Category: News

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Meta sells Diem assets to Silvergate in $200 Million | What happens now?

Diem written with a out sign on Meta with a the Facebook logo in background

Diem, which caught all the eyes of the people since it came out as Libra in 2019 and Mark Zuckerberg defending it in front of the chamber of commerce for a long time, has taken a serious turn, Meta sells Diem.

According to The Wall Street Journal’s report on Tuesday, it is said that Meta(formerly Facebook) is selling its technology assets to the Silvergate capital bank for about $200 million ($180 million). Meta is one of the founding companies of Diem Association (formerly Libra Association) along with 25 other investors.

Later on, Bloomberg also reported that Meta Inc. was considering selling Diem assets to return the capital to their investors, who were backing them through the whole project.

Meta logo in Blue color, founder of Diem Project
Meta sells Diem to Silvergate Capital

Why did Meta step back?

There is still not a proper answer to the question. However, yes, it seems irrational to first step into digital payments while defending it for the longest of two years and then suddenly dropping the pin by accepting defeat in the cryptocurrency world.

But we might get an answer to this question of Meta stepping back if we look at all the previous incidents. Spoiler! Yes, things have been absurd.

First, Meta (at that time Facebook) comes up with this stablecoin known as Libra. Initially, Libra was supposed to be a new coin backed by a bucket of several cryptocurrencies.

Soon after Libra came into the limelight, it got into some serious laws scrutinies. And in the first year, some big investors, such as PayPal, Mastercard, and Vodafone, left the project. 

This was one of the many reasons Libra Association switched to Diem to get a fresh start. However, just name wasn’t the only change that made up to the project.

Diem also switched their backing up reserves idea. Instead of a bucket of cryptocurrency Diem — the stablecoin was only backed up with USD with the association of Diem blockchain. And Meta gave the big news of Pilot Version of Novi Launch in the US and Guatemala with USDP by Paxos, as cryptocurrency and under the crypto custody of Coinbase.

Probably Meta, the Silicon Valley group, sells Diem to save their $85 billion per year advertising business model and digital social media channels that include Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, which have been getting under the shadow of law scrutiny.

What is the Future of Diem?

This big step narrows down to one big question that keeps striking the chord in heads. What would be the future of Diem now? 

It is too soon to claim anything yet, but Silvergate Capital and Diem Association have repeatedly refused to comment on this mutual deal between both parties if we look at the insights. 

This puts the whole Diem project on the radar. However, Silvergate bank has been dealing with major cryptocurrencies in the past, and there are good chances that they will carry on with this Diem project.

Until the next news, we have our fingers crossed to hear more about this project, but one thing is quite certain when Meta sells Diem. As Meta and the whole Diem project have shifted their decisions in the past, investors and users are losing their interest in Diem.

In the comment section, let us know what you think would happen to Diem now or if it was a good step by Meta?

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Novi Launch in the US and Guatemala | Amazing things are getting real

Novi written with white alphabets on a purple shade

After two years of rumors and breathtaking news, Meta has finally announced the launch of Novi in the US and Guatemala. Yes, a digital wallet.

It has been exactly two years to the announcement that it will be available. Finally, the wait is over; now that Novi is available in US and Guatemala. However, it is launched on a small scale on a trial basis. It will be made available on a larger scale once its trial period reaches success.

Novi written in white letters on purple background.
Novi is now Available in US and Guatemala on Trial basis.

Important to know:

Although the Novi Wallet is now officially there, this does not mean that the Diem Currency is here! If someone is offering to buy Diem at this point (Nov 2021) it’s a scam.

The only currency you can trade is the Stablecoin USDP (formerly known as Paxos).

Here are Some Key Factors from the Novi launch in the US and Guatemala.

  • Novi is backed up by consumer protection and essential regulatory control to avoid fraud and other potential pitfalls. Novi makes sure of the security of its users. Each customer at Novi gets verified with a government ID before signing up.
  • Novi is available in US and Guatemala for the test launch only. The primary function of the test is to observe the functionality of Novi and if any improvement should be made that can provide ease to users.
  • Facebook financial head David Marcus has said that for the test lunch, users are allowed to receive and send money through USDP stablecoin, which is operated by Paxos. Novi users can deposit dollars, convert them to USDP, and withdraw the cash in their local currency.
  • For its test launch, Novi will be using a formerly established currency that is Pax Dollar, which is supported by Paxos. Paxos is a financial service-providing company that is New York-based. It is used for protection purposes and to build the trust of their customers by protecting their funds.
  • Although the announcement did not give any hint of when the Diem (formerly Libra) will be live again. It is a formerly introduced currency by Facebook. Diem faced major criticism after its launch and, until now, is facing regulatory approval.
  • Now that Novi is available in the US and Guatemala, the users of both states can enjoy a free transfer from person to person and profit from commercial relationships.
  • For the ease of users, the digital wallet will be made available as a mobile app on both Google Play and Apple’s App Store. However, there are a few exceptions. For now, the mobile app of Novi is not available for the residents of some countries that include; US Virginia Island, Nevada, New York, and Alaska.

Final Words

Previously Novi Wallet partnered with Coinbase, which also gave us some important insights from who Novi would work, don’t forget to read that.

I hope this helps to start your journey with the Novi. If you want to keep updated with Diem, make sure to subscribe to the monthly newsletter.

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Novi Wallet Partners with Coinbase: is it a Big Step?

Cellphone with Novi Stablecoin Wallet on Coinbase Account

Gosh! When will we get our hands on Diem? Surely, it has been a while, but finally, we get to hear something from the Diem Association, Novi wallet from Facebook has partnered with Coinbase, a US exchange, to provide the custody services for Novi wallet.

However, that’s not the only major point given out by the media. I’ll tell you all the following and necessary points that you must know from this small hunch of news.

Novi Wallet logo written on a phone with Facebook logo behind the Novi wallet.

Key Points to Takeaway

Here are some of the significant elements of the Novi Wallet October update.

  • The pilot program for Novi wallet has gone live in the US and Guatemala. You are free to download and use it from Google play store and Apple AppStore if you are in one of the regions.
  • However, there is no major news on the Diem yet.
  • Pilot program users can start trading the Paxos Dollar (USDP) via their Novi accounts.
  • All the Paxos Dollar (USDP) will be held in Coinbase custody. If you are a user, you can transfer the USDP instantly, securely, and free of cost.
https://twitter.com/novi/status/1450447507385950220?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1450447507385950220%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.coindesk.com%2Fbusiness%2F2021%2F10%2F19%2Ffacebooks-novi-taps-paxos-coinbase-ahead-of-diem-rollout%2F

What’s Happening on the Diem Part?

It was 2019 when Facebook shocked us with the news of digital wallet and stablecoin, their next big project in the crypto world. Initially, the stablecoin was called “Libra.”

At present, they have given out the digital wallet, but what about the Stablecoin?

About two years back, Libra Association pointed out that they are going after “The Libra Reserve,” a collection of low-volatile assets from reputable banks.

And VOILA! Soon after this news, we came to know that Libra Association had lost 8 founding members, including PayPal, eBay, and MasterCard. It was the right time when they chose to go with a different name, “Diem.”

As the Diem came on the radar, Facebook’s strategies also shifted and decided to peg the Diem with the US Dollar, similar to USD Coin or Tether — 2 years passed further, and still, we are not near the launch.

Although in the recent launch of the Pilot program, Diem got away with the attention of Novi wallet, but a press release from Facebook pointed out they are not abandoning the “Diem.“

Instead, they intend to shift Novi to the Diem payment network once it receives regulatory approval.

However, the big question that leaves us nowhere is either anyone interested in Diem anymore? Let us know what do you think in the comment section below.

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When does Diem launch?

Diem Launch

When does Diem come out?

Since Facebook announced it’s own cryptocurrency back in 2019 – at that time it was called “Libra” and the Novi Wallet “Calibra” – people are waiting eagerly for the release date of Diem.

Facebook Diem Release Date


So Facebook Diem is coming out worldwide at: 1. December 2023 !!!

No, sorry – just kidding! If only we knew when Diem Crypto is being released. Actually, nobody really knows – it was set in 2019 and postponed ever since.

The Novi Wallet is in its test run, info here.

But if you want to be informed when Diem is being released, you can sign up here, and we’ll email you as soon as it’s there:

Inform me when I can buy Diem!

We’re sorry we can’t give you better information at this time, but we’ll inform you right away!

For the time in between, why don’t you find out how you can use Diem here:

Diem Articles
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Is Bitcoin bad for the environment? Some shocking facts!

Several mining rigs are st up to mint fresh Bitcoins.

Bitcoin is one of the most anticipating topics over the internet nowadays. Its price kept rising day by day, and suddenly the Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, tweets that they aren’t going to proceed with the transactions via Bitcoin anymore because it is unsafe for the environment. And the market drops down by 17% afterward. Leaving all the crypto-enthusiasts with a question that is Bitcoin bad for the environment? Stay with us, and we are going to narrow it down for you.

Well, the answer to this question is Yes and No at the same time. If we are concerned with Bitcoin in general, its transactions, and trading aspects, it might not be that bad for the environment. But when we look after the mining setups, that is a straight yes.

Environmentalists have been saying out loud for a while now that carbon emissions from bitcoin mining can be hazardous. It doesn’t only use a lot of electricity, but also it can jeopardize the climate in which we are living.

What is bitcoin mining, and how does it work?

Bitcoin mining is a process for minting new bitcoins, which involves using computers to solve complex mathematical algorithms or problems. The decentralized cryptocurrencies require this software to mine coins. If you want to learn more about centralization vs decentralization, click here. The software that bitcoin miners use takes an average of 10 minutes to solve these complex problems and process with a block.

However, you might be wondering how the environment is unsafe with this process. Well, in the world of limited resources and alarming climatic conditions, a huge chunk of electricity is used by miners to mine these blocks and verify transactions. If we look after the energy-consuming ratios of Bitcoin, the major proportion goes to the mining process. As a reward, the minors receive 6.25 bitcoins per block, which are worth more than three hundred thousand dollars currently.

Graphic cards aligned in a mining rig to mint fresh bitcoin.

But this doesn’t end here; there is a dark side to the story, as the electricity that is being used by the miners is created with fossil fuels. If the bitcoin prices are increased more, more incentives are given to the miners in terms of fresh coins. Hence, more coins would be minted, resulting in large amounts of electricity consumption.

China has the largest bitcoin mining facilities till today, and unfortunately, the country depends on coal-based power. According to studies in April 2020, China has more than 75% of Bitcoin blockchain operations around the world. Therefore, some rural areas in China have been considered as the ideal destination for Bitcoin mining, mainly because of the cheaper electricity and a significant area for bitcoin pool construction (joint setup for more than one bitcoin miner combining their resources over a network).

How much energy does bitcoin mining consume?

Now that you know what’s Bitcoin mining is, you might be wondering how much energy Bitcoin mining consumes and how it is bad for the environment, right? According to an estimate by the University of Cambridge, bitcoin mining consumes more than 120 Terawatt Hours (Twh) annually.

graph of bitcoin consuming elecrticity in an year.

Such value is even more than the countries like Malaysia, Argentina, or Sweden. The report also stated that if a bitcoin was a country, it would be ranked among the top 30 energy consumers in the world. Isn’t that shocking?

Furthermore, another website, Digiconomist, estimated that a single bitcoin transaction uses a similar amount of electricity that the average American household consumes in a month. Also, it is responsible for a million times more carbon emissions than the single Visa transaction. In a time when the planet needs to cut off its carbon emissions, does it make sense to increase them? The answer would be a straight no. but still, we are here in promoting cryptocurrency.

What does Elon Musk say about cryptocurrency?

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, one of the richest men alive, and a famous environmentalist who is known for his iconic projects to save the environment. Has repeatedly appreciated the cryptocurrency. On March 24, he tweeted that you can buy a Tesla with the Bitcoin, which strikes a chord for all the crypto-enthusiasts that he is supporting Bitcoin.

But soon after, on May 13, he quotes that Tesla is not going to accept payments via Bitcoin because it is bad for the environment. Since then, the prices for not only Bitcoin but also Ethereum have been majorly affected. 

However, Elon Musk keeps on encouraging Dogecoin in his tweets. The coin, which was created as a spoof, has now increased in value by eight thousand percent. The credit goes to the memes for this coin, and also to Elon Musk for boosterish tweets.

Final Remarks

Glad to see you down here. Now that you know, Bitcoin has some benefits, but it can be hazardous to the environment you’re living in. Now it’s up to you, either you want to support bitcoin mining, or you want to live in a better environment.

However, it doesn’t mean cryptocurrency should be discontinued. Instead, some energy resources should be used in a controlled manner that is renewable and cost-effective to improve the environment.

We hope this post has answered the question that is bitcoin bad for the environment or not. If you didn’t get what you were looking for, you are welcome to reach out in the comment section below. Our expert team would love to help you out with everything possible.