Frederick Munawa

Frederick Munawa was a Technology Reporter for Coindesk. He covered blockchain protocols with a specific focus on bitcoin and bitcoin-adjacent networks.

Prior to his work in the blockchain space, he worked at the Royal Bank of Canada, Fidelity Investments, and several other global financial institutions. He has a background in Finance and Law, with an emphasis on technology, investments, and securities regulation.

Frederick owns units of the CI Bitcoin ETF fund above Coindesk’s $1,000 disclosure threshold.

Frederick Munawa

Latest from Frederick Munawa


Tech

Bitcoin Core Developer Marco Falke Steps Down From Maintainer Role

Falke was Bitcoin Core’s most prolific contributor, with more than 2,000 commits over seven years.

Bitcoin Core developer Marco Falke (Twitter)

Tech

Coinkite’s New Bitcoin Hardware Wallet Looks Like BlackBerry, Takes AAA Batteries

The new Coldcard Q1 model aims to blend security and convenience – with a physical QWERTY keyboard recalling the look of a 2000's-style waffle phone. It relies on a flashlight and LED scanner to read QR codes – instead of using a camera, which can be an attack vector.

Blackberry or bitcoin wallet? The Coldcard Q1 hardware wallet looks like a 2002-style waffle phone. (Coinkite)

Tech

Bitcoin NFTs Explode in Popularity as BitMEX Research Shows 13,000 Ordinals

Interest has skyrocketed following the first Ordinals transaction on Dec. 14.

Ordinals is exploding on Bitcoin (DALL-E/CoinDesk)

Tech

Bitcoin’s Newfound NFT Hype Attracts Interest of BSV Developer Twetch

Twetch has already built a suite of NFT apps on the Bitcoin SV blockchain. So the new push by Ordinals to bring NFTs to the Bitcoin blockchain looks like an opportunity for expansion.

Ordinals Inscriptions (ordinals.com)

Tech

Giant Bitcoin 'Taproot Wizard' NFT Minted in Collaboration With Luxor Mining Pool

Luxor Mining collaborated with independent developer Udi Wertheimer to mint the NFT advertising “Magic Internet JPEGs” in “the largest Bitcoin block ever mined.”

TaprootWizards.com NFT (ordinals.com)

Tech

PKT Pal Expands Its Crypto-Powered Wi-Fi Device Lineup With Launch of 'Mini'

Customers were able to deposit $99 to reserve the $499 device starting yesterday.

(Andriy Onufriyenko/Getty Images)

Tech

Strike Expands Lightning Network-Powered Remittances to Philippines

The Philippines is one of the world’s largest remittance markets, at $35 billion, and Strike says it will use its service, powered by the Bitcoin blockchain's Lightning Network, to make the international payments faster and cheaper than available in the traditional financial system.

(Pawel Gaul/Getty Images)

Tech

Bitcoin Community Erupts in Existential Debate Over NFT Project Ordinals

Some are calling the new protocol, which stores NFTs on Bitcoin, an attack on the blockchain's original mission to conduct financial transactions. Others say the new use case should be embraced alongside other demands for block space.

Bitcoin community members are of two minds on bringing NFTs to the blockchain. (PM Images/Getty Images)

Policy

Jailed Kickboxer Andrew Tate Promoted Bitcoin for Tax Avoidance in Video

The video of Andrew Tate, who was 2022's eighth-most Googled person, was published by popular YouTube personality and criminal lawyer Bruce Rivers earlier this month. But the strategy Tate touted for bitcoin tax avoidance would likely run afoul of the law in many jurisdictions.

Andrew Tate (L) and Tristan Tate leave the Bucharest Court of Appeal after the hearing on their appeal to the decision of arrest for 30 days, on Jan. 10, 2023. (Andreea Campeanu/Getty Images)

Policy

Crypto Custodian Prime Trust to Cease Operations in Texas at End of January

The firm withdrew its Texas Money Transmitter License application but says it intends to reapply "swiftly."

Prime Trust Consensus Booth (Prime Trust)