Yazılar

Brazil Central Bank Tightens Cryptocurrency Rules to Curb Fraud and Illicit Payments

/in /tarafından

Brazil’s central bank has issued long-awaited regulations for virtual assets and cryptocurrencies, introducing stricter controls aimed at preventing money laundering, fraud, and terrorism financing.

The new framework, which takes effect in February 2026, extends traditional financial-sector safeguards to virtual-asset service providers (VASPs), including brokers, distributors, and exchanges operating in the country.

“New rules will reduce the scope for scams, fraud, and the use of virtual asset markets for money laundering,” said Gilneu Vivan, the bank’s director of regulation, during a press conference in Brasília.

Brazil, Latin America’s largest economy, approved its first legal framework for cryptocurrencies in 2022, but the rollout had been delayed pending regulatory guidance from the central bank. Authorities conducted four public consultations before finalizing the new rules.

Under the regulations, all virtual-asset transactions pegged to fiat currencies — such as the U.S. dollar or the Brazilian real — will be classified as foreign exchange operations. This also applies to international payments or transfers using cryptocurrencies, including those settled via cards or electronic platforms.

Central bank governor Gabriel Galipolo has voiced concerns over the rapid growth of stablecoins, which he said are increasingly being used as informal payment tools, often to bypass tax and oversight systems.

The new framework also mandates stronger governance, transparency, and internal control standards, as well as customer protection and compliance obligations for all crypto-related firms.

Analysts view the move as a major step in Brazil’s effort to bring digital asset markets under tighter regulatory supervision, as crypto adoption continues to expand across Latin America.

eToro Beats Profit Estimates as Retail Investors Drive Market Momentum

/in /tarafından

eToro, the stock and cryptocurrency trading platform, reported better-than-expected third-quarter profit on Monday, driven by a surge in retail investor activity and renewed optimism across global markets. The company’s shares rose 7% in afternoon trading following the announcement.

The ongoing equities rally—fueled by steady corporate earnings, cooling inflation expectations, and enthusiasm around the AI-driven tech boom—has prompted investors to reenter riskier assets. Gold has also seen record demand, becoming one of the most sought-after commodities this quarter.

“We have seen the gold craze hitting our customers in October, with gold reaching an all-time high,” said Yoni Assia, eToro’s CEO, in an interview with Reuters. “We also saw some rebalancing in portfolios across U.S. and European equities, and some trimming of tech holdings.”

eToro’s net contribution—which accounts for revenue after deducting crypto costs and margin interest—rose 28% year-on-year to $215 million, while adjusted profit came in at $0.60 per share, beating analysts’ estimates of $0.56 per share (LSEG data).

The company also announced a $150 million share repurchase program, signaling confidence in its growth trajectory.

eToro’s assets under administration jumped 76% year-on-year to $20.8 billion, underscoring strong retail participation supported by accessible trading apps and continuous market volatility.

Looking ahead, eToro plans to expand through acquisitions and enter prediction markets by late 2026. “We’re hungry and we have a large checkbook,” Assia said. “We’ll find the right targets to add value to our customers.”

The firm continues to face fierce competition from rivals such as Robinhood, Charles Schwab, and Morgan Stanley’s E*Trade, but Assia remains confident: “We invented social trading. Copying is the ultimate form of flattery.”

Coinbase Unveils Platform for Early Access to New Digital Tokens

/in /tarafından

Coinbase Global has announced the launch of a new token sales platform that will give retail investors the opportunity to purchase digital tokens before they are listed on the exchange — marking the first major public token sale opportunity for U.S. users since 2018.

The company’s shares rose about 4% in morning trading following the announcement, reflecting growing optimism over Coinbase’s efforts to tap into the multi-trillion-dollar digital asset market.

The new platform will host around one token sale per month, using an algorithm-based allocation system to determine how tokens are distributed among investors. Buyers will have a one-week window to submit their purchase requests.

“Token issuers coming to market today struggle to get their tokens into the hands of real users while building deep exchange liquidity. Coinbase is changing that,” the exchange said in a company blog post.

Investors will be able to pay for purchases in USD Coin (USDC), a dollar-pegged stablecoin issued by Circle Internet Group, according to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the launch.

The first project to debut on the platform will be Monad, a blockchain startup that plans to hold its token sale next week. Coinbase said additional features such as limit orders and larger allocations for target user bases will be introduced in the coming months.

The move comes as interest from both retail and institutional investors in digital assets continues to grow, driving major exchanges like Coinbase to expand their product offerings and reclaim ground from global competitors.