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    ‘Blockchain.com Miami Padel Open’ Announces February Event | February 22-27, 2022

    “Boich Investment Group, along with 777 Partners, are thrilled to bring the World Padel Tour to Miami this month,”
    said Wayne Boich, Chairman and CEO of Boich Investment Group.”We, along with WPT, are committed to bringing a best-in-class experience to all of the players, fans, and partners that will take part in this inaugural event. Padel–the fastest growing sport in the world–has exploded in popularity right here in our backyard and this event is a fantastic opportunity to bring the best Padel players in the world to Miami. Fusing padel and entertainment, the experience will be a multi-faceted one for all in attendance.”
    This year’s event will be presented by Blockchain.com, the most trusted and fastest-growing crypto company, helping millions across the globe safely access cryptocurrency.”As we invest in Miami, we’re excited about the innovation happening not just in business but also in the sports world. So it’s natural that we’d sponsor the Miami Padel Open 2022,”
    said Peter Smith, Blockchain.com CEO.”Padel is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, particularly in Latin America, where we have an increasingly large footprint of customers, partners, and employees.”
    Blockchain.com Miami Padel Open will transform Island Gardens into a riveting and experiential 2,000-person open-air entertainment venue, lending to the ultimate padel tournament experience. Spectators can anticipate an unbelievable VIP experience presented by luxury Swiss watchmaking brand, Richard Mille. The Richard Mille Luxury Boxes will house 76 individual VIP Boxes coupled with a special boutique activation by culinary titan Major Food Group’s exclusive private membership destination, ZZ’s Club. In addition, luxury wine label La Fête du Rosé will feature a specialty pop-up bar serving its signature rosé. While, Pura Vida, South Florida’s beloved wellness-driven destination, will be serving guests within their own dedicated area on-site throughout the weeklong event. In true Miami fashion, attendees can expect daily/nightly live music programming and impromptu celeb performances, including a special performance by Ludacris, a multitude of dining options, concessions, and a not-to-be-missed selection of retail offerings, all set against the beautiful backdrop of Biscayne Bay and Downtown Miami.The Honorary Chairperson for this year’s Blockchain.com Miami Padel Open is famed Miami Heat superstar and padel enthusiast, Jimmy Butler. An avid fan of the sport himself, the five-time NBA All-Star has been extremely supportive of Boich Investment Group’s efforts in bringing the World Padel Tour to the city of Miami.”Padel became an instant obsession for me back when my trainer first introduced me to the sport as a new conditioning workout. I love to compete – it really drives me, which ultimately drove my passion for padel to where I’ll play two to three hours a day when I can,”
    said Jimmy Butler, Honorary Chairperson of the Blockchain.com Miami Padel Open. “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of bringing the World Padel Tour to Miami and to be selected as Blockchain.com Miami Padel Open’s Honorary Chairperson. The best padel players in the world are coming together to compete at the highest level within the very city my team and I play our home games – it’s something to be proud of, to say the least.
    World Padel Tour General Director, Mario Hernando added:”We are very happy to be able to start the season in Miami, one of the United States’ most important host cities to world-class sporting events. The magnificent venue immediately elevates the tournament to the level of challenge of the best WPT tournaments.”
    A true first for the city of Miami and within World Padel Tour history, the Blockchain.com Miami Padel Open will feature both the male and female Circuit, a major step in establishing the professional competition on North American soil. The event will also mark the second time that the World Padel Tour will touch down in the United States in the last five years.EMAIL NEWSLETTERJoin to get the flipside of cryptoUpgrade your inbox and get our DailyCoin editors’ picks 1x a week delivered straight to your inbox.[contact-form-7]
    You can always unsubscribe with just 1 click.Continue reading on DailyCoin More

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    Dvision NFT LANDs on Polygon Mainnet Sold Out Quickly, Tops OpenSea Ranks

    Blockchain-based NFT metaverse, Dvision Network once again took the crypto world by successfully selling all of its LAND lots minted on Polygon Mainnet. Not only that, but Dvision was able to sell all of its NFT LANDs in a fast paced manner, sealing the sold out within 30 minutes after the inception of the primary sales. Hence, reaching the successful primary sale completion phase on both OpenSea and the Dvision Marketplace platforms.In terms of market position, the primary sale of Dvision LANDs on OpenSea via Polygon Mainnet has placed the Dvision Network on the second spot. This position of the network overtakes the top collections on the OpenSea platform. Currently, the Dvision Network LANDs are among the top five collections on OpenSea on a weekly basis. The total trading amount of the Dvision LANDs has already exceeded 335 ETH.Furthermore, the metaverse protocol plans to connect its NFT LANDs to other mainnets in the space via the native bridges. The native bridges are new technologies that the Dvision Network is devising to connect all the networks. It also allows its users to move their NFTs across different chains. Indeed, this technology will enable all its users to seamlessly connect with other ecosystems to leverage the best features of each particular chain.The Dvision Network continues to be in good terms with the Polygon network. As a result, Dvision will still be able to take advantage of the benefits that the MATIC’s blockchain brings. For example, low fees, and fast transaction speed are just some of the things that the Polygon’s network can offer.At the time of writing, the Dvision network trades at a decent price of $0.80 with a growth rate of over +457% in the past 12 months. All interested traders of the token can buy, sell, and trade the crypto on exchanges such as Gate.io, MEXC Global and Bithumb to name a few. On the other hand, Dvision network is just one of the crypto platforms in the industry that continues to embrace the power of NFT and Metaverse. In fact, the NFT space market cap was able to reach a bullish amount of more than $17 billion. Hence, we can say that the NFT network is being supported by a lot of investors around the world.Continue reading on CoinQuora More

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    FirstFT: Peter Thiel to leave Meta board and focus on politics

    Peter Thiel, the billionaire tech investor and Silicon Valley’s most prominent supporter of the former US president Donald Trump, will not seek re-election to the board of Facebook’s owner Meta in order to focus on “political endeavours” ahead of the midterm elections.Thiel, co-founder of PayPal and Palantir, was the first outside investor in Facebook and joined the board in 2005. He has been a close confidante of chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, helping to guide him from Silicon Valley start-up founder to chief executive of the world’s largest social media network. But Thiel’s presence on Facebook’s board has long been considered contentious by some because of his political affiliations. Thiel, 54, in 2016 gave more than $1mn to pro-Trump groups. He continued to support the Republican party throughout 2021, donating about $86,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee and Republican leadership committees. More recently, he has become a big donor to a new, younger crop of rightwing populists, including Blake Masters and JD Vance, who are seeking election to the Senate in the 2022 midterm elections.The Republican party remains riven with internal divisions over its response to last year’s assault on the Capitol. Over the weekend the Republican National Committee — the party’s leadership body — triggered a backlash from traditional supporters when it issued a defence of the rioters as proponents of “legitimate political discourse” who, it said, were being unfairly targeted.Go deeper: Over the weekend we published this deep dive into the Republican party and Trump’s grip on it as he fund-raises for a potential rerun at the presidency in 2024.How likely do you think it is that Trump will run for a second term as US president? Email me at [email protected] and share your thoughts. We may publish excerpts of the most thought-provoking comments. Thanks for reading FirstFT Americas — GordonFive more stories in the news1. US and Germany struggle to present united front US president Joe Biden and German chancellor Olaf Scholz failed to speak with one voice over the fate of a critical gas pipeline that runs directly from Russia to Germany after their first face-to-face meeting at the White House yesterday. French officials, meanwhile, said President Vladimir Putin had agreed to withdraw thousands of Russian troops from Belarus after the completion of planned exercises. Putin’s offer to de-escalate came after five hours of talks with Emmanuel Macron at the Kremlin.Opinion: Will there be an invasion? That depends on which version of the Russian leader you believe in: Putin the Rational or Vlad the Mad, writes Gideon Rachman.2. SoftBank’s $66bn Arm sale to Nvidia collapses SoftBank’s planned sale of the UK-based chip designer to Nvidia collapsed yesterday after US, UK and EU regulators raised concerns about its effect on competition in the global semiconductor industry, according to three people with direct knowledge of the transaction.3. Tesla subpoenaed by SEC Tesla has received a subpoena from the US securities regulator relating to its compliance with a settlement in 2018 that had resolved a dispute over chief executive Elon Musk’s tweet that he had “funding secured” to take the electric car maker private.4. US budget airline Frontier to buy rival Spirit US low-cost carrier Frontier has agreed to acquire rival Spirit for $6.6bn, including net debt, in what would be the first large airline merger since the industry was rocked in 2020 by travel bans and lockdowns introduced to stem the spread of Covid-19.5. Netanyahu trial delayed Former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s trial for corruption has been thrown into disarray after an Israeli newspaper alleged that police hacked his aides’ and his son’s phones without a warrant during their investigation.Coronavirus digestEileen Gu, the American-Chinese freestyle skier, has won her first gold medal at the Beijing Winter Olympics. Gu, 18, was born in the US to a Chinese mother and an American father but chose in 2019 to represent China at the Olympics.The US has enjoyed an entrepreneurial renaissance during the pandemic, with the largest increases in new businesses coming in black communities.In Hong Kong, some patients at one of the city’s quarantine centres are becoming so desperate to get out that they are gargling hand sanitiser in a vain bid to neutralise test results as the government tries to maintain its zero-Covid policy.A quarter of UK employers said long Covid was now a leading cause of long-term sickness absence among staff.Signs of a more hawkish shift by the European Central Bank sent borrowing costs for southern eurozone governments close to pre-pandemic highs yesterday, though Christine Lagarde said any shift would be gradual.South Korea is abandoning its vaunted test-and-trace system in the face of a surge of Omicron cases.The Omicron variant has exposed the weakness of current vaccines and revived interest in an all-protective “super jab”. How far is it from becoming a reality?

    The day aheadEarnings John Foley, Peloton’s co-founder and chief executive, has reportedly announced he is stepping aside just hours before the fitness company is due to publish results. Pfizer, KKR, Warner Music Group and Harley-Davidson also report earnings today. Digital currencies Nellie Liang, a senior Treasury official, testifies in front of the House Committee on Financial Services about the Biden administration’s proposal to regulate “stablecoins”, a type of cryptocurrency that has its value pegged to a traditional currency such as the dollar. The hearing comes as the US government’s system for spotting money laundering has received reports of a surge of suspicious activity linked to cryptocurrency.US trade deficit The deficit is forecast to have widened to $83bn in December, data released by the commerce department is expected to show, from a deficit of $80.2bn a month earlier. Separately, data from Statistics Canada are expected to show a trade surplus of C$2.50bn in December. That is down from a surplus of C$3.13bn a month earlier, close to June’s 13-year high of C$3.23bn.European Chips Act The forthcoming bill, to be published today, would give regulators sweeping powers to protect domestic production during a shortage crisis and help “shore up our security of supply”, said Thierry Breton, EU industry commissioner.What else we’re reading Unruly Reddit prepares for stock market debut The San Francisco-based social media platform, home of the anarchic r/WallStreetBets trade-tipping forum, is preparing for a stock market listing by stepping up efforts to build an advertising business by approaching agencies such as WPP.Inside Axel Springer’s #MeToo moment In the spring of 2021, senior employees at German publisher Axel Springer thought they had defused misconduct claims against the editor of Bild, Europe’s top-selling daily newspaper. Instead, the real trouble was yet to come. A three-month investigation by the Financial Times takes a closer look into this episode.Le Pen fights for far-right votes Marine Le Pen is facing an offstage power struggle worthy of the court of Versailles. Defections by some party officials to the camp of far-right challenger Eric Zemmour are complicating her efforts to unseat President Emmanuel Macron.Data can be wrong, too The US labour force is significantly closer to returning to its pre-coronavirus level than we thought. The story about pandemic-exhausted Americans saying the hell with the job market had its basic premises undone, writes Rob Armstrong in the latest Unhedged newsletter. Sign up here.The perils of ‘onboarding’ in a world of hybrid work In this time of historically high worker turnover, getting new hires settled in quickly is critical. “Poor onboarding is costly,” says Becky Frankiewicz, Chicago-based president of ManpowerGroup North America, a multinational staffing company.SportAs English Premier League clubs start to invest in the women’s game, the FT’s Murad Ahmed explains the business case and examines whether women’s football should replicate the structure and feel of the men’s game or establish an identity of its own.

    Video: Football: the business case for the women’s game More

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    Britons most downbeat about finances since at least 2017 – BofA

    A broader gauge of consumer confidence in Britain dropped to its lowest in 11 months as fast-rising inflation squeezed spending power, BofA said on Tuesday.But in better news for the Bank of England, which is worried that the lack of candidates to fill vacancies will push up wages, the survey showed 41% of people who said they left the labour market since 2019 planned to return in 2022. More

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    Binance Unites J Balvin, Jimmy Butler and Valentina Shevchenko to Take on Big Game Crypto Ads, Invites Fans to Sound the #CryptoCelebAlert and Trust Themselves to Learn Crypto

    The global campaign – featuring global superstar and entrepreneur J Balvin, all-star basketball forward Jimmy Butler and mixed martial arts fighter Valentina Shevchenko – focuses on encouraging consumers to do the research and learn crypto themselves, so they can be empowered and accountable for their own financial freedom and success.On February 13, for every commercial aired during the game with a celebrity “talking crypto”, viewers are encouraged to sound Binance’s #CryptoCelebAlert at CryptoCelebAlert.com to claim one of 2,222 POAP NFTs featuring Jimmy Butler. More importantly, they can access an easy-to-read crypto primer to better understand the basics of crypto.”I’ve been experimenting with crypto because I believe it offers new ways to think about financial freedom. Not just for artists, entertainers and athletes but for anyone who is interested and willing to learn,”
    said Balvin.”One lesson in my career is don’t trust what ‘they’ tell you, do your own research and then decide.”
    “Many people are interested in blockchain-based products, like crypto, but relatively few know where to start when it comes to educating themselves on these new technologies. In addition to product and brand awareness, we need to help people understand the basics of crypto and be able to make more informed investment decisions,”
    said Changpeng Zhao (CZ), Founder and CEO at Binance.”It’s also about helping people be more confident in themselves as it’s better to be your own expert than listen to someone who may not actually understand or care about your financial goals.”EMAIL NEWSLETTERJoin to get the flipside of cryptoUpgrade your inbox and get our DailyCoin editors’ picks 1x a week delivered straight to your inbox.[contact-form-7]
    You can always unsubscribe with just 1 click.Continue reading on DailyCoin More

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    The Future of the Metaverse Will Impact More Than Just Businesses

    Many agree that the metaverse will change life as we currently know it; even the most hesitant projections still inevitably see the future of the metaverse as a highly disruptive one. The basic concept of the metaverse and the idea that many aspects of our lives will move to a virtual space are likely to be the next destination in human interaction. In the near future, the world may be totally different because of the metaverse.In the case of emerging technologies, a new industry’s success can greatly depend on the technological capabilities available for use. For instance, computers aid easy bookkeeping, improve workplace efficiency, and also help with data storage. Another example is the mobile phone, which completely transformed communication as we know it, ensuring contact on the move regardless of physical locations. While these innovations have significantly improved life as we know it, there are still issues that metaverses could solve to take the concept to new heights.The physical world indirectly limits several aspects of interaction, including reach, business conduct, and social etiquette. For example, entrepreneurs running businesses spend a lot of money, time, and other resources to grow their companies and find more customers. For most of these people, the number of customers they have directly affects revenue, sales, business growth, and expansion. This limitation can hinder all kinds of entrepreneurs, including fitness coaches, fashion brand owners, teachers, and more.There is also the problem with restricted social interaction. For the average human being, human interaction is not only important but also an essential part of everyday life. People who have similar interests and lifestyles always gravitate towards each other to create communities where they can further promote these interests and develop bonds. Although technology has helped social interaction evolve over the years, there is still a need for something new.The Metaverse is the SolutionWhile general metaverse infrastructure is still lacking, there has been a massive shift in awareness of these types of projects. Currently, metaverse projects are changing the e-commerce and gaming industries, and increasingly receiving heavy funding for continuous growth and development – with some of the largest companies globally pivoting to include the metaverse and its opportunities as part of their business model.The metaverse quickly solves many of the problems individuals and businesses face. Entrepreneurs can expand their customer base by marketing their goods and services to a new and growing audience. Regardless of the sector, each business can purchase digital real estate and draw in people from all walks of life across different countries. The virtual reach is also perfect for several projects offering services that do not require physical interaction. For instance, a fitness coach or therapist can reach people and conduct business in the metaverse, receiving instant remote payments via non-fungible tokens (NFTs) or cryptocurrencies.Social interaction in the metaverse also completely removes the limitations the average person experiences in the real world. Instead of relying on people in proximity, anyone can find, join, or build a community of like-minded people in the metaverse. Participants can connect and explore activities such as painting, architecture or music, and almost any other hobby or interest. In addition, honing a particular skill set becomes easier by practicing with experts in the metaverse, regardless of the individual or group’s location.Explore Ethereum TowersPeople looking to expand their horizons and connect with others can easily begin by purchasing real estate in Ethereum Towers. The community-centric vertical building has a total of 4,388 apartments in the upcoming Ethereum Worlds metaverse. Just like in the real world, owners of Ethereum Towers apartments can use their spaces however they like.Ethereum Towers solves problems business owners and entrepreneurs face with expanding their audiences. An entrepreneur can buy an apartment in one of two available towers and quickly set up shop digitally. The offering does not restrict owners to specific uses, and allows people to furnish, design, and even divide the apartments as they see fit. This means that a business owner can set up a fashion store, hold an art exhibition, or teach a fitness class – all without the classic restrictions of a physical or location-restricted business. Generally, purchasing an apartment could open up the average business owner’s audience to include targeted or prospective audiences, as well as random onlookers and spectators.Ethereum Towers also considerably expands the opportunity for social interaction. Metaverses provide the perfect digital infrastructure to socialize with users from all across the globe. All property owners and visitors in Ethereum Worlds can engage with each other and be able to share ideas and mutual interests while bonding in a fun and interactive environment. The building also has communal areas where people can meet, or set up periodic appointments for business or pleasure.Beyond these aspects, the metaverse also presents investment opportunities for all interested owners. Real estate investment is an age-long concept that has stood the test of time and continually helps investors earn passive income. People who purchase apartments in the Ethereum Towers become early metaverse real estate investors, primed for earnings as time passes and the user base grows. Since real estate value almost always appreciates in the real world, early Ethereum Towers landlords have the potential to earn from their apartments’ increasing value via renting, leasing, or outright sales.More Than Just BusinessesThe possibilities offered in the metaverse are limitless. While these offerings remarkably affect businesses, other opportunities could be based on digital real estate investments. People looking to invest in properties can spend less on virtual options for the possibility of equal or even more returns, creating a better system for all involved.Continue reading on CoinQuora More

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    Simple math says Russia could collect up to $13B in crypto tax each year

    The Bell, a local Russian publication, reportedly got its hands on the government analytic note that estimated the yearly tax revenue. According to the letter’s authors, Russians hold 12% or nearly $214 billion in crypto. The number of users on foreign exchanges is estimated to be about 10 million, added with the significant number of over-the-counter (OTC) crypto trades. The government agency believes even the most straightforward tax imposition can generate anywhere from 146 billion rubles to 1 trillion in crypto tax revenue.Continue Reading on Coin Telegraph More

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    With elections looming, France reins in open EU trade policy

    BRUSSELS (Reuters) – France, facing a presidential election in weeks, has halted moves to clear an EU trade deal with Mexico which would allow in 20,000 tonnes of beef imports and wants to make it tougher to access the bloc’s markets, diplomats say.The European Union’s second largest economy runs a consistent overall trade surplus with non-EU countries and its companies benefit from the lower tariffs of trade deals, but farmer sensitivity to beef imports in particular makes trade politically explosive.A new trade pact might spark farm protests or fuel anti-globalisation rhetoric from far-right opponents, hampering President Emmanuel Macron’s expected re-election bid in April and legislative elections in June.Interbev, France’s meat federation, has urged Macron to oppose the deal and block ongoing negotiations that could lead to further “ultra-competitive” meat imports from the likes of Australia, New Zealand or the Mercosur bloc, comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Conveniently, France holds the rotating presidency of the bloc for the first half of the year, giving it the chance to steer EU policy.One trade agreement that would normally have been put to EU governments for approval is the update of an existing deal with Mexico, signed in 2020, which would allow in 20,000 tonnes of beef imports.Trade talks were indeed suspended with Australia after French fury over a cancelled submarine contract. France also put on hold the conclusion of negotiations to modernise its trade deal with Chile, according to EU diplomats and officials.”The (EU) Commission has accepted, due to the importance of the election and the sensitivities around trade and globalisation, that nothing will get through. It’s frustrating. We can complain, but this is how it is,” said one EU diplomat.A French government spokesperson said it was not France holding up trade deals.Trade Minister Franck Riester points to Chile having a new president, who only begins in March and whose administration will need to work with the Commission to finalise a deal. The Mexican agreement is in the hands of the Commission, he said.A PAUSE OR A DAMAGING DELAY?Paris is not without allies. Some EU countries, with sizeable farm sectors to protect, are quietly backing Paris. Many EU lawmakers also favour greater reciprocity and trade based more on European values.”There’s more than just French fingerprints on this trade paralysis,” said a senior EU diplomat.Some diplomats and trade experts believe this is just a pause given the next holders of the EU’s rotating presidency are the more free trade-minded Czech Republic and Sweden.Others say it undermines the bloc’s credibility among trade partners, who spend years negotiating deals with the Commission, only to find it taking years more for it to be sold to EU lawmakers and governments.There is also a matter of timing, in terms of the leaders, domestic politics and the electoral cycle. “The question is whether the stars are aligned. For the EU deals with Japan and Vietnam they were aligned, but it may not have happened again,” said Hosuk Lee-Makiyama, director of trade think tank ECIPE.TRADE DEFENCEBy contrast, France is enthusiastic on more protective trade measures.It wants agreement by early March on legislation designed to limit foreign bidders for EU public procurement contracts if their own countries do not reciprocate.It is also keeping a keen eye on a review of conditions for striking a free trade agreement with Europe.The latter centres on environmental and labour standards that the bloc insists its free trade partner must uphold. France though has raised eyebrows with its talk of a need for “mirror clauses”.Riester says such clauses already exist in bans on growth hormones in meat or plans to limit trade in products linked to deforestation. Other EU members are concerned they could go much further, deterring would-be partners that would need to mirror EU working practices with no EU commitment to mirror theirs.Bernd Lange, the influential head of the European Parliament’s trade committee, said the EU was learning, along with other economies, that trade policy needed to take workers and the environment more into account.”The old-fashioned theory of trade based on Ricardo and Smith, that you just withdraw trade restrictions and growth will come, benefiting everybody, is quite wrong,” he said. More