Governments seek crypto tax, Rwanda joins CBDCs as China pushes ahead, Walmart wants a stablecoin as Tether troubles mount, Binance takes on Libra, and the SEC delays ETFs again but Bakkt sets futures launch.

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Global

Crypto companies may lose access to ‘.bank’ domain names. More →

Joint letter from UK, US, EU, Australia, Canada data regulators hits Facebook Libra over privacy concerns. More →

North Korean cryptocurrency heists net $2bn, finds UN report. More →

Corporate blockchain outlay forecast at $15.9bn in next five years. More →

15 countries including G7 to develop cryptocurrency system to combat money laundering. More →

Cryptocurrency scams net thieves $4.2bn worldwide, says Ciphertrace. More →

Cryptocurrency lending sector hits $5bn, according to Grayscale. More →

World Bank raises $33m more on Bond-i blockchain bond. More →

Cryptojacking code found in 11 Ruby programming libraries. More →

Mark Carney tells Jackson Hole Symposium that cryptocurrency could replace US dollar as global reserve currency. More →

Cryptocurrencies hamper global efforts to fight crime, says UN official. More →

Europe

EU

European Central Bank paper says authority will ramp up on and off-chain monitoring. More →

Facebook’s Libra faces European Commission antitrust probe, report claims. More →

European bank blockchain spending to hit $4.9bn by 2023, says IDC report. More →

Austria

Raiffeisen Bank International invests in blockchain KYC regtech firm Kompany. More →

Telecoms giant A1 now accepts cryptocurrencies. More →

Czech Republic

Trade Licensing Office follows AMLD5 to impose £560,000 fine on unregistered crypto firms. More →

France

Cyberpolice shut down Monero-mining botnet that infected 850,000 computers. More →

Germany

WEG Bank obtains Estonian crypto trading and custody license. More →

Startup Bitwala launches Android and iOS crypto banking app across EU. More →

Gibraltar

Quedex wins Gibraltar Financial Services Commission approval for crypto derivatives exchange and custody. More →

Institutional crypto lender LendingBlock receives GFSC license. More →

Ireland

R3 to open Dublin office in 2020 as expansion continues. More →

Malta

Binance adds margin trading to Litecoin, Ethereum Classic. More →

Hacker blackmails Binance for $3.5m over stolen KYC user data. More →

Binance US to launch in October 2019, CEO CZ claims. More →

Binance unveils Venus project to offer fiat-pegged stablecoins across the globe. More →

CGEX exchange to shut down after just 12 months trading. More →

Binance guarantees 15% returns as it launches cryptocurrency lending. More →

Netherlands

Deribit futures exchanges launches 40BTC, 800ETH block trading for derivatives. More →

Portugal

Tax authority confirms Bitcoin trading and payments are tax free. More →

Russia

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev instructed to enact cryptoasset regulation by 1 November. More →

Moscow seeks Ethereum contractor to build blockchain administrative service. More →

Planned Moscow blockchain voting system ‘easily hacked’ finds French researcher. More →

Switzerland

Privacy regulator FDPIC demands more detail from Facebook on Libra. More →

Ethereum poised to become first public blockchain in IBM Hyperledger Consortium. More →

Regulator FINMA issues first banking licenses to blockchain firms. More →

UK

R3 to double London office staff to expand Corda. More →

New class of institutional investors spurring Bitcoin bull run, says asset manager’s report. More →

HMRC asks Coinbase, CEX.io, eToro for customer data in tax evasion hunt. More →

Standard Chartered bank completes first blockchain trade finance Letter of Credit. More →

Commission-free crypto, stock trading app Robinhood wins FCA approval. More →

Three jailed for 20 years for selling cocaine for Bitcoin. More →

UK Pension Office exploring blockchain. More →

Barclays bank ends Coinbase partnership as exchange struggles to find replacement. More →

Advertising watchdog ASA raps BitMEX over ‘misleading’ Times double-page spread. More →

MakerDAO’s Dai now accepted anywhere in UK that supports VISA. More →

Ripple says FCA final guidance on cryptoassets that XRP not a security gives ‘much needed’ clarity. More →

Crypto trader forfeits £400k, handed 20-month sentence for selling stolen data for Bitcoin. More →

Xendpay joins RippleNet for international money transfers. More →

High Court ruling over £600k hack decides Bitcoin is property. More →

Hacker ordered to pay back £920k in cryptocurrency after attacks on Sainsburys, Uber. More →

Jaguar Land Rover uses IOTA in energy-tracing Proof of Concept. More →

Ukraine

Nuclear plant worker charged with using computers to mine cryptocurrencies. More →

Americas

Argentina

Shock Presidential primary sends peso into freefall and Bitcoin skyrockets. More →

Brazil

Former central bank governor labels Bitcoin ‘spectacular’. More →

Tax authority the Federal Revenue Department now requires crypto investors to report all holdings, transactions, trading. More →

Crypto broker wins lawsuit against Banco Bradesco for shuttering bank account. More →

Central bank adopts IMF recommendations to recognise cryptocurrencies as assets. More →

Brazil’s largest payment processor Cielo unveils support for cryptocurrencies on 1.4m point of sale devices. More →

Canada

Kik ICO lawyers issue 130-page SEC response claiming regulator ‘twisted facts’. More →

BlockStream reveals it is mining Bitcoin on behalf of Fidelity. More →

Committee overseeing QuadrigaCX collapse will not investigate whereabouts of lost 103BTC. More →

Bitcoin 6x more efficient than banks for paying tax, says cryptoexchange boss. More →

Canadian nationals charged over alleged $230k Bitcoin theft. More →

Scammers attempt Bitcoin ATM thefts with homemade ‘out of order’ signs. More →

Mexico

‘Onerous’ new fintech law could see 200 cryptocurrency startups close. More →

United States

CFTC $280m margin trading suit applies to crypto because of commodities stance. More →

Ledger X sues CFTC over botched Bitcoin futures launch. More →

Bitcoin.com launching Bitcoin Cash-focused exchange. More →

IBM, MIT release world’s largest dataset of labelled Bitcoin transactions. More →

Walmart files patent for stablecoin aimed at low income households. More →

Coinbase picked as custodian for Grayscale’s $2.8bn crypto funds. More →

Tokensoft rolls out Know Your Business framework in response to FinCEN updates to Bank Secrecy Act. More →

Joint Apple-Goldman Sachs credit card can’t be used to buy crypto. More →

IBM announce new blockchain network for supply chain management. More →

Mastercard targets crypto wallet space with new hires. More →

US ‘not sitting idle’ on crypto regulation, says SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce. More →

Federal Reserve plans ‘FedNow’ real-time payments settlement system for 2023. More →

Walmart stablecoin may have easier regulatory path than Facebook’s Libra. More →

Coinbase faces negligenc suit over ‘mishandling’ of Bitcoin Cash launch. More →

Celsius returns ICO to market after two-month suspension. More →

Texas regulator issues cease and desist order for trader claiming 900% returns. More →

New Jersey issues Stop Order for two ICOs as unregistered securities. More →

Proof of Stake blockchain group lobbies Congress. More →

Payment processor BitPay suspends German operations over regulatory concerns. More →

Congressional Research Service finds blockchain uses for energy sector. More →

CFTC official who set Bitcoin futures policy to leave authority. More →

US Commerce Department hiring blockchain specialists. More →

SEC delays Bitcoin ETF decisions yet again. More →

SEC freezes $8m of Veritaseum assets over alleged ICO fraud, price manipulation. More →

SEC guidance gives boost to lawsuit claiming XRP is unregistered security. More →

Poloniex to repay $18m in margin trading losses to users. More →

Sued ICO PlexCorps settles with SEC for $2m. More →

Institutional platform Seed CX to go live with physically-settled Bitcoin margin swaps. More →

IRS sends new round of warning letters to crypto investors who misreport trades. More →

Nevada now requires Money Transmission Licenses for Bitcoin ATMs. More →

SEC targets blockchain healthcare ICO as $6m unregistered security. More →

Institutional clients see 70pc bank transfer surge on Paxful P2P exchange. More →

Florida federal judge finds Craig S Wright ‘not credible’, won’t dismiss billion-dollar Bitcoin theft suit. More →

Maryland joins ‘CryptoSweep’ trading fraud initiative. More →

IBM staffers file patent for blockchain-based DNS service. More →

Coinbase confirms 3,000 user password were stored in plain text. More →

Bakkt wins NYDFS license for institutional-grade crypto custody. More →

Bakkt confirm physical Bitcoin futures to launch on ICE on 23 Sept 2019. More →

Coinbase buys Swiss Xapo custody firm for reported $55m. More →

Big Four firm Deloitte announces ‘blockchain in a box’ for business apps. More →

Dark web fentanyl vendor forfeits millions in Bitcoin, Stratis, Monero and Ethereum. More →

Judge rules New York State has jurisdiction over Bitfinex. More →

Bitcoin Cash developer pleads insanity to avoid charges for stealing, driving tank through Virginia. More →

SEC charge Russian ratings agency ICORating.com over failure to disclose $100k from tokens it covered. More →

Tether challenges New York State Supreme Court ruling over iFinex. More →

Secretary of State Pompeo says crypto should be regulated like SWIFT. More →

White House circular links cryptocurrencies with deadly opioid fentanyl. More →

FinCEN seize Bitcoin, Litecoin addresses of alleged Chinese drug lords. More →

Thieves caught on CCTV stealing Bitcoin ATM. More →

California universities begin blockchain accelerator. More →

Silvergate Bank plans institutional crypto loans. More →

Blockchain seed funder GO Philly spends $1.75m in first investments. More →

Key 2020 Presidential candidates show cryptocurrency support. More →

Securitize wins SEC approval as crypto securities record-keeper. More →

Circle raising $100m fund for crowdfunding arm. More →

Founding partners of Libra Association consider quitting over regulatory pressure. More →

California man laundered $25m through DIY cryptoexchange and ATM court alleges. More →

US lawmaker says her ‘concerns remain’ after meeting Libra officials in Switzerland. More →

Federal court finds ‘Faketoshi’ Craig S Wright perjured himself, must forfeit $5bn in Bitcoin to Ira Kleinman estate. More →

Telegram pushing ahead with ‘Gram’ cryptocurrency in October after shelved ICO. More →

Facebook hires lobbying firm to pressure US regulators and politicians. More →

Ex-Amazon employee behind Capital One hack used cloud servers to mine cryptocurrency. More →

SEC agree $23m settlement with Dallas firm Bitqyck over unregistered securities offering. More →

Coin mining malware up 29% on year, says McAfee report. More →

Crypto ATMs in Nevada to be licensed under current laws. More →

CoinMarketCap adds liquidity metric to cryptocurrency rankings. More →

US Air Force steps up blockchain and smart contract usage. More →

Venezuela

PundiX adds BTC, ETH payments to 49 outlets of country’s largest department store. More →

President Maduro asks Venezuelans abroad to use Petro for remittances. More →

Middle East & North Africa

Bahrain

Rain exchange first in Middle East to win Crypto-Asset Module regulatory license. More →

Iran

Iran will not recognise cryptocurrency trades, new law clarifies. More →

Israel

Israeli crypto investors can’t pay Bitcoin taxes as banks refuse deposits. More →

Capital Markets Authority regulator to change laws to fast track 2,000 fintech and blockchain applications. More →

Oman

Ethereum is halal, finds Shariah compliance advisory firm. More →

UAE

One of world’s largest sovereign investment funds buys stake in regulated cryptocurrency exchange. More →

Central Asia

Kyrgyzstan

Ministry of Economy submits draft law to tax cryptocurrency mining. More →

South Asia

India

Country risks losing $12.9bn if Bitcoin ban enacted, says blockchain industry chair. More →

Supreme Court gives central bank 2 weeks to justify Bitcoin ban. More →

East Asia & Pacific

Australia

Five charged in $2.7m cryptocurrency investment scam. More →

Australian Tax Office will fine 18,000 all-crypto retirement accounts. More →

Horizon State blockchain voting firm shuts down over mounting lawsuits. More →

7,000 sign petition against $10,000 cash purchases ban. More →

Winklevoss’ Gemini exchanges expands to Australia. More →

China

State-backed research institute ranks Ethereum, EOS above Bitcoin. More →

Mining giant Bitmain reveals $310m loss in Q1 2019. More →

Circle CEO claims ‘macro-correlation’ between Bitcoin price and China’s yuan devaluation. More →

Chinese police investigate EtherDelta as unregistered securities exchange. More →

Alleged $3bn Ponzi scheme dumps 1000 BTC onto major exchanges. More →

Central bank close to CBDC launch, driven by Facebook’s Libra. More →

Tether preparing yuan-backed stablecoin, report claims. More →

Alibaba and Tencent among 7 giants first to receive central bank cryptocurrency. More →

China central bank currency will be ‘two-tier system, replace cash’, says Binance report. More →

State-run media denies central bank currency will launch in November 2019. More →

Hong Kong

Publisher Hong Kong Free Press accepts BTC, BCH in move against China propaganda. More →

Japan

Rakuten e-commerce giant launches cryptocurrency spot exchange. More →

Coincheck exchange preparing IEO for utility tokens. More →

HR giant Recruit Holdings invests $50m in BlockStac. More →

Financial Services Agency regulator plotting more cryptocurrency laws. More →

Malaysia

Electricity provider TNB loses $750,000 to illegal Bitcoin miners. More →

New Zealand

ASB Bank takes stake in blockchain trade finance firm TradeWindow. More →

New Zealand Inland Revenue legalises salaries paid in cryptocurrencies. More →

Hacked exchange Cryptopia used shared wallets for customer funds so ‘impossible to determine individual ownership’. More →

Accounting firm Grant Thornton recovers $16m crypto accounts from Cryptopia exchange hack. More →

Singapore

Ripple cheaper than SWIFT, claims DBS Bank internal report. More →

South Korea

Financial Intelligence Unit regulator to directly oversee crypto-exchanges. More →

City of Seoul creating cryptocurrency for citizen rewards. More →

Samsung adds Bitcoin support to blockchain Keystore. More →

200 crypto-exchanges face closure over banking regulations, report claims. More →

Prixbit exchange shuts down citing harsh banking regulatory environment. More →

Four major banks back $7.4m Series B+ round for Samsung-supported Blocko business blockchain. More →

Thailand

Cryptocurrency to be monitored by Thai Anti-Money Laundering Office. More →

Country’s largest commercial bank SBC confirms Ripple partnership. More →

Africa

Seychelles

BitMEX sheds $524m in July as alleged CFTC probe rolls on. More →

BitMEX blocks access to investors in Seychelles, Hong Kong, Bermuda. More →

Rwanda

National Bank of Rwanda studying potential of central bank digital currency. More →