Georgia Explores Hedera Blockchain for Land Registry & Real Estate Tokenization

Georgia is positioning itself at the vanguard of governmental blockchain adoption, with its Ministry of Justice signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Hedera network. This partnership explores a dual-track initiative: migrating the nation’s public land registry onto a blockchain and pioneering the tokenization of real estate assets. The move, driven by Minister of Justice Paata Salia, aims to fundamentally enhance the security, transparency, and reliability of property rights management through distributed ledger technology.

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Bybit Georgia Expands with Sports Partnership & Conference Debut

Bybit Georgia, the National Bank of Georgia-licensed cryptocurrency exchange, has made significant strides in the local market with its debut at DGFI 2025 and a landmark partnership with Setanta Sports. The exchange is positioning itself as a key player in Georgia’s emerging crypto ecosystem through strategic alliances and educational initiatives, building on its status as the first global crypto leader to operate in the country with a full local license.

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Farmway’s $100M Deal Tokenizes Georgia Almond Orchards

US-based fintech firm Farmway Technologies has inked a $100 million agreement with the Republic of Georgia to tokenize 500 hectares of almond orchards on the blockchain. The investment will fund farming infrastructure, irrigation systems, and processing facilities for almond-derived products like milk powder and oil. This expansion builds on Farmway’s previous investments in the region and aims to capitalize on Georgia’s rapidly growing almond sector, which is projected to increase production from 2,500 tonnes in 2023 to 14,000 tonnes by 2027. The deal represents a significant step in bringing real-world agricultural assets into the digital economy through tokenization.

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Turkish Law Firm Challenges Ban on Crypto Payments in Court

Turkish law firm GlobalB is set to challenge the country’s ban on crypto payments in a hearing on May 28, arguing that allowing such transactions could boost financial innovation and attract global investment. Despite the ban since 2021, Turkey has made strides toward becoming more crypto-friendly, with banks offering crypto services and a growing user base. A favorable ruling could lead to new business models and a more dynamic regulatory environment for digital assets.

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Bybit Receives UAE Approval Days Before Major Crypto Hack

Bybit has received in-principal approval from the UAE’s Securities and Commodities Authority to establish a virtual assets platform, just days before suffering a significant hack that resulted in the theft of nearly $1.5 billion in Ethereum. The exchange, co-founded by Ben Zhou, is also expanding its regulatory presence in countries like India, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Turkey. Despite recovering from the incident, investor confidence remains shaky, with Bitcoin’s value fluctuating amid broader market concerns.

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Bybit Receives UAE Approval Amidst Major Hack and Global Expansion Efforts

Bybit has received in-principle approval from the UAE’s Securities and Commodities Authority to establish a virtual asset platform, just days before suffering a $1.4 billion hack. This approval is a key step towards offering comprehensive digital asset services in the region. The exchange is also expanding globally, having resumed operations in India after paying a penalty, while facing regulatory challenges in the European Economic Area and Malaysia.

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Emerging Altcoins and Their Potential in the Cryptocurrency Market

PlutoChain ($PLUTO) aims to enhance Bitcoin’s scalability with a 2-second block time, enabling the development of various DeFi applications. Currently in presale at $0.10984, it offers compatibility with Ethereum projects. Meanwhile, Ripple’s partnerships with central banks could boost the value of $XRP, currently trading at $2.45, as it facilitates international transactions. Other notable presale tokens include Solaxy ($SOLAXY), BTC Bull ($BTCBULL), and Best Wallet Token ($BEST), each promising unique benefits and potential for growth.

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Ethereum Struggles Amid Market Caution and University Bitcoin Fund Launch

Ethereum’s price remains stagnant despite a $500 million influx into spot ETFs and increased purchases by long-term investors, including the World Financial Liberty group. Analysts predict limited price movement ahead of the Pectra upgrade, with market sentiment cautious and dominance dropping to 10%. In a notable development, the University of Austin is launching a $5 million Bitcoin fund, marking it as the first U.S. university endowment to do so, while other institutions like Emory and Stanford have also begun investing in Bitcoin.

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University of Austin Invests in Bitcoin for Endowment Fund and Research

The University of Austin has committed $5 million to add Bitcoin to its $200 million endowment, partnering with Unchained to enhance education and investment in digital assets. This move reflects a broader trend in academia, as institutions increasingly recognize Bitcoin as a legitimate asset for research and investment, despite concerns over its volatility.

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Bidzina Ivanishvili Plans Legal Action Against Julius Baer Bank

Bidzina Ivanishvili, the Georgian billionaire and former prime minister, is suing Bank Julius Baer, claiming “political blackmail” after the bank threatened to close his accounts due to his status as a politically exposed person (PEP). His lawyer alleges the bank withheld account information related to hedge fund investments and misinterpreted US sanctions against him. Ivanishvili seeks legal action to enforce the bank’s obligations and obtain compensation.

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US Sanctions Impact Georgian Billionaire’s Lawsuit Against UBS and Credit Suisse

Georgian billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili is suing UBS over alleged embezzlement by his former advisor, Patrice Lescaudron, who mismanaged around 800 million francs. Recently sanctioned by the US for undermining Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration, Ivanishvili’s claims may face delays in enforcement. While a Singapore court ordered UBS to pay USD 461 million, the Bermuda case remains pending, with Credit Suisse previously fined over 600 million dollars for inadequate fraud prevention measures.

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National Day of Mourning for Former President Jimmy Carter on January 9

January 9 will be a national day of mourning for former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away at 100. Federal offices, U.S. stock markets, and the Supreme Court will be closed, while bond markets will operate until 2 p.m. ET. President Biden has ordered flags to fly at half-staff for 30 days in honor of Carter’s legacy as a humanitarian and influential statesman.

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