SWIFT is testing a blockchain project with crypto startup Symbiont to drive “efficiencies in communicating significant corporate events”, like mergers (Katherine Doherty/Bloomberg)

Aoyon Ashraf / CoinDesk:
SWIFT is working with blockchain data provider Chainlink on a cross-chain interoperability protocol to let SWIFT messages instruct on-chain token transfers  —  Interest from institutional investors moving into crypto has been “undeniable,” according to SWIFT’s Strategy Director.

Manish Singh / TechCrunch:
The European Central Bank says that bitcoin is “rarely used for legal transactions” and is on the “road to irrelevance”, without citing any strong data points  —  European Central Bank officials alleged on Wednesday that bitcoin is “rarely used for legal transactions …

Kyungji Cho / Bloomberg:
South Korea details more “abnormal” foreign exchange transactions, most related to crypto, bringing the total to $7.2B since June; 72% went to Hong Kong  —  South Korea confirmed more cases of “abnormal” foreign-exchange transactions, mostly related to cryptocurrencies, the nation’s financial watchdog said.

Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Netflix plans to expand its pre-release content screening program, the Netflix Preview Club, from 2,000+ users to tens of thousands in early 2023  —  Streaming giant plans global expansion of program that helped make ‘Don’t Look Up’ less serious  —  Netflix’s Turbulent Year: How It Reversed Subscriber Losses

Coco Feng / South China Morning Post:
China’s central bank: e-CNY transactions totaled ~$14B from December 2019 to August 2022, up 14% from ~$12.2B in December 2021, signaling slowing growth  —  China’s central bank digital currency transactions totalled 100 billion yuan (US$14 billion) from the start of the e-CNY initiative …

Michael McSweeney / The Block:
The Australian Securities Exchange paused its years-long blockchain project to replace its settlement and clearing system, saying it plans to write-off $175M  —  – The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) is dropping a long-in-the-making blockchain-powered replacement for its CHESS settlement and clearing system.