Australian Banks Ride the Blockchain After Pushing Out Bitcoin Companies
National Australia Bank and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia will be taking part in a joint project led by global financial innovation firm R3 to design protocols based on blockchain technology at the same time as the ACCC has begun investigating the banks for closing the accounts of Bitcoin businesses last month. Australia’s two of the largest banks, National Australia Bank and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, will join R3, which includes 20 other major banking groups including HSBC and Citigroup, to explore the underlying technology of bitcoin and its uses to optimize and improve....
Related News
Australian banks have advised Australian bitcoin companies they are closing their accounts, according to The Australian Financial Review. The publication has seen the letters from Westpac Banking Corporation and Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Ron Tucker, chairman of The Australian Digital Currency Commerce Association, said all large Australian banks were shutting the door on bitcoin companies. The banks sent letters to Australian bitcoin exchanges, including Bit Trade and Buyabitcoin. The letters said the banks will close the exchanges' accounts and did not give any explanation. At least....
Following an investigation, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has cleared Australian banks of colluding to deny banking services to local bitcoin companies in the country. An investigation requested by Senator Matthew Canavan suggesting the ACCC should look into the possibility of banks colluding together to close the bank accounts of bitcoin companies has resulted in the regulator concluding that the banks did no wrong, as reported by the Australian Financial Review. In response to the request, ACCC chairman Rod Sims wrote to the senator telling him that there was....
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is investigating why some Australian banks are closing bitcoin business bank accounts, according to the Australian Financial Review. The Australian Financial Review previously reported that 17 bitcoin companies in Australia received letters from banks saying they planned to close their accounts. Nationals Senator Matthew Canavan asked the ACCC to investigate the matter. Rod Sims, chairman of ACCC, said banks have been asked to explain their actions. He said the commission is also asking the banks what contact they had with each....
Australia's largest banks have ended all financial support and abruptly closed down the bank accounts of at least 17 Australian Bitcoin companies, including the Australian Digital Currency Commerce Association Chairman Ron Tucker's Australian bitcoin exchange Bit Trade. "The banks had not advised any of our members. To the best of our knowledge all, or nearly all digital currency businesses have received letters from their bank, or in many cases banks, advising of the closure of their accounts. This includes at least 17, with 13 of these closed permanently," Tucker told Bitcoin Magazine.....
Australian banks, both government funded and commercial institutions, demonstrated the tendency to manipulate certain industries and companies in order to gain monopoly over the market in the past year. The national government is closely eyeing these banks to ensure that the Blockchain market is free from excessive control. In early 2016, Australian banks and financial institutions banned bank accounts of Bitcoin without any prior notice or formal explanation. According to the banks, this was a part of a larger initiative to gain control and establish a Blockchain market in Australia. As....