According to reports this week, a major German bank has joined the emerging payments initiative, built on the Quorum blockchain, of one of the largest U.S. financial services firms. The goal of the Quorum-based platform is to increase speed and decrease costs in settling interbank payments.
Also this week, the blockchain-focused subsidiary of a major online retailer issued a press release announcing a partnership with a "blockchain entertainment financing company" to issue blockchain-based securities that will finance the production of films, television programming and online content. In a related announcement, blockchain startup Harbor has reportedly created Ethereum-based tokens that will represent existing shares of four real estate funds, collectively valued at $100 million.
In payments news, according to reports, major U.S.-based cryptocurrency payment processor BitPay will soon begin supporting ether, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization. This will allow merchants partnering with BitPay to accept payments for goods and services in ether, without having to take custody of the cryptocurrency. Separately, according to reports, cryptocurrency payments firm Abra will soon expand its network to allow customers to exchange cryptocurrencies for cash "at 6,000 outlets across the Philippines," including at franchise locations of a major international convenience store.
Finally, two notable reports on the cryptocurrency market were published this week. A U.S.-based cryptocurrency asset management firm published the report "Bitcoin: 2019 Investor Study." Also, a data analytics firm published a consumer survey of cryptocurrency use around the world. The survey found that consumer use of cryptocurrencies is most common in Turkey, and the "world region where most crypto currency users were located was Latin America."
For more information, please refer to the following links:
- Deutsche Bank Joins JPMorgan's Crypto Payments Network
- tZERO Partners with Entertainment Financing Company BLOQ FLIX to Tokenize Films
- Harbor Tokenizes Real Estate Funds Worth $100 Million on Ethereum
- BitPay Now Lets Merchants Accept Ethereum's Cryptocurrency
- Abra to Add Cash-to-Crypto Outlets at All Philippines 7-Elevens
- Bitcoin: 2019 Investor Study
- How Common is Crypto? The world region where most crypto currency users were located was Latin America
- BitPay Will Soon Support Payments from the Ethereum Blockchain
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