Crypto Pirates

Former Treasury Department officials and sanctions experts predict that Russia will try to mitigate the financial penalties by selling energy and relying on the country's gold and Chinese currency reserves. 

The harsh sanctions imposed on Russia, as well as the subsequent collapse of the rouble, have the Kremlin scrambling to keep the country's economy running. For Vladimir Putin, this means finding ways to circumvent the Western economic blockade while his forces continue to invade Ukraine. 

Former Treasury Department officials and sanctions experts predict that Russia will try to mitigate the financial penalties by selling energy and relying on the country's gold and Chinese currency reserves. Putin is also expected to move funds through smaller banks and accounts of elite families that are not subject to sanctions, deal in cryptocurrency, and rely on Russia's relationship with China. 

Right now, "the biggest two avenues that Russia has are China and energy," according to John Smith, former director of the Treasury's financial intelligence and enforcement arm. 

The United States and the European Union have imposed sanctions on Russia's largest banks and elite, frozen the assets of the country's Central Bank located outside the country, and barred its financial institutions from using the SWIFT bank messaging system — but have largely allowed its oil and natural gas to continue to flow freely to the rest of the world. 

While Russia is likely to turn closer to China to compensate for lost supplies of goods and services from the West, Smith added, "they're also betting that their enormous energy supplies will continue to be in demand, particularly during this cold winter." If they can get their energy to market, they can make a lot more money." 

Last month, Russia and China signed a 30-year agreement that will allow Russia to supply gas to China, though the pipelines to carry that gas will not be completed for at least three years. Furthermore, China announced last week that it would allow wheat imports from all parts of Russia for the first time. 

Smith, on the other hand, predicted that the Chinese and others "will be driving incredibly hard bargains" now that Russia has fewer willing buyers, and China will want to avoid being subjected to secondary sanctions or sanctions violations enforcement. 

According to a senior administration official, the Biden administration is developing a "focused tactical strategy" to ensure that cryptocurrency does not become a mechanism that Moscow can use to avoid sanctions. 

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the yet-to-be-announced move, did not provide an exact timeline for when the new steps on cryptocurrency would be unveiled, but said the area is one of several that Biden administration officials are looking to shore up as it looks to ensure that sanctions on Russia have maximum impact. 

According to the official, the administration's efforts are informed by previous experiences with sanctions evasion in Iran and Venezuela. Additional export controls and new sanction targets are also expected to be announced in the coming days and weeks to counter Russian sanction evasion efforts, according to the official. 

Officials have already been on the lookout for the use and formation of front companies and alternative financial institutions that Moscow may try to use to circumvent sanctions. 

On Monday, the United States tightened its sanctions to immobilise any assets of the Russian Central Bank in the United States or held by Americans. The Biden administration estimated that the move could affect hundreds of billions of dollars in Russian funding. 

The most recent measures do include a loophole that allows for energy-related transactions with the bank. The penalties also have no effect on Russia's gold stockpile, which Putin has been amassing for several years. 

Tyler Kustra, an assistant professor of politics at the University of Nottingham who has studied economic sanctions, said Moscow had already adopted a "Fortress Russia economy" — producing many goods domestically even if it was easier to import them — to protect the economy from sanctions. 

Much of Russia's food is produced locally, but some of it does not match comparable foreign-made items, and others cannot be substituted, he said. 

"My friends in Moscow say, 'Look, they've never really gotten cheese right,'" Kustra said. 

An increased reliance on cryptocurrency would be an unavoidable avenue for Russia to try to prop up its financial transactions, according to David Szakonyi, a political science professor at George Washington University, "but it's unlikely it'll serve as a substitute for corporate transactions over time." 

The administration has prior experience regulating Russian cryptocurrency businesses. Earlier this year, the Treasury sanctioned Russia-based SUEX and 25 affiliated cryptocurrency businesses, blacklisting the exchange from the dollar financial system, for allegedly assisting criminal hackers in cleaning and cashing out their loot. It was the first cryptocurrency company to receive that honour. 

Ari Redbord, a former Treasury senior adviser who now heads government affairs at TRM, which develops analytics on financial crimes, said his organisation has identified at least 340 businesses in Russia that could potentially be used as "on and off ramps" for crypto currency. 

According to Redbord, the amount of cryptocurrency required by Russia to replace the billions of sanctions "would be very difficult to off-ramp into traditional currency" due to the breadth of the sanctions. 

Ori Lev, who worked as the head of enforcement at the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control during the Obama administration, stated that "whether it's using cryptocurrency or relying on China, there are mitigating actions they can take, but they can't recreate the financial system." 

The Biden administration has argued that China will be unable to compensate for the loss of US and European business, and that sanctions cutting Russia off from Western sovereign debt markets will be crippling. At the same time, the White House has publicly argued that Beijing coming to Moscow's aid could be damaging to China's reputation in Europe and around the world in the long run. 

By Monday afternoon, the rouble had plummeted, and Russians had been queuing for hours in ATM lines as inflation fears erupted. 

"I'm not sure what specific steps they're going to take to mitigate the bite of the sanctions, but it's not going to undo them," Lev said.

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Stefan Berger, the bill's primary sponsor, previously stated that the passage could be "misinterpreted." 

A section of a pending bill in the European Union has been scrapped that would have made it illegal for crypto services to deal in coins based on proof-of-work—the consensus mechanism Bitcoin and Ethereum use to "mine" new currency and secure their networks. 

The Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) bill, introduced by a coalition led by Stefan Berger, was scheduled for a vote in the European Parliament on Monday, February 28. However, it was postponed late last week after many members of parliament objected to a paragraph regarding proof of work. 

Berger confirmed today that the bill's paragraph 61 (9c) has been removed entirely, though the vote has yet to be rescheduled. 

MiCA has the potential to reshape European cryptocurrency adoption. It was first proposed in September 2020 and would require the European Central Bank to "establish uniform rules for crypto-asset service providers and issuers at the EU level." In a nutshell, it would create a regulatory framework for cryptocurrency across the European Union, something the United States and other countries are still working on. 

However, one passage in particular piqued the interest of cryptocurrency users. It required that no crypto assets be created, sold, or traded within the EU by 2025 if they used "environmentally unsustainable consensus mechanisms." Crypto assets would have to meet "minimum environmental sustainability standards" to avoid a ban. 

Opponents of the bill argued that it would effectively prohibit Bitcoin and Ethereum mining in Europe, as well as make it impossible for custodians to hold proof-of-work coins for clients. 

Berger claims that was not the intention of the lawmakers. He stated in announcing the postponement of the vote last Friday that "individual passages of the draught report can be misinterpreted and understood as a POW ban." 

However, environmental concerns are weighing on Europe, whose member countries are attempting to meet the Paris Agreement's climate targets. Finanspektionen, Sweden's financial regulator, recommended a ban on mining Bitcoin and other proof-of-work coins last year, arguing that the energy expenditure was not justified by the benefits.

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With less than 30 days away CryptoWorldCon (CWC), the event of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies, focused on cutting-edge schemes and trends in the blockchain market, will kick off Miami´s BitCoin Month on the 1 & 2 of April 2022, held at one of Miami, most prominent and renowned venues the James L. Knight Center. This event comprises high-profile individuals, companies, investors, and organizations that will create an international impact converting Miami into the epicenter of the Blockchain and cryptocurrency community.

CryptoWorldCon will provide industry leaders, influencers, and innovators to present individually or speak as a panel. In addition to our valuable speakers, we will have a special guest of honor who will be realizing the inaugural pitch at the Miami Marlins game on March 31 where CryptoWorldCon will be present with an Ice Breaker event for all their VIP attendees and, joining an international list of world-class speakers from around the globe such as:

Partnering with world-class speakers from around the globe such as:

•Jordan Belfort – Nickname “The Wolf of Wall Street”. 

•Jaime Rogozinski – Founder of WallStreetBets.

•Priya Guliani – UK President of the Government Blockchain Association (GBA). 

•Carmelo Millian – Founder of PolkaCity.

•Kristina Lucrezia Cornèr – “Editor-in-Chief of Cointelegraph”.

•Nabeel Malik – CEO & founder of Cryptolitics.

•Lior Lamesh – CEO & Co-founder of GK8.

•Shiv Aggarwal – Founder and CEO of EarthId.

•Karisa Winett – Chief of Staff for NFT Genius.

•Alexander Lorenzo – CEO of Fundamental Secrets LLC.

•Jess Furman – SVP Creative & Licensing Strategy for Big Noise Music Group y SR. Executive Creative Director for Sound Revolver.

•Daniele Marinelli – CEO & founder of DTSocialize Holding Ltd.

•Haydn Snape – Founder & CEO de Decentralised Investment Group (DIG).

•Eric Galen – Greenspoon Marder LLP. Partner.

•Eloisa Cadenas – Founder of CryptoFintech and journalist for CoinTelegraph.

•Tony Salazar – CEO – Freedomtv.info.

•Dr. Chris Oniya – LifeofMusk NFT founder & Visionary, OpenSea & Ripple Angel Investor.

•Alex Baghdjian – Co-founder of Funday.

•Adam Healy – Chief Security Officer for BlockFi.

•Benji Markoff – CEO of Founder Shield.

•Jessica Lauren – Radix Community.

•Amy Kalnoki – Co-Founder and COO of Bitwave, and co-host of the podcast “The DeFi Daily”.

•Erik Pinos – President of the Blockchain Education Network (BEN).

•Aly Madhavji – Managing Partner at Blockchain Founders Fund and LP at Loyal VC & Draper Goren Holm.

•Michaël Van de Poppe – “Crypto Michaël” CEO & fundador de Eight Global.

•Gabriela Kurs – Board Director at the Global Digital Asset and Cryptocurrency Association.

•Jakub Chmielniak- Co-founder of Fanadise.

•Bartek Sibiga – Co-founder of Fanadise and founder of the networking platform for creators DDOB.com.

•Dr. Isabel Welpe – Chair of the Strategy and Organization research group at the Technical University of Munich.

•Eric Guthier – CEO – of Better ME Better WE.

•Wrenn Taylor – Dev of SpookyShiba.

•Michael Cobb – CEO of ECI Development.

•Dave Uhryniak – Director of Blockchain Strategy of TRON DAO.

•Reza Bashash – Co-founder of Sologenic.

•Bob Ras – Co-Creator of Sologenic & Coreum.

•Harry Golash – CEO de Fantom Oasis.

•Tareck Kirschen – Founder & CEO of Glozal Inc.

Hosted by Award Winning Master of Ceremonies Paul Gamache, and moderated by NASDAQ columnist Naeem Aslam, the event will present itself as the perfect networking opportunity for brands and businesses with both potential B2B clients as well as a direct target audience making it the perfect platform to grow your business.

CryptoWorldCon will include panel discussions, speaker sessions, workshops, a job fair for developers, a contest for startups to select by a jury of our keynote speakers the most innovative project in an early stage, and events that will help attendees learn more about cloud & enterprise computing, the role of blockchain in elections, the influence of blockchain industry in-state operations, the potential adaptation of cryptocurrency by major financial institutions of the world, and the benefits of blockchain for multinational firms and franchises. 

The event will close on April 2, with an Exclusive Yacht dinner on the luxurious Sea Fair Yacht, overlooking Miami, which will also include an exclusive award ceremony that will include the recognition of the selected Startup as the most innovative project to look for. As well as for the partnerships established during the event.

CryptoWorldCon CSR and Social Impact of how they are working to change the world.

Pedro Pascal PR of Moonwalker and CryptoWorldCon share that it “is not just an event for networking and doing business, it has also a very important Social objective. The main goal is to educate and teach about the new technologies and integrate them into our everyday lives. We know that cryptocurrency and blockchain technology is the present and the future. And we in Moonwalker USA are working on a social impact project called the CryptoWorldCon Academy to help integrated single mothers and young adults in situations of poverty at risk of social exclusion, to learn about the new technologies of blockchain and cryptocurrency to help them provide an opportunity to learn and integrate into society showing them their capacity, to be able to reach their potential and improve their education and economic situation for better through job opportunities.”

Pedro Pascal – “We have prepared into our agenda of the event a big part of how Cryptocurrency and Blockchain can have a social impact on society and we have speakers and panel discussions prepare about the social impact and how it’s being integrated through the world and Social Entrepreneurs such as Natasha Paracha, founder of Social Coin, just to name one of the Social Entrepreneurs attending the event as a speaker discussing how to implement the new technologies into social projects to provide a positive impact into the community.” 

Pedro Pascal – “Also with CryptoWorldCon, we are Collaborating with Heroes Unmasked nonprofit organization based in Southwest Florida. Heroes unmasked goal is to render aid to all unwell children. As a group of individuals wearing costumes resembling childhood superheroes making appearances in hospitals and at residential homes throughout Florida.”

A game-changing experience, the entire event is going to be filled with activities that will further improve the knowledge and network experience of the Attendees. CryptoWorldCon presents a careful selection of speakers designed to spice up the CWC discussion panels, making the entire event a very engaging interaction with a variety of value-added strategies, opportunities, and mentoring for the attendees.

If you are a startup looking for investors and strategic partners, this is the place to be! Joining “la crème de la crème” of preselected startups that are going to present their projects using storytelling, and audiovisual tools, participating in a very tough competition where only the best is going to be recognized and awarded in different categories.

Don’t miss the opportunity to be present and participate in the most important Blockchain & Cryptocurrency event of the year! Be part of the game-changing community that is creating a social and economic impact in the world.

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It has also been stated that throughout the crisis, Ukrainian NGOs received donations in the form of cryptoassets. One donor in particular gave more than $3 million in bitcoin, as Ukrainians turn to crowdsourcing to fund their defence rather than relying on banks or regular financial outlets. 

We turn to eToro's Simon Peters, as we do every week, for his opinion on the week in crypto and blockchain. 

As the situation between Ukraine and Russia escalated, crypto prices continued to fall last week, mirroring the tendencies of global financial markets in general. 

Prices are continuing to fall. 

Bitcoin is currently selling about $38,000, after plummeting below $35,000 last week. Meanwhile, ether is trading around $2,600 after falling below $2,300 in turbulent conditions last week. 

This is consistent with the recent trend of cryptoassets acting like 'risk-on assets.' Based on the performance of the S&P 500, BTC in particular has been tracking US stocks to an unprecedented degree, implying that the downward slope in prices witnessed in recent weeks is to be expected. 

It's hardly unexpected that many investors are attempting to de-risk in the current environment, and values have reflected this. If the current tensions subside rapidly, we may witness a revival of enthusiasm for risk. 

However, we are still dealing with rising inflation, interest rate hikes, and quantitative tightening discussion, which suggests that the market may require more certainty before prices begin to rise again. 

Ukrainians are turning to cryptoassets. 

People appear to be turning to cryptoassets in response to the Ukrainian government's ban on digital money transfers. Domestic customers were gravitating to Tether's USDT stablecoin, which is tethered to the US dollar, according to local data. Tether, the most popular stablecoin, has been reasonably stable in recent weeks, in contrast to more high-profile cryptoassets like bitcoin or ethereum. 

Ukraine has long been a promoter of digital assets, and in 2021, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed legislation allowing the country's central bank to establish its own digital currency. In fact, the government was said to be modernising its payments sector so that its central bank could issue digital currencies. 

The demand for Tether and other tokens on the front lines in recent days has served as a sobering reminder of crypto's importance, not just as an alternative when trust in fiat currencies and access to them is severely constrained, but also as a vehicle for social change. 

Crypto crowdfunding is beneficial. 

It has also been stated that throughout the crisis, Ukrainian NGOs received donations in the form of cryptoassets. One donor in particular gave more than $3 million in bitcoin, as Ukrainians turn to crowdsourcing to fund their defence rather than relying on banks or regular financial outlets. 

According to Elliptic, over 4,000 donations have been made so far as volunteer groups and non-governmental organisations publicise their crypto wallets online. 

If nothing else, these occurrences show that crypto as an asset class isn't just reacting to events as they happen, but is also closely related to demand on the ground, which may result in more market sensitivity. 

BNY Mellon (BK) is looking to increase institutional exposure. 

According to reports, BNY Mellon is working on a digital asset custody infrastructure that will allow institutional customers to get crypto exposure. BNY would initially allow users to keep the most popular assets in the bank's crypto wallets; upon regulatory approval, the service would expand and include additional digital assets. 

While it may not be available for a few months, BNY appears to be attempting to keep ahead of its institutional peers with this latest initiative. This is probably unsurprising given that it was one of the first banks to offer crypto exposure to its clients and obviously sees this as a high-demand offering. 

This product is likely to start first in the United States, but once it goes live, we might see more institutional finance stream into the market, potentially galvanising the market in the months ahead.

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Binance, the world's largest exchange, stated that banning users "unilaterally" "flies in the face of the reason for cryptocurrency's existence." 

Faced with a request by Ukraine's leadership to freeze the accounts of all residents of Russia and Belarus, major cryptocurrency exchanges have resolutely refused, claiming that the measure would unfairly affect citizens and would "fly in the face" of the crypto community's libertarian worldview. 

Over the weekend, Ukraine's Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov publicly asked the world's major cryptocurrency exchanges to freeze all accounts belonging to the Russian people, as well as the people of Belarus, a Putin ally, rather than just those belonging to legally sanctioned entities, thereby increasing domestic pressure on Russia to end its invasion. 

Rather than joining the military defence, the United States and European Union have attempted to cripple Russia's economy by aggressively penalising Russian banks, sovereign debt, and leadership, precipitating a collapse in the value of the Russian currency. Simultaneously, bitcoin has become a battleground, with millions of dollars in cryptocurrency given to Ukraine and watchers wondering whether Russia may turn to the blockchain to evade sanctions. 

Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, is cooperating with the penalties, but a company representative stated that the company would not heed Fedorov's request and would instead "unilaterally suspend the accounts of millions of innocent customers," CNBC reported. 

"Crypto is intended to increase people's financial freedom worldwide. To unilaterally decide to deny people access to their crypto would be contrary to the reason for the existence of crypto," the representative told the newspaper. 

Similarly, Johnny Lyu, CEO of the cryptocurrency exchange KuCoin, told CNBC that the company viewed itself as a "neutral platform" that would not do anything beyond what was legally needed, adding that the company did not support "activities that exacerbate" tensions. 

Jesse Powell, the CEO and co-founder of the Kraken Exchange in the United States, went further in a Sunday evening Twitter thread, stating that while he understood "the rationale for this request," he would not freeze all Russian accounts unless legally forced to do so. 

Powell stated that such a request violated Bitcoin's "libertarian beliefs" and that cryptocurrency was intended to be a "weapon of peace, not of war." He added that the company's purpose was to introduce people to the "world of crypto, where arbitrary lines on maps no longer matter and where they are no longer at risk of being caught up in wide, indiscriminate wealth expropriation." 

"Our purpose is enhanced when we place human needs ahead of those of any government or political movement," he continued. "Moreover, if we were to voluntarily freeze the financial accounts of inhabitants of countries that attack and provoke violence throughout the world, the first step would be to freeze all US accounts. Practically speaking, that is not a feasible commercial option for us." 

Powell also cautioned Russian users that a necessity to halt all transactions "may be forthcoming." 

Coinbase, a US-based exchange that claims to be "apolitical" and prohibits political debate at work, did not react to a request for comment on Federov's plea to exchanges. 

The sector's dissatisfaction with Ukraine's proposal is just the latest example of the notoriously freewheeling crypto business balancing its own ideology with government interests. While crypto companies are required to observe the law in the locations in which they operate, they reacted angrily when the Canadian government directed exchanges and other businesses to block particular addresses associated with the anti-vaccine mandate "freedom convoy" protests. 

Canadian currency exchange After receiving the request from authorities, Coinberry, for example, informed Motherboard that it would "make every attempt to safeguard our users from any type of overreach or criminal action that may infringe on their rights." 

Rather than imposing additional sanctions on Russia, the crypto community has largely responded to the Ukraine situation by raising money. Investors have directed cryptocurrency towards the Ukrainian military, purchased the NFTs of Ukrainian artists, and built DAOs and war-related tokens centred on Ukraine. Binance, for its part, has pledged $10 million in donations and launched a crypto fundraising with a $20 million aim on Monday. 

One startup, the Ukrainian NFT and virtual in-game goods bazaar DMarket, did take more severe action over the weekend, locking Russian and Belarusian customers' accounts, prohibiting the usage of the Russian rouble, and prohibiting new registrations from either nation. 

The decision will almost certainly cost the company money—the CEO told Axios Sunday that 30% of DMarket's user base is in Russia and Belarus—but the company has adjusted its priorities, focusing on evacuating its staff from Ukraine and raising money for the Ukrainian military operation. Following the announcement of DMarket's decision, some cryptocurrency fans slammed the company, while Federov supported it, referring to DMarket as modern-day "Robin Hoods."

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On the market, there are dozens of Metaverse cryptocurrency coins. Solana is an industry leader in low-cost, lightning-fast transactions. This article examines our selection of the top three Solana-based Metaverse crypto currencies, ranked from lowest to highest in terms of current market capitalisation. 

#3 Cryowar (CWAR) – $18 million

Cryowar, a Metaverse game built on Solana, will be released in November 2021. It was created using the Unreal Engine and incorporates NFTs as in-game objects. 

Cryowar incorporates the most recent blockchain innovations, such as NFTs, DeFi, DAOs, and others. The platform's native token is CWAR, which serves as the principal utility asset and has a deflationary supply. Players earn CWAR by defeating opponents and contributing to the Cryowar ecosystem. 

Cryowar is currently in its early stages of development. The team, on the other hand, has already hosted the first round of their closed beta and plans to host another one soon. 

CWAR is a must-see in 2022 as the team continues to improve their game. Furthermore, Cryowar, being one of the top Solana-based Metaverse initiatives, has enormous long-term potential. 

Raydium, MEXC, KuCoin, and other exchanges accept CWAR. 

#2 RaceFi (RACEFI) – $20 million

RaceFi, the foremost racing Metaverse ecosystem built on Solana, is set to launch in December 2021. RaceFi includes racetracks, garages, automobiles, and gas stations, among other things. The popular play-to-earn paradigm is used in the game, allowing users to earn tokens for participating in the RaceFi ecosystem. 

The implementation of ML/AI technology into RaceFi's racing game is one of the company's most major selling factors. The platform will include both PVP and PVE modes, allowing gamers to have the most immersive Metaverse experience possible. 

The RCOIN and RACEFI coins are used in the RaceFi economy, which has a dual-token economy. The platform's native utility asset is RCOIN, and the governance token, RACEFI, allows holders to vote on ideas that define the project's future. RACEFI holders also gain access to NFT drops and other benefits. 

RaceFi is the first AI/ML racing game created on Solana, and with a current market cap of $20 million, RACEFI is a must-see in 2022. 

RACEFI can be purchased using KuCoin or Raydium. 

#1 Star Atlas (ATLAS) – $67.5 million

Star Atlas, which was launched in September 2021, is unquestionably the best Metaverse crypto token built on Solana, with one of the most active communities and the greatest market value on this list. 

The game is still in its early stages, making it an ideal project for those wishing to get in on a top Metaverse crypto coin early on. Star Atlas is creating a space-themed tactical exploration game that will allow users to earn a substantial amount of money by participating in the Star Atlas economy. 

Star Atlas now has one of the most robust NFT marketplaces on Solana, with structures, collectibles, resources, and much more. 

Users must connect through a Solana-compatible web wallet, like as Phantom, to access its NFT marketplace. Star Atlas' order book-style NFT Marketplace allows users to put bids in the same way that traditional cryptocurrency exchanges do. The order book format makes it easy to keep track of the prices of different NFTs and to buy or sell NFTs on the platform. 

The ATLAS and POLIS tokens are used in the Star Atlas economy. The platform's native utility asset is ATLAS, while the governance token, POLIS, allows holders to vote on ideas that influence the project's future. 

Star Atlas is one of the best-designed platforms on the market, and the project's strong community support demonstrates its enormous long-term potential. 

ATLAS is available through FTX and Raydium.

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Cardano's network is busier than it's ever been. Cardano's transaction volume has surpassed that of Ethereum and XRP in the previous 24 hours, thanks to a rush of activity. 

Cardano outperforms Ethereum and XRP in terms of usability. 

According to Messari data, the Cardano blockchain handled a total transaction volume of $17.04 billion last week, while Ethereum had a total transaction volume of $5.25 billion and XRP had a total transaction volume of $700 million. 

Cardano continues to lead Ethereum and XRP in terms of 24-hour adjusted transaction volume, with $12.75 billion, compared to $613 million and $3.56 billion for XRP and Ethereum, respectively. 

Cardano had previously exceeded Ethereum in terms of daily transaction volume. Cardano recently outperformed bitcoin and ethereum in terms of transaction volume. Notably, this was the first time Cardano's adjusted transaction volume surpassed that of the benchmark cryptocurrency. 

As developers hurry to join the Ethereum network, which is widely regarded as the leader in smart contracts, the network has experienced a lot of success. However, this has resulted in network congestion, which has resulted in higher gas prices. Users have flocked to faster proof-of-stake (PoS) rival blockchains like Cardano, which have lower transaction costs. 

What Is the Future of ADA's Price?

Cardano's growth in recent months has been impressive, as evidenced by its rising market value. Furthermore, the Cardano blockchain has grown by about 13 GB since the start of the year, indicating a lot of chain activity. 

ADA's price was $0.947046 at publication time, up barely 0.5 percent in the last 24 hours, despite all of these elements depicting a healthy Cardano blockchain. Despite recent attempts to launch a comeback, the token is still about 69.3% behind its all-time high of $3.09 reached in September 2021. The seventh-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalisation has also dropped 16 percent in the last month. 

Because of its market dominance, Bitcoin may be able to help altcoins recover in the near future if it can build a sustained recovery. However, the majority of cryptocurrencies appear to be failing to recover from weeks of poor performance. 

Meanwhile, a fintech panel at Finders predicts that by the end of the year, ADA will be worth more than $2.79.

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Ripple recently released its This Fall of 2021 XRP Markets report, which highlighted the company's significant increase in total XRP gross sales. The blockchain agency reported general gross sales (web of purchases) of $717.07 million in the fourth quarter of 2021, compared to $491.74 million in the third quarter of 2021. 

An unfathomable increase in ODL-related gross sales was announced, as the figure surpassed $1,039 million, which is significantly higher than $491 million in the third quarter of 2021. According to the company, all of the ODL-related gross sales are linked to the increase and use of on-demand liquidity. 

In terms of community activity, Ripple recorded a huge increase in the final quarter, with more than 130 million transactions on the XRP Ledger. According to the company, the XRP Ledger was designed with long-term sustainability in mind. 

"Ripple has been a purchaser of XRP in the secondary market and plans to continue to make purchases sooner or later at market costs as ODL maintains global momentum." Ripple's total sales, nett of acquisitions, closed the quarter at 43 basis points (bps) of global XRP volume, according to CryptoCompare TopTier (CCTT) volumes," Ripple claimed. 

Associated information 

"In December, Xange.com announced that it will create a carbon credit score solution on the XRPL due to its efficiency, scalability, and naturally inexperienced features." "The XRP Ledger was built with sustainability in mind, and it is likely one of the first major carbon-neutral blockchains," the company noted. 

Providers of Ripple 

Ripple's services and solutions have seen tremendous demand from financial institutions all across the world in the last year. Whether it is cross-border payment infrastructure or CBDC-related solutions, the company has collaborated with a number of the most important names in the global monetary providers enterprise over the previous yr. 

The business will launch RippleNet's ODL deployment in the Middle East in October 2021. Furthermore, the blockchain agency joined the Digital Pound Foundation to focus on the creation and deployment of a digital Pound in the United Kingdom. 

Ripple recently released its This Fall of 2021 XRP Markets report, which highlighted the company's significant increase in total XRP gross sales. The blockchain agency reported general gross sales (web of purchases) of $717.07 million in the fourth quarter of 2021, compared to $491.74 million in the third quarter of 2021. 

An unfathomable increase in ODL-related gross sales was announced, as the figure surpassed $1,039 million, which is significantly higher than $491 million in the third quarter of 2021. According to the company, all of the ODL-related gross sales are linked to the increase and use of on-demand liquidity. 

In terms of community activity, Ripple recorded a huge increase in the final quarter, with more than 130 million transactions on the XRP Ledger. According to the company, the XRP Ledger was designed with long-term sustainability in mind. 

"Ripple has been a purchaser of XRP in the secondary market and plans to continue to make purchases sooner or later at market costs as ODL maintains global momentum." Ripple's total sales, nett of acquisitions, closed the quarter at 43 basis points (bps) of global XRP volume, according to CryptoCompare TopTier (CCTT) volumes," Ripple claimed. 

Associated information 

"In December, Xange.com announced that it will create a carbon credit score solution on the XRPL due to its efficiency, scalability, and naturally inexperienced features." "The XRP Ledger was built with sustainability in mind, and it is likely one of the first major carbon-neutral blockchains," the company noted. 

Providers of Ripple 

Ripple's services and solutions have seen tremendous demand from financial institutions all across the world in the last year. Whether it is cross-border payment infrastructure or CBDC-related solutions, the company has collaborated with a number of the most important names in the global monetary providers enterprise over the previous yr. 

The business will launch RippleNet's ODL deployment in the Middle East in October 2021. Furthermore, the blockchain agency joined the Digital Pound Foundation to focus on the creation and deployment of a digital Pound in the United Kingdom.

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BlueNorOff is a hacker organisation that targets cryptocurrency companies. 

Cybercrime, like technology, develops over time. Some of today's most effective cybercrime organisations are based in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), a totalitarian state headed by dictator Kim Jong-un. 

In January 2022, researchers discovered that a famous North Korean hacker organisation had been targeting cryptocurrency firms in numerous nations, taking millions of dollars in the process. 

This series of attacks on crypto businesses, dubbed SnatchCrypto, was discovered by researchers at the Russian antivirus firm Kaspersky. 

The campaign is purportedly being conducted out by BlueNorOff, a unit of the infamous North Korean cybercrime organisation Lazarus Group, also known as Guardians of Peace or Whois Team. 

BlueNorOff (also known as APT38, Stardust Chollima, BeagleBoyz, and NICKEL GLADSTONE) uses sophisticated social engineering tactics and impersonates reputable entities to deceive its victim into downloading infected files. 

For example, the group could share a document via Google Drive. The file may appear to be completely legitimate, with a name such as "Digital Investment Strategy." 

The organisation may also hack into another company and send an email to its target from an address belonging to that company. In one case, hackers broke into a registered corporation and took over its social media accounts. Using these identities, they delivered bogus business offers in the form of malicious documents to their targets. 

BlueNorOff does not always breach another company in order to attack its targets. In reality, it frequently impersonates businesses and then distributes dangerous files. 

According to Kaspersky, these attacks are successful because blockchain-based firms frequently get letters, contracts, offers, and other business-related information from unknown sources. 

The documents themselves appear, and in some cases are, legitimate. If the victim opened them while not connected to the internet, they would not be infected with malware. 

However, if the victim is connected to the internet and opens a file provided by BlueNorOff, another macro-enabled document is downloaded to the target's machine, and malware is spread. 

After infiltrating the target, the hackers watch its activity for weeks or even months. When the victim is ready to make a significant crypto transaction, the hackers are warned, allowing them to intercept the transaction and essentially deplete the target's crypto wallet. 

Why Is BlueNorOff Interested in Crypto Startups? 

Because it is nearly impossible to track bitcoin transactions, it is no surprise that hacking organisations such as BlueNorOff have targeted crypto-related businesses. 

According to a research from the blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis, the Lazarus Group extracted roughly $400 million in digital assets from organisations all around the world in 2021 alone. The stolen cash were meticulously transferred to North Korean-controlled accounts before being laundered by the authorities. 

The monies are believed to have been utilised for nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes by Kim Jong-regime, un's which is highly sanctioned by Western powers. 

According to Chainalysis, the North Korean government "supports cryptocurrency-enabled criminality on a vast scale," making it a major danger to the crypto economy as a whole. 

Defending Against BlueNorOff 

According to Kaspersky, in order to protect themselves from BlueNorOff and similar hacking groups, enterprises should first educate their staff about social engineering and phishing assaults, as well as provide complete cybersecurity training. 

Organisations should also undertake regular cybersecurity assessments and invest in comprehensive protection to detect attacks early on and avoid theft. 

In general, every organisation should pay special attention to its cybersecurity hygiene, update all of its software on a regular basis, and invest in dependable data backup solutions.

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Ethereum, like Bitcoin, has sustained significant losses in recent months. However, over the previous three days, the price has rebounded somewhat. Can Ethereum's price regain its previous highs, and may we perhaps see a $10,000 price in the next months? Let's discuss three factors that could validate Ethereum's ascension to the $10,000 level. 

#1. Is the World Beginning to Calm Down? 

The world has been in a state of crisis for an extended period of time in recent months. This winter, the pandemic resurfaced, and a new variant was detected. Then followed the Ukraine crisis and war. The days of the cryptocurrency market being crisis-proof and even profiting from them are passed. Cryptocurrencies, and even Ethereum, are increasingly mirroring the performance of technology equities. 

If the problems subside in the coming months, the cryptocurrency market may recover and hit new highs. Ethereum's price should be one of the quickest increasing, since adoption of the blockchain has accelerated dramatically in recent months, despite price declines. 

# 2. The Ethereum Price Is Displaying Bullish Indicators 

The Ethereum price has been exhibiting an unusual pattern over the previous few weeks, which may imply that a powerful bull market is approaching in the medium term. A triangle appears to be forming with one of the angles pointing upward. This configuration is suggestive of an impending bull run. 

The upward breakout could be as significant as the difference between the two trend lines. We can calculate the distance from the breakout point. Ethereum's price could soon surpass $10,000. 

#3. Blockchain Adoption Will Boost Ethereum's Value 

The year 2021 featured three major hype topics: DeFi, NFTs, and the Metaverse. These are still early phases in the development of these challenges. The widespread usage of blockchain technology was yet to come. This could occur within the next few months. NFTs are also gaining popularity in the mainstream, and their prices continue to rise. 

Simultaneously, decentralised financial products appear to be exploding in popularity on a worldwide basis, particularly in underdeveloped countries. In autumn 2021, the metaverse received its first wave of hype. Now, in 2022, it might truly expand. These advancements continue to be obscured by the current crisis, but may shortly garner renewed attention. 

Ethereum, as the most popular smart contract platform, is at the forefront of DeFi and, more specifically, NFTs. Ethereum's price should continue to rise over the next few months, maybe approaching $10,000.

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