Guinness World Records has added Bitcoin (BTC) and a number of blockchain events in the latest edition of its record book under the category of “Cryptomania.” The recognition of crypto by a mainstream staple such as Guinness World Records indicates that blockchain and digital assets were among the most publicly touched-on subjects over the past couple of years. The 2023 edition launched last month, has seen a number of notable crypto achievements included which spanning Bitcoin, crypto adoption, fan tokens, and NFTs. Bitcoin was unsurprisingly recognized as the most valuable cryptocurrency with its market cap of $816.69 billion as of …
El Salvador, the first nation to make Bitcoin (BTC) a legal tender in September last year, is currently focused on building a Bitcoin City. There have been several delays and disruptions in the plans since its announcement last year owing to the bear market-led investment drought and geo-political tensions. Cointelegraph reporter Joseph Hall got in touch with Héctor Enrique Celarié Landaverde, the deputy ambassador of El Salvador to the kingdom of the Netherlands, to get some insights into the country’s progress with its much-hyped project. Landaverde told Cointelegraph that the government is following a “first come first serve” basis, where …
Bitcoin (BTC) adoption by governments and companies remains a dubious question and the “digital gold” thesis proposed by advocates faced harsh critics after Tesla sold 75% of its holdings in the second quarter of 2022. Larger entities buying or selling Bitcoin have always moved the needle on how close countries are to using cryptocurrencies as a store of value. Currently, the average purchase price of El Salvador’s Bitcoin holdings stands at $45,000, making it a rather unprofitable investment. Regardless of how long adoption by the large institutional holders will take, and its subsequent impact on price expectations, it is possible …
Curtis Loftis, the treasurer for the U.S. state of South Carolina, spent five days in El Salvador as part of an “exploratory trip” on cryptocurrencies. According to an Oct. 5 announcement, Loftis was part of a delegation including South Carolina business leaders, rural health officials, and individuals “interested in the expansion of cryptocurrency and blockchain technologies” who met with officials from El Salvador’s government in an effort to understand the country’s efforts to adopt Bitcoin (BTC). The cryptocurrency has been legal tender alongside the U.S. dollar in the Central American nation since El Salvador’s Bitcoin Law went into effect in …
Multinational fast food chain McDonald’s started to accept Bitcoin (BTC) as a payment method in the 63,000-populated city of Lugano in Italian Switzerland, which is becoming a hotspot for crypto adoption in Western Europe. A one-minute video of ordering food on McDonald’s digital kiosk and then paying for it at the regular register with the help of a mobile app was uploaded on Twitter by Bitcoin Magazine on Monday, Oct. 3. The Tether (USDT) logo could be spotted next to the Bitcoin symbol on the credit cash machine, which is not surprising, as in March 2022 the city of Lugano …
El Salvador, the small Central American nation that made history just over a year ago when it made Bitcoin (BTC), recently marked its first year of BTC adoption. The Salvadoran government touted BTC as a tool to attract foreign investment, create new jobs and cut reliance on the United States dollar in the country’s economy at the time of adoption. Many BTC proponents and the libertarian community rallied behind the small nation despite mounting pressure from global organizations such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) to remove BTC as a legal tender. A lot has changed over …
In an Independence Day live streaming event on Sept. 15, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele announced his bid for reelection after his current term ends in 2024. Bukele’s announcement comes even though past presidents in El Salvador were prohibited by law from having consecutive terms in office. The president highlighted that: "Developed countries have reelection, and thanks to the new configuration of the democratic institution of our country, now El Salvador will too." Overall, Bukele shows signs of solid support, as a CID Gallup poll conducted last month revealed an 85% approval rating of his presidency and 95% approval of …
Sept. 7, 2022 marks exactly one year since El Salvador became the first country in the world to adopt Bitcoin (BTC) as legal tender by enforcing the Bitcoin Law. Advocating for Bitcoin as legal tender last year, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele promised that Bitcoin adoption would benefit the 70% of the local population that had a lack of access to banking services as of 2021. The Salvadoran government also touted Bitcoin as a tool to attract foreign investment, create new jobs and cut reliance on the U.S. dollar in the country’s economy. One may question the current real benefits …
El Salvador, the Central American nation that adopted Bitcoin (BTC) as a legal tender in September last year, has delayed the launch of its billion-dollar Bitcoin bond again. The Bitcoin bond, also known as the "Volcanic bond" or Volcanic token, was first announced in November 2021 as a way to issue tokenized bonds and raise $1 billion in return from investors. The fundraiser will then be used to build a "Bitcoin City" and buy more BTC. The bond was set to be issued in the first quarter of 2022 but was postponed to September in the wake of unfavorable market …
Bitcoin (BTC) is there for those that need it most; the rest may need time to learn. This message reverberated around the casino conference hall during a panel at Surfin Bitcoin, a Bitcoin-only conference in Biarritz, France, on Aug 26. Panelists Ben Perrin, a Bitcoin Youtuber; Ernesto Hernandez, a Salvadoran business consultant; and Carol from the popular Brazillian Youtube channel “Area Bitcoin” tackled a tricky topic: “Victims of the Banking System around the world: Inflation, Censorship.” The role of Bitcoin in such testing environments was brought into question. The panelists unloaded experience, evidence and anecdotes from their respective countries: Perrin …
Which countries are banning Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies? Banning a global technology and economic paradigm like BTC is not the best approach for governments to protect their citizens from the risks of this asset class. It is by hand holding them through the journey, educating and setting the right controls in place that safeguarding retail customers can be achieved. There have been several bans on BTC, other cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency mining across the world. China banned cryptocurrencies in 2021 in light of its central bank digital currency, and it also affected Bitcoin mining. As a result, the BTC hash rate …
The grassroots Mi Primer Bitcoin or “My First Bitcoin” program has picked up steam in El Salvador. The first cohort of Bitcoiner-come-students began studies in May this year. Founded by John Dennehy, an American activist and journalist, the program also has the support of the El Salvador government. El Salvador’s first #Bitcoin diploma program launched with the support of its Ministry of Education pic.twitter.com/ajIHPHzqap — Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) May 2, 2022 Cointelegraph spoke with Dennehy and Gilberto Motto, El Salvador’s Director of Education, to delve into the country’s struggles and successes in Bitcoin education and to understand the rate at …