Central Bank Governor Jameel Ahmad, a man known for his impeccable timing, revealed this grand plan on July 9 at the Reuters NEXT Asia summit in Singapore. With the flair of a seasoned magician, he announced that Pakistan is not just dabbling in the idea of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) but is actively working on it, with a pilot program set to launch in the near future. 🚀
Word has it, thanks to our friends over at Bloomberg, that Tether now securely cradles nearly 80 metric tons of the shiny stuff, making it a heavyweight champion among the non-bank, non-state gold hoarders. Who knew they were in the business of treasure hunting? 🏴☠️
Let’s begin at the beginning, as is traditional: USDC, darling of the stablecoin set, is the proud creation of Circle. Its value clings to the U.S. dollar like an overzealous debutante, refusing to budge. Traders and business folk alike rather appreciate such predictability, especially after one too many evenings with cryptos less stable than an amateur high-wire act. OKX, meanwhile—infamously vast crypto exchange—has charmed millions into its orbit. By joining forces, these titans intend to make USDC the preferred medium for buying, selling, and the inevitable paying-for-that-late-night-cab scenario.
In a tale spun like a Greek tragedy, the Hellenic Anti-Money Laundering Authority heroically traced a fishy transaction back to a wallet, which, according to the esteemed Minister of Economy and Finance, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, belonged to some “Greek platform providing exchange services.” 🤦♂️
Investor enthusiasm for digital asset ETFs remained as strong as ever on Tuesday, July 8, with both bitcoin and ether ETFs seeing a healthy influx of cash and, more importantly, no outflows. It’s like a digital piggy bank that only gets fatter. 🐷
Welcome to The Protocol, where I, Margaux Nijkerk, your humble chronicler of all things tech and protocols, serve up a fine compendium of the week’s highlights in cryptocurrency developments. Let us proceed with the weighing of scales and the opening of doors!
Oh, Bitcoin, you’re like the eternal optimist at a party that’s about to end. According to a crypto analyst, the clock is ticking on another parabolic rally for our favorite digital currency. 🕒
To the surprise of absolutely no one, these devices—one must suppose they are the Mr. Darcy and Captain Wentworth of securities—collectively enjoy some 13,345 testimonials, most bubbling over with praise. One wonders if their users would defend them to the death in a duel, were that still fashionable.
According to the ever-reliable CoinGlass data, within the last hour, traders who had the audacity to bet short on Stellar found themselves $160,090 lighter. The price surge was as sudden as a surprise guest at a cocktail party, and the broader crypto market, ever the gracious host, offered a slight upward nod in response.
On July 9th, the Hellenic Anti-Money Laundering Authority announced the execution of Greece’s inaugural cryptocurrency asset seizure, tracing the stolen funds back to the record-breaking Bybit hack earlier this year.
