Global Coin Research: China central bank digital currency is 'ready', BitGo quietly expands presence in Japan

The following weekly newsletter is republished with permission from Global Coin Research, a global research firm with a focus on Asia blockchain and related technologies. You can find more resources on Asia Cryptocurrency and Blockchain at GlobalCoinResearch.com and on Twitter at @globalcoinrsrch

Global Coin Research Newsletters in Chinese

Top News

According to China’s central bank deputy director, a central bank currency prototype that adopts blockchain architecture has been successfully developed after five years of research. Source 

Coinmetrics says that 318 addresses hold at least $1 million worth of Tether (USDT), comprising 80% of the global Tether supply. Source 

OK Pool Launches EOS Staking Service - Check out our post on the recent phenomenon of exchanges turning into staking. Source

Investments

Korea Prepaid Card has made an investment in Singapore-based Bezant, Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS) using Hyperledger Fabric technology. Source 

Mubadala Investment Capital, the world’s thirteenth largest sovereign wealth fund by total assets, has invested “a seven-figure” USD amount in Abu Dhabi-based upcoming cryptocurrency exchange MidChains. Source

Blade is a new cryptocurrency derivative exchange-raises $4.3M from Coinbase, SV Angel. Source

Proof of Capital has invested in FTX, a cryptocurrency derivatives exchange built by traders for traders, in its $8 million seed round along with Consensus Lab, FBG and Galois Capital. Source

Coins and Mining

Korea’s ICON Foundation is giving away 3 million ICX coins to encourage people to exercise their new voting rights in an attempt to become more decentralized. Source

Customers in the UK will no longer be able to hold a Zcash balance with Coinbase. Source

Exchange News

Binance US Considering Support for 30 Tokens for US Customers. Source

Business

GCR Workshop #8 Takeaways: China’s largest crypto wallet on how Chinese people use their crypto wallets differently from the west. Source

BitGo, one of the largest cryptocurrency custodians, is quietly expanding its presence in Japan, a market it broke into over a year ago. Source

Regulations

A shocking result in Argentina’s presidential primary sends the Argentine peso into freefall. And the price of Bitcoin could be reaping macro benefits. Source

Japan’s FSA (Financial Services Agency) is tightening its inspection approach and will begin intensive inspections, including on-site, for companies that handle cashless remittance and settlement. Source 

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission delayed making a decision on three bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) proposals Monday. Source