Blockchain Weekly Report | "Future domestic exchange licenses should not be issued in the future" 14 financing cases ushered in a small peak last week

PA Weekly 90th Issue 1.6-1.12

Text | Edited by Zhou Wenyi | Produced by Bi Tongtong | PANews

Summary: The head of the Beijing Financial Bureau said that the first batch of sandboxing projects in the regulatory sandbox will be announced this week. In the future, virtual currency exchange licenses should not be issued in the country; the Bahamas central bank has begun trials of central bank digital currencies; or affected by the tension between the United States and Iran, Bitcoin's market value rose by more than 10% during the week.

• "Battle cannot be fought", Iranian miners dodged the war but could not "speak"
• Let us show you in non-technical language how zero-knowledge proofs can change the blockchain
• Long-term data shows that bitcoin and gold prices remain uncorrelated

According to PANews statistics, a total of 14 projects in the blockchain field announced last week with a total value of more than 138.48 million US dollars (excluding projects for which specific investment and financing amounts have not been disclosed) involve games, digital banks, exchanges, and technical services. , Data, and more.

 

o1 Director of the Beijing Financial Bureau: The first batch of projects in the sandbox will be announced next week. No virtual currency exchange licenses will be issued in China in the future.

On the evening of January 11th, the relevant departments of "One House and Two Houses" accepted on-site representatives' inquiries. Regarding Beijing's first pilot fintech "supervision sandbox" in the country, Huo Xuewen, director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Financial Supervision, said that fintech "supervision" The "sandbox" was launched last year, and the first batch of projects will be announced next week.

Huo Xuewen revealed that any technology applied to the financial field can be tested in the box, and blockchain technology must be included in the "supervisory sandbox" test. He said that the key to testing blockchain technology is not only testing the technology itself, but also the role of the project in serving the real economy, such as how well it can serve small and micro businesses, improve financial risk management, and provide financial value to more people.

In addition, regarding whether virtual currency exchange licenses will be issued in the future, Huo Xuewen responded that "should not". "China does not allow cross-border virtual currency transactions. No institution can sell overseas virtual currencies to the country, and no institution can provide exchange of virtual currencies and RMB. For this type of behavior, we will closely monitor and severely crack down, find together, clear together.

o2 Central Bank: Basically completed the top-level design, standard formulation, function development and joint testing of legal digital currency

On January 10th, the Central Bank released a paper "Inventorying the Bank's 2019 FinTech", summarizing the 2019 Central Bank's orderly advancement of the legal digital currency R & D test work: The Central Bank basically completed the statutory under the premise of adhering to double-layer operation, M0 substitution, and anonymity. Digital currency top-level design, standard formulation, function research and development, joint debugging and testing. Carry out solid research on digital currencies, and track and study the international frontier information of digital currencies.

In addition, in promoting financial standardization, the financial standard system will continue to improve. Among them, 17 financial industry standards such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, big data, and cloud computing are being developed.

o3 Hong Kong Stock Exchange has a high threshold for licensing, or it is included in no more than 5 currency exchanges

According to 21st Century Business Herald, on November 1, 2018, the Hong Kong Securities Regulatory Commission issued new rules for investment in virtual assets such as digital currencies, and proposed to include virtual asset trading platforms in the regulatory sandbox management before issuing licenses. More than a year later, a reporter from 21st Century Business Herald learned from people familiar with the matter that up to now, no more than five digital asset exchanges have been included. At present, there are not many companies applying for this license, and the Hong Kong Securities Regulatory Commission has not yet made the shortlist.

According to the statement issued by the Hong Kong Securities Regulatory Commission on the regulatory framework for management companies, fund distributors and trading platform operators of virtual asset portfolios on November 1, 2018, these exchanges entering the sandbox of the Hong Kong Securities Regulatory Commission also Based on the performance in the sandbox, it will be frequently monitored and reviewed before it can be finally decided whether to issue a license. In addition, these exchanges can apply for withdrawal from the sandbox after 12 months.

It is reported that becoming a licensed institution requires meeting a number of strict requirements, including that the main legal entity of the digital asset exchange must be registered in Hong Kong and subject to the supervision of the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission; the company's headquarters and decision-making power must be in Hong Kong; Qualifications such as the experience of traditional financial institutions in violation of regulations. So far, no one has obtained permission from the SFC to sell or trade virtual asset futures contracts in Hong Kong.

o4 Officials of the Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission: Banks are strictly prohibited from providing payment channels for speculation, and funds obtained from speculation cannot be transferred to bank accounts.

On January 8, Chen Weigang, former vice president of the party school of the China Banking Regulatory Commission and director-general supervisor of the board of supervisors of the State-owned Financial Institutions of the China Banking Regulatory Commission, said in an exclusive interview with the Beijing News that during the application of blockchain technology, the Banking Regulatory Commission will In terms of cash management and cash payment channels, banks and insurance institutions are strictly monitored to prevent illegal fund raising in the name of "virtual currency" and "blockchain". Regarding illegal fund-raising activities in the name of "virtual currency" and "blockchain", Chen Weigang said that the CBRC will take the protection of consumer interests first, strengthen the management of capital investment from three businesses, and prohibit banks from paying for speculation. channel.

The first is to prohibit banks from direct or indirect flow of funds to false, illegal blockchain investment targets. Second, banks cannot provide payment, transfer channels, and transaction accounts for illegal fundraising projects in the name of "virtual currency" and "blockchain." The most direct is that funds obtained from speculation cannot be transferred to bank accounts. Third, banks' own fintech innovations must also prevent false blockchain hype. Banks can apply blockchain technology, but before applying, they must fully evaluate whether the technology is in line with business logic, whether the company has sufficient qualifications, and whether it has reached the level of risk control it should have to ensure that consumer rights and interests are protected.

PANews previously reported that on January 3, the Non-Joint Office of the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission issued a risk alert saying: "A publicity and education campaign to prevent illegal fundraising will be conducted nationwide. The notice states that it is necessary to grasp key areas and target investment and financial management and pension care. , Private fundraising, block chain and other illegal fund-raising activities. "

o5 Bahamas central bank begins trial of central bank digital currency

On January 8, according to NFCW news, the Central Bank of the Bahamas has begun a digital version of the fiat currency. The bank uses a two-dimensional code to allow users to use their smartphones for payments and transfers. The bank said, "It is expected that this will reduce service delivery costs, increase transaction efficiency, and improve the overall level of financial inclusion."

In addition, the bank stated that "digital fiat money will not be similar to a private instrument in any sense. It will be the identifiable liability of the Central Bank of the Bahamas and will be equivalent to paper money in all respects. Its value will be the same as the existing currency. Digital currencies will not be stable or parallel currencies, and in a sense it will not separate any value from the external reserve support provided to the central bank's demand liabilities. "

o6 Office of National Teaching Materials Committee: will focus on the preparation of a batch of new teaching materials around AI, blockchain and other fields

On January 7, according to official information from the Ministry of Education, the National Textbooks Committee recently issued the National Plan for the Construction of Textbooks for Primary, Secondary, and Primary Schools (2019-2022), and the Ministry of Education issued the Measures for the Management of Textbooks for Primary and Middle Schools and the Measures for the Management of Textbooks for Vocational Schools. "Administrative Measures for Teaching Materials in General Colleges and Universities", "Administrative Measures for Selecting Overseas Teaching Materials by Schools".

The head of the Office of the National Textbooks Committee stated that in the construction of textbooks for colleges and universities, a number of natural science textbooks that reflect the world's advanced level will be created. Adapt to the new situation, aim at the national strategic needs, and focus on the preparation of a batch of new teaching materials around the fields of artificial intelligence, big data, blockchain, cyberspace security, environmental science, marine science, and energy science.

o7 EU regulators announce strategic approach within three years, will introduce legal framework for digital currency

The European financial industry regulator, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), announced on January 9 its strategic direction from 2020 to 2022, which mentioned that ESMA will focus on promoting data security in the financial industry.

As mentioned in the "Strategic Direction 2020-2022", market participants will be required to be able to ensure business continuity, use sufficient new technologies, and pass proper data protection and data quality management to comprehensively protect against cyber threats. ESMA plans to introduce a legal framework for digital currencies. ESMA said that the threat of cyber threats to the entire financial system and the establishment of a sound legal framework for crypto assets are increasingly becoming areas of common concern for ESMA, together with institutions such as the European Central Bank and the European Commission.

o8 EU fifth edition anti-money laundering order takes effect, European cryptocurrency companies' costs will increase

On January 10th local time, the EU ’s latest anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing framework, the fifth edition of the Anti-Money Laundering Directive (AMLD5), officially entered into force. From this date, the EU's 28 member states must adopt this new regulation.

The new AMLD5 regulations require that exchanges and custodians in the cryptocurrency sector be registered with local regulators and that they understand compliance with your customers (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) processes. In addition to strengthening KYC and related reporting obligations, the new rules also give financial intelligence agencies and law enforcement greater powers.

CoinDesk reports that AMLD5 is a double-edged sword for the cryptocurrency industry. On the one hand, it will increase the cost of corporate compliance, may create a burden for small companies, or force some companies to merge; on the other hand, in the long run, it will strengthen the trust of European financial institutions in cryptocurrencies, especially the banks for services. Cryptocurrency companies are more open, attracting more institutional capital to the industry.

o9 Legalized blockchain smart contract in Illinois, USA, can be used as evidence

On January 10, according to the announcement of the State Government of Illinois, the state ’s "Blockchain Technology Law" bill came into effect on January 1, 2020. The law recognizes that blockchain-based smart contracts can be regarded as evidence by the courts, and it recognizes that such smart contracts are a viable alternative to paper contracts and can be exempt from state taxes in accordance with the law. The bill reads: "Based on the use of blockchain technology to create. Smart contracts, records or signatures stored or verified must not deny their legal validity and enforceability."

It is reported that as early as 2018, Illinois, the United States, has proposed a draft law to consider enacting laws on "blockchain technology legitimacy". The law will clarify which information can be uploaded and which information cannot; in addition, the relevant draft requires Local governments are prohibited from taxing blockchain-related businesses. However, due to the failure to submit the bill before the deadline for the bill review process, the bill was declared invalid because of its invalidity. Currently, several state governments in the United States have legalized blockchain smart contracts. In 2017, the state of Arizona in the United States confirmed the legality of blockchain smart contracts. In 2018, the states of Tennessee and California legalized the blockchain smart contracts.

o1 or due to the tension between the United States and Iran, Bitcoin's market value rose by more than 10% in the week

This week, the bitcoin market was volatile. According to CoinMarketCap data, bitcoin rose 11.3% in a week, breaking through the $ 7,500 and $ 8,000 barriers.

Specifically, in the early morning of January 6, the market price of bitcoin continued to rise above US $ 8,000, bitcoin ran out of USD 148 million in 24 hours, and cryptocurrency ran out of US $ 169 million. It is speculated that the rise in currency prices is related to the tension in the United States and Iran. On January 7, the U.S. military base in Iraq was attacked by rockets. The price of Bitcoin, gold, and crude oil soared, and the price of the currency jumped more than $ 8,400 on the day, an increase of 5.93% in 24 hours. As US President Trump gave a speech on Iran on the 9th and released a peace signal to Iran, the price of Bitcoin dropped. Bitcoin's current market value fluctuates around $ 8,100 and the current price is $ 8,211.11.

o2 Bitmain's AI team lays off more than 200 people, hundreds of employees refuse to sign

On January 10, the Planet Daily reported that the Bitmain AI team will be cut from 360 to 100 people. From the geographical distribution, the AI ​​teams in Chengdu, Wuhan, Shanghai and Shenzhen are almost "dead"; from the business line, 100 Yu Ren's server team will be cut off directly. At the same time, more than 200 laid-off employees were dissatisfied with the company's compensation plan of "N + 1 and options, uncommitted 13 salary and end-of-year bonus", and urged activist groups to refuse to sign. However, layoff targets and deadlines have been set. The company says "no sign now, less compensation tomorrow", and more and more employees are signing resignation agreements. Not long ago, there were rumors that Bitmain began a new round of year-end layoffs. According to several insiders, Bitmain's layoff ratio will reach 1/3, and the AI ​​business line optimization ratio will reach 2/3.

o3 Ethereum research scientist Virgil Griffith has been formally charged for alleged assistance to North Korea

On January 9, according to the Inner City News report, Virgil Griffith, an Ethereum research scientist, has been formally prosecuted by the US authorities for violating the International Emergency Economic Rights Act for allegedly assisting North Korea in further understanding of the blockchain and cryptocurrency fields.

PANews previously reported that Ethereum research scientist Virgil Griffith attended the Pyongyang Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Conference in April 2019 without the permission of the US State Department. Authorities subsequently arrested Virgil Griffith for alleged violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. In December last year, after applying for bail, Virgil Griffith was rejected by the U.S. Attorney's Office, and then a judge of the Southern District Court of New York was granted bail of $ 1 million at his parents' home. It is reported that Virgil Griffith's attorney confirmed in the appeal that the Ethereum Foundation has now suspended Virgil Griffith. Previously, Virgil Griffith was the head of the special project of the Ethereum Foundation.

o4IBM and partner companies launch blockchain-based coffee supply chain tracking app

On January 6, IBM and coffee industry organization Farmer Connect jointly announced the launch of a blockchain-based mobile app called Thank My Farmer. Coffee consumers can track the production of coffee and understand the quality and origin of coffee beans. And even support farmers to grow coffee beans. This app provides an interactive map where users can scan the QR code to show the birth path of the coffee they consume.

A statement from IBM and Farmer Connect states that the app was jointly developed by leading companies in the global supply chain, including Beyers Koffie, The Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC), ITOCHU Corporation, Jacobs Douwe Egberts (JDE), The JM Smucker Company, Rabobank, RGC Coffee, Volcafe, Sucafina and Yara International.

o5 Ethereum Classic (ETC) has completed the Agharta hard fork upgrade at block height 9573000

On January 12, the Tokenview ETC block browser data showed that Ethereum Classic (ETC) has completed the Agharta hard fork upgrade at a block height of 9573000. The purpose of this Agharta hard fork upgrade is to make ETC more interoperable with ETH.

Ethereum Classic (ETC) is the original chain of Ethereum (ETH), which was developed and led by V Godik. After the DAO hacker attack in 2016, in order to reduce asset losses, ETH chose to conduct a hard fork. ETC believes that if The rollback operation violates the spirit of decentralization of the blockchain and chooses to bear the losses and continue to develop the original chain.

At the same time, ETC will reduce mining block rewards around March 2020. According to AICOIN data, as of January 12, 2020, ETC 24H fell by 0.88%, and the quote was $ 5.54.

o6 Former Forbes Global Chief Digital Officer Salah Zalatimo becomes CEO of Block.one Voice

On January 10, according to official news, Block.one's Voice has named Forbes Global Chief Digital Officer Salah Zalatimo as CEO, effective January 20, 2020. In addition, Voice is expected to release a public beta on February 14, 2020.

It is reported that Salah Zalatimo has worked for McKinsey & Company, Sony Music and other companies, and joined Forbes in 2015. In the past five years, Salah has successfully led Forbes' digital transformation, built a new product structure, and rebuilt the Forbes platform, doubling the number of readers on the platform, with more than 110 million users per month.

Regarding the appointment of Salah Zalatimo, the CEO of Block.one stated: "Salah is a scarce talent with product and media entrepreneurial experience. He has experience in high-quality content creation and commercialization, and experience in the development of publishing tools. He is the most qualified to come Leading Voice is irreplaceable. "In June last year, Block.one officially launched Voice, aiming to establish a new content economic model, not the traditional model of selling user personal data and targeted advertising.

o7 Huawei will build the world's first new energy battery blockchain 5G platform

On January 8th, China's high-end new power battery power contract represented Hive Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (Hive Energy) and Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei). Both parties will build the world's first new energy battery blockchain 5G platform.

It is reported that Huawei will provide information, digital, and intelligent construction services to Hive Energy to support the development of Hive Energy digital enterprises. According to the information construction requirements and progress of Honeycomb Energy business and projects, it provides business system architecture design, system cloud implementation, digital intelligent platform construction, and 5G, AI platform, blockchain services, and other PaaS services. Honeycomb Energy used Huawei to promote the transformation and upgrade of the data value of the battery management system.

It is worth mentioning that the technology giant Huawei attaches great importance to its biggest advantage in the field of blockchain, that is, the ability to integrate software and hardware. It is reported that Huawei started to lay out the blockchain as early as 2016, with the B-side as the main focus, mostly focusing on Huawei's cloud business. Public information shows that as of October 2019, Huawei has applied for a total of 27 blockchain-related patents. Zhang Xiaojun, the person in charge and chief strategy officer of Huawei ’s blockchain, said, “Huawei does not make applications, but does a good job of the blockchain ecosystem. Huawei focuses on the four aspects of cloud, network, terminal, and core to build the cornerstone of blockchain applications. "

o8 Hurun Report, Top 500 Private Enterprises: Bitmain ranks 246, and Jia Nan Yunzhi's market value has not shrunk to the list

Hurun Research Institute released "2019 Hurun Top 500 Private Enterprises" on January 9. It is mentioned in the report that a total of 12 companies in the financial technology category are on the list. Four companies with a valuation of more than 100 billion are Ant Financial, Lufax, Weizhong Bank and JD.

In addition, the report mentioned that there are two representative companies in the field of mining blockchain production in China, namely Jianan Yunzhi and Bitmain. After being listed in the United States in November last year, Jianan Yunzhi's market value has shrunk and has not reached the threshold of the list. Bitmain has not yet succeeded in listing, and it is estimated that it has shrunk compared to the previous. It is currently valued at 30 billion and ranks 246th in the list.

o9 chat treasure reactivated, updated products rely on blockchain blog?

On January 7th, the quiet chat Bao Bao suddenly became active recently, and also frequently sparked sparks with the blockchain. Chat Bao updated Weibo, saying: "Chat Bao" Block Plaza "is online! Here are the latest information on blockchain and a lot of free courses. While learning about blockchain knowledge, you can also have in-depth exchanges with people in the industry! In addition, the official blog also released three posters, all of which are related to the anti-fraud in the currency circle.

On December 30, a week ago, Weibo re-announced after 300 days to announce "a new upgrade of the Android version and the launch of the interest group function." PANews download found that among the default recommended interest groups, "blockchain" followed closely Behind Hammer Friends, more than 400 people have joined an interest group called "Blockchain Popular Science Classroom".

Chatbao was formerly known as "Bullet SMS". After it was launched on August 20, 2018, Bullet SMS quickly climbed to the top of the App Store free list and social list. Within 7 days of launch, the company completed a round of 150 million yuan in financing, with a daily download volume of up to 44. Million, as of August 30 last year at 0:14, the total number of activated users exceeded 4 million. However, this growth has maintained for more than two months. Starting from November 2018, the overall product data of Bullet SMS was sluggish and the retention was very poor, with only over 100,000 daily activities.

Until January 2019, Kuaru Technology held a new product launch in Beijing, iterating the bullet message it developed into a "chat treasure", and Luo Yonghao was the platform speaker as an investor. According to data from third-party platforms, Chatbao ushered in explosive growth in users from January 15th to 16th, and the new increase on the 16th reached 281% once. However, on the 17th, a cliff-like decline occurred. Speed ​​almost stagnated. In just one month, Luo Yonghao resigned from the ranks of chatbao shareholders. On March 5th, Jiang Yifan, CEO of Kuru Technology announced the dissolution of the team.

According to PANews statistics, a total of 14 projects in the blockchain field announced last week with a total value of more than 138.48 million US dollars (excluding projects for which specific investment and financing amounts have not been disclosed) involve games, digital banks, exchanges, and technical services. , Data, and more.

o1 gaming platform Litemint acquires Stellarport

On January 6, Stellar-based gaming platform Litemint has acquired Stellarport, a decentralized transaction and service platform. Litemint said its goal is to link the cryptocurrency industry with the mobile gaming industry, which has a $ 68.5 billion market with billions of users.

o2 Swiss digital currency bank Saphirstein receives investment from South Korean gaming company

On January 7, Actoz Labs, an investment agency of South Korean game listed company Actoz soft (the "Legend" game copyright owner), and Swiss digital currency bank Saphirstein reached a share agreement. Saphirstein works with global investment banks, distributed capital, and Singapore's Jubilee Capital to apply for a Fintech Bank License in Switzerland. It is committed to providing fiat currency channels for digital currency-related companies. It is expected to be approved by the Swiss Banking Regulatory Commission in early 2020.

o3 European investment platform BUX acquires cryptocurrency exchange Blockport

On January 9, the European investment platform BUX acquired Blockport, a cryptocurrency exchange. The Blockport core team will lead the platform integration and change its name to BUX Crypto.

o4LedgerX announces completion of $ 4 million financing

LedgerX announced on January 10 that co-founder and former CTO Zach Dexter has been named the company's new CEO. In addition, LedgerX also announced the completion of a $ 4 million financing led by Huiyin Blockchain and Miami International Holding (MIAX).

o5 Thai blockchain startup Lightnet completes $ 31.2 million in Series A funding

On January 10th, Thai blockchain startup Lightnet announced that it has completed a $ 31.2 million Series A financing and will be committed to promoting the development of cross-border payments in Southeast Asian countries. This round of financing was led by Singapore United Overseas Bank, Seven Bank, Uni-President Asset Holdings and South Korea Hanwha Investment Securities. The proceeds will be used to strengthen Lightnet's investment in Stellar Network's basic blockchain technology and build a next-generation financial mobile network.

o6 crypto quantitative trading platform provider AlgoTrader AG completes $ 3.8 million in Series A financing

AlgoTrader AG, a provider of Swiss automated algorithmic trading platform, announced the end of the first round of financing, and finally raised 3.7 million Swiss francs (about 3.8 million US dollars). This round of financing was led by an unnamed tier one bank, with BlockChain Valley Ventures and NeueCapital participating, the latter also an investor in the company's seed round.

o7 Blockchain-based data company Measure Protocol secures £ 2m investment

On January 9th, blockchain-based data company Measure Protocol received 2 million pounds of investment. This round of investment was led by Dynata and Blockchain Valley Ventures (BVV). The company will use this investment to expand users, further develop its core technology and expand its team.

o8 German digital asset bank Finoa completes multi-million dollar seed round financing

On January 7, German digital asset bank Finoa announced the completion of a multi-million dollar seed round financing. This round of financing was jointly led by Venture Stars and coparion. Other investors include Signature Ventures and serial entrepreneur Frank Geßner. Finoa said that this round of financing will be a key step to consolidate Finoa's leading position in the European digital asset market. Investors' venture capital experience, community network and professional support will expand the Finoa team, expand the product portfolio and explore new The business revenue line is critical.

o9 tax filing platform TaxBit completes $ 5 million seed round financing, Winklevoss Capital participates

On January 6, Winklevoss Capital, a venture capital firm led by Gemini co-founders Cameron Winklevoss and Tyler Winklevoss brothers, has participated in a $ 5 million seed round of funding to fund TaxBit, a tax filing platform. TaxBit hopes to use these new funds to expand its software platform and customer base in the US domestic market and international markets such as Canada, the UK and Australia.

10Standard Chartered Bank Deploys Global Supply Chain Financial Services and Completes C + Round Investment in Lianyirong

On January 10, according to the official announcement of Lianyirong, the supply chain financial platform Lianyirong Digital Technology Group Co., Ltd. announced the completion of the C + round of financing and the introduction of strategic investment bank Standard Chartered to strengthen the extensive and deep cooperation between the two parties in the supply chain ecosystem. To help the company's ecosystem management, alleviate the bottleneck of financing difficulties for small and medium-sized enterprises.

In the next step, Standard Chartered Bank will continue to rely on the technical expertise of the Lian Yirong platform to interface with the in-bank financing system to allow bank funds to penetrate the industry chain more effectively, and jointly provide enterprises with a more transparent supply chain and allow small and medium-sized enterprises. Suppliers have the opportunity to enjoy more favorable rates.

It is reported that the two sides have established a strategic partnership of mutual trust and cooperation, including the signing of a memorandum of cooperation in February 2019 to jointly develop supply chain financial solutions, and the recent successful landing of a series of deep supply chain financial services. This is the first time that Standard Chartered Bank has invested in a supply chain fintech platform in China. It is also the first global bank investor of Lian Yirong.

11WisdomTree strategically invests in UK regulated technology companies to integrate blockchain technology into the ETF ecosystem

On January 8, WisdomTree, a listed financial asset management company, announced its strategic investment in digital asset compliance technology provider Securrency, Inc., which is a leading digital financial and regulatory technology service provider. Both parties will further expand technology research. At present, WisdomTree plans to integrate blockchain technology into the ETF ecosystem to improve the investor experience.

It is reported that Securrency received a total of USD 17.65 million in its Series A financing, led by its strategic investor WisdomTree. Participants in this round of financing also include Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), Japanese financial services giant Monex Group, Inc. And venture capital firms RRE Ventures, Strawberry Creek Ventures, and Panthera Capital Investments.

12 Yuxin Technology won about 600 million yuan in strategic investment from Baidu, and will jointly build blockchain and financial products such as compliant tokens

On January 7, Yuxin Technology issued a morning announcement saying that it had obtained strategic investment from Baidu. In this cooperation, Yuxin Technology and Baidu will jointly build products including financial industry cloud, Internet financial core overall products and solutions, databases, big data intelligent analysis platforms, blockchain and trusted computing. The company will assist Baidu Smart Cloud in promoting industry-level solutions for blockchain + finance, including but not limited to supply chain finance, point chain, trusted computing, and compliance tokens.

According to the contents of the announcement, Yuchuang Technology's holding shareholder Yuanchuang Gene Investment Co., Ltd. (“Yuanchuang Gene”) and certain shareholders Guangkong Gene Investment Co., Ltd. (“Light Control Gene”) plan to transfer 22,857,142 shares of the company for unlimited circulation Shares (total 5.71% of the company's total share capital) to Baidu. After the change of Baidu's strategic investment equity, Baidu will hold 22,857,142 shares of Yuxin Technology, accounting for 5.71% of Yuxin Technology's total share capital. According to the stock price, the total stock price purchased by Baidu this time is about 600 million yuan.

13Whale Exchange secures hundreds of thousands of EOS investments including Longmen Capital

On January 8, the Whale Exchange announced that it had obtained hundreds of thousands of EOS investments, including Longmen Capital, with an investment price of 1WAL and approximately equal to 0.003366 EOS. Whale Exchange is a decentralized exchange designed to use blockchain technology to bring transparency and trust to the crypto asset industry and help users configure one-stop global crypto assets.Whale Exchange independently developed cross-chain technology to support bitcoin Coins, Ethereum and other cross-chain assets.

14 Deloitte acquires Singapore's blockchain financial services company Practical Smarts On January 7, Deloitte acquired Singapore's blockchain financial services company Practical Smarts, and members of the company also joined Deloitte's risk advisory department in Southeast Asia . As part of the transaction (specific terms have not been disclosed), both Young and Koay have joined Deloitte as directors and will jointly lead the Deloitte Blockchain Lab in Southeast Asia. Customers who wish to implement and deploy DLT / Blockchain solutions will be addressed to address issues of governance, regulation, settlement and enforceability. The lab will also recruit and train more fintech specialists (focusing on digital and cybersecurity skills), while employees of companies that practice smart companies head to Deloitte.

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