LATEST: Coinbase Gains Canadian License, Boosts Overseas Expansion Plans

Coinbase, a leading cryptocurrency exchange, has secured a pivotal registration license in Canada, signaling a strategic expansion beyond its U.S. base amid regulatory challenges. By obtaining the status of a restricted dealer from the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA), Coinbase can now operate legally across Canada, adhering to stringent crypto asset regulations. This move comes as part of its broader initiative to penetrate global markets, with Canada’s tech-savvy and educated populace serving as an ideal launchpad. The registration positions Coinbase as the first international crypto exchange with such credentials in Canada, aligning with its mission to facilitate digital economy access for millions.

This development follows Canada’s tightened crypto guidelines, which prompted some exchanges to exit the market. Unlike Binance, Coinbase pursued compliance, demonstrating commitment to regulatory standards. With nearly 200 employees in its Canadian tech hub and endorsements from local tech leaders, Coinbase’s establishment in Canada marks a significant milestone in its “Go Broad, Go Deep” strategy, emphasizing regulatory compliance as a cornerstone for global expansion.

CNBC

Google files lawsuit against alleged crypto scammers 

Google filed a complaint against a group of alleged scammers on Thursday.

The complaint, filed in the Southern District of New York, claims that the accused “conducted their version of the Fraud Scheme by socially engineering and conning victims into ‘investing’ in apps, available on Google Play and through other means, that purported to be cryptocurrency exchanges and other investment platforms.”

The complaint names Yunfeng Sun and Hongnam Cheung as well as their aliases Alphonse Sun, Zhang Hongnim and Stanford Fischer. 

“Defendants created fraudulent apps that purported to be legitimate cryptocurrency exchanges and investment platforms, and made them available on Google…

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Report: Morgan Stanley 'Racing' to Offer Bitcoin ETFs to All Clients

Morgan Stanley and UBS are working to become the first major U.S. banks to offer a spot Bitcoin ETFs to all clients, according to social media reports.

With $1.26 trillion and $1.1 trillion in assets under management respectively, Morgan Stanley and UBS are two of the largest wealth managers worldwide. Both are vying to fully approve Bitcoin ETF trading on their platforms in a pivotal moment for institutional Bitcoin adoption.

The reports come from Bitcoin insider Andrew on X and Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas.

Andrew, an influential Bitcoin commentator, tweeted Morgan Stanley may announce its Bitcoin ETF listing “days before” UBS. He said global banks have been urgently discussing…

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Restaking is a ticking time bomb

A new kind of blockchain architecture is having its moment in the sun — but it’s also casting a long shadow.

So-called “restaking” protocols claim they’ve achieved new levels of efficiency by piggybacking on staking-based security models. But those efficiencies also entail risks — risks we don’t entirely understand.

That isn’t just risk to users of any particular restaking project, but to entire ecosystems. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin himself has warned that restaking protocols could pose “significant systemic risk.” It’s important to pay attention now, because these protocols are growing fast, and any risk is growing with them. 

In a worst-case scenario,…

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Bitfarms Ltd | $240M Investment In Mining Equipment

Bitfarms Ltd., a prominent Bitcoin mining company, has announced plans to invest nearly $240 million in upgrading its mining equipment, gearing up for the upcoming Bitcoin halving in 2024. This strategic move aims to ensure the company’s profitability amid the impending reduction in block rewards.

Bitfarms Ltd. Plans Massive Expansions

The company’s preparation for the Bitcoin halving is centered around enhancing performance and profitability. Bitfarms has already made significant investments in its mining fleet, having previously acquired 35,888 of Bitmain’s Bitcoin Miner T21. Additionally, the company has exercised a purchase option for an additional 28,000 T21 miners and made…

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Decentralization and Localized Manufacturing: Bitcoin, AI and 3D printing

In the 1997 book The Sovereign Individual, William Rees-Mogg and James Dale Davidson make a convincing case that again and again throughout history, the dominant power of the day was disrupted by new technologies. Advances in agriculture meant that people and their property were often geographically stationary, making them sitting ducks for “specialists in violence”, the predecessors to modern governments, who back then, were both the plunderers and protectors against plunder. The stirrup, contoured saddle, spur, and curb bit had a combined similar disrupting effect, shifting power away from heavy cavalry to a single armed knight. The Gunpowder Revolution disrupted the feudal order…

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US Government | Silk Road Marketplace Website Seized BTC

The US government recently transferred a significant portion of its bitcoin holdings, seized from Silk Road marketplace website, leading to speculation that it may be preparing to sell off the stash. This anticipation has the market on its toes, with discussions arising about the aftermath of this event. This move, possibly aimed at liquidating a significant stash of bitcoin, has sparked discussions among experts and investors alike.

Seizure of BTC from Silk Road Marketplace Website

Silk Road, once a notorious digital black market facilitating illegal transactions, was shut down by the FBI. The government seized over 200,000 bitcoin, worth billions of dollars, from this illicit…

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Low Time Preference | Why Prioritize Long-Term Benefits

The Lindy effect posits that the future life expectancy of ideas, books, or technologies increases with their current age, signaling a low time preference and substantial value. Although not a flawless predictor, it is a practical heuristic: entities that have withstood time’s test typically have enduring value or utility. For instance, the Bible, enduring for over two millennia, is a cornerstone of Western civilization, its longevity attesting to its deep wisdom and cultural significance.

In the same vein, individuals with a low time preference value longevity and sustainability, favoring choices that yield long-term benefits over fleeting gratification. They recognize that true…

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LATEST: Ancient Dogecoin Whale Resurfaces After Decade Dormant

A long-forgotten Dogecoin (DOGE) whale, with a stash of 3.7 million DOGE valued at about $662,519, made headlines by initiating transactions for the first time since January 2014. The move has caught the eye of the cryptocurrency community, especially as it aligns with the lead-up to DOGE Day on April 20, a key date for Dogecoin supporters. The whale’s reappearance is stirring speculation about potential impacts on the market, reminiscent of past events where dormant investors suddenly became active, causing ripples through the crypto market.

Dogecoin’s prominence has been on the rise, now ranking as the eighth-largest cryptocurrency with a market cap of $26 billion and a token price of $0.18. The unexpected activity of this ancient DOGE investor has not only surprised market watchers but also added a new layer of excitement as DOGE Day approaches. The crypto community is keenly observing how this event might influence Dogecoin’s market dynamics amidst its growing popularity.

Whale Alert

NEW: VanEck Predicts Ethereum Layer 2 Networks Could Reach $1 Trillion by 2030

Investment firm VanEck forecasts that Ethereum layer 2 (L2) networks could be valued at over $1 trillion by 2030 in a base case scenario. Evaluating 46 L2 networks across key areas, VanEck predicts the emergence of “thousands” of rollups, with Arbitrum leading with over $18 billion in locked tokens. VanEck analysts Patrick Bush and Matthew Sigel estimate Ethereum will capture 60% of the market share across public blockchains, modeled around the volume of assets within the Ethereum ecosystem.

L2s serve as secondary networks atop main blockchains like Ethereum, aiding scalability and speed, with rollups being a specific scaling system. Factors like transaction pricing, developer and user experience, trust assumptions, and ecosystem size influence long-term growth. Despite bullish projections, VanEck remains “generally bearish” on the long-term prospects of many L2 tokens, citing fierce competition and potential oversupply, with $100 billion more in L2 tokens expected to hit the market in the next 12-18 months.

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