Get your daily, bite-sized digest of cryptoasset and blockchain-related news – investigating the stories flying under the radar of today’s crypto news.
Exchanges news
- Binance Labs and other prominent investors-backed one-year-old DEX aggregator 1inch said it partnered with Justin Sun‘s Tron (TRX) for JustSwap and Mooniswap integration. 1inch will fully integrate with JustSwap, Tron’s decentralized trading protocol, while 1inch’s Mooniswap, a next-generation automated market maker, will integrate into Tron’s blockchain, the company added. 1inch claims it has surpassed USD 2.4bn in overall volume in just over a year.
- Bitstamp said that it finished implementing a matching engine from Nasdaq, which will allow it to improve the performance of the exchange and provide the foundation for new features. The new matching engine allows Bitstamp to match orders up to 1.250 times faster and increases the maximum throughput by up to 400 times, the company said.
Crypto adoption news
- Retail platform Bitrefill, which allows customers to buy gift cards and prepaid mobile topups using bitcoin (BTC) and altcoins, said that it has added 50 Colombian retail partners to its crypto pay network. In a blog post, the firm stated that it has added crypto gift cards to its platform that will allow them to spend their tokens on vouchers redeemable at Pizza Hut Colombia, as well as Burger King and McDonald’s outlets in the country. Colombia-based Netflix and Spotify customers will also be able to buy vouchers on the Bitrefill platform using crypto. Hypermarket Jumbo, which has 80 stores nationwide, is also on the list of new Bitrefill partners.
- Crypto-friendly travel booking service Travala and decentralized crypto wallet ecosystem Klever have announced a strategic partnership which will include four cross-platform integrations. Klever will integrate Travala into its built-in Web 3.0 browser, enabling users to make direct bookings; KLV will be integrated as a payment option on Travala; the service’s AVA token will be added as Swap pairs in Klever to five key pairs; and Travala will promote Klever as a preferred wallet option on its store AVA section.
Blockchain news
- South Korean mobile carrier KT has struck a deal with the country’s National Mayor and County Commissioners’ Council. The agreement will see the carrier develop paper-free, contact-free admin services for local government offices across that country, making use of blockchain technology. Per Media Republic, the council is keen to develop a system that will allow local governments to issue paper-free, blockchain-powered tax bills.
- The South Korean city of Busan has announced that it will allow firms in its regulatory sandbox to adopt a blockchain-powered ID solution for internal operations, per Maeil Kyungjae. The solutions have been developed by domestic blockchain firm Coinplug, and will allow employees to use a mobile-based app to gain access to their offices. Visitors to companies will also be able to use the solution. The city is South Korea’s second-biggest, and home of the nation’s only blockchain regulatory sandbox.
- The Ethereum Foundation has announced that over USD 3.88m in grants will be awarded to teams working on the Ethereum (ETH) blockchain. According to the announcement, grants were given to 28 teams, companies, and researchers, as part of the Foundation’s support program during the second quarter of 2020. The categories included projects connected to Ethereum 2.0, Layer 2 solutions, zero-knowledge proof, cryptography, developers, community, education, and others.
Mining news
- UK-based cryptominer Argo Blockchain Plc announced its results for the six months to 30 June 2020. According to the report, the total number of bitcoin (BTC) mined during H1 2020 rose 545% from BTC 306 to BTC 1,669, while revenues surged 280% to GBP 11.12m (USD 14.38m), “reflecting major ramp-up in production.” However, operating profit dropped by 31% to GBP 649,962. The company expanded production base by 260% to 18,000 machines.
Investments news
- Cryptocurrency and security token exchange INX has raised over USD 7.5m in its initial public offering (IPO), exceeding the minimum requirement for the offering. According to the press release, it will use the net proceeds for a launch of a regulated trading platform for digital assets INX will also start accepting payments in bitcoin (BTC), ethereum (ETH), and USD coin (USDC) on September 14.