Glassnode 
San Francisco › Adoption
Mark Zuckerberg Considers Blockchain for Data Authorization and Logins
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO and founder of Facebook, expressed interest in utilizing blockchain technology for the authorization of data, such as logins and account validation, in an interview with Harvard Law professor Jonathan Zittrain on February 20th.
Thailand › Scams
Purported Crypto Cloud Mining Ponzi Reported to Thai Police, 140 Victims Allegedly Scammed Out of $1.3 Million
Thirty people in Bangkok filed complaints with Thailand’s Technology Crime Suppression Division after they were allegedly scammed by cryptocurrency cloud mining company CryptoMining.Farm, the Bangkok Post reported.
Luxembourg › Regulation
Luxembourg’s New Bill Affords Blockchain Transactions the Same Protections as Traditional Ones
Luxembourg lawmakers passed a new blockchain bill into law, giving transactions completed via distributed ledger the same legal status as those done via traditional means.
Spain › Adoption
Autonomous Spanish Region Puts $13 Million towards “4.0 Industries” Including Blockchain
Aragon, an autonomous Spanish region, has seen its government pledge over €12 million ($13 million) to develop what it has dubbed “4.0 industries,” including blockchain, AI, and a host of other emerging technologies.
Bitcoin · Ethereum › New York › Adoption
Nasdaq Will Provide Real-Time Bitcoin and Ethereum Index Information
Nasdaq, the second-largest stock market in the world, will bolster its crypto offering with new Bitcoin and Ethereum tracking indices on February 25th.
U.K. › Technology
UK Customs Service Halts Blockchain Border Project with Brexit Looming
Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the customs organization of the United Kingdom, has said it will be postponing its work on a blockchain pilot program— instituted September of last year—until after the United Kingdom severs ties with the European Union.
XRP › Academia
Ripple Grants $2 Million to University of Kansas, Funds 29 Universities to Conduct Blockchain and Crypto Research
The University of Kansas has become one of the 29 research institutions to receive funding from Ripple.
Hacks
First Case of Crypto-Jacking ‘Clipper’ Malware Found on Google Play Store
A new form of cryptocurrency-stealing malware has been identified in the Google Play store.
![CEO of Dash: Cryptocurrency More Than a Bolivar Hedge, It’s a Way to Survive in Venezuela [Interview]](https://cryptoslate.com/wp-content/themes/cryptoslate-2020/imgresize/timthumb.php?src=https://cryptoslate.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/dash-venezuela-ceo-cover.jpg&w=180&h=94&q=75)
Dash › Venezuela › Adoption
CEO of Dash: Cryptocurrency More Than a Bolivar Hedge, It’s a Way to Survive in Venezuela [Interview]
Dash CEO, Ryan Taylor, says a few factors saw them enter the Venezuelan market three years ago, but the political situation has made their cryptocurrency a critical survival tool for many in the beleaguered country.
Ethereum › People
Analyzing Vitalik Buterin’s Statement About Cryptos that are “Centralized Piles of Trash”
Co-founder of Ethereum, Vitalik Buterin, spoke at the Blockchain Connect Conference in January about Casper CBC and Ethereum 2, but also criticized blockchains that boast their speed, calling them “centralized piles of trash” at the Blockchain Connect Conference in San Francisco.
Ethereum › Adoption
Opera Launches In-Browser Ethereum Buys for Scandinavian Customers
Opera has partnered with regulated crypto brokerage Safello to offer Ethereum buys directly from its browser-based wallet for those in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.
Regulation
Philippines Introduces Cryptocurrency Regulatory Framework Aimed at Investor Protection
The Philippines has become the latest nation to issue a cryptocurrency regulatory framework through the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA), with the Asia Blockchain and Crypto Association (ABACA) becoming the self-regulatory organization to enforce the new regulations.
Canada › Exchanges
QuadrigaCX Granted Creditor Protection After CEO’s Death Makes $190 Million Inaccessible
Following the sudden death of the 30-year-old founder Gerald Cotten, one of Canada’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges was granted an order for creditor protection in the Nova Scotia Supreme Court while the company looks to recover $190 million in investor funds.
United Arab Emirates › Analysis
Analysis of UAE and Saudi Arabia’s Government Cross-Border Payments Cryptocurrency
The United Arab Emirates and its neighbor Saudi Arabia launched a government-backed cryptocurrency to facilitate cross-border payments.
IOTA › Germany › Hacks
IOTA Community Assists in Cataching Hacker Who Stole $11 Million MIOTA
The IOTA community was able to help gather enough evidence to allow authorities to catch an alleged hacker who stole over $11 million MIOTA tokens in early 2018.
Bitcoin › New York › Exchanges
CBOE Resubmits Van Eck SolidX Bitcoin ETF After Week-Long Withdrawal
CBOE, on January 31, has resubmitted their Van Eck SolidX Bitcoin ETF application, with a proposed rule change, to the SEC after withdrawing it on January 22.
Basic Attention Token › Partnerships
Brave Browser Teams Up with Cheddar to Engage “Crypto Crazed” Users
Cheddar, a popular live-streaming financial news network, announced a partnership with Brave Software—the privacy browser behind Basic Attention Token.
Bitcoin › Adoption
Van Eck: Crypto Investors Return to Gold as SolidX BTC ETF Withdrawn
Jan Van Eck, CEO of Van Eck Associates, told CNBC’s ETF Edge that he believes many investors who sold gold for bitcoin during its climb to $20,000 are now returning to precious metals.
U.K. › Regulation
UK Takes Steps Towards Legal Clarity for Cryptos—Does Not See Utility Token As Securities
The United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) released a ‘consultation paper’ on January 23rd as part of its next step on working with crypto assets.
Iceland › Scams
Icelandic Bitcoin Mining Thief Jailed for Stealing $2 Million in Equipment and Fleeing Custody
Icelandic Bitcoin mining equipment thief, Sindri Þór Stefánsson, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison on January 17th.
Darryn is an award-winning journalist that began his career covering sports for a major national newspaper group in South Africa. Since then, he has married his interest in blockchain and cryptocurrency and looks to cover the emerging ecosystem as thoroughly as possible. He is particularly interested in the technical and economic impact of cryptocurrency.
![CEO of Dash: Cryptocurrency More Than a Bolivar Hedge, It’s a Way to Survive in Venezuela [Interview]](https://cryptoslate.com/wp-content/themes/cryptoslate-2020/imgresize/timthumb.php?src=https://cryptoslate.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/dash-venezuela-ceo-cover.jpg&w=308&h=162&q=75)
