WAO ART #371

Japan is advancing an economic reform bill that includes a provision allowing investment limited partnerships to acquire and hold cryptoassets. This move is seen as a softening of Japan's regulatory stance on cryptocurrencies and positions the country as a forward-thinking player in the global digital assets space.

The development of a digital pound in the UK is facing trust concerns and political opposition. The Bank of England received over 50,000 responses to its consultation on a central bank digital currency (CBDC), with privacy and trust being the top concerns.

National Engineers Week celebrates the innovation of engineers and the lessons they can teach business leaders. The construction of the Panama Canal is an example of how non-engineers, like medical doctor William Crawford Gorgas, played a crucial role in its success.

Bitcoin ETFs have attracted a record $2.2B in just one week, indicating a growing interest in cryptocurrency as an investment. BlackRock's IBIT was the top performer, drawing in over $1.6B, followed by Fidelity's FBTC and Ark Invest's BTCO. Grayscale's GBTC experienced a net outflow of approximately $623M.

Animoca Brands' Mocaverse has partnered with major crypto wallets, including OKX Wallet, Crypto.com DeFi Wallet, and Halo Wallet, to expand its ID ecosystem. The partnership aims to bridge the gap between centralized finance and the on-chain cultural economy through Moca ID, a decentralized identity solution.

The Finance Magnates African Summit 2024 (FMAS:24) website is now live for the premier event in Africa, taking place from May 27-29. The event aims to connect regional and local providers with global brokers and brands.

AltLayer, a rollups platform, has raised $14.4 million in a strategic funding round co-led by Polychain Capital and Hack VC. Other participants in the round include OKX Ventures, HashKey Capital, Bankless Ventures, Primitive Ventures, SevenX, Mask Network, IOSG, and TRGC.