Constellation Industry News Update 1/14/19

Dear Constellation Community,

It’s a new week, and naturally there are lots of new happenings in the space to mention in our Industry News Update. Read on for a round up of stories surrounding  blockchain, DLT and crypto from around the web.

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Tech News

South Korea Supports Blockchain With Tax Credit – South Korea has continued its progressive stance towards cryptocurrency and the innovation it offers for fintech by providing tax incentives for blockchain development.

NYC Launches Blockchain Center As Demand for Blockchain-Related Professionals Soars – Launched by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), the Manhattan-based, public-private NYC Blockchain Center will offer everything from coding classes to lectures that will be open to the general public.

Vermont State Government Launching Blockchain Insurance Pilot – The state government announced Friday that the Office of the Vermont Secretary of State and the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation have signed a memorandum of understanding to conduct the pilot that will examine the tech’s potential in digital recordkeeping and registration and regulatory processes. 

Crypto News

Unique Bitwise Bitcoin ETF Is Filed For Approval With The SEC – Bitwise Asset Management, a crypto startup that pioneered the world’s first cryptocurrency index fund is now gunning to launch the world’s first Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF).

US State of Wyoming Passes Two New Blockchain, Crypto-Related Bills – The new house bills aim to foster a regulatory environment conducive to cryptocurrency and blockchain innovation.  

Thai SEC Approves 4 Cryptocurrency Exchanges, Opens The Door For Compliant Digital Assets In Thailand –  A total of seven blockchain-based enterprises applied for such a license. The four that received approval were the following: Bitcoin Co., Ltd.; Bitkub Online Co., Ltd.; Satang Corporation Limited; and Coins TH Company. While other parts of Asia remain hesitant to establish a clear regulatory framework for digital assets, Thailand has taken numerous steps to provide clear guidance and attract businesses throughout Asia and beyond.

Investor News

New Crypto Wallet May Spark Wall Street Interest – A leading digital asset exchange, Seed CX, aimed at institutional investors, has recently revealed their unique segregated wallet solution, which features on-chain settlement.

Authenteq raises $5 million for blockchain identity verification – The funding for the Reykjavik, Iceland-based company was led by Draper Associates and Capital300. The company said it completed its funding round in two weeks.

Blackmoon and Plato Technologies Forge Strategic Partnership to Facilitate Launching of New ‘On-the-fly’ ETx’s – The On-The-Fly ETx’s  aim is to provide investors with direct access to Plato’s real-time strategies.

Use Cases

HSBC banks on blockchain to finesse forex trades – The London-headquartered bank, a heavy-hitter in forex dealing, has processed more than 3m FX transactions worth $250bn using blockchain technology in the past year.

University of Bahrain Will Issue Diplomas on the Blockchain Employing Blockcerts – MIT has also started to issue diplomas on the blockchain through its Blockcerts platform in an attempt to distribute academic credentials while ensuring tamper-resistance and immutability.

Blockchain Is Seeding Agriculture Revolution – The National Farmers’ Federation of Australia recently launched its ‘2030 Roadmap’ for agriculture and identified blockchain as a key technology in changing the way goods are certified, processed and delivered, and there are some significant initiatives already underway.

Major Spanish Energy Company to Use Blockchain in Renewable Energy Tracking – Spain’s major energy company, Iberdrola, has started using blockchain to track renewable energy. During the pilot, Iberdrola monitored the renewable energy delivered from two wind farms and one power station to banks’ offices located in Basque Country and the southern city of Cordoba.

WTF

Crypto Goes Narcos as Escobar Estate Launches New Stablecoin ICO – An ICO for a dollar pegged stablecoin has been launched by Escobar’s elder brother, Roberto in an effort to impeach US president Donald Trump.

 

That’s it for this week. See you all next time!

Sincerely,

The Constellation Team

 

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