Police return 40,000 euros worth of bitcoins paid to hackers to university

Maastricht University has returned bitcoins given to unknown attackers in 2019 for unlocking data. Hackers used ransomware to block teachers and 25,000 students from accessing personal data, academic papers and the library. This prevented students from taking tests and completing assignments. To restore access to data, cybercriminals demanded a ransom in bitcoins in the amount of 200,000 euros (about $208,000). The university was only able to pay 40,000 euros. During the investigation, the Dutch police…

China accelerates the development of the blockchain market

Despite the ban on cryptocurrencies in China, the pace of certification of new blockchain services is accelerating in the country. According to a review of government documents and interviews with industry insiders, the growth of the Chinese blockchain market has noticeably accelerated in 2022. The total number of blockchain services registered by the country’s Internet regulator, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), has reached 1,821. The pace of certification of new blockchain services began to…

Meta shuts down Novi crypto wallet launched six months ago

Mark Zuckerberg’s company Meta (formerly Facebook), due to numerous problems, including with regulators, decided to stop supporting its own crypto wallet. On the official website of the Novi wallet, a message appeared stating that the wallet “will no longer be available for use after September 1st.” The Novi team warns users to withdraw all their assets stored on the platform before this date, as they will then be unavailable. Several Meta executives pitched the idea…

Singapore authorities accused Three Arrows Capital of providing false data

The Monetary and Financial Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced that the Three Arrows Capital cryptocurrency fund, which was on the verge of bankruptcy, was engaged in direct deception of the regulator. In 2013, the regulator granted Three Arrows Capital the status of a registered investment fund, provided that the amount of assets under its management does not exceed $250 million. According to the MAS, the amount of funds exceeded the maximum amount allowed between July…

The European regulator requires to limit the reserves of fiat-backed stablecoins

The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BIS), after the collapse of the UST stablecoin, stated that in order to maintain financial stability, banks should have a limit on the holdings of unsecured crypto assets. The riskiest class of crypto assets, which includes non-backed conventional reserves or asset-pegged stablecoins, will be capped at 1% of Tier 1 capital, the document says. For large banks like JP Morgan Chase, 1% Tier 1 capital can be in the…

Spanish regulator: Only 6.8% of Spaniards invest in cryptocurrencies

The National Commission for the Securities Market of Spain (CNMV) commissioned a study, thanks to which it found out that the level of acceptance of cryptocurrencies in the country is quite low. A Grupo Analisis e Investigacion study report says that only three out of four Spaniards have heard of cryptocurrencies. However, people’s knowledge is still very limited: only 1.4% of those surveyed are well versed in digital assets. Most respondents lack knowledge of cryptography…

Court issued a decision to liquidate the crypto-hedge fund Three Arrows Capital

The Court of the British Virgin Islands has ruled on the results of a case involving Three Arrows Capital’s loss-making activities as a result of the recent sharp downturn in the cryptocurrency markets. The court ruled to liquidate the crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital (TAC). Partners from the New York-based consulting firm Teneo Restructuring were called in to help with the company’s insolvency case. The question of the form of repayment of TAC debt…

The Central Bank of Morocco is working on a bill to regulate cryptocurrencies

The Central Bank of Morocco has begun drafting legislation to control cryptocurrencies and combat illegal activities in the digital industry. Central Bank Governor Abdellatif Jouahri said the bill would be submitted soon. The development is carried out by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. The regulator is also consulting with the central banks of France, Sweden and Switzerland, who share their experience in regulating cryptocurrencies. Juahri assured that the updated regulatory framework,…

Top manager of American Express: “Payments in crypto-currencies are unprofitable now”

Director of Government Relations for Southern Europe at American Express believes that it is not profitable to pay with cryptocurrencies now. Gonzalo Pérez del Arco at the European Blockchain Convention 2022 spoke about the plans of the American Express payment system related to cryptocurrencies. He named several factors that hinder the introduction of digital currencies in the field of payments: high commissions for conducting transactions and the unwillingness of most merchants to accept payments in…

Yuga Labs accuses Ryder Ripps of counterfeiting Bored Ape NFT collection

Yuga Labs filed a lawsuit over copyright infringement of the Bored Ape series of non-fungible tokens and disruption of economic activity, as a result of which developers may incur losses. Bored Ape, founder of the NFT Yacht Club, tweeted that the application was filed on June 24 in the District Court of Central California. The studio suspects artist Rider Ripps and his partners of infringement, who, the plaintiffs insist, created and sold “fake copies of…