By Kapil Rajyaguru
Utah’s Senate Passes Bitcoin Bill But Scraps Key Provision
Utah’s Bitcoin bill has passed the state Senate, but without its cornerstone, a clause that would have made it the first US state with its own Bitcoin reserve. The HB230 “Blockchain and Digital Innovation Amendments” bill now only provides Utah citizens with basic custody protections, the right to mine Bitcoin, run a node and participate in staking, among other things. The reserve clause would have authorized Utah’s treasurer to invest up to 5% of digital assets with a market cap above $500 billion over the last calendar year in five state accounts — with Bitcoin as the only digital asset that currently meets this criteria.
Spanish Bank BBVA Gets Regulatory Nod To Offer Bitcoin And Ether Trading
BBVA announced on March 10 that it had received the nod from Spain’s securities regulator, CNMV, to offer Bitcoin and Ether trading services to its customers. Spain’s second-largest bank’s crypto offerings in Spain will enable users to buy, sell and manage digital assets through its mobile app. The lender said it will use its own cryptographic key custody platform to maintain full control over customer holdings without third-party involvement. Initially, the rollout will be limited to a select group of users before gradually expanding to all private customers across the Iberian nation in the coming months.
China Rolls Out Manus AI, Hot on DeepSeek’s Heels
China continues to stun the world with huge advancement in the Tech space. Just a few days ago, a striking new Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) model named Manus has burst onto the tech scene, hot on the heels of fellow Chinese AI startup DeepSeek’s recent global splash. As per the reports, Chinese AI Startup Monica, formed by a team of ex-Google and Tencent talents, and led by Xiao Hong, launched Manus on March 6. Hong claims Manus to be more than just a chatbot AI. The excitement isn’t without hurdles. Manus is currently an invite-only preview, with server hiccups and reported bugs like incomplete tasks tempering early feedback. No official public release date has been set.
El Salvador Continues Accumulating Bitcoin And Now Holds 6,111 BTC Despite IMF Pressure
El Salvador continues to acquire bitcoin despite its deal with the International Monetary Fund to curb its bitcoin acquisition. The Central American nation purchased an additional 6 on Sunday, expanding its total bitcoin holdings to 6,111.18 BTC, worth about $504 million at current market prices, compared to 6,072 BTC on Feb. 9, according to the country’s Bitcoin Office. In December, El Salvador reached a deal with the IMF for a $1.4 billion loan, with the total package expected to be over $3.5 billion, and agreed to scale back its bitcoin engagement in exchange for the financing. El Salvador’s strategic reserve, however, continued to accumulate bitcoin. El Salvador President Nayib Bukele said last week that the country will not stop purchasing bitcoin.
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