Headlines

▌ CME Group Will Launch Ethereum Options Trading on September 12

The Chicago Mercantile Exchange Group (CME Group) announced on Thursday that it plans to launch options on ether (ETH) futures on September 12, pending regulatory go-ahead. These new contracts deliver an Ethereum future with a size of 50 ETH per contract, based on the CME CF Ethereum-USD Reference Rate, which serves as the daily reference rate for the price of Ethereum in USD. The new contracts will also expand CME Group's existing suite of cryptocurrency options contracts, which include Bitcoin options, as well as micro-bitcoin and micro-ether options.

Cryptocurrency

▌ Buterin Praised the Ethereum Community for Opposing the Canadian Transaction Limit Policy

On August 18th, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin posted on his personal social media platform, saying, “It’s great to see members of the Ethereum community opposed to the regulations that put ETH above other legal cryptocurrencies.” I haven't delved into what's going on, it's very much a government thing rather than a corporate compliance decision." In addition, Buterin once again reiterated his opposition to banning PoW. Earlier today, Canadian cryptocurrency trading platforms Bitbuy and Newton said they would set up residents in nine Canadian provinces to buy cryptocurrencies in accordance with the latest regulatory policies of the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) and the Canadian Securities Authority (CSA). The annual net purchase limit at the time of the transaction is C$30,000, based on the price at the time of the transaction. This limit will reset every 12 months from the first purchase of a restricted token.

▌Coinbase Issues Warning of “Pig Butchering” Crypto Investment Scams

Coinbase, the U.S.-based cryptocurrency investment platform, has expressed concern over an increase in the number of love investment scams known as “pig butchering,” in which scammers use dating apps and social media to find victims and build trust with them. “Recently, a noteworthy increase in scams purporting to be foreign exchanges or crypto trading platforms that are spread by scammers who use dating apps to lure victims,” Coinbase said. “While investment scams and romance scams are not unique to the cryptocurrency ecosystem, the irreversible nature of cryptocurrency transactions can make these scams devastating.” The scam typically directs victims to visit a fraudulent website that often looks like a legitimate trading platform and were coached to deposit funds into an account that is controlled by the scammer. Some victims even receive a small amount of funds that are claimed to be “returns” on their investment to entice them to invest even larger sums. When the victim tries to withdraw funds from the site, they are then told they owe a tax payment or service fee before their funds will be released in an effort to further extort them for money.

▌Celsius U.S. Trustee Asks Court to Appoint Examiner in Celsius Bankruptcy Case

The U.S. Trustee office, which oversees bankruptcy matters, filed a motion asking the US Bankruptcy Court to appoint an examiner to embattled lender Celsius to produce an unbiased public report providing transparency on the firm's business operations, investments, transactions, and customer accounts. The trustee argued Celsius had repeatedly failed to provide sufficient information, including specifics about costs related to the still-in-progress mining expansion. Besides, the trustee also wanted more clarification on allegations that Celsius offered unregistered securities and failed to obtain proper licenses and hedge against market volatility.