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Disclosure: The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to the author and do not represent the views and opinions of crypto.news’ editorial. For decades, self -driving vehicles have been the stuff of sci-fi movies, but now that we’ve outfitted vehicles with all sorts of sensors, chips, and software. Well, they still kind of are.  You might also like: Decentralized communication is the antidote to an Orwellian dystopia | Opinion That’s not to say the industry is not moving forward—it is producing headlines for exciting new initiatives and concerning incidents. But even some of its pioneers question this progress, and the stories under these headlines feature the all too familiar headliners: Google’s Waymo, Apple, General Motors, among others. One would and should have expected to have more actual disruptors in a market as disruptive as this. The truth is some of the underlying technologies in the stack of a driverless car heavily favor centralization and hug...

There’s an eight day window between Nov. 9 and Nov. 17 where all 12 spot Bitcoin ETF filings could be approved by the SEC, according to Bloomberg ETF analysts James Seyffart and Eric Balchunas. The United States Securities and Exchange Commission could approve all 12 of the pending spot Bitcoin (BTC) exchange traded fund (ETF) applications within the next eight days.  Bloomberg ETF analysts James Seyffart and Eric Balchunas wrote that starting from Nov. 9 the SEC has a “ window ” to approve all 12 spot Bitcoin ETF filings — including Grayscale’s conversion of its GBTC trust product — in the days leading up to Nov. 17, but stressed this was only a possibility. New Research note from me today. We still believe 90% chance by Jan 10 for spot #Bitcoin ETF approvals. But if it comes earlier we are entering a window where a wave of approval orders for all the current applicants *COULD* occur pic.twitter.com/u6dBva1ytD — James Seyffart (@JSeyff) November 8, 2023 “Delay orders were issued ...

SK Telecom aims to expand its “affiliations with customer-preferred mainnets and decentralized applications (dApps)” using this tripartite agreement with the blockchain companies. South Korean telecom giant SK Telecom (SKT) announced plans to launch a Web3 wallet service, T wallet , in partnership with layer 1 mainnet Aptos Labs and Atomrigs Lab. SK Telecom’s vision to launch a blockchain wallet for cryptocurrencies and nonfungible tokens (NFTs) dates back to July 2022. The initiative at the time kicked off with SKT’s blockchain arm collaborating with AhnLab Blockchain Company and Atomix Lab to develop and operate a Web3 wallet . SKT가 '웹3 지갑' 개발을 위해 안랩블록체인컴퍼니, 블록체인 전문기업 아톰릭스랩과 협력합니다. 웹3 지갑은 사용자가 블록체인 네트워크 상에서 발행된 다양한 유형의 토큰을 저장·전송·수신할 수 있는 디지털 자산 지갑입니다. https://t.co/bi8SIDKK2M#SK텔레콤 #블록체인 pic.twitter.com/HFGCl3cIN8 — SK telecom (@SKtelecom) July 11, 2022 According to the latest announcement, SKT aims to expand its “affiliations with customer-preferred mainnets and d...

BTC market dominance hovered around 80% during the 2017 bull market, but slumped to the 50-60% range during the 2021 bull market, at times even dipping below 50%. Bitcoin's (BTC) market dominance has reached 54%, its highest in the last 30 months, indicating the top cryptocurrency’s growing strength just before the halving event scheduled for April 2024. Bitcoin halving is an event in which the mining reward per block is halved, thus cutting the supply of the asset amid growing demand, leading to bullish price momentum. Bitcoin halving occurs every four years and the next halving in 2024 will reduce the BTC mining reward from the current 6.25 BTC to 3.125 BTC. As the total supply of Bitcoin is fixed at 21 million, the halving of BTC mining reward creates a supply-demand gap that lowers the influx of new BTC in the market. Related: 5,050 Bitcoin for $5 in 2009: Helsinki’s claim to crypto fame Bitcoin market dominance is a measure of the crypto asset's market capitalizat...

The city administration behind the project aims to make Busan a blockchain city and has launched a $75 million development plan to realize the goal. South Korea's second-largest city Busan is develop ing a public blockchain network compatible with mainstream blockchain platforms such as Ethereum and Cosmos. The aim is to integrate blockchain-based services from various blockchain mainnets onto a single platform at a city level and develop Busan into a Blockchain city. Busan City has allocated a 100 billion won ($75 million) budget for open blockchain development compatible with global standards under the Blockchain Innovation Fund (BIF). The funds will be raised through investments from public financial institutions in Busan with nearly 100 private companies showing interest. BIF is a private fund that supports the development of Busan's blockchain industry and infrastructure construction, led by financial and public institutions in Busan. The public blockchain develop men...

The National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK) launched a new local agency that will be in charge of the CBDC development in the country. According to an official press release, the new agency will be called the National Payment Corporation. The primary responsibility of the new agency will be to control the national payment system, including money transfers, digital identification, and interbank clearing services. The initiative for developing the local CBDC, the digital tenge, started at the beginning of 2023. The digital tenge is set to be released in 2025.  The CDBC development in the country is currently under a pilot phase with actual companies and consumers. Binance partnered with Kazakhstan for the development of the digital currency. You might also like: Binance unveils local crypto exchange in Kazakhstan Despite recent issues related to crypto mining, Kazakhstan is generally considered a crypto-friendly destination. It is a crucial access point to the Commonwealth ...

ANZ’s banking executive Nigel Dobson says the bank sees “real value” in tokenizing real-world assets on-chain like the Aussie dollar. Australia and New Zealand Banking Group is one step closer to launching its bank-issued stablecoin A$DC after the bank successfully executed a test transaction on Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP): ANZ’s banking services portfolio lead Nigel Dobson said the transaction was a “milestone” moment for the bank in a Sept. 14 statement: “ANZ recently worked with Chainlink CCIP to complete a test transaction to simulate the purchase of a tokenised asset, facilitated using A$DC and an ANZ-issued NZ-dollar-denominated stablecoin.” Dobson said the firm has been experimenting with several networks — presumably to test out where the ANZ’s Australian dollar stablecoin can be best utilized: “We’re actively exploring the use of decentralised networks through a ‘test-and-learn’ approach,” the ANZ executive said. As Australia and New Zealand Ba...

From accusing the SEC of suppressing Bitcoin to suggesting alternatives, the community showed varied responses to Grayscale’s legal challenge against the SEC. As Grayscale’s application to convert the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) into a Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded fund (ETF) got denied, the firm launched a legal challenge against the United States Securities and Exchanges Commission (SEC). Following these events, the community responded with various reactions, from accusing the SEC of price manipulation to suggesting different solutions.  ThatsMRcurmudgeon2u, a Redditor who introduced himself as a securities lawyer also weighed in on the matter. According to the Reddit user, many anticipated the lawsuit as SEC chair Gary Gensler as they made it clear that they want exchanges to register with the SEC. The Redditor also accused the SEC of “holding GBTC hostage.” Lawyer Jake Chervinsky tweeted that the ETF denial is "deeply disappointing," and it defies federal law and co...

Market research forecasts the global cryptocurrency ATM market to be worth $472 million by 2027, driven by growth in developing markets and growing adoption. The global cryptocurrency ATM market is projected to grow at a rapid rate over the next five years, as market research predicts the space to be worth half a billion dollars by 2027. Research and Markets published a new report, which estimates a compound annual growth rate of 59% for the industry from 2022 to 2027. It currently values the crypto ATM market at $46.4 million and expects this value to increase to $472 million over a five-year time period. The main drivers of the projected growth include growing remittances and fund transfers in developing countries, fluctuating monetary regulations and an increase in crypto ATM installations around the world. The insights are driven by in-depth qualitative analysis and verifiable data to create projections about the addressable market. Primary research included interviews, surveys a...

Bitcoin’s Lightning Network has been growing at a slow pace. What’s keeping it behind, given its high transaction throughput? Bitcoin (BTC) changed the world as a decentralized and non-governmental form of currency that can facilitate peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions that transcend national borders.  But, despite this functionality, Bitcoin’s role as a payment mechanism has been called into question due to its low transaction throughput. The Bitcoin blockchain can handle up to seven transactions per second, which means that network demand has seen the average transaction fee on the network reach an all-time high above $62 during specific periods. In order to address low throughput and high transaction fees, developers made the Lightning Network — a layer-2 scaling solution that allows for off-chain transactions. The Lightning Network creates a P2P payment channel between two parties in a transaction. The channel “allows them to send an unlimited amount of transactions that are nearly ...

A panel discussion hosted at Surfin Bitcoin, France, illustrated that while Bitcoin works for those in need, more education is required. Bitcoin (BTC) is there for those that need it most; the rest may need time to learn. This message reverberated around the casino conference hall during a panel at Surfin Bitcoin, a Bitcoin-only conference in Biarritz, France, on Aug 26.  Panelists Ben Perrin, a Bitcoin Youtuber; Ernesto Hernandez, a Salvadoran business consultant; and Carol from the popular Brazillian Youtube channel “Area Bitcoin” tackled a tricky topic: “Victims of the Banking System around the world: Inflation, Censorship.” The role of Bitcoin in such testing environments was brought into question. From left: Hall, Perrin, Carol and Hernandez The panelists unloaded experience, evidence and anecdotes from their respective countries: Perrin from Canada, Hernandez from El Salvador and Carol from Brazil in order to tackle the topic. Hernandez, for example, was quick to illustrate tha...

The new Conservative Party of Canada leader has previously advocated for financial freedom through crypto tokens, smart contracts and decentralized finance. Canadian politician and noted crypto advocate Pierre Poilievre has taken the helm of Canada’s Conservative Party, which looks set to give the current administration a run for its money in the next federal election.  The pro-crypto politician reportedly won the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada in a landslide victory on Sept. 10, securing 68.15% of the electoral points up for grabs, and far outpacing his nearest opponent Jean Charest who received just 16.07% of the vote. Poilievre has been a member of the Conservative Party since 2003, first winning office in the 2004 election. He has since served as a Member of Parliament for seven terms and held various roles including Shadow Minister for Finance and Minister of Employment and Social Development. Poilievre has been known as a supporter of crypto and Bitcoin (BTC), a...

“The change should help MicroStrategy and other companies that hold digital assets to eliminate the poor optics that have been created by impairment losses,” said analysts from Berenberg Capital. The United States Financial Accounting Standards Board’s new rules for crypto accounting will eliminate the “poor optics” that plagued companies holding digital assets, according to analysts from Berenberg Capital. On Sept. 6, the U.S. Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) approved new rules for crypto currencies with regard to how companies report the fair value of their holdings on their balance sheets. In a follow-up analyst note from Berenberg’s senior equity research analyst Mark Palmer, the analyst argued the changes would be particularly beneficial for companies such as Microstrategy, who will soon be able to report their digital asset holdings each quarter without having to realize impairment losses. “The change should help MicroStrategy and other companies that hold digital as...

The nonprofit and NGO Mi Primer Bitcoin partnered with the Ministry of Education of El Salvador to include Bitcoin in its curriculum. The Ministry of Education of El Salvador and the nonprofit, nongovernmental organization Mi Primer Bitcoin (MPB), meaning “My First Bitcoin,” partnered to add Bitcoin (BTC) education to public school curriculum by 2024. John Dennehy, the founder of MPB, confirmed to Cointelegraph that this is a project of the Ministry of Education that MPB is assisting with, along with Bitcoin Beach. The Mi Primer Bitcoin program, from which students receive a diploma of completion, will be the primary source material for the Bitcoin portion, according to Dennehy.  What an inspiring vision! The future of El Salvador shines bright with plans to introduce Bitcoin education in every public school by 2024. Together, we're making strides towards financial empowerment and knowledge for all. #BitcoinEducation #EmpoweringElSalvador https://t.co/oMkRqJFsTN — Mi Prim...

Cambridge researchers have revised the widely cited index in response to evidence indicating periodic overestimation of Bitcoin mining’s electricity consumption. Researchers behind the well-known Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index (CBECI) have officially revised its methodology to enhance the accuracy and reliability of the Index’s estimates for the first time since its inception in 2019. The CBECI was launched in July 2019 in an effort to provide reliable data-driven insights to questions about Bitcoin mining’s energy-intensive nature and associated environmental impact.  Speaking exclusively to Cointelegraph ahead of announcement of the revision, head researcher Alexander Neumueller unpacked the Index’s role in providing a relatively accurate estimate of the Bitcoin (BTC) network’s electricity consumption and contextualizing the data in a way that is digestible for the layman on the street. Key takeaways from the revised methodology included a focus on recent developme...

Jacobi FT Wilshire Bitcoin ETF has been defined as an Article 8 fund by its issuer firm. The first-ever spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) launched on the European market has been classed as an Article 8 fund by its issuer firm, London-based Jacobi Asset Management. Funds included under Article 8 of the European Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SDFR) are those that “promote environmental and/or social characteristics.”  On Aug. 29, Bloomberg reported that Jacobi Asset Management had classified its Jacobi FT Wilshire Bitcoin ETF as an Article 8 fund. The fund, launched on the Amsterdam stock exchange on Aug. 15, becomes the first Bitcoin ETF traded in Europe, and the first to have the European Union’s environmental , social and governance investing rules applied. Related: Hashdex joins race for spot Bitcoin ETF with unique strategy The report cites Martin Bednall, the CEO of Jacobi, who is calling the ETF “fully decarbonized” for its partial investments in renewabl...

BlockFi argues its creditors, not FTX’s, are the “ultimate victims” of FTX’s alleged fraud. Bankrupt cryptocurrency lender BlockFi is trying to block attempts by the similarly bankrupt FTX and Three Arrows Capital (3AC) that aim to retrieve hundreds of millions of dollars to pay back their creditors. BlockFi claimed in an Aug. 21 filing to a New Jersey bankruptcy court that its own creditors shouldn’t be pushed to the back of the line because FTX’s creditors were harmed by the exchange allegedly misappropriating $5 billion BlockFi lent it. “FTX seeks to recover on over $5 billion of claims filed against the BlockFi estates at the direct expense of the ultimate victims of FTX’s fraud: BlockFi’s clients and other legitimate creditors.” “To prevent further injustice to the creditors of BlockFi’s estates, the Court should disallow the FTX Claims under the doctrine of unclean hands,” BlockFi added. FTX also provided $400 million to BlockFi in June 2022 in addition to buying BlockFi equity ...

Bloomberg’s senior ETF analyst believes BlackRock has an even chance of getting its Bitcoin ETF green-lit, as Grayscale looks more likely to win its case against the SEC. Investment management firm BlackRock has a 50% chance of getting its spot Bitcoin (BTC) Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) approved , says Bloomberg’s senior ETF analyst Eric Balchunas.  Balchunas’ prediction comes following an observation made by Elliott Stein, a senior litigation analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence, who now pegs the chance s of Grayscale winning its case against the SEC at 70%. Another reason we give spot bitcoin ETF approval 50% chance is our senior legal analyst @NYCStein gives Grayscale a 70% chance of winning case against SEC, who could approve BlackRock's ETF as way to save face using trusted 'adult' TradFi cos & stick it to Grayscale via @JSeyff pic.twitter.com/pHydOcpuQo — Eric Balchunas (@EricBalchunas) June 27, 2023 Balchunas explained that the SEC may look more favorably...

Mihailo Bjelic suggested that adding zero-knowledge proof technology could bolster the network’s security while still keeping fees low. Polygon co-founder Mihailo Bjelic has proposed upgrading the Polygon proof-of-stake (PoS) network to a “zkEVM validium” version, according to a June 20 forum post. If the upgrade is implemented, the new version will rely on zero-knowledge proofs to increase security. HUGE UPDATE ON #Polygon Polygon may go through some huge changes in near future. @MihailoBjelic shared a polygon improvement proposal few hours ago which discussed to upgrade polygon POS to zkEVM Validium. According to the proposal, Polygon POS is facing three key challenges… — Hitesh Malviya (@hmalviya9) June 20, 2023 Polygon PoS is an Ethereum scaling solution that has over $900 million in total value locked within its contracts and does over 2 million transactions per day. It was first launched in 2019. In March, the Polygon team launched a second network, Polygon zkEVM, that uses ze...