Cryptocurrency Daily News Bulletin: March 13, 2019

General News

Coinbase has launched a new feature allowing user to directly transfer cryptocurrency holdings on Coinbase.com to accounts in the firm’s Wallet app and vice versa. 

IBM and Shuttle Holdings, a New York investment firm, will launch the beta version of a custody solution for digital assets built on IBM’s private cloud and encryption technologies. IBM’s system utilises Hardware Security Module’s (HSMs), which rely on a purely electronic process and are therefore much faster than typical cold storage solutions. 

Invesco, the investment management firm with $926 billion AUM, has launched a blockchain ETF on the London Stock Exchange. The Invesco Elwood Global Blockchain UCITS ETF was developed in partnership with UK-based digital asset company Elwood Asset Management. The ETF will initially be used for investments in 48 companies listed on the Elwood Blockchain Global Equity Index including the likes of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, CME Group, Square, Samsung, SBI Holdings.

Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) announced it is integrating CipherTrace’s Compliance Monitoring product to “protect consumers, investors and business partners.” The tool uses blockchain analytics to look out for “suspicious” addresses and wallets.

US SEC will kick off its crypto road trip on March 26th in San Francisco – as they aim to open the lines of communication between regulators and innovators in the space.

Cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin $3,898.15 USD (-0.52 percent): James Pratt Auctions is launching the world’s first crypto-enabled live property auction. The auction, made in partnership with NuYen Exchange, will offer real estate to be purchased in BTC and BNB commencing April 8th. 

Ethereum $133.07 USD (-1.33 percent): Cryptocurrency wallet provider Abra is now letting users deposit and withdraw ETH directly from its app. Previously, users could only make deposits into the app via a U.S.-based bank account or certain crypto to convert balances into a “synthetic” version of ether. Now, Abra’s non-custodial wallet will store the real thing – allowing ETH to be used as an on-ramp to invest in the other assets listed on Abra. Meanwhile, U.S. SEC Chairman Clayton has seconded a colleague’s analysis that concludes Ethereum likely does not qualify as a security.

Ripple’s $0.309118 USD (-0.52 percent) grant network for developers launched last May, Xpring, has partnered with the gaming blockchain startup Forte to create a $100 million fund to support game developers. All the money will come from Ripple and Forte will manage the fund, which aims to accelerate mainstream adoption of blockchain technology in gaming and use XRP for monetisation. Meanwhile, Binance’s official wallet, Trust Wallet, is adding support for XRP. Binance also announced users can now buy cryptos with credit cards thanks to a partnership with Israel-based payments processor Simplex. XRP has also been added as the first crypto payment option on UK-based payment platform PayGlobal.

Stellar $0.102921 USD (0.48 percent) has gained support from crypto-backed lending platform YouHodler. The company also offers US dollar and euro loans secured by collateral in Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Litecoin, EOS, Bitcoin Cash and Bitcoin SV.

Tron $0.022313 USD (-0.90 percent) founder Justin Sun says he’s launching a $20-million cash airdrop and giving away a free Tesla. Sun says the giveaway is designed to celebrate the success of BitTorrent Token and the company’s recent partnership with Tether. 

– WN.com, Jamie Saarloos