Cryptocurrency exchange and wallet service Coinbase has acquired San Francisco-based startup Distributed Systems Inc., which works on decentralized identity solutions, according to an August 15 announcement. In the blog post, B Byrne, project manager for Identity at Coinbase, said Distributed Systems will help the exchange work on new ways to validate and verify identity within its plans to develop an open financial system. The blog post says: “Blockchain technology that powers cryptocurrencies offers a new way to let us all be “verified” everywhere we go on the internet, feeling safer about our interactions with others and opening the door to …

Microsoft’s cloud platform Azure has introduced a proof-of-authority (PoA) algorithm on its Ethereum (ETH) blockchain product, according to a blog post Aug. 7. The new Ethereum network algorithm will reportedly allow a “more efficient” way of building decentralized applications (DApps) for private or consortium networks, where “all consensus participants are known and reputable.” In contrast to proof-of-work (PoW) — the existing protocol on Azure — a PoA algorithm is based on the principle of approved identities or validators on a blockchain, and does not require competition in completing the transactions. The new Ethereum product on Azure is equipped with a …

UK-based service TransferGo has reportedly become the world’s first remittance operator to offer crypto trading, Bloomberg reported July 27. TransferGo now lets customers buy and sell five major cryptocurrencies –– Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Ripple (XRP), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), and Litecoin (LTC). According to TransferGo CEO and founder Daumantas Dvilinskas, the crypto trading option was launched “in response to demand from our user base”: “With over 4,000 users signing up in the first few hours we can see there is a strong demand in the market for a simple and reliable investment and trading solution.” Founded in 2012, TransferGo currently …

39 financial firms partnered with blockchain consortium R3 completed more than 300 transactions via R3’s know your customer (KYC) application, according to a post on R3’s blog June 28. R3’s KYC project involved major financial and banking institutions worldwide such as Deutsche Bank, ING, the National Bank of Egypt, Raiffeisen Bank International, and others. It also involved regulators and central banks such as the Central Bank of Colombia, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, and the Financial Superintendence of Colombia. The transactions were conducted across eight timezones in 19 countries, wherein banks could request access to customer KYC data, and …

This interview has been edited and condensed. Cointelegraph had the opportunity to speak to ConsenSys’ Ajit Tripathi at BlockShow Europe 2018 about his experience leaving Wall Street for the crypto world, what new ConsenSys projects he’s most excited about, and why crypto regulation changes from country to country. Molly Jane: Could you tell us a little bit more about what ConsenSys does and what your role is there? Ajit Tripathi: ConsenSys is a venture production studio based in Brooklyn, and now we have offices in London, in about 30 countries, including London, Paris, South Africa, Australia, and Singapore — we're …

Japan’s financial regulator the Financial Services Agency (FSA) has sent business improvement orders to six major cryptocurrency exchanges, Cointelegraph Japan reports June 22. According to press releases listed on its website, the FSA has demanded a risk management overhaul - centered on anti money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) requirements - from bitFlyer, Quoine, BTC Box, Bit Bank, Tech Bureau and Bit Point. As Cointelegraph Japan reports, bitFlyer, currently the 23rd exchange in the world by trade volume, has already begun remedial measures in response to its order, halting new account registrations and reviewing user identification documentation. The FSA concluded …

The co-founder of Irish Bitcoin (BTC) broker Eircoin accused the Banking and Payments Federation of Ireland (BPFI) of discriminating against crypto-related accounts, The Irish Times reports June 21. Dave Fleming blamed the BPFI for, “seeking to muddy the waters with insinuations of dirty money.” Eircoin, which is reportedly “Ireland’s only Bitcoin broker,” was closed in April. The firm’s co-founder Dave Fleming said they were “shuttered due to a negligent and defensive banking system”. According to Fleming and his business partner Roisin Coogan, banks also refused banking services to a new secondary consulting business. Fleming claimed that the closing of the …

U.S. Representative Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) said the initial coin offering (ICO) market needs “light touch” regulation on CNBC's Squawk Box today, June 21. When asked about cryptocurrency regulation, Davidson argued that the “big thing” the market needs is a “light touch regulatory framework” which, according to the congressman, would provide more certainty. Davidson stressed the necessity of defining the status of cryptocurrencies, pointing out the recent announcement of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that the top altcoin Ethereum (ETH) will be considered a commodity rather than a security. He added that the government still “[has not] put together” …

The Canadian government has released an official draft of new regulations on crypto exchanges and payment processors, Canada Gazette reports June 9. According to the draft, the new regulations seek to address a “number of deficiencies” that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) outlined after their evaluation in 2015-16, namely in strengthening Canada’s Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing Regime (AML/ATF). The new regulations will treat crypto exchanges and payment processors as money service businesses (MSB), which requires them to report large transactions — those over $10,000 Canadian dollars ($7700 USD) — and a new Know Your Customer (KYC) threshold set …

Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) has barred a crypto exchange from receiving an operating license for the first time, Nikkei Asian Review reports Tuesday, June 5. The regulator has now chosen to permanently deny registration to Yokohama-based FSHO, whose services were already suspended twice by the FSA this spring, over concerns the exchange operator did not sufficiently verify the identity of customers in cases of suspect transactions. The FSA has now reportedly concluded that FSHO lacks “the necessary systems to operate its business.” FSHO is one of only two crypto exchanges in Japan to have received two consecutive punishment notices …

Risk management giant LexisNexis has partnered with crypto exchange Blockbid to increase the exchanges security measures Blockbid reports on its Medium account June 4. Blockbid is reportedly one of the first trading platforms to voluntarily observe global anti-money laundering (AML) measures by partnering with LexisNexis and ThreatMetrix security technology firms. Boosting fraud prevention and know your customer (KYC) measures in respect to banks, the solution “Trade with Confidence” intends to prevent crypto being used in cases of money laundering, terrorism financing, human trafficking, and other illegal activity. According to the blog post, the newly adopted technology by Melbourne-based exchange Blockbid …

Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) has issued business improvement orders to multiple domestic crypto exchanges, Cointelegraph Japan reports today, June 1st. One of FSA’ main concerns is the exchanges’ compliance with anti-money-laundering (AML) requirements. The agency’s inspections revealed that several of the crypto exchanges under its aegis are failing to apply sufficient Know-Your-Customer (KYC) checks to confirm the identity of their users and prevent ‘bad actors’ from trading. The regulator has also raised concerns about cases where it claims that customers’ assets are not being adequately separated from those of the exchange. The regulator’s new orders have been issued to …