Monat: Februar 2023

• Trezor, a crypto hardware wallet manufacturer, has announced that it will produce its own silicon chips to enhance device security and reduce lead times for mass production.
• The new “chip wrapper” is designed to give the company more design freedom in its future products and make the manufacturing process more agile.
• Trezor is collaborating with Stmicroelectronics, a manufacturer of microcontrollers and semiconductor technologies, to develop its chips.

Trezor Takes Control of Chip Production

Trezor, the manufacturer of crypto hardware wallets, has announced that it will take control of its wallet chip production process by producing its own silicon chips. The company states that the newly designed „chip wrapper“ will enhance device security and considerably shorten lead times for mass production.

Enhanced Security & Faster Production Time

The new chip-making process enhances security significantly by eliminating third-party chipmakers and associated vulnerabilities. Trezor also noted that it will significantly reduce lead times by bypassing supply chain issues.

Collaboration with Stmicroelectronics

In a press release sent to Bitcoin.com News, CFO Štěpán Uherik further explained that the company is collaborating with Stmicroelectronics, a manufacturer of microcontrollers and semiconductor technologies in order to create their chips: „By unpacking the process, identifying areas where we could take control, and collaborating with our partner [Stmicroelectronics] in new ways,“ Uherik said in a statement,“we’ve managed to make the manufacturing as agile as it can be.“

Growing Demand for Crypto Wallets

Hardware wallets have experienced substantial demand since the collapse of FTX ,as crypto enthusiasts have transferred billions of dollars worth of crypto assets from centralized trading platforms. In addition, several companies have unveiled new hardware wallet models such as Ledger Stax developed by Tony Fadell (creator of iPod). Furthermore decentralized exchange aggregation service 1inch Network has launched a hardware wallet as well Coinkite introducing Coldcard Q1 product .

New Chips Utilized in Trezor Model T Hardware Wallet

The new chips developed by Trezor will be utilized in the Trezor Model T hardware wallet ensuring increased safety features for users.

• Edogawa Ward in Tokyo plans to use metaverse tech to help social recluses, also known as „hikikomori,“ begin to integrate with society again.
• The ward will organize a series of hybrid (virtual and in-person) meetings this year with the objective of reuniting people with social reclusion problems and helping them in their reintegration process.
• This condition is estimated to affect more than 1 million Japanese, with experts considering the number to be higher, closer to the 2 million mark.

Edogawa Ward Leveraging Metaverse for Hikikomori Reintegration Processes

Edogawa Ward in Tokyo announced that it will offer a series of metaverse meetings as part of the reintegration process for social recluses in the area. The meetings will be held in hybrid form, with remote users being able to shield their identities using avatars if desired. About this initiative, a ward officer explained: We want to offer a place where they would think ‚I want to be there with the others.‘

Hikikomori Issue

The social exclusion (or hikikomori) problem in Japan is a condition that affects some individuals, who seclude themselves from society and decline to have any interaction with others. This condition is estimated to affect more than 1 million Japanese, with experts considering the number to be higher, closer to 2 million mark. This condition can cause problems in the families of these individuals, who must provide for them causing economic strain.

Metaverse Initiative Aim

The inclusion of metaverse-based techniques aim at dealing with this phenomenon could ostensibly help some of these individuals interact virtually with their peers. According to a 2021 survey, 9096 residents were hikikomori in Edogawa thus making this initiative all more relevant and necessary. On the reach of this action and its significance Edogawa Ward Mayor Takeshi Saito stated: We don’t think everything will be solved just because we offer a metaverse. It’ll probably be helpful for some people.“

Hybrid Meetings Capacity

The meetings will have six events organized by non-profit Kazoku Hikikomori Japan where up 80 participants can attend; 50 on metaverse platform and 30 at designated venue . These events are scheduled for 2023 giving hope that even those who are unable leave their rooms or interact socially due Covid 19 pandemic can take steps towards integration into society through these virtual/hybrid meetings .

Toda City School Absenteeism Initiative

Another initiative similar targeting school absenteeism was launched at Toda City which has seen promising results by offering support services such as mental health counseling , job training programs etc focusing on youth’s issues .

• Blur, a non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace launched its native token this week.
• The coin reached a high of $5.02 per token but has since dropped more than 85% against the U.S. dollar.
• Airdrops of the market’s token called LOOKS have also taken place, but volumes have subsided since then.

Blur Marketplace Launches Native Token

The Blur non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace launched its native token this week, and users who were awarded token allotments received “care packages”. Blur tokens began trading at noon on Feb 14, reaching a high of $5.02 per token.

BLUR Price Drops 85% in a Matter of Hours

However, the coin has since dropped more than 85% against the U.S. dollar by 2:10 p.m., with BLUR having a market capitalization of approximately $176 million and global trade volume of about $12 million at that time point, with 8,798 unique addresses holding BLUR tokens and 18,900 transfers having taken place. By 2:33 p.m., BLUR rebounded and hit the $0

• North Korea has managed to steal more cryptocurrency last year than in previous years, according to a draft U.N. report.
• Cybercrime groups linked to North Korea have obtained crypto worth over $1 billion in 2022 alone.
• South Korean intelligence authorities believe that 10% of the total was extracted from accounts of South Korean companies and individuals.

UN Report Unveils North Korea Stole Record Amount of Crypto Assets in 2022

The regime in North Korea has managed to steal more cryptocurrency last year than in any other year, according to a draft United Nations (U.N.) report which is to be released by the end of this month or early March. The document, seen by Reuters and Nikkei Asia, reveals how the isolated country is raising funds through cyberattacks and circumvention of international restrictions.

Estimates Suggest DPRK Acquired Crypto Worth Over $1 Billion

The findings in the confidential U.N. report are based on information provided by U.N. member states and cybersecurity firms, with different estimates being quoted as its authors conclude that 2022 was a record-breaking year for crypto theft linked with Pyongyang’s Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). One estimate produced by South Korea suggests that hackers controlled by DPRK have acquired crypto worth $630 million during the studied period, while a cybersecurity company has assessed that the virtual money they obtained exceeded $1 billion.

10% Stolen From South Korean Accounts

Data compiled by Chainalysis also implies that North Korea-linked hackers have been particularly active last year, having stolen around $1.7 billion worth of coins; intelligence authorities reported that about 10% of this amount was taken from accounts belonging to South Korean companies and individuals who are likely unaware their funds were laundered and used for financing nuclear and missile development programs carried out within DPRK’s borders.

Crypto Theft Used as Financing Source

The independent sanctions monitors believe that higher value of cryptocurrency assets was stolen by DPRK actors in 2022 than any other period before it; such operations enable Pyongyang’s regime to evade international restrictions while also providing them with an extra source for financing their activities as well as providing an opportunity to launder money — all without being officially tracked or held accountable for these actions due to lack of global oversight when it comes down to digital assets ownership rights enforcement measures in place within most nations worldwide at this moment in time..

International Cooperation Needed To Stop Crypto Theft

This latest development further highlights need for greater international cooperation when it comes down tackling potential threats posed by malicious actors using cryptocurrencies as tool for illegal activities; while there is no single solution proposed just yet, increased focus on blockchain forensics combined with unified stance against illicit transactions should provide much needed support towards protecting financial networks worldwide — not just those located within borderlines established by each individual nation state..

• Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) were marginally higher on Feb. 1 ahead of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting results.
• BTC/USD moved to an intraday high of $23,225.02 while ETH/USD rose to a peak of $1,598.52 earlier in the day.
• Volatility rose due to the Fed meeting, with the RSI remaining close to a floor at 68.00 for BTC/USD and 57.64 for ETH/USD.

Bitcoin and Ethereum Rise Ahead of FOMC Meeting Results

The prices of Bitcoin and Ethereum have gone up marginally ahead of the upcoming Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting results that are expected to increase rates by 25 basis points, taking current rates to 4.75%.

Bitcoin Price Movement

Bitcoin (BTC) was trading above $23,000 when today’s session started and it briefly moved past an interim ceiling at the $23,200 level before volatility due to Fed meeting saw prices move back below this point and return to $23,045 as of writing. The 14-day relative strength index (RSI) remained close to a floor at 68.00 as of writing with the index tracking at 69.83 until after the Fed meeting concludes.

Ethereum Price Movement

Ethereum (ETH) was also seen rising marginally higher on Wednesday with prices moving closer to the $1,600 zone; ETH/USD reached a peak of $1,598.52 earlier in the day following a bottom at $1,569.04 from Tuesday’s session priorly; however bulls were unable to push prices above resistance as sentiment shifted while RSI was unable track past its own ceiling at 58 with it currently tracking at 57.64 instead – should this sentiment continue it is highly likely that ETH will fall towards its floor at $1,550 again soon enough..

Impact on Cryptocurrency Prices

It remains unclear how today’s FOMC meeting will affect cryptocurrency prices but many believe that if rates do go up then investors may be less inclined to invest in crypto given their volatile nature which could lead to price declines across crypto markets; however if rates remain steady or even decrease then investors may see this as an opportunity and start investing more into crypto – pushing prices up further over time than they already have been recently..

Conclusion

Overall traders are cautiously optimistic about today’s FOMC meeting results but are aware that anything can happen; whichever way it goes cryptocurrencies could be impacted significantly given how much attention has been paid towards them lately so it’ll be interesting what direction things take from here onwards..