{"id":8404,"date":"2021-07-30T11:33:02","date_gmt":"2021-07-30T15:33:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/?p=8404"},"modified":"2021-07-30T11:33:02","modified_gmt":"2021-07-30T15:33:02","slug":"who-takes-gold-in-crypto-blockchain-olympics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/07\/30\/who-takes-gold-in-crypto-blockchain-olympics","title":{"rendered":"Who takes gold in the crypto and blockchain Olympics?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Every four years (usually), the world comes together in a celebration of sport and competition at the Olympic Games.<\/strong> In the spirit of Tokyo 2020, let\u2019s look at countries that are deserving of gold medals across different spheres of the cryptocurrency and blockchain space.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The variety of sports featured at the Olympics have changed over the years, and the current summer Olympics in Japan features a total of 33 different sports. Exciting competitions like skateboarding and surfing were added for Japan as the global showpiece continues to evolve and adopt different sports.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The cryptocurrency and blockchain space is similar in this regard. Many different working parts make for a colorful community both united and divided by their preferences of cryptocurrencies and blockchain platforms.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s take a look at which countries and institutions take home gold medals in their respective crypto and blockchain codes.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gold for Bitcoin adoption goes to\u2026 El Salvador<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sports often have fans cheering for the underdog and El Salvador has emerged as one of those lesser-known players that have burst onto the global stage in 2021. The Central American country grabbed headlines this year as it officially became the first in the world to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/news\/el-salvador-president-bitcoin-law-will-be-approved-tonight\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">recognize Bitcoin as legal tender<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without delving too deep into the specifics, El Salvador\u2019s congress voted to pass President Nayib Bukele\u2019s Bitcoin Law which recognizes Bitcoin (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/bitcoin-price\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BTC<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) as legal tender alongside the United States dollar, with 62 of a total 84 votes in agreement with the new legislation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"jeg_video_container jeg_video_content\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Bitcoin in El Salvador: Can the experiment succeed? | Cointelegraph Report\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4DhWzl-Kiso?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1&#038;origin=https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The law allows citizens to pay for goods and services in Bitcoin, and Bukele also stated that the Salvadoran government will guarantee the convertibility of BTC into USD at the time of any given transaction. The government <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/news\/el-salvador-to-airdrop-30-in-bitcoin-to-every-adult-citizen\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">plans to airdrop $30 worth of BTC<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to every citizen later this year.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There have been critics of the law change both <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/07\/20\/how-el-salvadors-bitcoin-law-change-global-finance\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">locally and abroad<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but the overall sentiment seems positive for the adoption of Bitcoin and a change of perception toward the preeminent cryptocurrency.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nevertheless, there are a few final hurdles that lie ahead for the country. Firstly, the International Monetary Fund <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/news\/imf-issues-veiled-warning-against-el-salvador-s-bitcoin-law\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">has issued its own warning<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> about the potential downsides of countries adopting Bitcoin that currently have unstable inflation rates.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Secondly, some citizens of El Salvador have also expressed their skepticism of the move. A survey undertaken at the beginning of July involving 1,233 citizens revealed that nearly half of the respondents <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/news\/survey-finds-most-el-salvador-citizens-are-skeptical-of-making-btc-legal-tender\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">knew nothing about Bitcoin<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Of the poll takers, 20% agreed with the move, highlighting the need for an educational campaign to complement the progressive move to make BTC a legal tender in the country.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Change is often met with uncertainty and resistance, but in terms of progression and adoption, El Salvador takes the gold medal in this first category.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Switzerland takes silver in the category, thanks to its crypto-friendly laws that have boosted the use of cryptocurrencies and companies working in the space. The USA clinches the bronze medal <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/news\/miami-mayor-aiming-for-the-most-progressive-crypto-laws\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">thanks to the efforts<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of Miami\u2019s Bitcoin-friendly mayor Francis Suarez, who\u2019s been driving various <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/news\/miami-stakes-the-claim-to-become-the-world-s-bitcoin-and-crypto-capital\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">initiatives to promote the use of BTC<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">China leads the CBDC race, but anti-crypto policies lead to disqualification<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">China has been a powerhouse at the Olympics over the past two decades with its sporting program producing a fine pedigree of Olympic weightlifters, gymnasts, divers, shooters and martial artists. In the world of cryptocurrencies, the story is quite different.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">China has taken a stern stance toward cryptocurrencies and has continued this policy in 2021, with its outright ban of mining completely rebalancing the Bitcoin mining ecosystem as a result.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Interestingly enough, the nation is far ahead of the world when it comes to the race to develop a fully-fledged central bank digital currency, or CBDC. Over the past 18 months, China has piloted and rolled out significant testing of its Digital Currency Electronic Payment, or DCEP.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><script>(function() {\n\twindow.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || {\n\t\tlisteners: [],\n\t\tforms: {\n\t\t\ton: function(evt, cb) {\n\t\t\t\twindow.mc4wp.listeners.push(\n\t\t\t\t\t{\n\t\t\t\t\t\tevent   : evt,\n\t\t\t\t\t\tcallback: cb\n\t\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\t);\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t}\n\t}\n})();\n<\/script><!-- Mailchimp for WordPress v4.8.6 - https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/mailchimp-for-wp\/ --><form inert id=\"mc4wp-form-1\" class=\"mc4wp-form mc4wp-form-5517 mc4wp-ajax\" method=\"post\" data-id=\"5517\" data-name=\"JNEWS style form\" ><div class=\"mc4wp-form-fields\"><div class=\"jeg_mc4wp_heading\">\r\n  <h3>The best of blockchain, every Tuesday<\/h3>\r\n  <p>Subscribe for thoughtful explorations and leisurely reads from Magazine.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<p>\r\n    <input type=\"email\" name=\"EMAIL\" placeholder=\"Email address...\" required \ placeholder="disabled" disabled="disabled" title="form boxes are disabled in cached version of the site" value="Disabled" style="opacity:0.3;" />\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n    <input type=\"submit\" value=\"SUBSCRIBE\" \ placeholder="disabled" disabled="disabled" title="form boxes are disabled in cached version of the site" value="Disabled" style="opacity:0.3;" />\r\n<\/p><br>\r\nBy subscribing you agree to our <a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/terms-and-privacy\" target=\"_blank\">Terms of Service and Privacy Policy<\/a><\/div><label style=\"display: none !important;\">Leave this field empty if you're human: <input type=\"text\" name=\"_mc4wp_honeypot\" value=\"\" tabindex=\"-1\" autocomplete=\"off\" \ placeholder="disabled" disabled="disabled" title="form boxes are disabled in cached version of the site" value="Disabled" style="opacity:0.3;" /><\/label><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_mc4wp_timestamp\" value=\"1634243902\" \ placeholder="disabled" disabled="disabled" title="form boxes are disabled in cached version of the site" value="Disabled" style="opacity:0.3;" /><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_mc4wp_form_id\" value=\"5517\" \ placeholder="disabled" disabled="disabled" title="form boxes are disabled in cached version of the site" value="Disabled" style="opacity:0.3;" /><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_mc4wp_form_element_id\" value=\"mc4wp-form-1\" \ placeholder="disabled" disabled="disabled" title="form boxes are disabled in cached version of the site" value="Disabled" style="opacity:0.3;" /><div class=\"mc4wp-response\"><\/div><\/form><!-- \/ Mailchimp for WordPress Plugin --><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Colloquially known as the digital yuan, citizens <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/news\/china-s-digital-yuan-deploys-at-speed-leaving-dust-in-its-path\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">began testing the facility through lotteries<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that award a small number of participants in various cities with digital yuan, which they could use through a mobile app to pay for goods and services at thousands of participating vendors.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is no denying that China has blazed the trail for the development, testing and roll-out of its CBDC. In the same breath, the DCEP is a government-controlled program, and the specifics of the technology and systems powering the digital yuan are shrouded in mystery.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, China\u2019s recent ban on mining in different regions and its zero tolerance of cryptocurrency exchanges means that despite its well-developed CBDC program, it falls out of the reckoning for a medal. Luckily, a number of other countries have also made significant strides in developing their own CBDCs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the world of sports, fans often get behind the underdog, and this is certainly the case with the Bahamas and its Sand Dollar CBDC. The country has made significant strides with the development and testing of its very own CBDC and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/news\/the-bahamas-launches-world-s-first-cbdc-the-sand-dollar\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">became the first country to go live<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in October 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Sand Dollar ecosystem continues to onboard more local banks and financial institutions, paving the way for widespread adoption of the CBDC and a fully digital payment environment. The Bahamas is the deserving recipient of the gold medal in this category.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sweden has begun its first trial of pilot testing the e-krona CBDC with a couple of local banks and external participants. As it continues testing its system with local financial institutions, Sweden earns the silver medal in this category.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/news\/cambodia-launches-inter-banking-platform-that-runs-on-blockchain\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cambodia<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/news\/ukraine-taps-stellar-to-develop-digital-asset-infrastructure-including-cbdc-framework\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ukraine<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have been credited for their own CBDC development programs by a recent <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pwc.com\/gx\/en\/industries\/financial-services\/assets\/pwc-cbdc-global-index-1st-edition-april-2021.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">report<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from PricewaterhouseCoopers, sharing the bronze medal in this category.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">North America in the race for gold in Bitcoin mining<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">China was undoubtedly the gold medal incumbent of Bitcoin mining but this is quickly changing in 2021. Recent estimates saw China account for more than 70% of the global hash rate before various mining operations were <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/news\/hashing-out-a-future-is-bitcoin-hash-rate-drop-an-opportunity-in-disguise\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">forced to shutter in June<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Those firms that were able to quickly look for greener pastures would welcome their mining equipment. While various countries in Asia would be the closest locale to relocate to, North America is quickly becoming the new hub of cryptocurrency mining.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Research from the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance shows that the hash rate of American-based miners has <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/news\/china-s-bitcoin-hash-power-fell-before-the-crackdown-cambridge-data\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">steadily been on the rise<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> over the past year and the latest regulatory move in China has only accelerated that point.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index world map has yet to fully <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cbeci.org\/mining_map\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">reflect<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the data from China\u2019s regional mining bans in June, in order to get a better understanding of how the Bitcoin mining hash rate\u2019s geo-distribution has changed. The latest map shows the distribution as of March 2021.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-8405\" src=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Global-Bitcoin-mining-map-1024x643.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"643\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Global-Bitcoin-mining-map-1024x643.png 1024w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Global-Bitcoin-mining-map-300x188.png 300w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Global-Bitcoin-mining-map-770x484.png 770w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Global-Bitcoin-mining-map-750x471.png 750w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Global-Bitcoin-mining-map-1140x716.png 1140w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Global-Bitcoin-mining-map.png 1450w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nevertheless, from August 2019 to March 2021, the U.S. saw an increase in its contribution to the global hash rate from 4% to 16%, making it second to only China in terms of hash rate. This is largely due to a concerted effort from major mining operators in America <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/news\/four-north-american-bitcoin-miners-that-could-benefit-from-the-east-west-shift\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">steadily increasing their hash rate<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by acquiring new equipment during this period.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kazakhstan has also opened its doors to relocate Bitcoin miners from China and has seen its share of the Bitcoin hash rate climb to around 8% of the global rate, according to Cambridge\u2019s recent report.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">China\u2019s share of the global hash rate has <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cbeci.org\/mining_map\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">dropped<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> below 50%, while the United States\u2019 has climbed. This picture, however, has still not factored in the major relocation of mining operations out of China.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It might be too early to give the U.S. the gold medal for Bitcoin mining, but the country seems to be on track to take over in the leaderboards if it continues at the same pace. China\u2019s mining clampdown results in a disqualification, so the U.S. becomes the new gold medallist in this category.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kazakhstan swoops in to take silver with its 8% contribution to the global hash rate, while Iran grabs the bronze medal with its 4.6% share. Canada and Malaysia just miss out on the podium in the category.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The regulatory race goes down to a photo finish<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to progressive regulation that is driving cryptocurrency adoption and use, there are a number of countries that are vying for a crypto gold medal and can boast to have developed regulatory parameters that are helping the industry thrive in their locales.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Malta has positioned itself as the blockchain island for a few years now and has attracted a number of the world\u2019s biggest cryptocurrency exchanges and other crypto service providers. The country\u2019s regulatory <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ibanet.org\/article\/A26900FC-B3DE-41FE-AC6B-A55CCC2B364A\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">package<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is attractive, as crypto holders do not have to pay capital gains, wealth, or inheritance tax on their holdings, but trading is subject to income tax.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Singapore is another country that has established comprehensive laws that have made it clear what cryptocurrency firms and service providers need to do in order to operate in the country. Singapore is also among a handful of countries that has zero capital gains tax on cryptocurrency income.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Korea has long been a country with an avid cryptocurrency user base and often sees <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/news\/crypto-dip-humbles-south-korean-bitcoin-premium\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bitcoin trading at prices far higher<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> than the rest of the world. The country has since developed strict regulatory frameworks but has also driven a number of initiatives to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/news\/south-korea-might-soon-be-spending-billions-on-blockchain-development\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">foster various services powered by blockchain technology<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><div  class=\"jeg_postblock_carousel jeg_postblock_carousel_3 jeg_postblock jeg_col_8 jnews_module__0_6168953e3f9f1    \">\n                    <div class=\"jeg_carousel_post\" data-nav='' data-autoplay='true' data-delay='4500' data-items='3' data-margin='20'>\n                        <div class=\"jeg_post_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<article class=\"jeg_post format-standard\">\n                    \n                    <div class=\"jeg_thumb\">                        \n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/10\/07\/fungible-fan-tokens-forming-proxy-market-day-trade-sports-teams-at-high-valuations\" ><div class=\"thumbnail-container animate-lazy  size-1000 \"><img width=\"75\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/themes\/jnews\/assets\/img\/jeg-empty.png\" class=\"attachment-jnews-75x75 size-jnews-75x75 lazyload wp-post-image\" alt=\"Fan tokens\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 75px) 100vw, 75px\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/magazine-sports-fan-tokens-75x75.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/magazine-sports-fan-tokens-75x75.jpg 75w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/magazine-sports-fan-tokens-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/magazine-sports-fan-tokens-350x350.jpg 350w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-expand=\"700\" \/><\/div><\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"overlay_content\">\n                        <div class=\"jeg_postblock_content\">\n                            <h3 class=\"jeg_post_title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/10\/07\/fungible-fan-tokens-forming-proxy-market-day-trade-sports-teams-at-high-valuations\">Fan tokens: Day trading your favorite sports team<\/a><\/h3>\n                            <div class=\"jeg_post_meta\"><div class=\"jeg_meta_date\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/10\/07\/fungible-fan-tokens-forming-proxy-market-day-trade-sports-teams-at-high-valuations\" ><i class=\"fa fa-clock-o\"><\/i> October 7, 2021<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"jeg_post_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<article class=\"jeg_post format-standard\">\n                    \n                    <div class=\"jeg_thumb\">                        \n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/10\/05\/when-banks-collapse-iceland-2008-firsthand\" ><div class=\"thumbnail-container animate-lazy  size-1000 \"><img width=\"75\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/themes\/jnews\/assets\/img\/jeg-empty.png\" class=\"attachment-jnews-75x75 size-jnews-75x75 lazyload wp-post-image\" alt=\"Icelandic Bank Collapse\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 75px) 100vw, 75px\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/magazine-Iceland-firsthand-75x75.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/magazine-Iceland-firsthand-75x75.jpg 75w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/magazine-Iceland-firsthand-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/magazine-Iceland-firsthand-350x350.jpg 350w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-expand=\"700\" \/><\/div><\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"overlay_content\">\n                        <div class=\"jeg_postblock_content\">\n                            <h3 class=\"jeg_post_title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/10\/05\/when-banks-collapse-iceland-2008-firsthand\">What it\u2019s like when the banks collapse: Iceland 2008 firsthand<\/a><\/h3>\n                            <div class=\"jeg_post_meta\"><div class=\"jeg_meta_date\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/10\/05\/when-banks-collapse-iceland-2008-firsthand\" ><i class=\"fa fa-clock-o\"><\/i> October 5, 2021<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"jeg_post_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<article class=\"jeg_post format-standard\">\n                    \n                    <div class=\"jeg_thumb\">                        \n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/10\/01\/crypto-city-guide-to-tokyo\" ><div class=\"thumbnail-container animate-lazy  size-1000 \"><img width=\"75\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/themes\/jnews\/assets\/img\/jeg-empty.png\" class=\"attachment-jnews-75x75 size-jnews-75x75 lazyload wp-post-image\" alt=\"Crypto City: Guide to Tokyo\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 75px) 100vw, 75px\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/MAG-crypto-city-Tokyo-75x75.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/MAG-crypto-city-Tokyo-75x75.jpg 75w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/MAG-crypto-city-Tokyo-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/MAG-crypto-city-Tokyo-350x350.jpg 350w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-expand=\"700\" \/><\/div><\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"overlay_content\">\n                        <div class=\"jeg_postblock_content\">\n                            <h3 class=\"jeg_post_title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/10\/01\/crypto-city-guide-to-tokyo\">Crypto City: Guide to Tokyo<\/a><\/h3>\n                            <div class=\"jeg_post_meta\"><div class=\"jeg_meta_date\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/10\/01\/crypto-city-guide-to-tokyo\" ><i class=\"fa fa-clock-o\"><\/i> October 1, 2021<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"jeg_post_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<article class=\"jeg_post format-standard\">\n                    \n                    <div class=\"jeg_thumb\">                        \n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/09\/27\/before-nfts-surging-interest-pre-cryptopunk-collectibles\" ><div class=\"thumbnail-container animate-lazy  size-1000 \"><img width=\"75\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/themes\/jnews\/assets\/img\/jeg-empty.png\" class=\"attachment-jnews-75x75 size-jnews-75x75 lazyload wp-post-image\" alt=\"Before NFTs: Surging interest in pre-CryptoPunk collectibles\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 75px) 100vw, 75px\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/MAGAZINE-Before-NFTs-Surging-interest-in-pre-CryptoPunk-collectibles-75x75.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/MAGAZINE-Before-NFTs-Surging-interest-in-pre-CryptoPunk-collectibles-75x75.jpg 75w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/MAGAZINE-Before-NFTs-Surging-interest-in-pre-CryptoPunk-collectibles-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/MAGAZINE-Before-NFTs-Surging-interest-in-pre-CryptoPunk-collectibles-350x350.jpg 350w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-expand=\"700\" \/><\/div><\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"overlay_content\">\n                        <div class=\"jeg_postblock_content\">\n                            <h3 class=\"jeg_post_title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/09\/27\/before-nfts-surging-interest-pre-cryptopunk-collectibles\">Before NFTs: Surging interest in pre-CryptoPunk collectibles<\/a><\/h3>\n                            <div class=\"jeg_post_meta\"><div class=\"jeg_meta_date\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/09\/27\/before-nfts-surging-interest-pre-cryptopunk-collectibles\" ><i class=\"fa fa-clock-o\"><\/i> September 27, 2021<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"jeg_post_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<article class=\"jeg_post format-standard\">\n                    \n                    <div class=\"jeg_thumb\">                        \n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/09\/16\/bitcoin-ledger-as-a-secret-weapon-in-war-against-ransomware\" ><div class=\"thumbnail-container animate-lazy  size-1000 \"><img width=\"75\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/themes\/jnews\/assets\/img\/jeg-empty.png\" class=\"attachment-jnews-75x75 size-jnews-75x75 lazyload wp-post-image\" alt=\"Bitcoin ledger as a secret weapon in war against ransomware\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 75px) 100vw, 75px\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/magazine-Crypto-isnt-a-good-tool-for-ransomware-75x75.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/magazine-Crypto-isnt-a-good-tool-for-ransomware-75x75.jpg 75w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/magazine-Crypto-isnt-a-good-tool-for-ransomware-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/magazine-Crypto-isnt-a-good-tool-for-ransomware-350x350.jpg 350w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-expand=\"700\" \/><\/div><\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"overlay_content\">\n                        <div class=\"jeg_postblock_content\">\n                            <h3 class=\"jeg_post_title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/09\/16\/bitcoin-ledger-as-a-secret-weapon-in-war-against-ransomware\">Bitcoin ledger as a secret weapon in war against ransomware<\/a><\/h3>\n                            <div class=\"jeg_post_meta\"><div class=\"jeg_meta_date\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/09\/16\/bitcoin-ledger-as-a-secret-weapon-in-war-against-ransomware\" ><i class=\"fa fa-clock-o\"><\/i> September 16, 2021<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Switzerland is another strong contender in this category, given its progressive attitude toward the cryptocurrency and blockchain space. Earlier in 2021, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/news\/swiss-canton-of-zug-starts-accepting-tax-payments-in-cryptocurrency\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the Canton of Zug finally rolled out<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> its facility for residents to pay taxes in BTC and Ethereum (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/ethereum-price\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ETH<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Canada is featured prominently in this race, having become the first country to approve a Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF). The launch of the first Bitcoin ETF in February 2021 was a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/news\/debut-canadian-bitcoin-etf-nears-100-million-in-volume-in-first-few-hours-of-trading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">huge success<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with the Toronto Stock Exchange\u2019s Purpose Bitcoin ETF seeing nearly $100 million in trade volume on its first day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All in all, Canada has been hailed for <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/news\/crypto-in-canada-where-are-we-today-and-where-are-we-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">its progressive regulatory environment for cryptocurrency use<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Cryptocurrencies are classed as commodities, and their usage for goods or services is treated as barter transactions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These five countries, therefore, end the crypto and blockchain regulatory race in a photo finish that\u2019s hard to call. As we bring up the slow-motion replay, we can confirm that Canada can take the gold in this category for its broad range of crypto-friendly regulations, from ETFs to clear tax laws and favorable mining tariffs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Malta takes silver, as its status as the \u201cBlockchain Island\u201d has waned somewhat <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/news\/as-malta-delays-regulatory-clarity-fewer-firms-remain-on-blockchain-island\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">due to a change in governmental leadership<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that had initially championed this cause. Singapore and South Korea share bronze in this category.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The U.S. takes gold for institutional adoption<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The modern-day United States optimizes a capitalist society, and the disruptive nature of cryptocurrency has led some forward-thinking individuals, companies and institutions to move quickly to leverage the potential of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enter MicroStrategy, a global leader in business intelligence services, which in 2020, pioneered a move to convert its <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/news\/worlds-biggest-business-intelligence-firm-buys-21k-btc-for-250m\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">fiat-based treasury holdings to Bitcoin<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The company\u2019s CEO, Michael Saylor, is a fierce Bitcoin proponent and has relentlessly acquired BTC since the firm\u2019s decision to bank on the preeminent cryptocurrency in August last year.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MicroStrategy\u2019s move is widely credited for influencing electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla and its founder Elon Musk to decide to begin investing in Bitcoin and, even at one point, accepting the cryptocurrency as a means of payment for its vehicles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cryptocurrencies have been touted as a disruptive force in the payments industry, and American firm PayPal looked to gain first-mover advantage by announcing that it would roll out cryptocurrency custody and payment services on its widely used platform.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><script>(function() {\n\twindow.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || {\n\t\tlisteners: [],\n\t\tforms: {\n\t\t\ton: function(evt, cb) {\n\t\t\t\twindow.mc4wp.listeners.push(\n\t\t\t\t\t{\n\t\t\t\t\t\tevent   : evt,\n\t\t\t\t\t\tcallback: cb\n\t\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\t);\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t}\n\t}\n})();\n<\/script><!-- Mailchimp for WordPress v4.8.6 - https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/mailchimp-for-wp\/ --><form inert id=\"mc4wp-form-2\" class=\"mc4wp-form mc4wp-form-5517 mc4wp-ajax\" method=\"post\" data-id=\"5517\" data-name=\"JNEWS style form\" ><div class=\"mc4wp-form-fields\"><div class=\"jeg_mc4wp_heading\">\r\n  <h3>The best of blockchain, every Tuesday<\/h3>\r\n  <p>Subscribe for thoughtful explorations and leisurely reads from Magazine.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<p>\r\n    <input type=\"email\" name=\"EMAIL\" placeholder=\"Email address...\" required \ placeholder="disabled" disabled="disabled" title="form boxes are disabled in cached version of the site" value="Disabled" style="opacity:0.3;" />\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n    <input type=\"submit\" value=\"SUBSCRIBE\" \ placeholder="disabled" disabled="disabled" title="form boxes are disabled in cached version of the site" value="Disabled" style="opacity:0.3;" />\r\n<\/p><br>\r\nBy subscribing you agree to our <a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/terms-and-privacy\" target=\"_blank\">Terms of Service and Privacy Policy<\/a><\/div><label style=\"display: none !important;\">Leave this field empty if you're human: <input type=\"text\" name=\"_mc4wp_honeypot\" value=\"\" tabindex=\"-1\" autocomplete=\"off\" \ placeholder="disabled" disabled="disabled" title="form boxes are disabled in cached version of the site" value="Disabled" style="opacity:0.3;" /><\/label><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_mc4wp_timestamp\" value=\"1634243902\" \ placeholder="disabled" disabled="disabled" title="form boxes are disabled in cached version of the site" value="Disabled" style="opacity:0.3;" /><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_mc4wp_form_id\" value=\"5517\" \ placeholder="disabled" disabled="disabled" title="form boxes are disabled in cached version of the site" value="Disabled" style="opacity:0.3;" /><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_mc4wp_form_element_id\" value=\"mc4wp-form-2\" \ placeholder="disabled" disabled="disabled" title="form boxes are disabled in cached version of the site" value="Disabled" style="opacity:0.3;" /><div class=\"mc4wp-response\"><\/div><\/form><!-- \/ Mailchimp for WordPress Plugin --><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">American investment firms have also led the way in allowing a wider audience various ways to gain exposure to cryptocurrencies. None more so than Grayscale Investments, which has a number of cryptocurrency trusts that are valued at over $33 billion to date. Its flagship Bitcoin Trust is currently valued at over $24 billion alone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These factors are more than enough to hand America another gold medal in the Crypto Olympics in the race for institutional adoption.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Canada takes silver in this category due to its crypto-friendly regulation and its progressive ETF laws that have seen it overtake its North American neighbor in that regard. Thailand walks away with a bronze medal here, as its oldest banking institution, Siam Commercial Bank, has committed $110 million <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/news\/defi-industry-draws-in-commercial-banks-siam-bets-with-110m-fund\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to invest into the decentralized finance sector<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> through its venture capital arm SCB 10X.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DNFs<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A number of countries fall into the disqualification category for their varying stances on cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In February 2021, Nigerians were caught off guard as the country\u2019s central bank effectively barred local banks from servicing cryptocurrency exchanges. For a country that still <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/trends.google.com\/trends\/explore?q=Bitcoin\" class=\"broken_link\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ranks<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as number one for Google\u2019s search of Bitcoin, the move was criticized both locally and abroad. Nigeria\u2019s Securities and Exchange Commission had been developing crypto regulatory plans which were suspended as a result.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India is <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/news\/slow-but-not-steady-india-s-stance-on-bitcoin-and-crypto-is-evolving\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">another country that has a checkered past<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> when it comes to its attitude toward the cryptocurrency space. The country\u2019s government has long been threatening an outright ban on the use of Bitcoin, but this is slowly changing with talk of asset classification providing proper regulatory frameworks and oversight for the burgeoning industry.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India\u2019s banking sector is <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/news\/indian-central-bank-clarifies-regulations-as-local-banks-shun-crypto\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">still at odds with the cryptocurrency movement<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with some of the largest institutions reportedly cautioning customers about acquiring and using cryptocurrencies. It\u2019s clear that mixed messages from India\u2019s government and central bank in recent years have created a swathe of uncertainty that can only be addressed by proper education about the sector.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">China\u2019s recent ban on cryptocurrency mining in different regions of the country also sees it feature in this disqualification category, as the move caused major disruptions in the mining ecosystem, forcing operators to close up shop and look for greener pastures abroad.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Chinese government also issued directives to local banks not to service businesses involved in the cryptocurrency industry, which is cause for greater concern. Cutting off integration with the traditional finance sector means that citizens in the country are robbed of the ability to access and use cryptocurrencies to their full potential.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><div  class=\"jeg_postblock_carousel jeg_postblock_carousel_3 jeg_postblock jeg_col_8 jnews_module__1_6168953e450db    \">\n                    <div class=\"jeg_carousel_post\" data-nav='' data-autoplay='true' data-delay='4500' data-items='3' data-margin='20'>\n                        <div class=\"jeg_post_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<article class=\"jeg_post format-standard\">\n                    \n                    <div class=\"jeg_thumb\">                        \n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/10\/07\/fungible-fan-tokens-forming-proxy-market-day-trade-sports-teams-at-high-valuations\" ><div class=\"thumbnail-container animate-lazy  size-1000 \"><img width=\"75\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/themes\/jnews\/assets\/img\/jeg-empty.png\" class=\"attachment-jnews-75x75 size-jnews-75x75 lazyload wp-post-image\" alt=\"Fan tokens\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 75px) 100vw, 75px\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/magazine-sports-fan-tokens-75x75.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/magazine-sports-fan-tokens-75x75.jpg 75w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/magazine-sports-fan-tokens-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/magazine-sports-fan-tokens-350x350.jpg 350w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-expand=\"700\" \/><\/div><\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"overlay_content\">\n                        <div class=\"jeg_postblock_content\">\n                            <h3 class=\"jeg_post_title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/10\/07\/fungible-fan-tokens-forming-proxy-market-day-trade-sports-teams-at-high-valuations\">Fan tokens: Day trading your favorite sports team<\/a><\/h3>\n                            <div class=\"jeg_post_meta\"><div class=\"jeg_meta_date\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/10\/07\/fungible-fan-tokens-forming-proxy-market-day-trade-sports-teams-at-high-valuations\" ><i class=\"fa fa-clock-o\"><\/i> October 7, 2021<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"jeg_post_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<article class=\"jeg_post format-standard\">\n                    \n                    <div class=\"jeg_thumb\">                        \n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/10\/05\/when-banks-collapse-iceland-2008-firsthand\" ><div class=\"thumbnail-container animate-lazy  size-1000 \"><img width=\"75\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/themes\/jnews\/assets\/img\/jeg-empty.png\" class=\"attachment-jnews-75x75 size-jnews-75x75 lazyload wp-post-image\" alt=\"Icelandic Bank Collapse\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 75px) 100vw, 75px\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/magazine-Iceland-firsthand-75x75.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/magazine-Iceland-firsthand-75x75.jpg 75w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/magazine-Iceland-firsthand-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/magazine-Iceland-firsthand-350x350.jpg 350w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-expand=\"700\" \/><\/div><\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"overlay_content\">\n                        <div class=\"jeg_postblock_content\">\n                            <h3 class=\"jeg_post_title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/10\/05\/when-banks-collapse-iceland-2008-firsthand\">What it\u2019s like when the banks collapse: Iceland 2008 firsthand<\/a><\/h3>\n                            <div class=\"jeg_post_meta\"><div class=\"jeg_meta_date\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/10\/05\/when-banks-collapse-iceland-2008-firsthand\" ><i class=\"fa fa-clock-o\"><\/i> October 5, 2021<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"jeg_post_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<article class=\"jeg_post format-standard\">\n                    \n                    <div class=\"jeg_thumb\">                        \n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/10\/01\/crypto-city-guide-to-tokyo\" ><div class=\"thumbnail-container animate-lazy  size-1000 \"><img width=\"75\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/themes\/jnews\/assets\/img\/jeg-empty.png\" class=\"attachment-jnews-75x75 size-jnews-75x75 lazyload wp-post-image\" alt=\"Crypto City: Guide to Tokyo\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 75px) 100vw, 75px\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/MAG-crypto-city-Tokyo-75x75.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/MAG-crypto-city-Tokyo-75x75.jpg 75w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/MAG-crypto-city-Tokyo-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/MAG-crypto-city-Tokyo-350x350.jpg 350w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-expand=\"700\" \/><\/div><\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"overlay_content\">\n                        <div class=\"jeg_postblock_content\">\n                            <h3 class=\"jeg_post_title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/10\/01\/crypto-city-guide-to-tokyo\">Crypto City: Guide to Tokyo<\/a><\/h3>\n                            <div class=\"jeg_post_meta\"><div class=\"jeg_meta_date\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/10\/01\/crypto-city-guide-to-tokyo\" ><i class=\"fa fa-clock-o\"><\/i> October 1, 2021<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"jeg_post_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<article class=\"jeg_post format-standard\">\n                    \n                    <div class=\"jeg_thumb\">                        \n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/09\/27\/before-nfts-surging-interest-pre-cryptopunk-collectibles\" ><div class=\"thumbnail-container animate-lazy  size-1000 \"><img width=\"75\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/themes\/jnews\/assets\/img\/jeg-empty.png\" class=\"attachment-jnews-75x75 size-jnews-75x75 lazyload wp-post-image\" alt=\"Before NFTs: Surging interest in pre-CryptoPunk collectibles\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 75px) 100vw, 75px\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/MAGAZINE-Before-NFTs-Surging-interest-in-pre-CryptoPunk-collectibles-75x75.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/MAGAZINE-Before-NFTs-Surging-interest-in-pre-CryptoPunk-collectibles-75x75.jpg 75w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/MAGAZINE-Before-NFTs-Surging-interest-in-pre-CryptoPunk-collectibles-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/MAGAZINE-Before-NFTs-Surging-interest-in-pre-CryptoPunk-collectibles-350x350.jpg 350w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-expand=\"700\" \/><\/div><\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"overlay_content\">\n                        <div class=\"jeg_postblock_content\">\n                            <h3 class=\"jeg_post_title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/09\/27\/before-nfts-surging-interest-pre-cryptopunk-collectibles\">Before NFTs: Surging interest in pre-CryptoPunk collectibles<\/a><\/h3>\n                            <div class=\"jeg_post_meta\"><div class=\"jeg_meta_date\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/09\/27\/before-nfts-surging-interest-pre-cryptopunk-collectibles\" ><i class=\"fa fa-clock-o\"><\/i> September 27, 2021<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"jeg_post_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<article class=\"jeg_post format-standard\">\n                    \n                    <div class=\"jeg_thumb\">                        \n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/09\/16\/bitcoin-ledger-as-a-secret-weapon-in-war-against-ransomware\" ><div class=\"thumbnail-container animate-lazy  size-1000 \"><img width=\"75\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/themes\/jnews\/assets\/img\/jeg-empty.png\" class=\"attachment-jnews-75x75 size-jnews-75x75 lazyload wp-post-image\" alt=\"Bitcoin ledger as a secret weapon in war against ransomware\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 75px) 100vw, 75px\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/magazine-Crypto-isnt-a-good-tool-for-ransomware-75x75.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/magazine-Crypto-isnt-a-good-tool-for-ransomware-75x75.jpg 75w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/magazine-Crypto-isnt-a-good-tool-for-ransomware-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/magazine-Crypto-isnt-a-good-tool-for-ransomware-350x350.jpg 350w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-expand=\"700\" \/><\/div><\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"overlay_content\">\n                        <div class=\"jeg_postblock_content\">\n                            <h3 class=\"jeg_post_title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/09\/16\/bitcoin-ledger-as-a-secret-weapon-in-war-against-ransomware\">Bitcoin ledger as a secret weapon in war against ransomware<\/a><\/h3>\n                            <div class=\"jeg_post_meta\"><div class=\"jeg_meta_date\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/2021\/09\/16\/bitcoin-ledger-as-a-secret-weapon-in-war-against-ransomware\" ><i class=\"fa fa-clock-o\"><\/i> September 16, 2021<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The crypto and blockchain Olympics are here \u2014 Cointelegraph hands out medals in its unique take on the global showpiece.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":66,"featured_media":8411,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"mc4wp_mailchimp_campaign":[],"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[157],"tags":[3031,2905,2903,2963,3033,3029,3037,3032,3028,3035,3036,3030,3034,2904],"yst_prominent_words":[225,1025,221,269],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8404"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/66"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8404"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8404\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8412,"href":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8404\/revisions\/8412"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8411"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8404"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8404"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8404"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cointelegraph.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=8404"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}