Good morning! 

The crypto markets reported mixed performances today with majority of the top 20 cryptocurrencies recording moderate gains or losses in the last 24h. The total market cap remained stable and is hovering  around USD 134 billion over the last 24h. The trading still continues to be robust and in a USD 29 billion range. The market breadth in top 100 was neutral with an advance to decline ratio of 44/56. In the top 100, WAX  was the best performer with a +20.0% jump as it teamed up with Z1BR to give away thousands of exclusive, limited-editions skins. WAX was followed by Bitcoin Diamond (+13.6%) and PIVX (+12.2%). Bitcoin and Ether were marginally down at USD 3,908 and USD 133 respectively while XRP improved +1.0% to USD 0.3132 in the last 24h. 

In a boost to blockchain adoption, the New York Times, the second-largest newspaper in the U.S. by circulation is reportedly planning to experiment with blockchain technology even as the U.S. Department of the Treasury added a Moscow-based bank, Evrofinance, to the Specially Designated Nationals list, as it was the primary international bank that helped finance disputed Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro’s failed petro project. In regulatory development, the central bank of Mexico has published rules on crypto assets that put crypto exchanges in a catch-22 type of situation stating that they would not authorize any cryptocurrency to be offered by regulated financial companies while the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS), a supranational banking watchdog, has warned banks stating that the growth of crypto assets pose a threat to banks and global financial stability, despite very limited direct exposures and laid down the guidelines for banks that plan to enter the cryptocurrency market recommending, as a minimum requirement, banks should improve their risk management and disclosure processes to reduce risk. The research conducted by the team at Hard Fork, has found that China has the most blockchain patents with 790 approved patetns in the world despite the fact that cryptocurrencies are banned there. United States is in the second position with 762 while Europe seems to be trailing behind in this regard as the United Kingdom is the only European nation in the top 10 with 26 patents. Separetely, a new report made by PwC’s Strategy with help from the Swiss Crypto Valley Association, affirms that there is no fundamental difference between ICOs and STOs but they are known to be more mature and regulated ways of getting funds, especially as they determine that their tokens are securities.

Have a great day!
Your Blocksmatter Team

24h Top & Worst Performer

Crypto-Market News

Upcoming & Ongoing ICO's

Good morning! 

The crypto markets are in the green today with majority of the top 100 cryptocurrencies recording average gains between 2-4% in the last 24h. The total market cap improved +1.9% and is hovering between USD 133-134 billion over the last 24h while trading volume came in a USD 30 billion range. The market breadth in top 100 was robust with an advance to decline ratio of 91/9. In the top 100, Crypto.com Chain continues to shine with a +59.4% pop as it went on to an exchange listing spree. After listing on Bittrex, the project announced that Indodax would start offering CRO-enabled trading pairs on its platform from March 14. Crypto.com Chain was followed by Maximine Coin (+32.0%) and Zcoin (+29.7%). Bitcoin and Ether gained +1.0% each to USD 3,908 and USD 133 respectively while XRP improved marginally to USD 0.3099 in the last 24h. A Swiss investor and a former crypto skeptic, Marc Faber, who predicted the 1987 stock market crash and the Great Recession just bought his first Bitcoin and told that he now finds the price of BTC attractive after its fall from nearly USD 20,000. He believes Bitcoin could become an effective global currency, but warns people should only invest what they can afford to lose.

After the launch of crypto custodial services by Fidelity, IBM has entered into the cryptocurrency custody space with Shuttle Holdings, a New York investment firm, which will launch the beta version of a custody solution for digital assets built on IBM’s private cloud and encryption technologies for potential users while Opera is getting ready to launch a new Opera Тouch web browser with built-in crypto storage which iPhone users can soon try to store digital money. Furthermore, the Thailand Securities and Exchange Commission has reportedly authorized the first ICO portal that allows to screen ICOs, perform due diligence, confirm smart contract source codes and conduct KYC procedures while the Central Bank of Russia wants to set an annual limit for so-called “unqualified investors” that want to purchase digital assets with amendmend of the “On Digital Financial Assets” Crypto bill that recently passed its second reading at Russia’s parliament. German’s Free Democratic Party (FDP) has argued that regulators and lawmakers have thus far failed to create a workable legal framework that would provide legal certainty for applications of blockchain technology whereas US SEC Chairman Jay Clayton confirmed that cryptocurrencies like Ethereum and other tokens of similar characteristics did not fall within the securities category under SEC standards in an official response to US House Reprensetative Ted Budd, who requested a formal pronouncement from the commission asking to clarify certain positions regarding cryptocurrencies.

Have a great day!
Your Blocksmatter Team

24h Top & Worst Performer

Crypto-Market News

Upcoming & Ongoing ICO's