14h ago • cryptodaily
Coinbase Responds To SEC’s Wells Notice
After being served with a Wells notice by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the crypto platform released a public statement calling out the regulator for being “unreasonable.”
Coinbase Issued “Unfair” Wells Notice
On Wednesday, Coinbase responded to the SEC’s “Wells notice” with a public statement, calling out the regulator’s “unfair and unreasonable” approach towards the crypto platform and its operations. The team expresses deep disappointment, claiming it was served the “Wells notice” over an unspecified portion of its listed digital assets, its staking service Coinbase Earn, Coinbase Prime, and Coinbase Wallet. It also accuses the SEC of serving notice after the most minimal, cursory investigation.
The team wrote,
“We continue to think rulemaking and legislation are better tools for defining the law for our industry than enforcement actions. But if necessary, we welcome the opportunity for Coinbase and the broader crypto community to get clarity in court.”
What Is A Wells Notice?
For those unaware, a Wells notice is issued by the SEC staff to a company that the regulatory body has been recommended to take enforcement action against a company for possibly violating securities laws. Although it does not represent a formal charge or a lawsuit, in many cases, it can lead to one. It is basically the SEC giving a warning to a particular company that the latter is under strict scrutiny and could be taken to court.
SEC Butting Head With Coinbase
The Coinbase team reacted to the news by announcing that it would not affect their current products and services, which will continue operating as usual. They have also expressed disappointment that the Wells notice did not provide any specific information about the potential violations of securities law. The team also claims that it had proposed multiple registration options to the SEC across months, which the latter did not respond to.
The Coinbase statement also notes that it had asked the SEC to identify the specific assets the latter believed to be securities. However, beyond claiming that it has identified some securities violations on the platform, the SEC has refused to reveal further clarification.
Judges Against SEC
The Coinbase statement also includes a quote from Federal Bankruptcy Judge Michael Wiles, who had called out the regulators over the ongoing Voyager case.
The judge had said,
“Regulators themselves cannot seem to agree as to whether cryptocurrencies are commodities that may be subject to regulation by the CFTC, or whether they are securities […] subject to securities laws, or neither, or even on what criteria should be applied in making the decision. This uncertainty has persisted despite the fact that cryptocurrency exchanges have been around for a number of years.”
Even Judge Analisa Torres, who is presiding over the SEC’s case against Ripple Labs, has reportedly ruled against multiple motions set forth by the regulatory body. Experts believe that the SEC’s claims that XRP is a security hold no ground and will be disproved in the court's final ruling.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.
1 day ago • cryptodaily
SEC Gensler attacks Coinbase
With banks on the edge of meltdown and Bitcoin about to embark on its bull market, has Gensler been told to bring Coinbase down, and with it a large proportion of retail investors who are buying crypto?
A broken system
The banking system is broken, and perhaps it has got to the point of no return, even given the massive sums of currency that central banks have used to try and prop the system up.
With the Federal Reserve saying that it will make all depositors whole in the U.S. should any more banks go down, the fractures have been papered over for now.
The public is now aware
What is obvious to the U.S. government though is that the public has been shocked at the weakness of the banking system, and has been made painfully aware of the apparent ease with which large banks can fall in only a matter of days.
It must also be aware that crypto has lost its largest 3 fiat on/off ramps in the form of Silvergate Bank, Silicon Valley Bank, and Signature Bank, in just a few days, yet the crypto bull market appears to be starting regardless.
As banks fail, interest in crypto grows
For government and central banks the situation has become untenable. It knows that despite all efforts to keep banks afloat, more could potentially fail over the coming months as the Federal Reserve continues to keep interest rates high.
Institutions have been kept away from investing in Bitcoin in the main, given the extremely tight regulatory environment, but the general public is definitely still interested in crypto, and should crypto assets keep rising, the interest might become a flood.
Damping down ardour for crypto
Therefore, throwing a huge cloud of negativity and uncertainty over Coinbase could bring about a cooling of the public’s crypto investing ardour.
The serving of a Wells Notice on Coinbase by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is the first step in a potential enforcement action. It doesn’t always result in an action but just serving it had the effect of toppling the Coinbase share price around 17% since yesterday’s close.
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said of the notice by the SEC that it was like a game of “pickleball” (the fastest growing new sport in the U.S.) whereby referees were from both football and soccer, and “one of them suddenly decides to change a call they made back in April 2021” (no doubt referring to the SEC’s approval of Coinbase going public).
Coinbase published a blog on Wednesday, in which it laid out its complaints against the SEC. In it, Coinbase quoted Federal Bankruptcy Judge Michael Wiles on the ongoing Voyager case. He said:
“Regulators themselves cannot seem to agree as to whether cryptocurrencies are commodities that may be subject to regulation by the CFTC, or whether they are securities […] subject to securities laws, or neither, or even on what criteria should be applied in making the decision. This uncertainty has persisted despite the fact that cryptocurrency exchanges have been around for a number of years.”
The stakes are incredibly high
Coinbase is potentially a very large pawn in an incredibly important chess game, with the future of finance as the prize. On the one side is the government, petrified over losing full control of ‘money’, along with the legacy banks, terrified of falling into obsolescence. On the other side is a dynamic and innovative industry which is gaining ground despite government and bank control of the mainstream media.
Crypto has much to offer the financial system, and the financial system can certainly repurpose itself and gain from what crypto has to offer. Enforcing control has never worked throughout history, and has only ever served to slow the demise of the enforcer. In a changing world where many more countries are scrambling to join the BRICS nations and trade in currencies that are backed by tangible commodities, the U.S. must reinvent itself in order to survive. Crypto could be that path.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.
1 day ago • cryptodaily
Upland’s 2023 Hackathon To Showcase The Future Of Web3 Metaverse Super Apps
PALO ALTO, California, 23rd March, 2023, ChainwireUpland, the metaverse super app mapped to the real world, is partnering with the EOS Network Foundation, a community-led, not-for-profit organization that coordinates public-goods funding and support to encourage the growth of the EOS Network, to launch Upland’s second hackathon where web2 and web3 developers are invited to bring new games and experiences leveraging Upland assets. As the only metaverse mapped to the real world, developers are able to create experiences that leverage unique characteristics of the Upland ecosystem, which include geo-specific context and assets like FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023™ Legits, to the largest growing web3 community.Web3 gaming coupled with metaverse experiences, will transform the way people play, interact and socialize. This year’s Upland Hackathon is designed to empower developers to create unique, immersive, and community-driven experiences that drive increased engagement in the metaverse. Developers are invited to participate in one of three tracks: 1. Metaverse Innovation Track; 2. FIFA Women World Cup 2023 (FWWC23) Track, and 3. Design Track. with the best ideas earning financial prizes and the chance to enter Upland’s post-hackathon incubator.Upland is one of the most popular and fastest-growing metaverses utilizing blockchain technology. Upland is the Earth’s metaverse, spread across dozens of global cities that have been mapped to the real world and are accessible via the Web, iOS, and Android. “After a successful first round in 2022, we are thrilled to be hosting our 2nd hackathon for web2 and web3 developers alike to leverage our tools to create new experiences in the Upland metaverse,” says Idan Zuckerman, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Upland. “As part of our mission to build the first Metaverse Super App, the main topics of this hackathon will have developer teams leverage web3 concepts by integrating games and experiences with the Upland platform to drive engagement and adoption in new innovative ways”This year’s Hackathon event will encompass three unique tracks, each contextual to the Upland ecosystem, community and economy. Developers, designers, artists, gamers, and blockchain enthusiasts will be provided with the tools, support, and inspiration to bring their Web3 game ideas to life. Utilizing Upland’s simple Rest APIs, participants will have a chance to put themselves on its virtual map.The Upland 2023 Metaverse Super App Hackathon’s panel will consist of four judges, including representatives from Upland, FIFA, and the EOS Network Foundation. Each project submission will be rated for the quality of each pitch and its prototype, its use of Upland’s 3rd-party development tools, its team’s composition and diversity, business feasibility, and fulfillment of the Hackathon’s mission statement. "We are very excited about this opportunity to meet and collaborate with some of the brightest metaverse developers today," said Yves La Rose, Founder and CEO of the EOS Network Foundation. "EOS has made GameFi a cornerstone of its ecosystem development, and Upland is one of its biggest success stories so far. Upland chose to build on EOS because it's one of the most robust and scalable networks of all, with an extremely diverse and talented pool of developers. Now we'll get the chance to see what those developers can do, and we're extremely enthusiastic about helping them bring their ideas to life."The FIFA Women’s World Cup Track builds on Upland’s status as FIFA’s official metaverse partner and provides a unique opportunity for developers to build games and experiences that utilize Upland’s third-party SDK alongside FIFA NFTs in Upland. Developers are tasked with creating unique games or gamified experiences leveraging FIFA Legits and Upland assets, with the winning project set to be showcased in the FIFA World Cup Village in Upland.In the competitive Design Track, Upland is inviting creators to design a 3D asset that will serve as the trophy for the World of Football eSports tournament. In World of Football players compete in live football matches taking place in the Upland metaverse.Finally, the Innovation Track invites developers to submit community-focused Web3 games or experiences that bring people together to play, socialize and share value. This is a flexible track where developers can leverage Upland’s developer tools, to create almost any kind of game or experience they believe has the potential to become an Upland metaverse hit.Participants of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and Innovation Tracks will compete for Grand Prizes worth $10,000, with $5,000 going to the runners-up of each track. Meanwhile, the winner of the Design Track will be awarded 2 million Upland UPX tokens. Both the Grand Prize and Runner-up Prize winners will also be invited to join Upland’s post-hackathon incubator.The Hackathon will begin with a kick-off party with OnePiece Labs followed by its official launch at GDC on March 22. Teams have until May 12 to register for the Hackathon, with May 26 being the deadline for submissions. Finalist selection will occur on May 28, with the final presentation and awards show taking place during Upland’s annual Genesis Week Conference at the Sahara Casino and Resort in Las Vegas on June 9.About UplandUpland is an open web3 platform for the metaverse mapped to the real world. The company’s mission is to build one of the leading and most dynamic maker-communities through a strong entrepreneur economy that allows players, creators, developers, and brands to manufacture goods and experiences, monetize assets, and provide utility and fun to other players. Headquartered in Silicon Valley with hubs in Las Vegas, Ukraine, and Brazil, Upland was named among Fast Company’s “Next Big Things in Tech” in 2021 and one of “22 San Francisco Startups To Watch in 2022” by Built In SF. Upland is committed to becoming carbon negative and is a proud partner of Carbonfuture. For more information about our sustainability commitment visit https://www.upland.me/sustainability. Upland is available on iOS, Android and the Web, and can be played from anywhere in the world.About EOS Network FoundationThe EOS Network Foundation (ENF) is a not-for-profit organization that coordinates financial and non-financial support to encourage the growth and development of the EOS Network. EOS is the native token of the EOS Network, which launched in 2018. The EOS Network provides a world-class, robust, smart contract functionality that enables developers to build the best-in-class decentralized applications (dApps) easily, facilitating the open web of the future and, in so doing, powering the Web3 economy. The ENF is the hub of the EOS Network, uniquely suited for NFT, GameFi, DeFi, and enterprise applications. The organization is committed to unlocking the full potential of the EOS blockchain to drive innovation, create new possibilities, and empower individuals and communities.About EOSThe EOS Network is a 3rd generation blockchain platform powered by the EOS VM, a low-latency, highly performant, and extensible WebAssembly engine. Purpose-built for enabling optimal Web3 user and developer experiences, EOS is a go-to Layer-1 network for developers looking to build blockchain-based games (GameFi), deploy decentralized applications (dApps), and create digital assets such as NFTs. EOS benefits from a multi-chain collaboration of blockchains built upon the Antelope framework using Antelope Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC). EOS drives public goods funding for free and open source tools and infrastructure through the EOS Network Foundation (ENF).ContactLindsay Anne [email protected]
2 days ago • cryptodaily
Ripple’s XRP Rockets 20% Overnight
XRP, Ripple XRPLedger’s native token, saw a substantial overnight run attempting to hit its bullish target of $0.50 but ultimately fell short, reaching a high of $0.49.
XRP broke away from the general crypto market, recording massive gains and reaching its highest levels since November 2022. XRP, the native token of cross-border payment settlement firm Ripple’s XRPLedger, witnessed an incredible surge on Tuesday, breaking into a solo rally which yielded overnight gains of over 20%.
XRP Rides the Wave of Fed Hikes and Banking Failures
In response to the voluntary liquidation of Silvergate Bank and Silicon Valley Bank’s (SVB) collapse, crypto investors have become bullish on Bitcoin and altcoins. As one of the most prominent altcoins by market cap, XRP’s price surged on the back of the recent U.S. banking crisis and the anticipation of an interest rate hike by the U.S. Federal Reserve. The Fed’s consequent decision to inject liquidity into the economy and protect banks from collapse has been the catalyst to drive investors toward decentralization and cryptocurrencies.
XRP is currently trading at $0.44, representing gains of over 20% in the past 24 hours and 16% on the weekly chart.
Bullish Sentiment Surrounding SEC Case
XRP has also responded to recent developments in its case involving the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Analysts claim that investors have become more confident in the case’s outcome after a Letter Notice of Supplemental Authority was filed by the defendants in the case.
Attorney James Filian revealed in a tweet on March 20 that the defendants in the case sought to support their fair notice defense by referencing a separate legal case where Judge Michael Wiles of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York rejected the SEC’s argument, ruling that it was too vague.
The SEC objected to Binance.US’s bid to acquire Voyager Digital’s assets which included an asset known as VGX. The agency claimed that Voyager was an unregistered securities exchange and VGX has “aspects of a security”, to which it gave no further explanation.
Judge Wiles stated in his ruling:
I reject the contention that the Court, and the Debtors, somehow were supposed to figure out for themselves just what ‘aspects’ of the VGX token might be considered to be aspects of a ‘security,’ or just what particular activities of Binance.US allegedly could raise registration issues, and then somehow to offer evidence and legal argument on those points.
Ripple has continually asserted that the lack of clear guidance from the SEC regarding securities laws for digital assets has caused great confusion and uncertainty in the market and made it increasingly difficult for participants to understand how to comply with regulations.
A lot hinges on the outcome of the lawsuit, which is expected to have a far-reaching impact on the entire crypto asset industry, which has been stuck in confusion amid the lack of regulatory clarity.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has also managed to settle investor’s concerns after it was revealed that Ripple Labs had “some exposure” to SVB. Garlinghouse assured investors that the company “remains in a strong financial position despite its exposure to the failed bank.”
Obviously a lot is still unknown about what happens with SVB, and as is the case with many others, we hope to have more details soon – but rest assured, Ripple remains in a strong financial position.
— Brad Garlinghouse (@bgarlinghouse) March 12, 2023
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.
8 days ago • cryptodaily
Partnership Announcement: Oraichain X DoraHacks
Singapore, Singapore, 16th March, 2023, ChainwireOraichain is partnering with DoraHacks to advance the adoption of its Layer 1 ecosystem for AI and Data Economy. Over the coming months, our teams will work together on a number of initiatives to support the next generation of AI + blockchain innovations, including AI-enhanced dApps, AI Oracles, and key infrastructure.
DoraHacks is a global hacker movement and the world's most active multi-chain Web3 developer incentive platform. More than 3,000 projects from the DoraHacks community have received over $30 million in grants and hackathon prizes. DoraHacks has around 250,000 active users worldwide, with the platform offering hackathons, bounty, quadratic funding, privacy voting, and other resourceful community governance/funding toolkits. Oraichain is proud to partner with DoraHacks to attract talent and support new projects on the network, joining the ranks of 80+ major Web3 ecosystems currently using Dora infrastructures to successfully fund their open-source communities.
Oraichain’s IBC-enabled Layer 1 provides a complete infrastructure for an open data economy, providing tools for data scientists to structure data, train, test, and publish models to Oraichain’s AI Oracle and monetize with maximum transparency and inclusivity. With this partnership, both teams aim to foster innovations in blockchain and AI, leading to the creation of AI-enhanced dApps on Oraichain and AI Oracle services compatible with smart contracts on many networks.
To advance the adoption of this AI Layer 1 for the data economy, Oraichain and DoraHacks will work together to accomplish the following:
Co-Hosted Hackathons
Leveraging DoraHacks’ developer community and platform traffic, the core goal of this partnership is to promote Oraichain’s ecosystem, tech stack, and toolkits to a wider audience, attracting BUIDLers from every corner of the world to innovate AI + blockchain use cases. DoraHacks will lend its expertise to organize virtual and in-person hackathon events, workshops, and demo sessions with the goal of creating a rich and rewarding experience for all participants. In addition, both teams will work together to identify synergies with other major ecosystems, building relationships that can further expand Oraichain’s impact within the broader blockchain space.
Planning for the first co-hosted hackathon is currently underway. Details regarding the date/time, registration, judges, and prize pool will be announced in the near future. We look forward to this event with great anticipation, excited to recognize and reward the most promising innovations in AI x Web3. Stay tuned.
DoraHacks Node
In addition to providing support for upcoming hackathons, DoraHacks will also join Oraichain Mainnet as a validator, actively participating to secure the network. This action reinforces long-term commitment and mutual confidence for both parties, and to support, the Oraichain Foundation will initially delegate 50,000 ORAI to bootstrap DoraHacks’ node.
Join Us
This is a very exciting time for the Oraichain ecosystem. We look forward to welcoming hundreds of new developers and projects over the coming year, working with DoraHacks to streamline onboarding and fund promising use cases. As the relationship deepens, we are committed to exploring the many ways DoraHacks and Oraichain can work together to support talented developers. If you are interested in learning more about Oraichain and exploring AI x Web3 technologies, we invite you to join our community!
About DoraHacks
DoraHacks is a global hackathon organizer and one of the world's most active multi-chain Web3 developer platforms. It creates a global hacker movement and provides crypto-native toolkits to help developers around the world team up and fund their ideas and BUIDLs via hackathons, bounties, grants, grant DAOs, and public good staking. By far, more than 4,000 projects from the DoraHacks community have received over $30 million in grants and other forms of contributions from supporters worldwide. A large number of open-source communities, DAOs, and more than 40 major blockchain ecosystems are actively using Dora's infrastructure (DoraHacks.io) for open-source funding and community governance.
Website| Twitter|Telegram|Discord |Binance Live|Youtube|LinkedIn
About Oraichain
Oraichain is the world’s first AI-powered oracle and ecosystem for blockchains. Beyond data oracles, Oraichain aims to become the first AI Layer 1 in the Blockchain sphere with a complete AI ecosystem, serving as a foundational layer for the creation of a new generation of smart contracts and Dapps. With AI as the cornerstone, Oraichain has developed many essential and innovative products and services including AI price feeds, fully on-chain VRF, Data Hub, AI Marketplace with 100+ AI APIs, AI-based NFT generation and NFT copyright protection, Royalty Protocol, AI-powered Yield Aggregator Platform, and Cosmwasm IDE.
Oraichain | Telegram | Twitter | YouTube | Discord | GitHub | Medium | Commonwealth
ContactDuc [email protected]
10 days ago • cryptodaily
Cummuniti Looks To Revolutionize The Adult Content Industry Through Blockchain Technology
Blockchain technology is rapidly altering the manner in which we approach various industries, including the adult content sector. Having said that, users can enjoy a more stable, decentralized, safe, and anonymous platform for accessing adult content with Cummuniti, a new adult content platform introduced by the leading blockchain technology company known as CUMINU.
What is Cummuniti?
Cummuniti is built with cutting-edge blockchain technology, giving users unparalleled anonymity and safety when accessing adult content. The platform is intended to be accessible from anywhere in the world and focuses on providing a wide variety of adult content, such as images, videos, and even live streams. CUMINU is the official token for the site.
Moreover, Cummuniti's instant payments and KYC (Know Your Customer) process for creators is among its most significant advantages, allowing them to monetize their content as well as receive payments in a quick and effective way. This function, in addition to having the potential to disrupt the industry in an innovative fashion, is certainly a big deal for creators, who frequently struggle to get paid on other platforms.
In order to showcase Cummuniti’s worth, a test platform was also created and maintained by the team. They hosted 30 streamers, earned $140K in two months, and demonstrated that they know what they're doing. Essentially, Cummuniti provides users with absolute confidentiality, allowing them to anonymously discover all kinds of adult content without worrying about being judged or exposed. The platform is dedicated to offering an enjoyable and secure environment in which creators and fans can freely and fearlessly express themselves.
What else does Cummuniti offer?
Cummuniti's effective filtering system is another standout feature, which lets users effortlessly explore and enjoy new content and creators by filtering media with up to 1,500 hashtags. More importantly, unlike traditional providers, Cummuniti prioritizes creators and fans, providing a decentralized platform tailored to their individual needs and preferences.
In terms of why this matters, Cuminu's adult platform heralds a renaissance in adult entertainment, providing creators and fans with the resources they require to communicate and openly express themselves while enabling the former category to earn a profit. CUMINU also spent 8 months and 6 figures to build this world class platform, which only highlights the team’s dedication and faith in this kind of initiative.
Cummuniti will therefore disrupt the adult content industry while utilizing blockchain technology and set a new standard for privacy, safety, and overall user experience. The site provides many immersive features for creators to better connect with fans, such as individual Metaverses that creators can "go live" in. Cuminu is currently worth $5 million, and there are also other notable characteristics such as AI Chat Bots, the Cummuniti VR Metaverse, and even a marketplace, with more notable features to be released soon that can also be viewed via the roadmap.
Needless to say, the value proposition is very appealing and the sky may well and truly be the limit for this platform.
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored press release and is for informational purposes only. It does not reflect the views of Crypto Daily, nor is it intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, or financial advice.