Gazprombank Switzerland, a subsidiary of one of the largest banks in Russia, has piloted its Bitcoin (BTC) transaction service following regulatory approval by Swiss regulators. According to a Nov. 19 announcement, Gazprombank will provide its new cryptocurrency solution in collaboration with its long-running partners like fintech firm Avaloq and crypto custody provider Metaco. Gazprombank Switzerland CEO Roman Abdulin said that the new service intends to make crypto transactions “as easy as transactions with traditional assets,” stating: “Digital assets will become increasingly important for our clients and the global economy. We are pleased to work together with leading Swiss-based entities on …

Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, some global events have chosen to move forward as planned. Instead of canceling, they are working to limit close contact between attendees through the introduction of new technologies. One such solution involves a cashless payment system powered by blockchain. Mystic Valley, one the largest music festivals in Thailand, will be issuing its own token for cashless payments during its upcoming three-day event. According to a Thursday announcement, Mystic Valley organizers partnered with local cryptocurrency exchange Bitazza and blockchain startup Fuse.io to mint its own crypto token, MYST. The new token is designed to provide all …

Mainstream interest for cryptocurrency is becoming ever-apparent as major online payment systems such as PayPal begin to offer support for digital currencies. While a revolutionary step for both the crypto and traditional finance spaces, meeting regulatory requirements is crucial in order for such companies to support cryptocurrencies. This year, PayPal secured the first conditional cryptocurrency license from the New York State Department of Financial Services, allowing for the purchase of Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Litecoin (LTC). On the surface, it would appear that PayPal has undergone the basic requirements to support digital currencies. However, what’s really …

As cryptocurrencies continue gaining mainstream attention, some of the industry’s native companies have also joined the spotlight. Bitcoin payment processing company BitPay joined the ranks of 499 other important technology companies today. Big Four accounting firm Deloitte sees BitPay as one of North America’s top 500 leading-edge technology outfits, as shown by its Technology Fast 500 list, BitPay announced in a public statement on Wednesday. BitPay sits in 341st position, beating social media powerhouse Pinterest, which holds the 348th spot. “The ranking is compiled based on submitted applications and public company database research, with winners selected based on percentage fiscal-year …

"Bitcoin has failed as means of payment" is one of the prevalent criticisms of Bitcoin (BTC) that Fidelity Digital Assets is seeking to rebut. In a blog post published on Nov. 13, the firm took on six “persistent” criticisms, including Bitcoin's volatility, environmental wastefulness and use in illicit activities. Regarding the coin's purported failure as a means of payment for everyday transactions, Fidelity's argument is that this criticism fails to understand Bitcoin's core purpose. The currency is outperformed, Fidelity accepts, by conventional payment rails like Visa, Mastercard and PayPal, all of which can offer higher throughput. However, Bitcoin has been …

As numerous countries across the board navigate their feelings on central bank digital currencies, or CBDCs, Benoît Cœuré of the Bank for International Settlements thinks physical cash will retain its importance. Heading up the BIS’ innovation wing, Cœuré formerly held a position with the European Central Bank on its executive board. “In the euro area, unlike Sweden or China, demand for banknotes is still strong,” Cœuré said in an interview on Thursday. “Their role is declining as a means of payment, but they remain a means of savings.” He added: “No one wants to force consumers to choose their payment …

Crypto payment services provider BitPay has launched BitPay Send, a new blockchain-powered mass-payout platform for businesses. BitPay Send allows organizations who do not want to handle or own crypto themselves to process crypto payments en masse. It can be used to complete payroll payments, pay contractors or affiliates, and process customer cashback and rewards programs. Available in 225 countries, all recipients need to pass the Know Your Customer procedure and have a cryptocurrency wallet. BitPay claims the platform cuts processing time from days to minutes. The service has already been adopted by advertising platform AdGate Media in order to pay …

On Thursday, PayPal's crypto trading and payments went live for all eligible customers in the United States. Per its updated announcement, PayPal ended its waitlist for customers looking to use cryptocurrency in the U.S. Trading features a limit of $20,000 per week, which is double the originally announced $10,000. PayPal ultimately plans to make crypto payments available at 26 million merchants globally. A representative told Cointelegraph that PayPal will notify U.S. customers about the general availability of crypto services in the coming days. Dan Schulman, CEO of PayPal, noted that the shift to supporting crypto was driven by what he …

Deutsche Bank, the largest banking institution in Germany, is confident that central bank digital currencies, or CBDCs, will replace cash in the future. The bank’s research arm, Deutsche Bank Research, published a new report on economic estimations and proposals to assist global economies hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Titled “What We Must Do to Rebuild,” the study was released on Nov. 10. In the report, Deutsche Bank states that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the “digital cash revolution.” According to the bank, this revolution will eventually enable CBDCs like China’s digital yuan or Sweden’s e-krona to replace cash in …

Akoin, the cryptocurrency project of American-Senegalese musician Akon is launching imminently in the $2 billion Mwale Medical Technology City, or MMTC, in western Kenya. As a newly built city centered around a state-of-the-art medical and technology complex, MMTC would seem to be the ideal proving ground for the currency, ahead of it becoming the official currency of Akon City, currently under development in Senegal. During the pilot stage, starting later this month, residents will be able to pay and be paid using Akoin, and instantly convert the currency into cell phone minutes or other forms of exchange. While the initial …

The annual Crypto Finance Conference (CfC), an international conference on digital asset and blockchain conceived for sophisticated investors and decision makers, will be held on Jan. 20–22, 2021. Among featured speakers there will be representatives of Winklevoss Capital, Swiss National Bank, the European Parliament, Ledger and others. Cointelegraph serves as the main media partner for the CfC St. Moritz 2021 and prepared a special page dedicated to the event. The program of the three-day event will include discussions on the macro-perspective and micro-perspective on the industry – on Jan. 20 and 21, and focus events about social impact and decentralization …

One of the most discussed topics within the crypto community recently has been PayPal’s announcement that its customers will be able to buy and sell cryptocurrencies. The service is expected to be fully rolled out early next year. The company’s goal “to increase consumer understanding and adoption of cryptocurrency,” as stated in its press release, seems to be a needed step in cryptocurrency popularization. Mainstream awareness of crypto still remains very low. As data from a Statista survey indicates, Bitcoin (BTC) use in countries with developed economies is below 10%, with the lowest levels in Sweden, Denmark and Japan. Meanwhile, …