commercial

Chinese State Grid Launches Blockchain-Based Blackout Insurance Policy

A branch of China’s state-backed grid released its first blockchain-powered blackout insurance policy issued to the chairman of a local company that needed to compensate for a power outage loss suffered recently.According to Shupeidian, Zhejiang Ningbo Power Supply Company, in partnership with Yingda Taihe Property Insurance Co., Ltd., released the policy to a sprinkler manufacturing company in Ningbo, Zhejiang province.Both companies believe that the process of issuing insurance via a blockchain network provides a commercial solution to compensate for the loss caused by an electric outage in a faster and

BTC and ETH Crypto Derivatives in Demand, Market Expected to Grow Further

The crypto options market has been evolving rapidly over the second quarter of 2020. According to TokenInsight’s recent crypto derivatives industry report, trading volumes are seeing a 166% year-on-year increase compared to Q2 2019. The derivative products driving these volumes are futures and options. While futures grow with traders betting on a bullish price sentiment, both open interest and volumes of options have reached all-time highs.All-time highs On Wednesday, open interest in Ether (ETH) options hit an all-time high of $351 million on Deribit and $37 million on OKEx. In fact, open

Slow But Steady: FATF Review Highlights Crypto Exchanges’ Struggle to Meet AML Standards

In June 2019, the intergovernmental Financial Action Task Force (FATF) introduced its revised set of standards for virtual asset service providers. The document establishes the anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism (AML/CFT) requirements that regulated VASPs —  the term mainly referring to cryptocurrency trading platforms — must eventually implement in their day-to-day operations. The guidelines are framed as recommendations, and the FATF leaves it to the participating nations’ governments to develop their own regulations in accordance with suggested principles.The watchdog has also set a 12-month review timeframe to monitor the public and

Major South Korean Bank Joins the Crypto Custody Business

KB Kookmin Bank, one of the largest banks in South Korea, has partnered with blockchain venture fund, Hashed, and crypto trading platform, Cumberland Korea, to establish “strategic technology cooperation” on the custody of digital assets.The companies belonging to the partnership state that their inception into the crypto custody business is a response to regulatory changes. These changes encouraged them to look into new business models — specifically ones which rely on blockchain technology.Simon Kim, CEO of the Seoul and San Francisco-based firm, Hashed, stated:"Combining our insight in the blockchain industry

Visa And MasterCard Taking Big Steps For Mass Crypto Adoption

Visa and Mastercard stand as global leaders in the payment services industry, and have been taking steps to accelerate crypto payment processor support. They did this through opening up new options for its global user base in regard to payment. Both Visa and MasterCard announced their own projects and collaborations for the use of cryptocurrencies back in July, which is driving crypto adoption to new heights. The Giants Starting To Take Notice With two of the world’s largest traditional payment processors holding a positive sentiment for crypto payment platforms and

Putin Outlaws Crypto as a Payment Means in Russia

President Vladimir Putin of Russia has signed a new law that will prohibit the use of cryptocurrency as a payment means in the country by 2021. Meanwhile, the Russian government recently deployed blockchain technology for its constitutional amendment.Crypto as Payment to Become Illegal in 2021According to a report by local news outlet RIA on Friday (July 31, 2020), the bill signed by President Putin will prevent citizens from using crypto to pay for goods and services in Russia. The bill will, however, enable transactions via digital financial assets (DFA).Also, government