payment

Jan 22 2021

VanEck Launches New Bid for Crypto ETF

VanEck, a top investment management firm, has been fighting to get the first crack at a Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) for years now. With a new set of hands helming the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the firm is giving its pursuit another try.

Switching Things Up

Earlier this week, the New York-based investment firm filed for a new Bitcoin ETF with the SEC. Dubbed the Digital Assets ETF, the financial product is designed to monitor the performance of the Global Digital Assets Equity Index.

Launched in 2018 by VanEck’s subsidiary MV Index Solutions, the Digital Assets Equity Index gets equities prices from three over-the-counter (OTC) trading desks – Cumberland, Genesis Trading, and Circle Trade.

It provides a reliable pricing index for institutional investment tools like ETFs while also allowing investors to execute institutional size trades more transparently.

Speaking about its new product, VanEck explained that the Digital Assets ETF would invest at least 80 percent of its assets in securities that make up its benchmark index. The index itself tracks digital asset companies’ performances – firms that operate crypto exchanges, payment gateways, mining operations, technology services, and more to the crypto industry and others.

Prospective companies would need to get at least half of their revenues from digital asset projects, or projects that could potentially generate such revenues. VanEck’s filing added:

“Companies with less than 50% of their revenues from the global digital assets segment, including semiconductor and online money transfer companies, may be added to the Index to reach a minimum component number.”

A Lingering Lawsuit

The new ETF attempt will be the latest in a long line of trials from VanEck. Many of its previous attempts were either blocked by the SEC or withdrawn due to frustration with the agency. However, the SEC is undergoing a shakeup, with former Chairman Jay Clayton vacating his position at the turn of the year and reports of a pro-crypto candidate set to replace him.

Now, the investment management firm appears to fancy its chances at another go. Still, this trial isn’t without its controversies.

Weeks back, SolidX Partners, a software development firm with ties to VanEck, sued the company for violating their partnership in a recent ETF filing. VanEck and SolidX had partnered to apply for the VanEck SolidX Bitcoin Trust, a Bitcoin ETF, back in 2018 after the former’s initial failures. Still, their efforts didn’t mean much as the SEC remained a sound barrier between them and their aspirations.

The partners eventually aerated in August 2020, and VanEck immediately announced that it would file a new ETF – presumably, the Digital Assets ETF – on the last day of the year.

In its suit, SolidX Partners alleged that VanEck had taken parts of its work in ETFs and repackaged them into its filing. The software development firm added that VanEck worked on its ETF while the two were still partners. It added that the latter’s ETF filing structure was similar to that of the VanEck SolidX Bitcoin Trust, and that VanEck’s actions can easily be seen as plagiarism.

VanEck Launches New Bid for Crypto ETF

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Jan 21 2021

President Biden Walks Back FinCEN’s Self Hosted Wallet Proposal

There have been many discussions over what the Biden administration has in store for the crypto industry once it settles in. So far, the 46th President appears to be showing promising signs towards the industry with his latest move.

A Great Start

Less than a day after taking office, President Joe Biden has enforced a freeze on all federal regulatory processes. In a White House memorandum for all federal agencies’ heads, the President confirmed that he would halt all agency rules that are pending reviews for at least sixty days.

While the memorandum doesn’t mention it explicitly, it will also apply to a recent controversial ruling from former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. Last month, the FinCEN published a proposal to limit money services businesses, including crypto exchanges registered in the United States, from doing business with self-hosted wallets.

As the announcement explained, the rules will require crypto exchanges to verify their customers’ identities if a counterparty uses an unhosted wallet and the transaction exceeds $3,000. The rue’s proposal was open for comments, and reactions have been swift.

The latest company to react to the ruling is VC firm Andreessen Horowitz. A blog post from the company earlier this month described the ruling as “a rushed, non-vetted rule under the cloak of the holidays that violates the government’s own established rulemaking procedures.”

Kathryn Haun, Andreessen Horowitz’s general partner, added that such a stringent ruling doesn’t apply to any other type of financial institution. She added that apart from failing to solve any of the problems it claims to address, the rule also violated the Fourth Amendment by expanding the Bank Secrecy Act’s scope.

Now that the Biden administration has put a clamp on it, the new President has a chance to approach crypto regulations from a more nuanced perspective.

Mnuchin’s Many Failures

The 11th-hour ruling isn’t the only legislation that had caused a significant headache for many crypto companies. Through the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), the former Treasury Secretary, along with the Federal Reserve, published a notice to modify a long-standing anti-money laundering (AML) rule from the government.

The notice, published last October, proposed reducing the $3,000 threshold for international transactions that had been in place since 1995. It essentially meant that financial institutions would need to exchange client information for all transactions greater than the new threshold of $250. Compliance with the new rule would have especially put pressure on crypto exchanges.

The FinCEN and Federal Reserve published the notice and asked for comments, and many in the crypto space immediately voiced their dissent towards it. Jack Dorsey, the chief executive of payment processor Square, sent a letter earlier this month warning that the rule change would drive customers out of the United States en masse.

As Dorsey explained, the rule change goes far beyond what is expected for cash transactions. He also asserted that some companies could be forced to collect “unreliable data about people who have not opted into our service or signed up as our customers.” Eventually, the rule could drive cryptocurrency users towards non-custodial, unregulated crypto services based outside the United States, effectively damaging the country’s stance in the digital finance space.

President Biden Walks Back FinCEN’s Self Hosted Wallet Proposal

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Jan 18 2021

Huobi Global Partners with BCB Group to Better Globalize Offerings

Huobi Global has partnered with BCB Group, to “better globalize” its offerings, according to a release. Huobi is a large digital asset firm based in Asia.

BCB Group is a payment services provider that enables clients with European fiat the ability to send fiat to crypto counterparties via “BLINC” in real-time, 24/7, 365 days a year. BCB Group is a multi-jurisdictional regulated cryptocurrency service firms managed by an executive team have that has worked for incumbent financial services firms. BCB currently serves clients including Bitstamp, Coinbase, Galaxy, and Kraken. BCB Group provides payment services in 20+ currencies, FX, cryptocurrency liquidity, and digital asset custody.

Huobi states that working with BCB will enable it to bank its OTC desk with the firm as well as let them handle foreign exchange flow.

Ciara Sun, the VP and Head of Global Business at Huobi commented on the arrangement:

“We understand the importance of both a compliant, and streamlined service. Partnering with BCB allows us to offer a European fiat on and off ramping service that we know is in line with the laws of that area, but it also allows our customers in Europe to experience a smooth and hassle-free user experience.”

Oliver von Landsberg-Sadie, founder and CEO of BCB called the partnership important in furthering BCB’s mission to “promote future-friendly growth of the industry.”

“We are excited to play a part in Huobi’s global project.”

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Jan 18 2021

China’s BSN to Launch Global CBDC Payment System Beta in 2021

China’s lead in the race for developing a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) is unassailable at this point. The country is making further progress, with the government’s blockchain service network looking to release a CBDC network beta this year.

Safe, Low-Cost CBDC Payments

China’s Blockchain-based Service Network (BSN) has announced plans to launch a public beta for a global CBDC network, per a blog post.

The BSN is a blockchain network that enables digital token and decentralized app (dApp) development.

In the post, the state-sponsored network explained that it would invest a considerable amount in research and development this year. The network plans to focus on digital payments primarily as it is working towards launching a Universal Digital Payment Network (UDPN).

Speaking on digital payments, the BSN pointed out that stablecoins and CBDCs have become more prominent across the world as countries look to embrace e-payments fully. The network plans to launch a payment network based on all developed CBDCs in the next five years.

“This digital payment network will completely change the current payment and circulation method, enabling a standardized digital currency transfer method and payment procedure for any information system,” the BSN explained, adding that a convenient, cost-effective beta will be available in the second half of this year.

With the payment network, the BSN is looking to provide a standard digital currency transfer procedure. It aims to combine systems like insurance, banking, enterprise resource allocation, and mobile apps through dedicated application program interfaces (APIs) to make global payments safe and cheaper.

The payment network is one of BSN’s four objectives for the year. The other three include expanding its network, promoting its new private platform, and expanding its ecosystem. In addition, the BSN reiterated its commitment to enhancing blockchain capabilities to companies and governments worldwide.

China Forges On With Digital Yuan

So far, digital yuan has been one of China’s most ambitious economic and financial projects. Officially launched in late 2019, the project has gone through extensive tests last year and looks to be entering advanced testing phases.

Last year saw several firms and government agencies partner on testing the CBDC in several real-world situations, mainly through giveaways and retail spending. The developers haven’t relented in their efforts this year as they look to strengthen their research and testing base.

Last week, local news sources confirmed that the Agricultural Bank of China, one of the country’s largest state-owned banks, had launched ATMs for the digital yuan. As the reports explained, the machines were installed at specific branches within Shenzhen. Customers at these branches have been able to spend and convert the digital yuan tokens they got as a part of the government’s “red envelope” lottery – a project that saw the government hand out $3 million worth of the asset to 100,000 citizens.

The machines reportedly allow digital yuan deposits and withdrawals via a smartphone app. Users can also convert their savings and cash to the CBDC.

China’s BSN to Launch Global CBDC Payment System Beta in 2021

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Jan 15 2021

Capitol Insurrectionists Were Funded in Part By Bitcoin: Chainalysis

Terrorist financing has always been one of the primary concerns about cryptocurrency use worldwide. In the wake of what many have called a terrorist attack on the United States, Bitcoin appears to have played a role.

According to a recent report from blockchain forensics company Chainalysis, donors had helped bankroll the recent riots that shook the United States Capitol last week.

Possible Dead Donor

Chainalysis’s report confirmed that on December 8, a French-based entity had donated 28.15 BTC (about $522,000 at the time) to several addresses linked to far-right internet personalities and activists.

An additional report from Yahoo! News confirmed that many of these activists had been present at the riots on the United States Capitol on January 6.

Yahoo! News reported that of the 22 addresses that got part of the funds included Nick Fuentes, a white nationalist commentator and podcaster. Daily Stormer, a news source with white supremacist links, was also among the recipients, as was Gab – the free speech-based social media platform credited for the rise of hate speech.

Chaunalysis added that the donor appeared to have committed suicide the day after donating.

A suicide note from the donor read that Western civilization is dying, and that he felt like leaving his wealth with specific causes to ensure that his name lives on following his death.

Federal investigators are still looking to track the donor.

Riot Fallout Continues

The January 6 riots had come from supporters of outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump. The supporters had been protesting the results of the November General Elections that saw their preferred candidate lose to President-Elect Joe R. Biden.

Following multiple lawsuits and a substantial lack of proof, the Trump campaign had run out of resources to fight Biden’s win.

Trump supporters eventually gathered in Washington on January 6 – the same day that Congress was set to certify Biden’s win officially.

After hours of protests and the death of five people (and counting), the rioters were eventually cleared, and the repercussions have been swift since.

Biden’s win is now certified, and social media platforms have cracked down on Trump’s accounts. His accounts on social media platforms have been taken down, and several payment processors have blocked donations to anything Trump-related. Apple, Google, and Amazon have also taken down Parler – a conservative-focused social media site.

The report of Bitcoin donations to the cause aren’t exactly surprising. Bitcoin holders have been known to support controversial causes in the past, leveraging the asset’s privacy to keep their identities secret.

Last week, Whale Alert noted that crypto donations had been pouring into the legal defense fund of Julian Assange, the founder of the whistleblower site WikiLeaks. In one transaction, someone sent 8.48 BTC – about $280,000 at the time. Another transaction was worth 4.51 BTC ($125,000).

Assange remains in a U.K. prison and is facing charges of violating the 1917 Espionage Act. District Judge Vanessa Baraister ruled against his extradition to the United States last week, citing health issues.

Capitol Insurrectionists Were Funded in Part By Bitcoin: Chainalysis

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