WAO ART #361

The Blockchain Association of Kenya (BAK) is working towards making Kenya a hub for digital assets with the introduction of the Virtual Assets Service Provider Bill. The bill is expected to be submitted to the Kenyan National Assembly's Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning by February 14.

BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, is considering increasing its Bitcoin holdings due to the potential for significant growth in the cryptocurrency. The Chief Investment Officer of global fixed income, Rick Rieder, stated that as investor confidence in Bitcoin grows.

An Australian federal court has ruled that crypto-yield products that promise a managed yield require a financial services license, while "pass-through" decentralized finance (DeFi) products may not. The court ordered penalties against Block Earner for offering its "Earner" product without a license.

Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a two-hour interview to former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, discussing Ukraine, the Russian economy, and global finance. This is Putin's first interview with an American journalist since the Russian incursion into Ukraine.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has made it illegal to use AI-generated voices for robocalls in the U.S. following incidents of malicious use, including fake messages mimicking President Joe Biden. OpenAI is reportedly developing an autonomous AI assistant that can perform tasks directly.

El Salvador's President, Nayib Bukele, faces a crucial decision regarding the country's relationship with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Bukele, a strong supporter of Bitcoin, must decide whether to reject the IMF's demands, which include opposing Bitcoin as legal tender.

UBS Hong Kong and crypto exchange OSL have tokenized an investment warrant on the Ethereum blockchain. The tokenized product, an options call warrant linked to Xiaomi, was sold to OSL Exchange after being created on the Ethereum network.