Telefónica partners Privado ID to drive digital identities adoption across EU

  • Privado ID’s partnership with Telefonica Tech is aimed at accelerating adoption of privacy-focused and compliant digital identities for users in the European Union.
  • The collaboration comes as the EU prepares for elDAS2, a key regulation on digital identity.

Telefonica Tech, the digital business arm of Spanish telecom giant Telefónica Group, is collaborating with Privado ID to advance privacy technology and adoption of digital identity across the European Union.

Privado ID, formerly Polygon ID, will leverage TrustOS, a managed blockchain service by Telefónica Tech to bolster its verifiable credential offering, the two firms said in a press release.

“We are delighted to integrate Privado ID technology with our TrustOS platform, advancing the adoption of digital identity solutions that ensure strict compliance with eIDAS2 requirements,” José Luis Núñez, global head of blockchain and web3 at Telefónica Tech, said.

Eyeing EU’s digital ID market

The strategic alliance comes as the European Union prepares for the European Digital Identity Regulation, aka elDAS2. The regulation provides for the implementation of guidelines mandating EU countries to provide a Digital ID Wallet to citizens.

eIDAS2 seeks a standardized framework that will enable EU citizens, residents and citizens to benefit from electronic identification. It also means the adoption of compliant identity solutions, a market Telefónica Tech and Privado ID are eyeing with this partnership.

“Empowering large companies to reliably integrate innovative technologies, such as our advanced zero-knowledge proof-based digital identity platform, is key to widespread adoption of self-sovereign identity,” David Schwartz, chief executive officer of Privado ID, said.

Targeted use cases include accreditations, digital national IDs, e-signature solutions, and privacy-preserving loyalty programs among others.

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TRON, Tether, and blockchain forensic firm TRM Labs launch T3 Financial Crime Unit (FCU)

  • TRON, Tether, and TRM Labs launch T3 FCU to combat illicit USDT transactions.
  • T3 FCU has frozen $12M in fraudulent USDT and identified 11 suspects.
  • Despite Circle halting USDC minting, TRON minted $19B in USDT this year.

TRON, stablecoin issuer Tether, and blockchain forensic firm TRM Labs have announced a groundbreaking partnership aimed at combating illicit transactions involving USDT on the TRON blockchain.

This strategic alliance has led to the creation of the T3 Financial Crime Unit (FCU), a cutting-edge initiative designed to disrupt and dismantle criminal networks exploiting the TRON network for illegal activities.

T3 Financial Crime Unit (FCU)

The T3 Financial Crime Unit (FCU) formation is a response to the increasing prevalence of criminal activities on the TRON network, including scams and fraud.

TRON, known for its expansive ecosystem and high transaction volumes, has become a key player in the stablecoin market. With over 240 million users and 8.4 billion transactions, TRON’s low transaction fees and stability have attracted a significant amount of legitimate activity.

However, these same features have also drawn the attention of criminals, including terrorists and money launderers. The network’s role in facilitating illicit transactions is underscored by the recent report from TRM Labs indicating that USDT, the stablecoin issued by Tether, was involved in over $19 billion worth of illicit funds in 2023, with TRON accounting for 45% of these transactions.

By leveraging real-time data and advanced analytics, the T3 FCU aims to track and address the flow of illicit USDT transactions. Its efforts have already made a tangible impact, freezing over $12 million worth of USDT linked to fraudulent schemes.

In collaboration with global law enforcement agencies from the UK, US, and Australia, the T3 FCU has also identified 11 culprits, with more expected as investigations progress.

Circle halts minting USDC on the TRON blockchain

In a related development, Circle, the issuer of USDC, in February decided to halt minting USDC on the TRON blockchain, citing risk management concerns amidst growing regulatory scrutiny.

However, despite this, TRON continues to play a leading role in the stablecoin market. In August 2024, Tether minted an additional $1 billion in USDT on the blockchain, bringing the total USDT minted for the year to $33 billion, with TRON accounting for $19 billion of this figure.

The launch of the T3 Financial Crime Unit marks a proactive step in addressing the challenges of illicit activities within the blockchain ecosystem, reinforcing TRON’s commitment to a secure and transparent digital financial environment.

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PayPal and Venmo integrate support for ENS domain names

  • PayPal and Venmo integrate ENS to simplify crypto transactions with .eth names.
  • PayPal has been expanding its web3 efforts and enhancing crypto services since 2020.
  • However, PayPal’s stablecoin, PYUSD, has seen a significant market cap drop, mainly on Solana’s network.

PayPal and Venmo have introduced support for Ethereum Name Service (ENS) domain names. This new feature, initially available to US users, allows for streamlined cryptocurrency transactions using easily recognizable ENS names instead of complex wallet addresses.

The move simplifies crypto payments, aligning with PayPal’s broader push into web3 and its expanding crypto offerings, including the PYUSD stablecoin.

Simplifying crypto transactions for PayPal and Venmo users

The integration of Ethereum Name Service (ENS) into PayPal and Venmo marks a significant step toward improving the user experience within the crypto space.

Traditionally, sending cryptocurrencies has required users to input long, complex alphanumeric wallet addresses, creating friction and increasing the risk of errors.

ENS simplifies this process by allowing users to link their wallet addresses to easily readable “.eth” domain names. With this feature, users can now send and receive payments by simply entering an ENS name, making cryptocurrency transactions more intuitive and user-friendly.

Khori Whittaker, Executive Director of ENS Labs, expressed excitement about the partnership, stating that they are “excited to bring ENS’ naming capabilities directly into the hands of millions of users through Venmo, PayPal Mobile, and PayPal Web.”

This integration aims to streamline wallet address management and reduce the risks associated with incorrect payments.

ENS, which has been operational since 2017, has registered more than 4 million domain names, showing the growing demand for user-friendly solutions in the web3 ecosystem.

PayPal’s ongoing web3 push

PayPal has been actively expanding its presence in the web3 space since 2020 when it first allowed users to buy, hold, and sell cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin. This service was initially made possible through a partnership with Paxos Trust Company, a regulated provider of cryptocurrency services.

Venmo followed suit in 2021, offering its users similar features.

In addition to the ENS integration, PayPal launched its own stablecoin, PayPal USD (PYUSD), in collaboration with Paxos in August 2023 initially on Ethereum before later launching it on Solana in May 2024.

PYUSD is backed by US dollar deposits and short-term US Treasuries, ensuring a 1:1 ratio with the US dollar. It is issued as an ERC-20 token on the Ethereum blockchain and has been integrated with the Solana blockchain, expanding its functionality across networks.

PYUSD market cap decline

Despite PYUSD’s initial success, with its market cap surpassing $1 billion on August 24, the stablecoin has faced recent challenges.

As of early September, PYUSD’s market cap had dropped by 17%, with the majority of the decline occurring on Solana. The stablecoin’s Solana deployment saw a 21.5% decrease in market cap, dropping to $507.5 million, while its Ethereum deployment remained more stable, only falling 3% to $351.8 million.

This decline comes amid PayPal’s broader efforts to establish PYUSD as a trusted stablecoin in the market.

Nonetheless, PayPal and Venmo’s ENS integration demonstrates the companies’ commitment to enhancing the user experience and making cryptocurrency transactions more accessible to a wider audience, particularly as digital assets continue to gain mainstream adoption.

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Paxos integrates with Arbitrum for institutional on-chain assets adoption

  • Paxos integrates with Arbitrum to expand institutional adoption of on-chain assets.
  • The partnership enhances real-world asset tokenization using Arbitrum’s low-cost network.
  • Paxos focuses on stablecoin growth post-SEC inquiry, driving long-term digital asset use.

Stablecoin issuer Paxos has announced its integration with Arbitrum, Ethereum’s leading Layer 2 scaling solution. The integration marks Paxos’ first foray into a Layer 2 network, signifying a significant step toward facilitating institutional adoption of on-chain assets.

According to a press release issued by Arbitrum and Paxos, the collaboration aims to bring real-world asset tokenization to the Arbitrum ecosystem, leveraging its high-speed, low-cost infrastructure to enhance the utility of digital assets for enterprises.

Paxos tapping into Arbitrum’s DeFi ecosystem

By integrating with Arbitrum, Paxos taps into Ethereum’s deep liquidity, enabling faster transactions and reduced costs, which are crucial for institutions seeking to adopt blockchain technology.

Arbitrum, which launched in 2021, has quickly grown to become one of the most robust ecosystems in decentralized finance (DeFi), boasting over 520,000 active addresses and nearly 700 decentralized applications.

In addition to offering Paxos access to Arbitrum’s ecosystem, this integration will also allow Paxos to expand its reach within the Ethereum ecosystem, enhancing the accessibility of digital assets for both retail and institutional users.

Leveraging the stablecoin growth

Paxos’ entry into Arbitrum comes at a time when stablecoins growth is poised to accelerate, following the conclusion of an SEC investigation into the company’s Binance-branded stablecoin, BUSD.

With the regulatory hurdles behind it, Paxos is now focused on driving the integration of real-world assets onto the blockchain.

Luke Xiao, Fintech Partnership Lead at Arbitrum, highlighted the transformative impact of Paxos’ tokenization platform on the DeFi ecosystem. Walter Hessert, Paxos’ Head of Strategy, echoed these sentiments, stating that the partnership would drive long-term adoption of digital assets.

As Paxos and Arbitrum work together to bring real-world assets on-chain, this collaboration is set to reshape institutional engagement with blockchain technology and fuel the next wave of innovation in digital finance.

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FTM, AAVE, TAO see double-digit gains as Bitcoin retests $57k

  • Fantom (FTM), Bittensor (TAO) and Aave (AAVE) are among the biggest gainers in the past 24 hours.
  • The altcoins are seeing the most upside action in the top 100 coins by market cap as of 4pm ET on September 9.
  • Meanwhile, Bitcoin (BTC) has bounced above $57,000 after revisiting sub-$54k over the weekend.

FTM, AAVE and TAO tokens are all up double digits, with Bittensor price up more than 16% to change hands above $286. Meanwhile, Fantom price was trading above $0.46, up nearly 14% at the time of writing, and Aave price hovered near $142 with the DeFi token’s value up more than 13% in the past 24 hours.

Bitcoin price bounces above $57k

Bitcoin’s bounce to above $57,000 follows Monday’s upward action after BTC dropped to below $54k over the weekend. While the flagship cryptocurrency remains in a bearish hold with the Fear & Greed Index in extreme fear, analysts are bullish on long term prospects.

As highlighted earlier, Bernstein analysts see the US election as a key factor in the short term. A win for Donald Trump could mean a price explosion to above $80k.

On the flipside, Kamala Harris winning could catalyse a downward move to lows of $30k.

FTM, TAO and AAVE tokens surge

The Bittensor token soared when Grayscale unveiled the AI tokens fund, allowing for exposure to top artificial intelligence tokens like Render (RNDR), Filecoin (FIL), and Near (NEAR). While the latest surge occurred amid a broader market spike, TAO looks to have hit an upward gear as fresh network developments highlighted TAO staking and delegation.

Meanwhile, FTM is soaring as the community cheers developments around Sonic Labs. The Sonic testnet has achieved key milestones, while Fantom founder Andre Cronje believes the Sonic blockchain network could tap into an $11 trillion market that’s the unsecured lending industry.

On the other hand, AAVE price looked to bounce after a dedicated Ether.fi (ETHFI) market went live on Aave. The deployment allows users to borrow stablecoins, including USDC, PYUSD and FRAX against their liquid staking tokens weETH.

weETH is among the liquid restaking tokens that are enabling DeFi strategies such as leveraged ETH staking. Aave already has a dedicated market like this on the top Ethereum staking platform Lido.

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