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India Drops Two Rankings in Global Crypto Adoption Index – Top Crypto Updates

India drops two rankings in global crypto adoption index

According to crypto analysis platform Chainalysis, India has fallen two slots to the fourth place in a list of 20 countries with the highest crypto adoption rate. This is primarily due to crypto tax and regulatory uncertainty. Vietnam continued to remain at the top spot, followed by the Philippines and Ukraine. The United States moved up to fifth in the 2022 Global Crypto Adoption Index Top 20.

Crypto prices today: Bitcoin falls 2.6%, ETH crashes 10%

Bitcoin is currently trading at $19,772.6, a decline of 2.6% over the previous day. Ethereum is down sharply by 10.2% over the last 24 hours to $1,473.45. Solana fell 5% to $32.91, while Cardano is trading lower by 2.6% at $0.467. Avalanche (AVAX) fell 5.1% to $18.21. The global crypto market cap stands at $963.11 billion, a 3.41% decline over the previous day.

Epic Games Store launches first NFT game

Epic Games Store has launched its first non-fungible token (NFT) powered Web3 game called Blankos Block Party. It lets users play and collaborate in a colorful online world, and is inspired by designer/vinyl toy culture. NFTs are used in the game to represent unique items like avatar designs and accessories. These NFTs can be bought and sold through the game’s marketplace. 

Ethereum energy usage, carbon footprint down 99.99% after merge: Report

Ethereum’s merge was successfully completed overnight. A report from the Crypto Carbon Ratings Institute (CCRI) says that the network has cut its energy usage and carbon footprint by approximately 99.99% each. Ethereum’s estimated annual CO2 emissions have declined from over 11 million tonnes to just under 870 tonnes.

Celsius files for permission to sell stablecoin holdings

Crypto lending firm Celsius Network has asked the court for authorization to sell its stablecoin holdings in order to generate liquidity to help fund its operations. The company is currently undergoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. Celsius filed for bankruptcy in July, and is currently before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.

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Govt to Provide Stance on Crypto After Consultations – Top Crypto News

Govt to state stance on crypto after consultations: FM Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the consultation process regarding crypto regulation is ongoing. She welcomed the crypto industry to participate in it. After completing the consultation process, the Finance Ministry would sit and examine the legal measures. The government is also reportedly seeing the possibility of tax revenue in crypto.

Crypto prices today: Bitcoin jumps 8.7%, ETH up 8%

Bitcoin is currently trading at $41,591, an 8.7% jump over the previous day. Ethereum rose 8.2% over the last 24 hours to $2,721.73. Solana increased by 6.6% to $88.3, while Cardano is up 5.8% to $0.84. Uniswap surged 11.12% to $9.32. The global crypto market cap stands at $1.83 trillion, an 6.8% increase over the previous day.

Joe Biden to order studies on regulating, issuing crypto: Report

As per reports, US President Joe Biden is expected to sign a long-awaited executive order on cryptocurrencies this week. The order will direct the Justice Department, Treasury, and other agencies to study the legal and economic ramifications of creating a US central bank digital currency.

Ethereum transaction fees drop to six-month low: Report

As per a report from Arcane Research, the seven-day average for Ethereum transaction fees are at their lowest rate since August 2021. The NFT mania contributed to an increase in transactions costs during late 2021. The fall in fees coincides with a decline in crypto asset prices. The exchange value of Ethereum has fallen nearly 12% in the last week.

Bored Ape Yacht Club donates $1M in Ethereum to Ukraine

The Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) NFT collection has donated $1 million to Ukraine’s official Ethereum wallet address. BAYC’s Twitter account shared the information along with an Etherscan transaction link showing that it sent 388.999 ETH. The donation was inspired by its community members’ contributions.

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Binance Plans to Become Registered UK Firm – Top Crypto News

Charlie Munger wishes cryptos had never been invented

Warren Buffet’s long term investment partner Charlie Munger expressed his contempt for crypto again by supporting China’s stand on Cryptocurrency. He called the crypto boom insane.

We want to be the AWS of crypto,’ says Coinbase exec

Coinbase expressed its desire to become the Amazon Web Services of crypto. Surojit Chatterjee, the CPO of Coinbase was talking to Forbes in an interview.

Crypto Exchange Bitget Suspended After Spat With K-pop Group BTS

Singapore’s financial regulators have suspended Bitget, a fast-growing crypto exchange platform, after listing and promoting the digital currency Army Coin. Named after the powerful fans of the biggest boy group in the world–BTS, Bitget intended to use these coins to provide “lifetime financial support for BTS”.

Binance plans to become registered UK firm despite regulatory setbacks

Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao said the exchange is planning to expand to the U.K. in the next six to 18 months, despite being instructed by the country’s regulator to cease trading earlier this year.

Miami hosts CryptoWorldCon International Blockchain & Cryptocurrency Conference April 2022

Miami will host CryptoWorldCon (CWC) next year. It will be a mega event of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies conference/trade show, focusing on cutting-edge schemes and trends in the blockchain market, held at one of Miami’s most prominent and renowned venues.

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Crypto Market Falls; Bitcoin Down by More Than 10% – Top Crypto News

Crypto Market falls; Bitcoin down by more than 10%

Fear of tapering, inflation and other negative cues hit the Crypto market as well. Bitcoin even touched $42K. Ether and other cryptocurrencies also are down. The market participants are in fear of the Bear market.

US lawmaker urges congressional action on crypto as government avoids shutdown

Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey, one of the ranking members of the Senate Banking Committee, has suggested Congress step in with legislation if the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is unable to provide sufficient guidance on cryptocurrencies.

El Salvador stacks 150 Bitcoin after BTC price crashes below $50k

The Republic of El Salvador has procured 150 Bitcoin (BTC) amid the biggest bear market since Bitcoin attained an all-time high of nearly $68,000 back in the first week of November. El Salvador has 1270 BTC now.

Norwegian Block Exchange to become first Nordic crypto platform to list on Euronext

Norwegian Block Exchange said on Friday that it would become the first Nordan country to list its shares on the pan-European Euronext stock exchange. The exchange has eight cryptocurrencies listed and about 20 trading pairs available. 

Digital dollar needs broad consensus among authorities, says US Treasury Secretary

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has given her opinions on the potential of a digital dollar but is hesitant to come to any conclusions at this stage in proceedings. She said that such a move would require broad consensus among Congress, the U.S. central bank and the White House. 

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Binance Plans to Become Registered UK Firm – Top Crypto News

Charlie Munger wishes cryptos had never been invented

Warren Buffet’s long term investment partner Charlie Munger expressed his contempt for crypto again by supporting China’s stand on Cryptocurrency. He called the crypto boom insane.

We want to be the AWS of crypto,’ says Coinbase exec


Coinbase expressed their desire to become the Amazon Web Services of crypto. Surojit Chatterjee, the CPO of Coinbase was talking to Forbes in an interview.

Crypto Exchange Bitget Suspended After Spat With K-pop Group BTS

Singapore’s financial regulators have suspended Bitget, a fast-growing crypto exchange platform, after listing and promoting the digital currency Army Coin. Named after the powerful fans of the biggest boy group in the world–BTS, Bitget intended to use these coins to provide “lifetime financial support for BTS”.

Binance plans to become registered UK firm despite regulatory setbacks

Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao said the exchange is planning to expand to the U.K. in the next six to 18 months, despite being instructed by the country’s regulator to cease trading earlier this year.

Miami hosts CryptoWorldCon International Blockchain & Cryptocurrency Conference April 2022

Miami will host CryptoWorldCon (CWC) next year. It will be a mega event of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies conference/trade show, focusing on cutting-edge schemes and trends in the blockchain market, held at one of Miami’s most prominent and renowned venues.

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Shiba Inu Gains Over 30% in Just 2 days – Top Crypto News

Vladimir Putin says cryptocurrencies come with risk

Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, said that cryptocurrencies bear high risks and the nation needs a better regulatory framework. The regulation is weak in Russia now, with no laws surrounding crypto mining.

Coinbase will establish presence in Israel 

Coinbase will purchase Unbound to gain access to its cryptographic security experts as well as establish a presence in Israel. “We’ve long recognized Israel as a hotbed of strong technology and cryptography talent, and are excited to continue to grow our team with some of the best and brightest minds in these fields,” said Coinbase.

Shiba Inu gains over 30% in just 2 days

With Kraken announcing SHIB listing, the price of the crypto has moved up by 30%. SHIB’s price broke above the flag’s upper trendline, accompanied by a rise in intraday trading volumes.

Crypto named after SpaceX’s Starlink satellites gain over 140% in 3 days

The supersonic price rally in the StarLink crypto market appeared as SpaceX launched 53 Starlink orbit satellites into space on Saturday. The name alone acted as a common denominator between StarLink the crypto and Starlink the SpaceX satellite wing. As a result, it appeared that traders merely pumped the crypto through coordinated efforts while attempting to cash in on SpaceX’s satellite launch event. 

Fidelity launches ETF in Canada

Fidelity Investments, one of the largest asset managers, is set to launch crypto ETF in Canada. The company is not waiting for US Securities and Exchange Commission to take a decision.

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Crypto Mining: Kazakhstan Facing Power Outage – Top Crypto News

Kazakhstan runs short of power due to crypto mining

Kazakhstan, a country with a large number of leading crypto miners, is facing a massive power outage. The country is currently importing electricity from Russia at a higher tariff. The government had earlier commented on mining a few weeks earlier saying there is no revenue generation despite being a leading miner.

India will not recognise Bitcoin as a currency

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reiterated that there is no proposal to accept Bitcoin as a payment method. She added that the government does not collect data on Bitcoin transactions.

Bombay HC directs Centre to inform it about the introduction of the bill on cryptocurrency

Bombay High Court directed the government to update with the crypto bill. The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Aditya Kadam, seeking directions to the central government to formulate laws to govern the use and trade of cryptocurrency within the country.

Coinstore begins operation in India

Singapore-based virtual currency exchange Coinstore has begun operations in India at a time when the government is preparing legislation to effectively bar most private cryptocurrencies. Coinstore plans to recruit about 100 employees in India and spend $20 million for marketing, hiring, and development of crypto-related products and services for the Indian market.

Thailand to use crypto to revive the economy

The Tourism Authority of Thailand plans to collaborate with local cryptocurrency exchanges and companies to develop infrastructure for accepting crypto as a medium of exchange for tourism. The country’s tourism was hit badly due to COVID.

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UK Digital Services Tax Targets Crypto Exchanges – Top Crypto News

UK Digital services tax targets crypto exchanges

According to a report, crypto exchanges in the United Kingdom will have to pay a 2% digital services tax. Britain’s tax authority, HMRC, does not recognize digital assets as financial instruments and therefore exchanges are not eligible for financial exemptions. The digital services tax on revenue was introduced in April 2020 targeting social media and search giants such as Facebook and Google.

Omicron token spikes 900%

A relatively obscure cryptocurrency called Omicron (OMIC) has surged to an all-time high today as a new fast-spreading COVID-19 variant got christened with the same name. Analysts said that it is in a giant bubble.

Democratic senators oppose President Biden’s OCC Omarova nomination

A group of five Democratic senators has reportedly rejected United States President Joe Biden’s nominee, Saule Omarova, to head the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC).

Vitalik Buterin proposes calldata limit per block 

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has proposed a new limit on the total transaction call data in a block to decrease the overall transaction call data gas cost over the ETH network. 

Cryptocurrency ban in India will lead to more unlawful usage, complete tax evasion, says BACC

IAMAI’s Blockchain and Crypto Assets Council (BACC) said that a blanket ban on cryptocurrencies in the country will encourage non-state players, thereby leading to more unlawful usage of such currencies. IAMAI stands for Internet and Mobile Association of India. Its mandate is to expand and enhance the online and mobile value-added services sectors.

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COVID: Bitcoin Below $55K- Top Crypto News

New COVID variant takes Bitcoin price below $55K

With the fear of the new COVID variant spreading across the globe, markets worldwide fell heavily. Bitcoin was no exception seeing a heavy fall. BTC is trading around $54K now. This is 20% below the all-time high of $69K.

El Salvador buys 100 BTC

El Salvador celebrated Black Friday when the prices fell. The President said that 100 BTC was added making use of the global sell-off, taking the total to 1220 BTC.

Two Bitcoin Funds launched in Singapore by MAS-regulated fund manager

Fintonia Group, a fund manager regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore launched two institutional-grade Bitcoin funds. The founder said that the funds are live and investors can subscribe and redeem regularly as they are open-ended funds, similar to a mutual fund. He added that the funds are only available for accredited Investors.

Tanzania to launch CBDC

The Bank of Tanzania is reportedly planning to introduce a central bank digital currency, or CBDC, for the African nation after neighbouring countries announced similar initiatives.

Bitcoin too volatile to be adopted as legal tender, says BoE chief

Andrew Bailey, the Governor of Bank of England said that Bitcoin cannot be accepted as legal tender with the volatility that it exhibits now. He said that the moves by El Salvador are quite alarming and the consumers will suffer from the extreme volatility.

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South Korean Regulator Proposes Strict Rules for Token Issuers – Top Crypto News

New German government cites crypto in the coalition agreement

Three German political parties agreed to a coalition deal this week where they said that they will advocate for an equal playing field between traditional finance and cryptocurrency. The coalition calls for a new “dynamic in relation to the opportunities and risks from new financial innovations” such as crypto assets and blockchain businesses.

South Korean regulator proposes strict new rules for token issuers

South Korea’s Financial Services Commission (FSC) has issued a report outlining its new definition of cryptocurrencies, along with proposed procedures for token issuers and punishments for non-compliance. The FSC would require these entities to submit a white paper, obtain a favourable rating from a recognised token evaluation service, obtain a legal review of the project, and disclose regular business reports to users.

Thai lawmakers urged to approve tourism crypto to entice digital nomads

The Tourism Authority of Thailand has been planning to launch its utility coin to attract tourists. Reports said that the infrastructure is ready and they are waiting for the government to approve.

Report claims each Solana TX uses less energy than 2 Google searches

Reports said that Solana TX uses very little energy. The blockchain consumes 24 times less energy than charging a phone. The Solana network is less decentralised than Bitcoin or Ethereum with 1,196 validator nodes that process an estimated 20 million transactions per year. The report states the Foundation will further reduce the network’s energy usage by implementing a program before the end of this year to become carbon-neutral and offset the environmental footprint of the ecosystem.

India cannot risk being a late mover in accepting crypto: Ashish Singhal

Ashish Singhal, CEO of CoinSwitch Kuber, said that cryptocurrencies provide India with an opportunity to turn into a net exporter from a net importer of technology. Industry experts and lawyers expect that cryptocurrencies will be regulated and there will not be an outright ban.

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New Survey Says 54% Indians are Against Legalizing Crypto – Top Crypto News

More Than 50% of Indians Surveyed Don’t Want Crypto Legalized

More than half of the people surveyed in India are against legalizing cryptocurrencies, according to an opinion poll published on Wednesday. The report comes on the back of the Indian government proposing a law to regulate the use of crypto and to create an official digital coin. The survey showed 54% don’t want the government to legalize cryptocurrencies but instead to tax them like a digital asset held in a foreign country, pollster LocalCircles said. These findings were based on a survey of 56,000 people in the last 15 days.

Bitcoin stages recovery, surges 5%

Bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency, extended the recovery it had staged after crashing over 25% on Wednesday morning. It was trading over 5% higher at Rs 42.96 lakh today. Bitcoin prices had crashed on Wednesday after a government bulletin said the cryptocurrency bill seeks to ban all private cryptocurrencies in India.

Ripple Partners With Republic Of Palau To Develop National Digital Currency

Digital payment network Ripple has partnered with the Republic of Palau to develop its own digital currency. The payment network is still on a mission to dominate the global payments industry. The partnership with Ripple will focus on developing a USD-backed digital currency, more like a stablecoin rather than a central bank digital currency (CBDC). This currency would help facilitate cross-border payments for the nation.

Pokemon Go maker Niantic has a new game that lets players earn Bitcoin rewards

Niantic, the developer behind Pokemon Go, has teamed up with payments company Fold to create an augmented reality (AR) game where players can earn Bitcoins. This real-world metaverse has Niantic’s real-world mapping tech coming together with Fold’s app capabilities. Players can explore the real world around them and win cryptocurrency rewards. Niantic’s AR tech has players looking for rare creatures on Pokemon Go and battling other players.

Adidas confirms first crypto partnership with Coinbase and The Sandbox

Adidas has recently announced a new partnership with Coinbase and Metaverse gaming project The Sandbox. The sportswear giant has revealed little to no details so far, but it appears that the firm has taken a major step forward into the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry. Speculation has emerged that Adidas could be partnering to enable crypto payments for the sportswear firm, bringing a potential digital asset payment integration to the Adidas ecosystem.

Only a handful of cryptocurrencies that exist today likely to survive: Raghuram Rajan

Out of the 6,000-odd cryptocurrencies currently in existence, only a few are likely to survive, according to the former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan. “If things have value only because they will be pricier down the line, that’s a bubble,” Rajan said. He added that the issue was that most cryptocurrencies did not have permanent value. Additionally, some of them would survive to facilitate payments, especially cross-border payments.

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TCS to Drive Digital Transformation of NXP Semiconductors – Top Indian Market News

TCS to drive digital transformation of NXP Semiconductors

Dutch chipmaker NXP Semiconductors NV has selected Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to help accelerate its digital transformation. As part of the deal, TCS will drive NXP’s integrated IT strategy across apps, IT infrastructure, and workplace services. TCS will also accelerate NXP’s cloud adoption to enhance business agility and build a future-ready digital foundation that supports its growth and transformation agenda.

Read more here.

India’s retail inflation eases to 5.3% in August

India’s retail inflation growth based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) eased to 5.3% in August 2021, according to data released by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI). The CPI stood at 5.59% in July. This is the second successive month that the CPI data has come within the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) upper margin of 6%. The Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) eased to 3.11% in August, compared to 3.96% in July.

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Advanced Enzyme announces breakthrough in clinical trials of Covid-fatigue treating enzymes

Advanced Enzyme Technologies Ltd announced a positive breakthrough in the randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) of systemic enzymes and probiotics to resolve ‘long Covid’ fatigue symptoms. The company’s systemic enzyme and probiotic supplements ImmunoSEB and ProbioSEB CSC3 have passed the promising stages of RCTs in terms of efficacy to resolve post‐COVID fatigue symptoms. Advanced Enzymes conducted clinical trials on 200 patients suffering from post-Covid fatigue symptoms.

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Goldiam’s board approves Rs 45.6 crore share buyback plan

The Board of Directors of Goldiam International Ltd has approved a proposal to buy back equity shares. The company will buy back up to 3.80 lakh equity shares for an aggregate amount not exceeding Rs 45.60 crore, at Rs 1,200 per share. Goldiam International is an integrated manufacturer and supplier of diamond jewellery to leading retailers and wholesalers in the US and Europe.

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APL Apollo Tubes secures design patents for six products

The Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trademarks has granted six registrations to the innovative products of APL Apollo Tubes Ltd. The new products include Apollo Reflector (roadside reflectors), Apollo Fence (fencing solutions), Apollo Oval (gym equipment), Apollo Plank (to be used as stairs and scaffolding), Octagon (lighting poles), and Chequered Coil (covering panels). With these registrations, the company’s overall product portfolio has increased to 16.

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Granules India voluntarily recalls one batch of Naproxen Sodium tablets

Granules USA, Inc. has voluntarily recalled one batch of Naproxen Sodium 220mg tablets at the retail level due to a minor deviation of Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP). One batch has 11.4 million units of Naproxen tablets, out of which 0.9 million units that were released into the market were recalled. The company said this move will not have a material impact on its financial performance. Granules USA, Inc. is a wholly-owned foreign subsidiary of Granules India Ltd.

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Ashoka Buildcon receives LoA for road project in Assam

Ashoka Buildcon Ltd has received a Letter of Acceptance (LoA) from the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) for a road project in Assam. The order consists of four-laning of the Kwaram Taro Village-Dillai Section of NH-29 in Assam on an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) mode. The accepted bid price of the project is Rs 282.11 crore. 

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Wipro partners with First Horizon Bank to provide services to VirtualBank

Wipro Ltd has partnered with US-based First Horizon Bank to transform the core banking channels and servicing capabilities of VirtualBank. The IT major has streamlined VirtualBank’s cloud migration and supported its end-to-end program management, governance, customer data conversion, and testing services. VirtualBank is an established digital bank that First Horizon inherited from Louisiana-based IBERIABANK as part of the merger completed in 2020.

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Vedanta Resources reduced net debt by $300 million in first half of FY22

Vedanta Resources Ltd (VRL) has reduced its net debt by around $300 million (~Rs 2,200 core) in the first half of the current financial year (FY22). The company expects to further reduce its debt by $500 million (~Rs 3,680 crore) in the next half. VRL is the parent company of Vedanta Limited. The firm believes that a strong operational performance from its world-class asset base will strengthen the balance sheet and lead to investment-grade credit metrics. 

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Kesoram Industries’ board approves 133:274 rights issue

The Board of Directors of Kesoram Industries Ltd has approved the issuance of 7.99 crore rights shares for an aggregate amount of Rs 399.99 crore. The company has fixed the Rights Entitlement Ratio as 133:274. It means that 133 equity shares will be issued for every 274 equity shares held by eligible equity shareholders of the company as of September 17, 2021 (record date). The rights issue opens on September 27 and closes on October 11.

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India looking to tax cryptocurrency trades and ecosystem: Report

According to a report from ET Now, the Indian government is looking at ways to tax cryptocurrency trades and the entire ecosystem around them. The report further states that the government may permit the use of blockchain technology and treat cryptos as a tradeable asset class without banning it. The Union Cabinet will soon take up the draft bill on cryptocurrencies. However, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharam had earlier stated that citizens will be given adequate windows to experiment with blockchains, Bitcoins, and other cryptocurrencies.

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MTAR Tech secures order worth $29.82 million from Bloom Energy

MTAR Technologies Ltd has received an export order worth $29.82 million (~Rs 220 crore) from US-based Bloom Energy. The order includes the export of Yuma Hot Boxes and associated components for Bloom Energy to be delivered over the four quarters of the calendar year 2022. In an official statement, MTAR Tech explained that this is the largest single order it has ever received.

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