A round-up of August 2021’s cryptocurrency and digital currency news headlines, reports and downloads
Crypto news headlines in August 2021 covered developments across a range of spaces in Asia’s tech scene and the wider world, including: China’s continuing moves towards a central bank digital currency; Facebook’s Novi digital wallet; PayPal’s moves into cryptocurrency use and support; cryptocurrency-to-fiat trading; non-fungible tokens and the rise of NFTs; and many more.
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- ICYMI: PayPal hints it may start integrating decentralized finance and cryptocurrencies with its app and platform, aiming for ‘super app’ of consumer services
- ICYMI: “The number of crypto ATMs installed globally has increased by more than 70% to 24,030 this year…”
- Download: Cryptocurrencies – A Guide to Getting Started, from the World Economic Forum (pdf)
- Download: Bloomberg Crypto Outlook, August 2021 edition (pdf)
- Download: Cryptocurrency Adoption Rates, from Finder, a survey of 42K individuals across 27 countries (pdf)
- Download: H1 2021 in Review, from Coinbase Institutional, looking at network and financial growth metrics for Bitcoin and Ethereum, exchange volumes and more (pdf)
- “The writing is on the wall: Cryptocurrencies are likely going to play a significant role in the future financial system.” Via the Harvard Business Review
- Walmart, the largest US retailer by total sales, looking to hire a digital currency and cryptocurrency product lead, having previously tested blockchain solutions
- Download: 2021 Global Crypto User Index, from Binance, looking at cryptocurrency users, attitudes and motivations (pdf)
- Facebook cryptocurrency project lead says Novi digital wallet is ready to launch on the Diem blockchain-based payment system
- PayPal takes major crypto step in UK, allowing users to buy, hold, and sell 4 cryptocurrencies – Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and Bitcoin Cash – directly from the app
- PayPal-owned Venmo launches feature allowing users to automatically buy cryptocurrency using cash back earned from Venmo credit card purchases
- Australia: CoinJar, country’s longest-running cryptocurrency exchange, unveils Crypto Mastercard allowing users to buy, sell and spend digital assets
- Download: 2021 Global Crypto User Index, from Binance, looking at cryptocurrency users, attitudes and motivations (pdf)
- What Gen Z can tell us about the future of banking: “…Crypto wins over junior saving accounts…is one of the few attractive risks.”
- Philippine Digital Asset Exchange raises $12.5M, building on success of BondPH which allowed gov’t to sell retail Treasury bonds via a blockchain-enabled platform
- Singapore’s Zipmex cryptocurrency-to-fiat trading platform inks strategic partnership with Visa, aiming to boost payment programs and products across the Asia-Pacific region
- e-news, latest issue: Cross-border QRs, FinTech festivals, crypto-to-fiat in Singapore…
- Thailand: SEC proposes new digital asset rules covering management of fiat money, digital asset lending, and interest rates for platforms that hold customer cryptocurrency
- “JPMorgan Chase began pitching an in-house bitcoin fund to its Private Bank clients for the first time this week…”
- Download: Cryptocurrency and China – Analyzing China’s Historic Cryptocurrency Activity Amidst Government Crackdowns, from Chainalysis (pdf)
- Circle Internet Financial, principal developer of USD Coin – the 2nd largest stablecoin by circulation – aims to become full-reserve national commercial bank in the US
- Indonesia: Just 2 months after Series A, Pintu crypto assets platform raises $35M Series A+, offering trades on 16 cryptocurrencies with plans to add more, including NFTs
- Facebook considering building products and features related to nonfungible tokens, with new Novi digital wallet potentially used to hold NFTs
- e-news, latest issue: Crypto in Singapore, BNPL in Australia, Korean and LatAm startups…
- Download: KPMG Pulse of Fintech, H1 2021, looking at payments, insurtech, regtech, wealthtech, blockchain/crypto, and cybersecurity
- Singapore: Matrixport raises over $100M with cryptocurrency-focused financial services from custody to trading, and products for institutional and retail customers
- “Investment scams in Australia cost investors more than Au$70M in the first 6 months of 2021, with crypto scams contributing to more than 50% of the losses…”
- China: Alipay, country’s second-most popular payments app, moves to limit speculation with NFTs, adding mandatory 180-day no-trade period after purchase
- Download: NFT Industrial Development Report Q1 2021, from Cabin VC (pdf)
- Australia’s Independent Reserve cryptocurrency exchanges gains in principle approval from Monetary Authority of Singapore to operate digital payment token services
- Singapore: CYBAVO digital asset custody provider raises $4M Pre-A funding for blockchain-based services, building on 500 Startups accelerator selection
- China: “Despite the trials, lotteries, and promotional campaigns by government and banks for China’s digital currency, few people see a reason to jump on board.”
- “The writing is on the wall: Cryptocurrencies are likely going to play a significant role in the future financial system.” Via the Harvard Business Review
- India: Reserve Bank governor says central bank digital currency trials may be ready to run by the end of the year
- South Korea’s central bank selects Ground X, Kakao’s blockchain subsidiary, as partner in 10-month central bank digital currency simulation project
- South Korea: Samsung to participate in Bank of Korea pilot project to build a platform for a central bank digital currency
- Bank of Thailand to start testing a retail central bank digital currency in Q2 2022 as an alternative payment option for the public
- Singapore’s Zipmex cryptocurrency-to-fiat trading platform inks strategic partnership with Visa, aiming to boost payment programs and products across the Asia-Pacific region
- Download: Cryptocurrency Adoption Rates, from Finder, a survey of 42K individuals across 27 countries (pdf)
- Central banks vs the data regulators: Who is on the hook when CBDCs get hacked?
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