Delays Be Damned: Tezos Blockchain Tech Enters Beta Testing

A nearly year-long wait appears to be over for investors in the embattled block chain project Tezos.

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Payments Giant Qiwi Unveils Crypto Investment Bank

Russian epayment giant Qiwi is launching a crypto investment bank to advise ICO investors and help companies tokenize their assets.

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VeChain Arrives: What to Know About the $1.5 Billion Blockchain for Business

After amassing more than $1 billion in investment, the VeChain blockchain is officially operational, marking the latest milestone for the project.

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Below $0.50: XRP Prices Fall to New 2018 Lows

XRP and other well-known crypto assets are sitting on dangerous grounds as they print new price lows not seen since 2017.

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Tron's Election Is Underway, But Who's In Control of the $2 Billion Code?

Tron is in the process of electing "super representatives," but who's behind the wheel until the votes are in?

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Startup Raises $600K to Build Bitcoin Cash Mobile Wallet

CoinText.io,a blockchain startup developing a way of conducting offline bitcoin cash transactions, closed a $600,000 seed funding round.

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Huobi Partners With JD Cloud to Explore Blockchain Tech Applications

JD Cloud has signed a partnership contract with Huobi to conduct research in several fields related to cloud computing and blockchain technology.

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Tether Code 'Flaw' Was Actually an Exchange Integration Error

A suspected vulnerability in Tether's code for its USDT stablecoin has been confirmed as an exchange integration issue, not a protocol bug.

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Polish Bitcoin Association Challenges Banks Over Crypto Account Refusals

An industry group in Poland is attempting to challenge banks that have allegedly denied services for firms working with cryptocurrencies.

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Major Banks, Regulators Trial 'Know Your Customer' App on R3's Corda

Around 40 participants have trialed a "self-sovereign" know-your-customer application that gives customers more control over their data.

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Keeping Ethereum's Promise: CryptoKitties Is Embracing Open-Source

By moving to open-source more of the CryptoKitties codebase, the ethereum-based startup is making its project more of a true decentralized app.

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Alibaba Seeks to Eliminate Middlemen in Blockchain Payments Patent

A new patent filing reveals Chinese e-commerce giant has been exploring the use of blockchain technology to speed up international payments.

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Bitcoin Price Risks Further Drop After Close Below $6K

Bitcoin could drop to fresh 2018 lows below $5,755, having closed below the key support of $6,000 yesterday.

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Mobiles Next? Kaspersky Warns on Rapid Spread of Malicious Crypto Miners

Kaspersky Lab says crypto-mining malware is quickly replacing ransomware, warning that mobiles could be the next big target.

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Reinsurance Giants Tap Blockchain for Data Transparency Boost

A group of reinsurance giants in China are jointly developing a blockchain system aimed to reduce data disparities in the industry.

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Regulator Survey Prompts Concerns Over Public Knowledge of Crypto

Hodling but ignorant? An Ontario regulator is concerned the public still lacks knowledge about crypto and its regulation – even if they own assets.

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Neo's Next Act? $700 Million Crypto Ontology Is About to Go Live

The project, closely tied to Neo, has big plans for enterprise applications and digital identity.

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Zcash Governance Panel Shoots Down Research on ASIC Resistance

Members of the zcash community have voted not to prioritize ASIC resistance.

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France Wants to Extradite Alleged Bitcoin Money Launderer

France, joined United States and Russia, is seeking the extradition of the alleged bitcoin money launder Alexander Vinnik.

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Registered Broker Templum Plans Security Identifiers for Tokenized Assets

Regulated token trader Templum Markets is partnering with CUSIP Global Services (CGS) to bring securities identification numbers to tokenized assets.

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Bank of England Warns Finance Firms Over Crypto Risks

A Bank of England official has warned banks and other financial firms about exposure to cryptocurrency-related assets in a letter.

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Industrial Giant GE Eyes Blockchain in Fight Against 3D-Printing Fakes

General Electric wants to use a blockchain to verify 3D-printed parts in its supply chain, according to a recently published patent filing.

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Messaging Giant Line to Launch Crypto Exchange in July

Line, the company behind a popular chat app in Japan, announced Thursday that will open a cryptocurrency exchange in July. 

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Bittrex CEO to Advise Cuban-Backed Crypto Gaming Platform Unikrn

Bittrex CEO Bill Shihara will help guide the crypto eSports betting platform as it works to improve the security and adoption of its crypto token.

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Blockchain Can Legally Authenticate Evidence, Chinese Judge Rules

A court in China's Hangzhou city has ruled that evidence authenticated with blockchain technology can be presented in legal disputes.

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Bithumb Claims to Have Retrieved $14 Million in Hacked Cryptos

The Korean exchange says it has clawed back some of the millions lost in a theft of cryptocurrencies including bitcoin, XRP and bitcoin cash.

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Bitcoin Price Defends $6K as Traders Go Long

Bitcoin's technical charts continue to call a drop below $6,000, yet investor activity indicates a corrective rally could be on the cards.

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Crypto Venture Firm to Invest 200K Ether in US Startups

A China-based venture firm focused on the crypto industry aims to invest 200,000 ethereum in U.S. startups

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A Plan to Send Millions in Bitcoin to Venezuela Is Moving Ahead

Developer Jonathan Wheeler plans to airdrop bitcoin across Venezuela, in an ambitious attempt at quelling the country's ongoing economic crisis.

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Bank Regulator Proposes Chinese Crypto License In Research Paper

A research paper from China's banking regulator suggests the country should let ICOs operate legally under a financial regulatory framework.

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Dan Larimer: EOS Arbitrator 'Damage to Community' Worse Than Thefts

The CTO of Block.One wants to curtail the controversial EOS arbitrator's role – if not eliminate it entirely.

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Chat App Kik Launches 'Crypto-Economy' With Kin Token Integration

Messaging app Kik's users can now begin earning and spending its kin token with the launch of its "crypto-economy," the company said Wednesday.

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Pornhub Adds Tron, ZenCash as Crypto Payment Options

Pornhub, the largest pornography site in the Internet world, announced today that it will accept TRON(TRX) and ZenCash soon as payment methods.

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Risk Flight? Bitcoin 'Dominance Rate' Hits 9-Week High

Bitcoin's percentage of the crypto market is up – a sign that investors are likely switching their money from alternative cryptocurrencies.

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Malta Passes Trio of Bills as Part of 'Blockchain Island' Plan

Malta's parliament has passed three bills on crypto assets and blockchain, in a big step toward its plan to become a "Blockchain Island."

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Zeroing In: Zcash Sets 2-Year Course for Better Crypto Privacy

Nearly two years after launch, Zcash is entering what could be a crucial period, one that could expand the core features of its technology.

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Crypto Startup Uphold Moves to Become Licensed U.S. Broker-Dealer

Digital money platform Uphold is looking to become a Finra-registered broker-dealer following a new acquisition, the company says.

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Bitcoin Price Risks Another Fall Below $6K, Charts Say

After yesterday's drop, bitcoin could fall below the $6,000 mark, but will likely fare better other cryptocurrencies.

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Korean Watchdog Tightens Rules on Crypto Exchange Bank Accounts

Banks in South Korea are now required to monitor all accounts held by crypto exchanges following a tightening of anti-money laundering measures.

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Huobi Pro Exchange to Suspend Crypto Trading in Japan

Huobi Pro is to stop offering trading services to investors living in Japan, reportedly over its lack of a license in the country.

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The EOS Arbitrator Problem: A Crypto Governance Breakdown Explained

Dispute settlement in EOS is being handled by a group called ECAF, but its role – and how it should communicate – still needs to be figured out.

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US State Seeks to Confiscate $24 Million in Dark Web Bitcoin

The crackdown of vendors on darkweb marketplaces lets the U.S. government seize 4,000 bitcoins and now it wants to confiscate all of them.

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Hong Kong Seeks to Widen DLT Use in Trade Finance

Hong Kong's banking regulator is planning to widen its works on cross-border trade finance using distributed ledger technology.

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Korea's Exchange Hacks: What the Country's Crypto Scene Is Saying

Koreans have been up in arms on social media ever since two popular South Korean crypto exchanges were hacked only weeks a part from each other.

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Congress Advances Bill to Study Crypto Use in Drug, Sex Trafficking

Lawmakers in the House of Representatives have passed a bill that would approve a study of the use of cryptocurrencies in the sex and drug trades.

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Overwinter Is Here: Zcash Claims 'Successful' First Hard Fork

Zcash has successfully activated its Overwinter hard fork, setting the privacy-focused cryptocurrency up for its major Sapling upgrade in the autumn.

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PBoC Filings Reveal Big Picture for Planned Digital Currency

The continuing efforts by China's central bank to build a fully-featured digital currency product are revealed in its many patent filings.

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Privacy Is Vital to Crypto – And the Global Economy

Privacy is needed to enhance the "moneyness" of cryptocurrency. As it is, our entire global system of money has also seen its fungibility deteriorate.

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2 APAC Nations Have Ruled Out Central Bank Digital Currencies

The central banks of both Australia and New Zealand have said they do not plan to create their own digital currencies – at least for now.

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Bitcoin Price Building Relief Rally, But Resistance Hurdles Await

Currently trading sideways, bitcoin still looks set for a corrective rally as long as prices remain above $6,000.

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A New Business Model Is Shaking Up the Crypto Exchange Rankings

The recently introduced, and controversial, "trans-fee mining" revenue model is starting to change the cryptocurrency exchange landscape.

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Banks Are Trying to Launch Crypto Assets with R3 Tech

Stealth project Cordite, led by the Royal Bank of Scotland, promises the equivalent of an ERC-20 token standard for R3's open-source Corda platform.

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Exchange Leak Puts $620K Worth of Customer Crypto At Risk

A new exchange from South Korea leaked critical information about 19 of its users, potentially putting some $620,000 worth of cryptocurrency at risk.

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Pharma Giant Merck Eyes Blockchain for Fighting Counterfeit Meds

International shipping giant Merck may be looking to blockchain technology to protect against counterfeit goods, according to a patent application.

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Spain's Securities Market Watchdog Completes Blockchain Test

A pilot test was successfully conducted for a Spanish-backed blockchain project to increase the efficiency of registering issuances.

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China's Crypto Ratings Index Puts EOS in Top Slot, Drops Bitcoin

China's Global Public Chain Assessment Index has released its second monthly evaluation of blockchain networks – with perhaps surprising results.

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Tezos, A Launch Story: What's Left Before the $232 Million Tech Goes Live?

Tezos announced its handing the blockchain over to the community after launch. And that's not the only way the project is similar to EOS.

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Crypto Exchange Huobi Poaches App Exec to Lead New US Branch

A senior executive from the provider of China's top photo-retouching app will now lead HBUS – the U.S. arm of crypto exchange Huobi.

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AlipayHK Opens Blockchain Remittance Corridor to the Philippines

The payment affiliate of China's e-commerce giant Alibaba has launched a blockchain-based remittance service between Hong Kong and the Philippines.

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Bitcoin's Defense of $6K Raises Odds of Relief Rally

Bitcoin could trade on a positive note for the rest of the week, if prices close today above Sunday's high of $6,250.

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Bitcoin Miner BTCC to Sell Stake in Pool for $17 Million

BTCC's mining pool has provisionally agreed to sell a large portion of its equity to a Hong Kong-based financial service firm for $17 million.

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How Commerzbank Is Throwing Out the Business Blockchain Playbook

The German bank is building on five different blockchains, and not just to hedge its bets – it sees a multi-chain future.

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Another Bitcoin Miner Maker Is Seeking to Go Public in Hong Kong

Ebang, one of the largest bitcoin mining chip makers from China, has filed for an initial public offering with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

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Overwinter Ahead: What Should Happen When Zcash's First Hard Fork Hits

With its community aligned, Zcash's first hard fork, Overwinter, might not be exciting. But as always, you never really rule out a blockchain split.

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Crypto Tourism Is Growing – For Better or Worse

From luxury cruises to Middle East startup tours, crypto enthusiasts are traveling the world, but it's not always seen in a positive light.

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4 Blockchain Entrepreneurs Win $100K Thiel Awards

Entrepreneurs and developers behind four different blockchain startups can add their names to the list of Thiel Fellowship awardees.

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Crypto Non-Profits Are Flawed – Zcash Thinks It Can Change That

Ahead of the Zcash Foundation's first big gathering, crypto aficionados are watching to see if the non-profit can redeem a maligned governance model.

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Crypto Trading 101: A Beginner's Guide to Candlesticks

If you have ever been confused by patterns flashing on crypto charts, this crash course on candlesticks will help clear a few things up.

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US Senate Hearing Will Look at Crypto's Impact on Elections

The U.S. policymakers will look into potential risks that digital currencies could pose to the American democracy.

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Litecoin Sinks to Lowest Price in 7 Months

Litecoin's (LTC) price hit a seven-month low on Friday as the cryptocurrency markets turned risk-averse.

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US Congressman: SEC's Stance on Ether Is 'Encouraging'

Republican Congressman Tom Emmer has praised the SEC for its recent comment indicating that ether is not a security.

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Mt Gox to Enter Civil Rehabilitation in Major Win for Creditors

Mt. Gox's bankruptcy proceedings have been halted and its bitcoin holdings could soon be distributed to creditors seeking reimbursement.

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Fur Real? Businesses Test CryptoKitties-Inspired Ethereum Tech

Startup Arianee believes the token technology can be used to help luxury brands create unique identities for bespoke handbags and expensive watches.

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New Crypto Exchange Draws Fire Over Controversial Business Model

FCoin has launched to spiking trading volumes by utilizing a new revenue model called "trans-fee mining," but the method has been likened to an ICO.

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Bitcoin Eyes Bear Revival After Key Support Breached

Bitcoin's bears have seized the upper hand and forced a rising wedge breakdown, the technical charts indicate.

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Japan's Financial Watchdog Orders AML Shake-Up at 6 Crypto Exchanges

Japan's Financial Services Agency has issued business improvement orders to six licensed crypto exchanges operating in the country.

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The Downside of Democracy (and What it Means for Blockchain Governance)

Introducing on-chain governance to crypto networks is likely to make them more like nation-states with the inefficiencies that entails.

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Korean Government to Lead 6 Blockchain Pilots With $9 Million Fund

A South Korean government agency has announced a plan to boost blockchain adoption in the country.

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Ripple CEO Defends XRP Token's Utility at Fintech Conference

"Let's be clear: Ripple is different than XRP," said Ripple head Brad Garlinghouse during day two of CB Insights' Future of Fintech conference.

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Stanford University Launches New Blockchain Research Center

Stanford University launches the Center for Blockchain Research and Vitalik Buterin, the creator of Ethereum, is one of the sponsors.

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Bitcoin Just Got a Shoutout in a New US Supreme Court Opinion

That's not something you see every day: an opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court that makes a reference to cryptocurrencies.

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IOST Blockchain Incubator Launches With $50 Million Fund

Bluehill, a startup incubator for global blockchain projects, launched on Thursday after raising $50 million to support the IOST ecosystem.

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Bithumb Working With Other Crypto Exchanges to Recover Hacked Funds

South Korea's Bithumb cryptocurrency exchange said Thursday that it may be able to reduce the losses arising from a major hack earlier this week.

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Ethereum Accelerator to Offer Crypto Coders Resources and 'Reality Check'

A blockchain company known as a hub of startups is expanding its reach, launching a new San Francisco-based startup accelerator.

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Cheetah's New App Lets Crypto Investors Track Portfolios on the Go

Beijing-based app developer Cheetah Mobile is releasing an app that lets investors monitor cryptocurrency portfolios over multiple platforms.

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This $575 Million ICO With Royal Backing Is So Crazy, It Might Be Real

A video-on-demand service that shares ad revenues with viewers and creators has raised more than half a billion bucks in a private token sale.

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$7K Resistance Is Capping Bitcoin's Upside Price Potential

Bitcoin's bulls are struggling to force a rally, despite a still-favorable short-term set-up on the technical charts.

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Amsterdam's Airport Lets Travelers Swap Leftover Euros for Cryptos

Amsterdam's Schiphol airport has launched an ATM that allows departing travelers to exchange their remaining euros for bitcoin or ethereum.

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St Louis Fed Now Tracks Crypto Prices on Its Research Database

The St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank is now tracking the prices of four top cryptos in its economic research database, FRED.

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National Chinese Science Academy Launches Blockchain Lab

China's federal science institution, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, is eyeing blockchain technology, the school announced this week. 

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Bloomberg Terminal Adds Huobi's Cryptocurrency Market Index

The Huobi Pro exchange has announced that Bloomberg now provides the HUOBI10 crypto market index on its terminal service. 

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Robinhood CEO: It's 'Very Foolish' to Rule Out Bitcoin

More than a million people signed up to trade cryptocurrencies after Robinhood first announced the feature, co-CEO Vlad Tenev said Wednesday.

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Enigma Protocol to Integrate Smart Contracts Tech With Intel Systems

Smart contracts project Enigma will use Intel tech to help secure one of the first public blockchains utilizing privacy-preserving "secret contracts."

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The SEC Just Froze One ICO's Accounts for A Second Time

The SEC is once more taking action against a co-founder of the PlexCoin ICO project, having already sued him over securities violations and fraud.

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Singer Akon Announces Cryptocurrency and Plans for Real-Life 'Wakanda'

Add Akon to the list of celebrities who are launching their own cryptocurrencies.

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Tether Review Claims Crypto Asset Fully Backed – But There's a Catch

Tether has finally produced a third-party report proclaiming that its cryptocurrency, USDT, is fully backed by U.S. dollars – with some big caveats.

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Brazil's Central Bank Plans Blockchain Data Exchange for Regulators

Banco Central do Brasil is building a blockchain platform to ensure the authenticity of data exchanged between financial authorities.

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Bitcoin Retains Short-Term Bull Bias Despite Exchange Hack

Bitcoin remains on the hunt for $7,000 despite news that the a South Korean crypto exchange has been hacked.

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A UK Exchange Is Launching Litecoin Futures Trading

A month after listing ethereum-based futures for trading, U.K exchange Crypto Facilities is now launching a derivative product for litecoin.

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Bithumb Exchange's $31 Million Hack: What We Know (And Don't Know)

Hours after an exchange breach that saw $31 million stolen from Bithumb, more details have surfaced, but some questions still remain unanswered.

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EOS Locked 7 Accounts and It Has Implications for Everyone in Crypto

Seven EOS accounts were frozen to prevent token theft. But does this seemingly moral decision spell havoc for the broader crypto market?

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Nasdaq Blockchain Trial Resolves Margin Calls 'in Minutes'

A group of industry stakeholders is trialing a blockchain system designed to more efficiently cover margin calls in securities trading.

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John McAfee Won't Promote ICOs Anymore Because of 'SEC Threats'

John McAfee said in a tweet early this morning that he is "no longer working with ICOs" nor promoting them because of "threats" from SEC.

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Tron Price Spikes After Blockchain Founder Acquires BitTorrent

Tron saw double-digit gains Tuesday after announcing it acquired BitTorrent for $140 million.

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IBM, Mediaocean Partner to Tackle Ad Industry Opacity with Blockchain

IBM iX and ad software provider Mediaocean are forming a blockchain consortium aimed to solve some of the biggest issues in advertising.

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Crypto Trading Without License Is 'Illegal,' Cambodian Regulators Say

Buying, selling, trading and settlement of cryptocurrencies is now illegal without a license, according to a statement from Cambodian authorities.

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Bitcoin, DLT and Bank Ledgers: A Central Banker's View

The man in charge of China's quest to research and deploy distributed ledgers outlines his view on the breakthroughs of bitcoin and potential of DLT.

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Former Indian Lawmaker Declared 'Offender' in Bitcoin Extortion Case

A former Indian politician allegedly involved in a $1.3 million bitcoin extortion case has been declared a "proclaimed offender" by a local court.

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$7k? Bitcoin Price Looks North After Six-Day High

Despite the bearish chart setup, bitcoin rose to a six-day high on Monday, putting a corrective rally to $7,000 back on the map

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Major Crypto Exchanges Face Action Over Money-Laundering Fears

Japan's Financial Service Agency is further cracking down on what it considers lax compliance with AML rules at larger, licensed exchanges.

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Central Banks Will Jump-Start the Decentralization of Money

While the thought may disappoint cypherpunks, the first step of a transition toward a true "money of the people" will be implemented by central banks.

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Internet Cafes Hacked to Mine $800,000 in Siacoin Cryptocurrency

A group of hackers have allegedly colluded with computer maintenance firms in China to hack into computers owned by internet cafes to mine cryptos.

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Binance Backs Malta Stock Exchange's Startup Accelerator

The Malta Stock Exchange announced today that Binance is backing the exchange's newly launched program to support fintech startups and entrepreneurs.

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Bank of Korea: Central Bank Cryptocurrencies Pose 'Moral Hazard'

South Korea's central bank has announced that it does not plan to launch its own digital currency over fears it could destabilize the economy.

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Payments Firm Square Receives BitLicense From New York

Digital payments startup Square has received a BitLicense through the NY Department of Financial Services.

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Freedom of the Press Foundation Now Accepts Donations in 5 Cryptos

The Freedom of the Press Foundation has expanded its donation methods to include five cryptocurrencies, calling the move a "natural fit."

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Origin Token to Raise $6 Million in CoinList Investor ICO

Decentralized marketplace startup Origin Protocol is looking to raise $6.6 million via a token sale with help from CoinList.

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Not Sold On Blockchains for Business? Just You Wait

The seemingly banal enterprise applications for blockchain we're seeing, like food traceability, are actually a big deal and worth celebrating.

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A16z Leads Investors in $20 Million ICO for Tokenized Assets Platform

TrustToken, which aims to put tokenized assets on a blockchain, raised $20 million in a strategic token sale with help from Andreessen Horowitz.

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Bitcoin Recovery Stalls Raising Risk of Price Drop

Bitcoin will likely drop below $6,000 this week, with bearish indicators still littering short- and long-term charts.

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Factom Blockchain Project Wins Grant to Protect US Border Patrol Data

The Department of Homeland Security has awarded a grant to blockchain project Factom for live testing a platform for securing camera and sensor data.

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Insurance Group B3i Endorses R3's Corda Blockchain Platform

Blockchain insurance consortium B3i announced Monday it would use R3's Corda platform to develop its products.

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Halt the Internet? BIS Report Critiques Blockchain and DLT Claims

The Bank of International Settlements harshly reviewed the idea of cryptocurrencies, though it was more accepting of the idea of distributed ledgers.

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How to Explain Crypto Collectibles to Your Banker

When Wells Fargo thinks your video game company is a money services business, it's time to start educating people in other fields about blockchain.

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In the Scramble to Fix Digital Identity, uPort Is a Project to Watch

Digital identity is scattered and insecure. ConsenSys' uPort project wants to rework the internet to make "self-sovereign identity" a reality.

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EOS May Be Live But the Debate with Crypto Critics Continues

The EOS blockchain went live this week, sparking debate and commentary from cryptocurrency's avid social media users.

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Token Swaps: What Are They, How They Work & Why They're Happening Now

Token swaps are becoming common, but what do they mean for users and investors? CoinDesk explores the evolving art of blockchain migrations.

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Bitcoin Core 0.16.1

Bitcoin Core installation binaries can be downloaded from bitcoincore.org and the source-code is available from the Bitcoin Core source repository.

Bitcoin Core version 0.16.1 is now available from:

https://bitcoincore.org/bin/bitcoin-core-0.16.1/

This is a new major version release, including new features, various bugfixes and performance improvements, as well as updated translations.

Please report bugs using the issue tracker at GitHub:

https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/issues

To receive security and update notifications, please subscribe to:

https://bitcoincore.org/en/list/announcements/join/

How to Upgrade

If you are running an older version, shut it down. Wait until it has completely shut down (which might take a few minutes for older versions), then run the installer (on Windows) or just copy over /Applications/Bitcoin-Qt (on Mac) or bitcoind/bitcoin-qt (on Linux).

The first time you run version 0.15.0 or newer, your chainstate database will be converted to a new format, which will take anywhere from a few minutes to half an hour, depending on the speed of your machine.

Note that the block database format also changed in version 0.8.0 and there is no automatic upgrade code from before version 0.8 to version 0.15.0 or higher. Upgrading directly from 0.7.x and earlier without re-downloading the blockchain is not supported. However, as usual, old wallet versions are still supported.

Downgrading warning

Wallets created in 0.16 and later are not compatible with versions prior to 0.16 and will not work if you try to use newly created wallets in older versions. Existing wallets that were created with older versions are not affected by this.

Compatibility

Bitcoin Core is extensively tested on multiple operating systems using the Linux kernel, macOS 10.8+, and Windows Vista and later. Windows XP is not supported.

Bitcoin Core should also work on most other Unix-like systems but is not frequently tested on them.

Notable changes

Miner block size removed

The -blockmaxsize option for miners to limit their blocks’ sizes was deprecated in version 0.15.1, and has now been removed. Miners should use the -blockmaxweight option if they want to limit the weight of their blocks’ weights.

0.16.1 change log

Policy

• #11423 d353dd1 [Policy] Several transaction standardness rules (jl2012)

Mining

• #12756 e802c22 [config] Remove blockmaxsize option (jnewbery)

Block and transaction handling

• #13199 c71e535 Bugfix: ensure consistency of m_failed_blocks after reconsiderblock (sdaftuar)
• #13023 bb79aaf Fix some concurrency issues in ActivateBestChain() (skeees)

P2P protocol and network code

• #12626 f60e84d Limit the number of IPs addrman learns from each DNS seeder (EthanHeilman)

Wallet

• #13265 5d8de76 Exit SyncMetaData if there are no transactions to sync (laanwj)
• #13030 5ff571e Fix zapwallettxes/multiwallet interaction. (jnewbery)

GUI

• #12999 1720eb3 Show the Window when double clicking the taskbar icon (ken2812221)
• #12650 f118a7a Fix issue: “default port not shown correctly in settings dialog” (251Labs)
• #13251 ea487f9 Rephrase Bech32 checkbox texts, and enable it with legacy address default (fanquake)

Build system

• #12474 b0f692f Allow depends system to support armv7l (hkjn)
• #12585 72a3290 depends: Switch to downloading expat from GitHub (fanquake)
• #12648 46ca8f3 test: Update trusted git root (MarcoFalke)
• #11995 686cb86 depends: Fix Qt build with Xcode 9 (fanquake)
• #12636 845838c backport: #11995 Fix Qt build with Xcode 9 (fanquake)
• #12946 e055bc0 depends: Fix Qt build with XCode 9.3 (fanquake)
• #12998 7847b92 Default to defining endian-conversion DECLs in compat w/o config (TheBlueMatt)

Tests and QA

• #12447 01f931b Add missing signal.h header (laanwj)
• #12545 1286f3e Use wait_until to ensure ping goes out (Empact)
• #12804 4bdb0ce Fix intermittent rpc_net.py failure. (jnewbery)
• #12553 0e98f96 Prefer wait_until over polling with time.sleep (Empact)
• #12486 cfebd40 Round target fee to 8 decimals in assert_fee_amount (kallewoof)
• #12843 df38b13 Test starting bitcoind with -h and -version (jnewbery)
• #12475 41c29f6 Fix python TypeError in script.py (MarcoFalke)
• #12638 0a76ed2 Cache only chain and wallet for regtest datadir (MarcoFalke)
• #12902 7460945 Handle potential cookie race when starting node (sdaftuar)
• #12904 6c26df0 Ensure bitcoind processes are cleaned up when tests end (sdaftuar)
• #13049 9ea62a3 Backports (MarcoFalke)
• #13201 b8aacd6 Handle disconnect_node race (sdaftuar)

Miscellaneous

• #12518 a17fecf Bump leveldb subtree (MarcoFalke)
• #12442 f3b8d85 devtools: Exclude patches from lint-whitespace (MarcoFalke)
• #12988 acdf433 Hold cs_main while calling UpdatedBlockTip() signal (skeees)
• #12985 0684cf9 Windows: Avoid launching as admin when NSIS installer ends. (JeremyRand)

Documentation

• #12637 60086dd backport: #12556 fix version typo in getpeerinfo RPC call help (fanquake)
• #13184 4087dd0 RPC Docs: gettxout*: clarify bestblock and unspent counts (harding)
• #13246 6de7543 Bump to Ubuntu Bionic 18.04 in build-windows.md (ken2812221)
• #12556 e730b82 Fix version typo in getpeerinfo RPC call help (tamasblummer)

Credits

Thanks to everyone who directly contributed to this release:

• 251
• Ben Woosley
• Chun Kuan Lee
• David A. Harding
• e0
• fanquake
• Henrik Jonsson
• JeremyRand
• Jesse Cohen
• John Newbery
• Johnson Lau
• Karl-Johan Alm
• Luke Dashjr
• MarcoFalke
• Matt Corallo
• Pieter Wuille
• Suhas Daftuar
• Tamas Blummer
• Wladimir J. van der Laan

As well as everyone that helped translating on Transifex.

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Kurt Russell Is Going to Be in a Cryptocurrency Movie

One of America's most beloved Hollywood actors will be starring in a movie about cryptocurrencies. 

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Sweden's Land Registry Demos Live Transaction on a Blockchain

Swedish Land Registry and Blockchain project have concluded their third phase of testing with a full demonstration.

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Bitcoin Core 0.16.1 Released

Bitcoin Core version 0.16.1 is now available for download. All users are encouraged to upgrade to this maintenance release that fixes several bugs and provides backports of new minor features, such as:

• Mitigating a vector for denial-of-service attacks. This attack required compromising particular services and would’ve probably been most effective against nodes that were started for the first time (rather than nodes that had already been connected to the network for more than a few hours).

• Fixing a bug that could’ve potentially caused miners to lose revenue if they produced two blocks in very rapid succession.

• Ceasing relay of transactions using the rarely-seen OP_CODESEPARATOR opcode for legacy (non-segwit) signature scripts. The presence of this opcode makes it difficult for nodes to estimate how much computational work will be required to validate a legacy signature script. Because of that, it blocks the deployment of solutions to prevent attackers from creating blocks that require a long time to validate. By itself, this change to relay policy doesn’t fix the problem itself, but it does make it easier and safer to deploy proposed solutions in the future should users consent to adopt them.

For a complete list of changes, please see the release notes. If have any questions, please stop by our IRC chatroom and we’ll do our best to help you.

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SEC Has Removed 'Stumbling Block' for Ether Futures, Says Cboe

The doors may be open for Cboe to launch an ether futures product, following a recent comment from the SEC that the cryptocurrency is not a security.

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What Crypto Thinks About the SEC Saying Ether Isn't a Security

CoinDesk compiles the best comments from crypto Twitter's reaction to the news ether, ethereum's cryptocurrency, might not be a security.

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Montana County Delays Decision on Bitcoin Mining Suspension

A county in the U.S. state of Montana has postponed a decision on whether it should temporarily ban new bitcoin mining projects.

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Walmart Patent Eyes Crypto Payments for Power Supply Precision

Retail giant Walmart is exploring a way to let households manage their electricity bills with prepayments in cryptocurrency.

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Bitcoin Price Recovery In Play If Key Support Holds

Bitcoin is still in recovery mode, but the bulls must keep prices above key support to maintain momentum.

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Felines to Futbol: NFTs Are Crypto's Hottest New Buzzword

The crypto industry is buzzing about NFTs, non-fungible tokens, because it's clear CryptoKitties and its clones just might make the tech mainstream.

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Chinese City Causes Confusion with Digital Asset Exchange Proposal

A city government in China is mulling the creation of a "blockchain digital asset exchange," but no one is quite sure what it means.

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The EOS Blockchain Is Now Officially Live

EOS holders elected their first set of block producers, so the hotly anticipated blockchain is now live.

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SEC Official Pushes Back on Claims Ether Is a Security

SEC official William Hinman said the regulatory agency is not classifying ethereum as a security.

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Steve Bannon May be Eyeing a Move into the ICO Space

Not content with disrupting U.S. politics, Steve Bannon now wants to disrupt the financial system with a move into the crypto space.

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Final Frontier? William Shatner Boldly Goes into Bitcoin Mining

Star Trek actor William Shatner is now representing Solar Alliance in its move to build a solar-powered bitcoin mining facility in Illinois.

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ItBit Exchange Adds 4 New Cryptos for Investors

ItBit says it has received approval in New York state to expand its trading and custody services to include four more cryptocurrencies.

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Crypto Tycoons Spar Over Alleged 30,000 Bitcoin Debt

Li Xiaolai, a noted Chinese bitcoin investor, has said he may take legal action against another Chinese entrepreneur over claims about a bitcoin fund.

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Bitcoin Prices Stabilize Above $6K – But Will They Stay?

Bitcoin has made a 6 percent recovery from the 90-day low hit yesterday, but what happens next?

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Thailand's SEC Expects to Approve 5 ICOs This Month

Thailand's securities regulator is reportedly about to make the country one of the first to register token sales in a regulated environment.

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Jim Chanos Is Out of His Depth Trashing Crypto Assets

Like Warren Buffett, Jim Chanos is an expert in his domain, which is traditional finance, not crypto. And he's getting it wrong too.

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Chinese Banks to Put Credit Blacklist on a Shared Blockchain

The banking arm of Chinese retail giant Suning is testing a blockchain that would allow banks to share a ledger of users with bad credit scores.

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Coinbase, Ripple Blast Company Creating Equity Tokens in Their Name

Coinbase and Ripple are pushing back against the equity tokens the Swarm fund announced Wednesday.

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Michigan Bill Would Make It Illegal to Counterfeit Blockchain Data

A pair of bills submitted to Michigan's state legislature would make it a crime to illegally alter a blockchain record.

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Relief Rally Ahead? Litecoin Looks Oversold Below $100

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Tether Manipulation Pushed Up Bitcoin's Price, Researchers Find

A new study by the University of Texas at Austin claims that the Tether stablecoin is used to increase bitcoin's price during market downswings.

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Banks' Blockchain Budgets Spiked 67% in 2017, Survey Finds

Blockchain budgets at global banks' increased sharply in 2017, pushing combined annual spending to $1.7 billion, according to a new survey.

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Surprise KYC: Investors in Tezos' Troubled ICO Might Finally Be Fed Up

After infighting brought months of delays, Tezos investors finally seemed about to receive their crypto tokens. Then something unexpected happened...

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Blockchain Is 'Revolutionary,' Says German Finance Regulator Chief

The president of BaFin thinks blockchain-based applications are "revolutionary" and could turn the entire financial sector "upside down."

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Bitcoin Bulls Eye $6,400 Defense After Four-Month Low

Short-term oversold conditions may give the bulls a brief reprieve, but the bitcoin market is still generally bearish.

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JD.com's Finance Arm to Issue Asset-Backed Securities on a Blockchain

JD Finance, a subsidiary of Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com, has announced a pilot issuance of asset-backed securities over a blockchain.

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EOS's Experimental Launch Might Be Putting Investor Money at Risk

Many point to the potential security threats as a reason votes have been trickling in (instead of rushing in) on the EOS blockchain.

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Beyond Bitcoin: Reuters Expands Data Service to Top 100 Cryptos

The Canadian mass media and information giant, Thomas Reuters, is expanding its sentiment analysis to track 100 of the world's top cryptocurrencies.

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Apple Blocks Crypto Mining Apps On Its Products

In a recent update, Apple expanded their initial guidelines on cryptocurrencies to include policies on wallets, mining, exchanges, ICOs, and more.

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UN Trade Body Examines Blockchain's Potential in Supply Chains

A United Nations body that facilitates global trade is examining blockchain and smart contracts to see if they could play a role in its mission.

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Money-Laundering Task Force Wants Binding Rules for Crypto Exchanges

The Financial Action Task Force reportedly aims to develop compulsory rules for the world's cryptocurrency exchanges.

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Forget Prices, Ethereum Is Offering a Different Value in Afghanistan

According to Fereshteh Forough, the founder of Code To Inspire, ether bounties can be a tool for teaching Afghan women about financial empowerment.

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Kakao, Korean Government Plan to Solve Social Problems with Blockchain

Kakao's blockchain subsidiary has announced it will work with a government-backed agency to develop blockchain projects focused on social services.

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Dead Cat Bounce? Bitcoin May Struggle to Hold Above $7K

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Korean Banks Can Use Blockchain to Verify Customer IDs from July

A national banking group from South Korea is to roll out a blockchain-based ID verification system for domestic banks next month.

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Polychain, Outlier Ventures Back Blockchain Startup's Plan for Web 3.0

Haja Networks aims to create a new set of database protocols which will help build an infrastructure for the Web 3.0.

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The EU Wants to Hear Your Questions About Blockchain

The EU Blockchain Observatory and Forum is hosting a live AMA session to let the general public ask any questions they have about blockchain.

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UK's Financial Watchdog Issues Letter to Banks on Crypto Risks

The U.K.'s Financial Conduct Authority has written to bank CEOs over the risks of "facilitating financial crimes which are enabled by cryptoassets."

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LA Bitcoin Trader Faces 30 Months in Jail for Illegal Money Business

A 50-year-old woman, who traded bitcoin as "Bitcoin Maven," faces 2.5 years in jail for having run an illegal money transmitting business.

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What Would Happen to Crypto In a Global Market Meltdown?

CoinDesk advisory board director Michael Casey takes a look at the state of investor psychology as it relates to the crypto markets today.

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Swiss City Plans Blockchain Voting Pilot Using Ethereum-Based IDs

The Swiss City of Zug is launching a pilot that will allow residents to vote electronically, with both polling system and IDs based on blockchain.

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CFTC Demands Crypto Exchange Data In Market Investigation

The U.S. regulator has subpoenaed four crypto exchanges to submit trading data as part of an investigation into market manipulation.

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$6K Next? Bitcoin Bear Market Back After 10% Drop

Bitcoin's drop below $7,000 signals a resumption of the sell-off from the record highs in December, according to technical studies.

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Lithuania Issues Guidelines for When ICO Tokens Are Securities

Lithuania's Ministry of Finance has published guidance on ICOs, outlining how different aspects of token offerings should be regulated.

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Crypto Startup Wala Is Reaching Real Africans with Ethereum Micropayments

Wala is using microraiden for high volume, low-value transactions off-chain.

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Coinrail Exchange Hacked, Loses Possibly $40 Million in Cryptos

South Korea-based Coinrail has not disclosed the exact amount lost in the breach, but data suggests the damage could be $40 million.

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Sex Workers Are Using Crypto to Save for Retirement

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The Top 5 Ethereum Dapps By Daily Active Users

Dapps have not achieved anything like the userbases of centralized applications, but a few have made a promising start.

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How Blockchain Can Finally Fulfill Its Promise in Global Payments

Several leading institutions are working towards producing tokenized digital central bank money, a more viable approach than unbacked crypto-assets.

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Four Projects Seek to Solve Ethereum's Privacy Paradox

Ethereum uses transparency as part of its security but potential problems with data exposure are now being addressed.

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Another Investor Lawsuit Claims XRP Is a Security

A new lawsuit claims XRP is a security controlled by Ripple.

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Moscow Stock Exchange to Publish ICO Data

The Moscow Exchange wants to list information about token sales, its CEO said Friday. However, the exchange won't directly sell tokens.

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Crypto Exchange Bithumb Hit With Bill After Tax Investigation Ends

South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb has been found not guilty of tax evasion, but now faces a massive tax bill, according to reports.

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Mizuho Financial's Blockchain Lead Is Leaving the Firm

The blockchain lead at Mizuho Financial Group has revealed he is leaving the firm for a new role in Singapore.

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Mastercard Patent Would Put Credit Cards on a Public Blockchain

A patent filing from Mastercard explores how to use public blockchains to securely verify card credentials at the point of sale.

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Which Way? Bitcoin's Low Volatility May Force Big Move

Bitcoin could be in for a big move as the daily trading range tightens, but will the bulls or the bears gain the upper hand?

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Search Giant Baidu Is Launching a Blockchain Space Game

The Chinese search giant is this week launching a blockchain game aimed to educate people about possibilities of crypto technology.

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Binance Leads $12 Million Investment In AngelList Crypto Spin-Off Republic

A platform for managing token sales, spun out of the famed investment platform AngelList, has raised funds from a notable cast of investors.

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Quebec Halts Crypto Mining Approvals As New Rules In Progress

Quebec announced on Thursday that it has halted approvals for new cryptocurrency mining operations and may raise energy costs for firms.

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Alibaba Affiliate Boosts Blockchain Tech In $14 Billion New Funding

Alibaba's Ant Financial has raised $14 billion in a new funding, part of which will be used to continue its development of blockchain technology.

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'Just Beware' Is All Jamie Dimon Will Say About Bitcoin

Jamie Dimon once called bitcoin a fraud – now he's saying "just beware."

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'Dungeon Defenders' Game Maker to Integrate Blockchain In Sequel

The developer behind Dungeon Defenders II will integrate a blockchain with the game's rewards system.

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Japan Blasts Crypto Exchange Execs in First-Ever License Rejection

Japan's financial regulator has formally issued its first denial to a business registration application filed by cryptocurrency exchange FSHO.

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FOAM and the Dream to Map the World on Ethereum

CryptoKitties meets Pokemon Go? That's FOAM's initial goal, but the team thinks its decentralized location-tracking tech has more serious potential.

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Bullish Signals Hint at Bitcoin Price Breakout

Still stuck in a narrowing price range, BTC could rise to $8,870 if the bulls are able to beat the 50-week moving average resistance.

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Dutch Central Bank: Blockchain 'Promising' But 'Inefficient' in Payments

Blockchain technology isn't yet a beneficial addition to the payment system in the Netherlands, according to the country's central bank.

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Software Giant SAP Launches Blockchain-as-a-Service Platform

SAP is the latest tech giant to have rolled out a technology framework aimed to let enterprise build blockchain-based applications.

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Thailand Trials Central Bank Digital Currency for Interbank Settlement

Thailand's central bank is examining how a blockchain-based digital currency could make interbank settlement both faster and cheaper.

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Crypto Margin Trading Could Be Illegal Gambling, Says Korean Police

A South Korean police department is alleging the crypto margin trading offered by exchange Coinone is in effect illegal gambling.

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CFTC Denies FOIA Request for Bitfinex and Tether Subpoenas

The top U.S. futures regulator has denied a FOIA request related to cryptocurrency exchange Bitfinex and the closely-linked 'stablecoin' operator Tether.

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VanEck, SolidX Join Forces in New Bid to Launch Bitcoin ETF

VanEck and SolidX have teamed up to list a bitcoin exchange-traded fund, despite regulatory obstacles that stymied prior attempts.

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Binance Coin Hits Record High Against Bitcoin

Binance coin, the token launched by the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, has hit an all-time high against bitcoin.

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Ethereum Software Parity to Update After Critical Bug Detected

A critical bug was found in Parity's software within a testing environment and users are hurrying to update so it doesn't affect the mainnet.

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Crypto Startup Circle to Seek Banking License in US

Cryptocurrency startup Circle is in talks to become registered in the U.S. as a licensed bank and brokerage, according to a report.

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Ripple Smart Contracts Creator Targets Ethereum with New Tech Launch

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Japan to Deny Crypto Exchange Application in Regulatory First

The Financial Service Agency is reportedly planning to deny a registration application filed by a crypto exchange over KYC failings.

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Treading Water: Bitcoin Bulls Await Break Above $7,780

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Huobi to Offer $166 Million In Funding to Fuel New Blockchain Creation

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South Africa's Central Bank Claims Success in Blockchain Payment Trial

South Africa Reserve Bank indicates that tests of a blockchain-based system for interbank clearance and settlement produced astonishing results.

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Fujitsu Rolls Out System That Turns Reward Points into Blockchain Tokens

Fujitsu is launching a blockchain data processing system for retail merchants that tokenizes traditional promotion tools like coupons and stamps. 

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The Real Reason Token Issuers Are Fleeing the US

No, it's not a "race to the bottom." Reputable token issuers seek jurisdictional quality and clarity, and they're not finding it in the U.S.

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U.S. Telecom Agency Wants Blockchain Policy Suggestions

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has asked industry members to provide suggestions for blockchain policy.

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$1,999: GMO Reveals Details of Its New 7nm Bitcoin Miner

Japanese IT giant GMO Internet has revealed prices and specs for its new-from-the-ground-up bitcoin miner – the world's first based on a 7nm chip.

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Magic Number? Chart Data Hints at June 6 Bitcoin Boost

A major reprieve just may be in the offing for the battered bitcoin bulls in the next 36 hours – if, that is, historical patterns repeat themselves.

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HSBC Exec Warns 'Digital Islands' Could Inhibit Blockchain Trade

Blockchains should do for the global value chain what shipping containers did for transport of goods, says HSBC trade finance expert Vinay Mendonca.

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China Has Built a Blockchain System That Could Replace Paper Checks

China's central bank has completed a blockchain-based system that digitizes checks in a move to counter fraud in the country.

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Telecoms Giant Wants to Move Mobile Data Top-Ups to a Blockchain

China Mobile, one of China's three state-owned telecoms giants, is exploring moving part of its mobile data business to a distributed ledger.

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Failed Breakout Revives Bitcoin's Bull-Bear Tug-of-War

Bitcoin's retreat from Sunday's high of $7,779 has poured cold water over the bull mood generated by the weekend's positive price action.

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Russian Court Overturns Cryptocurrency Media Ban

A city-level court in Russia has revoked a ban issued in 2016 that blocked cryptocurrency media site bitcoininfo.ru, among others.

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Verge's Blockchain Attacks Are Worth a Sober Second Look

Privacy-oriented cryptocurrency verge has dealt with several attacks recently, displaying how difficult it is to code blockchains without exploits.

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LinkedIn Co-Founder Is Raising $20 Million for Token Project

Newly published public documents indicate that one of the co-founders of LinkedIn is raising as much as $20 million in a SAFT sale.

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Ripple Pumps $50 Million Into Academic Research on Blockchain

Ripple is setting aside millions of dollars to fund university-based research into blockchain, cryptocurrency and digital payments.

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Crypto and Twitter: A Toxic Combination, a Troubling Future

Cryptocurrencies may offer solutions to a host of big problems, but for now, they're making issues with social media echo chambers worse.

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Hyperchain Blockchain Creator Completes $234 Million Funding Round

Blockchain platform developer Qulian Technology has closed one of the biggest blockchain-focused VC rounds ever.

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Chinese Firm Reportedly Nets $18 Million in 'Questionable' Token Sale

Despite China's 2017 ban on ICOs, a Chinese firm still appears to have openly promoted a token sale that reportedly raised $18 million.

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Bitcoin's Low Volume Breakout Could Be a Bull Trap

Bitcoin looks primed for a move to $8,000, but low trading volumes point to the risk of a bull trap.

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Indonesian Regulator Gives Green Light for Crypto Futures Trading

Indonesia's futures watchdog has reportedly ruled that cryptos are commodities that can be traded on the country's futures exchange. 

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Meet the Dapp Market: A Twist On Open Source Is Winning Developers

Two ethereum-based bounty marketplaces are beginning to take off, and are hoping to take the decentralized application (dapp) space with them.

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China State TV: Blockchain Is '10 Times More Valuable Than the Internet'

China Central Television aired an hour-long program on Sunday aimed to educate the public about the concept, potential and risks of blockchain.

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An Upcoming Cryptocurrency Is Trialling a Trio of Bitcoin Tech Advances

As grin inches toward launch, the team is incorporating three bold scalability and privacy technologies originally created for bitcoin.

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How Hodl Hodl Is Building a Real Business With Bitcoin Smart Contracts

In an era where many startups are taking more complex transactions to other blockchains, Hodl Hodl is focused on making them work on the bitcoin.

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How to Watch the EOS Blockchain Launch

CoinDesk gives our best guess of how the distributed launch of the much-anticipated EOS software can be expected to unfold.

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Save the World? Blockchain's Big Dreams Come Back to Earth in DC

"It's about being demand driven instead of supply driven."

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Huobi Partners on $93 Million China-South Korea Blockchain Fund

Crypto exchange Huobi has teamed up with NewMargin Capital and Kiwoom Securities to launch a blockchain fund focused on China and South Korea.

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Up 24%: Bytecoin Only Gainer In Bad Month for Big Cryptos

While most top-25 cryptocurrencies took a hit last month, lesser-known cryptocurrency bytecoin scored decent gains.

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Binance Reveals Plan for $1 Billion Blockchain Startup Fund

Binance has announced it is launching a $1 billion "Social Impact Fund" to foster the growth of startups in the blockchain and cryptocurrency space.

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GMO Launches Mobile App That Lets Gamers Earn Bitcoin

Japan's GMO Internet Group has developed a new mobile app that aims to introduce the public to bitcoin simply by playing games.

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Former Reuters Risk Intelligence Exec Joins Crypto Compliance Startup

Thomson Reuters's former head of World-Check, Greg Pinn, is the new head of product strategy for iComply.

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This Long-Term Indicator Could Complicate Bitcoin's Price Recovery

A long-term moving average has turned bearish for the first time in four years, threatening to impede continued gains in bitcoin's price.

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Bitmain's New AntMiner Is Drawing Criticism From Early Chinese Users

Bitmain has been criticized over one of its mining products, the AntMiner B3, with users making allegations about its marketing and quality control.

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Taking Back Power: An Upstart Government Plans to Tokenize Energy

The plan is to incentivize solar power generation by circumventing rules inhibiting its adoption made by Madrid.

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