Alabama grants Transak a Money Transmitter License (MTL)

  • Transak secures its first Money Transmitter License (MTL) in Alabama.
  • The license boosts security, speed, and compliance for US cryptocurrency services.
  • Transak targets further state licenses as it enhances its Web3 payments infrastructure.

On October 3, 2024, Transak USA LLC achieved a significant milestone by securing its first Money Transmitter License (MTL) from the Alabama Securities Commission.

This regulatory approval positions Transak as a fully licensed financial institution in the state, a key step in its mission to provide secure and accessible cryptocurrency services across the United States.

Transak expanding its foothold in the US

The Alabama MTL solidifies Transak’s commitment to regulatory compliance, underscoring the company’s efforts to build a secure and transparent infrastructure for crypto transactions in the US.

With cryptocurrency purchases already enabled in 46 states, the company is actively working to secure additional licenses across the country. This proactive approach highlights Transak’s determination to make cryptocurrency widely accessible and compliant with stringent financial regulations.

As a registered Money Service Business with FinCEN, Transak’s new license is a significant trust signal for its users. It allows the company to provide enhanced security, faster transactions, and a more seamless user experience for crypto purchases in Alabama. The move also benefits decentralized platforms integrated with Transak’s services, enabling them to offer their users a smoother and more compliant crypto purchasing experience.

Bryan Keane, the Compliance Officer at Transak, remarked, “Obtaining the Money Transmitter License in Alabama showcases our commitment to compliance and our mission to make cryptocurrency accessible and secure for everyone.”

In the same breath, Sami Start, the CEO of Transak, emphasized the importance of the US market, stating, “Securing state licenses like this one is essential to delivering the best possible services here.”

With over 5.7 million users across 160 countries, Transak continues to expand its presence as the largest Web3 payments infrastructure provider. Headquartered in Miami, with additional offices and tech hubs globally, Transak remains focused on obtaining more state licenses in the US, ensuring its users enjoy an increasingly reliable and legally compliant crypto experience.

The Alabama MTL marks a major step forward for Transak as it strengthens its foothold in one of the world’s most regulated and lucrative markets.

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CFTC votes on allowing DLT-based collateral in commodities and derivatives trading

  • CFTC’s subcommittee recommends using DLT-based collateral in trading.
  • Approval could broaden access to digital assets for smaller market participants.
  • Strong ETF inflows signal growing institutional interest in digital assets.

In a significant development for the digital assets market, the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is reportedly considering a proposal that would enable the use of digital ledger technology (DLT)-based collateral in commodities and derivatives trading.

According to Bloomberg, a subcommittee of the CFTC’s Global Markets Advisory Committee recently voted to recommend this proposal, which, if approved, could streamline transactions and promote broader adoption of digital assets in traditional finance.

A step toward mainstream adoption

If the proposal receives final approval from the main committee, it could lead to a paradigm shift in how trading collateral is managed.

The adoption of DLT-based collateral would allow traders to settle transactions using digital assets with the same speed and efficiency that digital ledger and blockchain technology offers.

This change would enable brokers to accept tokenized assets, such as BlackRock’s USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL) token, through market-embedded systems.

While the use of blockchain-based assets as collateral is already gaining traction among major financial institutions like BlackRock and JP Morgan, the CFTC’s potential approval would catalyze broader adoption across the industry.

As it stands, only large firms have been able to utilize these innovative financial instruments, but this move could open the doors for smaller market participants to access similar benefits.

Uncertainty ahead

Despite the positive momentum surrounding the proposal, several steps remain before it can be formally submitted for CFTC approval. The main committee must first review and endorse the subcommittee’s recommendation, and there are no guarantees that the CFTC will approve the proposal in its current form.

Regulatory concerns may arise regarding which institutions and blockchains are permitted to participate, which could introduce potential restrictions that may limit the scope of the initiative.

Furthermore, the broader context of digital assets in traditional finance cannot be ignored. Recent trends, such as strong inflows into spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), indicate a growing acceptance and interest in digital assets among institutional investors.

For instance, BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF has recently outperformed its peers, witnessing the highest daily inflow of any fund on September 25, marking a five-day streak of inflows across all spot Bitcoin ETFs in the United States.

This surge in interest may influence the CFTC’s decision-making process as they consider the implications of allowing digital assets as collateral.

As this unfolds, stakeholders will be watching closely as the regulatory landscape continues to evolve, potentially paving the way for a more integrated future for digital assets in commodities and derivatives trading.

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CleanSpark mined 493 Bitcoin in September

  • CleanSpark also increased its hashrate by 187% between September 30, 2023 and September, 30, 2024.
  • Expansion and acquisitions are crucial for the organic growth.

Bitcoin miner CleanSpark mined a total of 493 BTC in September, according to details in an unaudited update published on Oct. 4.

This brought the company’s total bitcoin mined year-to-end of September to 5,079.

Moreover, total BTC mined in FY2024 rose to 7,098. With these figures, the total Bitcoin treasury holdings rose to 8,049 as of Sept. 30. While the increase marked a 258% spike over the past year as of the end of Sept., CleanSpark noted it sold 2.5 BTC during the month.

Hashrate jumped to 27.6 EH/s

CleanSpark, a publicly-traded miner whose share price also rose significantly in the past year, also announced a surge in its hashrate.

As of September 30, 2024, CleanSpark’s hashrate stood at 27.6 EH/s – up from 9.6 EH/s and indicating a one year increase of 187%. The company added 5 EH/s to its capacity in September.

In a comment, CleanSpark CEO Zach Bradford said:

“During the past year, we grew our hashrate from 9.6 EH/s to 27.6 EH/s, or 187%, with 5 EH/s coming online just during the month of September. The Company executed its plan to strategically diversify its portfolio across three new states and completed multiple expansions at existing data centers.”

What helped CleanSpark to grow its hashrate?

Growth was down to CleanSpark getting through the pre-halving and post-halving period and the closure of multiple acquisitions. It includes the GRIID Infrastructure deal and expansion to new sites in the US.

With the expansion efforts, and emerging from Hurricane Helene relatively unscathed means further hashrate growth. According to Bradford, CleanSpark could hit 30 EH/s by the end of October 2024 and forecast 50 EH/s in 2025.

The Bitcoin miner released its unaudited update as BTC price struggled amid negative sentiment around geopolitical chaos in the Middle East. At the time of writing, the flagship cryptocurrency traded around $60,663, down 1.5% in the past 24 hours and -7.3% over the past week.

CLSK, on the other hand, changed hands at $8.58, about 2.5% down on the day. The crypto stock was down 17.7% in the past five days.

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