"In 2014, he released the album Animal Ambition and became the first artist to accept Bitcoin as payment. The rapper received more than 700 Bitcoins under the deal, but then forgot about the cryptocurrency, according to celebrity news site TMZ."
"Several major Indian banks have suspended the accounts of top Bitcoin exchanges in India. State Bank of India, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and Yes Bank cited suspicious payments in their decisions. The move comes after tax authorities sent notices to cryptocurrency investors warning that they must pay capital gains on their income from the virtual currency. For the few accounts still open, the banks have asked for more collateral, and have capped cash withdrawals."
"Yes, the blockchain is truly revolutionary. Yes, bitcoin is Tulipmania 2.0. Yes, cryptocurrency is a nail in the coffin of the bankster parasites. Yes, digital currency is a tool of the totalitarian tyrants. No, these statements are not contradictory. But don’t worry if you think they are. You’re just a victim of 'The Bitcoin Psyop.'"
South Korean cryptocurrency exchanges will this year need to pay 22% corporate and 2.2% local income taxes on last year’s earnings by the end of March and April respectively, if they had an annual income of over 20 billion won ($18.8 million) during 2016. The report suggested that the Bithumb exchange, for example, would need to pay around 60 billion won for its earnings during last year. On Sunday, Yonhap quoted another official as saying cryptocurrency exchanges would soon be required to share users’ transaction data with banks—another move that would help the authorities collect tax. South Korea’s ongoing cryptocurrency crackdown has been one of the prime causes of bitcoin’s recent volatility. Last month, the government instituted real-name policies for virtual-currency traders and banned investors from opening new accounts.
"The president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, has signed a decree which legalizes cryptocurrencies, initial coin offerings (ICOs), and smart contracts. All crypto transactions and related income, including from mining, will be tax-free for the next five years. The decree creates unprecedented conditions for residents of the Belarusian High-Tech Park (HTP). Legal entities in HTP can attract investments by issuing their own ICO tokens as well as buying and selling them through crypto exchanges."
"Israel is considering offering a national cryptocurrency- a digital shekel - which would correspond in value to physical shekels. Additionally, the government is considering legislation that would substantially reduce the amount of physical cash in the economy. For example, one suggestion would be a law against paying wages in cash."
"The oil-rich nation plans to pay public workers in the digital token and to use tax incentives to encourage its use. While the petro would be backed by one barrel of Venezuelan crude, the coins can’t be exchanged for the actual oil."
"Leftist President Nicolas Maduro is hoping to capitalize on the success of cryptocurrencies by creating one for Venezuela as the bolivar plunges to all-time lows and the country struggles with hyperinflation. Critics decry the petro as simply a way for the cash-strapped government to issue debt without being constricted by U.S. sanctions. But the U.S. Treasury last week warned that Americans engaging with the petro could still find themselves in violation of those sanctions. Many in Venezuela have used cryptocurrencies in recent years to evade strict currency controls."
"This isn’t the first time a national bank has taken such a strong and aggressive stance against digital currency. Last October, many customers of TD Bank experienced severe delays and blocks to their accounts while trying to purchase bitcoin on Coinbase. PNC Bank has also begun taking measures against bitcoin by preventing customers from buying it directly through their bank accounts."
"The Swiss government has created a blockchain taskforce to begin regulatory framework on startups and initial coin offerings. Switzerland has long been accepting toward blockchain startups and cryptocurrency organisations, and is home to 'Crypto Valley,' a region in the country known for the number of companies developing projects based on the technology."