Mike Novogratz’s crypto-focused merchant bank, Galaxy Digital, has published a full-page ad on August 13 in the UK-based international business newspaper Financial Times telling readers that “now is the time to invest in bitcoin.”

The U.S. government has reportedly dismantled campaigns from al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups that were using social media to obtain cryptocurrency to fund terrorist attacks.

Epic Games, the developer of the hyper-popular video game Fortnite, has filed a lawsuit against Apple for allegedly monopolizing the in-app payments market, effectively barring “innovations” like bitcoin payments.

Top stories in the Crypto Roundup today:

• Mike Novogratz’ Galaxy Digital Told Financial Times Readers to Invest in Bitcoin
• U.S. Seizes Bitcoin From Crypto Wallets Tied to Terrorist Groups
• Epic Games Blasts Apple for Barring Payment Innovations Like BTC

At the time of writing, bitcoin (BTC) is trading at $11,721.63 (2.62%) with a daily Top Tier volume of $3.87 bn. As for ether (ETH), it is trading at $423.13 (10.46%) with a daily Top Tier volume of $3.59 bn. The MVIS CryptoCompare Digital Assets 10 Index is currently tracking at 4,681.97 (3.88 %).

Mike Novogratz’ Galaxy Digital Told Financial Times Readers to Invest in Bitcoin

Mike Novogratz’ crypto-focused merchant bank, Galaxy Digital, has published a full-page ad on August 13 in the UK-based international business newspaper Financial Times telling readers that “now is the time to invest in bitcoin.”

Barry Silbert, the current CEO of cryptocurrency investment firm Grayscale Investments and the founder and CEO of the Digital Currency Group, tweeted out the ad, which reads that in uncertain times, bitcoin is a hedge independent of the hegemony.”

At the end of the ad, there’s a call-to-action asking users to go to the URL for Galaxy Fund management, the crypto funds division of Galaxy Digital.  The firm offers a number of “Galaxy Bitcoin Funds,” which are a “low management fee, institutional grade vehicles for bitcoin exposure.

The full-page ad on the Financial Times comes a few days after Grayscale Investments unveiled its own TV commercial about digital currencies that did not explicitly mention bitcoin.

U.S. Seizes Bitcoin From Crypto Wallets Tied to Terrorist Groups

The U.S. government has reportedly dismantled campaigns from al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups that were using social media to obtain cryptocurrency to fund terrorist attacks.

The Trump administration reportedly seized about $2 million and over 300 cryptocurrency wallets tied to al-Qaeda, the al-Qassam Brigades – Hamas’s military wing- and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS). The U.S. Justice Department said it was the “government’s largest-ever seizure of cryptocurrency in the terrorism context.”

The move indicates the government is able to identify and infiltrate terrorist or criminal organizations who may be believing they are acting anonymously while raising BTC. Michael Sherwin, acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, stated:

“This case is really historic and unprecedented for several reasons. We’re looking at three different entities that were targeted by the government to prevent financing going to these very dangerous terrorist organizations.”

The FBI, ICE, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Justice Department’s National Security Division used undercover operations to infiltrate fundraising campaigns and gain access to their cryptocurrency wallets. Agents reportedly even took over and operated on website for 30 days.

Epic Games Blasts Apple for Barring Payment Innovations Like BTC

Epic Games, the developer of the hyper-popular video game Fortnite, has filed a lawsuit against Apple for allegedly monopolizing the in-app payments market, effectively barring “innovations” like bitcoin payments.

The lawsuit alleges Apple is acting anti-competitively by imposing and “oppressive” 30% sales tax on app sales, as well as banning third-party payments processors from its platform, hurting payment innovation.

Per Epic Games, would-be competing in-app payment processes could accept “bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies.” The firm demanded the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California prohibit Apple form acting in an anti-competitive manner and to end what it called the tech giant’s stranglehold on in-app payments.

The lawsuit comes as Epic Games is launching a campaign against Apple as the tech giant booted Fortnite from the Apple app store this week. The hyper-popular game was removed because of Fortnite’s implementation of its own in-app payments system.

State of the Crypto by Top Tier Exchange Volume

Build your project with CoinDesk Data

Terms | Privacy

13 Charles II St, SW1Y 4QU

London, UK

This email may include advertisements by third parties. None of the advertised or promoted products and services have been verified or approved by us and this email is not any endorsement by us of the third party or of their products or services.