Derivatives and central bank currencies are hot topics, Bakkt futures break records, China cracks down, the UK joins Singapore and South Korea in regulatory steps forward and stablecoins rock the banking boat.

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Global

First central bank digital currency will arrive by 2024, survey of 23 central banks finds. More →

International Organization of Securities Commissions say stablecoins like Libra could fall under existing securities regulation. More →

Outgoing European Central Bank head Benoit Coeure to lead Bank for International Settlements digital asset group. More →

Central bank digital currencies are not a reinvention of money, says BIS. More →

Crypto insurers ‘can’t rely on the past for answers’, says BIS chair Randall Quarles. More →

BRIC nations propose cryptocurrency for payments between Brazil, China, India, Russia, South Africa. More →

Crypto derivatives make up vast majority of market, research suggests. More →

Stablecoins ‘systemically important’, will compete with banks for commissions and profits, say BIS. More →

Banks need to change to be crypto custody providers, says chair of Basel Banking Committee. More →

$400m in XRP tied to illegal activity, Elliptic analysts find. More →

Binance study: 92% of institutional investors keep crypto on exchanges. More →

Europe

EU

European Commission Vice-President Dombrovskis to roll out EU-wide instant payments system in 2021. More →

European Central Bank investigates Central Bank Digital Currencies over fears ‘Europe is losing its edge’. More →

France

Nestle, Carrefour extend blockchain tracking to baby milk. More →

Germany

BaFin securities regulator bars 5 Captial for illegally selling crypto CFDs. More →

BaFin orders KaratGold to cease operations. More →

Airline Hahn Air issues first blockchain tickets. More →

Bavarian government to issue blockchain-based training certificates. More →

New money-laundering law allows banks to sell and custody Bitcoin from 2020. More →

Italy

CONSOB securities regulator orders takedown of crypto investing sites. More →

When Lambo? Carmaker to track parts on Salesforce blockchain. More →

Malta

World Bank report finds ‘Blockchain Island’ second-worst place to do business in Europe. More →

Binance acquires Indian exchange WazirX to buy and sell crypto with INR. More →

Binance CEO CZ threatens to sue The Block for libel over Shanghai ‘police raid’ story. More →

Government in crisis, PM to resign over journalist murder crisis. More →

Netherlands

Deribit derivatives exchange suffers ‘flash crash’ handing traders $1.3m in stop losses. More →

Deribit founders say Bitcoin index fail caused ‘flash crash’, they will reimburse 150BTC. More →

Police arrest founder of blockchain startup Komodore64 as it files for bankruptcy after €78m fundraise. More →

Russia

Security service FSB blamed for $450m loss from WEX exchange. More →

Beverage exporter Artel is Russia’s first company to include Bitcoin from investor as equity. More →

Central Bank of the Russian Federation supports ban on Bitcoin payments. More →

Spain

Securities regulator CNMV warns over Alycoin cryptocurrency. More →

Switzerland

Lawmakers seek to boost legal certainty with blockchain framework plans. More →

UK

HMRC says cryptocurrencies ‘not currency or money’, updates tax rules for investing, mining, airdrops. More →

Panel of senior judges ratify smart contracts as legally enforceable. More →

XRP-based Gatehub wallet hacked, 1.4m user passwords posted online. More →

Crypto lender Celsius adds Fidelity-backed Fireblocks hot wallet to secure $400m. More →

Commission-free crypto-friendly trader Robinhood aims for 2020 UK launch. More →

Ukraine

Binance announces MOU with government to help write cryptocurrency laws. More →

The Americas

Canada

Canadian securities regulator seizes Einstein crypto exchange. More →

Walmart Canada launches blockchain-based freight and payments network. More →

Royal Bank of Canada patents point to crypto exchange launch. More →

Einstein exchange receiver says $16m in user funds ‘all but gone’. More →

Quebec crypto mining giant Bitfarms struggles with noise, vibration complaints from 24/7 operation. More →

Fund manager 3iQ files prospectus for Bitcoin fund IPO. More →

United States

CFTC orders operators of ATMCoin to pay $4.25m in fraud charges. More →

Satoshi Nakamoto identity case resumes as Craig Wright breaks billion-dollar settlement terms. More →

Coca-Cola bottlers put $21bn supply on blockchain. More →

Reddit users discover ‘infinite leverage’ glitch on Robinhood to turn $4,000 into $1m. More →

SEC touts multi-million dollar fines for ICOs as unregistered securities in annual report. More →

Virginia pension funds double cryptoasset allocations through Morgan Creek. More →

Bakkt Bitcoin futures trading hits all-time daily high of $15m. More →

Crypto derivatives market needs ‘more principles, fewer rules’, CFTC chair says. More →

Bakkt opens crypto custody to all institutions following NYDFS nod. More →

SEC moves ‘slower than speed of erosion’ on crypto, NASDAQ ex-CEO says. More →

Would-be SRO The ADAM releases Code of Conduct for crypto-exchanges. More →

‘Grams will not be securities’: Telegram denies all SEC allegations ahead of ICO. More →

Bakkt in talks to launch cash-settled Bitcoin futures in Singapore. More →

Big Four accounting firm EY tracking wine sales on in-house OpsChain blockchain. More →

Ohio State crypto tax payments scheme deemed illegal, future in doubt. More →

Libra co-founder backs project as Facebook looks to disown it. More →

Top 2020 Presidential candidate Andrew Yang lays out plans to regulate crypto. More →

US central bank digital currency could address barriers to widespread crypto use, says Chicago Fed president. More →

Coinbase, custodian Kingdom Trust to offer Bitcoin IRA and 401 (k) retirement funds. More →

IRS expands to Australia, Singapore, Netherlands in search of digital asset fraud. More →

Tether files to dismiss $1.4trn class action lawsuit. More →

IRS issues refunds to crypto taxpayers. More →

FinCEN director Kenneth Bianco reiterates FATF ‘travel rule’ will apply to crypto funds. More →

JP Morgan automates derivatives margin payments with blockchain. More →

Stablecoin operators must register with FinCEN no matter which asset backs them, Bianco confirms. More →

IRS policing Bitcoin ATMs for money laundering, tax issues. More →

Crypto firms heed FinCEN warning by reporting 10,000 suspicious transactions. More →

Fed flags stablecoins as risk to financial system. More →

Northern Bitcoin merges with Whitstone to build world’s largest Bitcoin mine in Texas. More →

SEC agrees to give Bitwise ETF a second look. More →

Fidelity granted NYDFS charter to run crypto custody and execution. More →

Blockchain-as-a-service firm Bison Trails raises $25.5m in Series A round. More →

Grayscale voluntarily registers GBTC Bitcoin trust fund with SEC. More →

Shapeshift launches fee-free crypto trading as competition hots up. More →

Blockchain ‘could overtake internet, I want US to lead’, says CFTC chair. More →

Too early to set international accounting standards for Bitcoin, says IFRS. More →

$700bn asset manager Franklin Templeton to secure tokenised shares in Curv crypto wallet. More →

Broker Schwab in talks to buy crypto-friendly TD Ameritrade. More →

Bitcoin miner Canaan raises $90m from IPO after losing banking partner. More →

Bipartisan bill would classify ‘managed stablecoins’ like Libra as securities. More →

IRS has not decided yet whether airdrops are taxable. More →

No plans for US central bank digital currency, Fed chair Powell says in letter to Congress. More →

Trump hosted secret White House dinner with Zuckerberg after Libra testimony. More →

Coinbase Custody switches to international staking. More →

Deputy Treasury Secretary Muzinich tells banking conference ‘even registered cryptos pose threat to state’. More →

Lawyer laundered $400m for OneCoin crypto scam, court hears. More →

Schwab-TD Ameritrade broking giants $26bn merger could offer huge boost to crypto market. More →

Self-styled Satoshi Nakamoto Craig Wright ordered to pay $658,000 in court fees. More →

Bakkt Bitcoin futures volume hits another daily record of $20m. More →

Washington lawsuit drags Tether, BitFinex to court over BTC price manipulation. More →

Pro poker player admits stealing $22m from employer for crypto trading. More →

Ripple completes $20m Moneygram purchase to own 10%. More →

Cybersecurity startup Gladius shuts down as $12.7m ICO investors cry foul. More →

SEC anti-Bitcoin ETF position is severely flawed, equities structure expert says. More →

Craig Wright pleads poverty, asks judge in Satoshi Nakamoto ID case to lift sanctions. More →

Cryptoasset manager CoinShares snags FINRA broker-dealer license. More →

Kraken exchange joins Silvergate Exchange Network for real-time deposits. More →

Booking.com opens up to crypto payments. More →

Robinhood drops bank charter application. More →

Georgia Governor to tap Bakkt CEO Kelly Loeffler for Senate seat. More →

Controversial SIRIN Labs CEO Moshe Hegog named in lawsuit over Stox token sale. More →

FBI arrest Ethereum researcher for allegedly aiding North Korean sanction avoidance. More →

Crypto investment bank Galaxy Digital swings to $68.2m loss in Q3 2019. More →

Cisco patents blockchain authentication for 5G networks. More →

Venezuela

Maduro showcases Trezor crypto wallet on state TV. More →

30m barrels of oil stored in tankers will back Petro cryptocurrency, says Maduro. More →

Middle East & North Africa

Tunisia

Russian developers of Tunisian Central Bank Digital Currency will receive percentage of each transaction, state news service claims. More →

Central bank denies ‘groundless allegations’ it is close to launching Central Bank Digital Currency. More →

Israel

Nasdaq-powered DX.Exchange goes bust revealing ties to multi-billion dollar binary options scam. More →

South Asia

India

Government puts off long-delayed cryptocurrency bill again. More →

Supreme Court sets January 2020 date to hear case on reserve bank’s Bitcoin ban. More →

Government switches tack to unveil radical blockchain strategy. More →

East Asia & Pacific

Australia

Police target cryptocurrency at National Proceeds of Crime conference. More →

Australian Securities Exchange CEO says blockchain ‘will become norm’ by 2021. More →

Big Four accounting firm KPMG launches track-and-trace blockchain between Australia, China, Japan. More →

China

Huawei inks deal with Central Bank Digital Currency unit. More →

Chinese businesses will spend $2bn on blockchain by 2023, IDC reveals. More →

Securities regulator probing blockchain pivot firm after stock pump. More →

People’s Bank of China put 4m records on new insurance blockchain. More →

Tencent to build virtual bank after Hong Kong regulator approves license. More →

Forex regulator SAFE expands blockchain cross-border financing to 19 cities. More →

China has obtained more than half the world’s blockchain patents, internal documents say. More →

Central Bank Digital Currency ‘not seeking full control of citizens’ details’, People’s Bank of China official says. More →

Huobi exchange’s regulator-facing public blockchain debuts on Github. More →

Inner Mongolia crypto mining crackdown continues. More →

Reward Chinese soliders with cryptocurrency, military mouthpiece says. More →

Central bank plans to limit cash for two years ahead of Central Bank Digital Currency launch. More →

Blockchain arm of multi-trillion dollar insurance giant Ping An files for US IPO. More →

Central bank orders probe of Shanghai cryptocurrency activity. More →

Weibo bans Binance, TRON accounts in crypto crackdown. More →

Three firms launch $1bn blockchain investment fund. More →

State TV calls cryptocurrencies ‘illegal Ponzi schemes’. More →

Country forms national standardisation committee for blockchain. More →

People’s Bank of China making ‘very good progress’ on central bank digital currency, says official. More →

Binance denies police raids in Shanghai, says China is targeting them. More →

Bithumb exchange denies reports of Shanghai China crackdown. More →

Shenzen branch of People’s Bank of China follows Shanghai in crypto crackdown. More →

BISS exchange shut down by Chinese police, staff allegedly arrested. More →

Binance’s corporate registration in China lapsed in 2018, investigation finds. More →

Central bank claims to have closed 173 crypto businesses. More →

Hong Kong

Crypto funds struggle to clear licensing hurdles. More →

Securities and Futures Commission issues rules for licensing crypto exchanges. More →

Global regulations needed to stop ‘regulatory arbitrage’, HK watchdog warns. More →

SFC warns against highly leveraged crypto futures contracts. More →

Indonesia

Tokocrypto becomes Indonesia’s first regulated crypto-exchange. More →

Japan

Digital securities platform Securitize announces seven-figure investment by SBI. More →

Bank of Japan issues report on Central Bank Digital Currency. More →

Malaysia

Police arrest five linked to theft of 85 Bitcoin mining rigs. More →

Luno to open new crypto-exchange after regulatory nod from Securities Commission. More →

New Zealand

Police seize $6.7m in crypto from alleged movie pirate site owner. More →

Singapore

Luno exchange opens bank accounts in Singaporean dollars to relaunch crypto-exchange after two-year hiatus. More →

Huobi Global exchange to freeze remaining US trading accounts from Nov 13. More →

Monetary Authority of Singapore developing blockchain cross-border payments with JP Morgan. More →

Central bank okays cryptocurrency derivatives trading due to institutional interest. More →

South Korea

CoinUp exchange CEO jailed for 16 years after $384m fraud. More →

Ministry of science and technology plans $380m investment in blockchain R&D. More →

National Assembly passes bill recognising crypto-exchanges as financial institutions with KYC, AML duties. More →

Upbit exchange confirms hack and theft of $49m in ETH. More →

Thailand

Securities and Exchange Commission to change 2018 royal decree to open up digital assets industry. More →

Thai Excise Department to set up blockchain-based tax refund system. More →

Africa

Ghana

Ghana could issue Central Bank Digital Currency in near future, central bank governor says. More →

Kenya

Red Cross launches two-year plan to deploy blockchain-backed local currency. More →

Seychelles

BitMEX customers at risk after exchange ‘cc’ email fail leaks 22,000 addresses. More →

BitMEX explain email security failure, urge users to integrate 2FA. More →

South Africa

FirstRand Bank closes crypto exchange accounts citing regulatory uncertainty. More →

Caribbean

Antigua and Barbuda

Crypto derivatives exchange FTX hit with $150m ‘market manipulation’ lawsuit. More →