GCR

? Top News from Tuesday to Today

Come join Global Coin Research at Readylayer. One, along with Amber, Babel, dYdX, and dForce on May 4-6th. https://bit.ly/2WdWhC3

A number of municipalities in China are encouraging mining during the rain season: 
1. Chinese officials from the Yaan municipality suggest very favorable tone on the local use of the local hydropower-derived electricity for cryptocurrency mining operations. https://bit.ly/2YoYP2X

2. China’s Sichuan encourages the blockchain industry to help consume the excessive hydroelectric energy there ahead of the rainy season usually starting in May. https://bit.ly/2YjEWu8

Everbright Securities Chief Economist said there are four risks at the Micro level of DC / EP. https://bit.ly/3cZKNZG

GCR’s Guide book on Asia cryptocurrency and blockchain communities, titled “The Small Handbook to Asia Crypto: on Local Ecosystems, Trends and Regulations” is now on Amazon. https://bit.ly/2Wfyv8C

?  Exchange and Markets News
 

Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao estimates that “self-perceived competitors” are behind recent DDoS attacks on the Binance exchange. https://bit.ly/2zCq0gj

BitMEX will soon restrict all Japan-based users from its platform as crypto law amendments go into effect. https://bit.ly/2Sl9DeP

FTX, a cryptocurrency derivatives exchange that has mainly served the Asia market, is planning to launch a spot exchange in the U.S.  https://bit.ly/2KJDAB3

?Investment

Chinese tech giant Tencent has launched a blockchain accelerator, and it plans to mentor 30 companies developing blockchain-based technologies and services. https://bit.ly/2VPra0y

Fireblocks, a leading company securing digital asset transfers is expanding, with two offices opening in the Asia Pacific region, as monthly volumes rise to over $7 billion. https://bit.ly/2Ynnjto

Ebang, a Chinese Bitcoin ASIC chip manufacturer, is looking to go public with new shares. The company has filed with the U.S. SEC for a $100 million IPO. https://bit.ly/3d3RsCg

??Mining

Local government sides with Bitmain co-founder Micree Zhan in a dispute over his former position. https://bit.ly/2KJkXNs

Bitmain is said to have made over $300 million in revenue this year so far, AI business ‘grew rapidly’. https://bit.ly/2VPJarD

?Coins

Bitcoin investors are bullishly holding onto their funds ahead of the coin’s halving, despite unprecedented volatility in an already volatile market. https://bit.ly/2Ykcl81

Tron is extending its ecosystem partnership with Samsung Blockchain, says apps built on its blockchain will be featured in the Samsung Galaxy Store. https://bit.ly/2yTKXDc

Top AI startup SenseTime inks deal with China’s digital currency research institute. https://bit.ly/2VShP8p

Bitcoin-themed manga debuts in Japan amid anime creation crisis. https://bit.ly/3f3tQiN

Annual report from Bitcoin SV’s The Bitcoin Association, claims BSV now rivals VISA for transactions per second, and offers BSV miners “better returns” than BTC. https://bit.ly/3aQwQvQ

? Business

Blockchain analytics firm Elliptic names new CEO as it focuses on Asia expansion. https://bit.ly/2xqEKhM

Two blockchain firms backed by Samsung and Sequoia Capital have launched a DLT consortium for the Middle East, African, and Southeast Asian regions. https://bit.ly/3eZf7W6

Crypto Community fears North Korean BTC sell-off amid rumors of Kim Jong Un’s death. https://bit.ly/2KPzCa6

The World Economic Forum believes DLT supply chain solutions can help reboot the global economy, launching a blockchain deployment kit. https://bit.ly/2KMivWx

??Regulation

China’s cyberspace commission has issued approvals for 224 blockchain projects, including ventures from the country’s major tech companies Alibaba, Baidu, and China Mobile. https://bit.ly/2zDB7pg

Japan’s financial watchdog has accredited two crypto-focused associations as Certified Financial Instruments and Exchange Associations. https://bit.ly/2zL9KKa

South Korean police trace 40 people behind crypto payments in child porn ring. https://bit.ly/3f3ukFD