Crypto ATMs — one of the key infrastructure pillars for the mass adoption of cryptocurrencies — have seen a drastic reduction this year. In the first two months of 2023, the net cryptocurrency ATMs installed globally reduced by 412 machines. Since 2014, the total number of crypto ATMs maintained a steady upward trajectory while catering to millions of users worldwide for seamless crypto-fiat conversions. For ov a year, between December 2020 to January 2022, more than 1000 crypto and Bitcoin (BTC) ATMs were being installed every month. However, the bear market had an immediate impact on its growth. September 2022 …

Jack Dorsey, co-founder of the online microblogging service Twitter, is progressing with Bluesky, a decentralized Twitter alternative, as its mobile application is now being tested in private beta. Bluesky has hit the App Store as an invite-only app, allowing certain persons to try out the new social experience by creating an account via an invite code. According to a report by TechCrunch, the Bluesky iOS app debuted on Feb. 17 and has amassed about 2,000 installs as of Feb. 28. The app is reportedly not yet available for Android testers on Google Play. As one can see on Bluesky’s App …

A cryptocurrency researcher and former CIA analyst believes the United States government’s relatively slow start on Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) development may result in it losing grip on controlling the global financial system. Yaya Fanusie, the policy head at the crypto advocacy group the Crypto Council for Innovation explained in a Feb. 28 Bloomberg interview that sanctioned states are looking to transact on financial infrastructure that isn’t controlled or heavily influenced by the U.S. in order to move funds more freely cross-borders. If the U.S. continues to sit on the “sidelines” and lag behind on CBDC adoption, Fanusie believes …

Video game development platform Unity has added a slew of crypto platforms to its asset store aimed at assisting developers interested in Web3 technology to streamline decentralization efforts. Unity said on Feb. 28 it had released a new “Decentralization” category page in its asset store with “vetted” crypto platforms to support developers interested in merging decentralization into their projects. Crypto wallet provider MetaMask was one of the 13 platforms featured on the store, with its Software Development Kit (SDK) added to help developers enable users to connect their MetaMask wallet to "any game developed on Unity.” It has come The …

The French National Assembly has voted in favor of legislating stricter licensing rules for new cryptocurrency firms in order to harmonize local laws with proposed European Union (EU) standards. The vote was passed with 109 votes (60.5%) in favor to 71 (39.5%) against. With the French Senate having already passed the bill, it will now be passed to president Emmanuel Macron who has 15 days to either approve it or send it back to the legislature. ✅ Projet de loi DDADUE dans les domaines de l’économie, de la santé, du travail, des transports et de l’agriculture | Adoption par l’Assemblée …

Universities in the United Kingdom have started offering cutting-edge research programs, courses and practical experience in various aspects of blockchain technology, including cryptocurrencies, smart contracts, privacy, security and scalability. Students who graduate from these programs will be well-equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to become leaders in the field of blockchain technology and drive innovation and adoption in various industries. Here are top five universities to study blockchain in the United Kingdom. University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, and its Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) is a leading research …

Japan has consistently been a leader in the tech industry, so it’s a logical step forward that, given current trends in the space, the Cool Japan movement might incorporate Web3 to strengthen its initiative. Bringing Web3 into the mix alongside the popular culture aspects of the movement could prove a boon for the mission, but this move has not yet been implemented by the government-led movement. With much of Web3 still being an unknown in regard to its capabilities and future outlook, it is understandable that the government has yet to combine it with its initiative to bring Japan into …

The United Kingdom is not ready to issue a central bank digital currency (CBDC) just yet as the Bank of England (BoE) doesn’t have enough expertise at the moment, according to a deputy governor. There is more than a 50% chance that the central bank of the United Kingdom would issue a CBDC, but the regulator doesn’t have the technical skills to issue a digital currency yet, BoE deputy governor Jon Cunliffe declared at the Treasury select committee hearing on Feb. 28. Cunliffe said that the BoE expects to get the necessary expertise to move forward with the CBDC development …

A year after Russia’s invasion, Ukraine continues working on cryptocurrency legislation, but the war has not changed its regulatory stance, according to a Kyiv official. Ukraine has continued to follow in the footsteps of the European Union in regard to adopting digital asset laws, Ukraine’s securities commissioner Yurii Boiko told Cointelegraph in an interview. Boiko said that the Ukrainian lawmakers have been working to implement major European crypto regulations, known as the Markets in Crypto Assets regulation, or MiCA. “The approach to the regulation of the virtual asset market has not changed during the war,” Boiko stated, adding: “We clearly …

Despite a broader downturn in related markets, multinational corporations don’t appear to have slowed down on their trademark applications covering Web3, crypto, nonfungible tokens (NFTs), and the Metaverse. The month of February — now drawing to a close — saw the likes of General Motors and Lacoste, and Walmart making their territory with Web3-related trademark applications. January was an even busier month. One of the latest NFT-related filings involved automotive giant General Motors, which filed for two new trademark applications on Feb. 16 covering its Chevrolet and Cadillac brands. According to the filing, the firm is interested in downloadable digital …

Smart accounts, enabled by the launch of the new ERC-4337 standard, are now available on Ethereum and are expected to help mainstream adoption by finally making crypto user friendly. Ethereum Foundation security researcher Yoav Weiss made the surprise announcement at WalletCon in Denver that the core contracts for ERC-4337 — known by blockchain developers as “account abstraction” — have passed an audit by Open Zeppelin and will be made available on every Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatible network including Polygon, Optimism, Arbitrum, BNB Smart Chain, Avalanche and Gnosis Chain. New users will no longer need to learn about complicated seed …

Robinhood Markets has confirmed that it had received an investigative subpoena from the United States Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) over its digital asset business' crypto listings, custody and platform operations. In a 10-K filing, the brokerage said it received the investigative subpoena in December shortly after crypto exchange FTX filed for bankruptcy in November, and after "several other major cryptocurrency trading venues and lending platforms earlier in 2022," including Three Arrows Capital, Voyager Digital Holdings and Celsius Network. The investigative subpoena was in relation to its cryptocurrency listings and custody services, which they said came in response to the crypto …