Coinbase granted Irish E-money Licence
Coinbase is one of just a few companies to receive an e-money licence from the Irish government. This new license will enable Coinbase to expand their Irish operation and ultimately deliver a better product to customers across the…
Milestone Entertainment is Addressing Gambling Addiction Using Cryptocurrency
Problem gambling issues have plagued the gaming industry. It is a significant issue for society. While users can solicit help (e.g., 1-800-Gambling), there is often denial and an unwillingness to seek help. Various attempts have been made…
ether is a Commodity!
Today, Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chairman Heath Tarbert has declared ether a commodity. Speaking with Yahoo! Finance, Tarbert said, "We've been very clear on Bitcoin: Bitcoin is a commodity. We haven't said anything about…
Peloton: Pay For Your Subscription With Cryptocurrency
According to a recently issued patent application, Peloton Interactive (Peloton) plans to enable several cryptocurrency functionalities, including payment for their subscription channels via cryptocurrency. The application further…
Are Cryptocurrency Purchases Coming to the Sony Playstation Platform?
With the current console generation coming to a close in 2020, information on what's next for Sony remains sparse. However, a recent application publication sheds some light on what's in store for their Playstation platform: a…
LINE Launches Crypto Trading Platform BITMAX
LINE Corporation (LINE), creator of the popular Japanese messaging application LINE, has launched its new cryptocurrency trading platform, BITMAX. BITMAX is baked into the messaging app itself, meaning users can satisfy their crypto…
The Long Road Ahead for Facebook’s Libra
Facebook's planned cryptocurrency, Libra, faced another setback this week. The proposed payment system now potentially faces the same rules that apply to banks, on top of anti-money laundering laws. This comes from an official statement…
Apple: We See the Long-Term Potential of Cryptocurrency, Just Not With the Apple Card
Jennifer Bailey, the Vice President of Apple's payment service, Apple Pay, said that the company is "watching cryptocurrency," believing it to have "interesting long-term potential." Last month, Apple launched the Apple Card, its first…
The SEC’s Cryptocurrency Stance and its Potential Clash with Facebook’s Libra
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman, Jay Clayton, recently released a statement concerning exceptions for cryptocurrencies in current securities law. According to Clayton, “[A] lot of people got excited that…
Bank of America: A Clashing Viewpoint Between Public and Private Action
Bank of America, the second-largest bank in the U.S., filed an application entitled "Multi-Tiered Digital Wallet Security" in early 2018 and the USPTO recently published the application. The application provides for a multi-tiered…
A growing chain of patents
A flock of blockchain-related patent applications by Walmart was published last week. It suggests that the world's largest company is seeking to implement blockchain technology across its wide range of business operations, including…
Perlin acquires Dispatch Labs
Singapore-based blockchain company Perlin has acquired San Francisco-based blockchain startup Dispatch Labs last week. The startup had been struggling with losses despite extensive investment and a recovering cryptocurrency market, so it…
Another Big Four in the blockchain
While PwC is getting more involved in the financial applications of blockchain technology, fellow Big Four accounting firm KPMG is looking to create a blockchain-based settlements solution for the telecom industry in anticipation of 5G…
Fidelity and trust
FDAS, the crypto arm of Fidelity Investments (FMR), has applied to the New York Department of Financial Services to become a New York Trust. The trust license is "more expansive" than the well-known BitLicense, and would allow FDAS to…
The first SEC-qualified crypto token offering
For the first time in US history, the SEC has approved a public token offering in which investors will receive tokens instead of shares in the company. Blockchain startup Blockstack launched its $28 million offering under Regulation A+…
A blockchain anchor bringing in millions
Visa and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz recently participated in a $40 million Series B for Anchorage, a startup that offers an omnimetric blockchain security system. The VC firm also led the $17 million Series A six months ago,…
Crypto transactions on the Liquid Network
Blockstream, a blockchain tech company founded 5 years ago, launched a new tool that allows users to execute atomic swaps for all assets supported by the Liquid Network, which is a federated sidechain on the bitcoin blockchain. These…
Buzzing the bee-chain blockchain
In part to address the ongoing decline in bee population worldwide, Oracle has partnered with the World Bee Project to introduce blockchain technology to the honey supply chain. They will develop a "BeeMark" label that guarantees…
Big Four crawling deeper into the crypto space
PwC, one of the Big Four accounting firms, announced that it expanded its "Halo" suite of auditing tools to provide assurance services for entities engaging in cryptocurrency transactions. Although the press release stated that the new…
Are the Big Blue chains falling apart?
In the past couple of weeks, IBM lost two leaders central to its blockchain initiatives, causing a wave of concern about whether Big Blue will remain committed to blockchain technology. Just weeks after Jesse Lund—IBM's Global Head of…
Revealing Libra’s face
Amidst the continuing hype, Facebook has published a white paper explaining how its new digital currency Libra will work. Although it will not launch for another year, the company clarified that it aims to bring financial services to the…
Microsoft’s new blockchain partner
Icertis, a company that provides contract management software to enterprise businesses, has partnered with Microsoft to expand its Icertis Blockchain Framework. Microsoft's Azure Blockchain Workbench will help the platform bring greater…
Hybrid smart contracts
Founded by a former JP Morgan blockchain team lead, Kadena has released Pact 3.0, which enables safe and simple smart contract development on the blockchain while supporting cross-blockchain smart contract execution between private and…
Brewing blockchains
Anheuser-Busch, the brewing company that makes Budweiser, Corona, Stella Artois, and Hoegaarden, has invested an undisclosed amount in a Series A fundraising for BanQu, a blockchain-as-a-service (Baas) startup. BanQu aims to "improve…
Surfing across the blockchain
The world's three largest overseas shipping companies are now using the same blockchain-based digital tracking system: TradeLens. Developed by Maersk and IBM, TradeLens is a platform based on the Hyperledger blockchain that allows…
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