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Bank of Ghana unveils draft rules for cryptocurrency exchanges

The Bank of Ghana introduces draft guidelines to regulate digital assets, focusing on exchanges and consumer protection measures.

The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has proposed fresh regulatory measures for digital assets following an extensive internal review of Bitcoin, Tether, USDT, and other cryptocurrencies.

On Aug. 16, the central bank of the West African nation issued draft guidelines on digital assets while seeking feedback on the upcoming crypto regulations from the public and industry stakeholders.

According to the BoG, data collected over three years shows a significant increase in Ghana’s appetite for crypto. As a result, it intends to implement laws targeting risks related to money laundering and terrorism financing, fraud and other measures for consumer protection.

The central bank proposed an eight-pillar framework for crypto regulations, mainly intensifying the registration and reporting requirements of cryptocurrency exchanges or virtual asset service providers (VASPs).

Ghana pays special attention to crypto exchanges

If signed into law, the proposed regulations will require crypto exchanges to monitor and report suspicious transactions and comply with the Financial Action Task Force’s Travel Rule. Additionally, the bank plans to collaborate with external stakeholders such as commercial banks and offshore regulators.

“The Bank would collaborate with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to develop distinct complementary regulatory frameworks that encompass various applications or use cases of digital assets.”

Curating crypto laws based on public feedback

Exchanges will also need to register with the BOG and undergo sandbox testing before being allowed to provide trading services in Ghana. The bank is currently seeking recommendations from industry players, experts and the public until Aug. 31.

“The bank will consider these inputs in determining the next steps forward,” the draft proposal said.

@ Newshounds News™

Source:  CoinTelegraph

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XRP Ledger Sets New $1 Trillion Trust Limit in Ripple USD (RLUSD)

▪️A significant event on the XRP Ledger involved setting a $1 trillion trust limit for Ripple USD (RLUSD), though no actual issuance of RLUSD has occurred yet.

▪️This action serves as a preparatory framework for future transactions, reflecting the XRP Ledger’s scalability and users’ confidence in the ecosystem.

Popular crypto analyst Amelie has brought the XRP community’s attention to a significant event taking place on the XRP Ledger. As tweeted by Amelie, the XRP Ledger has set a new trust limit of $1 trillion in Ripple USD (RLUSD).

Let’s first understand the concept of Trust lines and Trust limits on the XRP Ledger. A trust line helps the user build a trusted relationship with the currency issuer on the XRP Ledger. After setting up the trust line, users enable the recei[t of the issuer’s currency up to a certain predefined limit also known as the trust limit. This limit basically safeguards users from receiving more of the currency than they are willing to trust.

In the case of Ripple, a trust line was created for RLUSD, setting up the trust limit of $1 million. This figure represents the maximum amount of RLUSD the account holder is willing to trust. However, there’s no RLUSD transfer or creation in the process. Instead, this action simply establishes the framework for future transactions involving RLUSD on the ledger.

Last week, Ripple started beta-testing the RLUSD stablecoin facilitating cross-border transactions between the XRP Ledger and Ethereum, reported CNF.

XRP Ledger Implications and Community Reaction

The $1 trillion trust limit even in the absence of the actual asset shows high flexibility and scalability of the XRP Ledger. Also, the ability of users t also prompts questions about the role trust lines play in the issuance and circulation of digital assets on the XRP Ledger.

With Ripple expanding its range of products and services including the introduction of the RLUSD stablecoin, it becomes increasingly crucial to understand the technical workings of the XRP Ledger.

RLUSD will compete in the highly competitive stablecoin landscape currently dominated by Tether’s USDT and Circle’s USDC, reported CNF.

Interestingly, this announcement of the $1 trillion trust limit has also sparked some reactions from the community. Many users were actually curious to under the purpose behind this trust limit.

One community member Aron Madarasz confused it with some illicit activity stating: “It means that this is a fake. RLUSD isn’t issued yet. This is a trustline on the XRPL everybody can create, and everybody can name it as wanted. RLUSD will be issued by Ripple on the ledger but not as a trustline thing.”

Madarasz clarified that while a trust line for RLUSD has been established, Ripple has not yet issued the asset. As a result, the substantial trust limit set does not represent an asset currently in circulation. Rather, it serves as a preparatory measure within the XRPL, while enabling users to set up trust lines in anticipation of RLUSD’s future issuance.

@ Newshounds News™

Source:  Crypto News Flash

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IMF Proposes Drastic 85% Electricity Tax Increase For Crypto Mining

Two IMF officials pitched for steep electricity taxation on cryptocurrency miners and recommended increasing their average global electricity cost by 85%.

The proposal has, in fact, called for a sharp rise in the electricity tax paid by crypto miners to drastically bring down carbon emissions from the mining of such cryptocurrencies, which have been rising and pose an environmental threat.

IMF: Over $5 Billion In Taxes

The International Monetary Fund says that a levy of $0.047 per kilowatt hour would bring in about $5.2 billion annually and trim global emissions by about 100 million tons, equivalent to current emissions of Belgium.

However, the actual reduction of emissions from such a tax is arguable, as miners have the tendency to shift operations to countries where electricity is cheap.

Here, IMF executives Shafik Hebous and Nate Vernon-Lin have used an astonishing figure for the consumption of energy used in cryptocurrency transactions. According to them, a single transaction in Bitcoin uses as much electricity as the average person in Pakistan uses over three years.

Crypto mining data centers, added to this, and the aggregate energy use for artificial intelligence will grow to a level comparable in use to Japan’s electricity in three years.

Though the proposed tax might provide incentives for miners to become more energy-efficient, the IMF acknowledges that global coordination is needed to avoid having miners simply move their bases of operation into countries and jurisdictions with lower standards.

Environmental Impact Of Crypto Mining

Thus, environmental considerations argue for crypto mining regulation. The IMF’s decision shows a rising awareness of the need to intervene in a fast-expanding polluter. Finding solutions is necessary because crypto mining and AI data centers account for almost 1% of global carbon emissions and 2% of global electricity usage. This tax could encourage miners to invest in greener technologies, making the sector more sustainable.

Economic Considerations

While the yield in tax from this proposal is huge, it opens up a Pandora’s box on the economic viability of crypto mining operations. Small miners—who are already hard hit by the reduction in profits after Bitcoin’s halving in April—may not survive easily if electricity costs rise even further.

That would mean consolidation in the industry, and only the large and more efficient miners able to survive would do so. The analysis by the IMF estimates that the tax may further drive innovations in energy-efficient mining technologies, but its immediate impact on smaller players could be quite destructive.

@ Newshounds News™

Source:  Bitcoinist

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EU Merchants Accept Ripple Payments; Buy Gold & More With XRP

It feels like we just pulled a shiny rabbit out of the hat; various merchants in Europe accept Ripple’s XRP as a payment method for gold and silver! Yes, you read that right—your favorite altcoin can now buy you some solid gold bars.

It’s not just gold and silver; they’ve thrown in platinum, palladium, and rhodium for good measure. Plus, they’ve got live pricing in XRP, so you can watch those rates in real time, like a hawk eyeing its prey.

Ripple’s XRP: Shaking Up the Financial Scene Like a Snow Globe

Suisse Gold, Swiss Bullion, W. Hamond, have jumped on the XRP bandwagon and it isn’t just a fluke; it’s a sign of the times. Ripple’s cryptocurrency, XRP, has been strutting its stuff lately, making waves that are hard to ignore.

Take this: (OPINION) previously, reports circulated that Russian President Vladimir Putin, of all people, confirmed that BRICS—think of them as the cool kids of emerging economies—are cooking up their own independent payment system. And guess what? XRP might just be the secret sauce for cross-border payments in this new setup. If that doesn’t get your financial radar pinging, I don’t know what will.

@ Newshounds News™

Source:  CryptoNewsz

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US Financial Services Committee leaders want ‘regulatory sandboxes’ for AI

In a letter signed only by republicans, the committee responded to a request for information sent by the Department of the Treasury.

US Financial Services Committee leaders want ‘regulatory sandboxes’ for AI News

Members of the United States House Financial Services Committee (FSC) responded to a request for feedback from the US Treasury concerning the regulation of artificial intelligence in an Aug. 16 letter addressed to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

The letter, signed by the committee’s Republican leadership, calls for what amounts to a light-touch approach to regulation. “A one-size-fits-all approach will only stifle competition among financial institutions,” wrote the signatories, adding that “regulators must evaluate each institution’s use of AI technology on a case-by-case basis”

AI sandbox

The committee appeared bullish on the use of generative AI — which includes services and products such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude — in the financial services sector. It highlighted the potential for these technologies to provide greater access to financial services, increasing both adoption and inclusion.

It also strongly recommended an organic approach to creating new regulations and laws. Describing a “regulatory sandbox” for AI, the FSC appears to be advocating maintaining a general focus on sustaining the status quo by applying existing rules to challenges as they arise.

@ Newshounds News™

Read more:  CoinTelegraph

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