Ukrainian President Signs Law Opening Door for Digital Hryvnia, Regulatory Sandbox

Ukrainian President Signs Law Opening Door for Digital Hryvnia, Regulatory Sandbox

Ukrainian President Signs Law Opening Door for Digital Hryvnia, Regulatory Sandbox

President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a law that will allow the National Bank of Ukraine to issue its own digital currency. The new legislation, which aligns Ukrainian regulations with EU rules, will also stiffen authentication requirements for clients of payment service providers.

New Legislation Allows Ukrainian Central Bank to Issue Digital Currency

The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has signed the law “On Payment Services” which was adopted by the Ukrainian parliament on June 30, the president’s administration announced this week. The legislation aims to “modernize and further develop” the payment services market and promote the introduction of innovations in the financial sector, a press release explains.

Ukrainian President Signs Law Opening Door for Digital Hryvnia, Regulatory Sandbox

One of the provisions in the bill grants the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) powers to issue its own central bank digital currency (CBDC). Authorities in Kyiv have been mulling over a project to create a digital hryvnia for quite a while. A recently conducted survey has indicated that the country’s financial sector would like the e-hryvnia to facilitate transactions in the crypto space.

NBU will also be able to set up a regulatory sandbox to test new services, technologies and tools in the payments sector that will be based on innovative technologies, the president’s office explained. The platform will allow the financial regulator to closely interact with startups from the industry and better understand their needs.

Ukraine to Introduce Stricter User Authentication Rules for Payment Service Providers

The law “On Payment Services” aligns Ukraine’s legislation with the EU’s regal framework in the field, facilitating a future integration of the country’s payment system with that of the European Union. Ukrainian lawmakers have adopted the norms of important European regulatory acts such as the Second Payment Directive (PSD2) and the Electronic Money Directive (EMD).

The legislation is tailored to ensure transparency in the provision of payment services and strengthen consumer protection. Payment companies will have to meet stricter requirements regarding risk management. In certain cases, the platforms will be required to implement enhanced user authentication procedures, necessary to prevent cyber fraud.

Ukrainian President Signs Law Opening Door for Digital Hryvnia, Regulatory Sandbox

The law defines nine different categories of payment service providers, introducing new ones like electronic money institutions and branches of foreign payment institutions. Non-bank payment service providers, such as payment institutions, e-money institutions, and postal operators will be able to open payment accounts, issue payment cards, and electronic money. Non-bank financial institutions will not be required to participate in payment systems in order to make transfers.

The presidential administration also pointed out that the law “On Payment Services” creates conditions for the introduction of the ‘open banking’ concept in Ukraine. Its main purpose is to integrate various service providers and technology companies into a single payment ecosystem. Authorities in Kyiv hope to implement the open banking system by 2023.

Do you think the new legislation will benefit the Ukrainian crypto industry? Tell us in the comments section below.



source https://news.bitcoin.com/ukrainian-president-signs-law-opening-door-for-digital-hryvnia-regulatory-sandbox/
Antier Solutions’ Crypto Exchange Script Solutions Helping Businesses to Reduce Their Time-to-Market by 50%

Antier Solutions’ Crypto Exchange Script Solutions Helping Businesses to Reduce Their Time-to-Market by 50%

PRESS RELEASE. Antier Solutions, a blockchain development company recognized for its end-to-end solutions, is offering crypto exchange script to expedite the development and deployment of crypto exchange platforms by 50%.

Given the cut-throat competition to tap into the billion-dollar crypto market, Antier’s cryptocurrency exchange script solutions help start-ups and enterprises to quickly launch their exchange platforms and take the lead.

“The crypto market is highly volatile; businesses need solutions that can help them quickly enter the market, especially when the market is favorable. This has catapulted the demand for cryptocurrency exchange clone or script solutions.”, said Parvinder Singh, Chief Technical Officer at Antier Solutions.

The company receives several requests from start-ups and established organizations to create a clone of popular exchange platforms.

“Out of all the queries we get, the majority ask for a Binance clone script. This is because they strive to replicate the meteoric growth and success of one of the biggest crypto exchanges globally.”, said Parvinder Singh.

Antier is equipped with a team of over 200 blockchain experts to cater to diverse business requirements. The cross-functional teams work in conjunction to deliver one-of-a-kind products that align with their client requirements and resonate with an impact.

In addition to providing cryptocurrency trading script solutions with different modules like spot trading, margin trading, or derivatives trading, Antier is known for its white label crypto exchange solution. Available as a ready-to-deploy solution, it is fortified with market-leading features – such as high TPS (Transactions Per Second), which stands at 100,000; powerful matching engine; liquidity module; multi-currency, mnemonics-based wallet, institutional-grade security, and more.

Various start-ups and organizations leveraging Antier’s services is a testament to clients’ trust in Antier’s experience and expertise to deliver world-class products.

About Antier Solutions

Headquartered in Mohali, India, Antier Solutions is a full-service Blockchain development firm with depth and breadth of experience in consulting, development, and promotion of enterprise-grade dApps. With a presence in 3 continents, Antier Solutions has been providing services for cryptocurrency exchange development, cryptocurrency wallet development, crypto friendly banking solutions, asset tokenization, innovative DeFi protocol, and custom blockchain development services. In recognition of Antier’s blockchain expertise, Antier is positioned among the top blockchain development companies in the world by GoodFirms, Clutch, and The Manifest.

Media contacts:

Antier Solutions: +91 98550 78699 (India) , +1 (315) 825 4466 (US)

Email:info@antiersolutions.com

Website: https://www.antiersolutions.com/

Telegram: https://t.me/antiersupport

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/antiersolutions

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/antiersolutions/

 


This is a press release. Readers should do their own due diligence before taking any actions related to the promoted company or any of its affiliates or services. Bitcoin.com is not responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in the press release.



source https://news.bitcoin.com/antier-solutions-crypto-exchange-script-solutions-helping-businesses-to-reduce-their-time-to-market-by-50/
India Reportedly Investigating Binance in Chinese Money Laundering Case

India Reportedly Investigating Binance in Chinese Money Laundering Case

India Reportedly Investigating Binance in Chinese Money Laundering Case

Indian authorities are reportedly investigating cryptocurrency exchange Binance in connection with an ongoing Chinese money laundering case that raked in more than 10 billion rupees ($134 million).

Binance’s Regulatory Troubles Continue

India is reportedly investigating whether the global cryptocurrency exchange Binance had any role in a Chinese money laundering scheme involving betting apps, local media reported Friday, citing people with knowledge on the matter.

The country’s Enforcement Directorate (ED), a law enforcement agency under the Ministry of Finance, has summoned Binance’s executives for questioning, according to the people who asked not to be identified as the matter is still under investigation.

The case centers around betting apps run by Chinese operators. They allegedly raked in more than 10 billion rupees over the past 10 months. They were suspected of laundering part of the money through local Indian crypto exchange Wazirx, which was acquired by Binance in 2019.

Responding to the news, Binance said in a statement:

We did not receive any summons in June or July of this year. As per available info in the public domain, the summons was directed to only Wazirx.

The exchange continued: “We work closely with regulators, law enforcement and industry leaders around the world to further the security and sustainability of the industry while providing the best services and protection to our users.”

A growing number of regulators worldwide have warned Binance about operating in their jurisdictions without being authorized. They include regulators in Malaysia, Japan, the U.K., Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, Thailand, Germany, and Lithuania.

Commenting on mounting regulatory scrutiny, Binance’s CEO, Changpeng Zhao, said that the company is looking for a CEO with a strong compliance background and Binance wants to be licensed everywhere and become a financial institution.

What do you think about India investigating Binance and other regulators warning about the exchange? Let us know in the comments section below.



source https://news.bitcoin.com/india-reportedly-investigating-binance-in-chinese-money-laundering-case/
Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary Won’t Invest in Dogecoin, Says ‘I Don’t Understand Why Anybody Would’

Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary Won’t Invest in Dogecoin, Says ‘I Don’t Understand Why Anybody Would’

Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary Won't Invest in Dogecoin, Says 'I Don’t Understand Why Anybody Would'

Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary, aka Mr. Wonderful, says he does not consider dogecoin an investment. “I don’t participate in that kind of thing. I don’t understand why anybody would,” he said.

Kevin O’Leary Won’t Invest in Dogecoin

Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary talked about the meme cryptocurrency dogecoin in an interview with CNBC last week. The chairman of O’Shares ETFs said:

I don’t participate in that kind of thing. I don’t understand why anybody would, but that’s their own choice.

He explained that investing in dogecoin is like gambling in Las Vegas, noting that he might not even call it “investing” at all.

The Shark Tank star explained that when someone invests in a stock, they are betting on the company’s ability to execute its business plan and achieve its goals. In contrast, he said that there is no informed decision making with dogecoin as buyers are simply hoping that the price of the cryptocurrency will increase. In addition, dogecoin has an unlimited supply, unlike bitcoin.

O’Leary suggested: “Maybe you should consider it entertainment because there’s no inherent value in it other than what other people want to do as they speculate.” He elaborated:

When you speculate on something like dogecoin, that’s no different than going to Las Vegas and putting your money on red or black. It’s pure speculation.

Do you agree with Kevin O’Leary about dogecoin? Let us know in the comments section below.



source https://news.bitcoin.com/shark-tanks-kevin-oleary-invest-dogecoin/
Big Investors Are Pushing up Valuations of Crypto Firms

Big Investors Are Pushing up Valuations of Crypto Firms

Big Investors Are Pushing up Valuations of Crypto Firms

Venture capital firms and large investors are driving up the prices of crypto startups. Boutique investment firms and family offices are being elbowed out by big venture capital firms, private equity funds, and even some pension funds.

VC Firms Driving Up Prices of Crypto Startups

Cryptocurrency firms are seeing high valuations due to large investors entering the space, according to Henri Arslanian, Crypto Leader at professional accounting and financial services firm PWC, also known as Pricewaterhousecooper.

In an interview with Bloomberg Thursday, the executive explained that boutique investment firms and family offices are being elbowed out by big venture capitalists, private equity funds, and even some pension funds. He noted that smaller venture capital firms are unhappy about this trend. Arslanian described:

Let’s say they’re looking at a deal and they believe it’s worth $10 million, and you’re seeing large VCs come in and put a bid in for a higher valuation. This is happening a lot with very early-stage companies, say, $5 million to $20 million — the prices are being inflated.

According to the State of Crypto M&A 2021 report, even though deal activity in 2020 increased only 10% from the previous year, total deal value doubled to $1.7 billion. This was primarily due to a handful of large acquisitions in the crypto exchange space, including the $400 million acquisition of Coinmarketcap by Binance and FTX-Blockfolio transaction for $125 million. This trend has continued this year, with Galaxy Digital acquiring Bitgo for $1.2 billion.

In July, derivatives exchange FTX’s valuation rose to $18 billion after the company raised $900 million from investors. In addition, the Digital asset platform Fireblocks raised $310 million to achieve a value of $2 billion.

Arslanian explained that there are some challenges in pricing cryptocurrency startups. They include how to discount for regulatory risk in such a nascent industry and how to assess the valuation of businesses. There is also an issue of the lack of companies to invest in since most firms in the crypto space are still small and not well developed yet.

He further opined:

If your minimum ticket size is around $50 million, there aren’t that many companies that have that status yet. If you’re a large pension fund and you decided to make a crypto allocation, there are no more than two dozen companies around the world that are investable, looking for capital and could absorb $100 million.

What do you think about the comments by Arslanian? Let us know in the comments section below.



source https://news.bitcoin.com/big-investors-pushing-up-valuations-crypto-firms/
ETH Compatible BCH Sidechain Smartbch Successfully Launches Three Nodes

ETH Compatible BCH Sidechain Smartbch Successfully Launches Three Nodes

ETH Compatible BCH Sidechain Smartbch Successfully Launches Three Nodes

The day before the fourth Bitcoin Cash anniversary, the Smart Bitcoin Cash team (Smartbch), announced the project has launched three nodes as genesis validators. Smartbch disclosed that Btc.com, Viabtc, and Matrixport are participating and the project has officially started its voting period.

Smartbch Fires up Smart Chain’s Genesis Validators

For quite some time now, the Bitcoin Cash (BCH) community has been patiently waiting on the development of the Smartbch project. The reason for this is because Smartbch could unlock massive potential between Ethereum (ETH) and Bitcoin Cash.

The protocol could bolster decentralized finance (defi) on Bitcoin Cash and be compatible with the second largest crypto asset in terms of market capitalization. Bitcoin.com News first reported on Smartbch during the first week of April and interviewed the project’s lead developer 15 days later.

By the end of the month, Smartbch launched the testnet publicly and which gives developers and decentralized app makers the ability to experiment and develop with the high-performance, EVM-compatible Bitcoin Cash sidechain. Now Smartbch has now fired up its engines with three nodes acting as the genesis validators.

The three Smartbch nodes are operated by Viabtc, Matrixport, and Btc.com. “Smartbch is now in its first voting period,” the project’s announcement explains. “More validators will be elected by SHA256 miners and will take on the duty in the future.”

“We have spent two more months in development than the original estimation to finalize the data structure of MoeingADS and to implement SEP101, SEP206, and Transaction Reorder onto Smartbch,” the Smartbch development team adds.

“MoeingADS is the underlying storage engine for the world state, which is very hard to change in hard forks,” the Smartbch devs say. “Ethereum’s underlying storage engine MPT has never modified its data structure since the beginning. MoeingADS is now strong enough to support 51K TPS and can support Smartbch’s growth for many years without changing its primary data structure.”

Focusing on a Secure Cross-Chain Bridge

The Smartbch team says the project will take a lot of time to make the protocol robust. During the last few weeks, the developers noticed a number of defi projects that suffered from exploits and it was due to cross-chain bridge vulnerabilities.

The Smartbch team aims to strengthen the Bitcoin Cash sidechain’s cross-chain gateway so it is very secure and powerful. “It will take security as the priority and be audited by the community,” the Smartbch team says.

“The launch is a solid step in Smartbch’s long journey,” the project’s creators conclude. “We invite everybody from the BCH community to use it and help its growth. We’ll soon provide some guides for BCH holders to try it and transfer a limited amount of coins cross-chain through the current simple gateway.”

What do you think about Smartbch launching three nodes for genesis validators and the focus on the cross-chain bridge? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below.



source https://news.bitcoin.com/eth-compatible-bch-sidechain-smartbch-successfully-launches-three-nodes/
Kentucky Regulators Crack Down on Blockfi Interest-Bearing Accounts

Kentucky Regulators Crack Down on Blockfi Interest-Bearing Accounts

Kentucky Regulators Crack Down on Blockfi Interest-Bearing Accounts

The crypto lender Blockfi is now dealing with regulators from five states as Kentucky has joined the fray against the firm’s Blockfi Interest Accounts (BIAs). On July 30, Blockfi shared a statement on Twitter that explained the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) has sent the company an order that aims to ban new BIA accounts.

Blockfi Now Has Problems With Regulators From 5 States

The New York City-based cryptocurrency finance company Blockfi was founded in 2017 by co-founders Zac Prince and Lori Marquez. The firm is a cryptocurrency lending firm that offers interest-bearing accounts called “BIAs” and also provides customers with a cryptocurrency-denominated credit card. Since January 2018, the company has allowed lending services that leverage crypto collateral.

Bitcoin.com News reported on Blockfi’s initial issues with New Jersey regulators which was followed by problems with Texas, Alabama, and Vermont. The regulators from all of the states take issue with the BIA products and statements indicate officials believe they might be unregistered securities.

Following the four states that sent notices to Blockfi, the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) sent the company an order, according to Blockfi’s official Twitter account.

“Friday afternoon we received an order from the Division of Securities of the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions regarding the Blockfi Interest Account (BIA) operations in the state of Kentucky,” Blockfi’s message notes. The crypto lender’s message adds:

The order prohibits Blockfi from soliciting or offering ant securities in Kentucky. Blockfi firmly believes that the BIA is lawful and appropriate for crypto market participants. But in light of the order, Blockfi will stop accepting new BIA clients residing in KY immediately.

Much like the other four states, Blockfi cannot allow individuals to create new BIAs until the issues with regulators are solved. So far, no other crypto companies have been targeted for offering interest via crypto accounts. Blockfi’s statement on Friday further adds that current BIA customers in Kentucky were not affected and like the statements it made prior, Blockfi says it is in discussions with U.S. regulators.

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to protect consumers’ rights to earn interest on their crypto assets,” Blockfi’s message concludes.

What do you think about the issues Blockfi has with Kentucky and the four other states? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below.



source https://news.bitcoin.com/kentucky-regulators-crack-down-on-blockfi-interest-bearing-accounts/
Central Bank Governor: South Africa’s Digital Currency Study Ongoing

Central Bank Governor: South Africa’s Digital Currency Study Ongoing

South African Reserve Bank (SARB) governor, Lesetja Kganyago, has once again confirmed that the central bank is presently studying the feasibility of issuing a digital currency. In his remarks at the SARB’s annual general meeting, governor Kganyago suggested his organization has embarked on this study to keep abreast with the growing trend of central banks that are studying CBDCs.

Retail CBDC

In the past few years, several central banks including a few in Africa have similarly announced their CBDC studies. Already, the central banks of Ghana and Nigeria have both revealed they will start piloting their respective digital currencies in the second half of 2021.

However, as the recent Mybroadband report quotes Kganyago explaining, the SARB’s e-rand study will also seek to understand the feasibility of issuing the CBDC for retail purposes. Kganyago explained:

The objective of the study is to investigate if it would be feasible, appropriate and desirable for the SARB to issue a CBDC to be used for retail purposes, complementary to cash, in South Africa.

Crypto Regulation Imminent

Kganyago’s confirmation of SARB’s study of the CBDC comes as South Africa readies to regulate digital currencies. As reported by Bitcoin.com News, a working group known as the Intergovernmental Fintech Working Group (IFWG) recently published a position paper that recommended the regulation of crypto service providers.

Already, several South African banks are blocking clients from using buying cryptocurrencies on overseas platforms. According to reports, this action by banks is being made at the behest of regulators who want the country’s exchange control rules to be extended to include cryptocurrencies.

Meanwhile, no date has been given as to when SARB is expected to complete its study and when the central bank expects to start piloting this.

What is your view on this revelation by the SARB governor? You can tell us what you think in the comments section below.



source https://news.bitcoin.com/central-bank-governor-south-africas-digital-currency-study-ongoing/
Fed Governor Lael Brainard Can’t Imagine Future Without Digital Dollar

Fed Governor Lael Brainard Can’t Imagine Future Without Digital Dollar

Fed Governor Lael Brainard Can’t Imagine Future Without Digital Dollar

Pointing to a number of reasons why a digital version of the U.S. dollar should be created, Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard insisted that not having one wouldn’t lead to a sustainable future. The central bank official believes a digital dollar will have both international and domestic applications.

US Fed’s Lael Brainard Can’t Wrap Head Around Not Issuing CBDC

With other nations, most notably China, moving forward with their own digital currency projects, Lael Brainard, member of the U.S. Federal Reserve Board of Governors, has highlighted the urgency around the development of a digital dollar. Speaking to the Aspen Institute Economic Strategy Group on Friday, Brainard stated:

The dollar is very dominant in international payments, and if you have the other major jurisdictions in the world with a digital currency, a CBDC offering, and the U.S. doesn’t have one, I just, I can’t wrap my head around that.

“That just doesn’t sound like a sustainable future to me,” Lael Brainard added, quoted by Reuters. Her statement comes as the Fed is gathering public feedback on the potential costs and benefits of issuing a U.S. central bank digital currency (CBDC). A discussion paper, that will also cover design aspects, is expected in early September.

Brainard went on to list various reasons why a digital dollar is needed. “One of the most compelling use cases is in the international realm, where intermediation chains are opaque and long and costly,” she said. On the domestic front, the Fed governor turned attention to the rise of cryptocurrencies backed by fiat money, but not by a government or so-called stablecoins.

Stablecoins could proliferate and fragment the payment system, Lael Brainard warned, also noting that one or two of them could achieve a certain level of dominance. The Federal Reserve representative further elaborated:

In a world of stablecoins you could imagine that households and businesses, if the migration away from currency is really very intense, they would simply lose access to a safe government backed settlement asset, which is of course what currency has always provided.

Brainard is convinced that a U.S. digital currency could be instrumental in solving other important problems as well. A digital dollar could, for example, help to overcome difficulties with government payments reaching people that don’t have bank accounts during a crisis like the Covid-19 pandemic, she suggested. The unbanked are usually those who need these payments the most, the Fed official stressed.

Do you expect the U.S. to catch up with China in the development of a central bank digital currency? Share your thoughts on the subject in the comments section below.



source https://news.bitcoin.com/fed-governor-lael-brainard-cant-imagine-future-without-digital-dollar/
Bitcoin Price Regains Strength Above $41K, Crypto Market Cap Jumps 6% in 24 Hours

Bitcoin Price Regains Strength Above $41K, Crypto Market Cap Jumps 6% in 24 Hours

Bitcoin Price Regains Strength Above $41K, Crypto Market Cap Jumps 6% in 24 Hours

Crypto assets have climbed in value during the last 24 hours as the price of bitcoin tapped a high on Friday, reaching $42,411 per unit at 8:00 p.m. (EDT). The entire market capitalization of all 10,000+ crypto assets is $1.64 trillion on Saturday, up over 6% during the last day.

Bitcoin Climbs Over 20% This Week

The price of bitcoin (BTC) and a number of other digital assets have climbed higher in value during the last few days. Five days ago, a massive short squeeze propelled the price of bitcoin higher as it jumped just below the $40K handle from a low of $34,500 per unit.

Bitcoin Price Regains Strength Above $41K, Crypto Market Cap Jumps 6% in 24 Hours
Bybit.com’s Liquidation Data.

Similarly, there was also a large derivatives expiry on Friday ending the month of July and at around 8:00 p.m. (EDT) a swathe of short positions were liquidated. During the course of the last day, $284.7 million worth of positions were liquidated according to bybt.com’s Liquidation Data.

After 8:00 p.m., the price of bitcoin (BTC) quickly spiked to $42,411 per unit and has remained above the $41K handle since then. BTC is up over 7% today and over 20% during the last seven days. Out of the entire $1.64 trillion, bitcoin’s (BTC) market cap captures 47.66% of the aggregate with $781 billion.

Bitcoin Price Regains Strength Above $41K, Crypto Market Cap Jumps 6% in 24 Hours
BTC/USD chart on July 31, 2021, via Bitstamp.

BTC has around $33 billion in global trade volume on Saturday with tether (USDT) commanding 59% of all trades. This is followed by USD (12.29%), BUSD (5.85%), JPY (4.34%), and EUR (3.41%). At the time of writing, BTC is exchanging hands for $41,522 per unit.

Ethereum Spikes 12% This Week, Easyfi Jumps Over 2,800%, Tether Captures 47% of Global Trade Volume

The second-largest crypto asset, in terms of market cap, is ethereum (ETH) up over 5% during the last day. ETH has gained 12% during the last seven days and at press time ETH is swapping for $2,455 per unit.

Bitcoin Price Regains Strength Above $41K, Crypto Market Cap Jumps 6% in 24 Hours
ETH/USD chart on July 31, 2021, via Deribit.

The biggest gainers during the last seven days include the coins easyfi (EASY) up a whopping 2,854%, flexacoin (FXC) up 706%, and omix (OMX) up 500% this week. The biggest weekly losers include beetle coin (BEET) down 83%, chip (CHIP) down 54%, iov blockchain (IOV) down 51%.

The biggest 24-hour gainer among the top ten largest crypto assets, in terms of market valuation, is polkadot (DOT) which is up 12% today and 20% during the last week. Out of the $1.64 trillion worth of crypto assets, the reported trade volume on Saturday is $84 billion. Tether (USDT) reportedly commands $57 billion or 47.36% of today’s global trade volume among all the crypto assets recorded.

What do you think about the recent crypto run-up and improved prices? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments below.



source https://news.bitcoin.com/bitcoin-price-regains-strength-above-41k-crypto-market-cap-jumps-6-in-24-hours/
Wall Street Breakfast: What Moved Markets

Wall Street Breakfast: What Moved Markets

- Stocks posted modest losses on light summer volume Friday, with Amazon dropping the most in more than a year after reporting its first quarterly revenue miss in three years and providing disappointing guidance. But the major averages wrapped up a solid month, even as volatility has increased alongside concerns about the economic recovery with the spreading of the COVID-19 delta variant. Federal Reserve Chairman Powell calmed markets Wednesday when he noted that while the economy has come a long way since the COVID recession, the Fed would be in no hurry to adjust its easy-money policies. The S&P 500 rose 2.3% in July for its sixth straight positive month, while the Dow and Nasdaq added 1.3% and 1.2%, respectively. The benchmark 10-year Treasury fell about six basis points on the week to 1.23%.
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Stocks posted modest losses on light summer volume Friday, with Amazon dropping the most in more than a year after reporting its first quarterly revenue miss in three years and providing disappointing guidance. But the major averages wrapped up a solid month, even as volatility has increased alongside concerns about the economic recovery with the spreading of the COVID-19 delta variant. Federal Reserve Chairman Powell calmed markets Wednesday when he noted that while the economy has come a long way since the COVID recession, the Fed would be in no hurry to adjust its easy-money policies. The S&P 500 rose 2.3% in July for its sixth straight positive month, while the Dow and Nasdaq added 1.3% and 1.2%, respectively. The benchmark 10-year Treasury fell about six basis points on the week to 1.23%.
     
Global
Sweeping crackdowns across China continued to send shockwaves across financial markets, with investors finding themselves in the firing line of some of the nation's hottest sectors. Shares of Tencent (OTCPK:TCEHY) fell 10% on Monday after Beijing ordered the company to give up exclusive music licensing rights, food delivery companies such as Meituan (OTCPK:MPNGY) were also targeted, while education stocks like TAL Education (NYSE:TAL), New Oriental (NYSE:EDU) and Gaotu Techedu (NYSE:GOTU) slumped about 25% each amid a ban on for-profit tutoring. In fact, the Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index - which tracks 98 of China's largest firms listed in the U.S. - dropped 8.5% last Friday and another 7% on Monday, marking the biggest two-day selloff since '08.

Analyst commentary: "Even when you think China risk is priced, it can get worse," Goldman Sachs wrote in a research note. "The government could come down much harsher than expected penalties for Tencent, they could implement much stricter social insurance programs for delivery drivers/temp employees, they could crack down on other industries viewed as a threat to social cohesion (SFV? Livestreaming? Who knows.)"

While Beijing has tolerated conventional regulations on certain sectors in the past, the government now looks ready to kill whole companies or entire industries. One doesn't have to look far to the recent pulling of Ant Group's (NYSE:BABA) IPO or the DiDi Global (NYSE:DIDI) fiasco that shook the investing world earlier this month. China has pointed to financial risk, antitrust concerns and national security violations, but its acceptance of stockholder pain for long-term social control appears to have some market participants reassessing Xi Jinping's Communist Party. Meanwhile, Beijing looked to contain some of the fallout later in the week by holding a call with global investment banks. The country said it would consider the impact on markets when it introduces new policies in the future, and will allow Chinese companies to go public in the U.S. as long as they meet listing requirements. 

Outlook: Investors aren't the only ones reviewing their relationship with China. Another contentious meeting between Washington and Beijing proved unsuccessful on Monday, with Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng saying the relationship was at a "dead end" and risks "serious consequences." He even presented U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman with two lists of "red lines" that were necessary to stabilize ties, including "U.S. wrongdoings that must stop" and "key individual cases that China has concerns with." (513 comments)
     
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Earnings
Apple: A blowout quarter from the iPhone maker shattered expectations, with earnings of $1.30 per share (vs. $1.01 estimated) on revenues of $81.4B (vs. $73.3B). Every one of Apple's (AAPL) major product lines grew over 12% on an annual basis, while it saw "very strong double-digit increases in both [iPhone] upgraders and switchers during the quarter." Shares still fell 2.2% after the company warned that sales growth may be slowing and chip shortages will affect production in the current quarter. Apple also declined to provide formal guidance for the sixth quarter in a row, a practice it adopted during the coronavirus pandemic.

Google: Shares of parent Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL) jumped 3.3% after advertising revenue soared 69% Y/Y to $50.4B. CEO Sundar Pichai credited the number to a "rising tide of online activity in many parts of the world," though longer-term trends were harder to forecast as markets reopen and COVID-19 cases continue to rise. Google Search soared 69% Y/Y to $35.85B in sales, Cloud revenue climbed 54% to $4.63B and YouTube ad sales surged 84% to $7B.

Microsoft: The stock inched up 0.5% after ending its financial year on a strong note. Microsoft (MSFT) reported a 21% jump in revenue amid a flood of new business in Azure cloud computing, LinkedIn advertising and business applications. It didn't stop there. Microsoft's "More Personal Computing" segment, which features Windows, as well as devices, gaming and search advertising, notched $14.09B in FQ4 revenue, while the tech giant finished the year with $60B in annual earnings (and $165B in sales) for the first time ever.

Facebook: Shares of the social network slipped nearly 4% despite logging another easy earnings beat for the tech sector this season. Like its peers, Facebook (FB) posted a hefty revenue increase of 56% Y/Y to $29B, higher than the high-end analyst estimate. It's another linchpin in the robust advertising recovery story, but investors treaded carefully as user numbers only came in line with expectations.

Amazon: The e-commerce behemoth reported quarterly earnings after the bell on Thursday, with revenues that were 25% higher than the same period last year. While that's pretty impressive in its own right, the percentage wasn't high enough to match analyst expectations. Amazon (AMZN) finished the quarter with $113B in revenue, compared to consensus estimates of $115B, prompting shares to slump 7% in AH trading. The company also said it would continue to see difficult comparisons to the pandemic quarters of 2020, meaning the era of the company's bumper results may be slowing. 
     
Trending
Corporate America made some moves after fresh guidance from the CDC that recommended fully vaccinated people and kids should wear face coverings indoors (in areas with substantial and high levels of COVID-19 transmission). Twitter (NYSE:TWTR) closed its offices in New York and San Francisco, just two weeks after the social media firm reopened in both cities. Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) is separately requiring its U.S. workers that return to the office to be vaccinated and Google (GOOG, GOOGL) also jumped aboard that train.

Over in Hollywood: Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) became the first major studio to introduce a blanket policy mandating vaccinations for the casts of all of its U.S. productions. The requirement will also cover any crews that come into contact with them, which are known as "Zone A" workers. All staff in that category will be required to show proof of vaccination, with few policy exemptions like medical, religious and age reasons.

The news arrived before President Biden announced that all civilian federal workers will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or face regular testing, social distancing, mask requirements and travel limits. The decision covers 2.18M civilian employees (and possibly another 570K USPS workers). Meanwhile, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) re-instituted a mask mandate at most of its U.S. retail stores, while Disney's (NYSE:DIS) domestic theme parks required all parkgoers to wear masks indoors starting Friday.

Analyst commentary: The Delta variant is a tougher investment risk to peg than inflation, declared macro strategist Jim Bianco. "You could see a big rotation away from the reopening stocks or can take a playbook out of last year and say 'If we get rising variant and we get restrictions, more stimulus money is coming.' And, what have we learned about stimulus money? It goes right into the brokerage account. It goes right into the stock market." (102 comments)
     
IPOs
It was set to be one of the year's most highly anticipated listings, but Robinhood Markets (HOOD) tumbled 8% in the worst debut ever for an IPO of its size. The stock trading app, which had surged in popularity among retail investors, priced its IPO at $38 on Wednesday - at the low end of a marketed range - suggesting it had to do more to convince investors to scoop up its stock. It also detailed plans to reserve up to 35% of shares for users of its app, who could make purchases at the IPO price through a new product called IPO Access.

Backdrop: Robinhood busted onto the brokerage scene back in 2013 with a mission to democratize the investing landscape. It has experienced tremendous growth in recent years and eventually prompted competitors like TD Ameritrade (NYSE:SCHW), Charles Schwab (SCHW) and E-Trade (NYSE:MS) to adopt its model of zero-commission trades. The coronavirus pandemic was also a boon for the app as homebound people turned to online trading, while a stampede of investors that have jumped into "meme stocks" and cryptocurrencies has continued to propel its popularity.

By the numbers: Selling 55M shares in the offering at a price of $38, Robinhood raised slightly over $2B (at a valuation of nearly $32B). Users have more than doubled to 18M over the 12 months through March, while revenue more than quadrupled over the same time period to $1.4B. However, meme-stock madness has led to big losses of late and the company agreed to pay $70M to settle a FINRA probe in June. Options trading accounts for about 38% of Robinhood's revenue, while equities and crypto are 25% and 17% of sales, respectively.

Advantages: Growth is off the charts and half of all brokerage accounts opened in the U.S. from 2016 to 2021 have been set up on Robinhood. The company is also hoping to expand into other initiatives, like IRAs and Roth IRAs, to help turn short-term investors into long-term ones. It could also offer other types of services like debit cards, credit cards, car loans and crypto wallets.

Risks: The app has been in the regulatory spotlight over gamification, which encourages users to trade more via rewards and celebratory notifications. Payment for order flow, the way Robinhood makes money, has additionally come under intense scrutiny, as it could create conflicts of interest and prevent investors from getting the best price for their trades. Retail investing could also slow and the Robinhood prospectus named seven U.S. state and federal bodies investigating the app.

The industry: 2021 hasn't been a good year for big IPOs in the U.S. Among companies that have raised more than $2B - including AppLovin (APP), Bumble (BMBL), Coupang (CPNG), DiDi (DIDI), Playtika (PLTK) and Shoals (SHLS) - all are down by double digit percentages since their first close. The Renaissance IPO ETF (NYSEARCA:IPO) is also off 19% from its February highs and down more than 5% YTD. That could signal that the market is having a harder time digesting bigger deals - amid a glut of massive equity issuances - and may deter investors from buying more IPOs if they are already underwater. (38 comments)
     
Outlook
Gear up for the next big spectacle in Washington as the debt ceiling comes back into force this weekend following a two-year suspension. The deadline will curb the Treasury's capacity to issue new debt unless lawmakers can reach an agreement, which seems far-fetched at the moment due to the Republican position. GOP leadership contends that Democrats are in a spending free for all and will only support raising the debt ceiling if they promise major spending reforms and cutbacks.

Analyst commentary: "It is a very slow moving train wreck," outlined Gennadiy Goldberg, rates strategist at TD Securities. "The longer they delay raising the debt ceiling, the more Treasury has to [reduce] bill supply leaving less debt to invest in, particularly on a short-term basis. What you are going to see is more and more pressure on money market rates, which in turn will put pressure on money market funds."

It's already having some effects. Starting at noon on Friday, the Treasury used the first of its so-called "extraordinary measures," which suspended sales of securities that help states and municipalities invest bond proceeds. Others will take months to kick in, and starting in October or November, the Congressional Budget Office predicts the Treasury will run out of cash. While raising the debt ceiling has turned into a bitter partisan issue in recent years, both sides have always reached a late deal to avoid the country going into default.

Go deeper: Many expect a similar scenario this time around and the game of chicken could continue in the coming months. However, if Democrats can't get support from ten Republican senators, they may be forced to increase the debt limit via an upcoming budget reconciliation bill (which only needs a simple majority). They could also advance a vote to raise the debt ceiling along straight party lines before the August recess or tie the debt ceiling to a must-pass funding bill at the end of September.
     
U.S. Indices
Dow -0.4% to 34,935. S&P 500 -0.4% to 4,395. Nasdaq -1.1% to 14,673. Russell 2000 +0.6% to 2,223. CBOE Volatility Index +6.1% to 18.24.

S&P 500 Sectors
Consumer Staples +0.2%. Utilities +0.3%. Financials +0.7%. Telecom -1.%. Healthcare +0.5%. Industrials -0.3%. Information Technology -0.7%. Materials +2.8%. Energy +1.6%. Consumer Discretionary -2.6%.

World Indices
London +0.1% to 7,032. France +0.7% to 6,613. Germany -0.8% to 15,544. Japan -1.% to 27,284. China -4.3% to 3,397. Hong Kong -5.2% to 25,908. India -0.7% to 52,587.

Commodities and Bonds
Crude Oil WTI +2.3% to $73.72/bbl. Gold +0.6% to $1,812.3/oz. Natural Gas -3.6% to 3.915. Ten-Year Treasury Yield +0.3% to 134.56.

Forex and Cryptos
EUR/USD +0.85%. USD/JPY -0.74%. GBP/USD +1.14%. Bitcoin +23.6%. Litecoin +16.%. Ethereum +14.6%. Ripple +23.8%.

Top Stock Gainers
Flora Growth (NASDAQ:FLGC) +160%. Bit Digital (NASDAQ:BTBT) +113%. Xenetic Biosciences (NASDAQ:XBIO) +62%. LendingClub Corporation (NYSE:LC) +54%. Allied Healthcare Products (NASDAQ:AHPI) +51%.

Top Stock Losers
Annovis Bio (NYSE:ANVS) -71%. Höegh LNG Partners (NYSE:HMLP) -67%. ATI Physical Therapy (NYSE:ATIP) -64%. Alset EHome International (NASDAQ:AEI) -61%. Forward Pharma A/S (NASDAQ:FWP) -55%.

Where will the markets be headed next week? Current trends and ideas? Add your thoughts to the comments section.
 

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