financial services

SoFi Acquires Payment Processor Galileo in $1.2 Billion Deal

California-based and crypto-friendly financial firm Social Finance — SoFi — is acquiring the digital payment platform Galileo.In an April 7 press release, SoFi announced that it has signed an agreement to pay $1.2 billion for Galileo Financial Technologies. According to a CNBC report, the payment will consist of $75 million in cash, $875 million in stock, and $250 million in seller financing debt.SoFi CEO Anthony Noto addressed how the partnership will help in the current financial market:“Together with Galileo, we will partner to build on our companies’ strengths to drive

Japanese Tax System Not Equipped to Handle Cryptocurrencies

Japan is planning to enforce new cryptocurrency regulations in the country in May but its existing tax system may not be properly equipped to handle digital currency transactions. According to a top government official, the system still needs some tweaks before it can manage crypto taxes.Japanese taxation regime needs a changeRepresentative Shun Otokita of the Japan Innovation Party held a Q& A session at the Financial Statements Committee on April 6. Therefore, he talked about the value of market research before introducing a separate tax regime for digital currencies. He

Investigating Digital Assets in Japan Stymied by Nature of Crypto

According to top government officials in Japan, the current national tax system is not yet capable of accepting declarations of digital assets, potentially leading to outflows overseas.In a Q&A session at the Financial Statements Committee on April 6, Representative Shun Otokita of the Japan Innovation Party pointed out the importance of market research for the introduction of separate taxes for crypto currencies.Otokita was concerned with the current high-tax system in Japan. He acknowledged that it would be difficult to quickly change the tax code to apply to digital assets, and

Cryptocurrency News From Japan: March 29 – April 4 in Review

This week’s headlines from Japan included the country’s Financial Services Agency revealing feedback from the public on recent regulation, the Cabinet Office Ordinance announcing regulatory changes, Zaif exchange removing three crypto assets, BitBank’s COO predicting crypto exchange mergers, and Nomura Research Institute issuing Japan’s first blockchain-based bond. Check out some of this week’s crypto and blockchain headlines, originally reported by Cointelegraph Japan.Japanese FSA receives comments on new regulationsThe Japanese Financial Services Agency, or FSA, unveiled 172 comments from citizens and groups, pertaining to recent crypto asset laws taking effect on May

As Malta Delays Regulatory Clarity, Fewer Firms Remain on ‘Blockchain Island’

It seems that Malta is becoming both less popular among and less populated with crypto firms. The European Union country attracted dozens of industry players in 2018 on the back of the “blockchain island” agenda championed by the local government, but the relevant framework has not yet proven to be effective. Meanwhile, the official rhetoric apparently started to shift away from the blockchain sector, as the government now aims to consolidate it with “other niche sectors.”Meanwhile, the Malta Financial Services Authority, continues to pluck out non-registered crypto agents — be

Crypto Friendly Laws Help Boerse Stuttgart’s App Top 100,000 Users

The cryptocurrency trading app of Germany’s second-largest stock exchange, Boerse Stuttgart, exceeded 100,000 users on March 30 amid increasingly permissive regulations in the country.The Bison app, which launched on Jan. 31st, 2019, has attracted a six-figure user base in just 14 months.Bison users grow 40% during Q1 2020Ulli Spankowski, the chief executive of Boerse Stuttgart Digital Ventures subsidiary and developer of the Bison app, Sowa Lab GmbH, notes that the milestone has been reached amid a 40% growth in users since the start of 2020. Boerse Stuttgart’s app supports Bitcoin (BTC),

Indian Cryptocurrency Exchange to Expand Internationally

An Indian cryptocurrency exchange, BuyUcoin, has just received a license to expand internationally, according to a report from Business Standard.Apparently, the platform received what is called a crypto trade and wallet license from Estonia. Based in Delhi, BuyUcoin will only expand to countries with a clear regulation for cryptocurrencies.Speaking on the matter is BuyUcoin CEO and a co-founder of the project, Shivam Thakral:“The incredible judgment will lead to economic growth, job creation, investment opportunities along with overall mass adoption for blockchain and cryptocurrency-based products and services. At BuyUcoin, we strive

Huobi Wallet and Crypto Lender Cred Now Enable Users to Earn Interest

Major cryptocurrency exchange and wallet provider Huobi has partnered with decentralized crypto lending platform Cred to enable users to earn interest on their holdings.An announcement on April 1 revealed that Cred’s lending and borrowing services will be fully integrated into the Huobi Wallet, which supports over 1,000 crypto assets, including 8 stablecoins, for users across 200 countries and regions.The two firms did not provide a comprehensive list of supported crypto assets, but noted that Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) and stablecoins such as Universal Dollar (UPUSD) would be part of the

Strict Japanese Crypto Laws Discourage Foreign Exchanges … For Now

[vc_row disable_element="yes"][vc_column][vc_column_text] A new report has found strict regulations are discouraging overseas exchanges from opening in Japan, but would likely benefit new players in the long term. Double jump.tokyo, the game developer behind My Crypto Heroes, commissioned a research team at So & Sato Law Offices to carry out a comprehensive report on digital assets in Japan. Released on March 31, the report covers all aspects of digital assets in the Asian nation, from tokenized securities to crypto derivatives. Entering the crypto market under strict regulations Joerg Schmidt and So