WAO ART #334

Argentina has registered its first lease agreement settled in bitcoin, following the application of an emergency executive order by President Javier Milei. The agreement states that the tenant will pay the equivalent of $100 USDT in bitcoin to the landlord each month.

BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, who was previously skeptical of Bitcoin, has now defended the cryptocurrency as a safeguard against government manipulation and economic instability. In an interview with Fox Business, Fink praised Bitcoin as a store of value and a tool to protect against authoritarian governments.

Vietnam is experiencing a crypto craze, with XRP payments fueling adoption. The country's central bank is considering integrating XRP for cross-border payments, aligning with the region's rapid adoption of the cryptocurrency. Ripple's partnership with TPB Bank is set to strengthen the XRP ecosystem in Vietnam.

The Egyptian government plans to introduce an improved social protection package, including wage and pension adjustments and an increase in the tax exemption threshold. Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait emphasized the importance of public dialogue on the proposed state budget for the fiscal year 2024/2025.

The European Commission has allocated over €250 million to support secure connectivity across the EU under the CEF Digital Programme. The funding will be used for projects such as the deployment of 5G infrastructure, submarine cables, and improving backbone networks.

Australia has started their campaign in the AFC Asian Cup 2023 with a 2-0 win over India. Goals from Jackson Irvine and Jordan Bos secured the victory for the Socceroos. They will now face Syria and Uzbekistan in their upcoming matches.

Bitcoin ETFs have attracted $1.4 billion in inflows during their first two trading sessions, with a total of 500,000 trades made on the funds. Grayscale's Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) experienced an outflow of $579 million, resulting in net total inflows of $819 million across the products.