Cryptocurrency
U.S Banks permitted to use Crypto for payments
The OCC has responded to questions regarding the application of stablecoin-related bank activities.
A powerful financial regulator through the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) recently clarified details on American national banks’ and federal savings associations’ authority in taking part in using stablecoins to conduct payment activities and other bank-permissible functions.
This was made known in a press release which also highlighted key areas on the use of stablecoin-based financial infrastructure;
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While governments in other countries have built real-time payments systems, the United States has relied on our innovation sector to deliver real-time payments technologies. Some of those technologies are built and managed by bank consortia and some are based on independent node verification networks such as blockchains,” said Acting Comptroller of the Currency Brian P. Brooks.
READ: OUSD: Stablecoin that pays you interests like a bank
“The President’s Working Group on Financial Markets recently articulated a strong framework for ushering in an era of stablecoin-based financial infrastructure, identifying important risks while allowing those risks to be managed in a technology-agnostic way.
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“Our letter removes any legal uncertainty about the authority of banks to connect to blockchains as validator nodes and thereby transact stablecoin payments on behalf of customers who are increasingly demanding the speed, efficiency, interoperability, and low cost associated with these products,” Brooks added.
Recall some months back the U.S banking regulator permitted U.S national banks to hold reserve currencies for stablecoins (Tether, Circle).
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The letter which was released by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) responds to questions regarding the application of stablecoin-related bank activities. It concludes that national banks and federal savings associations may hold “reserves” on behalf of customers who issue stablecoins, in situations where the coins are held in hosted wallets.
Brooks said further, “National banks and federal savings associations currently engage in stable coin-related activities involving billions of dollars each day. This opinion provides greater regulatory certainty for banks within the federal banking system to provide those client services in a safe and sound manner.”
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What are Stablecoins?
Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies created to minimize the price swings that occur in a crypto asset. They are usually pegged to fiat currencies and often exchange-traded commodities.
- Stablecoins give owners a sense of security as users can store their assets whenever there is high volatility in the crypto-verse or other financial markets.
Cryptocurrency
Dogecoin hits a new milestone, surges by 54%
DOGE experienced a strong 54% rally and established a new all-time high of $0.1161.
The price of Dogecoin, the fast-rising crypto popularly referred to as DOGE experienced a strong 54% rally and established a new all-time high of $0.1161 amid strong buying pressures prevalent in the Cryptoverse.
While crypto pundits can’t clearly give the rationality behind the recent surge of Dogecoin, its debut as one of the most popular crypto on social media, with top celebrities including Elon Musk and Mark Cuban giving the crypto endless support, makes a strong case.
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At the time of writing this report, Dogecoin was trading at $0.113824 with a daily trading volume of $11.3 billion. Dogecoin is up 54.49% for the day.
Dallas Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban is predicting the price of Dogecoin (DOGE) will eventually hit $1, after few days of accepting the crypto as a form of payment.
Dogecoin is a type of digital coin that is decentralized and facilitates peer-to-peer digital transactions. This means you can send money online with much ease. It is usually referred to as “the internet currency.”
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It is different from BTC’s proof-of-work protocol in many ways, one of which is the Scrypt technology. The fast-growing altcoin also has a block period of 1 minute, and the total supply is unlimited, meaning that there is no limit to the amount of Dogecoin that can be mined.
“The recent rise of dogecoin, a meme coin, should serve as a reminder to everyone in the space that the most popular use case for crypto is still pure speculation,” said Anil Lulla, a former analyst at Bloomberg and co-founder of the cryptocurrency research firm, Delphi Digital.
Cryptocurrency
Bitcoin ETF in North America has reached $1 billion in assets
The first North American Bitcoin ETF has already reached $1 billion (C$1.25 billion) in assets less than two months after its launch.
According to a statement from its issuer, the first North American Bitcoin ETF has already reached $1 billion (C$1.25 billion) in assets less than two months after its launch. What exchange-traded funds did to the conventional investing market for decades could happen to cryptocurrency players in a fraction of the time.
Investors are clamoring for crypto exposure, particularly in an exchange-traded fund wrapper, and the product from Toronto-based Purpose Investments, ticker BTCC, has seen a lot of interest. Although there are many crypto funds in Europe that work similarly to ETFs, this is the first ETF anywhere.
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More than $165 million worth of shares were traded on the fund’s first trading day in February, a big start for a fund in the much smaller Canadian ETF market.
Its rapid cash accumulation reflects the high demand for Bitcoin products in the United States, as issuers compete for approval of the first Bitcoin ETF in the nation. Despite regulator resistance to accept the tactics, at least eight companies, including VanEck Associates Corp. and WisdomTree Investments, now have live applications with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
On Tuesday, Bitcoin surged to an all-time high of about $63,246 ahead of Coinbase Global Inc.’s upcoming IPO later this week.
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There is an increasing expectation that a bitcoin ETF will be available in the United States in the not-too-distant future. Gary Gensler, the nominated chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, has taught cryptocurrency classes. The bitcoin market has exploded in popularity in recent months, attracting the attention of major financial institutions. Bitcoin ETFs are once again being sought by VanEck, Fidelity, and others.
One advantage of ETFs is that shares can be readily created and redeemed to arbitrage away any discount or premium, which could greatly broaden their appeal. ETFs are also cheaper, which will put pressure on fees across the bitcoin ecosystem. Hence market sentiment may push the ETF higher.
