Crypto donations to Ukraine top $37M, eBay eyes crypto payments and other news

Ukraine has received $37M in tracked crypto donations so far

View this email in your browser A week in review: Feb. 26–March 5 We've selected the hottest materials of the past week for you to stay up to date with the latest crypto news: #1. Ukraine has received $37M in tracked crypto donations so far Cointelegraph compiled data this week for crypto donations sent to the Ukrainian government, military and charities amid the country's ongoing conflict with Russia. By Monday, total crypto donations to the Ukrainian government and charities linked to it had reached $37 million. The "Reserve fund of Ukraine" backed by local crypto exchange Kuna appeared to be the largest recipient, garnering roughly $13 million worth of BTC, ETH, USDT and other assets. Next in line was charity organization Come Back Alive, which pulled in $7.2 million. The group says it's aiding the Ukrainian Armed Forces' resistance efforts. Notably, UkraineDAO also sold a tokenized Ukrainian flag for 2,174 ETH ($5.95 million) to support local civilian organizations. Continue reading #2. eBay to add crypto payment options soon, says CEO Jamie Iannone, CEO of eBay, stated during a recent interview that the e-commerce giant could soon be looking to integrate crypto payments into its marketplace. The CEO also pointed to the growing popularity of NFT buying and selling on the platform, but did not divulge any specific plans to ramp up support for NFT technology. Iannone said that eBay has been considering the idea for a long time as the company continues to explore new payment methods. He went on to hint that there could be a crypto-related announcement during eBay's upcoming investor day on March 10. If eBay were to support crypto, it would be a second attempt from the firm, as it initially tried integrating BTC payments back in 2014. Continue reading #3. Payment services provider Shift4 acquires The Giving Block for $54 million On Tuesday, U.S.-based payment solutions provider Shift4 announced the acquisition of The Giving Block in a cash and stock deal worth $54 million. The deal includes provisions that could generate a total earnout of up to $246 million. The Giving Block platform enables more than 1,300 nonprofit organizations and charities to accept crypto donations. According to the group's annual report, it processed $69.64 million in crypto donations in 2021, with roughly $12.3 million coming from NFT projects. "Shift4 will invest further in The Giving Block's successful strategy while also pursuing a $45+ billion embedded cross-sell opportunity by bundling crypto donation capabilities with traditional card acceptance," said Shift4 in a statement. "This represents just a small portion of the $470+ billion nonprofit addressable markets that Shift4 will uniquely be able to pursue as a result of this acquisition." Continue reading #4. Prediction of the week. Bitcoin returns to test $40K as macro factors pile up to squash BTC bulls Bitcoin once again showed no shortage of price movement this week. The asset bounced from around $38,000 on Sunday up to almost $45,500 on Wednesday before falling back below $41,000 on Friday, according to Cointelegraph's BTC price index. Crypto Ed, a pseudonymous trader on Twitter, concisely summed up the scene for BTC: "Bullish above 42, bearish below 40k." Prior to his bullish/bearish conclusion, Crypto Ed explained his rationale via Bitcoin charts and technical analysis. Bitcoin's price appears to be mirroring global macro uncertainty as investors continue to assess monetary policy and the conflict in Ukraine. Continue reading #5. FUD of the week. SEC investigating NFT market over potential securities violations: Reports The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), led by crypto-skeptic Gary Gensler, is reportedly investigating NFT creators and marketplaces for apparent securities violations. According to anonymous sources who spoke to Bloomberg, the SEC is working to ascertain whether certain NFTs are being "utilized to raise money like traditional securities," with the agency believed to have sent subpoenas demanding information on specific NFTs and other token offerings. With billions of dollars flowing into NFTs over the past 18 months, it was only a matter of time before the SEC began taking a deeper dive into the sector's compliance standards. Continue reading #6. FUD of the week. UK financial watchdog is investigating 50 unauthorized crypto firms The United Kingdom's Financial Conduct Authority announced on Thursday that it is investigating 50 unauthorized crypto companies. The FCA also stated that it has pursued more than 300 cases on unregistered crypto firms in the last six months. The move is part of a push to crack down on potentially dubious firms involved in scamming activities. According to the FCA, U.K. residents sent in 16,400 inquiries between April and September 2021, which included crypto-related scams. The regulatory body outlined that it would be implementing tools, including "more assertive supervision and enforcement action," to deter bad actors in the local crypto sector. Continue reading Be The Satoshi Of Your Neighborhood!   You may not have one whole Bitcoin, but you can have one whole BTC shirt. 👕Check out the Bitcoin Genesis Block Collection at the Cointelegraph Store. Visit the Cointelegraph Store 3.5 million people follow us on social media Download our official app:

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