Singapore’s DBS Bank will launch over-the-counter (OTC) crypto options trading and structured notes for its institutional clients. On Sept. 17, the bank announced that it would offer financial products linked to the price of Bitcoin and Ether, the two biggest digital assets by market cap. DBS said that starting in the fourth quarter of 2024, clients…

Velar has launched the world’s first Bitcoin perpetual swaps decentralized exchange (DEX) in beta, attempting to create more utility around the world’s first cryptocurrency. The new Velar Artha perpetual swaps DEX launched on BOB (Build on Bitcoin) on Sept. 16, according to an announcement shared with Cointelegraph. The milestone launch could unlock newfound Bitcoin liquidity for the ecosystem,…

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin spoke at Ethereum Singapore 2024 on Sept. 16 about the importance of solo staking for the future of Ethereum’s security and decentralization. Buterin discussed the risks posed by centralized entities and the role solo stakers play in protecting the network from attacks to ensure its long-term resilience and sustainability. Solo stakers…

Bybit, the world’s second-largest crypto exchange by derivatives volume, has secured a provisional license in Dubai two years after setting up its headquarters in the city. The centralized crypto exchange (CEX) has received a non-operational license from the Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA), according to an announcement shared with Cointelegraph. According to Helen Liu, Bybit’s Chief Operating…

A notable market analyst believes the cryptocurrency and commodities markets could both be ahead of a parabolic rally. This is because both crypto assets and commodities remain “extremely undervalued,” according to analyst and entrepreneur Michaël van de Poppe. The analyst noted in a September 15 post on X that commodities were last valued at similar levels in…

Ethereum developers are considering dividing the highly anticipated Pectra upgrade, which will increase the network’s efficiency and scalability, into two parts. The first phase could launch by early 2025. “There is broad agreement that if we split, the idea is that we want to ship Pectra one quicker, or as quick as possible, early next…

Circle, the issuer of the world’s second-largest stablecoin USDC, feels “confident” that stablecoins will become mainstream money. Simultaneously, regulations should be harmonized globally to ensure compliance for all payment stablecoin issuers. “Circle is confident that there will be mainstream adoption of stablecoins as the money for the internet age,” Dante Disparte, chief strategy officer and…

Hong Kong-based First Digital Trust expressed hopes that the city will accelerate the regulation of the digital assets sector. Hong Kong, aiming to position itself as a global hub for cryptocurrency, currently has only two fully licensed virtual asset trading platforms: Hash Blockchain and OSL Digital Securities. Many other crypto exchanges are still awaiting full operational…

Chinese lawmakers are considering revising an earlier anti-money laundering law to enhance capabilities to ‘monitor’ and analyze money laundering risks through emerging financial technologies—including cryptocurrencies. According to a translated statement from the South China Morning Post, Legislative Affairs Commission spokesperson Wang Xiang announced the revisions on Sept. 9—citing the need to improve detection methods amid the “rapid…

According to a prominent pro-crypto attorney and Senate candidate, the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) excessive intervention in the cryptocurrency industry has resulted in retail investors losing over $15 billion. The US securities regulator has often been criticized for its enforcement-heavy regulatory regime over the cryptocurrency industry. The SEC should be held accountable for its…