The Bitcoin (BTC) bull market has put the flagship cryptocurrency on par with cyclical assets as opposed to a hedge against market stress, according to analysts at JPMorgan Chase. JPMorgan strategists John Normand and Federico Manicardi say anyone betting on Bitcoin as a portfolio diversifier is putting themselves at risk. In a Thursday report obtained by Bloomberg, the strategists called Bitcoin the “least reliable hedge during periods of acute market stress.” They added: “The mainstreaming of crypto ownership is raising correlations with cyclical assets, potentially converting them from insurance to leverage.” Cyclical assets typically refer to stocks that follow the …

From refusing to bank crypto trading desks to closing accounts held by platforms, the mainstream financial sector appears to be putting up roadblocks to seamless cryptocurrency commerce. Without banking support, exchanges are often forced to depend on other fiat on-ramps to service the deposit and withdrawal needs of their customers. The apparent discrimination against crypto exchanges also goes beyond the refusal of banking services. In countries such as South Korea, banks have increased the level of scrutiny involved in renewing operating licenses for platforms. The cost of compliance for these added regulatory provisions has led to several smaller-sized exchanges exiting …

Sberbank, the largest state-owned bank in Russia, has reportedly filed an application with the Bank of Russia to launch a blockchain platform for its “Sbercoin” stablecoin. Sergey Popov, director of the transaction business at Sberbank, announced the news on Jan. 21 at a local financial event Russian news agency Interfax reports. At “Digital transformation and prospects for regulating the digital economy,” Popov said that Sberbank applied with the central bank in early January, explaining that the registration procedure usually takes no longer than 45 days. As such, the bank may launch its platform and stablecoin by the spring this year, …

Allan Flynn, a Bitcoin trader in Australia has filed a complaint against two commercial banks in the country — ANZ and Westpac — accusing both of systematic discrimination. According to a report by the Australian Financial Review, Flynn is seeking compensation to the tune of 250,000 Australian dollars (about $192,000). According to Flynn, he has been the victim of discriminatory practices with banks allegedly continuing to shut down his accounts. Speaking to AFR, Flynn lamented that no fewer than 20 banks have closed accounts operated by his exchange in the last three years, adding: “How am I supposed to run …

Custody pioneer Anchorage is the first crypto firm to see a charter from the U.S. national bank regulator. Per a Wednesday announcement from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Anchorage will have conditional authorization to operate as a trust institution nationally. The charter is the first of its kind, part of an idea of a "fintech charter" stretching back to the Obama years, but which has been accelerated under the leadership of Acting Comptroller Brian Brooks, formerly of Coinbase's legal team. Per the announcement, Anchorage's continued charter will hinge upon unique requirements: "As an enforceable condition of approval, …

The departing leader of the United States Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is convinced that the future of finance is blockchain-native, per a conversation with crypto analytics firm Elliptic on Wednesday. Described by Elliptic CEO Simone Maini as "a fairy godfather to the crypto industry," Brian Brooks has been a leading light in U.S. federal policy toward crypto since taking over for Comptroller Joseph Otting in May 2020. Today, he outlined views that follow an opinion piece he wrote for the Financial Times yesterday. Namely, Brooks took the opportunity to promote his vision of an OCC that checks …

Russia’s central bank digital currency, or CBDC, could contain a number of risks related to cybersecurity and fraud, according to several local financial institutions. The Association of Russian Banks, or ARB, has released its official feedback on Russia’s digital ruble project on Jan. 13. The study included 17 ABR credit institutions in Russia accounting for 58% of the total assets of the domestic banking system. According to the report, the majority of ARB members believe that risks associated with the digital ruble are similar to those of cashless transactions powered by banking accounts and cards, as well as cryptocurrencies. The …

In an opinion piece published in the Financial Times on Tuesday, Acting Comptroller of the Currency Brian Brooks put forward the need to reconfigure banking regulations for an age of algorithms. Brooks, who currently leads the Treasury's Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, compared existing banking regulations to traffic laws. He further used the analogy of self-driving cars for new steps in decentralized finance. "Just as the original rules of the road protected us from other drivers, so our current bank regulations exist mainly to prevent human failings," wrote Brooks. The overall tone of Brook's letter is confident that …

The dollar value of Bitcoin (BTC) jumped 20% overnight leading into Tuesday as the world’s most-well-known cryptocurrency recovered swiftly from a 27% decline suffered just days before. The broader cryptocurrency market followed suit on Tuesday, as over $150 billion flooded back into the global market capitalization on the same day. The spot price of Bitcoin jumped from $30,468 to $36,633 in a little over 15 hours leading into Tuesday morning, representing overnight gains of 20.2%. This returned a majority of the losses incurred by the coin over the course of the previous weekend when BTC's price plunged from $41,880 down …

Shinhan Bank, the oldest banking institution in South Korea, continues its efforts to introduce digital-asset custody services with a new investment. According to a Thursday report by news agency Yonhap, Shinhan Bank has invested in Korea Digital Asset Trust, or KDAC, an industry consortium of businesses that provide digital-asset custody. The initiative was launched by Korbit in collaboration with blockchain startup Blocko and digital-asset research company Fair Square Lab. With the new investment, Shinhan Bank moves closer to offering its own cryptocurrency custody business. In August 2020, Shinhan Bank announced its plans to introduce crypto custody alongside another major South …

Brian Brooks, the acting head of the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and former chief legal officer to Coinbase, has warned against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau receiving the right to grant “Fintech Charters.” Earlier this week, the CFPB’s Taskforce on Consumer Financial Law published a report featuring 102 policy recommendations intended to “improve and strengthen” financial regulations, including proposing that Congress empower the CFPB to federally charter nondepository institutions — financial firms that do not take customer deposits and collect fees for other financial services. Under Brian Brooks’ leadership, the OCC created the Special Purpose Payments …

Major Vietnamese bank HDBank has now become the first bank in the country to issue letters of credit, or L/C, using blockchain technology. According to a Wednesday report by local media outlet Viet Nam News, the issuance, document presentation and successful payment of L/C on the blockchain marks a major milestone toward HDBank’s stated goal to become a “happy digital bank.” The participants in the first transaction were a local fiber importer and a Taiwanese yarn manufacturer, along with the L/C advising bank in Taiwan. Letters of credit are important documents in international trade, providing a guarantee from a creditworthy …