A South African university, the University of Cape Town (UCT) has revealed it will commence blockchain and digital currency classes starting in November. According to the institution, students that enroll and complete the $693 six-week course will be issued a legal certificate.

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The national postal operator of Russia plans to implement a parcel tracking system that will rely on blockchain technology. The introduction of the new service is part of Russian Post’s digital transformation strategy and is expected to reduce the number of lost shipments.

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The People’s Bank of China (PBOC), the country’s central bank, published a Q&A to its website which said that Chinese citizens participating in virtual currency exchange offshore is “considered illegal financial activity.” The PBOC also reiterated comments it had made in the past stressing that “financial institutions and non-bank payment institutions” cannot process crypto payments.

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The world’s largest movie exhibition company, AMC Entertainment, has announced its plan to accept cryptocurrencies by year-end. AMC CEO Adam Aron says the entertainment giant will accept bitcoin, ether, litecoin, and bitcoin cash.

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Amid trouble with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), global cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase unveils its plan to raise $1.5 billion by selling bonds.

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Ricardo Salinas, president of Elektra Group, one of the biggest retail franchises in Mexico, hinted at the possibility of integrating payments using Bitcoin’s second layer solution, the Lightning Network. Salinas made the announcement yesterday via Twitter. This would allow residents of the country to pay for appliances in-store, directly with cryptocurrency.

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China’s Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) will promote a national alliance chain to introduce smart contracts and blockchain-based services to digitize the securities and futures market. The announcement was made at the China Securities Industry Alliance Chain and OTC Alliance Chain Special Work Symposium in Beijing.

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The host of CNBC’s “Mad Money” show, Jim Cramer, has recommended putting up to 5% of portfolios in cryptocurrency. Stating that he owns ethereum directly, Cramer affirmed that he is a believer in crypto.

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BR Malls, the largest mall franchise in Brazil, has announced it will install cryptocurrency ATMs in its facilities across the country. The company will partner with Coin Cloud, a US-based cryptocurrency ATM operator, who will provide the machines that will allow the purchase and sale of cryptocurrency.

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Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, is hiring a “digital currency and cryptocurrency product lead.” The company says it “enables broad set of payment options for its customers” and is developing a “digital currency strategy and product roadmap.”

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With bitcoin mining being a regulated activity in Iran, the head of the country’s securities and exchange regulator believes the central bank has to turn its attention to cryptocurrencies. The regulator is ready to consider accommodating crypto trade when digital assets are regulated.

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Lionel Messi, the Argentinian soccer superstar, has opted to receive cryptocurrency as part of his new contract signed with the French club Paris Saint-Germain. The club revealed that the player will receive crypto as part of his $30 million payment, as a “welcome package” given to the player.

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Currently, derivatives exchange Bitget has released its global market penetration plan on Twitter, and at the same time, they published their latest globalization data. Data shows that up to now, Bitget’s global registered users have exceeded 1.6 million, and the user base has extended to 48 countries and regions around the world.

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Global cryptocurrency derivatives exchange Bitmex has settled charges with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The exchange has agreed to pay as much as $100 million to end investigations by the two agencies.

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In much of Africa, many people still lack access to basic financial services for many reasons. One of the reasons is that financial institutions have set standards or thresholds that make it impossible for low-income earners to even open a bank account.

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Current regulations do not prohibit the swapping of digital currencies, according to the Iranian Vice Presidency for Legal Affairs. The department has stated its position in correspondence with an ICT industry association which wanted to know what rules apply to cryptocurrency exchange, local media reported.

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India’s Ministry of Finance has answered some questions regarding the status of cryptocurrency trading in the country as well as crypto regulation and investor protection. The minister of state for the finance ministry has indicated that the recommendations in the draft bill proposed by the interministerial committee are still being considered.

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In mid-May, the popular and perhaps the largest torrent tracker on the internet, The Pirate Bay, mysteriously revealed a new cryptocurrency called piratetoken (TPB). The token has seen a 20% gain in 30 days and following the quiet launch, the torrent tracker’s website explained that the new piratetoken is a soft launch for a myriad of ideas.

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Paxos, a regulated blockchain company, recently presented the basket of resources that back its stablecoins. Paxos Standard (PAX) and Binance USD (BUSD) are reportedly backed almost 100% by cash and cash equivalents. Dan Burstein, CCO of Paxos, harshly criticized Tether and Circle, issuers of other stablecoins, stating their products we’re not really stablecoins.

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The founder and chairman of Interactive Brokers, Thomas Peterffy, has revealed that he put money in crypto because he believes “there’s a small chance that this will be a dominant currency, so you have to play the odds.”

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Back in 2020, at the Davos Summit, the DMCC (UAE Free Economic Zone) announced a strategic partnership with CV VC and CV Labs to launch Crypto Valley, the world’s largest ecosystem of cryptography, blockchain and distributed ledger in Dubai.

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Just before the antivirus tycoon John McAfee was found dead in Spain, he told the public from prison that U.S. federal authorities seized all of his assets and he had “nothing.” Now a biographer who is writing a McAfee-based biography has corroborated McAfee’s story. The author Mark Eglinton says that McAfee was also unable to pay for the requested biography.

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According to regional reports, El Salvador’s current leadership is in the midst of developing a stablecoin backed by the U.S. dollar. Meanwhile, others believe the stablecoin idea was scrapped now that Nayib Bukele’s government chose to leverage bitcoin.

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A tie-up between payment processor Advcash and Bingbon will help the social cryptocurrency trading exchange extend its services to Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Russia through a newly introduced fiat on and off-ramp.

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S&P Dow Jones Indices, the world’s leading index provider, announced Tuesday the launch of five new cryptocurrency indices. The company now has eight cryptocurrency indices in total.

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Woori Financial Group, one of the biggest financial conglomerates in South Korea, will offer crypto custody services. The bank will develop a joint venture effort with Coinplug, a blockchain-based developing company. This conglomerate signals the third bank entering the market in the country, after KB Kookmin Bank and Shinhan Bank.

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The European Union is preparing to set up an anti-money laundering agency to coordinate national supervisory authorities. According to a media report based on EU documents, the bloc also plans to impose new rules to increase transparency for cryptocurrency transfers.

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On Wednesday, the full-service entertainment company founded by influential hip-hop artist Jay-Z, Roc Nation, revealed the firm has purchased tokens from the Sensorium Corporation. The tokens Roc Nation bought are called senso (SENSO), the in-platform currency of Sensorium Galaxy, an entertainment-focused metaverse that fuses cryptocurrencies with virtual reality (VR).

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Joe Biden wants to crackdown on ransomware according to statements he made on Friday, after hackers hijacked software from a Miami-based IT supplier called Kaseya. Hundreds of American businesses were affected by the breach as the attackers encrypted the files of some 200 clients. Biden said on Friday that he’s ordered an investigation into the exploited Florida-based IT infrastructure.

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Pham Minh Chinh, the prime minister of Vietnam, has asked the country’s central bank to conduct a study of cryptocurrency and pilot the implementation of a blockchain-based currency within the next two years. The efforts are part of the Asian country’s new e-government strategy.

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