In this March 29, 2018, file photo is the Facebook logo on screens at the Nasdaq MarketSite, in New York's Times Square. A once-ambitious Facebook-backed digital currency project — formerly known as Libra, now called Diem — is shifting operations from Switzerland to the U.S. and said it plans to launch a cryptocurrency tied to the U.S. dollar later in 2021. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
By Barbara Ortutay
A once-ambitious Facebook-backed digital currency project — formerly known as Libra, now called Diem — is shifting operations from Switzerland to the U.S. and said it plans to launch a cryptocurrency tied to the U.S. dollar later this year.
As part of the move, Diem said it is also withdrawing its application for a payment system license from the Swiss Financial Markets Authority, which it has not been able to secure thus far.
The Diem Association, which includes Facebook and 25 other companies, said Wednesday has it entered a partnership with Silvergate Capital Corp. to issue a “stablecoin” backed by the U.S. dollar. A stablecoin is a digital currency backed by real-world assets such as national currencies or other commodities.
As the name implies, stablecoins are designed to not fluctuate wildly in value. That's in sharp contrast to cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, whose value is not tied to a real-world currency and whose price has ranged between roughly $9,000 and $63,000 over the past year.
Facebook announced the Libra project in 2019, at the time envisioning it as a stablecoin based on a basket of national currencies. Since then, the effort has been scaled back considerably amid regulatory and commercial backlash. It underwent a name change in December 2020.
Wednesday's announcement represents a further scaling back as Diem shifts focus to the U.S. from its original ambitions to become a global currency for the unbanked around the world.
Jay Woods of Freedom Capital Markets shares thoughts on how the latest inflation report will impact the market, and why he expects a ‘cascade’ of IPOs if Reddit’s public debut goes well.
During AT&T's widespread outage Thursday, landline phones were a working alternative — which most of the U.S. does not have. Over half of Americans are estimated to have ditched landlines altogether.
Jade Kearney Dube, Founder & CEO of She Matters talks the Symptom Tracker app, cultural competency for healthcare providers, and being a Black woman CEO looking for funding.
Ahead of April’s planned BitCoin halving, Bitfarms CEO Geoff Morphy shares why he thinks the crypto rally will continue, plus why you’ll see a broader adoption of clean energy for mining.
Did you know there's a big difference between a dude ranch and a working cattle ranch? Check out the new generation of ranches, and live out your cowboy dreams.
Lara Rhame, FS Investments chief U.S. economist, discusses the recent market highs, how the job market is in a ‘good place,’ and why rates staying higher for longer might not be a bad thing.
