The Facebook Pay will be a unified payment service available across all Facebook apps like Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp. This service will work independently from Facebook’s Calibra network and wallet.
Mark Zuckerberg has made it clear that Facebook will not launch its Libra crypto until all the regulators have been brought on board and every regulatory issue resolved satisfactorily.
The way Libra is designed makes it hard for governments to see who’s paying whom, or to limit cross-border payments. Thus the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) has vowed to create a currency it can manage- likely one that will be linked to real identities.
Facebook thinks that Switzerland’s data protection commissioner should oversee Libra’s stated commitment not to monetize users’ data in the way that Facebook makes profit from selling personal information to advertisers.
eToro’s research showed that 16% of people surveyed knew what Libra was, eclipsing awareness of Ethereum (12%) and other cryptos such as Litecoin and XRP which were found to be known by even fewer people.
Even though Congress tried to inflict damage on Big Tech in hearings related to user data, antitrust concerns and Facebook’s Libra, it seems it has failed. That leaves Silicon Valley with little incentive to change.
Rep. Maxine Waters said she’s planning to call in Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to testify about his company’s new digital currency project Libra. She added that her staff has not made the formal request with Facebook yet, but they plan to do so.
Today’s the second day of Libra hearing. Amid questions of safety, compliance and consumer protection, Marcus kept stressing that Libra project would seek proper approval and registrations with the relevant authorities.
It seems that big companies as Facebook, Amazon and Google might be forbidden to launch their digital assets. If the Congress’s Bill pass – they could face with paying $1K penalties per day. Even though it’s not likely for bill to pass, it presents another obstacle for Facebook’s Libra.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said that Libra raises serious concerns regarding privacy, money laundering, consumer protection, financial stability, adding that the project “cannot go forward” until Facebook’s answers to regulators’ questions.