1-Deutsche Telekom validates NEAR blockchain
Deutsche Telekom deployed the first NEAR Protocol validator.
Deutsche Telekom AG, the fifth-largest telecom company by revenue, joined NEAR’s Enterprise Node Operators program to decentralize and secure networks.
In a Nov. 11 news statement, Deutsche Telekom said it will play a “key role” in the blockchain’s validator position as part of the NEAR ecosystem’s institutional orientation.
Deutsche Telekom director of digital trust & web3 infrastructure Oliver Nyderle called the alliance “promising and innovative,” adding that the network shares the company’s goal “towards greater data sovereignty and user data control for the benefit of the users.”
German telecom provider says NEAR cooperation expands “staking portfolio” with “decentralized AI and scalability” network. Deutsche Telekom failed to disclose its network validation.
The minimum stake to become a block-producing validator on the NEAR Protocol is often the “seat price” from the 100th highest validator proposal. The network’s documentation claims that validator engagement dynamically sets the barrier, with a minimum of 67,000.Roughly $383,000 market price. Following the news, NEAR surged 9.5% to $5.6.
The collaboration comes days after Deutsche Telekom subsidiary MMS and Germany’s second-oldest bank, Bankhaus Metzler, initiated a pilot to use surplus renewable energy for Bitcoin mining to gather field data to stabilize Germany’s energy grid.
2-Bitget returns to UK with local rules
UK platform Bitget debuted with Financial Promotions Regime compliance.
Bitget resumed UK user registration six months after stopping it. The exchange relaunched on Nov. 12 under the U.K. Financial Promotions Regime.
Archax, a U.K.-regulated crypto custodian, lets Bitget clients trade crypto and store tokenized real-world assets. Bitget CEO Gracy Chen said joining the U.K. market under the regime is a “step towards establishing Bitget as a long-term, compliant partner in diverse markets, providing investors with a platform to explore digital assets.”
Bitget stopped U.K. services in May because the Financial Conduct Authority required crypto compliance. The trading platform said it is working to comply with the Financial Promotions Regime but did not disclose any changes.
The relaunch comes weeks after Bitget improved token listing requirements to shield users from high-risk projects and exit scams. Bitget now vets all projects before listing them. A thorough legal examination ensures project code quality, security, and compliance.
3-250+ crypto-friendly Representatives
The early U.S. Congressional election results show over 250 digital asset-supporting candidates.
The elections coincided with Trump’s election. News sources suggest digital asset industry funders contributed pro-cryptocurrency lawmakers over $200 million, a record.
Longtime Congressmen may lose crypto support. Ohio Republican Bernie Moreno defeated 18-year Congressman Sherrod Brown. Bitcoin enthusiast Dave McCormick and Pennsylvania Democrat Bob Casey are still fighting.
West Virginia’s Jim Justice, Indiana’s Jim Banks, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Texas’ Ted Cruz are pro-crypto. Industry insider money helped Arizona, California, Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, and Virginia.
Experts believe most new members of Congress who embrace digital assets are Republicans, who advocate the rapid integration of cryptocurrencies into the financial system. Crypto business leaders expect a “golden age” after Trump’s election.
Republican Bernie Moreno beat Sherrod Brown in the Ohio Senate race. Car dealer and blockchain entrepreneur Moreno defeated bitcoin opponent Senate Banking Committee Chair Brown.
Bogota-based bitcoin advocate Moreno speaks at conferences. To simplify automobile title purchase, he co-founded ChampTitles in 2018. His company ownership was sold recently.
Brown, an anti-crypto backer of SEC Chairman Gary Gensler, has been targeted by PAC Fairshake for nearly $40 million. Ripple Labs and Coinbase Global back Fairshake.
Democratic Joe Manchin lost to West Virginia Governor Jim Justice in the Senate.
The crypto-friendly super PAC Defend American Jobs gave Justice $3 million. Saluting his digital asset devotion, Armstrong gave $3,300 to the cause.
In 2017, Justice, a lifelong Democrat, turned sides and became a buddy of Trump, citing the nation’s perilous condition without him. Justice supports blockchain, AI, and other cutting-edge innovation as Trump does bitcoin.
Justice rejected CBDC and advocated bitcoin regulation throughout his campaign. On his campaign website, he called for a secure digital market to safeguard American investors and boost digital asset innovation and job creation.
Longtime Senator Ted Cruz backs crypto. He openly defends the market. He rejected a 10-year crypto tax to raise $28 billion for infrastructure in 2021. Cruz proposed Washington shops accept crypto payments.
He opposes the digital dollar, believing it should protect user privacy, maintain dollar dominance, and encourage innovation. Cruz worries that digital money may prohibit private transactions, unlike Bitcoin.
Crypto donors give over $200 million to U.S. election groups, candidates, and organizations. This massive expenditure illustrates the sector’s influence on 2024 elections.
Crypto leaders endorsed Trump’s candidacy. Musk, a billionaire, supported Trump’s campaign and America PAC alone. It spent $72 million backing Trump from July to September, showing its Republican concentration.
Crypto leaders back Vice President Kamala Harris. Chris Larsen donated her $11.7 million, her largest donation. Vinod Khosla contributed $1 million and Reid Hoffman $250,000.
Crypto donations influenced the 2024 presidential election, indicating the industry’s aim to influence law. As the election approaches, crypto sector funding may impact politicians’ campaigns and crypto regulatory policies, benefiting both sides.
References
https://crypto.news/over-250-pro-crypto-candidates-enter-congress
https://crypto.news/bitget-re-enters-uk-market-with-local-rules-compliance
https://crypto.news/germanys-deutsche-telekom-joins-near-as-blockchain-validator