Weekly Blockchain News, January 3, 2022

Welcome back in the weekly summary of leading developments in the crypto/blockchain space, presented from Billon's point of view. Check what happened in the last days when it comes to CBDC and other enterprise uses of blockchain. Enjoy the read!

Iran banning crypto mining until March 6 to save power and avoid blackouts this winter. The move will free up 209 megawatts of power for use by the country’s households but may crimp Iran’s finances, because the country has been using locally mined cryptocurrency to bolster its revenue amid tough international sanctions.

30 accelerated start-ups and over 10 implementations with corporate partners. MIT Enterprise Forum CEE sums up 2021. MIT Enterprise Forum CEE is a global innovation platform, where the world’s leading corporations meet up with innovative startups to develop new business models, drive breakthrough projects, and hack innovative ideas together with startups. Billon is one of few companies that took advantage this year from the acceleration program - read more details here.

Mexico announces it will issue own digital coin by 2024.  The Mexican governmen announced that by 2024 it willhave its own digital currency in circulation, "consideringthese new technologies are extremely important toadvance financial inclusion in the country".

Square Enix promises ‘decentralized games’ in 2022.  What would a Final Fantasy, Tomb Raider, or Deus Ex look like if it were partly powered by the blockchain, so gamers could make money from their contributions? You may get to find out: Square Enix president Yosuke Matsuda has revealed that the company’s New Year’s resolution is to release “decentralized games” starting in 2022.

In El Salvador, bitcoin's libertarian streak meets an autocratic regime. The cryptocurrency has come to symbolize financial freedom from governments. Many Salvadorans are unhappy about the way it was made an official currency. Many beliebe that bitcoin, which should be a symbol of anarchy and independence from the state, was turned by the autocratic president Bukele into a symbol of oppression.

Eminem just bought a Bored Ape NFT for a half million dollars. The real Slim Shady, aka legendary rapper Eminem, purchased a not-so-real Bored Ape NFT for nearly half a million dollars toward the end of December. The rapper, whose legal name is Marshall Mathers, hasn’t released a statement about the purchase yet, but did make the uncanny look-alike his profile pic on Twitter. Blockchain publication Decrypt reported that Eminem paid for one of the Ethereum-based Apes for 123.45 ETH, or an eye-watering $452,000.

And that's it for now. See you next week!