Circle, the company behind the US dollar-pegged stablecoin USDC, has added support for Apple Pay to integrate cryptocurrencies and established payment methods.

The company announced the news in a [blog post](https://www.circle.com/blog/apple-pay-is-now-available-on-circle) published on 15 November that stated merchants who accept USDC can now do so with the help of Apple Pay.

The addition will benefit crypto-native businesses by making it easier to accept payments while not excluding non-crypto customers. Furthermore, Circle stated that "traditional" businesses could use the enhancement to "shift more retail payments to digital currency".

According to reports, [Apple](/news/article/apple-crypto-and-nft-rules) Pay is the second most popular digital wallet in the United States, behind PayPal, with more than 1.8 billion active devices worldwide.

## Issuer of stablecoin Circle adds Apple Pay

Circle and Apple's collaboration will benefit cryptocurrency-native businesses that were initially only concerned with digital assets.

This step will assist them in utilising Apple Pay's payment platform. It will also function as a payment gateway for fiat users interested in experimenting with cryptocurrency payments.

The issuer of [stablecoin](/news/article/what-are-stablecoins) Circle stated that enabling this new feature is a quick and easy process with no hassle.
Merchants who meet the criteria can open a free Circle account and be added to an Apple developer account.

## Circle's similar initiatives

Circle has taken similar initiatives to provide its customers with more payment options.

In June, issuer of stablecoin Circle added support for Polygon [USDC](/news/article/usdc-coin-losses) to its payments and treasury platform, allowing developers to automate flows from fiat into Polygon USDC and swap it for native USDC across various blockchain networks.

At Converge22 in September 2022, the company announced plans to launch [USDC on five new networks](/news/article/circle-usdc) by the end of Q1 2023.

They announced that additional merchant services would enable vendors to accept cryptocurrency payments such as Ethereum (ETH) and Bitcoin (BTC). Other features to reduce checkout friction and improve the overall payment experience are also planned.

The issuer of stablecoin Circle also hinted that there could be future improvements.


Stablecoin Issuer Circle Adds Apple Pay

Witnessing the FTX collapse and volatility of the crypto market, German regulator Mark Branson has called for global crypto regulations.
 
The collapse of Bahamas-based FTX, which was widely regarded as one of the most reliable names in the industry until recently, has raised new concerns about the unregulated nature of crypto companies and what safeguards are in place to protect clients' assets. 

Crypto winter has severely affected the market resulting in ongoing crypto failures. Renowned firms have been closed due to liquidity issues. [FTX](/news/article/ftx-bankrupt-who-to-blame) is the latest in significant cryptocurrency failures this year, including hedge fund Three Arrows Capital, crypto lender [Celsius](/news/article/celsius-data-breach) Network, broker [Voyager](/news/article/crypto-lender-voyager-sells-assets) Digital and [Nuri bank](/news/article/nuri-bank-users-withdraw-funds).

## Mark Branson's statement at Frankfurt

According to German regulator Mark Branson, [crypto assets must be subject to global rules](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-14/german-regulator-bafin-sees-need-for-global-crypto-rules) if they are to be adopted by mainstream finance and exposed to banks and a broader range of investors.

At a Frankfurt event on Monday, the German regulator stated that the recent crash in digital assets was well-timed because the links between traditional finance and crypto are still limited, implying that it may not pose a risk to financial stability.

When asked about the fallout from [FTX](/news/article/ftx-collapse-blockfi-suspend-withdrawals) Group, Branson avoided mentioning any specific companies and said his comments applied to the industry as a whole.

Continuing his statement, Branson added that consumer protection is the most disturbing aspect noted in recent months.
The BaFin chief stated that cryptocurrency should either be shut out by building a "very, very strong wall" around the conventional banking system or by regulating the industry and seeing if "crypto money is in real competition with fiat money".

According to Branson, cryptocurrency is "massively susceptible to money laundering risks and doesn't have a handle on these". He stated that a set of rules for the industry would need to be addressed on a global scale rather than just in Europe.

Separately, Branson stated that despite recent issues in the cryptocurrency market, he does not anticipate a ripple effect affecting Germany's financial stability.


German Regulator Demands Crypto Regulation

After facing the digital equivalent of a bank run, the [imploding crypto trading](https://www.seattletimes.com/business/explainer-whats-happening-at-bankrupt-crypto-exchange-ftx/) business is now in the red by billions of dollars. FTX, one of the biggest exchanges in the world, filed for bankruptcy last week. Its CEO and founder also resigned. The trading firm afterward stated that there had been "unauthorised access" and that cash had vanished.  

According to analysts, hundreds of millions in cash may have gone. Elliptic, an analytics firm, estimated on Saturday that $477 million was missing from the transaction. On social media, there was a debate about whether the exchange was hacked or whether a business insider had taken assets, which cryptocurrency analysts couldn't rule out.

Its new CEO, John Ray III, announced that it would disable the ability to trade or withdraw cash and would take actions to safeguard consumers' assets.

## FTX Bankrupt: How did it happen?

Customers abandoned the exchange due to concerns over its funds and agreed a sale to rival crypto [exchange](/news/article/ftx-uk-warning) Binance. However, the transaction fell through while Binance conducted due diligence on [FTX's](/news/article/ftx-vs-binance-liquidate-funds) balance sheet.

According to its bankruptcy petition, the crypto business estimated its assets at between $10 billion and $50 billion and identified more than 130 associated firms worldwide.

On Friday, FTX and hundreds of linked entities, including founder Sam Bankman-Fried's hedgefund Alameda Research, filed for bankruptcy in Delaware.

## FTX Bankrupt: Bankman-Fried accepts blame

Sam Bankman-Fried apologised on [Twitter Thursday morning](https://twitter.com/sbf_ftx/status/1590709166515310593?s=46&amp;t=Br1_HGNzUBwspKZ7pF6myA), saying he "f—-ed up" and should have done better. Bankman-Fried also announced the closure of Alameda Research, the trading business he co-founded with FTX.

The tweet comes as the former crypto industry star pleads for billions of dollars to avoid bankruptcy. 

This week has been a rapid fall from grace for FTX. After valuing the exchange at $32 billion earlier this year, Bankman-Fried is now searching for someone to backstop the crypto business [after rival exchange Binance withdrew from a plan](https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/09/binance-backs-out-of-ftx-rescue-leaving-the-crypto-exchange-on-the-brink-of-collapse.html) to purchase it.

He is worth an estimated $23 billion and has been a major political donor to Democrats.



FTX bankrupt: Who's to blame?

The exchange platform [Crypto.com is under investigation after sending $405 million to the wrong person](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/cryptocom-ftx-fiasco-233855168.html), raising concerns among crypto watchers in the wake of competitor exchange [FTX's](/news/article/ftx-vs-binance-liquidate-funds) bankruptcy filing on Friday.

Observers who closely examined the transaction theorised it was an attempt to inflate trading volume. The analyst who initially noticed the transaction was a [Coinbase](/news/article/coinbase-nft-platform) employee.

Before this Crypto.com investigation, the company made headlines when it sent $10.5 million by mistake instead of a $100 refund to a woman in Australia in December.

## Crypto.com investigation

CEO of Crypto.com Kris Marszalek claimed on Twitter that the transaction was an accident. A company representative told Yahoo Finance that money was sent to Gate.io, another cryptocurrency exchange, when it should have gone to an offline cold storage wallet.

The spokesperson explained that the movement of funds from the Crypto.com custody system is only possible between approved and whitelisted addresses that are attached to its cold wallets, hot wallets (connected to the internet), and corporate accounts at third-party exchanges."

Nonetheless, the transaction triggered crypto investors, who drove Crypto.com's exchange token (CRO-USD) price down by 24% in the last 24 hours. Bitcoin (BTC-USD) also decreased by less than 2.5% over the same period, while ether (ETH-USD) dropped by 2.5%.

## Exchanges publish "Proof of Reserves"

The Crypto.com investigation also follows a rush by several exchanges to publish their "Proof of Reserves," demonstrating that they are not using investor funds during the week following FTX's collapse.

On Thursday, [Crypto.com](/news/article/crypto.com-news-uk-approval) released its Proof of Reserves in its wallets, claiming to have $3 billion in total customer assets. According to the exchange wallets tracked by blockchain analytics platform Nansen, the figure was $2.55 billion as of Saturday, a 15% drop.

Proof of Reserves has long been used by some cryptocurrency exchanges, including the [Kraken](/news/article/kraken-review) exchange based in the US. However, depending on the frequency and amount of a company's disclosed balance sheet, the measure may still be insufficient.

According to CEO and co-founder of Chainlink Labs Sergey Nazarov, Proof of Reserves can prove solvency. It shows, he said, if the assets a company claims to have are available in real time.

Michael Anderson, a co-founder of the crypto venture capital firm Framework, said the mechanism is 'great', as long as there is proof of liabilities and assets.

However, he added: "It gives you a portion of the story."

Anderson continued: "It helps people know if a company is using its customer assets as collateral to borrow money."


Crypto.com Under Investigation

[Revolut](https://www.revolut.com/) is a new virtual bank with millions of customers. It is an "alternative to traditional banks" because it provides free and instant financial services to people who travel internationally or want to live a global lifestyle. But is it good for crypto?

While the worldwide banking system has remained unchanged for centuries, Revolut is bringing about positive change by allowing you to avoid the time-consuming and bureaucratic bottlenecks of traditional banking. The platform provides you with financial flexibility, allowing you to take control of your finances.

## Revolut: The banking app

[Revolut](/news/article/revolut-bank-uk-crypto) is a banking app that allows you to spend and transfer money worldwide in real-time. It is licenced in two countries: Lithuania and Australia. The platform operates in Poland, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Cyprus, Greece, Latvia, Malta, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

Revolut, founded in July 2015 by Nikolay Storonsky (a former trader at Credit Suisse), aims to provide mobile and online banking, allowing clients to avoid the high fees charged by traditional banks. The platform includes a pre-paid card that can be topped up with bank transfers or an existing credit/debit card. Users can also send money instantly or request payments from their accounts.

## Revolut crypto fees

Paying Revolut fees for your cryptocurrency asset activities can become very expensive, especially if you trade cryptocurrencies frequently.

As stated in the company’s cryptocurrency terms, when you purchase cryptocurrencies through the app, it will exchange them at a partner exchange (such as [Coinbase](/news/article/coinbase-singapore-approval) or Bitstamp).

You can exchange cryptocurrencies on these partner platforms without a middleman (Revolut). However, when we dig deeper and look at cryptocurrency fees on these exchanges, we find that they are still higher than on eToro.

In short, such a structure increases Revolut's costs and raises safety concerns if something unexpected occurs. You may have to pay multiple fees per transaction depending on the amount you want to exchange: 

1.	A fair usage fee.
2.	A transaction fee.
3.	A Bid-Ask spread.

## Can you move cryptocurrency from Revolut to a wallet?

Sending crypto from [Revolut](/news/article/revolut-news-approved-eea) to a wallet gives you more control and protection over your crypto assets, especially if you keep them in a cold wallet like Ledger or Trezor. 

However, Revolut crypto transfer to a wallet is not yet available to all users. The availability of withdrawals is determined by your location and the type of paid plan you have. 

Assume you live in a country where crypto withdrawals are permitted (i.e., the UK). You should know some fees and limits when using the app to withdraw cryptocurrency.

1.	Crypto withdrawal fees: The platform charges a "Network fee" and a "Service fee" when withdrawing cryptocurrencies. You can view the estimated total costs on the confirmation page before the withdrawal.

2.	Limits on crypto withdrawals: There are currently restrictions on the total amount you can withdraw from the platform. £500 is the daily cap, and £1,000 is the monthly cap.

## Is Revolut good for crypto?

Revolut is not a good option for cryptocurrency because of the high fees, absence of the withdrawal feature (in most countries), and limited selection of crypto assets. 

The 1.99% fee for purchasing and the 1.99% fee when selling cryptocurrencies are way too high, an overall of 4% at least for one trade. By switching to the [eToro](/news/article/etoro-fees) platform, you can drastically reduce the amount of fees you pay.

Although there is a possibility to upgrade your account type to Premium or Metal and pay lower fees, it is still more expensive.



Is Revolut Good for Crypto?

Cryptocurrency trading bot [Bitcoin Bank](https://the-bitcoin-bank-pro.com/) attempts to increase traders' accuracy and, consequently, their chances of profiting from the market. By spotting market patterns and assisting traders in taking advantage of them, the bot focuses on increasing the trader's success rate.

It was created to assist traders in identifying the ideal times to enter and exit trades, focusing on speed and accuracy. However, the robot's flexibility has also been praised as a critical aspect by its creators. The development team asserts that it offers both manual and automatic trading possibilities. As a result, novice and seasoned traders should find the bot quite helpful.

## How does the Bitcoin Bank function?

The bank bot uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to manage trades throughout its platform. It aims to identify market data patterns and suggest when to enter and quit trades.

It is important to note that the platform uses Contracts for Difference (CFDs) while trading. These financial derivative instruments allow you to buy certain assets, like Bitcoin, at a later time and for a specific price.

The cryptocurrency trading bot aims to ease the process and make it less complicated for users to navigate the market. The platform's creators boast a 60% success rate for their high-frequency trading system with AI and machine learning drive. 
The platform collaborates with a network of crypto brokers concerning day trading cryptocurrencies. These brokers are in charge of trade management, execution, and position size, among other things.

## Minimum deposit for the Bitcoin Bank

The minimal deposit amount is $250. This cost is comparable to that of other [cryptocurrency trading](/articles/learn-moni/cryptocurrency-trading-strategies) bots.

Also, note that the demo trading tool is subject to this minimum deposit requirement. Thus, you must pay the $250 first deposit if you intend to use the [Bitcoin](/news/article/bitcoin-price-uk) Bank robot and evaluate its feature set.

## Customer support

The bot's creators assert that they have a customer service number that users may call if they encounter any issues. However, we cannot confirm that this support line is functional. We advise you to check out the support options on Bitcoin Bank when you join up, as most crypto trading bots include phone and email service.

Also, get in touch with them before you start trading. You should choose a [cryptocurrency exchange](/news/article/best-exchanges-for-crypto-uk) platform that is accessible whenever you need it. You must approach this bot carefully as a novice trader. Given how volatile cryptocurrency trading is, you should only invest money at your own risk with proper study and investigation.

## Review analysis

Look up its reviews on the internet. You'll find many websites praising it without any proof, testimonies, or genuine reviews. 

Also, it's tough to find it getting accreditation from any credible sources. Now, we don't say it's a scam. However, there is always room for paid promotions in the form of review articles. This is just speculation; you should take every piece of information with a pinch of salt if it concerns your money.



Bitcoin Bank: Should You Use the Trading Bot?

A leading crypto lending firm, [BlockFi](https://blockfi.com/), has enforced the suspension of withdrawals for its clients. The firm has taken the step after the sudden collapse of [FTX](/news/article/ftx-vs-binance-liquidate-funds) that affected the entire market. 

Regarding this issue, the firm has put out a statement on Twitter to give clarity to its customers. It has announced that "we aren't able to operate business as usual".

The cryptocurrency lender has cited a need for more clarity by FTX.com, FTX US, and Alameda on this issue. It has further notified that it has to pause withdrawals until these platforms provide more clarity. Moreover, it has requested its clients not to deposit funds in its interest accounts and wallets.

![Picture1.png](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/prod-monitalks-media/Picture1_938e08c10e.png)

## Earlier statement of BlockFi’s founder and COO

Paradoxically, this statement came just a few days after the COO and founder of BlockFi gave assurances about its operationality. On 8 November, Flori Marquez posted a long [thread](https://twitter.com/FounderFlori/status/1590030309076058112) to assure the clients that it was completely operational.

Marquez’s statement for the market downturn was that BlockFi could handle such situations. Moreover, he mentioned that the company runs independently and will remain the same till July 2023. 

Furthermore, he maintained that the company has access to 400 million USD through a line of credit from FTXUS. He also assured customers that the business was processing all client withdrawals in accordance with the Terms of Service.

However, today's announcement has refuted all these assurances. Clients cannot withdraw funds from their BlockFi wallets for an unknown period.  

## What happened to Sam Bankman-Fried’s exchange?

Sam Bankman-Fried has recently lost over [$14.6 billion](/news/article/sam-bankman-fried-lost-billions), which has removed him from Bloomberg’s list of billionaires. The reason for this is his company’s potential insolvency. Meanwhile, there’s also no lack of certainty whether Changpeng Zhao, [Binance’s](/news/article/guide-to-binance-uk) CEO, will assist the firm or not. 

Earlier, the FTT token also crashed, and Zhao announced to sell off all of its FTT holdings. Currently, both firms are in a clash, which could be one of the reasons the crypto market is tumbling.



FTX collapse prompts BlockFi to suspend withdrawals

The FTX exchange is being investigated for mishandling consumer funds and violating securities regulations. Regulatory investigations were among the primary reasons Binance decided not to acquire the firm.

## FTX exchange agreed to sell to Binance

After undergoing the cryptocurrency equivalent of a bank run, the [crypto business](https://fortune.com/crypto/2022/11/10/ftx-sam-bankman-fried-doj-sec-examining-source-says/) decided earlier this week to sell itself to a larger rival, Binance. Customers abandoned the exchange after getting worried about their capital.

## Why is SEC investigating the FTX exchange?

The [cryptocurrency market](https://www.reuters.com/technology/us-probes-ftx-over-handling-client-funds-bloomberg-news-2022-11-09/) has been volatile, with worries over the company's financial stability leading to $6 billion in withdrawals in the 72 hours following Tuesday morning. Binance later announced a [non-binding deal](https://www.reuters.com/markets/currencies/cryptocurrencies-slide-concerns-over-ftx-exchange-rattle-markets-2022-11-08/) to purchase FTX's non-US business to address a "liquidity constraint" at the rival exchange.

According to the source, the SEC is also looking into the business's ties with its US equivalent FTX US and Chief Executive Officer Sam Bankman-Fried's trading firm. The SEC does not want to speak on the existence or nonexistence of a prospective probe, said an SEC representative. A CFTC spokeswoman declined to comment as well.

The crypto community's and securities authorities' inquiry into [Bankman-Fried](/news/article/sam-bankman-fried-lost-billions) and his crypto company are centred on the potential that the firm utilised client deposits to support bets at Bankman-hedge Fried's fund, Alameda Research. Brokers in conventional markets are supposed to keep customer cash apart from other firm assets. Regulators can punish violations. 

An individual acquainted with the [FTX and Binance](/news/article/ftx-vs-binance-liquidate-funds) transactions described them as a "black hole" in which it was hard to distinguish between assets and liabilities. This individual said Bankman-Fried committed the "ultimate sin" by using custodial assets to support Alameda Research.

## Gensler's view on FTX exchange

Under Democratic leadership, the SEC has increased its examination of the cryptocurrency industry. Chair Gary Gensler has already expressed concerns about whether crypto platforms effectively separate funds and if their market-making operations are trading against their clients.

Earlier this year, a cryptocurrency start-up BlockFi Inc subsidiary [agreed to pay](https://cointelegraph.com/news/blockfi-limits-platform-activity-including-a-halt-on-client-withdrawals) a record penalty to resolve allegations connected to its retail lending product. Other organisations, like FTX, enable users to "stake" certain cryptocurrency tokens in exchange for a return.



FTX Exchange Under Investigation

Solana announced several launches during the ecosystem's yearly gathering at Breakpoint 2022 in Lisbon as it prepares to enter the mainstream. During the conference, the company unveiled its roadmap, which includes the introduction of smartphones, [partnerships with Google Cloud](https://coinculture.com/au/business/solana-announces-google-partnership/) and decentralised application stores (dApps).

## Latest Solana crypto news: 

### 1.     Smartphone launch

The [Solana](/news/article/solana-phantom-wallet-guide) mobile team stated, "It's made for the people" when announcing the release of its smartphones. According to the sources, pre-orders for smartphones will start in 2023. The company still needs to make the official date public.

The smartphone stands out for its ability to securely store crypto [wallet](/news/article/best-ethereum-wallet) secret keys. A Qualcomm processor with an Arm-based system-on-chip (SoC) will power the smartphone, enabling increased productivity.

### 2.	Google to become a Solana node validator soon    

Google stated that it would run a block-producing Solana validator enabling it to participate in and validate the network.
In addition to joining the ecosystem as a validator, Google Cloud has collaborated with the company to integrate its [Blockchain](/news/article/what-is-blockchain) Node Engine.

Google Cloud's Blockchain Node Engine is a fully managed node-hosting service that eliminates the need for complex node operations. Previously, the service provided turnkey node hosting for Ethereum and its burgeoning developer ecosystem.

Including Solana in the Blockchain Node Engine will significantly cut the time required to run a Solana node, making it available to a wider range of users.

The company also disclosed that it is currently indexing and bringing network data into BigQuery.

### 3.	DApp store to enhance Web3 user experience

The company announced the launch of the dApp Store in preparation for [Web3](/news/article/what-is-web-3.0-crypto) disruption. 

On the latest Solana crypto news, SOL- the native token rose more than 15%.



Solana crypto news: Google becomes Solana validator

[Sam Bankman-Fried](/news/article/bankman-fried-crypto-hack-fix) has vanished from the Bloomberg Billionaires Index after his estimated personal wealth fell nearly 94% in a single day to $991.5 million.

Bankman-Fried was worth an estimated $15.2 billion before his company's cash crunch, but according to Bloomberg, $14.6 billion was lost overnight. SBF became one of the crypto industry's darlings due to his rapid rise to financial success and eccentric personality.

## Binance to acquire Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX

With the market moving as it is, it may take some time for bulls to recover, especially since the circumstances surrounding FTX's insolvency and whether or not CZ can bail out SBF remains unclear.

[FTX](/news/article/ftx-uk-warning) was reportedly seeking funding from Silicon Valley and Wall Street billionaires to cover the bank run on its exchange, according to [Semafor](https://www.semafor.com/article/11/08/2022/before-deal-with-rival-ftx-scoured-wall-street-silicon-valley-billionaires-for-1-billion-lifeline). This is surprising given that SBF previously stated that FTX's client holdings are not invested anywhere. However, it appears that one of the world's largest exchanges was looking for $5-6 billion to cover the liquidity crisis.

Meanwhile, Binance CEO CZ announced his intention to purchase FTX after concerns about the Bahamas-based exchange's apparent insolvency grew, causing withdrawals to slow and FTT tokens to plummet. However, they have signed a non-binding letter of intent, which means CZ can back out of the deal if FTX's problems are more severe than anticipated.

Prior to this, CZ announced on Sunday his plan to [sell off his remaining FTT token holdings](/news/article/ftx-vs-binance-liquidate-funds), which he acquired as part of his exit from FTX.

## What does this mean for cryptocurrency?

Even if [Binance](/news/article/guide-to-binance-uk) acquires [FTX](/news/article/what-is-ftx), antitrust laws may apply, and it is still being determined whether both entities can proceed with the merger.

Furthermore, FTT's bleeding appears unabated (down 70% for the day), which may make the exchange unappealing for acquisition, especially if most customers have already left.

Suppose this turns out to be another case of retail suffering massive losses. In that case, regulators may be compelled to impose stricter rules, further restricting the freedom crypto has relished in recent years.


Sam Bankman-Fried lost $14.6 billion overnight

[Dex Labs](https://www.dexlab.space/) is one inventive decentralised exchange built on the [Solana network](/news/article/solana-price-gbp). The company is based in Korea and launched in May 2021.

It is a unique platform as it offers an infrastructure that allows token minting on Solana. It has an easy-to-navigate interface which makes token launching seamless. Because of this, users on the network have easy access to new tokens.

Furthermore, the exchange offers a cross-chain swapping feature and allows instant transactions. With its native token, you can also earn yields by staking them.  

## Dexlab offerings

This platform is inspired by the Project Serum on the SOL blockchain. This project itself has many parallels with [Uniswap](https://uniswap.org/). Like both these platforms, Dex Labs offers swift and efficient transactions. It also allows swapping and supports stablecoins and [wrapped tokens](/news/article/weth-vs-eth). 

With all these features, Dex Labs offers various products. These products facilitate trading and allow secure storage of your assets. Let's explore some of its offerings.

1.	Trading and swapping

Dexlab is a complete platform for trading or swapping assets. It provides users with market analytics leveraging Serum technology. It also presents data in visuals which assist you in reading it with ease. 

2.	Wallet

You can not only trade on the platform but can also keep your assets on it. It offers a secure wallet with a multi-chain feature. Therefore, you won’t have to use third-party wallets while making trades.

3.	MintingLab

One of the best features of the platform is its minting capability. On its MintingLab, you can issue Solana-based tokens. Meanwhile, its user-friendly interface makes listing and management relatively straightforward.

4.	IDOs

As new projects can be launched on the platform, users enjoy initial decentralised exchange offerings. That’s why it can be a great way to explore or acquire nascent coins on the blockchain.

5.	Staking

[Staking](/news/article/what-is-staking-crypto) is a popular way among investors to generate good yields. And this platform has a high-yielding staking program. You can use your DXL tokens to receive weekly incentives. Besides, you can also avail of the airdrops and participate in the liquidity pool.

## What is Dex Lab's launchpad?

Dexlab is architectured on Solana and introduces a minting platform for new tokens. It has an intuitive interface that allows a smooth user experience. Also, it enables you to integrate the Solana CLI with it.

This eases the coding process for you. On this platform, you can also mint tokens and [mint NFTs](/news/article/solana-nft-marketplace) (non-fungible tokens). 

## DXL tokenomics

DXL is the native token that fuels the platform. It is used for Dex labs’ governance and facilitates all transactions. There are 1 billion DXLs with a current market cap of [$3,957,867](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/dexlab/). 

The tokens are allocated for several purposes. Among them, the highest part (19.5%) goes to the mining pool reserve. 

![dex labs.png](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/prod-monitalks-media/dex_labs_c91fa275c4.png)
 
[Source](https://docs.dexlab.space/dxl-token)

## Bottom line

DexLabs is an entirely decentralised exchange in the Solana ecosystem. The platform is not only beneficial for crypto investors but is handy for issuers, too. Along with the trading analytics and swapping features, it also introduces its own [wallet](/news/article/best-crypto-wallet). Meanwhile, its IDOs and staking program allow high yields.



Solana Dex Labs Explained

Financial Action Task Force ([FATF](https://www.fatf-gafi.org/)) is a global financial policy-making body founded to combat money laundering and terrorism financing.

It provides guidelines for anti-money laundering ([AML](/news/article/crypto-aml)) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) laws. In 2014, it expanded its mandate to digital assets, too. It was to prevent the misuse of funds for illegal activities.

Now, to ensure the FATF [crypto regulations](/news/tag/regulation), the organisation is planning to grey list the countries that fail to comply with its laws. According to an [Al Jazeera report,](https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2022/11/7/countries-to-face-grey-list-for-shunning-crypto-guidelines) the financial watchdog will conduct annual surveys for each country’s performance. It will examine the countries’ measures to ensure FATF crypto regulations.  

## Annual reviews for FATF crypto laws compliance

The organisation has opted for annual reviewing instead of evaluations on 5-year cycles. This move reduces the time window for countries to impose terrorist financing and anti-money laundering regulations. Moreover, there will be the added pressure of greylisting. It will force them to bring virtual asset service providers and users within the country under regulations. 

The automatic greylisting of countries may affect their overall ratings. This may also result in being blacklisted by the organisation if no significant changes are evident in the country. 

## Response from the crypto industry

The industry leaders have responded to this move from the financial watchdog. They may reveal a plan of action in the Summit of G20 Leaders, which is scheduled this month. It is likely to highlight the difficulties cryptocurrency investors, exchanges, and other stakeholders face due to harsh regulatory measures.

Al Jazeera reported that Ron Tucker, the co-founder of the International Digital Asset Exchange Association (IDAXA), is of the view that it may cause trouble for the end user. The reason is that the greylisting fear will force “countries to unbank crypto exchanges.”

Ron Tucker also indicated risks to financial inclusion. He mentioned that the users of this asset class in developing countries would be affected. 
 



Defiance of FATF crypto laws may lead to countries greylisting

The [US Feds](/news/article/us-fed-crypto-rates-hike) announced Monday that it had [seized approximately $3.36 billion worth of Bitcoin stolen](https://www.nbcnews.com/now/video/feds-announce-seizure-of-3-36-billion-in-stolen-bitcoin-152877125774) during an unannounced 2021 raid on James Zhong's home.

Zhong pled guilty on Friday to one count of wire fraud, with a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.

According to the Feds, on November 9, 2021, US authorities seized approximately 50,676 Bitcoin, valued at more than $3.36 billion, from Zhong during a search of his house in Gainesville, Georgia. It is the Feds' second-largest financial seizure to date, following its February announcement of $3.6 billion in allegedly stolen [cryptocurrency](/news/article/impact-of-cryptocurrency-on-society) linked to the 2016 hack of the [crypto](/news/article/crypto-hacks-peak-hacktober) exchange Bitfinex.

The raid was part of an investigation led by the United States Attorney's Office in Manhattan into the whereabouts of thousands of missing coins linked to Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht. 

[Bitcoin](/news/article/bitcoin-prime-review) was trading more than $60,000 at the time of seizure, boosting the worth of the loot for investigators by billions of dollars. The digital currency is currently worth around $21,000. As per current data, the seizure is worth just 1 billion dollars. 

## How much Bitcoin, other crypto and cash was stolen? 

Zhong began his criminal behaviour in 2012 when he defrauded Silk Road, a website known for trading drugs and cryptocurrencies, out of more than 53,000 Bitcoin. According to court documents, he set up a series of Silk Road accounts to mask his identity. He carried out 140 transactions quickly to trick the platform into releasing Bitcoin into those accounts. Zhong then transferred the [digital currency](/news/article/cbdc-uk) into other accounts under his control.

Prosecutors claim that 50,000 Bitcoin were found in an underground safe and a single-board computer in a popcorn tin beneath a pile of blankets in Zhong's bathroom cabinet. He has since surrendered over 1,000 more coins and agreed to assist prosecutors in accessing the remaining coins and providing technical assistance.

Zhong agreed to sign over his 80% business ownership to the government as part of his plea deal for the Silk Road fraud. According to the forfeiture order, prosecutors also seized 25 Casascius coins worth 174 Bitcoin and $661,900 in cash. On Friday, Zhong was set free after posting a $310,000 bond.





Feds seize $3.36B Bitcoin stolen in crypto scam

According to news from Pi Coin's inventor and head of technology, Nicolas Kokkalis, Pi Network "has tried to make cryptocurrency accessible globally". Pi Network is the cryptocurrency community for PI, the Pi Coin, often known as Pioneers. 

PI, according to Kokkalis, allows Pioneers to mine on their phones with no fiat cost while contributing to development, inclusiveness, security and decentralisation, usefulness, stability, and durability.

## Pi Network news: Pioneers warned 

Pi informed pioneers that Pi Coin will have no initial coin offering or crowdfunding sales. This is because the main goal is to "create the most inclusive and broadly dispersed digital currency and ecosystem for all Pioneers"'

It clarified that it is not associated with any organisation purporting to sell or generate PI, PI futures, PI non-fungible tokens, PI airdrops, or other PI derivatives. The [blog](https://minepi.com/blog/pi-account-safety) further informs Pioneers that any website asking them to claim PI is a scam since users can only claim all mined PI through the official Pi Network app.

It continued by saying that the names do not imply an official affiliation with Pi Network. Unless otherwise clearly verified by their official communication channels.

## Pi Network: How to mine Pi Coin

[Pi Network](https://twitter.com/PiCoreTeam/status/1555674682480680960), the Pi Coin (PI) crypto community, has produced an instructive video on how to build and utilise the Pi Wallet. 

The movie, which is now on Pi's [home screen](https://minepi.com/), explains how mining works. Unlike Bitcoin (BTC), PI is the only [cryptocurrency](/news/article/asian-yuan-china-token) that can be mined with a smartphone. Furthermore, the video claims that mining PI with a user's phone is free of charge and causes no battery drain.

## Pi Network news: Where does PI rank? 

According to [Watcher. Guru data](https://twitter.com/PiCoreTeam/status/1564349423215190016), as of 28 August, 2022, Binance Coin (BNB) ranked #1 among the top ten cryptos' Twitter profiles, with 9.36 million followers. Bitcoin (BTC) came in second with 5.49 million followers, while Shiba Inu (SHIB) came in third with 3.46 million followers. Pi Coin (PI) is the ninth most followed cryptocurrency on Twitter, with 1.65 million followers. 

Pi conducted a [Twitter](https://twitter.com/PiCoreTeam/status/1559317083309035520) poll, and 61% of Pioneers, or Pi members, were recommended to it by a friend. Family members came in second with 17%, and coworkers came in third with 4%. However, 18% said “other." A total of 54,722 people voted in the Twitter poll.

Pi Network, the [crypto](/news/article/time-tokens) community for Pi Coin, has expressed gratitude to its Pi Chat moderators for their assistance in translating Pi messages into more than 50 different languages. The moderators are the "backbone of communicating with the whole Pi community".


Pi Network News: Pi Going Global?

The CEO of [Binance](/news/article/guide-to-binance-uk) tweeted on Sunday that he will sell the remaining FTX token holdings he acquired as part of his exit from Alameda's sister company, FTX, last year.

## FTX vs Binance: Binance to sell off FTX token holdings

The exchange plans to sell off its FTX token holding. Changpeng "CZ" Zhao did not specify how much of the token holding his company would sell. 

The company received the funds in FTT as part of its exit from an early equity position in FTX that it had held since 2019. According to Zhao, FTX purchased Binance's stake in the company for $2.1 billion in FTT and BUSD—the stablecoin native to Binance's exchange.

The decision comes after weeks of criticism directed at [Sam Bankman-Fried](/news/article/bankman-fried-crypto-hack-fix), for regulatory plans he put forth in a blog post recommending DeFi restrictions. He has since agreed to revise his regulatory stance.

Due to market conditions and limited liquidity, CZ expects the liquidation to take several months. He also stated that it would be done in a way that attempts to minimise the market impact on FTT.

According to CoinGecko, [FTX](/news/article/ftx-uk-warning) native token has dropped 9.5% in the last day to $23.03 from $25.55, bouncing off a drop of around $22 on Sunday.

According to Etherscan, 22,999,999 FTT, worth $584 million, were transferred from a wallet to Binance's exchange on Saturday. As per CoinGecko, this is the equivalent of 17% of the circulating supply of the token. CZ confirmed that the funds were transferred as part of the exchange's plan to liquidate its stance in its holdings.

## FTX CEO response to rumours

Caroline Ellison, CEO of Alameda Research, responded to the rumours on Saturday by [tweeting](https://twitter.com/carolinecapital/status/1589264375042707458) that Alameda had more than $10 billion in assets "not reflected" on the leaked balance sheet. Ellison said that Alameda had unnamed hedges in place and had already given back the majority of their outstanding loans.

In a Sunday Twitter thread, Zhao stated that liquidating its position in FTT was not intended to be a dig at its competitor.

Caroline Ellison [offered](https://twitter.com/carolinecapital/status/1589287457975304193?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1589287457975304193%7Ctwgr%5E0c48a34558db0fa0aa1e49b2de077b6568e651f4%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.coindesk.com%2Fbusiness%2F2022%2F11%2F06%2Fbinance-sells-holdings-of-ftx-token-as-alameda-ceo-defends-firms-financial-condition%2F) to purchase Binance's remaining FTT for a fixed price of $22 if Zhao also wanted to "minimise the market impact" of the move.

Binance has been the most active exchange in terms of FTT volume in the last 24 hours. According to CoinGecko, Binance accounted for 6.3% of FTT's trading volume, or $95.4 million, in the previous 24 hours.

FTX vs Binance clash: Binance to liquidate funds

Santander said in an emailed statement on Friday that it will prohibit UK clients from transferring real-time payments to cryptocurrency exchanges beginning next year as part of steps to safeguard customers from fraudsters.

## When will the block begin?

The bank will implement a plan meaning all payments made to cryptocurrency exchanges via telephone banking and in-branch payments will be blocked, as well as internet and mobile banking, at an unspecified point in 2023.

The bank will follow in the footsteps of other UK retail banks in restricting client transfers to cryptocurrency exchanges. For transfers to crypto exchanges via mobile and online banking, its users will face restrictions of 1,000 pounds ($1,123) per transaction and 3,000 pounds overall in any rolling 30-day period. Last year, the [Natwest Group](https://www.reuters.com/technology/natwest-caps-transfers-crypto-exchanges-including-binance-over-fraud-concerns-2021-06-29/) in the United Kingdom set a daily limit for consumers to transmit to bitcoin exchanges. 

Customers will still be able to receive crypto [exchange](/news/article/best-exchanges-for-crypto-uk) payments into their accounts. [According to a note](https://www.santander.co.uk/personal/support/fraud-and-security/cryptocurrency) on the bank's website, there has been a significant increase in the number of UK clients who have become victims of cryptocurrency fraud in recent months. Global regulators have warned of the risks of scams and fraud in the primarily unregulated realm of cryptocurrency trading.

A spokeswoman for Santander stated that securing our clients from cryptocurrency fraud is a primary concern. "We want to further safeguard clients by barring all faster payments we find from Santander accounts to cryptocurrency exchanges - this will come into play in 2023".

## Faster Payments in the UK that Santander News refers to

Faster Payments is the infrastructure that enables real-time bank transactions for most UK bank accounts. Pay UK, which owns the respective company, stated in an email that it is working with authorities and the [payments](/news/article/russia-approves-cross-border-crypto) sector to create and implement more robust protection for fraud victims. 

Santander said it would continue to prohibit all payments to the cryptocurrency exchange Binance, a policy implemented in July 2021 in response to a warning from the UK's financial authority regarding the exchange. Binance did not reply immediately to a request for comment.




Santander UK news - Crypto transfers blocked

[Bitcoin Prime](https://www.business2community.com/cryptocurrency/bitcoin-robots/bitcoin-prime-review) is a cryptocurrency bot. It is a trading service that automatically analyses the cryptocurrency markets for trading opportunities. Read on for a Bitcoin Prime review.

Bitcoin Prime executes trades on users' behalf when it discovers potentially profitable situations. According to the website, up to 90% of their deals are profitable under favourable market circumstances. 

The platform's performance is shown by its AI system, which detects and responds to price trends. While it does not disclose the intricacies of its algorithm, it searches for many of the tried and proven technical patterns that traders worldwide use to earn money.

It is available for free. All users need to begin is a $250 down payment. The platform generates revenue by charging a 2% fee on successful accounts. However, investors will not pay a commission until their trading account earns money.

## Bitcoin Prime review - How the platform works 

The [platform](https://bitcoinprimeapp.com/) monitors price changes in 14 major cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, BTC Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin, Bitcoin Gold, ZCash, Dash, Ethereum Classic, [Cardano](/news/article/cardano-hard-fork), IOTA, EOS, NEO, Binance Coin, and Ripple.
 
Bitcoin Prime initiates a transaction when the algorithm identifies a price pattern. Furthermore, it will place an order in the user's [brokerage](/news/article/genesis-crypto-claim) account and track the deal as it progresses. When the time comes to close the position, it will issue the order, and all money, including any gains, will be refunded to their account (minus a 2% commission for profitable accounts). The algorithm also learns from successful and unsuccessful transactions to trade more consistently and successfully in the future.

[Bitcoin](/news/article/bitcoin-dropping-price-us-news) Prime promises to be open for business every hour of every day. While trading on the system requires little effort, users need to tweak the algorithm's settings to be effective in different market circumstances. One of the good features of the platform is that it offers a plethora of instructional resources and a sample account to allow you to understand how the algorithm works.

Most importantly, investors' monies are in third-party broker accounts. It can issue trading orders using the funds in your account but cannot directly access your cash. Because only you have access to your money, this might give some security when utilising this service. Users can withdraw funds at any moment and receive a payment within a few hours. 

## Bitcoin Prime - Is it worth the investment?

Bitcoin Prime is legitimate and has received positive feedback from sites such as Trustpilot and testimonials.

However, we highly advise potential investors to do their homework and weigh the possible hazards before joining up and depositing money into the platform.


Bitcoin Prime Review - Fraud or Legit?

[THORSwap](https://thorswap.finance/) is a decentralized cross-chain exchange built on THORChain, a decentralized liquidity protocol. It allows users to swap multiple cryptocurrencies on different blockchains in a non-custodial manner. THORSwap also serves as a DEX aggregator to support a broader range of assets.

## History

THORSwap’s history begins in April 2021 when it was built on top of MCCN - THORChain’s multi-chain chaosnet. This was a few months (July 2020) after BEPSwap launched on SCCN - THORchain’s single-chain chaosnet.

After its launch, the THORSwap exchange quickly became the leading decentralized exchange on THORChain, responsible for a majority of the protocol’s trading volume.

Within 14 months of its existence, it had processed 2.7 million transactions and $1.85 billion in volume, representing 20% of the total volume on THORChain.

## Features

Several features distinguish the aggregator from its competitors. Some of them include;

•	Cross-chain swaps

It currently supports swaps for over 4,800 crypto assets across nine blockchains, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Binance Chain, Cosmos, Avalanche, [Dogecoin](/news/tag/dogecoin), Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, and THORChain.

•	Cross-chain DEX aggregation

As an aggregator, it taps into different liquidity sources to support a wide range of digital assets from multiple blockchains.

In August 2022, the exchange launched an [Ethereum cross-chain aggregator](https://docs.thorswap.finance/thorswap/thorswap-products/thorswap/cross-chain-dex-aggregation/ethereum-dex-aggregator), allowing users to swap between 4,800+ whitelisted ERC-20 tokens and its eight supported blockchains.

•	Impermanent loss protection

Impermanent loss occurs when the price of an asset staked in a liquidity pool is different than if it were held outside a liquidity pool. The loss deters liquidity providers from providing liquidity.

The aggregator protects users from impermanent loss with an Impermanent Loss Protection program. The program protects liquidity providers from impermanent loss, ensuring they keep providing liquidity.

## THOR Tokens

Launched in 2021, THOR tokens are the native utility and governance tokens of THORSwap. They also serve as incentives for trading activities and can be staked to receive vTHOR tokens.

vTHOR tokens are a representation of staked THOR. They allow stakers to earn 75% of THORSwap's revenue, among other benefits, including trading fee discounts. They can also be staked to receive daily rewards.

THOR tokens have a max supply cap of 500,000,000 million coins. They are to be issued to the public in four years.

According to [Coinmarketcap](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/thorswap/), the coins are currently worth $0.1244 each. They are ranked 4,632nd largest cryptocurrencies in the world.

The coins are listed in several crypto exchanges, including CoinEX, SushiSwap, and THORChain. They, however, can't be bought directly with fiat money. Investors must first purchase other cryptocurrencies, ETH or BTC, and then move to an exchange that lists them and uses their ETH or BTC to buy them.

## Conclusion

As of writing, THORSwap hasn't been in the market for long. However, it has quickly proven to be a cross-chain exchange worth watching out for with its great track record. It is already the leading decentralized exchange aggregator on THORChain. Its roadmap reveals that even more great things are on the way.
 


What is THORSwap?