Borderless

Nischal Shetty, the CEO of India’s top crypto exchange WazirX joins hosts Danny Nelson and Anna Baydakova on this week’s Borderless to talk crypto bans. Rumor has it India’s government is gearing up for a crypto crackdown; possibly a complete ban. Is that really the case? Nischal helps untangle fact from fiction in one of crypto’s most exciting emerging markets. The conversation then turns to crypto-environmentalism, first through mining and then via NFTs. Miami’s dream of becoming a hub for “clean energy” crypto mining could run into some pretty “hot” opposition. Meanwhile, another NFT marketplace is bending the knee to environmentalists’ demands, but only slightly. https://www.coindesk.com/miami-mayor-wants-city-to-become-bitcoin-mining-hub [https://www.coindesk.com/miami-mayor-wants-city-to-become-bitcoin-mining-hub] https://www.coindesk.com/nifty-gateway-pledges-to-go-carbon-negative-amid-criticism-of-nfts [https://www.coindesk.com/nifty-gateway-pledges-to-go-carbon-negative-amid-criticism-of-nfts] https://www.coindesk.com/cbdcs-will-reduce-demand-for-bitcoin-says-south-korea-central-bank-chief [https://www.coindesk.com/cbdcs-will-reduce-demand-for-bitcoin-says-south-korea-central-bank-chief] See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

In this episode, Anna Baydakova [https://twitter.com/baidakova?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor] and Danny Nelson [https://twitter.com/realDannyNelson] speak with Kim Nilsson, a former user of the oldest (and long defunct) Mt. Gox crypto exchange. Nilsson has investigated the infamous crypto theft and has been watching the effort to repay the exchange’s creditors. When Mt. Gox stopped functioning and filed for bankruptcy, Nilsson didn’t just sit back and see what happened. He set up his own bitcoin node [https://www.coindesk.com/becoming-self-sovereign-how-to-set-up-a-bitcoin-node-lightning], coded software and tracked the stolen bitcoin to where it landed. He’s also been an active member of the Mt. Gox creditor community over the years. Nilsson explains why it takes so long to resolve all the seven-year-old situations, why most of the creditors are still holding on to their claims (instead of selling them) and what’s next for those who have been waiting for repayment since 2014. We also asked him to chat with us about the most interesting global crypto stories of last week. That was fun! For example, Canadian exchange Coinsquare was obliged by a federal court in Canada to disclose data on some of its 20,000 users to the national tax agency, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). The taxman is knocking on crypto exchanges’ doors, and that, Nilsson believes, is basically the end of privacy in crypto. The rumor mill is working overtime in India: Will the nation ban all cryptocurrencies? Start blocking IP addresses of crypto exchanges? Maybe, maybe not. India is a big economy with a young and crypto-curious population, so the threat of crypto regulation has resounded. Meanwhile in Turkey, the national currency, the lira, is tanking, and people are buying bitcoin to protect their savings. There are neither regulations nor a specific tax on crypto in the country, and the interest in bitcoin is surging in the time of fiscal uncertainty. Stories mentioned in this episode: * WSJ: The Man Who Solved Bitcoin’s Most Notorious Heist [https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-man-who-solved-bitcoins-most-notorious-heist-1533917805] * CoinDesk: Mt. Gox [https://www.coindesk.com/company/mt-gox] * CoinDesk: Mt. Gox Creditors to Vote on Draft Rehabilitation Plan [https://www.coindesk.com/mt-gox-creditors-to-vote-on-draft-rehabilitation-plan] * CoinDesk: Crypto Exchange Coinsquare Ordered to Hand Thousands of Customers’ Records to Canadian Tax Agency [https://www.coindesk.com/coinsquare-canada-tax-customer-records] * CoinDesk: Crypto Is Not Regulated in Turkey, and It’s Thriving [https://www.coindesk.com/turkey-doesnt-regulate-crypto-its-thriving] * CoinDesk: India May Block IP Addresses of Crypto Exchanges: Report [https://www.coindesk.com/india-may-block-ip-addresses-of-crypto-exchanges-report] Did you enjoy the show? We would love to hear what you think. Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or your preferred service and talk to us directly via email at borderless@coindesk.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

In this episode, Anna Baydakova [https://twitter.com/baidakova?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor] and Danny Nelson [https://twitter.com/realDannyNelson] speak with Kim Grauer, head of research at Chainalysis, about the blockchain analytics firm’s 2021 “Crypto Crime Report,” how to locate where scammers send their money, and the state of crypto regulation and adoption. The report, [https://go.chainalysis.com/2021-Crypto-Crime-Report.html]released in February, maps out major crime types associated with cryptocurrencies: crypto scams, ransomware attacks and money laundering, among others. Kim Grauer explains how Chainalysis comes to its conclusions about the geography of crypto transactions, what cyber crimes were on the rise in 2020 and why transaction-tracking software hates mixers. Also, we discuss Sandali Handagama’s report about a startup that helps savings groups in Africa, and particularly in Nigeria, to invest in stablecoins and protect against inflation of their national currencies. In Africa, many people don’t have access to banking services, and instead, they do collective savings. Could crypto make this practice easier? On the regulatory front: European crypto firm Bitcoin Suisse has failed in its bid to win a banking license. FINMA, the Swiss financial regulator, on Wednesday rejected Bitcoin Suisse’s charter application on grounds the company had weak anti-money laundering defenses. Bitcoin Suisse has been working with banks and regulators in Switzerland for years now, but looks like it’s not enough. Stories mentioned in this episode: * Chainalysis: The Chainalysis 2021 Crypto Crime Report [https://go.chainalysis.com/2021-Crypto-Crime-Report.html] * CoinDesk: Nigerians Turn to Stablecoins for Protection Against Inflation [https://www.coindesk.com/nigerians-turn-to-stablecoins-for-protection-against-inflation] * CoinDesk: Stellar Development Foundation Invests $750K in Nigeria Remittance Platform [https://www.coindesk.com/stellar-development-foundation-invests-750k-in-nigeria-remittance-platform] * CoinDesk: Swiss Crypto Firm Bitcoin Suisse Turned Down on Banking License [https://www.coindesk.com/swiss-crypto-firm-bitcoin-suisse-refused-banking-license] * CoinDesk: EU Regulators Warn Again on Crypto Investment Risks [https://www.coindesk.com/eu-regulators-warn-again-on-crypto-investment-risks] Did you enjoy the show? We would love to hear what you think. Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or your preferred service and talk to us directly via email at borderless@coindesk.com [borderless@coindesk.com]. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

A collection of 5,000 .jpg files just sold at Christie’s for $69.3 million. Why? Because it’s art, it’s digital and it’s on a blockchain. Hosts Anna Baydakova [https://twitter.com/baidakova?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor] and Danny Nelson [https://twitter.com/realDannyNelson] dive into the non-fungible token (NFT) phenomenon and its wildest, eye-popping twist yet on “Borderless” this week, discussing what makes NFTs so valuable and whether they’re here to stay – potentially turning the art world on its head. Even hackers are paying attention. The conversation then turns to Israel, where local media reported the Altschuler Shacham pension fund invested $100 million in Grayscale’s Bitcoin Trust at $21,000. (Grayscale is owned by CoinDesk parent company DCG). It’s the latest example of traditionally conservative money flowing into the historically volatile crypto. Danny and Anna discuss the trend. Finally, “Borderless” heads to New Zealand where a startup’s started minting one of the world’s earliest fully compliant stablecoin. With currency digitization sweeping across borders, the hosts consider how the future of money might be shaped by corporations and governments, too. Articles in the podcast: https://www.coindesk.com/beeple-nft-christies-auction [https://www.coindesk.com/beeple-nft-christies-auction] https://www.coindesk.com/israeli-pension-giant-put-100m-into-grayscale-bitcoin-trust-report [https://www.coindesk.com/israeli-pension-giant-put-100m-into-grayscale-bitcoin-trust-report] https://www.coindesk.com/new-zealand-stablecoin-techemynt [https://www.coindesk.com/new-zealand-stablecoin-techemynt] See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

This week on “Borderless,” Anna Baydakova [https://twitter.com/baidakova?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor] and Danny Nelson [https://twitter.com/realDannyNelson] speak with Alex Gladstein, [https://twitter.com/gladstein?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor] chief strategy officer for the Human Rights Foundation, about the intersection of bitcoin and activism, how global movements are using blockchain and what governments might try to do to stop it. As more world governments step up their digital and financial surveillance measures, bitcoin has become a safe haven for pockets of oppressed. For example, in Nigeria female activists now harness bitcoin to get around government-ordered banking blockades. Alex and his partners at Human Rights Foundation use crypto grants and vocal advocacy to spotlight their stories. At the same time, some governments have begun treating bitcoin as a tool of their own. The hosts discuss with Alex the ramifications of bitcoin weaponization and consider whether the problem is as bad as the United Nations makes it out to be. Does North Korea really fund its nuclear weapons program with stolen crypto? Alex has a lot to say. Later in the episode, the hosts take on the non-fungible token (NFT) craze that’s taking the digital collectibles world by storm. What makes a LeBron James video worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, anyway? Did you enjoy the show? We would love to hear what you think. Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or your preferred service and talk to us directly via email at borderless@coindesk.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].