China's top regulators ban crypto trading and mining, sending bitcoin tumbling China's most powerful regulators on Friday, September 24, intensified a crackdown on cryptocurrencies with a blanket ban on all crypto transactions and mining, hitting bitcoin and other major coins and pressuring crypto and blockchain-related stocks. El Salvador's bitcoin 'experiment' leaves digital poor on the sidelines Bertila Garcia has set up her snack stall on the same corner in El Salvador's capital for four decades - never accepting anything other than cash as payment. Even as her country makes history by adopting bitcoin, she has no plans to change. Leading…

DTI urges MSMEs to adopt digital transformation The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has urged micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to embrace digital transformation amid the “new normal”. Bank raises budget for digital solutions for PH operations Philippine authorities’ bid to further digitalize financial transactions in the country has been supported by the Bank of China Manila (BOC), which recently partnered with Bancnet for its digital transformation move. QR PH to address interoperability issue in digital transactions A financial institution executive has cited the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) bid to address payments system interoperability, a major challenge…

Gov't efforts to boost e-commerce in PH cited An executive of a logistics integrator has recognized the government’s efforts to boost digitalization of processes that spur businesses’ capacities and increase opportunities amidst the pandemic. BSP exec urges more people to use digital payments Digital payments surged during the pandemic due to movement restrictions but some people remain adamant to this shift thus, the need to reach out to this group, a ranking monetary official said. Gov't to closely work with private sector for digitalization bid The government’s bid to further push digitalization of the financial system, among others, will be…

Why the BSP Is Pushing For National QR Standards Data shows why the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is pushing for full operation of the National QR Code Standard by the second half of 2021. Google Finally Allows Crypto Ads Again Google finally gets rid of their almost 3-year restriction policy on crypto exchange & wallet related advertisements. According to their new advertising policies, the changes will take effect on August 2021. BPI No Longer Allows Crypto Transactions BPI, one of the largest banks in the Philippines, is no longer allowing crypto transactions. According to online magazine When In Manila,…

  What are Bitcoin mixers, and why do exchanges ban them? One of the original allures of cryptocurrency is the narrative that using them provides the sender or recipient anonymously, but this is a common misconception within the sector. In reality, Bitcoin (BTC) and many other cryptocurrencies are easily traceable. WallStreetBets combats market manipulation using blockchain WallStreetBets, the Reddit-based grassroots movement that achieved notoriety for short-squeezing hyper-leveraged financial firms, has launched a new blockchain-based application aimed at combating market manipulation in traditional finance. The group announced the creation of WallStreetBets Exchange Traded Portfolios, or ETPs, that can provide investors with…

Landbank mobile transactions up; online fees waived until June State-owned Landbank of the Philippines extended anew the waiver of fees for online fund transfers of retail clients until June 30, 2021, as a way to help the public cope with rising Covid-19 cases Filipinos lap up online shopping amid pandemic: survey The online presence of businesses proved most useful during the pandemic as physical restrictions continue to be observed. ‘Online pork selling could spread ASF’ SEN. Maria Josefa Imelda “Imee” Marcos on Thursday warned online selling of smuggled pork could spread African swine fever (ASF) in the Philippines. MultiSys, Append…