Crypto Boom: BlackRock CEO Praises Bitcoin as ‚International Asset‘

• CZ denies rumors of senior Binance executives resigning due to regulatory challenges
• BlackRock CEO Larry Fink likens crypto to ‘digitizing gold’ and praises Bitcoin as an ‘international asset’
• Valkyrie refiles spot-Bitcoin ETF application with Coinbase named as surveillance partner.

CZ Denies Rumors of Senior Executives Resigning

Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) recently denied rumors that senior executives were resigning due to ongoing regulatory challenges. This follows reports in April this year, which suggested that some senior staff had left Binance amid a clash with regulators over its global operations.

Blackrock CEO Likens Crypto To ‚Digitizing Gold‘

In related news, Blackrock CEO Larry Fink has likened crypto to “digitizing gold” while praising Bitcoin as an “international asset.” In his annual letter to shareholders, Fink said he believes digital assets could represent a new investment opportunity for investors and suggested that the space is still evolving and maturing.

Bitwage Halts USDC Payments For US Residents

Bitwage recently announced it was halting USDC payments for US residents citing “strict regulations.” The company explained that it was suspending all services involving USDC until further notice due to the current lack of clarity surrounding the legal status of cryptocurrencies in the country. Bitwage added that it would look into providing other stablecoin options for its customers in the future if regulations permit it.

Valkyrie Refiles Spot-Bitcoin ETF Application

Valkyrie Digital Assets also recently refiled its spot-Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) application with Coinbase named as its surveillance partner this time around. The filing comes after Valkyrie withdrew its previous application in late March this year, following reports of issues between itself and rival ETF provider WisdomTree Investments Inc..

NEAR And Ethereum Contrasting Approaches To Blockchain Scalability

Finally, a recent article published by CryptoSlate looked at NEAR Protocol’s sharding approach and how it compares to Ethereum’s Layer 2 solution when it comes to scalability on blockchain networks. According to the report, both solutions have their pros and cons but ultimately provide different paths forward depending on what users are looking for in terms of speed, cost efficiency, interoperability, security etc..