Developers behind the privacy-focused crypto Decred have released details about the project’s upcoming privacy rollout. The new features will include hiding user identities and jumbling customer transaction data together, making it harder to track specific coin movements.
<h1>Binance Issues Report On PBoC’s Digital Currency</h1>
A research report from crypto exchange Binance has claimed that the digital currency being developed by the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) will be backed one-to-one by fiat, replace notes and coins in circulation, and operate on a two-tiered system. The first tier will connect the PBoC’s digital currency with commercial banks for currency issuance and redemption, and the second tier will connect it with individuals and businesses.
<h1>Telegram Sets SpoOoOoky October 31 Date For Gram Delivery</h1>
Investors in messaging app Telegram’s Gram token will reportedly receive the first batch of tokens starting October 31. Telegram has also informed investors that the Gram testnet will be made available a couple of weeks before the tokens are delivered.
<h1>Amanie Advisers Claim ETH Is Halal</h1>
Researchers at sharia advisory firm Amanie Advisors have published a white paper certifying that Ethereum’s native cryptocurrency, Ether, is sharia compliant because of its utility token classification.
<h1>Libra’s Bug Bounty Program Launches</h1>
Through a partnership with the HackerOne bug bounty platform, the Libra Association is inviting the public to report vulnerabilities in the Libra network code, offering a max reward of $10,000.
<h1>BitPay Initially Blocks Crypto Donation To Amazon Rainforest Charity</h1>
Though the issue has since been resolved, crypto payments firm BitPay blocked a $100,000 donation made in an unnamed cryptocurrency to charity Amazon Watch, which is working to stop the fires currently ravaging the Amazon rainforest.
<h1>At Least 3 Libra Association Members Have Considered Leaving</h1>
Three unnamed members of the Libra Association, the group tasked with overseeing Facebook’s Libra network, have considered leaving the group, citing disappointment related to crypto regulations and fears of backlash from publicly showing support for Libra.
<h1>Swiss Data Protection Agency Expects Libra Info By End Of August</h1>
Switzerland’s Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) has been tapped by Facebook to oversee Libra and the Libra Association. While Facebook hasn’t been the easiest to get in contact with for the FDPIC, the agency expects to have more information on the Libra project by the end of the month.
<h1>Monolith Partners With Digix, MakerDAO To Offer Loadable Visa Debit Card</h1>
To foster widespread digital payments adoption, UK-based banking alternative Monolith has decided to offer Visa debit cards that can be loaded with DGX, DGD, and DAI tokens.
<h1>People’s Bank Of China ‘Close’ To Launch Of Its Own Crypto</h1>
Mu Changchun, deputy director of the People’s Bank of China (PBoC), has stated that the group is close to finishing up and issuing its own cryptocurrency. However, unlike most blockchain-based cryptocurrencies, the PBoC’s currency is intended to give Beijing more control over its financial system.
<h1>80% Of Tether’s Stablecoin Held By Just Over 300 Addresses</h1>
Research from data provider Coin Metrics suggests that 80% of Tether’s stablecoin, USDT, is currently being held in just 318 different crypto wallet addresses.
<h1>Bryan Bishop’s New Plan For Time-Delayed Bitcoin Transactions</h1>
Bitcoin Core contributor Bryan Bishop has published new plans for a “vault” system that was originally proposed in 2016 but was dropped, as it would have required a fork in the Bitcoin network. Bishop’s new vault design would not require a fork and would allow for time-delayed bitcoin transactions, giving users time to reverse a transaction if their private information became compromised.
<h1>US Lawmakers Might Be A-OK With Walmart’s Crypto Plans</h1>
Following reports that Walmart may be interested in developing a cryptocurrency, Jaret Seiberg, senior policy analyst at investment banking corporation Cowen, stated that the company’s domestic plans for its own crypto might appeal to US lawmakers more than Facebook’s global plan for Libra.
<h1>Tether Becomes Less Transparent As It Launches On More Blockchains</h1>
After launching a version of its stablecoin on Blockstream’s sidechain, Liquid Network, investors are having a harder time tracking Tether transactions as it permeates across multiple networks.
<h1>Tipping On Twitter With Brave’s BAT</h1>
Following a beta test, blockchain-based browser Brave will now let its users tip individuals on Twitter using its native basic attention token.
<h1>ECC CEO Pushes For New Zcash Dev Fund</h1>
Zooko Wilcox, the CEO of the Electric Coin Company, the firm behind the Zcash project, is pushing for the network’s community to offer possible solutions for a new Zcash developer funding model. The current Dev Fund, which sees a portion of the Zcash block rewards go to funding developer projects, will come to an end in October 2020.
<h1>Litecoin Prepares For Early August Halvening</h1>
On August 5, Litecoin’s mining rewards will be cut in half from 25 coins to 12.5 coins per block. Litecoin creator Charlie Lee hopes the halved block rewards will ultimately lead to a jump in Litecoin’s price, similar to the outcome of the network’s first “halvening” back in August 2015.
<h1>Tether Corners Remittance Service Market For Chinese Importers</h1>
Chinese importers in Russia have overwhelmingly begun sticking with Tether’s USDT to send large sums of money back to their home country, with one Moscow-based over-the-counter trader saying they see anywhere from $10 million to $30 million worth of USDT purchased daily.
<h1>Philippines-Based UnionBank Launches Its Own Stablecoin</h1>
The UnionBank-issued stablecoin, PHX, is pegged to the Philippine peso and will help to facilitate transparent and automatic execution of payments to some of the country’s more rural banks.
<h1>Facebook Admits Libra May Never Actually Launch</h1>
In a quarterly report sent to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Facebook stated that technical barriers and the unclear crypto regulatory landscape in the US could mean that the Libra cryptocurrency might never see the light of day.