Korean Crypto Exchanges Upbit, Bithumb Raided Over Lawmaker’s Crypto Dealings

South Korean prosecutors have raided two of the country’s largest coin trading platforms within an investigation into the crypto investments of a politician. They seized materials from Upbit and Bithumb amid suspicions of wrongdoing related to the lawmaker’s cryptocurrency holdings. South…

Russian Companies ‘Actively’ Using Crypto, Russia to Adopt 4 Relevant Laws, Official Says

Russian lawmakers intend to soon approve four bills designed to regulate various aspects of cryptocurrencies, a high-ranking member of the Russian parliament announced. Meanwhile, Russian companies are already using digital assets in cross-border settlements, the official noted. Russian Legislature to Vote…

Latam Insights: Bolivia Sells Gold for Dollars, Argentina Bans Fintech Crypto, Fitch Upgrades El Salvador’s Credit Rating

Welcome to Latam Insights, a compendium of the most relevant crypto and economic development news from Latin America during the last week. In this issue, Bolivia passes a law to sell gold for dollars, the Central Bank of Argentina bans fintech…

Digital Assets for 1 Billion Rubles Issued in Russia in a Month

Platforms authorized by the Russian government issued digital assets worth around a billion rubles in April, the local press reported. The spike in the volume has been attributed to Russian companies experimenting with new financial instruments amid limited access to traditional…

Ex-Coinbase Exec Balaji Srinivasan Closes Out $1 Million Bitcoin Bet

Former Chief Technology Officer at Coinbase, Balaji Srinivasan, closed out early a bet that the price of bitcoin would hit $1 million by mid-June amid hyperinflation of the U.S. dollar. Srinivasan paid a total of $1.5 million, more than the initially…

Netflix Star Driving Bitcoin Adoption With Porsche Flying El Salvador Flag

Scottish-Salvadoran driver Sebastian Melrose has made his debut in the Porsche Carrera Cup racing championship. The 25-year-old, who took part in a popular Netflix TV series last year, drives a Bitcoin-branded 911 that features the flag of crypto-friendly El Salvador on…

Binance Reportedly Removes Restrictions on Russian Users

The world’s largest crypto exchange, Binance, has lifted certain restrictions on Russian users, local crypto media unveiled. According to multiple reports, Russians can once again use their bank cards to make deposits and the trading platform has canceled a limit on…

Russia Launching Payment System With ‘No Restrictions’ — Digital Currencies to Be Completely Unrestricted

Russia is launching a new payment system that is “bound by no restrictions” where digital currencies could be used in cross-border payments, said Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov. “Two parties come to an agreement, make settlement payments, and no other country…

Russia to Increase Reliance on National Currencies in Energy Trade, Vows to Move Away From the US Dollar

Russia will increase its reliance on national currencies to settle payments for its energy resources, moving away from the US dollar, according to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak. Novak noted there is a great interest in acquiring Russian energy resources,…

US Court Sentences Russian Crypto Ransom Launderer to Probation and Fine

A Russian crypto entrepreneur, charged with laundering money from ransomware attacks, has been sentenced to probation and fined in the U.S. after pleading guilty. Founder of two coin trading platforms, Denis Dubnikov, was arrested in the Netherlands and extradited to the…