Canadian bank plans to launch CAD stablecoin

Canadian bank plans to launch CAD stablecoin

Today, Canada’s VersaBank announced plans to issue a Canadian dollar stablecoin VCAD, one-to-one backed by a Canadian dollar deposit at the bank. If you haven’t heard of the chartered bank before, it’s because it’s not Canada’s biggest, with a market capitalization of CAD 288 million ($229 million). The bank also wants to leverage its own “digital bank vault” technology created by its subsidiary DRT Cyber.

To issue the stablecoin, it has partnered with Stablecorp, a joint venture between crypto asset manager 3iQ and Mavennet. The latter is known for developing blockchain applications for enterprises such as steel and oil traceability for the Canadian and U.S. governments.

VersaBank doesn’t intend to deal with end-users directly. Instead, it will issue stablecoins to “financial intermediary partners” in exchange for Canadian dollar deposits. In turn, those intermediaries can offer the redeemable stablecoin to consumers and businesses.

“As North America’s first bank-issued “stablecoin”, VCAD offers consumers and businesses the ability to adopt and leverage the benefits of digital currency and blockchain-based assets without the volatility of traditional currencies, alongside the security of a value-backed asset that the cryptocurrency world has long demanded,” said David Taylor, President of both VersaBank and its cyber security subsidiary, DRT Cyber.

VersaBank and StableCorp also plan to offer VUS and VEuro stablecoins in future.

StabeCorp’s CEO Jean Desgagne is an accountant and Vice Chair of Ontario’s accounting body. He also chairs the internal audit committee for the IT Sector of the Province of Ontario. StableCorp already has its own stablecoin, the QCAD.

Meanwhile, JP Morgan is looking to ramp up its JPM Coin activities. To date, the JPM Coin would be classed more as a settlement token than a pure stablecoin in that it is used to convert part of a company’s bank balance into a coin for the purposes of payments, and converted back to a bank balance by the recipient. JPM Coin is also being used in an interbank multi-currency payments network being developed in Singapore.

花旗：比特幣處轉折點 可能成國際貿易主流貨幣

（中央社倫敦1日綜合外電報導）公債市場上週拋售熱潮降溫後，今天風險資產價格反彈，比特幣應聲勁揚近6%。美國投資銀行花旗（Citi）更認為比特幣正處於「轉折點」，有朝一日可能成為受歡迎的國際貿易貨幣。

路透社報導，台北時間今天晚間7時27分，目前最受歡迎的加密貨幣比特幣在Bitstamp交易所報價上漲5.7%，來到4萬7834美元。

比特幣價格已從去年3月的4700美元，一路飆漲到現在的4萬7000多美元。花旗分析師發布報告指出，比特幣近期的強勁表現，歸功於近年來越來越多法人投入市場，一反過去10年大多數時間主要只有散戶在買賣。

花旗並表示，隨著電動車巨擘特斯拉（Tesla）和信用卡公司萬事達卡（Mastercard）等跨國大企業最近加入擁抱比特幣行列，比特幣可能處於「大規模轉型為」主流貨幣的開端。

支付工具出身的比特幣，由於價格波動大且交易成本相對高，一直以來在主要國家幾乎不見商業使用。但過去一年在一些新興市場國家，例如非洲的奈及利亞，以比特幣進行商業交易的情況卻越來越多。

花旗說，若企業和個人未來能透過數位錢包，取得央行計劃發行的數位現金和所謂的「穩定幣」（stablecoin），屆時比特幣的遍及全球、可追溯和可能支援快速付款等特性，將使其享有成為受歡迎國際貿易貨幣的「最佳位置」。

不過花旗也指出，比特幣若要搖身一變成為實際上的全球貿易貨幣，也就是目前美元享有的地位，則比特幣市場得出現改變，讓法人能擴大參與；還得要有金融監管當局更密切監督。

花旗並提醒，若總體經濟環境改變，可能使得比特幣的需求不那麼迫切。而若比特幣未能成為國際貿易最熱門貨幣，也恐怕將面臨「投機炒作內爆」。

花旗分析師的結論是：「在比特幣前進的道路上，雖然充滿風險和阻礙；但衡量發展機會和可能的障礙後，我們認為比特幣正處於關鍵轉折點。」（譯者：張正芊/核稿：林治平）1100301

Stablecoin Issuer Tether Says It Is a Victim of a 500 BTC Ransom Demand Infoleak Threat – Security Bitcoin News

Stablecoin Issuer Tether Says It Is a Victim of a 500 BTC Ransom Demand Infoleak Threat

Just days after the conclusion of its long-running feud with the Office of the Attorney General of New York, Tether says it is now a victim of an extortion attempt. According to the stablecoin issuer, the blackmailers are threatening to release documents they claim “will harm the bitcoin ecosystem” if their demand for the payment of 500 bitcoins is not met.

Tether Not Paying the Ransom

However, in its statement dismissing the threat, Tether says the blackmailers were attempting to extort money using “forged documents.” According to Tether, the documents purport to show an interaction between Tether personnel and representatives of Deltec Bank. Still, in a Twitter thread, Tether says it will not send the 500 BTC which the blackmailers want to be paid by March 1.

The stablecoin issuer also says a formal report about the ransom demand has been made to law enforcement. Tether tweeted;

We have reported the forged communications and the associated ransom demand to law enforcement. As always, we will fully support law enforcement in an investigation of this extortion scheme.

Meanwhile, in his own tweet, Bitfinex and Tether CTO Paolo Ardiono similarly dismisses the ransom demand. He repeats the claim that while the attack is seemingly aimed at Tether, the attackers’ “main goal is to discredit bitcoin and all crypto.”

Leaked Emails

The CTO also goes on to share the screenshot of a February 27 tweet from a user going by the name Trolly McTrollface. According to the screenshot, McTrollface claims to be in possession of a leaked email from Tether to Deltec which the user says “is a crucial piece of the puzzle.”

Following the conclusion of the long-running investigation, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) determined that both Tether and Bitfinex had “recklessly and unlawfully covered-up massive financial losses to keep their scheme going and protect their bottom lines.”

However, in its statement, the OAG only acknowledges that the Bahamas-based Deltec Bank is Tether’s banker. The OAG did not say anything about the purported email dated May 3, 2020, wherein Tether personnel are asking Deltec representatives for help “in presenting their reserves in the best possible light.”

Consequently, Tether is labeling the latest rumours and the tweets “a pretty sad attempt at a shakedown.”

What are your thoughts on Tether’s latest predicament? You can share your views in the comments section below.

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