BLOCKCHAIN & CRYPTOCURRENCIES

Central banks could allow access around the clock if they used blockchains, a senior Bank of Japan official speculated last week. Read more: www.coindesk.com

Standard Chartered has initiated proof-of-concept trials on robo-advisory services and blockchain with two startups. Read more: www.finextra.com

The ICO campaign of Exscudo, a new financial ecosystem, will run 37 days from April 25th till May 31st, 2017. Read more: www.bitcoinist.com

Argentinian bitcoin startup Ripio (formerly Bitpagos) has bumped up its Series A round with an additional $428,000. Read more: www.fintechroundup.com

Indian authorities are engaging in a sweeping crackdown on OneCoin, a digital investment scheme that is commonly seen as a scam. Read more: www.cryptocoinsnews.com

Last week, the South Korean government selected life insurance company, Kyobo Life, to pioneer blockchain technology. Read more: www.crowdfundinsider.com

Sikoba is taking the first step towards its upcoming ICO by launching a token presale. Read more: www.prnewswire.com

A former software engineer for cryptocurrency exchange startup Coinbase has launched a new search engine for ethereum. Read more: www.coindesk.com

At least three bitcoin exchanges have said in recent weeks that they can’t process transactions in dollars, as global banks pull back from sectors they deem too risky. Read more: www.wsj.com

Ripple is adding 10 new banks and financial services providers to what it's now calling its "blockchain network". Read more: www.coindesk.com