Blockchain as a Geopolitical Tool
CoinDesk published a news item this week that, at first, seemed pretty ordinary. Dig deeper, though and you uncover an unusual development that highlights intriguing socio-economic and geopolitical trends. To begin, let’s look at the "what, where and why". The What. A bank is implementing a blockchain-based cross-border payments system. The National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD), the second largest lender in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), announced it would introduce real-time cross-border payments using Ripple technology – a move that makes it the first bank in the Middle East to do....
Related News
According to the blockchain intelligence firm Elliptic, cybercriminals are leveraging cryptocurrency analytics to get ahead of law enforcement. Elliptic says a “blockchain analytics tool has been launched on the dark web” and the tool is called “Antinalysis.” Meet the Blockchain Analytics Tool ‘Antinalysis’ Hosted on Tor On August 13, the blockchain surveillance company Elliptic published a blog post that details how the firm discovered a blockchain analytics tool that is leveraged by cybercriminals to protect themselves. The tool dubbed....
Blockchain.info, one of the largest bitcoin wallets, has been named one of the 10 most disruptive businesses in the U.K., according to Virgin Media Business in its 20th anniversary edition of the Fast Track 100. The list includes companies with business models that are creating a new market or changing an existing market and grabbing market share from competitors. Blockchain recently reported in a blog that it is reaching 10 million wallets. This follows the release of its third version of is flagship wallet, as well as a new partnership with Coinify in its effort to become more....
The crypto market had been affected by the geopolitical issues that have arisen lately. With the Ukraine-Russia conflict still raging on, various financial markets are still feeling the heat. Sell-offs have been apparent which have led to asset values dropping. However, not all investors are deterred by the current climate. Inflow volumes show that investors […]
Bitcoin startup Elliptic has announced a new blockchain visualization tool that draws connections between several well-known dark markets and bitcoin exchanges. Called the 'Bitcoin Big Bang', the feature is part of an offering aimed at businesses looking to beef up their anti-money laundering efforts. The tool, which displays an interactive web of blockchain entities, shows how Silk Road, for example, connects to several 'Known Exchanges' currently operating. Elliptic CEO James Smith told CoinDesk the UK company intends to launch an API in July that will offer a broader range of....
A Russian payments service is testing a notarization tool based on the bitcoin blockchain as a way to assist in its customer onboarding. The tool, outlined in a blog post from startup Tierion, was developed for Pay-Me.ru, a mobile acquiring firm based in Moscow and founded in 2012. BlockNotary, which developed the app, is a customer of Tierion's, using its technology as the backend for the project. According to the post, the tool would replace an existing process for verifying Pay-Me.ru customers, who are now required to sit for in-person interviews before being shipped the firm's....