Crypto Deals Galore in US, Europe for Opera, Abra and F1

Tim Alper
Last updated: | 2 min read

Bitcoin and altcoins may have spent much of the year thus far in the red, but major cryptocurrency and blockchain ventures appear undaunted – and are instead making positive moves, with a range of new services and deals potentially set to reignite the market.

Source: iStock/Ivan-balvan

Cryptocurrency exchange Safello has struck a deal with Opera that will allow Sweden-, Norway- and Denmark-based users of its Android browser buy Ethereum (ETH) tokens directly from Opera’s browser wallet, with transactions taking “less than 60 seconds” to complete, per Opera. The exchange has also offered 5% discounts to certain users in the three countries as part of a promotional offer.

The exchange is registered with Sweden’s regulatory Financial Supervisory Authority. Safello states that it will use Danish and Swedish state-recognized banking identity-checking solutions to verify ETH transactions.

In the United States, Abra, a blockchain-powered crypto trading app states that it will allow its customers to use cryptocurrencies to buy conventional shares in “major firms like Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Google and Netflix,” as well as enabling smart contract-powered exchange-traded fund (ETF) trading investments, and indexes “including the Russell 2000.” Recently, similar crypto investing services have been also offered by two other companies.

In the world of sport, meanwhile, FuturoCoin, a token based on Dash code, has become the first crypto-venture to sponsor a Formula 1 team. Per the Red Bull racing team, FuturoCoin signed a multi-year agreement that “will see FuturoCoin branding feature on the Aston Martin Red Bull Racing RB15 [racing car], team transporters and the overalls of drivers Max Verstappen and Pierre Gasly.”

Austrian soft drinks maker Red Bull has become one of the biggest names in modern F1, having bagged four drivers’ championships since joining in 2006. Red Bull has also won four constructors’ championships in its 12 years in the sport.

Haas F1 team driver Romain Grosjean has also penned an individual deal with Austrian cryptocurrency company Soccer Coin. The company’s logo will appear on Grosjean’s helmet for the 2019 season, which begins on March 25.

Soccer Coin has previously sealed a partnership deal with one of Austria’s top football teams, SK Rapid Wien, per the former’s website.

Moreover, as reported yesterday, Coinbase states that its wallet app will be updated to provide Bitcoin support on both iOS and Android platforms. The exchange says that it is also enabling PayPal withdrawal options to a total of 32 European nations, comprising the 28 member states of the EU and all four EFTA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland), with support for PayPal withdrawal to be added “in other countries this year.” The company re-enabled the same service for American users at the end of last year.