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Iran’s government is moving toward regulating cryptocurrencies rather than imposing outright bans, according to Abdolnaser Hemmati, Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance. Speaking at a national event on Saturday, Hemmati emphasized the importance of mitigating crypto’s economic risks while harnessing its potential benefits. He highlighted its role in fostering youth employment, countering U.S. sanctions, and integrating Iran into the global economy.
The Central Bank of Iran (CBI) echoed this sentiment by unveiling plans to establish new cryptocurrency policies. These measures aim to support crypto traders while ensuring compliance with tax and anti-money laundering regulations. Economist Mohammad Sadegh Alhosseini noted that Iranian investors collectively hold between $30 billion and $50 billion in crypto assets—approximately one-third of the nation’s gold market.
The announcement comes as pro-crypto sentiments rise globally. In the U.S., President-elect Donald Trump has signaled a positive regulatory approach, appointing crypto advocate Paul Atkins to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission. Iran’s shift reflects the growing acknowledgment of cryptocurrencies as a strategic economic tool.
On a recent episode of MSNBC’s All In, host Chris Hayes said that a Senate bill could potentially result in a $100 billion transfer from taxpayers to Bitcoin owners.
What Happened: The bill, proposed by Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), calls for the U.S. Treasury to acquire one million Bitcoins over a span of five years, with a holding period of at least 20 years.
Given the current Bitcoin trading price of $100,000, this acquisition would amount to $100 billion.
Hayes drew attention to the fact that Republican lawmakers have received substantial campaign contributions from cryptocurrency advocates, who are now looking to reap the benefits of their investment.
“They want…
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Two double-digit rounds led the funding announcements this week. The first came from Spexi, which is a DePIN for drone imagery.
Spexi raised $11.5 million in a Series A led by Blockchange Ventures. The round comes two years after it raised a seed round.
The firm developed “an innovative, blockchain-based ‘Fly to Earn’ network” back in 2017. It seeks to advance “the aerial imagery industry by building a scalable global network of drone pilots to capture and deliver frequently updated, data-rich earth, fully standardized imagery to both the public and private sectors — all with near-zero emissions.”
Read more: Solana Foundation exec departs for ‘the most…
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Coinbase’s former chief architect returned to the crypto exchange as its head of platform.
Rob Witoff led the company’s security and infrastructure from 2014 to 2017 before creating cold storage company Unit 410, Coinbase Chief Operating Officer Emilie Choi wrote in a Dec. 2 blog post. He became the company’s newest executive team member this week.
“Rob embodies what it is to be a builder,” Choi wrote. “He cares deeply about crypto, developer productivity and empowerment, and creating a seamless user experience.”
21.co also made an executive appointment — multiple in fact.
The crypto-focused firm revealed it would have two distinct business units:…
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