Visa Masters of Movement FIFA NFT Auction, El Salvador Development Bank Won’t Provide BTC Purchase Info, Coinbase Supports Ripple Against SEC

Get your daily, bite-sized digest of cryptoasset and blockchain-related news – investigating the stories flying under the radar of today’s crypto news.

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 NFT news

• Payments giant Visa, the Official Payment Technology Partner of FIFA, unveiled Visa Masters of Movement, a hybrid experience featuring a pre-event non-fungible token (NFT) auction and “immersive activation” for fans at FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The auction features digital art inspired by goals from five footballers that have been minted into unique NFTs, available on Crypto.com. Later this month, at the FIFA Fan Festival in Doha, Qatar, fans will be able to create digital art inspired by their own signature movements, said the announcement.

Regulation news

• El Salvador’s Anti-Corruption Legal Advisory Center (ALAC) announced that BANDESAL, the country’s development bank, has refused to provide information on the government’s bitcoin (BTC) purchases. BANDESAL said the information is confidential, but ALAC argued that “the confidentiality limits the possibility for citizens to access and receive information on the operations carried out with public funds by BANDESAL.”

Legal news

• Crypto exchange Coinbase has filed an amicus brief, aiming to help fintech firm Ripple in its ongoing legal battle with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Coinbase’s chief legal officer, Paul Grewal, announced the news, saying that “this is a textbook case of just how critical fair notice is any reasonable notice of due process under law.”

CBDC news

• The People’s Bank of China is working with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and other monetary authorities to launch the digital yuan. Yi Gang, Governor of the central bank, announced the news, adding that China would work towards increasing international cooperation on central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).

Blockchain news

• ChainPort, a custodian blockchain bridge that lets users hop across chains, has announced that the support for Cardano (ADA) is live on the platform. Users can now port tokens from various blockchains supported on ChainPort to Cardano, said a press release. In September, ChainPort raised $14 million from over 50 VCs via a combination of public and private rounds of fundraising, it added.

Web3 news

• NEAR Foundation, the Swiss non-profit that oversees the governance and development of the NEAR protocol, today announced that it launched a regional hub in South Korea dedicated to Web3 innovation, business development, education, and talent throughout the country, said an announcement. The hub will be led by entrepreneurs Scott Lee and Ben Kang. 

Exchange news

• Indonesia Stock Exchange, the country’s national securities exchange, is exploring the possibility of working with MetaVerse Green Exchange (MVGX), a digital green exchange licensed and regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore, to develop Indonesia’s carbon exchange system. The two have signed a memorandum of understanding, said the press release, adding that MVGX will provide its proprietary, blockchain-based carbon trading infrastructure.
• Wirex has launched DUO, which the announcement described as “the dual-asset high yield-generating tool that earns users up to 200% returns.” DUO was designed with simplicity in mind, and it utilizes Wirex’s user interface to enable users of all abilities to access earning tools.

Mining news

• Bitcoin miner CleanSpark acquired 3,843 units of the Antminer S19J Pro bitcoin mining machines for $5.9 million, or approximately $15.50 per terahash, said the press release. This brings the total number of machines purchased since bear market conditions began to over 26,500. 

Investment news

• Staking service provider Moonstake has announced the launch of its crypto investment platform MoonWealth, targeting the needs and demands of beginners. According to the press release, the new platform is made up of two components, Learn and Earn, created with the mission to educate new investors about the advantages and risks of crypto investing.