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PayPal launches new consumer app for cryptocurrencies, savings and direct deposit

PayPal has announced the launch of a new app designed to be a one-stop-shop for all digital payment needs of customers of the company’s customers.

As Cointelegraph reported, PayPal CEO Dan Schulman announced in July that the company’s super app was ready to launch in the United States.

According to a press release on Tuesday, PayPal’s new app will give users access to all of the company’s digital financial products. The new app covers both encrypted and unencrypted use cases with a wallet tab to manage crypto payments and savings with high returns.

In fact, PayPal’s announcement included a partnership with online banking Synchrony Bank to provide a high-yield savings account through the new app.

As part of the announcement, the digital payments giant said customers could earn an annual return of up to 0.40% on their savings with the new app as part of the announcement.

Customers can also transfer earnings from their savings account to PayPal balance to use when shopping online. Other features mentioned are bill payments, refunds and discounts, as well as direct deposits. The latest feature will reportedly allow customers to receive payments two days earlier.

Related: PayPal Users Can Withdraw Cryptocurrencies to External Wallets PayPal also announced plans to add more features to the app in the coming months, including offline QR code payments and investment opportunities.

In August, Cointelegraph reported that PayPal was considering a foray into retail.

The announcement of the new client app comes just days after the company launched crypto trading for users in the UK.

Schulman has already argued that digital payments will be even more so, stating in December 2020 that the time is right for widespread adoption of cryptocurrencies.

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Coinbase Archives for Offering Cryptocurrency Futures and Derivatives Trading

Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has submitted an application to the National Futures Association (NFA) to offer futures and derivatives exchanges on its platform.

The exchange says its new offerings are aimed at “further developing the crypto economy.” Coinbase signs up to offer cryptocurrency futures and derivatives transactions Coinbase Global Inc.

(Nasdaq: COIN) announced on Twitter Wednesday that it has applied to the National Futures Association (NFA) to register as a Futures Commission Trader (FCM).

The exchange wrote: This is the next step in expanding our offering and trading of futures and derivatives on our platforms. The exchange added that its goal is “to continue growing the crypto economy.”

The filing shows that the company is registered as Coinbase Financial Markets Inc. Crypto derivatives have become a huge market and most of the major cryptocurrency exchanges offer derivatives trading, including Binance, Okex, FTX, CME Group, and Kraken.

In April, Coinbase announced the acquisition of Skew, a crypto data analytics company specializing in monitoring the derivatives market. Coinbase is currently raising funds by issuing bonds.

The company originally planned to issue senior bonds worth $ 1.5 billion. However, due to high interest rates, he increased the amount to $ 2 billion.

Coinbase has stated that it intends to use the net proceeds from the offering “for general corporate purposes, which may include ongoing investments in product development, as well as potential investments or acquisitions. In other companies, products, or technologies that Coinbase can identify. in the future. “

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Bitcoin adoption in Africa grows 1,200% in one year

The continent is the third fastest growing bitcoin economy in the world, driven by retail users looking to save and transfer money.

Bitcoin adoption in Africa has exploded over the past year, increasing by more than 1,200%, according to a report from Chainalysis.

The increase in activity in the region has been driven by retail investors who turn to Bitcoin every day to save, send remittances, and conduct peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions.

Artur Schaback, COO and co-founder of the P2P exchange Paxful, told Chainalysis that his platform has seen strong growth in African countries over the past year, especially 57% in Nigeria and more than 300% in Kenya.

In fact, Africa has the highest volume of P2P bitcoin exchanges in the world, as citizens often face banking restrictions at centralized bitcoin entry points.

The ability to buy and use Bitcoin on P2P markets without authorization has also allowed African citizens to bypass government transfer restrictions and move more funds across borders. In 2019, sub-Saharan Africa received at least $ 48 billion in remittances, according to a study by the Brookings Institute. In addition to remittances, Schaback also said that Bitcoin enables African merchants to conduct international business transactions more efficiently.

Users turn to P2P marketplaces to buy Bitcoin and pay for the goods they want to import, which is more efficient than using the traditional banking system. “If you are working with a partner in China to import goods for sale in Nigeria or Kenya, it can be difficult to send enough fiat currency to China to complete your purchases,” Schaback said. “It is often easier to buy Bitcoin locally on a P2P exchange and then send it to your partner.”

The Nigerian government has attempted to respond to the growing awareness and use of Bitcoin on its territory by announcing plans to develop e-naira, its central bank digital currency (CBDC). However, according to Adedeji Owobi, CEO of blockchain consultancy Convexity, citizens have not shown much interest and can continue to use the far superior cash that is Bitcoin. “Last week, at a Nigerian crypto users’ clubhouse, I asked the group if they would use e-naira if the central bank introduced it,” Owonibi told Chainalysis. “

The overwhelming majority of participants said no because they expect the same instability and management problems with Naira today.” Bitcoin and Lightning together have the potential to endow not just Africans, but people around the world with healthy money, financial freedom, and individual sovereignty – achievements that would actually undermine CBDC.

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Croatian e-bike company Greyp Bikes integrates payments with cryptocurrencies

Greyp Bikes, a company founded by Croatian entrepreneur and innovator Mate Rimac, has integrated encrypted payments into their online invoicing system.

Thanks to a partnership with payment service provider Paycek, all of its high-tech cycling products can now be purchased in nine different currencies. Greyp Bikes accepts cryptocurrencies for its electric bikes Greyp Bikes from Croatia has taken a new step towards becoming one of the technological leaders in the world of cycling.

The company introduced support for payments with nine major cryptocurrencies through a partnership with Paycek, the country’s leading crypto payment processor: BTC, ETH, BCH, XLM, XRP, DAI, EOS, USDT, and USDC. Recently he announced: Greyp News everyone!

Cryptocurrencies can now be used to directly purchase Greyp bikes. “Greyp has always been at the forefront of technology in the cycling world, so this was the next logical step in the development of the brand,” added high-performance e-bike maker Sveta Nedelja. The company also noted that customers could purchase their bikes using cryptocurrency before partnering with Paycek, but crypto payments are now simplified and fully integrated into the online payment process on its Greyp website. .com have been integrated. Paycek is a platform developed by Croatian financial technology startup Electrocoin. The payment processor has already helped other local businesses accept cryptocurrencies.

More than 45 Tifon gas stations in Croatia launched crypto payments through Paycek earlier this year, while Electrocoin allowed the Croatian publication to offer a crypto exchange service at their post offices two years ago. . “This decision should come as no surprise to anyone who is watching what Livno-born entrepreneur Mate Rimac does with both his cars and bikes,” commented the information portal Total Croatia in its report on Greyp’s decision. integrate payments with crypto-currencies. The Croatian businessman founded Greyp Bikes in 2013 as a sister company of Rimac Automobili, an electric sports car maker he founded in 2009.

The automaker is now partly owned by Porsche and Hyundai from VW group. In July, Porsche and Rimac announced the creation of a joint venture that will include Volkswagen’s high-performance brand Bugatti. Greyp’s integration of cryptocurrencies is not the only such example in the bicycle industry. British company Toba Electric Bikes, which sells electric bikes of the Spanish brand BH, introduced support for BTC and BCH payments and in 2019 in collaboration with the targeted trading platform Cryptophyl. launched its own utility token in SLP.

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German asset manager Union Investment targets BTC exposure for various funds

German funds and asset managers are expanding their horizons for crypto investments as the country has more favorable laws for special funds. $ 500 billion asset manager Union Investment plans to add Bitcoin (BTC) to various mutual funds as part of a pilot program targeting its institutional clients.

The Frankfurt-based institute told Bloomberg on Monday that it plans to add BTC to a small number of mutual funds that will only be available to retail investors.

For each fund, exposure to Bitcoin is limited to a maximum of 2% of total assets. Portfolio manager Daniel Bathe said the new investment strategy is expected to start in the fourth quarter, although no set timeline has been specified.

Union Investment is the investment arm of the DZ Bank Group, an institute with more than 800 cooperative banks. As of June 2021, Union Investment managed assets of US $ 507 billion, making it one of the largest asset managers in Germany.

Germany is fast becoming a hotbed for cryptocurrency investments, especially among institutional players. A new law came into effect on August 2 that allows institutional funds to hold cryptocurrencies and paves the way for greater acceptance of digital assets, including among German pension funds. Meanwhile, German stock broker S Broker recently announced a range of crypto-focused product offerings. Related: What the SEC Can Learn From the German Regulator At the retail level, Germans don’t do that well when it comes to introducing cryptocurrencies, according to a recent survey by financial comparison site Finder.

The survey of 42,000 people estimated that only 11% of Germans were exposed to digital assets. While it is superior to the US and UK, it lags far behind emerging markets and other European countries. Bitcoin comes back to attention when the first cryptocurrency rises to $ 52,000. The price has recovered to about 79% from its summer lows. The total market capitalization of Bitcoin is once again approaching $ 1 trillion.