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Blockchain Regulation in Europe: everything you need to know

Today I want to explain you everything you need to know about the Blockchain Regulation in Europe.

Recently, in fact, the executive arm of the European Union government revealed that is working on the blockchain to “support” distributed ledger-based projects.

According to this new official press release published on February 7th, the Commission is looking for growing its efforts on supporting more projects related to the distributed ledger technology (DLT).

The European Commission is “actively monitoring Blockchain and DLT developments” and is working on exploring “DLT benefits and challenges as well as fields for application in financial services”.

Also, the official press release explained that the Commission wants to “pilot projects to foster decentralised innovation ecosystems and help reshape interactions between consumers, producers, creators and among citizens, businesses and administrations to the end benefit of society”.

A task force for Blockchain Regulation

Last year, the European Parliament also created a new task force led by the Commission, to study the blockchain.

This task force has not only the goal of studying the blockchain but also to support projects related to the ledger and studying a way for a blockchain regulation.

The European Commissioner for Digital Single Market and Vice President of the European Commission, explained:

 

“The Commission is already supporting distributed ledger tech-enabled projects (DECODE, D-Cent, MyHealth MyData). Support activities are going to increase in the coming months (e.g. Decentralised Data Management). A study will be launched to investigate how DLT can help in reshaping public services and preparing for EU specific DLT actions to address relevant EU challenges.”

Ansip also said that the Commission will collaborate with the Parliament to organize blockchain events and workshops.

“The Commission will organise a kick-off conference with the European Parliament on Demystifying Blockchain and a series of workshops to look at Blockchain developments and use case applications”.

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Amelia Tomasicchio
Japan Bitcoin Sun

Japan Bitcoin Regulation for 2017

Japan Bitcoin Regulation

Japan Bitcoin Regulation will take place in 2017 and it wants to drop an 8% sales tax on Bitcoin purchases.

This move will take effect in July 2017, according to a document published by CoinDesk.

Although the proposal has yet to be approved by senior Japanese government, an annual tax document written by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the Komeito party was revealed today. Thanks to this document now we know more details on the proposal suggested back in October by the Ministry of Finance and the Financial Services Agency.

The tax remains in place today.

If approved by the Cabinet, the plan will institute a period of grace in June 2017, with the tax exemption becoming official the following month.

The document just released is the result of discussions among government stakeholders first reported by the regional news service called Nikkei.

Local startups have already responded positively to this Japan Bitcoin regulation.

CEO of exchange service Quoine, Mike Kayamori, commented that the plan to drop the sales tax was expected, but it represents a good message to the cryptocurrency community.

Kayamori explained to CoinDesk:

“It’s a huge relief for us. Customers don’t have to pay tax for each transaction. Hope this becomes standard practice.”

This move follows a very busy year for Japan on the exchange front, as the government decided to request registration for all the companies that handle bitcoin sales within the Japanese country.

Discussions around exchange regulation began last year when government ministers tried to obtain information from exchange services.

Also, a deliberations took place last year because of the collapse of Mt Gox, a bitcoin exchange imploded in 2014, causing hundreds of millions of dollars lost by the exchange users.

Document originally shared by CoinDesk.com on Scribd. Unfortunately it is available only in Japanese language.

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Amelia Tomasicchio
bitcoin users

Uganda Bitcoin Regulation

A UN organization related to criminal justice problems published today a few details about a new meeting on bitcoin and digital currencies with the aim of a Uganda Bitcoin Regulation.

Organized in Kampala on 7th July, the meeting was supported by the United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (UNAFRI), the Bank of Uganda and the University of Birmingham Law School.

Dr. Maureen Mapp of the University of Birmingham Law School who partecipated at the event, explained to CoinDesk that the main goal of that event was establishing a basis for a Uganda bitcoin regulation.

Uganda will be one of the first African countries to regulate bitcoin.

Also, Mapp said the effort grew out of a digital currency research project realized  with the Commonwealth Secretariat that showed her how Ugandan public officials didn’t know anything about the benefits and risks of the use of virtual currencies.

“I was inspired to engage with policy makers and regulators in order to investigate whether states could develop policies and regulation that encourage innovation while protecting the private rights and interests of users of virtual currencies.”

The goal, she explained, was building awareness and creating a good basis for future discussions.

Thanks to the Ugandan central bank and UNAFRI, Mapp began to contact a few stakeholders in Uganda to put together what became the meeting held in Kampala.

Among the outcomes of the meeting is a think tank dedicated to the “technological, policy, pluralist, ethical and legal issues” about digital currencies, with the organizations and representatives who attended the July meeting.

Those involved also developed a draft for future discussions between private and public stakeholders, which was published earlier this month by UNAFRI.

Next steps will include the creation of a second meeting, set to take place on the same date in 2017.

“The legal and regulatory environment is moving towards embracing the technology so as to harness its benefits and to promote innovation,” she explained.

Source: Coindesk.com

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Amelia Tomasicchio
switzerland hero

Switzerland Bitcoin Regulation will arrive next year

Switzerland Bitcoin Regulation might arrive next year.

Recently its national railway service “have jumped on the bitcoin bandwagon”, as explained by Coindesk, so now it’s time for Switzerland to start regulating fintech and digital currency.

A few days after the Swiss railway-related announcement, as SBB decided to sell bitcoin through its network of ticket kiosks – the Federal Department of Finance (FDF) announced its plans to regulate fintech with the goal of introducing a new regulation next year.

Key elements include plans for a new kind of license geared specifically toward fintech companies and a so-called regulatory “sandbox” for experimental firms. Under the proposed regime, the Financial Market Supervisory Authority would become the primary regulator of fintech firms working in Switzerland.

In a press release, the FDF explained that it will guide more researches about bitcoin and other digital currencies and it will study the distributed ledger broader applications .

The company explained:

“The FDF should conduct additional clarifications in cooperation with the interested authorities on reducing further barriers to market entry for fintech firms, also those outside financial market law (e.g. legal treatment of virtual currencies and assets).”

During a recent speech, Ueli Maurer, Swiss Finance Minister, commented that the proposed Switzerland Bitcoin regulation would help to attract more brands – even if the nation positive attitude has already attracted the attention of several blockchain-related startups to make their home in the country.

“We assume that with the steps we have prepared and the commitment we have to the overall financial services industry we can provide a solution that puts us among the top (countries) in the world that regulate this,” he explained.

Read more here about the Switzerland involvement in the fintech sector. 

<img src="/images/SwitzerlandBitcoinRegulation.jpg" alt="Switzerland Bitcoin Regulation" height="264" width="350" />

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Amelia Tomasicchio
www.eddieseatery.com28129

Australian commission said blockchain can help governments regulation

On February 15th Greg Medcraft, chairman at Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), stated that the blockchain can have “profound implications” on how government regulates the markets.
During the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum Roundtable held in London, in fact, Medcraft commented that regulators need to better understand this technology before thinking how to regulate it.

How to adopt the Blockchain

Medcraft also said that if capital markets will adopt the use of the blockchain it will be able to improve market efficiency and the access to markets, decrease fees and help transactions transparency.
“Blockchain will have profound implications for how we regulate. We will need to find the right balance between speed of execution and streamlining of business processes. As regulators and policy makers, we need to ensure what we do is about harnessing the opportunities and the broader economic benefits, not standing in the way of innovation and development.”
Medcraft also spoke about how Australian securities regulators act, talking about surveillance of firms, products released in the market and the development of methods to involve the blockchain.
“We are working to understand how enforcement action can be taken where a transaction entered into here or overseas is recorded in the blockchain”, he said.

Australia is in the vanguard

Previously this year, the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) revealed its plans to adopt the blockchain for trades clearing and settlement.
To do so, the ASX wants to create its own private blockchain with the partnership of Digital Asset Holdings (DAH).
The first phase of this program will run at the end of 2016 and will replace ASX’s existing trading and risk management systems.
To know more about this project, you can read the full press release here.

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Amelia Tomasicchio

Bitcoin Regulation Update – 03/07/14

(BitcoinMagazine) This
week saw the outing (or not) of Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin’s alleged
inventor, who is said to have abruptly disappeared from the online
forums he was known to frequent in Bitcoin’s early days. Though the man
alleged to be Nakamoto, who was living under a different name in the
United States, denied involvement with Bitcoin, Newsweek, the
publication that broke the story, stands behind their work. The early
response from the online Bitcoin community could best be described as a
low grade form of moral outrage, combined with a dash of horror. What
seems to have upset Bitcoiners most is the fact that a media outlet was
able to identify and publicly name a person who clearly was not
interested in being identified, using little more than public
information and basic detective work. To the extent that the majority of
crypto enthusiasts value privacy, if not anonymity, the Satoshi
Nakamoto affair does not bode well.
Canada-based Bitcoin exchange Vault of Satoshi announced via Facebook on Thursday that it would discontinue
support for US customers due to an “increasingly hostile” regulatory
environment. The exchange, which connects users with others looking to
trade crypto currencies for fiat currencies, claimed to be facing
considerable difficulties complying with FinCEN’s anti-money laundering
rules, not the least of which was FinCEN’s policy disallowing the filing
of paper reports by money service businesses and the seeming
incompatibility of the online reporting system with foreign businesses.
The decision to abandon the US market entirely seems to be a fairly
drastic response to US law, which could rightly be described as overly
complicated. Vault of Satoshi is neither the first nor the only non-US
based company to face US regulatory requirements, so it isn’t clear why
it seems to be having unusual difficulty in this area.  The company’s
Bitcoin to US dollar volume on Friday stood at 280 coins as of 5:00 PM
CST, compared to 314 for Bitcoin to Canadian dollars. Under the new
policy, US traders will be unable to deposit or withdraw cash from the
exchange, but will be permitted to trade coins.
Yet another exchange, this time Canadian company Flexcoin, informed customers this week that it is insolvent
as the result of a hack induced theft and would have no choice but to
cease operations. The exchange lost an estimated $500,000 worth of coins
in its hot wallet, but a spokesman said that customer coins in cold
storage would be returned to their owners.  Flexcoin referred to its
terms of service, reminding its customers that they agreed not to hold
Flexcoin liable for theft, while informing everyone else that they were
out of luck. The operative verbiage states that “Flexcoin is not
responsible for insuring any bitcoins stored in the Flexcoin system.”
Whether this will be sufficient to ward off civil liability remains to
be seen.
Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs service in the United Kingdom has reportedly dropped
a plan to apply value added taxes to mined bitcoins and Bitcoin
exchange transactions. However, the treasury maintained in a brief
delivered to British lawmakers that the 20% VAT still applies to goods
and services purchased with bitcoins, just the same as it would if those
same goods and services were purchased with Pounds. After a careful
review, HM Treasury was more likely to have discovered the near
impossibility of taxing Bitcoin at the point of exchange or the point of
creation, than to have determined that it falls outside the scope of
transactions subject to the tax.  Merchants, on the other hand, are
already accustomed to collecting VAT and equipped with the
infrastructure both to report it and to comply with the audit
requirements of the British government. The UK has developed a
reputation in the Bitcoin community of late for being comparatively
friendly to crypto currency from a regulatory standpoint and more
accessible than US regulators.
Vietnam’s Communist government has officially banned
all Bitcoin transactions. The Vietnamese central bank announced the
policy, citing Bitcoin’s alleged role in promoting money laundering and
other criminal activity. The bank did not specify how the ban would be
enforced or what the penalties for non-compliance would be. The
Vietnamese government maintains restrictive capital controls (ostensibly
to protect the Dong against speculators), that Bitcoin could be used to
subvert. Few exchanges offer the ability to convert from Bitcoin to the
Vietnamese Dong.  However, other currencies, such as the US dollar, are
in common use on Vietnam’s streets, especially in urban centers.
Japan has announced
that it will not attempt to regulate Bitcoin transactions carried out
within its borders on the grounds that bitcoins are not considered a
currency. However, Japanese banks will be prohibited from buying or
selling bitcoins. The Japanese government also clarified that it intends
to treat Bitcoin as a commodity and subject it to the applicable
taxation regime. Japan is the home of Mt. Gox, the collapsed Bitcoin
exchange which is currently the subject of a bankruptcy filing in that
country, along with at least one criminal probe and numerous civil
suits.

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Satoshi

Regulation Of Bitcoin – The European Bitcoin Convention — 2013 Amsterdam

Regulation Of Bitcoin at the European Bitcoin Convention
Wieske
Ebbe (Dutch Central Bank), Michael Maier (Fidor Bank), Niels Ploeger
(Amsterdam Police), Joerg Platzer (Crypto Economics Consulting Group)
& Casper Riekerk (Finnius Lawyers)
Recorded By IamSatoshi

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Satoshi
Geopolitical Conflict

Cryptocurrency in Geopolitical Conflicts: An Emerging Tool

Cryptocurrency in Geopolitical Conflicts: An Emerging Tool

Cryptocurrencies, with their decentralized nature and global reach, have found a unique place in the realm of geopolitical conflicts. As nations and non-state actors seek new methods to finance their activities, bypass sanctions, and engage in cyber warfare, cryptocurrencies are increasingly becoming tools of choice due to their anonymity and ease of transfer.

Sanctions Evasion and Fundraising

One of the primary uses of cryptocurrencies in geopolitical contexts is to evade economic sanctions. Countries like North Korea and Iran, which face heavy international sanctions, have reportedly turned to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to fund government activities and purchase imports. For example, North Korea has been accused of using sophisticated cyber units to steal Bitcoin as a means to support its economic needs and fund its nuclear program.

Moreover, cryptocurrencies are also being used by non-state actors, such as terrorist organizations, to raise funds. Groups like ISIS have reportedly used Bitcoin to fund their operations, leveraging the anonymity provided by blockchain technology to receive donations from supporters globally without detection.

Cyber Warfare and Cryptocurrencies

Cryptocurrencies also play a role in cyber warfare, serving as both a target and a tool. On one hand, state-sponsored hackers have targeted major cryptocurrency exchanges to steal funds. This not only provides financial resources but also destabilizes the cryptocurrency markets, potentially causing economic disruption in target countries.

On the other hand, cryptocurrencies can facilitate the ransom payments in ransomware attacks, where attackers lock the victim’s data or systems and demand a ransom, often in Bitcoin, to unlock it. Such tactics have been used against critical infrastructure, governments, and private entities, causing significant disruption.

Challenges in Tracking and Regulation

The decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies poses significant challenges for governments trying to monitor and regulate their use in illegal activities. While blockchain technology does provide a ledger of all transactions, the pseudonymous nature of these transactions makes it difficult to identify the individuals involved. This has led to calls for international cooperation and regulatory frameworks to combat the misuse of cryptocurrencies.

Apart from direct conflict, cryptocurrencies can be used as tools of economic warfare. By potentially undermining a country’s currency, they can destabilize economies without a single shot being fired. For example, in countries facing hyperinflation, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin can become alternative currencies, which might undermine national currencies and fiscal policies.

Final Thoughts 

As the digital and physical worlds become increasingly intertwined, the role of cryptocurrencies in geopolitical conflicts continues to grow. While they offer revolutionary potential to circumvent traditional financial systems, they also pose significant risks and challenges. The international community may need to develop more robust mechanisms to manage the rise of cryptocurrencies to prevent their misuse in geopolitical conflicts while harnessing their benefits for legitimate economic activities.

This analysis highlights the dual-use nature of cryptocurrencies in modern geopolitical scenarios, demonstrating both their potential for innovation and their capacity for disruption.

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cryptodood
Gaming btc

Navigating the Crossroads of Cryptocurrency and Gaming: Risks and Rewards

The intertwining of cryptocurrency and the gaming industry marks a revolutionary era, bringing with it both unparalleled opportunities and significant risks. This convergence has led to innovative gaming experiees and opened new avenues for financial transactions within virtual worlds. However, it also exposes gamers and developers to cybersecurity threats, such as the recent malware targeting Call of Duty players, resulting in Bitcoin theft. This article delves into the dynamics at play, evaluating the double-edged sword of cryptocurrency in the gaming sector.

The New Frontier: Crypto in Gaming

The integration of cryptocurrency into gaming has redefined user experience and revenue models. Games developed on blockchain technology offer players true ownership of in-game assets, from characters to equipment, through Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). This digital ownership is not just a novel concept but a shift towards a more decentralized and equitable gaming ecosystem. Furthermore, cryptocurrencies provide a seamless way to conduct in-game purchases and trade virtual goods across global marketplaces without the friction of traditional financial systems.

Innovative Gaming Experiences and Economic Opportunities

Blockchain games and crypto-related gaming initiatives have spurred a new genre of economic activity within virtual environments. Platforms like Decentraland and games such as Axie Infinity showcase how crypto can foster a virtual economy where players can earn, spend, and invest in digital assets. These ecosystems not only enhance gameplay but also offer players real-world financial benefits, blurring the lines between gaming and economic livelihood.

The Dark Side: Security Risks and Scams

With the rise of cryptocurrency in gaming, security concerns have surged. The recent incident involving Call of Duty cheaters losing their Bitcoin to hackers is a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities present. Cybercriminals are increasingly exploiting the popularity of video games to spread malware that steals cryptocurrencies. These attacks not only lead to financial losses for players but also tarnish the gaming experience and undermine trust in the integration of crypto and gaming.

Protecting Players: A Shared Responsibility

The security of players in a crypto-enhanced gaming world is paramount. Game developers, platforms, and players themselves must adopt robust security measures. For developers, implementing secure smart contracts and educating users about potential scams are critical steps. Platforms should enforce stringent security protocols and monitor transactions for suspicious activity. Meanwhile, players need to be vigilant, using secure wallets and being cautious of phishing scams and too-good-to-be-true offers.

Regulation and the Path Forward

The intersection of gaming and cryptocurrency operates in a regulatory gray area. As the sector evolves, it is imperative for regulators to develop frameworks that protect consumers while fostering innovation. Clear guidelines can help mitigate risks, combat illicit activities, and ensure the stability of virtual economies. Collaborative efforts between regulatory bodies, industry stakeholders, and the gaming community are essential to navigate the complexities of this emerging landscape.

The fusion of cryptocurrency and gaming heralds a transformative shift in how we perceive and interact with digital environments. It offers a glimpse into a future where virtual economies are as rich and complex as their real-world counterparts. However, as we venture into this new realm, the security of digital assets and personal information remains a critical concern. By fostering a culture of security, education, and regulatory clarity, we can harness the benefits of cryptocurrency in gaming while minimizing its risks. The journey ahead is fraught with challenges, but with collaborative efforts and a commitment to innovation and safety, the potential rewards are immense.

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Monero, Coin, Bitcoin

Monero Community Defends Privacy in the Face of Mordinals’ Scrutiny

The Monero community, renowned for its unwavering commitment to privacy and security, has recently found itself under scrutiny from a group of critics known as Mordinals. These critics have voiced concerns about the alleged misuse of Monero’s privacy features for illicit activities, sparking a heated debate within the cryptocurrency community. Despite the criticisms, the Monero community remains resolute in their stance, emphasizing privacy as an essential human right and defending the integrity of Monero as a decentralized, censorship-resistant digital currency. As the controversy deepens, the clash between privacy advocates and those demanding increased transparency raises important questions about the role of privacy in the digital age.

Privacy as a Cornerstone of Monero 

Monero, often hailed as the leading privacy-centric cryptocurrency, has garnered a dedicated following due to its robust focus on user anonymity. Through the use of advanced cryptographic techniques such as ring signatures, confidential transactions, and stealth addresses, Monero ensures that transactional details, including sender, recipient, and transaction amount, remain shielded from prying eyes. Critics argue that this privacy-centric approach facilitates illicit activities, but the Monero community vehemently rejects these claims. They contend that privacy is not synonymous with criminal intent, but rather an inherent right that should be safeguarded to protect individuals’ financial information from indiscriminate surveillance or exploitation.

Monero’s Community Responds to Mordinals’ Concerns 

The Monero community has risen to the challenge of addressing the accusations put forth by the Mordinals. Supporters of the cryptocurrency assert that privacy is a frequently misunderstood concept, often wrongly associated with illicit deeds. They stress that privacy is a multifaceted notion that extends beyond the realm of cryptocurrencies, manifesting in various aspects of daily life, including communication, finance, and personal affairs.

In response to the concerns raised by the Mordinals, Monero advocates maintain that the same privacy features that enable illicit use also empower law-abiding individuals. They highlight how Monero’s privacy protections can benefit marginalized communities, political dissidents, journalists, and others who rely on confidential financial transactions to protect their safety and well-being.

Moreover, the Monero community underlines that the transparency of blockchain technology allows for the detection of illicit activities when necessary. Law enforcement agencies have developed sophisticated tools to analyze blockchain data and identify patterns that indicate potential criminal behavior. Monero’s privacy features do not render it impervious to investigation; instead, they provide a crucial layer of protection for users’ financial privacy by default.

Preserving Financial Privacy as a Fundamental Right 

As explained before, for the Monero community, financial privacy is a fundamental human right that should not be compromised. They argue that in an increasingly digitized world, individuals must have control over their financial data and be able to decide who has access to it. With the proliferation of data breaches, identity theft, and intrusive surveillance, the need for robust privacy protections has become more apparent than ever.

The Monero community  firmly believe that privacy encourages free expression, fosters innovation, and ensures individuals’ autonomy over their personal finances. By preserving financial privacy, they contend, Monero and other privacy-centric cryptocurrencies enable financial inclusivity and empower individuals to reclaim control over their economic lives. While the debate surrounding privacy and cryptocurrencies rages on, the Monero community remains steadfast in its commitment to privacy as a fundamental right. They strive to preserve the integrity of Monero and promote a future where individuals can transact securely and privately.The clash between privacy advocates and those calling for increased transparency raises crucial questions about the balance between privacy and regulation in the digital age. While it is important to address concerns regarding potential illicit activities, it is equally important to recognise the broader implications of eroding privacy rights.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Monero community remains unwavering in their defense of privacy amidst scrutiny from the Mordinals. They assert that privacy is not only compatible with legitimate financial transactions but is essential for individual autonomy and the protection of personal information. As discussions surrounding privacy and cryptocurrencies evolve, finding common ground between privacy advocates and regulatory concerns will be vital in shaping a future where both financial integrity and personal freedom are respected. The Monero community stands at the forefront of this conversation, advocating for privacy as a cornerstone of digital currencies and emphasizing the importance of preserving privacy rights in the digital age.

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