Bitcoin booms as halving nears, bullish buying crashes Coinbase, security in spotlight with Kraken custody breach, Binance DDOS and Covid-19 ransomware, enterprise blockchain deals soar and Libra comes back from the brink

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Global

Bitcoin trading volumes spike 61% in Q1 2020. More →

World Economic Forum’s first whitepaper on blockchain supply chains says toolkit can restart economy after Covid-19. More → 

60% of central banks studying stablecoins, Bank for International Settlements research shows. More →

Covid-19 cuts criminal crypto ransomware revenue by a third, says research. More →

Financial Stability Board asks for guidance on 10 regulatory recommendations for ‘global stablecoin’. More →

XRP is 2020’s worst performing cryptoasset.  More →

More investors hoarding Bitcoin ahead of bullish halving, data shows: More →

G20 to set international rules for regulating stablecoins, Libra. More →

Covid-19 highlights value of central bank digital currencies, says BIS head Benoit.  More →

$8.8trn traded on futures and spot markets in Q1 2020. More →

Bitcoin ‘stock-to-flow’ model predicts bullish halving. More →

Open interest on CME Bitcoin futures returns to pre-crash levels. More →

Europe

Digital Euro should not discourage private payment tech, ECB exec says. More →

EU must cover regulatory ‘blind spots’ in cryptocurrency. More →

Estonia

Coinex adds Matrixport to begin OTC trading. More →

France

Authorite de Marches Financiers regulator says it’s too soon for cross-border EU crypto regulations. More →

Germany

Boerse Stuttgart adds stop orders on Bitcoin trades ahead of halving volatility. More →

Ireland

 Facebook hiring 50 new roles for Calibra development office. More →

Italy

Small town mints new ‘Ducati’ currency to deal with Covid-19. More →

Malta

70% of ‘Blockchain Island’ applicants failed to win license, authority says.  More →

Netherlands

Parliament votes to adopt tighter AML laws for crypto companies. More →

Central bank supports creation of digital Euro. More →

Bitcoin savings platform Bittr closes citing AMLD. More →

Norway

Millionaire arrested for wife’s murder in ‘$10m in Monero’ ransom case.  More →

Portugal

Energy giant EDP hit by €10m Bitcoin ransomware hack. More → 

Government to create blockchain, AI ‘free zones’ to lower regulatory burden. More →

Russia

Cryptocurrency bill reading postponed again, this time due to Covid-19. More → 

Russia completes cryptocurrency regulation bill. More → 

Slovakia

Researchers disrupt 35,000 strong Monero mining botnet:. More → 

Spain

Tax authority sends letters to 66,000 crypto traders nationwide. More →

Switzerland

FINMA backs law changes for blockchain trading. More →

Famed ‘Crypto Valley’ seeks $100m government bailout. More → 

Arab Bank Switzerland closes $10m Series A round for Taurus Group. More → 

Capital markets association adopts new standards for crypto custody. More → 

Uk

Institution-focused cryptoexchange Max Markets opens its doors. More → 

Cryptocurrencies must be strictly regulated to avoid financial collapse, says Oxford University research. More →

Action Fraud warns of 9,500 reports of Bitcoin sextorition scam. More →

Payments processor Checkout.com joins Libra Association. More →

Blockchain AML financial crime firm Elliptic names new CEO with Asia push in mind. More →

AIM-listed miner Argo Blockchain reveals 1000% revenue boost. More →

Crypto data provider Skew secures $5m funding round. More →

Telegram delays TON launch until April 2021, offers investors 72% refund. More →

Americas

Argentina

Central bank testing smart contracts for interbank settlement, clearing. More →

Brazil

Country’s four financial regulators launch info-sharing on blockchain. More → 

Canada

Publicly-listed Hive to double mining capacity with 30MW bu.  More →

3iQ lists $14m Bitcoin Fund on Toronto Stock Exchange. More →

Cuba

Country’s first P2P cryptoexchange launches despite restrictions. More →

United States

Libra rival Celo awards $700k to 13 startups. More → 

FATF report says US ‘largely compliant’ with cryptoasset recommendations. More →

New York judge denies Telegram request to distribute Gram tokens outside US.  More →

Ex-Goldman Sachs fund manager pivots hard into Bitcoin. More →

Investor group sues four exchanges, seven issuers for selling ICOs as unregistered securities. More → 

Microsoft files patent for cryptomining using body heat instead of electricity. More → 

Government Accountability Office seeks blockchain specialists. More →

Visa teams up with Fold startup for Bitcoin payments card. More →

Mining hardware giant Canaan records net $148.6m loss in 2019. More → 

FBI warns over increased Covid-19 crypto scams.  More → 

Andressen Horowitz seeks to raise $450m for second crypto VC fund. More → 

State Department, Treasury, Homeland Security and FBI launch united front against North Korea cryptohacking. More → 

CFTC charges Florida man in $1.6m forex-crypto scam. More → 

Facebook revamps Libra to single-currency stablecoins to meet regulatory approval. More → 

From July 2020 Wyoming insurance groups allowed to buy cryptocurrencies. More → 

Updated Libra whitepaper ‘does not address concerns’ of Finance Committee. More →

Americans using Covid-19 stimulus payments to buy Bitcoin, report says. More →

CFTC approves Bitnomial exchange for Bitcoin futures and options margin trading. More → 

Coinbase names Barclays veteran Tejpaul as institutional head. More →

Texas judge orders arrest of ex-State senator for ICO scam. More →

Jack Dorsey-backed CoinList moves into DeFi. More →

Bakkt promotes David Clifton to interim CEO. More →

Crypto lender dydx processes $1.1bn in Bitcoin loans in 2020. More →

Crypto-friendly Square wins FDIC permission to become a bank. More →

SEC sues Dropil over $54m ICOs. More →

Immigration enforcement seizes Covid-19 website sold for Bitcoin. More →

Dole to use blockchain food tracing in all divisions by 2025. More →

US health giant joins IBM blockchain supplier network. More →

US, UK lead DeFi startup boom, research shows. More →

Bitcoin mining manufacturer Ebang files for $100m IPO.  More →

Kentucky governor signs bill creating blockchain working group. More →

Crypto fund Iterative Capital Management sued for alleged fraud. More → 

Grayscale bought 48% of all ETH mined this year, say reports. More → 

Lawmakers lobby US Treasury to allow blockchain for Covid-19 relieft. More → 

Asia-focused derivatives exchange FTX to launch US spot trading. More →

Blockchain Association lobby group join Kik vs SEC case. More →

Crypto fund manager sued over alleged $1m fraud. More → 

TokenSoft joins US crypto lobbyist Blockchain Association. More → 

Crypto-friendly CFTC commissioner Quintenz won’t seek renomination. More → 

Ciphertrace unveils compliance tool for banks processing crypto transactions. More →

Fee-free crypto lender Celsius Network sees 60% rise in lending. More → 

Nasdaq joins with R3 to let financial institutions build their own tokens, marketplaces: .  More →

Crypto-friendly Silvergate Bank sees record 24/7 payments in Q1 2020. More →

Colorado patient data system hit with crypto ransomware. More →

Department of Transportation reveals blockchain drone-tracking plans. More →

Coinbase, Kraken crash under surge of Bitcoin buying ahead of halving. More →

Venezuela

Exchange debuts SMS-based offline Petro payments at Maduro’s behest. More →

Middle East & North Africa

Bahrain

Country’s first pharma, food tracking blockchain launches to aid Covid-19.  More →

UAE

KFC to use blockchain to track media buying in Middle East. More →

Central Asia

Uzbekistan

Regulators plan sandbox to cover STOs, mining, exhanges and cryptocurrency. More →

South Asia

India

Bitbuddy launches Bitcoin exchange in wake of Supreme Court ban reversal. More → 

Facebook buys $5.7bn stake in blockchain-friendly giant Reliance Jio. More →

East Asia & Pacific

Australia

Payments firm Eftpos trials blockchain ID for government. More →

Coinspot exchange is country’s first to win ISO 27001 cert for infosecy. More →

China

Tech giants Huawei, Tencent, Baidu join national blockchain committee.  More →

Central bank digital currency mobile wallet revealed. More →

Central bank greenlights commercial lenders to trial digital yuan.  More → 

Government employees to get half their wages in digital yuan.  More →

Digital yuan will not lead to inflation, central bank official says.  More →

Sichuan drops prices to $0.01/KWh to encourage hydro cryptomining.  More →

Ripple sues Youtube over alleged viral video scams.  More →

Most of China’s biggest banks are already using blockchains.  More →

Starbucks, McDonalds to trial China’s CBDC. More →

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China is tracking transactions using new blockchain platform. More →

 ‘Internet of blockchains’ ChinaChain debuts. More →

Bitmain customers report 20-30% fail rates on Antminer S17 and T17. More →

$7.5bn-rated AI startup Sensetime to help manage China digital yuan. More →

Court declares Ethereum legal property. More →

DeFi platform DForce returns $25m to P2P traders after wild April hack. More →

Bitmain reports $300m revenue in 2020. More →

Tencent launches blockchain accelerator. More →

Beijing court sides with ousted Bitmain co-founder in legal dispute. More →

Central Commission on Cyberspace regulator backs 224 blockchain products. More →

Hong Kong

Custody firm First Digital Trust scores $3m investment from Taiwan VCs.  More →

Indonesia

Commodities regulator gives Zipmex exchange green light. More → 

Crypto payment firm Pundi X wins Singapore license reprieve. More → 

Japan

Coinbase joins JVCEA self-regulatory organisation. More →

Rakuten wallet rolls out crypto margin trading.  More →

FSA securities regulator launches blockchain governance initiative. More → 

EY Japan using blockchain to fight counterfeits in $10bn-a-year sake industry. More →

OKCoin gains Japanese exchange license. More →

Philippines

Securities and Exchange Commission warns against 3 crypto scam fakes. More → 

Singapore

Bithumb exchange reports $30.5m profit in 2019. More →

AirAsia debuts blockchain network to bid and book air cargo. More →

Inland Revenue Authority won’t tax airdrops or hard forks under crypto law. More →

Vechain extends H&M fashion blockchain tracking project. More →

South Korea

Bank of South Korea confirms digital won pilot. More →

Finance minister calls blockchain market a ‘golden opportunity’. More → 

Taiwan

Binance agrees $400m deal to buy CoinMarketCap. More → 

Binance debuts smart contract platform on parallel chain. More → 

Binance launches cryptomining pool:.  More → 

Binance blames ‘competitors’ for DDOS attack. More → 

Caribbean

Puerto Rico

Governor signs law increasing crypto company registration from $300 to $5000. More →

Africa

Seychelles

BitMEX to stop serving all Japanese customers as new crypto laws come into effect. More → 

South Africa

Intergovernmental fintech research group proposes strict cryptoasset regulations. More →