<![CDATA[<figure class="image"><img src="https://cimg.co/news/123186/325906/adobestock-jetcityimage-1.jpeg" srcset="https://cimg.co/news/123186/325906/responsive-images/adobestock-jetcityimage-1___media_library_original_3000_2000.jpeg 3000w, https://cimg.co/news/123186/325906/responsive-images/adobestock-jetcityimage-1___media_library_original_1200_800.jpeg 1200w, https://cimg.co/news/123186/325906/responsive-images/adobestock-jetcityimage-1___media_library_original_900_600.jpeg 900w, https://cimg.co/news/123186/325906/responsive-images/adobestock-jetcityimage-1___media_library_original_720_480.jpeg 720w, https://cimg.co/news/123186/325906/responsive-images/adobestock-jetcityimage-1___media_library_original_600_400.jpeg 600w, https://cimg.co/news/123186/325906/responsive-images/adobestock-jetcityimage-1___media_library_original_300_200.jpeg 300w" width="3000" class="content-img" alt=""><figcaption>Source: AdobeStock / jetcityimage</figcaption></figure><p><i>Get your daily, bite-sized digest of cryptoasset and blockchain-related news &ndash; investigating the stories flying under the radar of today&rsquo;s crypto news.</i><br>__________</p><h2 id="mining-news">Mining news</h2><ul><li><a href="https://cryptonews.com/news/three-compelling-reasons-why-spot-bitcoin-btc-etf-approval-really-matters-according-bitwise.htm">Bitcoin (BTC)</a> mining difficulty, or the measure of how hard it is to compete for <a href="https://cryptonews.com/tags/mining/">mining</a> rewards, <a href="https://btc.com/stats/diff">went up</a> 6.17 % yesterday, hitting a new all-time high of 55.62 T. The previous highest point of 53.91 T was reached three difficulty adjustments ago in mid-July. The average hashrate, or the computational power of the network, also reached its highest point of 397.74 EH/s.&nbsp;</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://cimg.co/news/123186/325878/screenshot-2023-08-23-143510.jpg" srcset="https://cimg.co/news/123186/325878/responsive-images/screenshot-2023-08-23-143510___media_library_original_544_340.jpg 544w, https://cimg.co/news/123186/325878/responsive-images/screenshot-2023-08-23-143510___media_library_original_300_188.jpg 300w" width="544" class="content-img" alt=""><figcaption>Source: https://btc.com/stats/diff</figcaption></figure><h2 id="web3-news">Web3 news</h2><ul><li><a href="https://cryptonews.com/news/web3-metaverse-creator-platform-ztx-raises-13-million-blockbuster-fundraising-round.htm">Web3</a> domain name company <a href="https://cryptonews.com/tags/unstoppable-domains/"><strong>Unstoppable Domains</strong></a> announced the launch of <strong>Unstoppable Messaging</strong>, powered by the Web3 messaging network <strong>XMTP</strong>. It is a Web3-native way for users to connect with friends through Web3 domains, stay updated on projects, and foster communities with decentralized, end-to-end encrypted messaging. "Message anyone on other XMTP-enabled platforms, including <strong>Coinbase Wallet</strong> and <strong>Lens</strong> apps, by typing in their wallet address or domain," the press release said. "Unstoppable Messaging is based on your Web3 domain, like sandy.nft, so it&rsquo;s fully compatible with any wallet address that&rsquo;s attached to your domain." The team will soon introduce the ability for <a href="https://cryptonews.com/tags/dapp/">dapps</a> and businesses to use Unstoppable Messaging to send messages, powered by <strong>Push Protocol</strong>.&nbsp;</li></ul><h2 id="exchange-news">Exchange news</h2><ul><li><a href="https://cryptonews.com/news/binance-us-seeks-protective-order-against-renewed-sec-probe.htm"><strong>Binance.US</strong></a> teamed up with payment startup <a href="https://cryptonews.com/tags/moonpay/"><strong>MoonPay</strong></a> to allow the exchange's customers to convert USD into crypto after it <a href="https://cryptonews.com/news/breaking-binanceus-halts-usd-deposits-must-withdraw-by-june-13-but-major-outage-reported.htm">suspended</a> dollar deposits in June. Customers can buy <a href="https://cryptonews.com/news/coinbase-halts-usdt-trading-for-canadian-users-starting-august-31.htm">tether (USDT)</a> using debit cards, credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, the post <a href="https://twitter.com/BinanceUS/status/1694040010482135262">said</a>, and then convert the stablecoin into cryptocurrency.&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://cryptonews.com/news/legal-action-contemplated-by-binance-following-termination-of-partnership-with-checkoutcom.htm"><strong>Binance</strong></a> launched <strong>Binance Pay</strong> in <a href="https://cryptonews.com/news/brazilian-police-freeze-suspected-fraudsters-crypto-holdings.htm">Brazil</a> with partners such as <strong>WeoGames</strong> and <strong>WordPress</strong>, "enabling local merchants to offer a new alternative for payment that may attract new customers, increase processing speed, and reduce costs," the press release <a href="https://www.binance.com/en/blog/payment/binance-pay-launches-in-brazil-simplifying-crypto-payments-for-merchants-2267646706725281952">said</a>. Merchants can choose to receive the payment in Brazilian Real or in crypto directly to their wallets. General manager Guilherme Nazar said: "We expect this launch to be especially relevant for businesses in Brazil, as the country registers one of the highest crypto adoption increase rates."</li></ul><h2 id="security-news">Security news</h2><ul><li>The US <strong>Federal Bureau of Investigation</strong> (<a href="https://cryptonews.com/news/fbi-seizes-nearly-2-million-of-digital-assets-three-months-new-filings-reveal.htm">FBI</a>) identified six Bitcoin wallets that are linked to the infamous <a href="https://cryptonews.com/news/new-report-north-koreas-cyber-army-allegedly-stole-3-billion-crypto-fund-nuclear-program.htm">North Korean</a>, state-backed hacking group <a href="https://cryptonews.com/news/north-koreas-lazarus-group-suspected-37-million-hack-coinspaid.htm">Lazarus</a>. The hackers moved some BTC 1,580 from several cryptocurrency heists into these wallets. <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/fbi-identifies-cryptocurrency-funds-stolen-by-dprk">Per</a> the press release, "the FBI believes the DPRK may attempt to cash out the bitcoin worth more than $40 million dollars." The agency added that it "will continue to expose and combat the DPRK&rsquo;s use of illicit activities&mdash;including cybercrime and virtual currency theft&mdash;to generate revenue for the regime."</li></ul><h2 id="investment-news">Investment news</h2><ul><li>On-chain institutional credit marketplace <strong>Maple Finance</strong> recently closed a $5 million strategic investment round led by <strong>Blocktower Capital</strong> and <strong>Tioga Capital</strong>, with participation from <strong>Cherry Ventures</strong>, <strong>Spartan Capital</strong>, <strong>GSR Ventures</strong>, and <strong>Veris Ventures</strong>, as well as past investors <strong>Maven 11</strong> and <strong>Framework Ventures</strong>, TechCrunch <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/23/crypto-lender-maple-finance-raises-5m-to-enter-asia-amid-regulatory-clarity/">reported</a>. It will use the funds to fuel its expansion in <a href="https://cryptonews.com/tags/asia/">Asia</a>. Sidney Powell, co-founder and CEO at Maple, said that "in Asia, you have regulatory clarity, or rather, regulatory support, both coming out of <a href="https://cryptonews.com/news/hong-kongs-ambitions-crypto-space-executives-weigh-web3-regulation.htm">Hong Kong</a> and <a href="https://cryptonews.com/news/singapores-monetary-authority-enforces-crypto-lending-staking-ban-for-retail-investors.htm">Singapore</a> in terms of new legislation that&rsquo;s come through, and you already have a very heavy trading focus over there."</li></ul><h2 id="cbdc-news">CBDC news</h2><ul><li><a href="https://cryptonews.com/news/crypto-lender-helio-sentenced-for-falsely-claiming-hold-an-australian-credit-licence.htm">Australia</a> will not make a decision on the country's central bank digital currency (<a href="https://cryptonews.com/news/russian-banks-mts-psb-say-customers-are-now-using-digital-ruble.htm">CBDC</a>) for years to come, <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/payments-and-infrastructure/central-bank-digital-currency/pdf/australian-cbdc-pilot-for-digital-finance-innovation-project-report.pdf">according</a> to the report by the <strong>Reserve Bank of Australia</strong> (RBA) and the <strong>Digital Finance Cooperative Research Centre</strong> (DFCRC). "Given the many issues that are yet to be resolved, any decision on a CBDC in Australia is likely to be some years away," they said. Exploring use cases with a pilot CBDC raised a number of legal, regulatory, technical, and operational issues associated with the coin that warrant further analysis. "Key non-functional requirements for a CBDC that were not a focus of the project &ndash; such as performance, scalability, and security &ndash; could also be considered in future research," the report said.</li></ul><h2 id="legal-news">Legal news</h2><ul><li>A group of investors reportedly launched a class action against <a href="https://cryptonews.com/news/today-in-crypto-atomic-wallet-publishes-post-attack-full-event-statement-binance-brazil-director-may-be-summoned-by-parliament-ripple-gets-in-principle-approval-for-singapore-digital-payment-license.htm"><strong>Atomic Wallet</strong></a>, which had lost over $100 million in a <a href="https://cryptonews.com/news/atomic-wallet-users-lose-over-100-million-in-crypto-breach.htm">breach</a> in June. bne IntelliNews <a href="https://www.intellinews.com/russian-investors-launch-action-after-being-stung-in-100mn-crypto-heist-288989/?source=russia">reported</a> that the class action is coordinated by the German lawyer Max Gutbrod and co-founder of Moscow firm <strong>Destra Legal</strong> Boris Feldman. They represent about 50 clients who each lost overall $12 million by investing anything from $150,000-$200,000 or $1-$2 million, it claimed.&nbsp;</li></ul>
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Today in Crypto: Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Hits ATH, Unstoppable Domains Launches Unstoppable Messaging Based on Web3 Domains, Binance.US Pa...

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