The blockchain/crypto week at a glance

Seed CX targets institutional investors

Crypto exchange Seed CX has launched a digital asset wallet solution with on-chain settlement.

David Labhart joins Tron to guide regulatory efforts

Tron has hired David Labhart as its first Head of Compliance.

Labhart, who also will serve as Co-general Counsel, spent nine years at the US Securities and Exchange Commission, including time as a Supervisory Attorney in the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations. He was most recently at S&P Global Ratings, where he managed North American compliance and advised on regulatory issues.

“This is the perfect progression in a career driven by a passion for the frontier of financial industry; where technology meets regulation,” he says. “Blockchain and cryptocurrency are the next step in the evolution of the world’s financial system, and I’m excited about Justin’s passion and long-term view of the benefits and potential impact of this new technology.”

Canaan eyes US IPO

Canaan, China’s second-biggest maker of Bitcoin mining hardware, is considering listing in the US after shelving plans for a Hong Kong IPO, Bloomberg reports.

Pakistan: Blockchain remittance service goes live

Telenor Microfinance Bank, in partnership with Valyou of Malaysia, is laying claim to Pakistan’s first blockchain-based cross-border remittance service, powered by Alipay.

Zero or hero? Which way will Bitcoin go?

Bitcoin has the potential to be worth a lot or worth zero, says Miller Value Partners CIO, Bill Miller.

Malta: Government blasts opposition leader following Bitcoin jibe

Malta’s government has taken aim at opposition leader Adrian Delia. This was after Delia said that while Malta had touted itself as the ‘Bitcoin Island’, the government had remained silent in recent times as the price of the cryptocurrency slid from €20,000 to just €4,000 in recent times.

Nevada tapping blockchain for public records

Some Nevada counties in the US are using blockchain to store digital versions of government records like birth and marriage certificates, the AP reports.

Bitcoin treasure hunt, anyone? It’s art, innit

French graffiti artist, Pascal Boyart, has hidden $1,000 in Bitcoin in his latest project, he revealed in a blog post.

tZERO crypto patent filing

US online retailer Overstock’s subsidiary tZERO has filed a patent for a crypto integration platform for trading digital assets.

Bitcoin is balderdash, ECB ’s Hansson

Cryptocurrencies will probably die as a “complete load of nonsense,” according to European Central Bank policy maker Ardo Hansson.

Ethereum Foundation backs Parity Technologies

The Ethereum Foundation has awarded a $5 million grant to UK venture Parity Technologies.

BIS issues central bank digital currency research

Central banks are proceeding with caution when it comes to digital currencies and most are only at a conceptual stage with their work. However, a handful have moved to considering practical issues and a couple with idiosyncratic circumstances might issue a digital currency in the short or medium term, according to a report published by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS).

KODAKOne looks to have last blockchain laugh

The KODAKOne blockchain project has generated more than $1 million in licencing claims for photographic rights during a beta test of part of its platform, BREAKER reports.