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The Social Security Office in Alhambra, California.Mario Anzuoni | ReutersAs the Social Security Administration seeks to curb identity fraud, more people will now be required to visit an office to prove their identity for new benefit claims and direct deposit changes.In the next two weeks, the agency will transition to stronger identify proofing procedures, the Social Security Administration announced on Tuesday.Individuals who cannot use an online My Social Security account for identity proofing will need to visit their local Social Security office, according to the agency.As a result of the new proofing measures, the Social Security Administration also plans to…

(Bloomberg) — Ripple Chief Executive Officer Brad Garlinghouse said the US Securities and Exchange Commission case against the crypto company has ended, the latest of several enforcement actions that have been abandoned during the early weeks of President Donald Trump’s administration. Most Read from Bloomberg “This provides a lot of certainty for Ripple,” Garlinghouse said in an interview Wednesday on Bloomberg Television. He estimated that the San Francisco-based blockchain infrastructure company has spent more than $150 million to defend itself. A spokesperson for the SEC declined to comment. A part of the litigation between Ripple and the SEC is still…

The decision, along with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s subsequent press conference at 2:30 PM ET, is expected to have an important effect on financial markets, particularly the cryptocurrency sector. According to a study named “Monetary policy shocks and Bitcoin prices’, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have historically responded sharply to FOMC meetings as macroeconomic policies influence investor sentiment and liquidity. In December 2021, for example, Bitcoin lost nearly 10% after the Fed said it would take a more aggressive approach to rate hikes. In November 2022, by contrast, Bitcoin gained back above $17,000 after a softer-than-expected rate increase. A pause…

The Federal Reserve Building in Washington, D.C.Joshua Roberts | ReutersThe Federal Reserve announced Wednesday it will leave interest rates unchanged as President Donald Trump’s tariff policies weigh on economic growth.Although inflation receded last month, an escalating trade war threatens to hike prices on consumer goods going forward.”Tariffs on aluminum, steel and oil are essential elements to production across a wide range of products,” said Brett House, an economics professor at Columbia Business School. “Those price increases are going to ripple more widely across the American economy.”National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett recently warned of “some uncertainty” in the weeks ahead because of the United States’ tariff…

By Jonathan Stempel and Niket Nishant NEW YORK (Reuters) -Ripple Labs said on Wednesday the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ended its appeal from a court ruling that the regulator’s prior chief had said would make it harder to oversee cryptocurrency markets. The SEC had been appealing a July 2023 decision by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres in Manhattan that the XRP token sold by Ripple on public exchanges did not meet the legal definition of a security. Torres also gave the SEC a partial victory against Ripple, saying $728 million of XRP sales to institutional investors should have complied…

Bitcoin’s foundational principle of self-custody remains a core debate in the crypto industry. Speaking with Roundtable host Rob Nelson, JAN3 CEO Samson Mow defended the importance of self-custody while acknowledging that many people prefer convenience over complete financial sovereignty. “I’ve always thought the problem with Bitcoin is the best idea is that you hold your own coin and no one can get it. No one can touch it, everything’s yours, and forget about traditional banking. But that’s not what most people want,” Nelson said. “They want easy, fast, reliable, and they want some safety net because they just don’t trust…

The Good Brigade | Digitalvision | Getty ImagesThe ideal time to sell your home may be fast approaching.On average, home sellers who list their properties in the week of April 13 to April 19 this year could sell for roughly $27,000 more than other times of the year, according to a recent report by Realtor.com. The site assessed seasonal trends and housing metrics — but did not factor in mortgage rates because they do not follow seasonal patterns.”This is the right time of year to list and to get ahead,” said Joel Berner, senior economist at Realtor.com.Of course, the ideal…

(Bloomberg) — Michael Saylor’s Strategy (MSTR) is pulling just about every lever it can to pool cash to build on its mammoth Bitcoin (BTC-USD) stockpile, planning to sell another stock-like product with a twist: It can’t be converted into shares and is intended to trade forever. Most Read from Bloomberg The so-called perpetual strife preferred stock is being pitched to investors with an eye-catching 10% dividend, a higher coupon than a separate preferred offering the former MicroStrategy Inc. completed in January. The structure is notable because unlike the previous deal, there’s no conversion price. It’s another unique step for the…

FAISALABAD: Opener Mohammad Faiq struck a magnificent century to help Lahore Region Whites to a massive 134-run win against Larkana Region in their National T20 Cup group match at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad on Monday. Faiq, who brought up his second T20 century in just fourth game, came out all guns blazing as he notched his half-century off just 20 balls, the fastest in the ongoing edition of the tournament. He hit 13 fours and seven sixes in the 56-ball outing and brought up his century with a maximum, off fifty balls. Valuable contributions from Mohammad Akhlaq (35 off 26…

Imane Khelif, who won Paris Olympics boxing gold amid a gender-eligibility row, is determined to defend her title at the 2028 Los Angeles Games and says she will not be intimidated by US President Donald Trump. Trump signed an executive order banning transgender women from female sports in the United States last month and called Khelif “a male boxer” in his speech after signing the order. “I will give you a straightforward answer, I am not transgender,” she told ITV in an interview. “This does not concern me, and it does not intimidate me.” The International Olympic Committee’s executive board…