LATEST: Crypto.com Authorized in UAE to Provide Derivatives Trading Services

Crypto.com has been granted a limited license by Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority to offer derivatives in the UAE. This approval expands on the capabilities allowed under the company’s existing VASP license enhancing its operational footprint in the region. Now Crypto.com will launch derivatives products such as futures perpetual swap contracts and CFDs mainly to eligible institutions with plans to include qualified investors later.

Through the new license retail users of Crypto.com can utilize USD fiat rails for seamless USD transactions. These transactions are facilitated by Standard Chartered allowing deposits and withdrawals directly from their Crypto.com accounts. This initiative is part of Crypto.com’s broader strategy to increase product availability and financial technology integration across global markets.

The announcement marks another significant development for Crypto.com’s Dubai entity following a series of regulatory approvals and service launches over the past two years. Eric Anziani President and COO of Crypto.com expressed enthusiasm about the new license stating it as a major step towards providing comprehensive financial technology tools worldwide.

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How Bukele went from mayor to most powerful Bitcoin maxi on Earth

This is a segment from the Supply Shock newsletter. To read full editions, subscribe. 

Today, we’re reliving the journey of Nayib Bukele, the laser-eyed president of El Salvador who made bitcoin legal tender in a world first.

It was one year ago today that El Salvador wisely moved its strategic bitcoin reserve into cold storage. Now, the country is sitting on over half a billion dollars in BTC.

Fix the money

The old adage goes, “do you wanna be right, or do you wanna make money?” 

El Salvador president Nayib Bukele has proven it’s possible to do both.

Bitcoin was first and foremost freedom money to Bukele, as it was for activists like Alexei Navalny…

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Did memecoins stress-test crypto’s infrastructure?

This is a segment from the Empire newsletter. To read full editions, subscribe.

“Memecoins are stress-testing infra,” Empire co-host Santiago Santos said on the Empire roundup this morning. 

Santos compared it to the porn industry stress-testing the internet. Good times. 

“ I get really excited about the fact that we’ve come such a long way in building infrastructure … [and you] see a line of sight into actually becoming the future of finance, like tokenizing stocks,” he continued. 

The point Santos makes is a personal favorite of mine, as I’m sure you’re aware. 

We’re seeing a lot of developments happening, and I’m speaking to a new…

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LATEST: XRP Addresses Reach New Record with 6.87 Million Active Users

The total number of XRP addresses has reached a new milestone surpassing the previous record to hit 6.87 million as of March 1. This surge comes despite the cryptocurrency’s price remaining significantly below its historical peak according to data from Glassnode analyzed by crypto expert Ali Martinez. The network now boasts over 6.27 million accounts as of today representing a dramatic increase from the 5 million observed early in 2024. Such growth is supported by a rise in trustlines which expands the network’s capability to manage various digital assets making it increasingly popular for cross-border transactions and decentralized finance applications.

On March 5 Martinez highlighted an extraordinary 620% increase in active XRP addresses week-over-week which escalated from 74,589 to 462,650. This spike in activity underscores a growing interest and engagement within the XRP ecosystem.

Despite the positive trends XRP whales have remained relatively inactive over the last week showing no significant buying or selling. This could suggest a period of accumulation or a strategic pause by influential holders indicating potential preparation for an upcoming significant market movement. Investors and market watchers are keenly observing these developments seeing them as indicators of potential upward trends for XRP in the near future.

LATEST: Rex Shares Introduces First Bitcoin Corporate Treasury Bond ETF

REX Shares has unveiled the REX Bitcoin Corporate Treasury Convertible Bond ETF (NASDAQ: BMAX) marking a pioneering move in the financial sector. This innovative ETF offers investors access to convertible bonds of companies that are incorporating Bitcoin into their corporate treasury strategies. With this launch REX aims to simplify the investment process in this niche market through a single actively managed fund.

BMAX stands out as the first ETF that enables retail investors and financial advisors to easily invest in Bitcoin-integrated corporate bonds. Greg King CEO of REX Financial highlighted that prior to BMAX these opportunities were largely inaccessible to individual investors. The ETF is designed to break down these barriers by providing a direct route to this unique form of corporate debt.

The fund focuses on providing investors with a blend of debt stability and potential equity growth. By investing in BMAX investors gain exposure to companies using Bitcoin in their treasury operations. This setup allows for a more conservative approach to Bitcoin exposure compared to direct ownership ensuring benefits from both the equity and debt markets.

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This Rare Bitcoin Buy Signal Could Ignite Next BTC Rally

Bitcoin has been struggling with lower lows in recent weeks, leaving many investors questioning whether the asset is on the brink of a major bear cycle. However, a rare data point tied to the US Dollar Strength Index (DXY) suggests that a significant shift in market dynamics may be imminent. This bitcoin buy signal, which has only appeared three times in BTC’s history, could point to a bullish reversal despite the current bearish sentiment.

For a more in-depth look into this topic, check out a recent YouTube video here:Bitcoin: This Had Only Ever Happened 3x Before

BTC vs DXY Inverse Relationship

Bitcoin’s price action has long been inversely correlated with the US Dollar…

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Russia Is Using Bitcoin And Crypto For Its Oil Trades With China And India

Amid ongoing sanctions over the war in Ukraine, Russia has turned to bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to facilitate some of its oil trade with major buyers China and India.

According to a Reuters report, Russian oil companies and traders increasingly conduct transactions in bitcoin and crypto, allowing them to circumvent restrictions from Western nations. Sources say monthly trade volumes are already in the tens of millions of dollars.

The mechanism involves Chinese or Indian buyers purchasing oil and depositing yuan or rupees into an offshore account owned by a middleman company. The middleman then converts the fiat currency into crypto and transfers it to an account in Russia,…

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