BlackRock unveils its first tokenized fund issued on a public blockchain, the BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (“BUIDL”) BUIDL will provide qualified investors with the opportunity to earn U.S. dollar yields by subscribing to the Fund through Securitize Markets, LLC. Robert Mitchnick “This is the latest progression of our digital assets strategy,” said Robert Mitchnick, BlackRock’s Head of Digital Assets. “We are focused on developing solutions in the digital assets space that help solve real problems for our clients, and we are excited to work with Securitize.” Tokeniz ..read more

In Europe, digital finance is being driven by the adoption of innovative technologies including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), distributed ledger technology (DLT), big data and cloud computing. These technological advancements are presenting both opportunities and challenges, forcing regulatory and supervisory authorities to adapt and introduce rules to address the risks associated with their use, a paper by the the EU Supervisory Digital Finance Academy (EU-SDFA) says. The paper, titled “Digital finance in the EU: drivers, risks, opportunities”, presents the challenges a ..read more

Die Luzerner Kantonalbank AG (LUKB) ermöglicht ihren Kundinnen und Kunden seit Anfang März 2024 den Handel und die Verwahrung von Kryptowährungen. Das neue Angebot ist technisch nahtlos in das Kernbankensystem und das E-Banking (Mobile und Desktop) der LUKB integriert. Aktuell stehen drei Kryptowährungen zur Wahl: Bitcoin, Ethereum und USD Coin. Die LUKB hat sich seit dem Jahr 2020 mit dem Thema Digital Assets bzw. Kryptowährungen befasst und nach intensiven Abklärungen des Marktes und der Kundenbedürfnisse einerseits interne Kompetenz und anderseits eine eigene Infrastruktur aufgebaut, die na ..read more

Ten newly launched US spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) broke their daily volume records on February 28, 2024, totaling nearly US$7.7 billion worth of assets being traded on that day alone, data shared on X by James Seyffart, an ETF analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, reveal. The figure represents a staggering 63.8% increase from their previous peak of US$4.7 billion from their first day of trading on January 11, 2024, and demonstrates booming interest from investors in the new asset class. BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) is emerging as the clear winner, leading the group with US ..read more

PostFinance is launching a crypto service tomorrow. The new offering will enable its customers to purchase or securely store an initial range of 11 cryptocurrencies at the click of a mouse or even set up a crypto saving plan – similar to a funds saving plan. The launch aims to promote user-friendliness, transparency and attractive conditions for all. PostFinance will be the first systemically important bank in Switzerland to bring crypto trading directly to its customers. Easy access and the low entry threshold of 50 US dollars for crypto saving plans and individual orders make this service pa ..read more

Citi has announced that it has successfully completed a proof of concept on tokenization of private funds along with Wellington Management and WisdomTree. The proof of concept, which was conducted on the Avalanche Spruce institutional test Subnet, found that smart-contract capabilities could deliver new functionality and operational efficiencies, which are currently unavailable with traditional assets. These new functionalities could enable buy- and sell-side institutions to engage with distributed ledger infrastructure in a low-risk, low barrier-to-entry manner that is consistent with regulat ..read more

A new paper by industry trade group Swiss Fintech Innovations (SFTI) shares the association’s forward looking vision for the coming ten years in the digital asset industry, exploring the concept of “tokenized finance” and detailing ways and recommendations to create a financial system that’s more inclusive, transparent and efficient than the traditional financial system. The SFTI paper, titled “Vision of Tokenized Finance”, investigates the idea of a tokenized financial system, putting forward the idea of a new infrastructure for the financial services industry, platforms and applications that ..read more

In the 9th edition of the CV VC Top 50 Report, the Annual Report of the Crypto Valley, the Top 50 Report meticulously captures and quantifies the ecosystem, utilizing a refined methodology to identify the Top 50 entities. A Aligned with a commitment to providing clarity in charting this dynamic industry, it delves into venture funding activity for the 2023 calendar year, comparing Crypto Valley data to that of Global and European venture funding. The report highlights the deeper foundational factors, regulatory perspective, building blocks, and globally focused impact activities of Crypto ..read more

Das Bank-Frick-Stipendium in Höhe von 9800 Franken für den Zertifikatsstudiengang Blockchain und FinTech 2024 geht an Sven Lagger. Der Masterstudent hat durch sein fundiertes Verständnis der vernetzten Blockchain-Technologie überzeugt. Die Bank Frick hat zum wiederholten Mal ein Stipendium in Höhe von 9800 Franken für den zertifizierten Studiengang Blockchain und Fintech an der Universität Liechtenstein vergeben. Träger des Bank-Frick-Stipendiums ist gemäss einer Medienmitteilung der Masterstudent Sven Lagger aus dem österreichischen Göfis. Dem Stipendiaten kamen im Bewerbungsverfahren seine s ..read more

Notable developments occurred throughout 2023 to advance digital asset regulation, including the release of global regulatory frameworks, crypto-assets policies, and prudential standards. But despite advancements in creating a well-functioning, secure and sustainable ecosystem for cryptocurrencies and digital assets, there is still much work to be done, especially when it comes to jurisdictional equivalence, a new report by the global consultancy PwC says. The report, titled “Navigating the Global Crypto Landscape with PwC: 2024 Outlook” and released in December 2023, provides an overview of t ..read more