India may ban private cryptocurrency, launch CBDC; Apple sues Israeli spyware group NSO; plus, Hemant Mohapatra at Lightspeed on the promise of crypto

India may ban private cryptocurrencies and launch a central bank digital currency, according to a parliament bulletin released on Tuesday. The Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021, is among the proposed laws that will be taken up when the parliament meets for its winter session starting November 29.

According to the bulletin, the bill seeks “To create a facilitative framework for the creation of the official digital currency to be issued by the Reserve Bank of India. The Bill also seeks to prohibit all private cryptocurrencies in India, however, it allows for certain exceptions to promote the underlying technology of cryptocurrency and its uses.”

Apple has filed a lawsuit against NSO Group and its parent company to hold it accountable for the surveillance and targeting of Apple users, the iPhone maker said in a press release. The complaint provides new information on how NSO Group infected victims’ devices with its Pegasus spyware. To prevent further abuse and harm to its users, Apple is also seeking a permanent injunction to ban NSO Group from using any Apple software, services, or devices.

NSO Group creates sophisticated, state-sponsored surveillance technology that allows its highly targeted spyware to surveil its victims. These attacks are aimed at a very small number of users, and they impact people across multiple platforms, including iOS and Android.

SenseTime, one of China’s biggest AI solution providers, is a step closer to its initial public offering, according to TechCrunch. SenseTime has received regulatory approval to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Founded in 2014, SenseTime was christened as one of China’s four ‘AI Dragons’ alongside Megvii, CloudWalk, and Yitu.

Atom Bank, an online bank in the UK, has introduced a four-day workweek for its 430 staff without cutting their pay, BBC reports. Employees now work 34 hours over four days and get Monday or Friday off, when previously they clocked 37.5 hours across the whole week.

Inspired by the Covid-19 pandemic, the move will help retain staff and improve their wellbeing. However, employees will have to work longer hours on the days they are coming to the office.

(03.27) Interview: Hemant Mohapatra, partner at Lightspeed, on prospects of crypto startups in India and south-east Asia

India has a nascent but growing cryptocurrency and blockchain sector, with at least two startups already crowned unicorns on the back of a strong venture capital investor interest. In today's interview, Hemant Mohapatra—a partner at Lightspeed, which is among the VC firms that have backed the crypto sector for several years now, discusses his new comprehensive report on the prospects of crypto startups in India and south-east Asia.