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Hong Kong is a Step Closer to Legalizing Retail Crypto Trading – Report

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Hong Kong is truly making moves that can help define it as a thriving hub for all crypto-related activities within the region.

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According to a report from Bloomberg citing unnamed sources, the City’s top financial regulator, the Securities and Financial Commission (SFC) is set to permit to relisting of Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) in exchanges that permit retail traders.

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The news that the Hong Kong SFC is considering a divergent crypto regulatory framework was first unveiled by Elizabeth Wong, Head of Fintech at the SFC as reported by Blockchain.News earlier this week. According to Wong, new allowances will be made for retail crypto traders, marking a move away from the earlier stance instituted in 2018 that sees only institutional traders with $1 million in capital trade the nascent asset class.

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The timeline for announcing the new regulatory frameworks is yet unknown, however, speculations abound that the SFC will make its plans known at a fintech conference that is billed to start on Monday. Hong Kong has lost its luster as the preferred destination for most mainstream crypto companies and veterans.

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With the new move, the city is looking to backtrack on its stance, thus creating an environment whereby it can compete with other countries including Singapore. With the speculation about the new crypto regime growing stronger, sentiments from stakeholders is still largely skeptical as many believe China’s influence might still be a drawback for the firm.

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“The kind of conversations I’ve had was that people still fear there’ll be a very strict licensing regime,” said Leonhard Weese, co-founder of the Bitcoin Association of Hong Kong. “Even if they’re able to deal directly with retail users, they’re still not going to be as attractive or as competitive as overseas platforms.”

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The crypto ecosystem is gaining massive traction with the UK Government making impressive strides to regulate the industry. The SFC as well as other promising nations are not slacking on this trend and are ready to do all they can to provide an enabling environment for all actors.

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Image source: Shutterstock



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Musk Requests Dismissal of $258 Billion Dogecoin Pyramid Scheme Lawsuit

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Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, is facing a $258 billion lawsuit accusing him of operating a pyramid scheme to promote the popular cryptocurrency Dogecoin (DOGE). However, Musk and his legal team are now pushing to have the lawsuit dismissed, stating that the allegations are baseless and lacking in evidence.

The lawsuit was filed by a group of Dogecoin investors in June 2022, who claimed that Musk had used his enormous social media influence to artificially inflate the price of DOGE, causing them to suffer significant financial losses when the cryptocurrency’s value subsequently plummeted. The investors also accused Musk of manipulating the cryptocurrency market to his own advantage, calling his actions a “dogecoin hustle.”

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However, according to a Reuters report from April 1, Musk’s lawyers have now requested that the lawsuit be dismissed on the grounds that it is a “fanciful work of fiction” with no factual basis. The hearing took place on March 31 in Manhattan’s federal court, where Musk’s legal team argued that the investors’ claims were entirely without merit and should be thrown out.

This is not the first time that Musk has faced legal action related to his involvement with cryptocurrencies. In 2018, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) fined him $20 million for allegedly misleading investors with tweets about taking Tesla private. The SEC also required Musk to step down as the chairman of Tesla’s board of directors.

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Despite the legal challenges, Musk remains a high-profile figure in the world of cryptocurrencies, and his social media posts about DOGE and other digital assets continue to garner significant attention from both fans and detractors alike.

In recent years, Musk has publicly expressed his support for cryptocurrencies, particularly DOGE, which he has referred to as “the people’s crypto.” However, his statements have also been criticized for their potential to influence the market and create volatility.

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Despite the controversy surrounding Musk’s involvement with cryptocurrencies, many investors and traders remain bullish on DOGE and other digital assets, viewing them as a potentially lucrative investment opportunity. Whether the lawsuit against Musk will ultimately be successful remains to be seen, but it is clear that the world of cryptocurrencies continues to be a hotbed of legal and regulatory challenges.



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Terra’s Partnership with Washington Nationals Raises Eyebrows

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Baseball fans attending the opening day of the Major League Baseball (MLB) season at Nationals Park in Washington D.C. were greeted with an unexpected sight – the prominent display of Terra, the cryptocurrency ecosystem that collapsed in May 2022. A Twitter user who attended The Washington Nationals’ home opener against the Atlanta Braves on March 30 shared an image of Terra prominently displayed on a banner with the slogan, “a decentralized economy needs decentralized money.”

While some attendees were intrigued by the appearance of Terra, others were left questioning the wisdom of the partnership between Terra and the Washington Nationals. One Twitter user noted that the Terra Club, a VIP pre-game venue experience, was located behind home plate at Nationals Park, with “a big sign in left center” promoting Terra.

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The partnership between Terra and the Washington Nationals had been in effect since February 2022, just months before Terra’s collapse. The Terra community had committed $38.2 million in TerraUSD (UST) over five years to secure the deal. Terra’s founder, Do Kwon, proposed the partnership through the community’s governance platform.

However, the timing of the collapse of Terra has left some investors in the cryptocurrency wondering if they will ever see a return on their investment. In May 2022, Terra’s price plummeted, wiping out billions of dollars in market value. The collapse was attributed to a combination of factors, including a lack of transparency, poor risk management, and overreliance on leverage.

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Adding to the uncertainty surrounding Terra is the arrest of its founder, Do Kwon. Kwon is currently in police custody in Montenegro and is reportedly facing harsh conditions in the penal system. According to an unnamed criminal defense lawyer cited in a March 29 Protos report, the conditions at Montenegro’s jails and prisons “haven’t changed” from those described in a 2020 human rights report by the United States State Department. The report cited a 2015 case in which prison officers were convicted of torturing and “inflicting grievous bodily harm” on 11 inmates.

Despite the collapse of Terra and the arrest of its founder, the partnership with the Washington Nationals remains in effect. The prominent display of Terra at Nationals Park raises questions about the wisdom of partnering with a cryptocurrency ecosystem that has experienced such a dramatic collapse. It also highlights the potential risks associated with investing in cryptocurrencies, which remain largely unregulated and subject to extreme volatility.

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In conclusion, the appearance of Terra at Nationals Park during the Washington Nationals’ home opener on March 30 has drawn attention to the cryptocurrency ecosystem’s collapse and its partnership with the baseball team. While some attendees were intrigued by Terra’s message of “decentralized money,” others were left questioning the wisdom of partnering with a company that has experienced such a dramatic collapse. The arrest of Terra’s founder, Do Kwon, and the potential risks associated with investing in cryptocurrencies underscore the need for caution when investing in these emerging technologies.



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Bermuda Remains Committed to Crypto Despite FTX Collapse

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Bermuda’s Premier and Finance Minister, Edward Burt, has affirmed the territory’s commitment to digital assets and blockchain technology, despite the collapse of crypto exchange FTX in nearby Bahamas in November 2022. Burt believes that the future of finance is digital, and there are still considerable benefits to be gained from these technologies. He noted that regulations in Bermuda have a minimal impact on the territory, and the regulations are clear and won’t change for any company.

Bermuda, a self-governing territory with a parliamentary government, was one of the first places to implement a regulatory framework for digital assets. It is just 915 miles away from the Bahamas, where FTX once operated, and Burt reportedly faced intense political pressure before the exchange’s failure as it chose the Bahamas instead of Bermuda for its headquarters. However, according to Burt, the latest events in the crypto industry had a minimal impact on the territory thanks to its regulations.

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Burt recently met with United States lawmakers and government officials in Washington to discuss common standards for digital assets, as well as topics related to Bermuda’s finance and insurance sectors. He believes that regulators worldwide must work together to provide clarity for emergent technologies.

Despite the challenges, Bermuda continues to show a strong interest in digital assets. The territory recently released its first stablecoin, powered by the Polygon blockchain, in December 2022. The stablecoin focuses on enabling real-time settlements using a stablecoin with a 1:1 peg to the U.S. dollar.

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Bermuda’s regulatory framework for digital assets has made it an attractive destination for crypto and blockchain companies. The territory’s government is actively encouraging companies to set up shop there and has implemented measures to streamline the registration process. In addition to the regulatory framework, Bermuda has a strong infrastructure, including high-speed internet, and skilled professionals in finance and technology.

Burt’s affirmation of Bermuda’s commitment to digital assets and blockchain technology is a positive sign for the crypto industry, which has faced significant regulatory challenges in recent years. The territory’s stable regulatory framework and commitment to innovation demonstrate that there are places where crypto and blockchain companies can thrive while adhering to regulations.



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