New York Prosecutor Orders the Closure of Unregistered Platforms that Offer Cryptocurrency Loans

A first version of the documents highlights that Nexo and Celsius Network are two of the companies targeted by the NY Attorney’s Office. Two firms received a ceasefire order while three other requests for information.

New York Attorney General Letitia James has ordered digital currency lending platforms that are not properly registered in the state to stop every single activity

In a statement that arrived in October 18, the New York Attorney General (NYAG) ordered the immediate cease and desist of two firms offering crypto loans. The announcement also needs three other companies to bring information about their activities and products, including corporate ownership and handling of user deposits.

James said in the statement that Cryptocurrency platforms must comply with the law, just like everyone else, so the two cryptocurrency companies close and force three others to immediately respond to questions.

New York Joins Crypto-Lending Crackdown

The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has catalogued cryptocurrency lending platforms as essentially interest accounts that offer investors a rate of return on their digital currencies, and these services fall into the category of values, according to the Martin Law of New York.

Passed in 1921, the Martin Act is a US anti-fraud law that gives the Attorney General the authority to investigate any company deemed to be trading securities in the state.

NYAG said that the virtual currency loan products in question in today’s stocks promise a fixed rate of return to investors and claim to offer those returns, among other things, by trading more of those virtual assets.

According to the statement, the firms would offer an unregistered securities service, incurring a federal violation.

Although the names of the companies were censored in the letters issued by the OAG, the news outlet The Block reported that an early version of the cease and desist letter retained the name Nexo Letter, while the request for information got labeled in the name of Celsius Letter. The names might add two of the largest crypto lending platforms in the United States of America.

The cease and desist letter issued to Nexo gives that firm, and the other unidentified entity, a period of ten days to stop each and every one of these activities and let the Attorney General know that the activity has already stopped.

Cryptocurrency Loans Under Scrutiny in the US

For its part, the letter to Celsius was more modest, giving the company until November 1 to bring information on its ownership structure, its investment strategy and its means of custody for crypto deposits. The other three firms that received letters from NYAG remain without identification.

Nexo also assured that it does not offer its loan product in New York and that it takes the task of blocking users from that location rooted on their Internet address.

The New York authority’s actions arrived at a time when several US regulators face a crackdown on crypto-lending companies. During this year, the cryptocurrency trading and lending platform BlockFi experienced a ceasefire order from the New Jersey Office of Securities.

By: Jenson Nuñez

Michael Saylor’s Company Doubles Its Investment in the Pioneering Cryptocurrency

The CEO of MicroStrategy announced that his company recently purchased 5,050 BTC bringing its total Bitcoin holdings to 114,042 BTC. They had invested USD 3.16 billion until September 13th, but their capital has grown to around USD 6.7 billion.

MicroStrategy has doubled its capital since it first invested in Bitcoin, for which it has paidUSD 3.16 billion. The firm ran by Michael Saylor remains positioned as a leader in the Bitcoin space.

The CEO of business intelligence company MicroStrategy started buying the pioneering cryptocurrency in August 2020. At the time, he thought it was better to keep the cryptocurrency on the balance sheet rather than in cash.

Anthony Pompliano said that people would see the success of MicroStrategy in the rise in the price of Bitcoin. According to theentrepreneur and investor, the expansion of their balance sheets would reflect that growth.

MicroStrategy Continues to Increase Its Bitcoin Holdings

In late August, MicroStrategy invested USD 177 million in 3,907 BTC, bringing its total holdings to 108,992 BTC at the time.

Similarly, Michael Saylor recently decided to continue buying the cryptocurrency and including it in its balance sheet. The CEO of MicroStrategy announced that his company made another multi-million-dollar investment in Bitcoin. He said that they purchasedan additional 5,050 BTC for about USD 242.9 million in cash.

Before making the announcement, Saylor said that the quieter a person goes, the further they reach. The purchase brings the total Bitcoin holdings of the business intelligence firm to 114,042 BTC.

MicroStrategy Doubles Its Investment in Bitcoin

The MicroStrategy company has beenearning huge profits from its investments in Bitcoin.

Until September 12th, MicroStrategy had approximately 114,042 BTC, which they acquired for USD 3.16 billion. Therefore, the investment is now worth around USD 6.7 billion.

MicroStrategy owns more Bitcoin than any other publicly-traded company worldwidebut does not have any plans to sell. No one knows whether or when other large firms will follow their steps.

In that regard, the president of ProChain Capital, David Tawil, said that companies owning cryptocurrencies should become commonplace.

Michael Saylor’s company seems to have benefited from the excitement at the likely launch of Bitcoin ETFs. Besides, the overall value of its holdings of the pioneering cryptocurrency has increasedsignificantly.

Michael Saylor Does Not Think Bitcoin Is a Good Means of Payment

In February, Saylor said that the volatility of the price of Bitcoin did not worry him as he does not consider it a short-term investment. He expressed that he saw it as an investment of at least ten years and believes its trend over long periods is bullish.

He thinks that the primary function of Bitcoin is to be a store-of-value asset. Besides, he believes that it is a means to transfer large amounts of money across borders. Those two activities make sense due to the security and low costs on the BTC chain.

However, he stressed that he did not see Bitcoin as an effective means of payment due to its slow transactions. For that reason, he prefers to use fiat money and traditional solutions such as credit and debit cards to purchase products.

By Alexander Salazar

According to Fitch Ratings, Stablecoins Would Pose Risks to the Stock Market

The regulation of stablecoins would affect the way the stock market develops. Those cryptocurrencies can gain great prominence in the US commercial paper market.

Fitch Ratings recently warned of stablecoins, the growth of which may negatively impact the traditional securities market. The credit rating agency highlights that those tokens can reach a scale of systemic importance, involving new risks to the commercial paper market.

Public limited companies are in charge of issuing commercial paper, which they use for public offering. Those securities are a short-term capital raising instrument, which can fill the gap in the capital market.

It all depends on how the regulations that directly affect stablecoins evolve, according to Fitch Ratings. However, they highlight that the reserves that currency traders use to back their stablecoin can affect the markets in the short term.

Holdings of commercial paper with maturities of 91 days to 13 months fell from 10% in June to 2% in August. Actual holdings are unclear, even in the most transparent cases, and there is no detailed breakdown of assets.

According to Circle, the company that issues USD Coin (USDC), the US dollar does not fully support that stablecoin. Certificates of deposit, securities, debt obligations of companies and financial institutions, and bonds of companies and state agencies accompany the fiat currency.

Stablecoin Regulations Will Affect the Traditional Market

The regulatory approach towards stablecoins will directly affect how the stock market develops, according to Fitch Ratings. However, that will not happen in the short term, as the details and timeline for the regulation of the emerging market are not yet well-defined.

In the case of the European Union, they mentioned that there are new negotiations over stablecoins in Brussels. They said they should have cash reserves and low-risk, predominantly governmental, securities.

In the United States, the administration task force of President Joe Biden urges regulating the use of stablecoins. The Federal Reserve and Congress collaborated to publish a document for that purpose.

Fitch Ratings detailed regulations that force stablecoin issuers to hold more reserves in safe and highly liquid assets. They explained that these could reduce the allocations to commercial paper in that region. Likewise, they said that this would increase the demand for those crypto assets in the government market in the short term.

Stablecoins Could Become a Key Investor Group

In addition to the risks that stablecoins pose, Fitch Ratings discussed growth rates and reserve allocations of stablecoins. The benefits suggest that the tokens could become a key investor group in the US commercial paper market.

Tether (USDT) is a crucial example of a stablecoin since it had 49% of its reserves in certificates of deposit and commercial paper in late June. The credit rating agency highlighted that the market capitalization of that cryptocurrency has increased by 230% this year to reach USD 70,009 million.

Fitch Ratings mentioned the global stablecoin Diem, backed by Facebook, whose launch has not happened yet. The firm believes that this token could further stimulate the growth of the market value of the sector.

By Alexander Salazar

Analysis and Forecast of the Price of Zcash Amid a Bullish Market Sentiment

Although its popularity has declined, ZEC has remained in a range between 5,000 and 6,970 daily transactions. The value of the cryptocurrency needs to break through the support at USD 105 for users to think about selling.

Zcash (ZEC) is an old cryptocurrency that has lost prominence as new projects attract attention. However, it is still a relevant part of the ecosystem and a leader in its segment.

ZEC is trading at around USD 142 and has accumulated a 3.7% profit in the past 24 hours. It has a market capitalization of approximately USD 1,666 million and ranks 79th in the cryptocurrency market.

The design of this cryptocurrency seeks to maximize the privacy of user transactions. Although its popularity has dropped dramatically, it remains one of the best networks for low-cost and anonymous transactions.

Zcash does not lead the privacy segment but Monero (XMR), whose market capitalization is approximately USD 4.583 million.

The Current Situation of the Zcash Network

The number of daily transactions on the Zcash network has dropped a lot in recent years. However, it has remained in a range of around 5,000 daily transactions, even reaching 6,970, thus showing an upward trend.

Although the decline in popularity seems to have stopped the development of Zcash, that is not true. The network will launch the Halo 2 protocol shortly, which has caught the interest of Ethereum and Filecoin developers.

The implementation of that protocol, which will occur in January 2022, will include several important features. The most relevant is the possibility that users will be able to conduct their transactions with greater privacy.

Halo 2 operates without the confidence of zero-knowledge testing, making it unnecessary to resort to a reliable setup. That is precisely one of the main criticisms that the privacy of that network has received.

For that purpose, the protocol implements several initial parameters, which it destroys to avoid spoofing operations.

Analysis and Forecast of the Price of Zcash

The latest monthly ZEC/USD chart shows a clear succession of increasingly high lows and highs. That suggests that there will be an upward trend in the value of that cryptocurrency in the medium term.

A higher low is under development, which could give way to a very relevant new bullish momentum. If that happens, the price of Zcash could go to at least USD 298.12.

The price of ZEC must break through the support at USD 105 for users to think about selling their holdings. However, that could be a way to broaden the corrective process and then make way for momentum.

What the ZEC Weekly Chart Reveals

An analysis of the weekly Zcash price chart allows for more short-term analysis. That reveals that the value of the cryptocurrency has accumulated high gains in recent weeks after an essential downward correction.

It is also possible to note the continued weakness of the bears to reach lower lows. The recent support at USD 110 could make the bulls develop momentum that needs to extend further.

In the short term, the price of ZEC could hit USD 176 and even the next resistance at USD 298.12.

By Alexander Salazar

As the Price of Shiba Inu Rises Along with that of Bitcoin, Investors Wait to Sell Down

The price of Shiba Inu rose by 340% in a matter of days due to a tweet from Elon Musk. However, the restart of the bullish rally of Bitcoin could also cause the value of the cryptocurrency meme to skyrocket.

Shiba Inu (SHIB) has been one of the most prominent altcoins in October, as its value has risen by more than 300% in a matter of days. The renewal of the bullish rally of Bitcoin and its inclusion on cryptocurrency exchange WhiteBIT may have contributed to it.

Another positive factor that has notably influenced the price of the meme cryptocurrency is Elon Musk. The billionaire businessman caused the value to move higher by posting a photo of a Shiba Inu puppy on Twitter.

A few hours later, the price of SHIB started going up, reaching a 340% increase in a matter of days. The enthusiasm rekindled by the post from Musk has allowed that to happen.

A Short-Term Analysis Reveals that a Drop Is Coming

Shiba Inu is in the consolidation phase, and its level of volatility is not as high as in early October. That is positive for SHIB, as buyers can sell their earnings and take new positions after a 340% rally to the upside.

SHIB bulls have successfully defended the price support of Shiba Inu at USD 0.00002495. That allowed the value to break to the upside and conclude with the bearish channel under development. In other words, traders have already taken profits, and this is the time to buy again.

The green candlestick that breaks the bearish channel clearly shows the continuation of the bullish movement, exceeding EMAs of 20 and 50 periods. However, the closest resistance level is precisely at USD 0.00002987, for which investors need to be vigilant.

Another element that needs consideration is the oscillator that shows bullish strength when crossing above zero. In addition, the crossing of the candlesticks above the EMAs also confirms the abovementioned.

It is also possible to notice the rejection of the RSI that is about to enter oversold territories again. It is going above 50 points, which suggests that traders and investors are buying again.

The Evolution of the Price of SHIB in the Next Days

Investors should be vigilant as the price of Shiba Inu could reject resistance at USD 0.00002987 in the coming days. However, if the value of the meme cryptocurrency exceeds that level, the closest resistance will be at USD 0.00003218.

Furthermore, there is likely to be another general correction in the cryptocurrency market. The price of Bitcoin has been on the rise for several days, so profit-taking is essential for that trend to continue. For that reason, it is possible to say that there will also be a correction in the value of Shiba Inu in the short term.

SHIB is trading at around USD 0.000028 and has a market capitalization of approximately USD 13,937,615,819. On its part, Bitcoin reached a new all-time high of nearly USD 67,000 and its market capitalization rose above 1.2 trillion, according to CoinGecko.

By Alexander Salazar

Binance Blocked Colombia Users Due to a Dutch Police Investigation

Those users injured are studying to take legal action to unblock the blockage. Various accounts have more than 1 BTC with lifetime savings, according to those affected users.

A group of users of the exchange house Binance in Colombia denounced the suspension of their accounts and blocking of their funds. So far, 20 are affected, but they say there could be more blocked users. Some cannot access “lifetime savings” that exceed one bitcoin (BTC) in value.

Binance Thanked users and explained that their accounts are currently under review by the Dutch law enforcement authorities. They also clarified that if users needed more information on the status of their accounts, they could contact the officer in charge of this case.

The people in question organized a Telegram group to join efforts and discuss the situation. In addition, several of them assured that they had already contacted a lawyer to present joint legal actions.

The whistleblowers claim that the exchange blocked the withdrawal of funds from their accounts. Some of them say that they can’t even find their balance, or even try to trade with it. The company assured that they are committed to working with entities that enforce the law to ensure that the community is safe and prevent fraudulent activities.

However, the company replied that there is no further news on the situation because the investigation is still taking a course. For their part, the Dutch authorities that should respond to the situation remain silent to the queries from the users.

Binance’s Responses to Users

Among the answers given from the Binance support to the queries, they said that the suspension of accounts has to do with “profile review” by the platform’s Legal Compliance department.

Although some users needed to authenticate their identity, the issue remained unsolved after completing this step. In addition, several people assure that they already had the verification ready before the blockade.

In Telegram, one of those affected highlighted that, from the cryptocurrency exchange, they informed him that they are investigating whether they have carried out operations with a risk address or wallet, that is, that users might have received funds from a wallet that is marked.

Most of those affected claim to have operated on the P2P (Peer to Peer) platform. The antecedents and actions of the counterpart come into play in the situation, and it is something that the Justice may consider to start an investigation.

In addition, another affected person said that, according to information received from the exchange, the problem had to do with the demonstration of his income. He had to send proof of income over 2 million dollars, an income statement, a bank statement to verify address, and investment support.

The reasons for justifying the blockades were diverse. While some people required legal documentation about their identity and income in Colombia, others got directly referred to contact the Dutch authorities.

By: Jenson Nuñez