Uniswap Android wallet app to launch Cboe BTC, ETH margin futures and more

As the final weeks of 2023 approach, it's fair to say that one of the main trends and drivers of crypto companies' strategies over the past months can be summed up in one word: licenses.

In a highly regulated environment, getting the green light from regulators was critical for companies, especially during the crypto winter.

Some countries have taken a stand by developing a crypto-friendly environment. For example, the United Arab Emirates continues to attract major crypto companies to its shores, with digital assets exchange Crypto.com recently licensed as a virtual assets service provider (VASP) in Dubai. The license allows Crypto.com to offer domestic retail and institutional trading as well as broker-dealer and lending-related services.

Dubai has granted a similar license to institutional crypto custodian Hex Trust. The crypto company has offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, Dubai, Italy and France.

Traditional players are also looking for crypto licenses. Commerzbank in Germany has been granted a crypto security license, according to an announcement on November 15, becoming the first “full-service” bank in the country to receive the license.

Also, in regulatory headlines this week, BitGate has abandoned plans to seek a Virtual Asset Trading Platform (VATP) license in Hong Kong, citing business and market-related issues. As a result, the exchange is declining local operations in the coming weeks.

Although licenses are necessary for crypto companies to operate, they represent a new step in the growing relationship between crypto and governments around the world.

This week's CryptoBiz explores Uniswap's Android app, Cboe's transition to cryptomargin futures trading, and Disney's upcoming virtual token (NFT) platform.

Uniswap Android wallet starts with a built-in switching function

Uniswap Labs has officially released its Android mobile wallet app on the Google Play Store. The new app allows users to conduct decentralized exchanges from within the app, eliminating the need for a separate web browser extension, Uniswap Labs Vice President of Design Khalil Capuzzo told Cointelegraph. Uniswap has added support for new languages ​​– now English, Spanish, Japanese, Portuguese, French and Chinese – traditional and simple – and a setting that allows users to view their crypto value in their local currency. The iOS version of the app was released in April.

Disney launches NFT platform with Dapper Labs

Disney and blockchain firm Dapper Labs have teamed up to create a non-volatile token (NFT) platform. According to an announcement, Disney will bring famous cartoon characters from the last century to its upcoming NFT marketplace, Disney Pinnacle. The platform includes Pixar icons and heroes and villains from the Star Wars galaxy as collectible and tradable digital pins. The NFT platform will launch later in 2023 for iOS, Android and the web.

Cboe BTC, ETH margin futures trading in January will be supported by 11 firms

Cboe Digital has announced the start of Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) margin futures trading on January 11, 2024. The regulated crypto-native exchange and clearinghouse will be the first in the United States to offer both spot and leveraged derivatives trading. He said in a statement on a forum. Eleven organizations, including crypto and traditional financial firms, will support the new capability from the start. They include B2C2, BlockFills, Cumberland DRW and Talos, among others. Cboe Digital offers marketing to individuals and institutions. In June, it received a license for margin futures trading from the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

Goldman Sachs leads $95 million funding round for blockchain payments firm Fnality.

Global investment bank Goldman Sachs and French bank BNP Paribas have reportedly led a new funding round for Fnality, a blockchain-based wholesale payments firm backed by Nomura Group. Finality has reportedly raised 77.7 million British pounds ($95.09 million) in its second round of funding. Other investors include global exchange-traded fund firm Wisdomtree and Finality's existing investor Nomura. The new capital will be used to expand its global liquidity management network around the clock in wholesale financial markets and emerging asset markets, Finality said. Fnality is a UBS-led blockchain project founded in 2019 that aims to build digital versions of transactions involving wholesale payments and digital securities.

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