The Central Bank of Russia has emphasized the importance of moving forward with its digital ruble project. According to a statement by a top representative, the monetary authority has no intention to delay the trials despite not all invited banks being ready to participate yet. Bank of Russia to Experiment With Digital Ruble Payments This Year The digital ruble is “very much needed,” First Deputy Chairman of Bank of Russia Olga Skorobogatova has recently remarked in a statement quoted by business news portal RBC’s crypto page. The regulator will…
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Vitalik Buterin Becomes Citizen of Crypto-Friendly Montenegro
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has been granted Montenegrin citizenship. Buterin joins other members of the crypto community with global experience who have been invited to help the small Southeast European nation attract investments and develop its blockchain sector. Vitalik Buterin Obtains Montenegrin Passport Prominent crypto figure Vitalik Buterin is now a citizen of Montenegro, the country’s public service broadcaster revealed this week. Radio Televizija Crne Gore (RTCG) quoted an official announcement from the Ministry of Finance and Social Welfare in Podgorica. According to the report, the Russian-born Canadian programmer and…
Read MoreRussian Finance Ministry Amends Bill ‘On Digital Currency,’ Adds Crypto Mining Provisions
The Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation has revised a draft law designed to regulate the country’s crypto space, introducing provisions for cryptocurrency mining. The bill has been resubmitted to the government and may be adopted during the parliament’s spring session. Updated Law ‘On Digital Currency’ Filed With Russian Government Russia’s Ministry of Finance has amended a bill intended to implement comprehensive rules for the Russian cryptocurrency sector. The latest version now takes into account the positions announced by other government institutions on the matter, the department announced Friday.…
Read MoreShopify Bitcoin payments integration triggers legal questions from the community
Following the announced integration of the payment app Strike with e-commerce platform Shopify to accept Bitcoin (BTC) through the Lightning Network, the crypto community raised concerns over the legal implications of the move. Crypto researcher Matt Ahlborg believes that the event is a very significant development for BTC as it allows the offloading of BTC without the need to go through the know-your-customer (KYC) process. What Jack Mallers is really saying is that you will be soon be able to offload your Bitcoins in the real world without KYC’ing through…
Read MoreSanctions Motivate Russia to Create Own Crypto Market Infrastructure, Finance Ministry Says
With sanctions cutting off Russia from global finances, Moscow’s motivation to establish a domestic market infrastructure for digital assets grows, a top official at the Russian finance ministry has noted. The comment comes as Russians are losing access to foreign crypto platforms. Russia Recognizes Need for Local Crypto Assets Market Amid expanding international sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine, Russia has been turning its attention to cryptocurrencies while concerns in the West are growing that the country may use them to circumvent financial restrictions. The penalties have also affected the…
Read MoreJapan Considers Stricter Crypto Regulations in Light of Russia Sanctions
Authorities in Japan are planning to introduce tougher new rules for crypto operators as part of efforts to prevent Russia from using cryptocurrencies to evade sanctions. The legislative initiative comes after Tokyo asked digital asset exchanges to strengthen transactions monitoring this month. Government of Japan to Close Loopholes for Russians in Crypto Space Amid concerns that Russia and its elites may employ cryptocurrencies to circumvent international sanctions, Japanese authorities are going to stiffen regulations for cryptocurrency exchanges. The platforms will be required to verify if recipients of transactions are subject…
Read MoreTax expert says buying crypto is not a taxable event
While many refer to crypto as the “Wild West,” some believe that this may only continue for a little longer. Thomas Shea, crypto tax leader at EY Financial Services, told Cointelegraph that taxation for crypto is an evolving area and new regulations may be implemented soon. “There is new legislation that will require reporting for at least some crypto transactions and when those rules go into effect there will be significant changes,” says Shea. The EY executive notes that with the increased popularity of crypto, lawmakers are continuously exploring how…
Read MoreRussia and Belarus face crypto sanctions, Crypto.com hounds users for loan payments and Biden signs executive order on crypto: Hodler’s Digest, Mar. 6-12
[ad_1] Coming every Saturday, Hodler’s Digest will help you track every single important news story that happened this week. The best (and worst) quotes, adoption and regulation highlights, leading coins, predictions and much more — a week on Cointelegraph in one link. Top Stories This Week Biden to sign executive order on crypto, authorize all-government effort to consolidate regulation While many in the crypto community previously feared the worst regarding regulation, President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed an executive order on digital assets that had a relatively favorable approach to…
Read MoreHow Europe’s new AML regulation will affect crypto
[ad_1] According to recent media reports, six European countries, led by Germany, are working on launching an Anti-Money Laundering (AML) body that will include the cryptocurrency market in its purview. Details remain scarce, but it is known that the initiative involves Germany, Spain, Austria, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The group is working on “the remit and design” of a new international AML watchdog force that will have a particular emphasis on crypto, and the European Commission — the key executive institution of the European Union — will be the…
Read MoreIs the Ukraine war intensifying regulatory pressure on crypto firms?
[ad_1] Whose side are you on? The Ukraine-Russia war is forcing people to answer that question. For some in the crypto community, this can be uncomfortable because if an individual or project stands with the West against Russia, it also means it abides by sanctions. This can be tough to square with crypto/blockchain’s supposed decentralized system and its claims on being borderless, censorship-free and distributed. Take OpenSea, the NFT marketplace, which really isn’t a decentralized project but is often described as such. “OpenSea is a decentralized peer-to-peer marketplace for buying,…
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