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Vismaya V

Vismaya V

Vismaya has been a freelance crypto writer since 2021. Despite holding an engineering degree in Information Technology, she began her career as a crypto journalist. Disclosure: No significant crypto holdings.

Stories by Vismaya V

  • WorldCoin Eye. Image: Rokas Tenys/Shutterstock.com

    German Watchdog Cracks Down on Worldcoin Over Biometric Data

    Worldcoin, the crypto-based digital identity project co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, is under scrutiny again as German regulators demand compliance with European Union (EU) data protection laws. The Bavarian State Office for Data Protection Supervision’s (BayLDA) investigation focused on how Worldcoin’s flagship technology, the World ID, is compliant with GDPR standards, as per a Thursday announcement.  BayLDA has ordered Worldcoin, now rebranded as World, to implement a GDPR-compliant data...

    NewsLaw and Order
    3 min read
    Vismaya V
  • Image: Shutterstock

    Australia Securities Regulator Sues Binance Over Alleged Consumer Safeguard Failures

    The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has initiated legal proceedings against Binance Australia Derivatives, accusing the platform of misclassifying retail investors and denying them essential consumer protections. Between July 2022 and April 2023, Binance classified over 500 retail clients—83% of its Australian customer base—as wholesale investors, according to the agency’s statement. The error stripped these investors of crucial legal protections under Australian financia...

    NewsCoins
    3 min read
    Vismaya V
  • Chainalysis: Image: Shutterstock

    Chainalysis Scoops Up Blockchain Security Firm Hexagate Amid Surge in Crypto Hacks

    Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis announced on Wednesday its acquisition of Hexagate, a Web3 security provider, in response to the growing threat of crypto hacks and exploits.  “Together, Chainalysis and Hexagate provide a holistic risk solution that includes prevention, compliance, and remediation,” Chainalysis CEO Johathan Levin wrote in the announcement. The sum it paid for Hexagate was not immediately clear. Decrypt has reached out for clarification. We have spent 10 years following the...

    NewsBusiness
    2 min read
    Vismaya V
  • Source: Shutterstock

    Crypto.com Dropped Its SEC Lawsuit Just as CEO Met With Donald Trump

    In a rare moment in crypto history, Crypto.com has voluntarily withdrawn its lawsuit against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Considering the history of constant tussles between crypto firms and regulators—particularly the SEC—the decision came as a surprise to the crypto community. Filed in October, the crypto exchange’s lawsuit challenged the SEC’s authority and alleged the regulator overstepped its jurisdiction by labeling certain digital assets as “crypto asset securities.”...

    NewsLaw and Order
    3 min read
    Vismaya V
  • Image created by Decrypt using AI.

    Metaplanet Stock Tanks After It Converts Bitcoin Treasury to New Business Line

    Shareholders did not respond well after Japanese investment firm Metaplanet announced the addition of its Bitcoin Treasury Operations as a new core business line. Building on months of preparation and shareholder approvals, the company is doubling down on Bitcoin (BTC) as both a financial asset and revenue driver as the world’s largest crypto soars to new peaks. Just yesterday, Bitcoin set a new all-time high above $108,000. Despite the ambitious announcement, Metaplanet’s stock, which trades un...

    NewsMarkets
    3 min read
    Vismaya V
  • Cynthia Lummis. Image: Lummis for Wyoming

    Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis: '2025 Will Be the Year for Bitcoin and Digital Assets’

    Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis, known as the "Bitcoin Senator," has identified 2025 as a pivotal year for Bitcoin and crypto, with several proposed policies and key government positions expected to converge and spur change. “With David Sacks as Crypto Czar, this will be the most pro-digital asset administration ever,"  Lummis wrote on X. “I look forward to working closely with [Sacks] to pass comprehensive digital asset legislation and my strategic bitcoin reserve.” Earlier this month, Donald Tr...

    NewsLaw and Order
    3 min read
    Vismaya V
  • India's supreme court forced the Reserve Bank of India to reverse a ban on crypto (Image: Shutterstock)

    India Tax Regulator: Pre-2022 Crypto Gains Are Subject to Capital Gains Tax

    The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, or ITAT, in Jodhpur, India, has ruled that profits from crypto sales prior to the introduction of the Virtual Digital Asset, or VDA, regime in 2022 are to be treated as capital gains. The decision classifies crypto, including Bitcoin, as capital assets, resolving ambiguity that previously surrounded crypto taxation. The ITAT’s decision ensures fair treatment under long-term capital gains laws, reducing the tax burden for early adopters. The ruling derived from...

    NewsCoins
    3 min read
    Vismaya V
  • The FCA's is the UK's financial regulator. Image: Shutterstock

    FCA Calls for Industry Input on Plans to Tackle Abuse in UK Crypto Market

    The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has released a discussion paper centered around tightening rules in the UK’s crypto-asset market by clamping down on what it sees as abuse and a lack of transparency.  The regulator says it hopes to improve regulatory clarity in an effort to provide “clear and consistent ‘rules of the game’ for firms and consumers,” according to a statement on Monday. The paper suggests that authorized crypto trading platforms adopt strong internal measures to prevent market...

    NewsLaw and Order
    2 min read
    Vismaya V
  • PNUT is a meme coin based on social media sensation Peanut the Squirrel. Image: Shutterstock

    Binance Faces Cease-and-Desist Over Its Listing of PNUT Meme Coin

    Mark Longo, the caretaker of the late internet-famous Peanut the Squirrel, has sent a cease-and-desist order to Binance over its listing of the PNUT meme coin. He's accusing the crypto exchange of infringing his intellectual property because it listed and promoted the meme coin. The listening and marketing of PNUT were done without authorization, according to Longo. “This is the first of multiple cease-and-desist letters to be issued. I’m committed to protecting my creative work and sending a cl...

    NewsLaw and Order
    3 min read
    Vismaya V
  • Ripple is developing a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar. Image: Shutterstock.

    Ripple CTO Warns of 'FOMO' as RLUSD Stablecoin Prepares for Market Debut

    Ripple’s chief technology officer, David Schwartz, has cautioned investors about potential price volatility for RLUSD, Ripple’s U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin, as it prepares for launch. In a December 15 post on X, Schwartz addressed concerns about RLUSD’s market debut, acknowledging the possibility of initial supply shortages that could drive its price above its intended $1 parity to the U.S. dollar.  An announcement for when RLUSD will be released to the market has yet to be provided. Ripple di...

    NewsMarkets
    2 min read
    Vismaya V
  • Source: Shutterstock

    Bank of England Wants to Know Firms' Crypto Exposure by March 2025

    The Bank of England is increasing its focus on the risks posed by cryptocurrencies, requiring firms to report their crypto asset exposure by March 24, 2025. This initiative seeks to enhance financial stability and inform the development of a regulatory framework for crypto activities. The Bank’s Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) issued the directive on December 12, mandating firms to disclose their current crypto asset holdings, future plans, and application of the Basel framework for managi...

    NewsLaw and Order
    4 min read
    Vismaya V
  • Former President Donald Trump is putting his weight behind crypto project World Liberty Financial. Image: World Liberty Financial

    Donald Trump Backed World Liberty Financial's Big Bet on AAVE, ETH and LINK

    It's been a big week of DeFi news for the Donald Trump-backed crypto venture, World Liberty Financial (WLFI). Earlier this week, the project expanded its portfolio with $5 million worth of investment in three major assets: Ethereum (ETH), Chainlink (LINK), and Aave (AAVE). The acquisitions include 2,631 ETH at $3,801 each, 41,335 LINK at $24.2, and 3,357 AAVE at $297.8, according to on-chain analytics platform Lookonchain. The purchases mark WLFI’s first foray into LINK and AAVE, diversifying it...

    NewsDeFi
    3 min read
    Vismaya V
  • Chainlink. Image: Shutterstock

    Chainlink Hits 3-Year High Amid Record Futures Open Interest

    Chainlink (LINK) has surged to its highest level since January 2022, reaching $29.45 on Thursday as demand for the asset from sophisticated investors continues to rise. The decentralized oracle network posted a 20% gain over the last seven days and a 119% increase over the past month, making it one of the best-performing cryptos in recent weeks, according to CoinGecko data. The rally comes as LINK’s futures open interest (OI) reached an all-time high of $770.27 million, Glassnode data shows. Thi...

    NewsMarkets
    2 min read
    Vismaya V
  • Decrypt reporter Stacy Elliot speaking with Brian Quintenz at Messari Mainnet 2022.

    Donald Trump Considering a16z Crypto Policy Head for CFTC Role: Bloomberg

    President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly considering Brian Quintenz, a former Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) commissioner, to lead the agency. Currently serving as the policy lead for VC giant Andreessen Horowitz’s crypto division, Quintenz has emerged as a frontrunner among candidates, according to sources cited in Bloomberg's report. An announcement is expected in the coming days following the conclusion of interviews for the chair position. Other candidates reportedly include c...

    NewsCoins
    2 min read
    Vismaya V
  • Sydney, Australia. Image: Shutterstock

    Australian Regulator Likens Bitcoin to Prison Currency Amid Controversial Consultation Paper

    Australia’s crypto industry is reeling from controversial remarks made by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) Digital Assets Lead during a liaison meeting that addressed initial feedback on a controversial consultation paper. Rhys Bollen compared Bitcoin to cigarettes used as currency in prisons while responding to questions about applying Non-Cash Payment Facility (NCP) legislation to digital assets, during the meeting on Wednesday. An NCP refers to any payment method th...

    NewsLaw and Order
    3 min read
    Vismaya V
  • Cryptocurrencies are highly-popular in South Korea. Image: Shutterstock.

    South Korea’s Martial Law Derails Critical Crypto Reforms

    South Korea's momentous declaration of martial law earlier this month has slowed its efforts to regulate and reform its crypto sector until next year. Key reforms critical to the industry—such as legalizing securities token offerings (STOs) and introducing real-name corporate crypto accounts—have been sidelined.  Those measures, viewed as vital steps toward modernizing South Korea’s crypto sector, are now in limbo, leaving the industry to face an extended period of uncertainty. STOs, or securiti...

    NewsLaw and Order
    3 min read
    Vismaya V
  • Image: The Peter Schiff Show

    Bitcoin Critic Peter Schiff Urges US to Sell Seized BTC

    Economist and crypto critic Peter Schiff has triggered a debate on the U.S. government’s Bitcoin strategy by urging President Joe Biden to sell all federally held BTC. Schiff noted that liquidating these reserves could reduce the 2024 budget deficit and dismiss notions of establishing a "Strategic Bitcoin Reserve." “The one good thing Biden can do before leaving office is sell all the Bitcoin currently held by the US Govt,” Schiff wrote on Twitter Monday."Not only would the money raised reduce t...

    NewsMarkets
    2 min read
    Vismaya V
  • Source: Shutterstock

    Altcoins XRP, Tron and Cardano Cool Off as Market Reacts to Bitcoin Plunge

    The crypto market experienced a sharp downturn on Monday, with recent top-performing assets such as XRP (XRP), Tron (TRX), and Cardano (ADA) taking substantial hits. This follows weeks of explosive rallies that had stunned market observers, propelling these "dino coins" to unexpected highs. These altcoins saw steep declines as Bitcoin's retreat from $100K triggered widespread liquidations and a market-wide selloff. At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading just above $97,000 and 2% lower than i...

    NewsMarkets
    3 min read
    Vismaya V
  • Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong. Image: Coinbase

    Coinbase CEO Slams Caroline Crenshaw for 'Failure as an SEC Commissioner' Ahead of Senate Vote

    Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong took to social media to criticize SEC Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw, labeling her a “failure” and calling for her removal from office. Armstrong’s remarks come as the Senate Banking Committee prepares to vote on Crenshaw’s renomination on December 11, a decision that could extend her tenure until 2029. “Caroline Crenshaw was a failure as an SEC Commissioner and should be voted out,” Armstrong wrote on X on Sunday. Caroline Crenshaw was a failure as an SEC Commissio...

    NewsMarkets
    3 min read
    Vismaya V
  • Pepe has become a popular meme coin in the crypto industry. Image: Shutterstock.

    PEPE Flips UNI and LTC, Surges Past $11 Billion Market Cap to New Record

    Meme coin Pepe (PEPE) has reached new heights, breaking past a market cap of $11.37 billion and overtaking Uniswap (UNI) and Litecoin (LTC).  The feat comes as Bitcoin (BTC) crossed the $100,000 threshold for the first time, marking a renewed wave of optimism across the crypto market.  PEPE has witnessed a 4.5% surge in the past 24 hours, achieving an all-time high price of $0.00002708, per CoinGecko data. The asset is now ranked 23rd overall by market cap. Meme coins are thriving this year, esp...

    NewsMarkets
    2 min read
    Vismaya V
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