Australian residents have been identified as one the primary targets of a sophisticated network of cryptocurrency call-center scammers — which are suspected to be run by Israel-based crime bosses. Evidence uncovered after a full-scale raid of four Serbian call centers and 11 residences by Serbian, German, Bulgarian and Cypriot authorities found that Australians were among the top countries being targeted. The raids saw fifteen people arrested and $1.46 million in cryptocurrencies seized, among others. Dramatic police raids in Belgrade, Bulgaria and Cyprus, following investigations in Germany, have uncovered evidence Australia is in the top tier of countries being targeted: https://t.co/zWv7I3N5Kg …

The philanthropic arm of Binance — Binance Charity — is set to fund 30,655 scholarships to students keen on forging out a career in Web3 in 2023. The Binance Charity Scholar Program (BCSP) will provide free Web3 education and training courses which will enable tech-savvy students to upskill without having to leap-frog any unnecessary financial barriers, Binance Charity explained, in a January 20 blog post: “We recognize that digital education and skills development can be out of reach for many, resulting in a blockchain industry that lacks diversity and talent. The Binance Scholar Program changes all that, covering the costs …

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Cyprus, or CySEC, reportedly issued a statement amid FTX filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States that the regulator requested the exchange halt operations for its Europe arm. According to a Nov. 11 Reuters report, the CySEC said it had asked FTX Europe to “suspend its operations and to proceed immediately with a number of actions for the protection of the investors” on Nov. 9. It’s unclear why the financial regulator chose to reiterate its call to the crypto exchange, given FTX Europe was one of roughly 130 companies in FTX Group …

Cyprus is moving to regulate the cryptocurrency industry, with the country’s finance ministry releasing a national risk assessment on crypto. Published on Dec. 13, the official documentation provides a risk assessment for the Republic of Cyprus regarding money laundering risks related to virtual asset activities and virtual asset service providers (VASPs). The Ministry of Finance of Cyprus stressed that there is a “limited direct understanding or experience” regarding money laundering risks of crypto in the country. However, authorities like Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) and local enforcement authorities have demonstrated a “sophisticated level of understanding of the sector,” the …

Even though the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has yet to fully recede, an increasing number of countries are beginning to open up their borders to tourists once again. Furthermore, with large-scale vaccination drives taking place all over the world, it appears as though by the time summer rolls around again, it will become possible for many individuals to travel to certain holiday destinations once again. In fact, according to the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, American tourists will be able to pay a visit to their favorite European Union countries during summer 2021, given that they are …

The VeChain Foundation has partnered with accounting and consulting firm Grant Thornton Cyprus. According to an announcement from the company, the partnership hopes to extend blockchain solutions to a variety of industries. These will largely be determined by the Cypriot company’s network of customers but may include the food industry, pharmaceuticals, logistics, the automotive industry, supply chain management, renewable energy, e-commerce and more. Discussing the company’s interest in Blockchain development, Grant Thornton Cyprus’ director of distributed technology, Alexis Nicolau, noted that legislation governing blockchain technology in Cyprus “is imminent.” Sunny Lu, co-founder and CEO aofVeChain, believes that the pandemic has …

Cyprus, a major international business center and tax haven, is warning investors against several suspicious websites offering foreign exchange and digital currency investment. The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission issued a warning against seven firms that have apparently been operating illegally. Published by the CySEC on Aug. 6, the warning document says that none of the listed companies belong to an entity that has been granted approval for providing investment services. The list notes fxg.market, 247firstinvest.com, keyoncapital.com, procloudoptions.online, cryptotradecentr.com, fxgrowcapital.com, and meritkapital.net. One of the blacklisted websites, cryptotradecentr.com, positions itself as a multinational fintech company providing a wide range of …

Blockchain tracking platform VeChain announced on Twitter on June 20 that its blockchain-based medical data management platform co-developed with digital healthcare solution firm I-Dante has gone live and will store COVID-19 testing results. The platform, dubbed E-NewHealthLife, was deployed in the Mediterranean Hospital in the Republic of Cyprus. Cyprus citizens who go to the hospital’s COVID-19 laboratory to undergo real-time diagnostic and antibodies testing, will have their medical and test records on the blockchain. The records will be encrypted, hashed and uploaded onto the VeChainThor Blockchain. The results will also be available on the E-HCert application. Adoption of E-HCert, the …

Blockchain tracking platform, VeChain, announced that it co-developed a blockchain-based medical data management platform in partnership with digital healthcare solution firm I-Dante. The platform, dubbed “The E-NewHealthLife”, is set to see deployment at the Mediterranean Hospital of Cyprus — with the European island’s healthcare sector reportedly operating with numerous inefficiencies resulting from outdated technological infrastructure, VeChain announced on May 16. The Mediterranean Hospital of Cyprus has 300 employees and processed 38,000 outpatient visits during 2019. VeChain launches DLT medical platform in Cyprus The first phase of the platform’s rollout will see it used in the emergency department of the Cyprus …

Update Feb. 29, 02:30 EST: A previous version of this article stated that the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) posted a warning notice against NAGA Markets for being unauthorized to target Cypriots. This information is false as CySEC has issued a warning notice against the unauthorised domain naga-markets.online. NAGA Markets Ltd is regulated by CySEC and is not connected to naga-markets.conline in any way. The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) recently published a report discussing the ongoing activities of its Innovation Hub — a cooperative entity that was launched in October 2018 as a platform for engagement between …

A new year heralds the opportunity for a new beginning. The start of a new life cycle. As the clock strikes midnight on Jan. 1, the year 2019 will be dealt a fatal blow by old father time, a cold-hearted act of destruction that would inspire Thanos himself. Soon, all that will remain of 2019 will be a handful of dust. For many cultures around the world, the New Year is a time celebrated with gifts. Here’s how anyone can spend their crypto like an oligarch this festive season. Luxury goods So, you’ve bought Bitcoin, managed to prevail the treacherous …

Cyprus’ Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) recently issued a warning against almost 200 unregistered investment platforms, three of which look strikingly similar and falsely advertise ties to licensed and regulated firm BDSwiss. The CySEC posted an update to its list of unapproved website addresses on Dec. 10, which now contains 187 different names. The CySEC noted at the top of its posted list: “[T]he domains that are included in the following list are not owned or operated by Cyprus Investment Firms (CIFs) which have been authorized by CySEC to provide Investment Services.” In a Dec. 23 brief, Finance Magnates reported …