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MIT, German central bank will research CBDC privacy in new project

The Deutsche Bundesbank is the fourth central monetary authority to conduct research in conjunction with MIT’s Digital Currency Initiative.

The Deutsche Bundesbank is the latest monetary authority to team up with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Digital Currency Initiative (DCI) to study central bank digital currency (CBDC). President of the German central bank Joachim Nagel spoke at the launch of the project about challenges ahead for the digital euro.

Nagel told MIT students that the joint research will focus on designing security and privacy measures in a CBDC. The problem is that private digital payment solutions often use third-party services that gain access to consumers’ payment data, which they can use for commercial purposes. In contrast:

Nagel went on the say the current payments system does not work well. “German bank cards, for example, don’t always work in other euro area countries, even if they contain a payment scheme operated by an international company,” he said.

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Germany’s Largest Federal Bank To Offer Crypto Custody to Institutional Clients: Report

Germany’s Largest Federal Bank To Offer Crypto Custody to Institutional Clients: Report

The largest federal bank in Germany, Landesbank Baden-Wurttemberg, is planning to offer cryptocurrency custody services in the second half of 2024, according to a new report. According to Bloomberg, Landesbank Baden-Württemberg is announcing a new partnership with Bitpanda to offer crypto custody services to institutional clients in the second half of 2024. According to the report, […]

The post Germany’s Largest Federal Bank To Offer Crypto Custody to Institutional Clients: Report appeared first on The Daily Hodl.

Iconic ‘Buy Bitcoin’ sign from Yellen’s hearing nets $1 million

‘Landmark Year’ for Worldcoin As Eyeball-Scanning Crypto Project Launches in Singapore

‘Landmark Year’ for Worldcoin As Eyeball-Scanning Crypto Project Launches in Singapore

Worldcoin (WLD) has announced its launch in Singapore a week after pausing operations in three other nations. In a new company blog post, Worldcoin – founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman – says that its launch in Singapore will cap off a landmark year for the identity verification protocol. “Individuals in Singapore can now verify […]

The post ‘Landmark Year’ for Worldcoin As Eyeball-Scanning Crypto Project Launches in Singapore appeared first on The Daily Hodl.

Iconic ‘Buy Bitcoin’ sign from Yellen’s hearing nets $1 million

Taurus starts credit tokenization as an asset class for German SMEs

Blockchain tokenization provides an alternative means for SMEs to raise capital and liquidity while building diversified investment opportunities.

Teylor, a German-based fintech firm specializing in digitizing small business loans, has joined forces with digital asset infrastructure provider Taurus to turn small and medium enterprise (SME) loans into tokenized assets and provide tokenholders with monthly cashflows.

In the partnership, Teylor originates and manages SME loans through its Teylor credit platform. By tokenizing part of this credit portfolio on the Taurus infrastructure and TDX-regulated marketplace, professional private debt investors could participate in the returns through a secure blockchain-based secondary market.

Blockchain tokenization provides an alternative means for SMEs to raise capital and build liquidity while building diversified investment opportunities. In 2021, Italy’s Azimut group tokenized its first portfolio of loans to Italian SMEs through Sygnum Bank.

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Amnesty International head says AI innovation vs. regulation is ‘false dichotomy’

Amnesty’s secretary-general said the EU has a chance to lead with new AI regulations and member states shouldn’t “undermine” the forthcoming AI Act.

The secretary-general of Amnesty International, Anges Callamard, released a statement on Nov. 27 in response to three European Union member states pushing back on regulating artificial intelligence (AI) models. 

France, Germany and Italy reached an agreement that included not adopting such stringent regulations for foundation models of AI, which is a core component of the EU’s forthcoming EU AI Act.

This came after the EU received multiple petitions from tech industry players asking the regulators not to over-regulate the nascent industry.

However, Callamard said the region has an opportunity to show “international leadership” with robust regulation of AI, and member states “must not undermine the AI Act by bowing to the tech industry’s claims that adoption of the AI Act will lead to heavy-handed regulation that would curb innovation.”

“Let us not forget that ‘innovation versus regulation’ is a false dichotomy that has for years been peddled by tech companies to evade meaningful accountability and binding regulation.”

She said this rhetoric from the tech industry highlights the “concentration of power” from a small group of tech companies who want to be in charge of the “AI rulebook.”

Related: US surveillance and facial recognition firm Clearview AI wins GDPR appeal in UK court

Amnesty International has been a member of a coalition of civil society organizations led by the European Digital Rights Network advocating for EU AI laws with human rights protections at the forefront.

Callamard said human rights abuse by AI is “well documented” and “states are using unregulated AI systems to assess welfare claims, monitor public spaces, or determine someone’s likelihood of committing a crime.”

“It is imperative that France, Germany and Italy stop delaying the negotiations process and that EU lawmakers focus on making sure crucial human rights protections are coded in law before the end of the current EU mandate in 2024.”

Recently, France, Germany and Italy were also part of a new set of guidelines developed by 15 countries and major tech companies, including OpenAI and Anthropic, which suggest cybersecurity practices for AI developers when designing, developing, launching and monitoring AI models.

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Iconic ‘Buy Bitcoin’ sign from Yellen’s hearing nets $1 million

German parliament member ’staunch opponent’ of digital euro, all in on Bitcoin

European Union lawmakers anticipate the arrival of the digital euro, but German politician Joana Cotar is pushing back against the currency and fighting in favor of Bitcoin.

The European Union has been actively preparing for what it envisions as the future of money. In the past year, it finalized its landmark comprehensive crypto legislation, the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), which is due to take effect in 2024 after closing its second consultation in October. 

It has also made progress in its plan to introduce a central bank digital currency (CBDC), which is coming to fruition as the “digital euro.” De Nederlandsche Bank, the central bank of the Netherlands, has described it simply as an “electronic form of public money - the coins and notes in our wallets.”

Many local regulators are embracing the digital euro and touting its potential benefits, though not everyone is on board. In a recent survey out of Spain, 65% of Spaniards said they were not interested in using the digital euro.

Slovakia’s parliament even passed a measure in June that amended its constitution to codify a citizen’s right to pay for goods and services with cash in the face of the impending digital currency.

In Germany, one local politician is not only against the digital euro but is offering another digital solution for a financial revolution: Bitcoin (BTC).

Cointelegraph spoke with Joana Cotar, a member of the Bundestag — the German federal parliament — and a Bitcoin activist, about her take on the digital euro and why she believes in the benefits of Bitcoin.

Cotar has been outspoken on her stance on the EU’s digital monetary solution, which she told Cointelegraph is that of “a staunch opponent of the digital euro.”

She said a digital euro could allow central banks to set an “upper limit” for payments and ownership, making citizens “helplessly at [their] mercy.”

The digital Euro would also mean that each and every one of us could be totally monitored. As a convinced libertarian, I emphatically reject this. Anyone who is against surveillance and for freedom does not need a digital Euro!

According to Cotar, the Chinese social credit system should serve as a warning of the possibilities of the absence of cash and state-controlled payment systems. “I don’t want the authorities to be able to spy on our private life and misuse this data,” she said.

However, in April the program director for the digital euro at the European Central Bank, Evelien Witlox, said that the “ECB has no interest in users’ personal data.” In October, the EU’s data protection regulators issued a joint statement regarding anonymity in digital euro transactions.

Related: EU finance chief: Don’t rush digital euro before new Commission in June 2024

Cotar is using her platform, among other things, to raise awareness among lawmakers of the potential dangers she believes to be associated with the digital euro. 

While Cotar may not be on board for a digital euro, she is a champion of Bitcoin. She is behind the “Bitcoin in the Bundestag" initiative, which she told Cointelegraph is committed to raising awareness and educating members of the German Bundestag (MPs) about the potential and risks of Bitcoin.

“Establishing a formal Bundestag committee that recognizes the technological differences between Bitcoin and other crypto assets and mainly deals with the importance of Bitcoin for our society is very important for us.”

She said her initiative serves as an information resource for members of the Bundestag and helps them make more informed decisions about Bitcoin specifically.

When she explained her greater vision for bringing Bitcoin into regulators’ consideration, one major change she’d like to see is the allowance to pay taxes and fees paid in Bitcoin and using Bitcoin mining farms to stabilize the power grid.

“We need to promote the freedom aspects of Bitcoin (permissionless access, individual sovereignty) - this includes protecting privacy, ensuring security standards and preventing excessive regulation to maximize the benefits of Bitcoin.

Cotar would also like to initiate a “preliminary examination” for a legal framework that would recognize Bitcoin as a legal tender in Germany. “This includes ensuring the legal security for companies and citizens,” she said.

“We need to combat potential risks such as money laundering, tax evasion and other illegal activities associated with Bitcoin,” she said. "But without stifling innovation and the freedom aspects of Bitcoin.”

The Bitcoin-savvy lawmaker said her ideas for Germany could “easily be transferred” as a framework for other countries. She urges international cooperation to develop a blanket standard for Bitcoin and its cross-border use.

When asked if she feels similarly impassioned for other cryptocurrencies currently available on the market, her response was simply: 

“My initiative is Bitcoin only.”

On Oct. 18 he European Central Bank (ECB) has announced it will begin the ”preparation phase” for the digital euro project following a two-year investigation into the potential EU-wide digital currency. 

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Commerzbank granted crypto custody license in Germany

The German bank Commerzbank is the first full-service bank in the country to receive a crypto custody license from local regulators.

The German bank Commerzbank has been granted a crypto custody license by local regulators, according to an announcement released by the lender on Nov. 15. 

Commerzbank says it is the first “full-service” German bank to be granted this license in the country under the legal framework of the German Banking Act (KWG). This allows it to offer custody of crypto assets and will enable it to offer “further digital asset services.”

Dr. Jörg Oliveri del Castillo-Schulz, the chief operating officer of Commerzbank, said that acquiring the license is an “important milestone.”

“This highlights our ongoing commitment to applying the latest technologies and innovations, and it forms the foundation for supporting our customers in the areas of digital assets.”

The bank says its first step now is to establish a platform that is both “secure and reliable” and fully complies with local regulations while supporting its institutional clients through crypto custody services via blockchain.

Cointelegraph reached out to Commerzbank for further information on the development. 

Related: Crypto banking app Bitwala relaunches via new partnership with Striga

This development from Commerzbank follows similar news out of Germany, as its third-largest bank, DZ Bank, revealed its crypto custody offerings for institutional investors on Nov. 6. 

DZ Bank announced its new platform for processing and storing digital financial instruments. It also said it applied for a crypto custody license in June of 2023 to allow institutional investors and private customers to buy cryptocurrencies.

In September, the United States crypto custody firm BitGo received a license from the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) to expand its compliance with local regulations after three years of operating its dedicated local subsidiary.

The crypto-landscape in Germany has gained significant momentum over the last year. In March, the Deutsche WertpapierServiceBank (Dwpbank) launched its wpNex crypto trading platform that began to offer 1,200 banks and savings banks in Germany access to the digital asset industry.

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Frankfurt Stock Exchange includes crypto trading facility in strategy-2026

Deutsche Börse, the largest stock exchange in Germany, says it will accelerate the development of its blockchain-backed D7 digital securities registry and build a trading platform for digital assets.

Deutsche Börse AG, the German stock exchange headquartered in Frankfurt, has included crypto in its strategic priorities for the next few years. 

According to the strategic report “Horizont 2026”, published on Nov. 7, Deutsche Börse seeks “an expansion of the leading position in the area of ​​digital platforms for existing and new asset classes.”

The company believes that, in the long run, there is “further growth potential from new technologies through the digitalization of existing or new asset classes.” Hence, it intends to accelerate the development of its blockchain-backed D7 digital securities registry and build a trading platform for digital assets.

Related: DZ Bank, third-largest German bank, to start crypto custody for institutional investors

The digital asset platform will serve only institutional investors and facilitate tokenization, trading, settlement and custody services for securities, alternative assets and cryptocurrencies. The presentation also mentions stablecoins and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), although their status on the potential platform is not specified.

Deutsche Börse won’t be the first stock exchange to delve into digital assets trading. Germany’s second-largest stock exchange, Boerse Stuttgart, started offering its customers cryptocurrency trading in April 2022. London Stock Exchange Group is set to provide clearing services for dollar-denominated, cash-settled Bitcoin index futures and options contracts in 2024.

The Frankfurt stock exchange is in no way a novice to crypto. In 2021, its digital exchange, Deutsche Börse Xetra, listed the Litecoin exchange-traded product (ETP) from a London-based ETC Group.

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Crypto banking app Bitwala relaunches via new partnership with Striga

European crypto-banking platform Bitwala, formerly known as Nuri, is coming back after ceasing operations in 2022.

European cryptocurrency banking platform Bitwala, formerly known as Nuri, is coming back after ceasing operations and returning customer funds last year.

Bitwala is relaunching operations under its original name in partnership with the support of the banking infrastructure company Striga, the firms said in a joint announcement to Cointelegraph on Nov. 8.

As part of the partnership, Striga is providing Bitwala with “Banking and Crypto-as-a-Service,” enabling the crypto banking app to draw on its trading and card-issuing functionality, Bitwala CEO Dennis Daiber said.

Bitwala, which rebranded as Nuri in 2021, filed for insolvency in August 2022, citing liquidity issues coming amid a massive crypto bear market that was triggered by the Terra crash. The firm eventually shut down operations in October 2022, asking its 500,000 users to withdraw their assets before the year-end deadline.

“We wanted to build a bank. We had all the documents, audits, applications and approvals — the only thing missing was 50 million euros for liquidity coverage ratio and runway,” Daiber told Cointelegraph. He added:

“We had also hired ‘optimistically’ for the bank. At peak, we had 250 employees. Unfortunately, in the midst of the fundraising process, Celsius, FTX, Terra/Luna and Ukraine ‘happened,’ which caused all investors to refrain from investing. Thus, we ran out of money.”

According to the announcement, the Striga partnership solved one of the key challenges that Bitwala was facing by providing compliant digital assets and banking infrastructure out of the box “without the need to handle any regulatory burden.” Founded in 2018, Striga provides financial services infrastructure for companies in crypto and banking. The firm is incorporated in Estonia and is a fully-owned subsidiary of Lastbit, which is incorporated in Delaware, the United States.

The Bitwala app is immediately accessible in 29 countries within the European Economic Area, allowing users to buy and sell Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) with the euro using Single Euro Payment Area transfers, the announcement notes. Future plans for the platform include integrating the Lightning Network and introducing a crypto-backed Visa debit card, all of which are being developed in collaboration with Striga.

The return of Bitwala marks a major milestone in the history of the firm, which has faced many challenges since it was founded in Germany in 2015. The firm is known for partnering with now-bankrupt crypto lender Celsius to offer annual interest on Bitcoin in 2020.

Related: Crypto Biz: BlockFi emerges from bankruptcy, Worldcoin halts USDC payments and more

“Jan Goslicki, one of the original co-founders, and myself — I have known the founders since 2011 and jumped on board at Bitwala as Head of Trading in 2018 — are crypto-first, Bitcoin-minimalistic believers in the mission and vision of Bitcoin,” Bitwala CEO Daiber told Cointelegraph.

The exec stressed that Bitwala’s relaunched product is centered around the self-custodial Wallet, which provides 100% secure self-storage of users’ crypto. Daiber added:

“With this, we are going back to the roots of Bitwala 1.0 from 2015, shedding all ambitions to become a Bank or build an unnecessary complex business.”

The CEO noted that Bitwala will focus on enabling everyday usage of Bitcoin via on- and off-ramp, as well as the Visa card, which will launch later this week.

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DZ Bank, third-largest German bank, to start crypto custody for institutional investors

DZ Bank AG launches its own digital assets custody platform, built on blockchain.

DZ Bank AG, the third largest bank in Germany by asset size, has launched its own digital assets custody platform built on blockchain. According to an announcement published on Nov. 2, the platform will work with institutional clients, offering them crypto securities, such as the crypto bond from Siemens, which DZ Bank had subscribed to six months ago. 

Holger Meffert, Head of Securities Services & Digital Custody at DZ, expressed the bank’s interest in the distributed ledger technology (DLT):

“We assume that within the next ten years, a significant proportion of capital market business will be processed via distributed ledger technology (DLT)-based infrastructures. In the medium term, we see DLT as a complementary technology to the established infrastructures in the existing capital market processes.”

The bank also hopes to offer institutional investors and private customers the facility to buy cryptocurrencies, “such as Bitcoin,” in the future. To achieve that, DZ has applied for a crypto custody license from the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) in June 2023. 

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Cointelegraph has recently paid attention to the German banks’ shift toward crypto, despite the country’s strict industry regulatory regime. More and more institutions are finding ways to allow customers access to cryptocurrencies.

In March 2023, Deutsche WertpapierServiceBank (Dwpbank) took an important step with the launch of its wpNex crypto trading platform, which gives 1,200 banks and savings banks in Germany access to the digital asset industry. Asset management group DWS, majority-owned by Deutsche Bank, announced it was working on exchange-traded products of cryptocurrencies in the European market and developing other digital solutions that will give investors access to blockchain applications and digital assets.

Other traditional banks, including Commerzbank and DekaBank, are also seeking crypto custody licenses from Germany’s financial watchdog, the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin).

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