Category Archive: 6c) Crypto Currencies English

Swiss Fintech Awards 2024 Announce Top 10 Swiss Fintech Startups

A jury of 20 experts from the Swiss fintech space have reviewed over 60 applications (out of a total of 100 submissions) of fintech startups and have picked the five most promising companies in the categories “Early Stage Start-up of the Year” and “Growth Stage Start-up of the Year” for their 2024 edition. Reducing Friction And Adding Value With AI And Blockchain Applications While being diverse in its use cases, this year’s top 10 of the Swiss...

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Blackrock Launches Its First Tokenized Fund on Ethereum

BlackRock unveils its first tokenized fund issued on a public blockchain, the BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (“BUIDL”) BUIDL will provide qualified investors with the opportunity to earn U.S. dollar yields by subscribing to the Fund through Securitize Markets, LLC. Robert Mitchnick “This is the latest progression of our digital assets strategy,” said Robert Mitchnick, BlackRock’s Head of Digital Assets. “We are focused on...

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Luzerner KB steigt in den den Handel und die Verwahrung von Kryptowährungen ein

Die Luzerner Kantonalbank AG (LUKB) ermöglicht ihren Kundinnen und Kunden seit Anfang März 2024 den Handel und die Verwahrung von Kryptowährungen. Das neue Angebot ist technisch nahtlos in das Kernbankensystem und das E-Banking (Mobile und Desktop) der LUKB integriert. Aktuell stehen drei Kryptowährungen zur Wahl: Bitcoin, Ethereum und USD Coin. Die LUKB hat sich seit dem Jahr 2020 mit dem Thema Digital Assets bzw. Kryptowährungen befasst und nach...

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US Spot Bitcoin ETFs Daily Trading Volume Soars to 6 Billion USD

Ten newly launched US spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) broke their daily volume records on February 28, 2024, totaling nearly US$7.7 billion worth of assets being traded on that day alone, data shared on X by James Seyffart, an ETF analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, reveal.

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SNB Study: Results of the Swiss Payment Methods Survey

In spring 2023, the Swiss National Bank conducted its second payment methods survey of companies in Switzerland. Around 1,750 companies, across all sizes, language regions and industries, participated in this survey on payment method topics. In-depth knowledge of these topics helps the SNB to fulfil its statutory tasks in relation to the supply and distribution of cash and to cashless payments.

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The Top Swiss Law Firms for Fintech and Blockchain Practice

Chambers and Partners, a legal research company, has released its Chambers Fintech 2024 guide, an annual report which recognizes the top fintech advisors and litigators worldwide. In this year’s Swiss edition, Chambers and Partners ranked MME Legal | Tax | Compliance, MLL Legal, Baer and Karrer, and Lenz and Staehelin as the top Swiss law firms in the fintech legal category, recognizing them for their expertise, diligence and customer service. MME...

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UBS Issues Hong Kong’s First Investment-Grade Tokenised Warrant on Ethereum

UBS has launched Hong Kong’s first investment-grade tokenised warrant, leveraging the Ethereum public blockchain. This product is part of the bank’s UBS Tokenise initiative, aimed at advancing its in-house tokenisation services.

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Bank Frick vergibt Stipendium für Blockchain-Studium

Das Bank-Frick-Stipendium in Höhe von 9800 Franken für den Zertifikatsstudiengang Blockchain und FinTech 2024 geht an Sven Lagger. Der Masterstudent hat durch sein fundiertes Verständnis der vernetzten Blockchain-Technologie überzeugt. Die Bank Frick hat zum wiederholten Mal ein Stipendium in Höhe von 9800 Franken für den zertifizierten Studiengang Blockchain und Fintech an der Universität Liechtenstein vergeben. Träger des Bank-Frick-Stipendiums...

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Experts Meet in Davos to Discuss How India’s UPI and Digital Public Infrastructure Has Helped Reduce Inequalities

On 16th January, during the Davos Innovation Week hosted by World Innovation Economics Limited, a panel discussion was held on the above topic. The panel discussion was graced by Mr. Sanjeev Sanyal (Economic advisor to PM Modi), Mr. Phillip Weights (renowned Swiss banking leader), Mrs Efi Pylarinou (Swiss fintech influencer), Mr Ashok Ranadive (Ex Indian Navy, Ex Google, Entrepreneur and Investor). Phillip Weights, Sanjeev Sanyal, Efi Pylarinou,...

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BIS, Swiss National Bank and World Bank Launch Token Project Promissa

Today, many international financial institutions (including multilateral development banks) are partly funded by financial instruments known as promissory notes, most of which are still paper-based. While the current system provides the operational controls for member nations to make subscription and contribution payments to institutions like the World Bank, the custody of outstanding promissory notes can be digitised to address operational...

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New SNB Study Reveals Critical Role of Card Schemes and Banks in the Contactless Payment Usage

Financial intermediaries, including card schemes and issuing banks, are playing a critical role in the use and promotion of new payment methods in Switzerland. A 2023 research by the Swiss National Bank (SNB) revealed that the rules and standards set by these intermediaries are impacting usage and frequency of contactless payments. The findings, shared in a new report titled “Consumer adoption and use of financial technology: “tap and go”...

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Swiss-Backed CBDC Project Explored Feasibility of Cash-Like, Anonymous Digital Currency

Project Tourbillon, an initiative led by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) Innovation Hub Swiss Centre and supported by the Swiss National Bank (SNB), explored the feasibility of a retail central bank digital currency (CBDC), finding that it is possible to implement a CBDC design that provides anonymity to the payer and which is scalable and secure. In a new report released in November 2023, BIS shares details of the project, outlining...

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Miles & More and qiibee Transform Loyalty Rewards with Blockchain

Miles & More, the loyalty program of the Lufthansa Group, has partnered with blockchain-based B2B marketplace qiibee to allow small and mid-size enterprises (SMEs) to join the program easily. The key highlight of this collaboration is the integration of blockchain technology, which simplifies the onboarding process for SMEs while ensuring the secure and efficient management of loyalty rewards. qiibee’s blockchain-based marketplace offers...

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Robinhood Crypto Trading App Arrives in EU, Offers Bitcoin Rewards

Robinhood is set to make a significant stride in the European Union by launching the Robinhood Crypto app for all eligible customers in the region. The company claims that the app is the only custodial crypto platform in the EU where customers can earn a portion of their trading volume back every month in Bitcoin (BTC). In an effort to drive new users, Robinhood Crypto is offering a unique opportunity for both new and existing customers. New...

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Societe Generale Issues Digital Green Bond on Public Blockchain

End of November Societe Generale issued its first digital green bond as a Security Token directly registered by SG-FORGE on the Ethereum public blockchain with increased transparency and traceability on ESG data.  Security tokens have been fully subscribed AXA Investment Managers and Generali Investments, through a private placement. This transaction is the first digital green bond issued by Societe Generale to leverage blockchain’s...

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After Zug and Zermatt, Now You Can Pay Taxes Also in Lugano with Bitcoins

The Swiss city of Lugano announced that it has broadened its payment options by including cryptocurrencies for the payment of tax invoices and all other community fees. Lugano will accept Bitcoin (BTC) and Tether (USDT) as a means of payment through a simple and fully automated process. The new payment option introduced by the City of Lugano marks a modern shift in how people handle city-related expenses. Citizens and companies alike may now use...

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Swiss National Bank Launches Wholesale Central Bank Digital Currency Project

On 1 December 2023, the Swiss National Bank – together with five Swiss and one German commercial bank – started a pilot project with central bank digital currency for financial institutions (wholesale central bank digital currency) on the regulated platform of SIX Digital Exchange (SDX). With this pilot, called Helvetia Phase III, the SNB will for the first time issue real wholesale CBDC in Swiss francs on a financial market infrastructure based on...

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BitMEX Engages Zühlke to Transition Security Operations

Crypto Derivates Platform BitMEX recently collaborated with Zühlke to enhance their application security program. This partnership focused on refining BitMEX’s security operations and prioritizing new application functionalities, with a particular emphasis on integrating DevSecOps processes across their development pipeline. The initiative was driven by the need to adapt to the changing security landscape and the fast pace of software development....

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Eine digitale Schweizer Franken Anleihe für den Kanton Basel Stadt

Der Kanton Basel-Stadt begibt als Pionier mit Unterstützung der Basler Kantonalbank (BKB) eine der ersten digitalen Schweizer-Franken-Anleihen. Die BKB arbeitet im Pilotprojekt «Helvetia III» der Schweizerischen Nationalbank (SNB) mit der SIX Digital Exchange (SDX) und fünf weiteren Geschäftsbanken zusammen. Die auf der Distributed-Ledger-Technologie (DLT) basierende Infrastruktur der SDX ermöglicht die Emission und den Handel von tokenisierten...

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Reports Look at FTX’s 2021 Pitch Deck, Highlighting its Successful Fundraising Strategy

Earlier this month, Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of defunct cryptocurrency exchange FTX, was found guilty for his role in the collapse of the company. The disgraced founder, who once ran one of the world’s biggest crypto exchanges, is now facing a maximum sentence of 115 years in prison. A New York jury found Bankman-Fried guilty on all seven charges against him, convicting Bankman-Fried of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud against...

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