R2 money

Nishad Singh has reportedly agreed to plead guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on FTX customers, and one count of conspiracy to commit commodities fraud. Nishad Singh, former director of engineering at FTX, is expected to plead guilty to fraud charges brought by U.S. prosecutors who are investigating the now bankrupt FTX cryptocurrency exchange, Reuters reported on Feb 28. During the hearing in a Manhattan federal court, Singh's lawyer announced that his client had agreed to plead guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on FTX customers, and one count of conspiracy to commit commodities fraud.  Nishad Singh, the former director of engineering at now-bankrupt crypto exchange FTX, has agreed to plead guilty to U.S. criminal charges, his lawyer said in court, as U.S. prosecutors ramp up their probe into members of Sam Bankman-Fried's inner circle https://t.co/KinlD4h4Zj pic.twitter.com/8UFe...

The exchange has related frozen assets and will allocate over 3 million USDT for an airdrop to eligible users who suffered losses. According to a press release published by cryptocurrency exchange OKX on Feb. 28, the firm said that it seized 2,014,381 Tether (USDT) from five accounts suspected of partaking in "malicious market manipulation," of the Celestial (CELT) token. As told by OKX, on Feb. 26, Celestial developers announced the creation of a new blockchain game. Shortly afterwards, the Celestial developers allegedly launched a social media campaign promoting the new game using OKX's branding, which the firm says was unauthorized. As a partial result of the activities, the CELT token nearly doubled in value within two days' time before falling over 50% in the past 24 hours to $0.002129 at the time of publication.  In response to user allegations of insider trading, OKX explained that the exchange, through its subsidiary OKX Ventures, invested $100,000 into th...

The firm said it received an investigative subpoena in December regarding its crypto listings, crypto custody and platform operations. Robinhood Markets has revealed thait had received an investigative subpoena from the United States Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) over its digital asset business' crypto listings, custody and platform operations. In a 10-K filing, the brokerage said it received the investigative  subpoena in December shortly after crypto exchange FTX filed for bankruptcy in November, and after "several other major cryptocurrency trading venues and lending platforms earlier in 2022," including Three Arrows Capital, Voyager Digital Holdings and Celsius Network. The investigative subpoena was in relation to its cryptocurrency listings and custody services, which they said came in response to the crypto bankruptcies last year: "In December 2022, following the 2022 Crypto Bankruptcies, we received an investigative subpoena from the SEC regardin...

United States Representative Tom Emmer introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that could prevent the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency. Last week was relatively calm regarding enforcement news but brought some peculiar local developments in regulation. United States Representative Tom Emmer introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that could prevent the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency (CBDC). According to the Minnesota lawmaker, the bill could prohibit the Fed from issuing a digital dollar “directly to anyone,” bar the central bank from implementing monetary policy based on a CBDC, and require transparency for projects related to a digital dollar. The Canadian Securities Administrators published a notice describing new commitments it expects from crypto asset trading platforms seeking registration in Canada. The new commitments touch on issues that include segregation of assets, leverag...

Bitcoin and U.S. equities markets are attempting to recover, but selling at overhead resistance could continue to weigh on the bullish momentum. Bitcoin ( BTC ) and the United States equities markets are trying to start the week on a positive note but some analysts are skeptical about the short-term prospects of the markets. According to Bloomberg Intelligence senior macro strategist Mike McGlone,  Bitcoin will face significant resistance at $25,000 . McGlone believes that it “may be a while before buy-and-hold types gain the upper hand.” It also looks like Bitcoin whales, unique entities owning 1,000 Bitcoin or more, are also not convinced of the recovery in the crypto markets. According to Glassnode, Bitcoin whale numbers have fallen to 1,663 , which is well below the peak of 2,161 hit in February 2021. Daily cryptocurrency market performance. Source: Coin360 It is difficult to catch the bottom in any market. Hence, traders should try to build a portfolio when they believ...

The partnership will grant the 200,000+ users across Phaver and other Lens-based Web3 apps access to daily Cointelegraph content. Cointelegraph is proud to announce its partnership with Phaver, a mobile Web3 social application with over 140,000 monthly users. The partnership will provide daily Cointelegraph content to Phaver users and others across applications built on the Lens protocol. Cointelegraph, the world’s largest crypto media platform, is a strong believer in the emergence of Web3 social media applications.  The partnership with Cointelegraph is a major milestone for Phaver and the Lens Protocol, both of which have been on a mission to develop and grow Web3 alternatives to current social media platforms. It’s also a significant step for Cointelegraph, which believes in pioneering Web3 social media services. Phaver CEO Joonatan Lintala said: “Cointelegraph articles have already been shared tens of thousands of times by our users on Phaver, so we are really excited to h...

Texas claims that Binance.US's terms of service and restructuring plan contain inadequate disclosures, and discriminate against Texas creditors. Texas' State Securities Board and the Department of Banking are objecting to a proposed deal between Binance.US and bankrupted crypto lender Voyager Digital, shows  a court filing from Feb. 24.  According to the document, Binance.US's terms of service and restructuring plan contain a number of "inadequate" disclosures, including not informing unsecured creditors adequately that under the plan they may only get 24%-26% recovery, rather than the 51% they would receive under Chapter 7. Binance.US disclosed in December an agreement to buy Voyage's assets for $1.022 billion. The filing also notes the company's disclosure statement fails to inform that account holders are required to allow the transfer of "personally sensitive information to any party in any part of the world as required by Binance.US, and the...

Colombia has positioned itself at the forefront of innovative ways to conduct legal proceedings after recently hosting a trial in the metaverse. A Colombian court recently hosted its first legal trial in the Metaverse, with the court magistrate saying it felt “more real than a video call,” according to a recent report. According to a Reuters report published on Feb. 24, Colombia’s Magdalena Administrative Court held a court case in the Metaverse on Feb. 15, involving participants in a traffic dispute. The case, which went on for two-hours, was brought by a regional transport union against the police, which will progress “partly” in the metaverse, with a potential for the verdict to also be given in the metaverse. The participants appeared as avatars in a virtual courtroom, with Magistrate Maria Quinones Triana dressed in black legal robes. It was noted that Columbia is one of the first countries in the world to test legal proceedings in the metaverse, with Quinones telling Reute...

Pfizer is now the first big pharma to participate in a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). Having emerged as a movement in the research community, Decentralized Science (DeSci) initiatives are progressing at a pace even big pharma cannot ignore. In fact, Pfizer is now the first pharmaceutical to vote on decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) proposals of German blockchain-based organization VitaDAO. The collaboration is part of VitaDAO's latest fundraising disclosed in late January from strategic members, including Pfizer Ventures, Shine Capital and L1 Digital, among other longevity enthusiasts. The $4.1 million raised will be used to fund longevity research projects and accelerate the spinout of VitaDAO's first biotech startups, with two more in development for 2023. "Pfizer is now bringing some of their own scientists to join with the community of researchers who are part of VitaDAO to help incubate some of this research," told Cointelegraph Alex ...

Reviewing Bitcoin data from the 2019 bull market offers valuable insights on BTC’s current support levels and upside price targets. Bitcoin’s ( BTC ) recent price rally from $16,500 to $25,000 can be attributed to a short squeeze in the futures market and recent macroeconomic improvements . However, while prices increased, data suggests that many interested buyers (including whales) were left on the sidelines.  The recent rally to $25,000 shared many similarities with the 2019 bear market rally, which saw a 330% surge in Bitcoin’s price to highs around $14,000 from the November 2019 low at $3,250. Recently, the BTC/USD pair rose 60% from its November 2022 low. On-chain and market indicators relative to the 2019 rally are sending mixed signals on whether or not Bitcoin's rally will continue. Nevertheless, there are strong reasons to believe that the market has reached a crucial turning point where it can either turn into a full-fledged bull market or slump back into a long-term ...

The IMF mission spent three months studying conditions in the country, which is preparing to produce a feasibility report. The Central Bank of Jordan is closer to its next step toward a retail central bank digital currency (rCBDC) with the completion of an International Monetary Fund technical report on the country’s markets. The IMF conducted a three-month mission last year to assist the bank with preparations for a CBDC feasibility report. The IMF released its report on Feb. 23. Working between July and September 2022, the IMF gave the country’s existing retail payment market a largely positive review, calling it well integrated. Two non-bank payment service providers (PSPs) have “generally accessible and appropriate product” and the country has high smartphone penetration, the report noted. Nonetheless, an rCBDC would enhance financial inclusion by providing services to residents without smartphones. An rCBDC could also improve the domestic payment system by making its infrastr...

At the European Blockchain Convention, Circularr won the award for blockchain startup of the year. Recycling with blockchain was the pitch. 'Recycle to Earn' was the motto presented by Eric Vogel earlier this month while pitching his startup at the European Blockchain Convention, decades after he started recycling plastics and cans from his grandmother's house to earn extra money for a Game Boy.  Vogel's love for video games and increasing interest in the impact of recycling in the world are behind his inspiration for Circularr, a London-based company seeking to connect recyclers, manufacturers, and brands throughout a decentralized recycling ecosystem. Proper recycling is a growing challenge. According to the Plastic Waste Makers Index, recycling across the world is not expanding fast enough to keep up with plastic waste, resulting in greater chances of being disposed of on oceans, beaches and rivers than going to recycling plants. In 2021, over 139 million metric...

The Atlanta, Georgia-based bank joined the Federal Reserve System in 1947 and is classified as a minority-owned depository institution. Citizens Trust Bank, a financial institution regulated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), has partnered with Circle Internet Financial to hold some of its reserves in USD Coin ( USDC ) — a move the companies said would promote financial inclusion and digital literacy in the greater Atlanta area.  On Feb. 24, Circle announced the Atlanta-based Citizens Trust Bank would hold $65 million in USDC reserves as part of a broader collaboration between the two companies. The bank’s USDC reserves will provide small businesses with access to capital and be used for other financial inclusion initiatives. Citizens Trust president and CEO Cynthia N. Day said holding USDC would also improve the bank’s balance sheet. Citizens Trust Bank is classified as a minority-owned depository institution (MDI) by the FDIC, meaning that a majority of its ...

$1.9 billion in BTC options are set to expire on Feb. 24, and bulls are well positioned to profit despite the Federal Reserve's intention to cool off the U.S. economy. Bitcoin's ( BTC ) 16% price gain between Feb. 13 and Feb. 16 practically extinguished the bears' expectation for a monthly options expiry below $21,500. As a result of the abrupt rally, these bearish bets are unlikely to pay off, especially since the expiry occurs on Feb. 24. However, bulls were not counting on the strong price rejection at $25,200 on Feb. 21 and this reduces their odds of securing a $480 million profit in this month’s BTC options expiry. Bitcoin investors' primary concern is a stricter monetary policy as the U.S. Federal Reserve (FED) increases interest rates and reduces its $8 trillion balance sheet. Feb. 22 minutes from the latest Federal Open Market Committee's (FOMC) meeting showed that members were in consensus on the most recent 25 bps rate hike and that the FED is willing t...

$1.9 billion in BTC options are set to expire on Feb. 24, and bulls are well positioned to profit despite the Federal Reserve's intention to cool off the U.S. economy. Bitcoin's ( BTC ) 16% price gain between Feb. 13 and Feb. 16 practically extinguished the bears' expectation for a monthly options expiry below $21,500. As a result of the abrupt rally, these bearish bets are unlikely to pay off, especially since the expiry occurs on Feb. 24. However, bulls were not counting on the strong price rejection at $25,200 on Feb. 21 and this reduces their odds of securing a $480 million profit in this month’s BTC options expiry. Bitcoin investors' primary concern is a stricter monetary policy as the U.S. Federal Reserve (FED) increases interest rates and reduces its $8 trillion balance sheet. Feb. 22 minutes from the latest Federal Open Market Committee's (FOMC) meeting showed that members were in consensus on the most recent 25 bps rate hike and that the FED is willing t...

Despite similar price action, Fantom and Optimism ecosystems are moving in opposite directions and this is reflected in each token’s price. The price action of Optimism (OP) and Fantom ( FTM ) tokens have been quite identical since the last quarter of 2022. The difference is, volatility is slightly higher for OP, which surged 240% year-to-date, compared to the 180% gains seen in FTM. The Fantom Foundation has made several improvements since Q4 2022, which have catalyzed an uptrend in the token’s price. However, Fantom’s ecosystem remains primitive while its competitors expanded to support new use cases. On the other hand, Optimism has shown robust community and decentralized application (dApp) development thanks to the loyalty of Ethereum developers and the Optimism Foundation’s effective strategy in aligning token incentives with governance. OP/USD (orange) and FTM/USD (blue) price chart. Source: TradingView Fantom’s ecosystem development stalls The Fantom ecosystem received...

No customers' funds or information were impacted, according to the company. Coinbase's engineering team believes the attack is associated with a sophisticated phishing campaign. Crypto exchange Coinbase experienced a cybersecurity attack targeting its employees on Feb. 5. The attack came through SMS scams and involved impersonations of IT staff, according  to a recent report from the company's engineering team. No customers' funds or information were impacted, the firm said. As per the report, on a late Sunday several Coinbase employees received SMS messages requiring them to urgently log in via the link provided to access an important message. Acting in a good faith, one employee followed the exploiter' instructions: "While the majority ignore this unprompted message - one employee, believing that it’s an important and legitimate message, clicks the link and enters in their username and password. After “logging in”, the employee is prompted to disregard th...

In an objection to Voyager's proposed restructuring plan, the commission argued some of the involved parties should not be exempt from certain financial claims in the future. The United States Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, said it had started an investigation of crypto lending firm Voyager Digital parallel to the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. In a Feb. 22 filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, the FTC said it was investigating Voyager and its employees “for their deceptive and unfair marketing of cryptocurrency to the public”. The announcement followed Bankruptcy Judge Michael Wiles initially approving of a plan in which Voyager debtors would sell the firm’s assets to Binance.US for more than $1 billion. According to the FTC filing — an objection to the debtors’ plan — the commission argued some of the parties involved in Voyager’s bankruptcy proceedings should not be exempt from certain financial claims, “including debts for ‘false rep...