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Binance Adds a Bank Transfer Method for Indonesian Users Supported by Tokocrypto


In partnership with Tokocrypto, Binance has added a deposit and withdrawal method using local bank transfers via BIDR stable coins. All funds from this payment method will be converted into Rupiah-based Stablecoin (BIDR) automatically. It allows you to easily buy Bitcoin and trade with popular trading pairs such as: BTC / BIDR, ETH / BIDR, BNB / BIDR, BUSD / BIDR and USDT / BIDR.

How to deposit IDR

1. Click "Buy Crypto" in the navigation menu.
2. Select "Bank Deposit" and then select a bank. All banks are supported but there will be additional wire transfer fees if you are sending from a bank not selected.
3. Your balance will be converted to BIDR instantly.

How to withdraw IDR

1. Click "Wallet" —-> "Spot Wallet" in the navigation menu.
2. Click the "Withdraw" button
3. Select "Fiat" on the Withdrawal page. All banks are supported for this feature.
4. BIDR will be immediately withdrawn to your bank account.

What is BIDR?

Binance IDR (BIDR) is a BEP2 stablecoin pegged 1: 1 to Rupiah (IDR), which is simultaneously supported by Binance and Tokocrypto. Tokocrypto is the first regulated digital currency exchange in Indonesia, supported by the Binance Cloud.

Start buying BIDR with local bank transfer here.

Four of the Five Major South Korean Banks Offering Crypto Services


South Korea's Woori and Shinhan Banks have just announced their intention to introduce a "crypto-asset service". That means four of the country's top five banks, which have a combined value of more than $ 1.2 trillion in assets, are now ready to introduce crypto services.

Individual banks aim to hold and manage cryptocurrency for clients. Both Shinhan and Woori announced their plans in direct response to the amended Special Financial Transaction Information Act that will amend the law around crypto assets, which goes into effect next year.

Shinhan Bank previously announced a crypto deposit plan in 2017, but this plan was thwarted by the government in January 2018.

NH Nonghyup Bank and Kookmin Bank have coordinated blockchain teams to implement crypto custodial features, with Nonghyup being the most advanced and hoping to launch a service for "institutional investors" in the coming months.

Too little, too late?

Blockchain experts in the country have voiced concern that these steps are "too little, too late" by citing American institutions as being far ahead of the South Korean banking sector. Park Sung-Joon, head of the Blockchain Research Center at Dongguk University, said he was "worried" that the "competitiveness" of state finances could be threatened as a result:
“Other countries are moving very fast in this regard. But there is still no legal system in place in South Korea, so progress has been slower than expected. "
Without "institutional support," he suggests that this push for crypto custody may not result in widespread integration.

Korea loves crypto

Although the financial sector has been criticized for the slow adoption of blockchain technology, other industries have been faster integrating it into their solutions. More than 1 million people have adopted the new blockchain-based digital SIM application in just 3 months. One of the largest banks in South Korea KEB Hana Bank has partnered with the Korea Expressway Corporation to implement a blockchain-based toll system for the country's highways.

And news this week emerged that Seongnam's payment program will be expanded by issuing new digital gift certificates while beachgoers in Busan will be able to pay for services with Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH).

Russian Central Bank Admits It Cannot Prohibit Bitcoin

A few days ago, the head of the same legal department of the Russian Central Bank Alexey Guznov said that soon the law adopted on digital financial assets would be amended and the circulation of cryptocurrency in Russia would be banned, except for safekeeping.


Punishment will be applied to violators. Therefore, it is too early to rejoice or be upset. Senior officials' information about cryptocurrency is very contradictory so it is difficult to comment on anything. One thing is clear: the Russian government does not want to legalize cryptocurrency and allow its citizens to use it freely. We must expect the proper application of the law.

The director of the legal department of the Bank of Russia has acknowledged that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies cannot realistically be banned in the country.

Although cryptocurrency is not completely legal in Russia, it looks like it will also never be banned. That's the latest news from the Russian government.

The director of the legal department of the Bank of Russia has acknowledged that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies cannot realistically be banned in the country.

Although cryptocurrency is not completely legal in Russia, it looks like it will also never be banned. [Interfax] That's the latest news from the Russian government.

Secure Cryptocurrency in Russia?

Cryptocurrency has faced a confusing and difficult legal situation in Russia for some time now. Last month, it was reported that several bank accounts related to cryptocurrency could be frozen in the country. Cryptocurrency payments have also come under fire for damaging Russian rubles.

The Russian Central Bank has repeatedly supported the ban and remains firm against Bitcoin. However, it seems that establishing such dictation has proved impossible - and the Russian government has admitted this recently.

As recently reported director of the legal department of the Bank of Russia, Alexei Guznov, said that the ban was not possible. However, he said that cryptocurrency is being actively used for money laundering and illegal activities.

He also stressed that cryptocurrency is "not money." However, Bitcoin spending cannot be stopped and he said that "we cannot possibly limit this."

Russia likes Cryptocurrency

There is no denying that cryptocurrency remains very popular in Russia. However, opposition from the government is strange considering how entangled they themselves are in the world of cryptocurrency.

Last year, it was revealed by a large Bitcoin mining field owned by aides of President Putin. The Russian State has also sought to create a financial center on the border between Russia and China, specifically for cryptocurrency trading.

So, it seems that the Russian state is more than willing to exploit cryptocurrency for its own purposes but wants to prevent its people from doing that. The good news is that now they have recognized that they cannot ban cryptocurrency in this country - but this tacit admission still puts the industry at serious risk there. However, this is good news for those who fear Bitcoin might be blocked. These fears can now be rested.

Bankers accused of generating € 30M in bonuses from German fraud, tax lawyers come out with a guarantee of € 4M


Former bank employees have received millions of euros in bonuses in illegal trade schemes that also involve tax lawyers, prosecutors said in Frankfurt this week. This case is part of various investigations conducted in Germany, the country hardest hit in the famous tax fraud scandal known as Cum-ex Files.

Frankfurt Fraud Costs Germany € 389 Million

The six bankers got 29.5 million euros (nearly $ 33 million) in bonuses from the alleged fraud, German prosecutors said on Monday. The shocking figures, mentioned in the indictments filed earlier this month against bankers and lawyers, were made public in an announcement by the Frankfurt Prosecutor's Office.

The prosecutor did not disclose the entity that employed the defendant but according to sources quoted in the report, these people worked for Maple Bank. The Frankfurt-based financial institution collapsed in 2016 as a result of its involvement in the cum-ex trade conducted between 2006 and 2009 and cost € 389 million in lost taxes (more than $ 421 million).

Two bankers have been detained since their detention in December 2019 after an investigation conducted by German authorities. The tax lawyer, Ulf Johannemann, who is a former partner at the Freshfields law firm, was arrested the previous month. He has been released on bail of 4 million euros, the news agency detailed.

The case in Frankfurt, the financial capital of the Eurozone, is just one of a series of investigations in the Federal Republic against large-scale tax fraud. Participants in the fraud generated some tax revenue from ghost dividends from most German companies. Officials insist that the scheme requires intensive collaboration between large financial institutions, investors and legal experts to achieve its goals.

IMF Encourages Philippines Central Bank To Monitor Cross-Border Crypto Transactions


The International Monetary Fund (IMF)  in its Technical Assistance Report paper has urged Phillippines Central Bank to monitor the flow of crypto transactions moving outside the country.

The paper published by IMF was a part of their Monetary mission in Phillippines started back in July 2019. Under this mission, the IMF also delivered a lecture which looked into the role of crypto assets in macroeconomics whose summary was mentioned in the report as well.  The summary read,

"BSP has recently authorized operations for three virtual currency exchanges (VCE), bringing the total number of approved VCEs to 10, therefore the Philippines can become an important market for crypto assets"

The IMF report noted that the Philippines had seen significant progress in terms of crypto adoption and regulations where the country's regulatory body The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has permitted three more crypto exchanges, taking the total number of operational crypto exchanges to 10. The IMF also recommended the central bank to work with these exchanges and start collecting data on the flow of cryptocurrencies outside the country. The paper suggested that analyzing these data every quarter would help monitor the impact of these crypto-assets on the macroeconomics of the country.

The report also detailed the structure of data collection and suggested that the central bank should divide the data by the origin country of the transaction and the destination country of the transaction. It further recommended collecting data on the parties involved in the transactions as well.

IMF Recommends Close Monitoring of Crypto Transactions


The Bangko Sentral Pilipinas(BSP), the regulatory body of Philippines registers crypto service providers as a cross-border remittance and transfer company which must adhere by Anti-Money Laundering laws, Countering the Financing of Terrorism, and risk management.  Although BSP currently has a positive outlook towards crypto assets given their regulatory assistance towards crypto exchanges, the governor of the BSP has warned how these virtual currencies could aid criminals in carrying out illicit activities.

The recent IMF report highlighted the need for central banks to monitor these crypto transactions especially the once moving out of the country to keep a track if these virtual assets are ever used for illicit activities by criminals. While many are divided on the state of regulations for cryptocurrencies as well as the level of regulations, but given the controversies surrounding the decentralized space, regulatory precautions are the best measures available to avoid illicit use of these digital assets.
Crypto Facilitates Limited Money Transfers to China,

Crypto Facilitates Limited Money Transfers to China


Crypto is not illegal in China, but it is illegal for banks and financial institutions to deal with crypto. It is also illegal for citizens to send more than $ 50,000 fiat money in one day, without government permission. Banking regulations that limit international trade, and state surveillance amid political unrest mean that transferring money may be difficult. Although bitcoin's legal position is rather precarious, China is still finding ways to prepare for non-violent exchanges, free markets are using the crypto channel to prosper even in the face of economic oppression.

Crypto situation in China

Since a series of government bans in 2017, there has been much debate and misunderstanding about the true nature of crypto regulations in China. Long and short is that crypto is not illegal, but is also seen as property under Chinese law. ICO, crypto exchanges and non-OTC brokerage services involving cryptocurrency are all illegal. Basically, any transaction that directly connects government fiat such as yuan, and cryptocurrency, is prohibited. Banks may not deal with bitcoin, and exchanges cannot facilitate their purchases or sales. As for mining, a proposal to ban the activity was made in April, but a crackdown on this area has not been taken.

Despite all this, the legal gray area of   OTC trading is still alive and well, largely facilitated through offshore exchanges, VPNs and stable transactions such as Tether's USDT. Some large exchanges that have been moved, such as Huobi, continue to allow trading by functioning as an OTC front, with messaging and payment applications such as Wechat being used to facilitate settlement after traders are connected through the Huobi platform. As China continues to crack down on safe and decentralized digital assets, the country is also preparing to launch its own centralized asset, a kind of digital yuan, soon.

Other Financial Limits

Not only are crypto transactions highly regulated in the economic center, Communist countries, but also fiat transactions. Chinese citizens are prohibited from making international transfers of more than $ 50,000 per day without special permission. Some have found a way out by only making a number of small transfers with several different parties helping in the process. Unofficial brokerage firms also use this method. Expatriates living in China do not have such a limit on the amount of money technically but must prove that their income is legal before making a transfer, which can be a complicated and sometimes impossible task. According to Josh Summers at travelchinacheaper.com:

For those who want to transfer money from China, there are some regulatory hurdles that you must overcome ... Even if you have paid all the necessary taxes, it is normal for people to experience obstacles in the bank.

Overcoming Transfer and Regulation Limits With Crypto

A sea of murky regulations and potentially jail sentences is still not enough to deter crypto users and supporters of economic freedom. Bitcoin is too comfortable where the nation-state is slow and incompetent. Foreign exchange can still be accessed using a VPN, and although the Chinese government is also cracking down on it, use continues. In fact, the use of VPN must be allowed for large companies to do business in China's limited "Great Firewall" cyber atmosphere. Even the iron-headed People's Bank of China (PBOC) knows this, and it won't starve the economy. with such deviations. According to one local source:

Whether it's legal or illegal to use VPNs in China is a very gray area, and the government is deliberately making it so ... many businesses in China need VPN.

Chinese residents can also use VPN to access peer-to-peer OTC trading sites, such as Local.Bitcoin.com and exercise economic autonomy freely, buying and selling BCH and fiat currencies through various diverse payment channels. Trading volumes on sites like localbitcoins.com have remained stable as well, proving that despite government restrictions, crypto, like nature, will find a way out.

Tether pipe

Stablecoin Tether (USDT), with a market capitalization that has recently exceeded $ 4 billion, is the dominant crypto tool used today by major Chinese traders. Tether Holdings has also launched a Chinese yuan stable coin called CNHT. While some people questioned the wisdom in competing with the Communist giants in the field of currency issuance, others supported the effort, thanks to the relative liquidity and stability afforded by the stability of the USDT. Of course, others are more worried that grouping anything into the USD world reserve tank, which has been devalued for more than a century, is not a good idea.

Even so, the USDT is still a superhighway at this time to get around the limiting government regulations. Crypto Coin Metrics network data provider reported that in July USDT contributed 40% and 80% of transactions in Binance and Huobi respectively, according to the report. If the dollar finally dies in the face of expanding negative interest rate policies worldwide, and irresponsible fiscal policies, it will become a truly free market, a decentralized option that remains.

Tech Brings Free Market Solutions

For those who call the vast country of China home, and who values its diverse beauty and culture outside of rotten government interference, leaving the country to pursue financial freedom may not be the desired choice. Fortunately, technological innovation has made many old and obsolete financial practices obsolete. Utilizing tools such as VPNs, chat applications, legal gray areas, and crypto transfer protocols that emerged, even as the government continued to restrict freedom, crypto finance expanded and provided users with natural solutions. Large floods from strong rivers cannot be stopped by ad hoc stick networks or a sign that says "no water."

What do you think about the financial climate in China? Let us know in the comments section below.

Source: https://news.bitcoin.com/crypto-facilitates-money-transfer-for-restricted-china/