The metaverse and digital reality experiences are barreling toward consumers, whether they are ready or not. However, there are certain places in the world that are more ready to embrace a digital future from a technological standpoint. A new study by Uswitch, an internet and telephone service researcher, looked at a combination of fixed broadband speeds, broadband package prices, the number of blockchain financial start-ups and the price of high technology exports to determine which countries have the capacity to embrace the metaverse. At the top of the list is the Netherlands, with the most hospitable conditions to cater to …

Despite the turbulence that broke out in the crypto market this summer, there is an important long-term marker that should be considered in any complex assessment — the combination of adoption and regulation. The latest report by EUBlockchain Observatory, named “EU Blockchain Ecosystem Developments,” tries to measure this combination within the European Union, combining the data on each and every member country from Portugal to Slovakia. As the original report counts more than 200 pages, Cointelegraph prepared a summary with the intent to capture the most vital information about the state of crypto and blockchain in Europe. Cointelegraph started from …

In its efforts to fight money laundering risks and the possible schemes of Russian elites circumventing financial sanctions, the 2.8-million nation of Lithuania is planning to tighten its scrutiny over crypto. As the local Ministry of Finance announced on Wednesday, various ministries of the Lithuanian government approved legal amendments to Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and countering the financing of terrorism in the crypto sector. The amendments to the current law — should they later be approved by the Seimas, Lithuania’s legislature — would stiffen the guidelines for user identification and prohibit anonymous accounts. The new regulations would also tighten up demands …

Earlier this week, Lithuania's tax service, the Lithuanian State Tax Inspectorate, added $7.6 million dollars to the state budget through the sale of cryptocurrencies seized in criminal investigations. The occasion marked the first time that the Lithuanian government liquidated confiscated cryptocurrencies. In doing so, the country joined the growing number of jurisdictions worldwide that have auctioned off or sold cryptos obtained by the long arm of the law. However, unlike the United States Federal Marshals, which netted $37 million at auction from confiscated crypto last February, the STI opted to sell the crypto through an exchange. According to Linas Rajackas, …

The Lithuanian government has reportedly sold a batch of cryptocurrency seized by local enforcement agencies. The State Tax Inspectorate, or STI, the country’s tax authority, sold confiscated crypto assets worth 6.4 million euro ($7.6 million) and subsequently added the funds to the state budget. According to an official announcement on Nov. 24, the seized crypto assets included major cryptocurrencies Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) as well as privacy-focused altcoin Monero (XMR). The STI said this is the first time that the agency has sold seized crypto for fiat. “The conversion of cryptocurrencies into euros took almost a day,” the authority …

Amid the ongoing political unrest in Belarus, some local cryptocurrency-related companies are reportedly setting up backup offices in neighboring countries. Currency.com, a Minsk-headquartered crypto trading company, is reportedly planning to open an office in Lithuania to provide a safe place for its employees. According to a Sept. 8 report by local news agency TUT.BY, Currency.com is offering its Belarus-based employees to “take a sabbatical” in Vilnius amid the current election-fueled unrest. Currency.com CEO Jonathan Squires reportedly said that the company will maintain its offices in Minsk, while relocation is voluntary. “We expect that most employees who wish to relocate will …

The Bank of Lithuania has released a digital, blockchain-based collector coin dedicated to the country’s Act of Independence of 1918 and its 20 signatories. Claiming a world first, the central bank says the digital coin represents “a bridge that brings together classical numismatics and rapidly evolving financial technologies.” Issued on July 23, the new LBCOIN is intended both as a national symbol and as a signal of the bank’s strategic choice to drive innovation in the field of finance and payments. “Digital money is inevitable” Marius Jurgilas, a member of the board of the Bank of Lithuania, gave a comprehensive …

The Bank of Lithuania, or BoL, will launch a pre-sale of its CBDC, dubbed LBCOIN, on July 9, a representative for the central bank told Cointelegraph. The coin itself will be issued and sold on July 23. While LBCOIN is technically a CBDC based on the NEM blockchain and issued by the central bank of Lithuania, the financial institution prefers to call it “the world’s first blockchain-based digital collector coin”. Indeed, LBCOINs will be issued for collectible purposes. This is happening as part of the country’s larger research on blockchain and its capabilities, Pavel Lipnevič, LBCOIN project manager, told Cointelegraph. …

As of May 27, the Bank of Lithuania, or BoL, has finished the research phase of its blockchain-related project, LBChain. In the next phase, the institution will create a sandbox that mixes technological and regulatory infrastructure for the technology. The platforms used for the research phase include Hyperledger Fabric and Corda, which were developed by IBM Polska SP. Z.o.o and TietoEVRY. Adapting blockchain technology into different business sectors LBChain allowed market participants to test their business solutions in a controlled environment by assessing the critical needs of fintech and startups. They then provided them with the ability to carry out …

The Bank of Lithuania (BoL) has revealed ambitious long-term plans to develop its blockchain platform for use beyond the financial services sector. On May 26, the central bank’s blockchain-based sandbox, LBChain project, completed its third and final stage. In a wrap-up meeting this morning, BoL’s blockchain project manager Andrius Adamonis said that the bank ultimately envisions moving beyond LBChain to develop a future “LTChain” — short for Lithuania Chain — that would have non-financial applications. This future LTChain would see the bank cooperating with other public institutions and seeking to attract start-ups from non-financial sectors, including energy, healthcare and transportation. …

The Bank of Lithuania said that central banks’ “parental controls” are obsolete when it comes to crypto assets, but that should not prevent them from entering the space in order to understand it. In an analysis dedicated to central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) released on Dec. 10, the Bank of Lithuania argued that banks should participate in the digital asset space in order to gain experience with the rapidly developing asset class. Bank board member Marius Jurgilas said in an accompanying statement: “It is fascinating to follow how fast the area of digital assets and currencies is evolving. It is …

The Bank of Lithuania announced that it will release a digital, blockchain-based collector coin in the spring of 2020, according to a press release on Dec. 9. The coin is dedicated to the Act of Independence of Lithuania on Feb. 16, 1918, and its 20 signatories. In homage to the year of the act, the coin will bear a denomination of 19.18 euros, while its size and form will resemble a credit card. Bank of Lithuania board member Marius Jurgilas said they chose the theme because of the significant role the Act played in Lithuania’s history. Blockchain technology will be …