paraguay

According to CriptoNoticias, the National Anti-Drug Secretariat of Paraguay (Senad) held a seminar titled "Dismantling Criminal and Terrorist Financial Networks" at the Sheraton Hotel in Asunción in collaboration with the American Bar Association's Rule of Law Initiative and the Higher Institute of the Prosecutor's Office. The aim was to enhance the technical capabilities of law enforcement personnel in identifying and combating criminal organizations that use Bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptocurrencies for money concealment.The seminar focused on analyzing the trend of transnational criminal networks in the tri-border area moving towards digitalization and involved the "Trapiche Operation" case related to financing networks associated with Hezbollah. General Mirko Sokol, the Commander of the Bolivian Police, revealed at the meeting that after the arrest of Uruguayan drug lord Sebastián Marset, no large amounts of cash were found at his residence, and related transactions were primarily conducted through cryptocurrencies.The Paraguayan Tax Authority (DNIT) issued Resolution No. 47/26 on March 11, requiring cryptocurrency trading platforms to report detailed information on each transaction, including wallet addresses, the networks used, and transaction hash values.

According to CriptoNoticias, the Paraguayan National Tax Authority has issued Resolution No. 47/26, strengthening tax regulation on Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies.The new regulations require platforms and administrators to report detailed information on each user transaction, including wallet addresses, the network used, and transaction hashes, among other sensitive data. The regulatory scope covers donations, inheritances, and NFTs exceeding $5,000 annually. This measure aims to incorporate digital assets into the national tax system while adhering to the anti-money laundering recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force.

The Paraguayan National Electricity Company ANDE has signed a memorandum of understanding with the cryptocurrency infrastructure company Morphware to launch the country's first government-led Bitcoin mining pilot project using Bitcoin mining machines seized by law enforcement.The first phase will deploy approximately 1,500 confiscated mining machines and utilize local surplus hydroelectric resources for compliant mining. According to the arrangement, ANDE is responsible for the ownership and regulation of the mining site, while Morphware provides technical and operational support. For the mined Bitcoin, the government is discussing selling it for public expenditure or using financial instruments to hedge risks and hold part of the assets.

On December 4, the Paraguayan Chamber of Deputies passed two resolutions requiring government departments to submit official information on domestic cryptocurrency mining activities to enhance regulation and transparency.The Ministry of Industry and Commerce is required to clarify the current number of individuals and businesses registered and authorized to engage in virtual asset mining and provide relevant information. The National Electricity Administration is also required to disclose the number of electricity connections specifically approved for cryptocurrency mining, as well as information on responsible parties and installation locations. Both agencies must respond within 15 days.

According to CriptoNoticias, the Paraguayan Chamber of Deputies approved two resolutions on December 4, requesting information on cryptocurrency mining activities. The resolutions were proposed by Deputy María Constancia Benítez and aim to strengthen control, transparency, and regulation over the rapidly expanding mining industry.According to the resolutions, relevant agencies are required to submit reports within 15 days. The first resolution requests the Ministry of Industry and Trade to provide information on individuals and companies registered for Bitcoin and cryptocurrency mining; the second resolution requests the National Electricity Administration (ANDE) to provide a list of all authorized electricity connections for cryptocurrency mining, including the names of responsible individuals and installation locations.According to Hashrate Index data, Paraguay currently controls about 3.9% of the global hash rate, ranking fourth in the world, behind the United States, Russia, and China. The country has become a popular destination for international miners due to its advantage of surplus hydroelectric power.

ChainCatcher news, Paraguay's largest bank Ueno Bank has announced the adoption of quantum-resistant electronic signatures and tamper-proof timestamps, becoming the first to introduce post-quantum security technology into a practical production environment.The bank is based on the QANplatform's quantum-resistant Layer-1 hybrid blockchain, combined with the SignQuantum signature extension, providing mathematically verifiable tamper-proof records for electronic documents and business files. This move aligns with the post-quantum encryption standards led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and offers a replicable model for the financial industry to address the future risks of quantum computing breaches. Industry insiders say this is the world's first bank to deploy such a combination of technologies at a production scale, establishing a "quantum-safe" paradigm for financial institutions in Latin America and globally.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, the Paraguayan government will invest $6 million in tokenized equity on Polkadot to develop the Asunción Innovation Valley, which includes a hotel, a university, and a data center. This investment aims to boost local economic development.In terms of tokenized equity, this project will utilize blockchain technology to provide transparency and democratized access to equity. The project is expected to be completed by 2025, and specific implementation details and timelines have not yet been disclosed.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, Paraguayan law enforcement has disclosed that three Chinese nationals have been expelled for illegal entry and one Paraguayan suspect has been arrested. This group is suspected of attempting to steal from the cryptocurrency mining site of Teratech SA in Coronel Bogado. The prosecution stated that the three expelled individuals had no legal entry records and are suspected of entering illegally through the borders of Brazil or Bolivia.Paraguayan prosecutor Irene Rolón pointed out that the arrested Paraguayan suspect, Nahun María Velázquez Garcete, has now been charged with serious theft, and the case is still under further investigation.It is reported that the mining site is located near the Itaipu Hydroelectric Power Plant, which attracts many cryptocurrency mining operations due to its abundant hydroelectric resources.The prosecution is verifying the specific relationship between the three expelled individuals and the involved company. The specific details of the case's losses and the suspects' injuries have not yet been disclosed.

ChainCatcher news, according to Bitcoin.com, Diosnel Alarcon, head of the Cybercrime Department of the National Police of Paraguay, pointed out that in 2023 and 2024, the funds transferred through cryptocurrency scams and Ponzi schemes exceeded $4 billion. Criminal intermediaries exploit investors' ignorance of cryptocurrencies to facilitate crime. They set up fake platforms as bait, initially providing small profits to victims' accounts, and months later, the victims realize they have been scammed. This figure includes platforms that use Paraguay as a transit point for transferring illegal funds. Although cryptocurrency transactions are traceable, recovering funds and identifying the perpetrators is difficult due to international bureaucratic procedures. However, if reported quickly, authorities may be able to prevent the crime and recover the funds.

ChainCatcher news, Paraguay's Secretariat for the Prevention of Money Laundering (SEPRELAD) signed a memorandum of understanding with El Salvador's National Digital Assets Commission (CNAD) last Friday. This is the second such agreement signed in nearly three months, following a similar regulatory cooperation between El Salvador and Argentina's National Securities Commission (CNV) last December.According to SEPRELAD's statement, both parties will work together to combat unlicensed cryptocurrency operations and strengthen anti-money laundering measures.

ChainCatcher news, according to Newsfile, Bitcoin mining company HIVE Digital announced the completion of a $56 million deal to acquire a partially completed 200 megawatt (MW) Bitcoin mining facility in Paraguay's Iguazu from Canadian miner Bitfarms.HIVE signed a binding letter of intent with Bitfarms and expects to expand its Bitcoin mining hash rate to 25 EH/s in September through this acquisition, utilizing Paraguay's low-cost renewable hydroelectric power.The $56 million acquisition includes a $25 million upfront payment expected to be made upon completion in the first quarter, with the remaining $31 million to be paid in six equal installments over the next six months.The acquired mining facility will be developed in two phases, with the first phase scheduled for completion on April 1, 2025, and currently 80% complete. This initial phase includes HIVE covering the remaining costs needed to complete the power connection, which is expected to add approximately 6 EH/s of Bitcoin mining capacity and will be operational in the second quarter. The second phase is planned for completion on August 31, 2025, and will integrate water-cooled Bitmain S21+ ASICs to provide an additional 6.5 EH/s. HIVE estimates the completion cost to be $400,000 per megawatt, funded by existing cash and Bitcoin reserves.

ChainCatcher news, according to Decrypt, mining company Hive Digital announced an investment of $60 million to enter Paraguay.Hive Digital announced that it has purchased 13,480 new mining machines to expand its operations in the South American country. The deal, valued at over $60 million, will help the company capture 2% of the global Bitcoin network. The Bitmain Antminer S21+ Hydros offers a hash rate of 4.3 Exahashes per second (EH/s).Executive Chairman Frank Holmes stated that once fully deployed, expanding to 15 EH/s will "drive Hive's annual revenue to over $300 million and generate over $200 million in mining profits based on current mining economics."

ChainCatcher message, the National Electricity Administration of Paraguay (ANDE) recently discovered and seized an illegal Bitcoin mining operation with 693 miners. ANDE confirmed its illegal act of stealing electricity, which is classified as a criminal offense under Law No. 7300/24, with a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

ChainCatcher news, according to Bitcoin.com, the National Electricity Administration of Paraguay (ANDE) recently discovered and seized an illegal Bitcoin mining operation with 693 miners. ANDE inspectors found a tampered electricity meter that failed to record all the electrical energy consumed by the devices connected to the grid. The detection was carried out using the SCADA system.

ChainCatcher news, according to News.bitcoin, the Paraguayan Senate has passed a series of reforms that change the penalties for energy theft related to cryptocurrency mining. Now, individuals and companies found stealing energy for cryptocurrency mining activities will face up to 10 years in prison, while energy theft for other purposes will face a maximum penalty of 3 years.

ChainCatcher news, according to Bitcoin.com, the National Electricity Administration of Paraguay (ANDE) has recently raised electricity prices, prompting Bitcoin mining companies to seek alternatives in neighboring countries such as Argentina and Brazil.A joint venture between companies in Argentina and Brazil recently announced an 8-megawatt plan aimed at generating 200 megawatts of power by 2026. Fernando Arriola, president of the Paraguayan Fintech Chamber, announced that several companies have signed documents to move their operations to Argentina.

ChainCatcher news, according to Bitcoin.com, Paraguayan Senator Salyn Buzarquis has severely criticized the National Electricity Administration of Paraguay (ANDE), claiming that its senior officials accept bribes to allow illegal Bitcoin mining operations to run unchecked. Salyn Buzarquis stated that these unnamed officials receive bribes of up to $500,000 per month and called for ANDE President Felix Sosa to resign or be questioned about the matter.ANDE issued a statement denying these allegations and emphasized that the country's companies have been harmed in their efforts to combat energy theft. The statement claimed: "This agency is characterized by its proactive stance against such punishable behaviors (especially illegal mining operations for cryptocurrency)."

ChainCatcher news, according to Bitcoin.com, the National Electricity Administration of Paraguay (ANDE) has announced an increase in electricity prices for Bitcoin and cryptocurrency mining operations in the country. ANDE has raised the electricity prices for cryptocurrency mining, blockchain, tokens, and data centers by 14%, which may affect the feasibility of maintaining these activities in the country.Due to the lack of clarity in this field, this price increase has already led to the withdrawal of a company that planned to invest over $400 million in the country.

ChainCatcher news, according to Bitcoin.com, the National Electricity Administration of Paraguay (ANDE) has increased electricity rates for cryptocurrency mining operators by 14%, impacting the profitability of cryptocurrency mining operators. Due to the lack of transparency in the region, this price increase has already led to the withdrawal of a company that planned to invest over $400 million in the country.