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Google

Google employs PayPal executive to explore crypto strategy

Google has hired Arnold Goldberg as its new chief product architect.

Twitter

Twitter introduces NFT profile picture verification

Twitter Blue users will be able to upload NFTs as their profile pictures by importing them from their crypto wallets.

Intel

Intel to unveil 'energy-efficient' bitcoin mining chip

Intel will unveil a Bitcoin mining “Bonanza Mine” chip during this year's International Solid-State Circuits Conference.

Microsoft

In $69 billion metaverse bet, Microsoft will buy Activision Blizzard

Microsoft is staking its claim to a future dominated by virtual and augmented reality by acquiring "Call of Duty" company Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion.

Stacks

Stacks becomes largest Bitcoin project

Stacks blockchain (STX) achieved 350 million API requests per month on the anniversary of its launch.

Walmart

Walmart plans to develop crypto and NFTs

The retail giant applied for several new trademarks in December.

North Korea

North Korean criminals stole $400 million worth of crypto in 2021

North Korean hackers attacked crypto platforms at least seven times last year.

International Monetary Fund

International Monetary Fund: crypto poses threat to financial stability

A growing correlation with the stock market undermines crypto's 'investment hedge' role.

El Salvador

El Salvador plans to issue Bitcoin bonds

The issuance of Bitcoin bonds in El Salvador is nearing completion.

golden state warriors

Golden State Warriors player to receive wages in Bitcoin

Three-time NBA Champion Andre Iguodala announced via Twitter on Monday that he would be taking Bitcoin as part of his estimated $2.647 million annual wage.

MoneyGram

MoneyGram buys 4% stake in Bitcoin ATM operator

As a result of a Series A funding round, MoneyGram has invested a minority stake in crypto ATM operator Coinme. MoneyGram announced its investment in Coinme on Wednesday, saying it had acquired a 4% stake - likely more than $764K given the company's valuation in June of $19.1 million

PayPal

PayPal explores creating its own stablecoin

A stablecoin could be the next step in PayPal's crypto drive.

OpenSea

OpenSea raises $300 million, valuing the company at $13.3 billion

The start-up has been valued at a staggering amount just four years after its founding.

samsung

Samsung opens Metaverse Store in Decentraland

The 837X virtual store is named after the flagship Samsung store in New York.

global banks

Global banks will soon offer crypto trading services

Digital assets are now being explored by global banking giants after years on the sidelines.

Bitcoin

Bitcoin beats Gold, Crude Oil, and major equity markets in 2021

Bitcoin registered a return of 66.5% in 2021, but was far from the year's most profitable digital asset.

gold

For millennials, Bitcoin is like gold

For young investors, Bitcoin has replaced gold as a hedge against inflation, says a Wharton finance professor.

Bored Ape Yacht Club

Eminem Buys Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT for $462K

The Grammy-winning rapper acquired an ape worth 123.45 ether on the OpenSea platform.

Securities and Exchange Board

Indian financial watchdog warns mutual funds to avoid Crypto

Governments and regulators in India have supported blockchain technology, but not crypto assets.

OpenSea

OpenSea freezes stolen Bored Apes worth $2 million

New York-based art gallery owner Todd Kramer claimed his collection hacked and that NFT marketplace OpenSea froze the assets.

NFTs

NFTs' 3rd-quarter gaming revenue was $2.32 billion

A report released by the Blockchain Gaming Alliance (BGA) shows blockchain gaming continues to dominate the non-fungible token (NFT) space.

Kraken

Kraken NFT marketplace users to be able to use CryptoPunks as collateral

Kraken is reportedly developing its own NFT marketplace, through which users can buy and sell many NFTs.

Department of Justice

U.S. Fed to recover stolen Sony money converted to Bitcoin

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil forfeiture complaint to recover over $150 million worth of embezzled bitcoins

Instagram plans to integrate NFTs

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri revealed that the company is looking into non-fungible tokens and the various ways to make them available to its users.

Elon Musk

Elon Musk believes Neuralink will outperform the Metaverse in the long run

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO did not show support for the metaverse and Web 3.0 ecosystems, dismissing them as marketing buzzwords.