amount of user data to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The new regulations would also have affected self-managed wallets. The proposal made waves, with…

Bitcoin USD daily basis Bitcoin USD Chart Analysis – Continued Consolidation with Lower Highs At the beginning of the week we saw a continuation of the consolidation phase, which started when the all-time high was reached on January 8. In the process, the USD 35’000 mark served alternately as a support and resistance zone. Thus, Bitcoin traded above this zone on Monday, as well as on Tuesday with daily trading ranges between 6-8%. On Wednesday, another test of the aforementioned support followed, which led the price to USD 33’430 at the daily low. However, the daily close took place at…