Increasingly, bitcoin is being accepted by college campuses in bookstores and to pay fees. And many colleges are offering cryptocurrency classes. For example, UNIC, the largest independent university in Cyprus, offers a free online course called "Introduction to Digital Currencies." The University of Cumbria introduced an online Masters-level course that looks at the future of money and MIT is launching a bitcoin course to "inspire the 'next generation of bitcoin CEOs.'" (CoinDesk)
Russia’s payments system company Qiwi plans to start issuing “bitrubles” in 2016. Bitrubles would be the first national cryptocurrency that is strictly regulated by the country's central bank. And in the US, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) decreed Bitcoin to be a commodity. This means regulators can bring charges against people who violate rules for commodities trading while trading cryptocurrency futures and options.
Crypto Corner News
The global universities embracing cryptocurrency (CoinDesk)
Mexico's Universidad de las Américas Puebla (UDLAP) reportedly became the first institution in Latin America to welcome bitcoin on campus last month, after a coffee shop began accepting payments in the cryptocurrency.
In so doing, the university joined a growing list of global higher education institutions which have also embraced the digital currency.
Here's a run-down of some of the most crypto-friendly universities from across the globe…
Watch Out Bitcoin — Qiwi Eyes New Cryptocurrency (Pymnts)
Bitcoin might soon face competition from a new emerging cryptocurrency, which is stirring up the Russian government into adopting new laws.
A first of its kind, originating from Russia, cryptocurrency bitruble is being developed by Russian payments system company Qiwi, which reportedly claims to have the most number of payments terminals around the world, according to Russian daily Kommersant.
While Qiwi CEO Sergei Solonin is working on raising money and building up technology, which is expected to launch in 2016, the local authorities are scrambling to get a grip over the situation.
Russia’s Bitruble to be World’s First State-Controlled Cryptocurrency (Sputnik News)
Russia is the first country in the world to introduce a national cryptocurrency which would be strictly regulated by the national central bank, the Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported.
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According to the newspaper, Russia’s "unusual initiative" would result in the creation of a formidable rival to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
Bitruble will be very similar to Bitcoin, but unlike any other cryptocurrency, it will be regulated by the Russian Central Bank. The bank will strictly control the emission and circulation of Bitruble to prevent it from being used for illegal transactions.
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The Bitcoin Community Disagrees on What Happens Next (Bloomberg)
What is Bitcoin? Is it property, something to be owned? Is it a currency, something to be spent? Or is it a commodity, defined by Webster’s Dictionary as “any useful thing,” and/or “anything bought and sold; any article of commerce.”
The U.S. Internal Revenue Service thinks bitcoin is property; a federal judge thinks it's a currency; now the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has decreed it a commodity. That means the regulator can now bring charges against any wrongdoers trading cryptocurrency futures and options.
Bitcoin Operator Coinflip Settles with the Feds (Crypto Coins News)
With the new ruling that virtual currencies are to be recognized as commodities that are under the rules and regulations of existing laws, the U.S. derivatives regulators brought their first case against a Bitcoin trading platform, Reuters reports.
The Federal agency said that a settlement had been reached with San Francisco-based trading platform Coinflip and its CEO Francisco Riordan.
The charges were originally brought forward against the company and its CEO for conducting activity related to commodity options transactions without complying with CFTC regulations and the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA).
