TO RUSSIA WITH LOVE: Binance plans to expand into Russia, CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao told CoinDesk in an interview in Moscow. “We are always looking for partners in any community, especially in Russia. Russia is our key market, one of the most active markets in the global blockchain space.” Recently, Binance announced it would begin accepting fiat deposits, starting with the Russian ruble. Full story
GROWING POLKADOT: Polychain Capital is partnering with the Web3 Foundation on a new fund to invest in projects building atop the Polkadot network. The creators of the fund wouldn’t specify how much was committed, but did characterize it as “in the millions” in an interview with CoinDesk. Expected to formally launch later this year, Polkadot is envisioned as an interoperable proof-of-stake blockchain network. Full story
BANK APPROVED: China’s central bank will certify 11 types of financial technology hardware and software that are widely used for digital payment and blockchain services under a new verification system called the Certification of Fintech Products. The People’s Bank released the first list of fintech products that could be used in both front-end and bank-end development for digital payment services in filings dated Oct. 26. Full story
DORSEY ENDORSED: Token offering platform CoinList has raised $10 million with help from Twitter and Square CEO Jack Dorsey. CoinList said Wednesday the round was led by Polychain Capital and joined by Dorsey and Collaborative Fund. The capital will go towards development of CoinList Trade, an exchange platform, along with a crypto wallet. Full story
PROPERTY TOKENS: Overstock’s security token platform tZERO and the Tezos Foundation have partnered on a project that will tokenize £500 million ($643 million) in real estate development. The startups will tokenize portions of properties financed by U.K.-based Alliance Investments. The first offering is due in Q1 2020, when tZERO will issue security tokens that represent £20 million ($26 million) in equity of a water-front development under construction in Manchester. Full story
FIRST THE BAD NEWS: Bitcoin's low-volume consolidation as seen in the last 48 hours looks set to end with a drop toward key support at $8,800. A deeper slide, however, appears unlikely and the cryptocurrency appears on track to end October on a positive note. That would be the first monthly gain since June, if confirmed. Full story
CRYPTO DAWN: Amid the decaying factories and cities of the old Soviet Union a crypto boom is under way , reports Wired. “Tinkering with cryptocurrencies is not just about technology or money... it is about creating a whole new decentralized system, where everyone and no one has the power… it is about democracy taken to the extreme,” said reporter Hannah Lucinda Smith. Blockchain technology helps dictators and oligarchs evade sanctions but it's an open question whether the region's autocratic rulers and state-backed monopolies will help or hinder a burgeoning industry.
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