ChainCatcher news, according to Jinshi reports, a strategist at TD Securities stated in a report that the British pound will face pressure as the Bank of England's rate cut may exceed market expectations.After a recent series of better-than-expected UK economic data releases, strategists now expect the Bank of England to cut rates in May instead of March. However, they still anticipate a total rate cut of 125 basis points this year (including 25 basis points this month). The market expects an additional 50 basis points cut later this year.Strategists noted that investors remain optimistic about the pound, which makes it susceptible to further downward corrections. Additionally, the increasing uncertainty surrounding President Trump's tariff plans may put pressure on the risk-sensitive pound against the dollar.

ChainCatcher news, according to CoinDesk, Memeland CEO Chen Zhancheng stated, "Bitcoin is the largest meme coin on Earth."

ChainCatcher news, according to SoSovalue statistics, as of now, twenty state-level administrative regions in the United States are initiating relevant legislative procedures. Among them, fifteen states have had their bills formally received by the House and have entered the committee review stage, forming operational legal drafts. The Bitcoin Strategic Reserve Bill is creating a regional legislative wave in the U.S.Taking Utah as an example, Bill HB0230 will allow the state's four public funds (namely, the State Disaster Recovery Restricted Account, the General Fund Budget Reserve Account, the Income Tax Fund Budget Reserve Account, and the Medicaid Growth Reduction and Budget Stabilization Account) to invest up to 5% of their total assets in Bitcoin. According to the 2024 Utah financial report data, this means a potential purchasing power of over $70 million.SoSovalue analysts state that the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Bill is not only a new breakthrough for Bitcoin in the traditional financial system but also a historic advancement. As more state governments explore similar strategies, the trend of public funds holding Bitcoin may reshape the global market's definition of Bitcoin as an asset, defining Bitcoin not just as digital gold, but as part of national and institutional asset allocation, further solidifying its position in the global financial system.

ChainCatcher news, according to ledgerinsights, Thailand's Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira stated that the government plans to directly issue 5 billion baht (148 million USD) in government bonds to the public before the end of the fiscal year (September 30). The initial issuance will be regarded as a sandbox project and can be traded on a digital bond platform.The minister said, "We will allow retail investors to participate, regardless of their financial situation. They can invest any amount and trade directly on the platform, bypassing traditional bank counters. There are currently many platforms available, and with private sector participation, we expect management costs to decrease, with a minimum investment amount of 1,000 baht."In addition, the minister mentioned that the government is considering merging the Securities Act with the Digital Assets Act.

ChainCatcher news, Raymond James investment services strategist Bartston-Karl stated that although the Bank of England may wish to view the rise in inflation as a temporary phenomenon, the data from January shows that the inflation rate has risen to 3.0%, indicating that a further reduction in the benchmark interest rate may take some time.The key question facing the central bank's monetary policy committee is how long these price pressures will last. The Bank of England voted unanimously to cut interest rates two weeks ago, but since then its chief economist Pill has been warning against rushing into rate cuts despite weak economic activity. "Today's data proves that the Bank of England's firm commitment to gradually easing policy is the right approach."

ChainCatcher news, ANZ Bank stated that it expects the Reserve Bank of New Zealand to be more cautious after the rate cut on Wednesday. Chief Economist Sharon Zollner said, "This may be the last time we cut by 50 basis points."However, considering that the Reserve Bank of New Zealand's central estimate for the neutral interest rate is 3%, the risk of the policy rate bottoming out tends to be below our forecast of 3.5%. "The tone of the policy statement is expected to reflect a moderate confidence in inflation while acknowledging the upside risks to overall inflation." Due to unexpected GDP, the interest rate trajectory may decline, but considering the mixed signals from capacity indicators, along with the offsetting effects of the New Zealand dollar depreciation and rising export prices, we expect the overall trajectory will not change significantly.

ChainCatcher news, senior economist Luke Bartholomew from investment company Abrdn stated in a report that the impact of the upcoming increases in UK employers' National Insurance contributions and the national minimum wage may prompt the Bank of England to accelerate its rate cuts in the second half of this year.Data released on Tuesday showed that the average wage growth rate is expected to rebound to 5.9% by the end of 2024, and for now, rate cuts are still expected to be gradual. However, the biggest test will be how the labor market responds to the changes announced in the government's autumn budget. There are clear signs that recruitment intentions are expected to cool. If economic growth remains very slow, then it is quite likely that the Bank of England will cut rates more quickly in the second half of this year.

ChainCatcher news, according to Jinshi reports, Standard Chartered Bank analysis indicates that the Reserve Bank of New Zealand may cut interest rates by 50 basis points at the meeting on February 19, and an unexpected outcome is unlikely.The central bank has communicated well regarding this move, and we believe the likelihood of any surprises in either direction is very low. On the risk side, we think that if economic data remains sluggish, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand may adopt a more aggressive approach to easing monetary policy in the second quarter (compared to a single rate cut of 25 basis points) in order to restore interest rates to neutral (2.5-3.5%) more quickly.

ChainCatcher news, according to Jinshi reports, Bank of England Governor Bailey stated that the fourth quarter GDP data did not change the overall situation of the UK economy.

ChainCatcher news, CeDeFi infrastructure BounceBit tweeted that it has obtained a license from the Approved Manager (AIM) in the British Virgin Islands. BounceBit will be able to manage investment funds and provide professional investment services under the 2012 Securities and Investment Business (Approved Managers) Regulations.

ChainCatcher news, according to The Block, Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey pointed out that Bitcoin and stablecoins require different regulatory measures, with higher regulatory thresholds for stablecoins. He also confirmed that central bank digital currency is still under research. On Tuesday, Bailey delivered a speech at the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago in London, discussing changes in financial markets and their impact on stability, while reflecting on potential changes in the global cryptocurrency regulatory environment, especially after Trump's election.Bailey stated that the cryptocurrency regulatory reform plan of the Trump administration is still unclear, while the Biden administration, particularly the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), faces challenges in establishing a regulatory framework, opting instead to take action through the courts, which has created inconsistencies in the regulatory framework. In the UK, Bailey divides the cryptocurrency industry into two parts: cryptocurrencies not included in the banking system and stablecoins.He referred to the former as "pure investment risk" due to its high volatility, non-traditional currency status, and skepticism about its potential to become a currency. However, Bailey also mentioned that he understands people invest in cryptocurrencies in a portfolio manner after acknowledging the risks. Regarding stablecoins, Bailey believes they fulfill some functions of money, especially in payments, and have support, but stablecoins also exhibit characteristics of mutual funds, with insufficient transparency. Therefore, Bailey emphasized the need to establish reasonable regulatory standards, particularly in the payments sector, where stablecoins should be appropriately regulated like money.As for the potential central bank digital currency or "digital pound," Bailey stated that there are significant differences from stablecoins, and the Bank of England is collaborating with the UK government on research.

ChainCatcher news, according to Jinshi reports, Bank of England Governor Bailey stated: "We do need to establish regulatory standards for stablecoins, and we need to set high standards."

ChainCatcher news, according to Straitstimes, British man James Howells is considering buying the landfill where he lost his Bitcoin hard drive to continue searching for the lost $1 billion in Bitcoin.James Howells' former partner mistakenly disposed of the hard drive containing 8,000 Bitcoins as garbage in 2013. He has attempted to sue the city council for access to the landfill or to obtain £495 million in compensation, but the city council recently announced the closure of the landfill and plans to convert part of the land into a solar power plant.

ChainCatcher news, according to Thai media Khaosod English, Thai investigators stated that Thai and Chinese police collaborated to arrest two fraudsters and seized USDT worth 2.5 million dollars.The arrest operation took place on February 5, when the two suspects resisted arrest and attempted to delete data from their phones. The suspects, 29-year-old Ye Wanyou and 30-year-old Li Weijie, were apprehended in a mansion. Investigators also seized assets worth 44,550 dollars at the location.

ChainCatcher news, according to Jin Shi reports, Bank of England monetary policy committee member Mann stated that she supported a significant interest rate cut of 50 basis points last week because she believes that as consumers reduce spending, businesses find it difficult to raise prices.Mann indicated that the demand situation is much weaker than before, which suggests that further easing of policy may be needed, as weak pricing power will seep into lower inflation. Mann was originally one of the most "hawkish" members, having opposed rate cuts last year due to ongoing inflation risks. But now she says the situation looks different. "To some extent, we can convey what we think is the appropriate financial condition for the UK economy; in my view, a larger (rate cut) move is a better means of communication," Mann stated.

ChainCatcher message, Liberland tweeted, "LLD supports Liberland's blockchain and economy, including companies, stock markets, and fully adopted smart contract judicial institutions. In addition, LLD has achieved cross-chain with ETH and SOL and is about to launch TRON cross-chain."

ChainCatcher news, according to Bitcoin.com, an IT engineer named James Howells accidentally discarded a hard drive containing 7,500 bitcoins (currently worth about $750 million or £620 million) at a landfill site in Newport, Wales, which is scheduled to close in 2025-26. Howells' attempts to sue the city council for permission to access the site or for compensation have all failed.The city council plans to close the landfill that has been in use since the early 2000s, with part of the land to be used for the construction of a solar power plant to supply electricity for the city's increasingly large fleet of electric garbage trucks, gradually phasing out diesel vehicles.