Customers of major crypto exchange Binance can now purchase crypto directly using debit and credit cards via payment processing firm Koinal. 2.5% fee for buying crypto from Visa and MasterCard Binance users can now buy crypto using their Visa and MasterCard debit and credit cards, the company announced in a blog post on Sept. 25. Using Koinal, Binance clients are able to buy five cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), XRP and Bitcoin Cash ABC (BCHABC), the post notes. The London-based payment processor charges 2.5% per transaction, with the purchased assets on average taking five to 20 minutes …

If you are one of the 2.4 billion active Facebook users, the probability that your data has been leaked is around 17%, given the recent news of 419 million accounts being exposed. This means that, unless something changes, every sixth active user could lose control over their personal data. Again and again, no matter the government or the company managing personal data or how secure their systems are, personal data leaks happen all the time. But what are the fundamental problems of centralization and how can we rescue our data from criminals, greedy marketers and corrupt governments? Leaks are inevitable …

Mastercard partnered with blockchain firm R3 to develop a cross-border payment solution. According to a Mastercard press release published on Sept. 1, the two firms plan to pilot a new blockchain-enabled cross-border payment solution. The system will reportedly focus on connecting global faster payments infrastructures, schemes and banks. Multiple ways to move money Per the release, the announcement is part of Mastercard’s plans to strengthen its cross border payments network, building on its acquisition of global payments company Transfast earlier this year. The partnership with R3 is part of the payment giant’s multi-rail strategy, which sees customers choosing how their …

American financial services giant Mastercard has joined blockchain software company R3’s Corda-powered Marco Polo Network for trade finance. In a news release published on Sept. 3, Mastercard revealed its participation in the project, a collaboration of R3 and Irish tech company TradeIX that launched in 2017. The initiative provides a multi-asset class platform that offers broker-dealer services and multicurrency transactions, among other services. The company’s Mastercard Track platform for business-to-business global trade has collaborated with Marco Polo in an attempt to facilitate further development and more working capital finance solutions. Jacques Levet, transaction banking head of Europe, the Middle East …

A fiat-to-crypto exchange has unveiled a new feature enabling its consumers to buy Bitcoin and Ether using credit cards. BiboxEurope says it offers a much-needed bridge between fiat and crypto thanks to its Insta-Buy function, which paves the way for major coins to be acquired using euros and British pounds. According to the company, cryptocurrency that’s purchased using a Visa or MasterCard credit card subsequently arrives in the customer’s account within 10 minutes. Compared with fiat-to-crypto offerings by other exchanges, BiboxEurope says its fees are a user-friendly, competitive 2.9%. Other rivals in this space, such as Binance and Coinbase, charge …

Crypto lending firm Nexo has paid its token holders a total of $2,409,574.87 in dividends, reaching an annualized dividend yield of 12.73%. Nexo announced the completion of its dividend payments in a press release on Aug. 16. According to the press release, Nexo has a user base of over 250,000. Moreover, Nexo’s dividend yield is purportedly higher than every dividend-paying stock listed on the S&P 500 market index. Nexo apparently pays out its total dividend in two parts — 50% comes from the Nexo Base Dividend and the other 50% from the Nexo Loyalty Dividend. Nexo claims that its model …

Mastercard appears to be angling to enter the crypto wallet space with new job ads for blockchain and cryptocurrency-related product development. According to updated job listings from the payments giant as of Aug. 2, the company is seeking to hire for the following roles: “Director, Product Management - Crypto Currency/ Wallets, Director, Product Development & Innovation - Blockchain Solutions Architect, and VP, Product Management - Blockchain/Crypto.” A bid for the crypto wallet space? Two of the new roles — the future director of product management for cryptocurrency/wallets and future VP of product management for blockchain/crypto — will lead a team …

Instant crypto loans firm Nexo is launching a MasterCard-branded cryptocurrency credit card. The development was announced in a press release shared with Cointelegraph on Aug. 2. “World’s first” Nexo claims the Nexo Card to be the first card in the world that enables users to spend the value of their cryptocurrency without in fact spending it. In addition, the card does not consider annual and monthly and foreign exchange fees. Describing the operational concept of the card, Nexo said: “When using the Nexo Card to purchase goods and services, you actually pay using your Nexo flexible open-ended revolving credit line …

Until recently, cryptocurrency debit cards appeared to fall short of expectations. Despite many failed efforts in recent years, crypto debit cards are enjoying a second wind thanks to a surge in crypto prices over the summer. With some of the crypto world’s biggest names launching crypto debit cards, Cointelegraph takes a look at the latest updates in the burgeoning payments sector. What are cryptocurrency debit cards and how do they work? Cryptocurrency debit cards are almost exactly the same as the bank card you carry around every day in your wallet, except for the fact that you can use them …

Ethereum’s co-founder Mihai Alisie is extremely concerned that Facebook is attempting to hoodwink regulators into approving a centralized “cryptocurrency,” according to a report by Bloomberg on July 11. In an interview with Bloomberg, Alisie stressed that Facebook is attempting to get regulator approval for its yet-to-be-released virtual currency Libra by claiming that it will not be centrally controlled by Facebook, or other business giants, five years down the line. Alisie reportedly said that Facebook intends "to mislead the regulators who have learned in the last few years that blockchain is not something that can easily be regulated [...] It should …

Facebook’s Calibra digital wallet will not be available in some of the social network’s largest markets, including India, according to a TechCrunch report on June 19. A spokesperson told the website: “The libra blockchain will be global, but it will be up to custodial wallet providers to determine where they will and will not operate. Calibra won’t be available in U.S.-sanctioned countries or countries that ban cryptocurrencies.” Estimates by Statista suggest there were 260 million Facebook users in India as of April this year — far ahead of the tech giant’s second-largest market, the United States. Earlier this month, Indian …

Fintech firm Token has received a $16.5 million injection from investors including the venture arm of banking giant BNP Paribas, a news release announced on June 18. The self-described open banking platform says it will use the capital to further develop its TokenOSTM operating system — and “accelerate new ways of innovating payments with digital money and ID solutions.” According to the company, its ecosystem enables banks, customers and developers to complete transactions securely, instantly and with less friction. Token claims more than 4,000 banks have connected to its platform, with Mastercard recently coming on board as a partner. Steve …