eBay and Airbnb consider crypto payments, EU postpones cryptocurrency regulation, and Ukraine issues NFTs instead of airdrop. These stories and more this week in crypto.
eBay Considers Crypto Payments
Leading e-commerce marketplace eBay may soon integrate crypto payments, CEO Jamie Iannone has said. The company has been looking to integrate crypto payment options for some time, as EBay wants to be the market for Gen Z and Millennials. An official announcement could be made at its next Investor Day.
EU postpones vote on crypto regulation
The European Parliament has postponed its vote on the proposed regulatory package for crypto assets after a leaked draft drew criticism for including a provision to ban the use of cryptocurrencies for energy reasons. Originally proposed in September 2020, the European Parliament was due to vote on the long-awaited framework on February 28.
Ukraine accepts $5 million DOT donation
Polkadot founder Gavin Wood has pledged to donate $5 million to Ukraine’s fight against Russia, if the country’s government releases an address to accept the Polkadot blockchain’s native DOT token . Ukraine quickly accepted the offer and posted a Polkadot wallet address on Twitter with a message that the people of Ukraine are grateful for the support and donations from the global crypto community.
Airbnb seeks to support crypto payments
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky mentioned that the company has been thinking about cryptocurrency for some time. Chesky said that when he asked users on Twitter what Airbnb should launch, the number one response was to add crypto payments. He personally supports the idea of ​​cryptography and considers it a really interesting technology.
Citadel CEO Prepares for Bitcoin
Ken Griffin – the founder and CEO of investment firm Citadel – was once one of the biggest critics of cryptocurrency. Nevertheless, he recently admitted that he was wrong about the asset class. Griffin said that while not completely sold on crypto yet, Citadel, the hedge fund managing more than $35 billion, can no longer ignore the space.
Bitconnect founder charged in US
The founder of the $3.4 billion crypto Ponzi scheme Bitconnect has been indicted in the United States. The 36-year-old Indian man is accused of misleading investors by stating that the scheme was capable of generating substantial profits and guaranteed returns using the Bitconnect Trading Bot. If convicted on all counts, he faces a maximum sentence of 70 years in prison.
Swiss town embraces crypto
Bitcoin and USD tether (USDT) will become “de facto legal tender” in the city of Lugano in southern Switzerland as the city partners with Tether to become the bitcoin capital of Europe. In addition to BTC and USDT, the local payment token luga will also be accepted by businesses and the public sector in the city.
Ukraine Chooses NFTs Over Airdrop
The Ukrainian government announced that it would airdrop the donated cryptocurrencies to the country’s official wallet, but after careful consideration, Ukraine decided to cancel the airdrop. The country’s Deputy Prime Minister revealed that Ukraine would instead announce NFTs to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This is another way Ukraine has used blockchain technology to support its fight against Russia.
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That’s what happened this week in crypto, see you next week.