WAO ART #289

A stakeholder in Nigeria's blockchain and fintech ecosystem is urging the government to swiftly implement regulations that will promote the integration of blockchain technology into various sectors of the economy. The National Blockchain Policy aims to drive economic growth, job creation, and financial inclusion.

Coinfest Asia has released a research report on Indonesia's emergence as a key global player in the cryptocurrency market. With a young and tech-savvy population, Indonesia is primed for digital innovation, and its crypto market is rapidly evolving.

Blockchain interoperability platform, Wormhole, has raised $225 million in a funding round, valuing the company at $2.5 billion. Investors in the round include Brevan Howard, Coinbase Ventures, Multicoin Capital, and Jump Trading. The Wormhole Foundation also announced the launch of Wormhole Labs.

The Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) has chosen Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to overhaul its settlement service after abandoning its blockchain project. ASX had partnered with Digital Asset Holdings in 2016 for a blockchain alternative.

European stock markets traded mixed on Wednesday as investors awaited inflation data. The DAX index in Germany rose 0.1%, while the CAC 40 in France fell 0.2% and the FTSE 100 in the UK dropped 0.3%. European stocks have performed well in November, but gains have stalled due to hawkish comments from ECB officials.

Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul has approved the construction of a 5-MW biomass-fired power plant, which will be built by local company Infravix Participacoes SA. The facility, expected to cost BRL 70 million (USD 14.3m/EUR 13m), will use 45,000 tonnes of rice husks as fuel per year.

The CFTC is investigating the crypto exchange Bybit, and Coinbase has received a subpoena as part of this investigation. The CFTC may be shifting its focus from Binance to Bybit, and it is trying to obtain user information from Coinbase to monitor transfers between Bybit and Coinbase involving American customers.