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• Binance has announced its move to zero-fee bitcoin trading from BUSD to TUSD on March 2022.
• Normal trading costs would apply to its spot and margin trading pairs, including Tether’s USDT, and many other fiat currencies.
• Last month the New York department of financial services ordered Paxos to stop producing the token with the Binance brand.

Binance Announces Free Bitcoin Trading

Binance, a popular cryptocurrency exchange, has announced that they are shifting to zero-fee bitcoin trading from BUSD to TUSD on March 2022. This means users will not have any maker or taker costs while exclusively trading bitcoin on the BTC/TUSD spot trading pair. Other spot and margin trading pairs like BNB/BUSD, BTC/BUSD, and ETH/BUSD are not included in this program however normal trading costs will still apply for these pairs as well as Tether’s USDT and other fiat currencies such as AUD, GBP, EUR etc .

Collapse of BUSD

Following recent events in February 2021 where investors withdrew more than $6 billion from BUSD due to U.S market regulators tightening their control over the digital asset market there was a lull in activity in terms of investment into the platform. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has also filed a lawsuit against cryptocurrency company Paxos for their unregistered security offering which resulted in New York Department of Financial Services ordering Paxos to stop production of tokens with the Binance brand.

Shift Towards TUSD

With all these changes taking place it is evident that investors are now being encouraged by exchanges such as Binance towards using stablecoins like Tether’s USDT over traditional investments such as US Dollars. In fact since February 2021 when Binance introduced zero free trading for its spot pairs there has been a boom in spot volumes which accounted for 62% of all trades within this sector alone.

Benefits Of Zero-Fee Trading

Zero fee bitcoin trading can provide numerous benefits for users who choose to use this service including having no maker or taker costs while exclusively trading bitcoin on the BTC/TUSD spot trade pair thus allowing them access liquidity quickly at minimal cost whilst maintaining privacy throughout transactions due to an absence of third parties involved in transfers between two parties participating directly in trade deals with each other without any middlemen involved whatsoever making this process much faster than normal regular transactions made via banks or other transfer entities which can take days or even weeks at times depending upon location and amount being transferred through them respectively.

Conclusion

In conclusion it is clear that exchanges like Binance are encouraging investors towards using stablecoins like US Dollar backed tokens (USDT) instead of traditional investments such as US Dollars due to their ability to provide quick access liquidity at minimal cost whilst maintaining privacy during transactions given there isn’t any third party involvement required whatsoever consequently making transfers much quicker than regular bank transfers which can take days or even weeks sometimes depending upon location & amount being transferred through them respectively therefore providing users with numerous advantages if they opt for zero fee bitcoin trading from one currency type into another when dealing with cryptocurrencies instead of opting for traditional investments especially during times when regulation is tightened around certain digital assets making it harder & riskier for people invest directly into those assets themselves rather then relying upon secure intermediary platforms like those offered by exchanges like those mentioned here today

• Singapore-based media production firm fewStones has announced that it will be accepting payments in cryptocurrency for video production, animation and photography services.
• The company has partnered with TripleA, a cryptocurrency payment solution licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).
• This move is intended to provide customers with an additional option for payment, as well as to take advantage of the growing crypto industry.

Singapore Media Production Firm Integrates Crypto Payments

Singapore-based media production firm fewStones has announced that it will now accept payments in cryptocurrency for video production, animation and photography services. The company has teamed up with TripleA, a cryptocurrency payment solution licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), to offer its over 500 clients the option to pay using crypto such as bitcoin (BTC), ether (ETH) and stablecoins like USDC and USDT.

Reasons For Adopting Crypto Payments

The move was driven by the need to expand its payment options to meet increasing demands from customers for bitcoin (BTC) and altcoin payments. Additionally, fewStones is looking forward to tapping into an industry that could see 1 billion active users globally within the near future. Meanwhile, traditional businesses around the world have been exploring ways of integrating crypto-based payments into their existing systems or replacing them altogether. Binance is one example of this; recently partnering with French point of sale (PoS) company Ingenico to facilitate cryptocurrency payments in France.

TripleA Facilitates Crypto Payments For FewStomes

TripleA was chosen by fewStones due to its license from MAS which ensures secure and seamless payment methods. Eric Barbier, Chief Executive Officer of TripleA expressed his delight at collaborating with a well known brand such as fewStones which caters to big global names including Singapore Airlines, Panasonic and Samsung.

Crypto Payment Solutions on The Rise

Cryptocurrency payments are becoming increasingly popular among businesses across different industries who wish to capitalize on this new form of digital currency technology and tap into a larger customer base that prefers making transactions via cryptocurrencies rather than traditional fiat currencies such as USD or EUR.

Conclusion

Overall, this new development shows that more companies are beginning to realize the potential benefits associated with offering crypto-based payment solutions in addition or even instead of traditional methods such as cash or debit/credit cards

• Uphold recently announced that it will be relisting XRP on its exchange, despite the SEC lawsuit against Ripple Labs.
• The SEC is suing Ripple Lab for marketing XRP as unregistered securities worth $1.3 billion without adequate disclosures.
• Stuart Alderoty of Ripple has indicated that the SEC has few prospects of prevailing at the Supreme Court, and if they do, might have far-reaching implications for how the United States treats digital assets.

Crypto Exchange Uphold Relists XRP

Uphold recently announced on Twitter that it will be relisting XRP on their exchange, despite a lawsuit filed by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) against Ripple Labs. This decision to keep trading XRP is a good sign for token owners since it allows them to exchange their assets and recoup some losses. Uphold now facilitates the trading of XRP in exchange for fiat currencies and stablecoins such as USDT, USDC, BUSD, USDG, and DAI.

SEC Lawsuit Against Ripple Labs

In December 2020, the SEC filed a complaint against Ripple Labs alleging that they had marketed XRP to retail investors as unregistered securities worth $1.3 billion without adequate disclosures. As a result of this lawsuit, many major cryptocurrency exchanges have been forced into action by delisting or stopping trading of XRP tokens – leading to a drop in price from $0.65 to $0.37 due to decreased liquidity and value.

John Deaton’s Settlement Offer

John Deaton, a pro-XRP lawyer, has hinted at a settlement offer where Ripple would pay $100-250 million if the SEC agrees that existing and future sales of XRP are not categorized as securities.

Ripple’s Confidence In Their Position

Stuart Alderoty of Ripple is confident in their position and has indicated that the SEC has few prospects of prevailing at the Supreme Court if taken there. If they do prevail however, it could have wide-reaching implications for how digital assets are treated by US authorities – both legally and financially speaking.

Uphold’s Decision To Keep Trading XRP

Despite all these delistings going on around them Uphold still made an effort to keep trading active which was welcomed by token holders who can now get back some of what they lost due to drastic changes in liquidity caused by delistings from other major crypto exchanges

• Spotify is now testing a new feature called token-enabled playlists.
• Users who possess NFTs can link their wallets and listen to music handpicked for them.
• Fluf, Moonbirds, Kingship, and Overlord community members are able to access this service.

Spotify Launches Token-Enabled Playlist

Online music streamer Spotify has announced the launch of a new feature called token-enabled playlists. This pilot is available to Android users in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand. It allows users who own Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT) to link their wallets and listen to music that has been handpicked for them by participating communities.

Communities Accessing Service

The trial phase of this service will last for three months during which time the curated playlists will be continuously updated. The Fluf, Moonbirds, Kingship, and Overlord communities are able to access this service using a unique URL with tokens they possess.

Overlord Collaboration

Overlord x @Spotify have been selected as one of Spotify’s partners in this new pilot project exclusive only to holders of tokens. Members of the Overlord community owning Creepz NFTs may access its community-curated „Invasion“ soundtrack by connecting their Web3 wallets to Spotify.

Kingship Partnership

The NFT band Kingship from Universal Music Group also said it had developed a token-gated playlist for token owners featuring songs by artists such as Queen, Missy Elliott, Snoop Dogg and Led Zeppelin. Members accessing this playlist must connect their Metamask, Trust Wallet, Rainbow Ledger Live or Zerion wallet in order to do so.

Spotify Pilot Testing

A representative from Spotify stated that they often test different features in an attempt to enhance customer experience – some tests might even pave the way for future implementations on the platform as part of its commitment towards technological advancement within the music industry

• Norway’s Økokrim economy crime unit seized $5.9 million in cryptocurrency from a major cyber attack on Axie Infinity, a popular play-to-earn (P2E) gaming platform.
• The seizure is part of a global effort to prevent the hackers from laundering the funds for criminal activities and is linked to North Korea’s Lazarus hacking group.
• The successful seizure could mean that the stolen funds could not be used to fund North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

Norway’s Crypto Bust Deals Blow To North Korean Hackers

Seizure of NOK 60 Million (or $5.9 Million) in Cryptocurrency by Norway’s Economy Crimes Unit

Norway’s economy crimes unit, Økokrim, has seized a whopping NOK 60 million (or $5.9 million) in cryptocurrency as part of their ongoing investigation into the Sky Mavis cyber attack in March 2022, which saw a staggering $600 million worth of cryptocurrency stolen from Axie Infinity, the popular play-to-earn (P2E) gaming platform.

International Collaboration to Tackle Profit-Driven Cybercrime

The successful seizure of the cryptocurrency puts a significant spanner in the works of the hackers‘ laundering process and is allegedly linked to Lazarus, a North-Korea based hacking group. In an international collaboration with FBI specialists, Økokrim have tracked down stolen assets via cryptocurrency transactions with an aim to prevent them from being used for criminal activities – setting new standards for global authorities tackling cybercriminals.

North Korea’s Intelligence Agency Behind Thefts Worth Up To $1 Billion

According to a Feb 2023 report, North Korea’s primary intelligence agency – Reconnaissance General Bureau – has been behind thefts totalling up to $1 billion worth of crypto through its teams – Lazarus, Andariel and Kimsuky.

Compensating Victims & Preventing Funds From Funding Nuclear Weapons Program

Økokrim has plans to make things right for victims affected by the heist and communicate with Sky Mavis accordingly in order to ensure they receive full compensation. Marianne Bender, first states attorney at Økokrim mentioned that hackers are not just looking for crypto but also cash out investments and funnel money into North Korea’s nuclear weapons program; making it imperative that tracking down cryptocurrencies is done in order to prevent this from happening.

Conclusion

This case demonstrates that international law enforcement have the skills necessary to follow money on blockchain when criminals try outsmart them with advanced tactics – setting new standards for global collaboration against profit-driven crime and preventing funds from being used illegally or funding illegal programs like nuclear weapons development by terrorists or rogue states such as North Korea.

• 1 million BTC has been withdrawn from exchanges since March 2020 peak.
• If the same rate continues, exchanges could run out of Bitcoin by 2025 or 2026.
• An increase in deposits on exchanges shows that investors are looking to sell and this could affect Bitcoin’s price in the coming months.

Bitcoin Withdrawn From Exchanges

A large amount of bitcoin, 1 million to be exact, has been withdrawn from exchanges since its March 2020 peak according to data from Glassnode. This is 11.7% of the circulating supply and if this rate continues, exchanges will run out of Bitcoin by 2025 or 2026.

Supply Outside Exchanges Increasing

The supply outside exchanges has been rising and recently hit an all-time high of 18.12 million BTC which is more than 14 times the supply in exchanges. This dynamic could positively affect its price in the coming months as an increase in deposits on exchange shows that investors are looking to sell which would lead to a bearish impulse for BTC’s price.

Attempt To Go Above Resistance Zone

Bitcoin attempted to go above the $23,500 resistance zone however it was met with bearish momentum and went below $22,800 level and 100-hour simple moving average. At present BTC is trading below $23,000 and faces major resistance near $23,000 zone as well as 100 hourly simple moving average.

24 Hour Price Drop

Currently BTC is down 2% over 24 hours and 5% over 7 days duration showing short term bearishness however long term bulls remain intact due to increasing supply outside exchanges potentially leading to bullish impulses for prices going forward.

Conclusion

In conclusion it can be seen that large amounts of bitcoins have been withdrawn from exchanges since March 2020 peak leading experts to believe that these supplies may run out by 2025 or 2026 unless new reserves come in swiftly whereas increasing supply outside exchange means long term bulls remain intact potentially leading to bullish impulses for prices going forward .

• Ray Dalio, the founder of Bridgewater Associates, has suggested a move to inflation-linked currencies amid the crash of both fiat and cryptocurrencies.
• He argued that fiat currencies would lead to global financial instabilities and that neither bitcoin nor stablecoins are the solutions.
• Dalio proposed a monetary system dubbed „inflation-linked-coin“ that cannot be seen but performs a value that makes users acquire a strong purchasing power.

Ray Dalio, the founder of Bridgewater Associates, recently spoke out about the dire state of the current global financial system. During an interview with CNBC Squawk Box on February 2, 2023, Dalio suggested that a move to inflation-linked currencies is necessary in order to avoid further financial instabilities. He noted that neither bitcoin nor fiat currencies can provide the stability needed in a world economy.

Dalio noted that although Bitcoin has been around for 12 years, it is still considered to be highly volatile, meaning it can’t stabilize an economy. He also argued that stablecoins should not be seen as a store of value, as they are merely replicas of existing fiat currencies. As an alternative, Dalio proposed a new monetary system dubbed “inflation-linked-coin”. This system would be invisible, yet it would be designed to give users a strong purchasing power.

However, Dalio’s views were met with some criticism. Erick Weiss, the founder and chief investment officer of Digital Asset Fund for family Bitcoin, argued that Dalio was praising Bitcoin as a store of value, yet was calling for a system that he believed could never be achieved.

Overall, Ray Dalio is advocating for a move to inflation-linked currencies as a means of avoiding further financial instability. He believes that Bitcoin and stablecoins are not suitable solutions, and has suggested a new monetary system that would offer users a strong purchasing power. While his views have been met with some dissent, it is clear that Dalio’s suggestions should not be dismissed without further consideration.

• Jack Mallers, CEO of bitcoin payment service Strike, has announced that the Bitcoin Lightning Network is now live on Clover, a major Android point of sale (POS) platform.
• Strike has now become an integrated partner with payments giant Fiserv, Clover’s parent company, and has launched a public pilot integration with Clover.
• The pilot phase will initially last for 90 days, and following the pilot stage, the Bitcoin Lightning integration will be made available through the Clover App Store.

Jack Mallers, CEO of bitcoin payment service Strike, has announced that the Bitcoin Lightning Network is now live on Clover, a major Android point of sale (POS) platform. This marks a significant step forward in bitcoin’s push toward mainstream adoption as a means of payment, providing merchants access to a faster and cheaper form of payment.

Strike has now become an integrated partner with payments giant Fiserv, Clover’s parent company. The two companies have launched a public pilot integration with Clover, allowing merchants to accept bitcoin (BTC) payments through the Lightning Network. This integration is not just of Strike, but of the Lightning Network itself. This means that merchants can accept payments from any source that uses the Lightning Network, from Cash App to a node over Tor.

The pilot phase of the integration will initially last for 90 days, during which time any interested Clover merchant can enable payments via Lightning. Not all merchants will be automatically enabled, however. Instead, Strike and Fiserv partners will measure and track settlement speed and cost compared to other networks during the test phase.

Following the pilot stage, the Bitcoin Lightning integration will be made available through the Clover App Store. This will give millions of merchants access to the Lightning Network, allowing them to accept cheaper and faster payments in USD.

With this integration, Strike will be able to expand its reach even further and make an even bigger impact on the payments industry. The ability to accept bitcoin payments through the Lightning Network is not only convenient for businesses, but also helps to make cryptocurrency more accessible to the general public.

• BudBlockz is a crypto project running on the Ethereum blockchain that seeks to revolutionize the cannabis industry.
• It has established the first-of-its-kind decentralized e-commerce platform that will bring together cannabis consumers and producers.
• Powered by its utility token, BLUNT, people can buy high-quality cannabis products and use it to transact at dispensaries, farms, factories, and other cannabis-related businesses.

BudBlockz is a revolutionary crypto project on the Ethereum blockchain that is set to transform the multi-billion cannabis industry. The project has established the first-of-its-kind decentralized e-commerce platform that will bring together cannabis consumers and producers from around the world. Through the platform, users will have access to an array of high-quality cannabis products that they can purchase with ease and security.

The BudBlockz platform is powered by its utility token, BLUNT, which acts as a means of exchange between cannabis companies and consumers. The total number of BLUNT that will enter circulation is limited to 420m. This token will be used to finalize transactions at dispensaries, farms, factories, and other cannabis-related businesses. In addition, BudBlockz also has a Non-Fungible Token (NFT) platform that allows users to access a variety of cannabis products from around the world.

The creators of BudBlockz are looking to onboard over one billion users to web3 by 2025. This will be a major milestone in the adoption of blockchain technology and the cannabis industry. In addition, the project is expected to revolutionize the way cannabis is bought and sold globally. With its secure and decentralized platform, BudBlockz is paving the way for a new era of cannabis commerce.

• Bitfarms Ltd. is restructuring its equipment loan facility terms to align with the market forecast and its company plan.
• On Feb. 18, 2022, BlockFi Lending LLC and Bitfarms‘ Backbone Mining Solutions, Inc. agreed to finance $32 million worth of equipment.
• The loan is secured by some of BMS’s assets, including its bitcoin miners and some of the bitcoin that those miners have produced, and the only entity that may take legal action against BMS to collect on the debt is BMS itself.

Bitfarms Ltd., a global organization that mines bitcoin, is taking significant steps to increase its financial flexibility, reduce its debt, and reduce the amount of money it needs to spend on capital expenditures. The Company has recently announced that it is restructuring its loan facility terms to ensure that they align with the market forecast and its company plan.

On Feb. 18, 2022, BlockFi Lending LLC, doing business as BlockFi, and Bitfarms‘ Backbone Mining Solutions, Inc., doing business as BMS, reached an agreement to finance $32 million worth of equipment. The loan is secured by some of BMS’s assets, including its bitcoin miners and some of the bitcoin that those miners have produced. The only entity that may take legal action against BMS to collect on the debt is BMS itself.

Despite the unfavorable market conditions, the Company is attempting to restructure its loan facility in Washington state to get terms that are more beneficial to its bottom line. The assets used as collateral for the loan now have a market value of around $5 million, as reported by BMS. As a result, the Company concluded that it would be prudent to negotiate better terms with BlockFi and take other steps to reduce its debt.

In addition to restructuring its loan facility terms, the Company is also making efforts to further reduce its debt. Jeff Lucas, Chief Financial Officer of Bitfarms, claims that the Company is committed to being a responsible corporate citizen and to taking measures to reduce its financial burden. He states that the Company is currently working to lower its debt and is looking for ways to reduce its capital expenditures.

Bitfarms Ltd. has taken a number of steps to ensure that it can remain a financially sound organization and continue to provide its customers with reliable and quality services. By restructuring its loan facility terms, the Company is hoping to get terms that are more beneficial to its bottom line and reduce its debt burden.