Crypto Goes ‚Gold‘ as BlackRock CEO Larry Fink Praises Bitcoin

• CZ denies rumors senior Binance executives are resigning due to ongoing regulatory challenges.
• BlackRock CEO Larry Fink likens crypto to ‘digitizing gold’ and praises Bitcoin as an ‘international asset’.
• Bitwage halts USDC payments for US residents, citing ‘strict regulations’.

CZ Denies Rumors of Senior Binance Executives Resigning

CZ has denied rumors that senior executives at Binance are resigning due to ongoing regulatory challenges. This rumor was likely started due to the recent news of high-level personnel exits from other major exchanges such as Huobi and OKEx, but CZ assured the public that this is not the case for Binance.

BlackRock CEO Praises Bitcoin

BlackRock CEO Larry Fink recently compared crypto to gold, calling it a „digitized version“. He also praised Bitcoin as an international asset with a large potential for growth in the future. His remarks come at a time when institutional investors have been increasingly turning their attention towards crypto assets.

Bitwage Halts USDC Payments For US Residents

Bitwage has halted all payments made through its platform using USDC (a stablecoin) for U.S.-based customers due to “strict regulations” imposed by financial authorities in the country. The company did not specify what these regulations entailed, but stated that they were necessary in order to protect its customers from any potential legal issues arising from their use of cryptocurrencies in the United States.

Valkyrie Refiles Spot-Bitcoin ETF Application With Coinbase As Surveillance Partner

Valkyrie Investments recently refiled an application with the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) seeking approval for a spot-bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF). The new filing includes Coinbase Global Inc as its chosen surveillance partner, which would help ensure that Valkyrie’s ETF trades are compliant with securities laws and regulations.

NEAR and Ethereum Contrasting Approaches To Blockchain Scalability

NEAR and Ethereum have taken contrasting approaches when it comes to blockchain scalability solutions: NEAR is focused on sharding technology while Ethereum relies more heavily on layer 2 protocols such as Plasma or Optimistic Rollups. Each approach offers unique advantages and disadvantages when it comes to cost efficiency, user experience, security, etc., so developers should weigh carefully which solution best fits their needs before committing to one or the other protocol stack.