European institutions have reached an interim consensus on a set of EU regulations that will burden crypto companies with the obligation to help prevent money laundering, among other illicit activities potentially involving digital assets. The progress comes as the Union seeks to comprehensively regulate the continent’s cryptocurrency market.

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Bybit, a Singapore-based cryptocurrency exchange, has announced it will be expanding its operations to Argentina. The exchange wants to offer Argentinian citizens another platform on which to transact, given the popularity that the cryptocurrency industry is enjoying in the country. The exchange will also have a dedicated team to support Argentinian operations.

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Government officials in Kazakhstan have approved regulations that will govern interactions between authorized coin trading platforms and traditional financial institutions. The new rules will allow registered cryptocurrency exchanges to have bank accounts in the country.

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A new Bank of America survey shows that out of more than 1,000 U.S. adults, 90% plan to buy crypto in the next six months. Moreover, nearly 40% of respondents revealed that they use cryptocurrency as a means of payment.

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Formula One is one of the greatest sports in the world and brings about the best automobile teams which compete for the title yearly. From the racing tracks in Spa to the roads of Monte Carlo in Monaco, Formula One has developed into a billion-dollar industry with teams and drivers boasting a cult following globally.

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The cryptocurrency market is stagnant. Investors are cautious and hesitant to make investments. Some initiatives, however, thrive even in such circumstances: Mars4, a play-to-earn project, has seen an upsurge in NFT sales. Mars4 is growing thanks to scheduled releases (such as a game demo) and some help from Japanese KOLs.

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There are now 105 countries that are exploring central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). Among them, 50 countries are in an advanced phase of digital currency exploration (development, pilot, or launch).

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The Bank of Uganda (BOU) has hinted that it is open to the idea of crypto firms participating in the regulatory sandbox. The central bank’s position follows its deliberations with a team from the Blockchain Association of Uganda (BAU).

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Calls have been issued in Armenia for the central bank to do its job and put the country’s crypto space in order. Both government regulators and representatives of the financial sector insist that the industry needs regulation to prevent the use of cryptocurrencies for illicit purposes.

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Turkey is reportedly drafting crypto legislation to be submitted to parliament in the coming weeks. The bill may also impose taxes on some crypto transactions.

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Cryptocurrency regulation in Paraguay is progressing steadily, as a crypto bill introduced in December has been approved by the Chamber of Representatives in the country. The bill, which contains definitions and rules for cryptocurrency mining, one of the hot topics in Paraguay due to the cheap electricity costs, will be passed to the Senate to be discussed.

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The co-founder of the company Wework, Adam Neumann, is behind a new crypto project called Flowcarbon and on Tuesday, the blockchain project revealed it raised $70 million from a handful of investors and was led by Andreessen Horowitz (A16z).

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Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has explained why he does not own any bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. “I like investing in things that have valuable output,” Gates said, adding that crypto is “not adding to society like other investments.”

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Cryptocurrencies will be eventually legalized, a member of the Russian government has opined. The question is when this will happen, Trade Minister Denis Manturov stated as new crypto-related legislation advanced in the State Duma this week.

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Pablo Hernández de Cos, governor of the Bank of Spain and chair of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, explained that the cryptocurrency space and decentralized finance (defi) need to be regulated swiftly to avoid risks of financial instability.

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Pressure from the Kremlin and sanctions from the West have forced Russian news outlet Meduza to increasingly rely on cryptocurrency donations to fund its independent journalism. As the restrictions imposed over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine have prevented its Russian readers from contributing in fiat currency, the Riga-based website now accepts several digital coins.

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Monday’s downturn in crypto markets sent several tokens lower, with cardano, polkadot and shiba inu all falling by over 15%. Despite this, there were some notable exceptions which rose to start the week, WAVES being one of them.

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The adoption of crypto assets among individuals and businesses has been rapidly spreading over the last few years. It is no longer uncommon to treat yourself to a delicious meal or buy yourself a new pair of sneakers and pay for it in crypto.

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The government of Ireland is preparing to ban political parties from accepting campaign donations in cryptocurrency. The move aims to block the perceived threat of Russian interference in the European nation’s elections against the backdrop of a clash between the West and Moscow over the war in Ukraine.

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Real estate investments are booming in Spain and Europe, as investors are exiting riskier investment avenues in favor of safer options. According to sources from the real estate world, the interest in these instruments has grown 400% since November, with people purchasing homes without even having set foot in them. Some are even using crypto as a payment method.

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David Rubenstein, the founder of Carlyle Group, one of the largest investment firms managing over $300 billion, says he was skeptical of crypto but now believes that “the genie is out of the bottle” and the crypto industry is not “going to go away anytime soon.”

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Britain’s top financial regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), has allowed five crypto firms to continue to operate in the U.K. with temporary registration. The deadline for crypto firms to register with the FCA was last week but these five firms’ applications are still pending.

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In response to the military crisis in Ukraine, Binance Charity has committed $10 million to major Intergovernmental Organizations and local NGOs, including UNICEF, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, iSans and People in Need.

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On April 6, one of the largest cryptocurrency payment platforms in the world, Bitpay, announced the Atlanta-based company has integrated bitcoin payments via the Lightning Network. According to the announcement on Wednesday, the youth-focused American retail clothing brand Pacific Sunwear (Pacsun) will be the first merchant to leverage Bitpay to accept Lightning Network payments.

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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.

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The famous author of the best-selling book Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki, has warned that the U.S. dollar is “about to implode.” Among the investments he suggested are cryptocurrencies bitcoin, ethereum, and solana.

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Bake N More, a Dubai-based cafe, has become the latest company from the region to add cryptocurrency as a payment option. According to the company’s owner, Mohammad Al Hammadi, Bake N More hinted at possible plans to pay employee salaries in cryptocurrency as well.

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The Italian luxury brand Michele Franzese Moda has announced the firm is accepting crypto assets for payments. The company revealed the decision via Michele Franzese Moda’s online magazine in an article called “Its Time for Crypto.”

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The Spanish ombudsman has been receiving complaints about cryptocurrency and how some Spanish citizens investing in these vehicles have lost everything. In his annual report, Angel Gabilondo recognized the rise of cryptocurrencies as a new problem due to the little or no regulation crypto sees in the country. In the same way, the EU has also warned about these assets recently.

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Aptos, a new startup created by some of Meta’s former employees involved in the Diem project, has announced it has raised $200 million for its upcoming goal of creating a scalable blockchain system.

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