Cambridge dons launch tool to track Ethereum electricity consumption as concerns over environmental impact grow April 26, 2023 Cryptocurrencies will face more scrutiny on their environmental impact after the University of Cambridge released a new open access tool to track electricity usage from cryptocurrencies, starting with Ethereum. The new Cambridge Blockchain Network Sustainability Index (CBNSI) hopes to provide “cutting edge insights into the current and historical environmental impact of various blockchain networks.” So [...]
‘Bitcoin inventor’ court proceedings dropped in London as judge says it’s no longer in public interest April 5, 2023 Contempt of court proceedings involving a computer expert who claims to be the inventor of Bitcoin have been dropped after judges ruled it was no longer in the public interest to continue. Dr Craig Wright, who says he is Bitcoin creator “Satoshi Nakamoto”, was facing allegations that he may have deliberately leaked details of a [...]
Five best read on City A.M.: EY ‘business as normal’, 1,300 Lloyds Pharmacies up for closure, Cameron Smith, F1 ‘marriage’ on the rocks and crypto ban March 10, 2023 EY’s decision to push ahead with mid-year promotions after KPMG called off its April round was this week’s best read story on City A.M. It had some stiff competition with sporting heroes Cameron Smith and Lewis Hamilton vying for readers’ interest, not to mention news of a crypto ban and high street closures. We look [...]
FCA clamps down on illegal crypto ATMs in East London March 8, 2023 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has clamped down on unregistered crypto ATMs in East London as it expands its efforts to shut down the illicit sector . The FCA inspected several sites in a joint operation with the Metropolitan Police. Crypto ATMs allow people to buy or convert money into cryptoassets. No crypto ATMs are [...]
Crypto: Nationwide bans credit card exchange payments and HSBC limits digital currency spending as consumer risk fears grow March 3, 2023 Several UK banks have restricted their customers from buying crypto assets as concern grows about the risks posed by digital currency to customers. In an email to customers earlier this week, Nationwide said it would not allow payments to crypto exchanges using its credit cards and would impose a £5,000 daily limit on current account [...]
How Bitcoin and crypto could revolutionise the housing market February 23, 2023 While crypto currency like Bitcoin is too volatile an asset to be presetly useful for completing property transactions, there are myriad ways the technology could be applied to property purchases. Here are some ways crypto could change how he sees the future of property sales and how the blockchain could be at its heart. DOES [...]
Britcoin needs to prove it can secure adoption and not spy on our consumers, experts warn February 13, 2023 The digital pound faces a range of challenges before it could be adopted in the UK, experts told City AM, as industry figures continue to grapple with the announcement that a central bank digital currency (CBDC) is “likely to be needed” in the future. The risks a so-called Britcoin poses to financial stability and the [...]
FCA warns crypto execs could face two years in jail for breaching financial promotion rules February 6, 2023 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has warned crypto businesses that breaching new financial promotion regulations could lead to executives facing up to two years in prison. The FCA said that crypto companies which fail to meet its financial promotion rules will breach the Financial Services and Markets Act, “a criminal offence punishable by up to [...]
Digital pound coming this decade, unpublished Treasury and BoE report suggests February 5, 2023 The Bank of England (BoE) and the Treasury are convinced that a central bank digital currency (CBDC) is becoming increasingly necessary, an unpublished report seen by the Daily Telegraph suggests. “On the basis of our work to date, the Bank of England and HM Treasury judge that it is likely a digital pound will be [...]
UK crypto hub ambitions at risk if it does not pass new rules quickly, experts warn February 1, 2023 The government’s new plans to “robustly regulate” cryptoassets garnered mixed reactions from the crypto industry today, with experts saying that while the proposals were welcome there were still huge questions about the timeline for when they might come into effect. Nick Taylor from Luno, a crypto exchange, described the launch of the consultation as “a [...]