A crypto payments gateway says that it now makes it easy for online merchants in Africa to accept Bitcoin at the checkout. Paychant says its tool can be easily integrated into websites, WooCommerce, Magento, PrestaShop and an array of other online stores with a single line of code. This gives retailers access to a growing number of consumers who want to pay using cryptocurrencies. According to Paychant, its infrastructure is simple, secure and convenient — and is geared toward small and large businesses alike. Nonprofit organizations can also accept crypto donations with ease. Customizable widgets are offered that can be …

The world runs on consumer spending and consumer saving. It is everyday people who actually power the most important parts of the global economy and the global financial system. For consumers, this system runs through their retail bank. It is where most people save, spend and pay their taxes. This is the battleground for the coming fight: the battle for global consumer deposits. Make no mistake, this will be the fight of the century. It will change the shape of the world more fundamentally than the internet has already. The internet was about information. DeFi is about capital — and …

An app says it offers crypto rewards for shoppers who make purchases at some of the world’s best-known e-commerce platforms — including eBay, Amazon, Lazada, Best Buy and Nike. Inevitably, one of the downsides of indulging in a little bit of retail therapy every now and again means that you’re left with less cash after splashing out on a brand-new pair of jeans or some headphones. Social Good Foundation Inc., the operating company behind SocialGood, says that it aims to change the status quo — and end a vicious cycle that means many everyday consumers struggle to amass savings, irrespective …

Christopher Hui, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury has defended the recent proposal by the city’s Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau to ban retail crypto trading. In a speech delivered at StartmeupHK virtual fintech summit on Thursday, Hui said that the proposal was in line with the government’s plan to properly police the emerging crypto market. As previously reported by Cointelegraph, the FSTB issued a proposal after months of consultation, calling for a ban on retail crypto trading and the establishment of a strict regulatory regime for cryptocurrency exchanges. As part of the proposal set to …

Crypto-asset trading firm Voyager Digital has announced financial results for the first three months of 2021 — the third quarter of its fiscal year — and they are impressive. The retail crypto trading and yield platform reported another record quarter, with momentum continuing into the current quarter. Total revenue for the period came in at $60.4 million, a more than 16x increase from $3.6 million over the previous quarter. The company ended the quarter with an operating profit of $30 million and an adjusted working capital of $197 million. It was the firm’s first-ever quarter of operating profit, Voyager said …

Hong Kong regulators have moved to ban retail trading in Hong Kong after months of intense speculation about a likely prohibition. According to a report by Reuters on Friday, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau of Hong Kong has released the results of its consultation on a possible retail crypto trading ban, which began back in November 2020. As part of its conclusions, Hong Kong’s FSTB called for a comprehensive licensing regime for crypto exchanges while restricting trading only to qualified investors. Per Hong Kong law, only individuals with portfolios worth 8 million Hong Kong dollars (about $1 million) …

Shopping using cryptocurrencies is a hot-button topic right now — but how do you find the keys to the kingdom of crypto e-commerce? Here, Cointelegraph talks to Shopping.io CEO Arbel Arif about his vision for the future, the milestones that have been achieved since the platform launched six months ago, and the high-profile partnerships that have been instrumental for the site’s success. 1. Hello! Can you describe Shopping.io in a nutshell? Shopping.io is the bridge between crypto and retail. We are the leading provider of mainstream e-commerce solutions in crypto. We are the only company that offers you the ability …

Cryptocurrency price corrected sharply today, including Ether (ETH), but this is a short-term move which is not reflective of the more macro-level events which still paint a bullish picture for assets like Ether and Bitcoin. In the last 30 days, Ether price gained 96%, moving from $2,138 to $4,200 on May 11. Normally the assumption would be that every trader is consumed with euphoria and this would be seen in the funding rate reaching record highs on Ether futures contracts but at the moment this is not the case. The funding rate appears to have flatlined on April 18 and …

Since the start of 2021, Dogecoin (DOGE) has sat in the spotlight as its growing community of retail and business-class level supporters have orchestrated a coordinated push to send the popular meme-coin to the $1 level. Most recently, DOGE pulled off a 10x gain as it rallied to $0.74 in the past week. The breakout was fueled mainly by Tesla CEO Elon Musk and his constant mentions of the token on social networks and interviews. Surprisingly, as Musk debuted on Saturday Night Live on May 8, Dogecoin price corrected by 42% even as Musk, his mother, and SNL actors mentioned …

The era of American banks regarding cryptocurrencies as evil might be coming to an end. According to a report by CNBC on Wednesday, New Digital Investment Group has inked a partnership with fintech staple Fidelity National Information Services, better known as FIS, to provide a framework for United States banks to offer crypto trading services to their customers. Patrick Sells, bank solutions chief at NYDIG, told CNBC that several banks have already signed up for the program, with the majority being smaller financial institutions. However, Sells also added that the company is in talks with major U.S. banks to participate …

Retail trading app Robinhood has appointed Christine Brown as the chief operating officer of its crypto division. The company announced the appointment in a statement on its website on Thursday. Brown, who is the current vice president of operations at Robinhood Markets, will now also oversee Robinhood Crypto following the appointment. Commenting on her new role, Brown expressed excitement at pivoting from traditional finance to the crypto space. “I couldn’t be more excited to lead our crypto operations, help our teams build amazing products, and deliver a great experience for our customers,” the executive added. According to the announcement, Brown’s …

American online electronics retailer Newegg has added Dogecoin (DOGE) as an official payment method amid the ongoing parabolic surge of the meme-based cryptocurrency. Newegg announced Tuesday that the company added the option through crypto payments platform BitPay. The firm said that the new feature was introduced in conjunction with Doge Day — a community crypto holiday pushed by DOGE proponents to be celebrated on April 20. According to online reports, Dogecoin advocates apparently hope to see DOGE hit $1 today. We become LEGENDARY today. #DogeDay pic.twitter.com/jYEaNHE3p6 — DogeCoin (@OnIyDOGE) April 20, 2021 Newegg senior brand manager Andrew Choi said that …