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Thursday, 28 February 2019

Early AlphaPoint Employee Goes Full Bitcoin, Joins Casa

Michael Haley has left security token platform AlphaPoint for crypto custody provider Casa, saying he wants “to get back into good old bitcoin.”

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MKR, THETA, ENJ, MET: These 4 Cryptos Outperformed the Market in February

Bitcoin may have ended a six-month losing streak in February, but MKR, THETA, ENJ and MET ensure it wasn't the crypto market's biggest winner.

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Signature Bank to Offer Accounts to Bermuda’s Crypto Startups

Signature Bank of New York is courting licensed fintech firms in Bermuda, including crypto startups that have struggled to secure accounts.

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Kraken Exchange Offers $100K Reward for Missing QuadrigaCX Crypto

Kraken is offering up to $100,000 to anyone who can help locate QuadrigaCX's missing cryptocurrency holdings.

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Bittrex Leads $1.5 Million Seed Round in South African Crypto Exchange VALR

South Africa's VALR exchange is launching March 1, expanding bitcoin access across the continent.

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Ethereum Upgrades as Hard Forks Constantinople and St Petersburg Activate on Blockchain

The long-anticipated upgrade Constantinople has officially activated on the ethereum blockchain. At 19:57 (UTC), the sixth system-wide upgrade to be released since the second largest cryptocurrency by market cap launched in 2015 has successfully been rolled out onto the main network at block number 7,280,000. But, that’s not all. The unusual part about today’s hard […]

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XRP Is Now Live and Trading on Coinbase’s Consumer App

Coinbase has added XRP to its consumer apps and website, allowing customers in most jurisdictions to trade the No. 3 cryptocurrency.

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Facebook Plans to Launch Cryptocurrency in First Half of 2019: NYT Report

A report from the New York Times says plans to launch a cryptocurrency product in the first half of 2019.

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JP Morgan Is Quietly Testing Cutting-Edge Ethereum Privacy Tech

Fresh off its big reveal of JPM Coin, the megabank is quietly testing a cutting-edge form of ethereum privacy tech.

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Pundi X’s New Phone Can Switch Between Blockchain and Android

Manufacturing startup Pundi X unveiled new specifications for its blockchain phone, which will feature dual operating systems to support both Android apps and dapps.

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French President Says Blockchain Could Put Europe at ‘Vanguard’ of Innovation

Emmanuel Macron has called for increased use of data technologies such as blockchain in the EU to benefit agriculture and consumers.

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Crypto Money Laundering Reports Spiked in Japan Last Year, Police Say

Reports of suspicious cryptocurrency transactions in Japan soared last year, but were a tiny fraction of the overall total.

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Crypto Broker Voyager Is Buying Token Issuer and Wallet Ethos.io for $4 Million

Cryptocurrency brokerage Voyager has agreed to buy wallet provider and ICO issuer Ethos for about $4 million.

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Singapore State-Owned Fund Backed Coinbase’s $300 Million Raise: Report

GIC Private Limited, a Singapore government-owned fund, backed Coinbase’s major funding round last year, say Bloomberg sources.

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Bitcoin Price May Rise in March Despite Month’s Bearish Track Record

Bitcoin is heading into a historically weak month on a positive note and could see gains if resistance at $4,190 is breached.

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Morgan Creek Joins $65 Million Series B for Blockchain Home Equity Loan Firm

Blockchain-based home equity loan startup Figure Technologies has raised $65 million in a round backed by Morgan Creek.

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Square Brought in Over $166 Million Through Bitcoin Sales Last Year

Mobile payments firm Square has reported its revenue and profits from bitcoin sales in 2018.

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Wednesday, 27 February 2019

Bitcoin Lightning Tech Expands Beyond Invoices in Step Toward Better UX

New tech by a principal developer could soon make it possible for bitcoin's lightning network to expand to new use cases.

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Constantinople Incoming: Tomorrow’s Two Ethereum Hard Forks Explained

Tomorrow is the big day for ethereum's sixth (and seventh) backwards-incompatible upgrade since mainnet launch back in 2015. Having faced a number of setbacks already, the highly-anticipated activation of Constantinople may or may not go as planned.

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A Crypto Project That Raised $20 Million Is Caught Faking Its Founding Team

BHB in China raised $20 million in 2018 touting a three-person team. The only problem? At least two were fake.

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Polymath Tests Show Security Tokens Can Be Compliant on a DEX

Polymath says its tests showed security token trades on a decentralized exchange would only complete if authorized.

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Fidelity Joins $1.9 Million Round in Blockchain Data Startup Coin Metrics

Coin Metrics, an open-source data research project, will now offer commercial services to institutional investors.

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LinkedIn Founder, Fidelity Latest to Carry Bitcoin’s ‘Lightning Torch’

The latest big names to join the bitcoin payments experiment are financial giant Fidelity Investments and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman.

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Blockchain Fund Launches With $22 Million Round Backed By Roger Ver

Switzerland-based Pangea Blockchain Fund is launching after closing a $22 million seed round backed by crypto investor Roger Ver.

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Developer of Blockchain Project ICON Denies IPO Plan Reports

South Korea-based ICONLOOP, the firm behind blockchain project ICON, has denied reports it's moving to go public.

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Bitcoin Price On Track to End Six-Month Losing Streak

Bitcoin looks set to end its record six-month losing streak with modest gains in February.

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Hacked Exchange Cryptopia Discloses Estimate of Stolen Crypto

New Zealand-based cryptocurrency exchange Cryptopia has given an idea of the losses arising from a hack on its platform last month.

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Sony, Fujitsu Aim to Make Educational Data ‘Unfalsifiable’ With Blockchain

The two Japanese tech giants have partnered for a trial using blockchain to provide educational records that cannot be faked.

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London Stock Exchange Leads $20 Million Fundraise for Blockchain Startup Nivaura

Nivaura, a startup tokenizing traditional financial instruments on public blockchains, has raised $20 million from investors led by the London Stock Exchange Group.

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Tuesday, 26 February 2019

How the Coming Constantinople Hard Fork Could Stir Up Ether Markets

Ether price volatility could spike in the days ahead, courtesy of an upcoming ethereum upgrade scheduled for Thursday. The Constantinople hard fork, a planned two-part upgrade to the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency, is scheduled to occur once block 7,280,000 on the ethereum blockchain is mined. At the time of writing, ether’s block height is 7,272,826, meaning the […]

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Jamie Dimon: JPM Coin Could ‘One Day’ See Consumer Use

JPMorgan's CEO has suggested that consumers could eventually use its U.S. dollar-linked token.

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Online Loan Platform SoFi Will Offer Crypto Trading Through Coinbase

SoFi, an online lending platform, will reportedly allow customers to buy crypto through Coinbase starting in 2Q.

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Bolivars to Bitcoin: Activists to Take Down Venezuela’s Maduro in Art Exhibit

As the situation in Venezuela continues to escalate, artist cryptograffiti, crypto exchange AirTM and merchant services provider Cripto Conserje have teamed up for an all-day fundraiser to tear down – in whatever way they can – Maduro's regime.

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Widow of QuadrigaCX CEO Denies Hiding Assets from Crypto Creditors

Jennifer Robertson, one of QuadrigaCX's two officers, asked a court to put a restructuring specialist in charge of the exchange.

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Samsung Teases Early Blockchain Partners For Galaxy S10 Phone

South Korean tech giant Samsung looks to have revealed some of the first blockchain partners for its new flagship phone, the Galaxy S10.

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$66 Million Building to Be Tokenized on Ethereum Blockchain in Record Deal

Inveniam Capital Partners is soon to offer tokenized securities representing $260 million-worth of shares in four properties.

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Blockchain-for-Banks Startup Switches From Hyperledger to R3’s Corda

MonetaGo, which builds private blockchains for banks, has switched platforms from Hyperledger Fabric to R3 Corda.

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Swiss Bank Julius Baer to Offer Digital Asset Services

Swiss private bank Julius Baer has partnered with a cryptocurrency banking startup to offer digital asset services later in 2019.

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Electroneum Launches $80 Smartphone That Mines Crypto

Blockchain startup Electroneum has just launched a dirt-cheap Android smartphone that mines cryptocurrency in the cloud.

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Bitcoin Price Holds Above $3,700 But Bulls Need Progress Soon

Bitcoin risks a further sell-off if the bulls' defense of $3,700 fails to produce quick recovery.

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There’s No Crypto Winter in Argentina, Where Startups Ramp Up to Meet Demand

Argentina's thriving crypto startup scene offers a unique cocktail of technical development and tangible user demand for bitcoin.

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Japan’s SoftBank Eyes Blockchain to Solve Issues With Online Authentication

Japanese telecom SoftBank is exploring blockchain tech as a way to improve upon current centralized and fragmented ID and authentication services.

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You Can Now Buy HTC’s Exodus Blockchain Phone Without Paying Crypto

Mobile device maker HTC now sells its blockchain phone for U.S. dollars in addition to cryptocurrency.

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Monday, 25 February 2019

Bitcoin Shorts Dropped to 11-Month Lows During Sunday’s Sell-Off

Funds allocated to BTC/USD short positions on Bitfinex fell to 11-month lows on Sunday as the price of bitcoin fell more than 8 percent.

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2 Crypto Startups Want to Put 10 Million Used Cars on a Blockchain

The Fusion Foundation is joining forces with the Automotive eXchange Platform to put 10.5 million used cars on a blockchain.

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Coinbase Exchange Users Can Buy and Sell XRP Starting Tomorrow

Coinbase users can buy and sell XRP on its professional exchange platform starting tomorrow.

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Warren Buffet: Bitcoin Is a ‘Delusion’ But Blockchain Is ‘Ingenious’

Warren Buffett has reiterated his negative view of bitcoin but expressed admiration for the underlying technology.

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NFTs Are Here. But Where Are They Headed?

The best business model for crypto collectibles is currently unclear, but some compelling ideas arose at a New York event last week.

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Accenture’s New Blockchain App Lets Users Tip ‘Sustainable’ Producers

Accenture has announced a prototype blockchain-based supply chain app designed to reward business practices that conserve natural resources.

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Security Token Startup Templum Shifts to Private Blockchains

Security token specialist Templum is shifting from public to private blockchains through a new partnership with enterprise vendor Symbiont.

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Australian Regulator Trials Blockchain to Automate Transaction Reporting

Australian financial regulator AUSTRAC is trialing blockchain technology to automate reporting of cross-border transactions by institutions.

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US Government Returns Bitcoins Retrieved Following 2016 Bitfinex Hack

Bitfinex has announced that some of the bitcoin stolen in a major 2016 hack has been returned after it was retrieved by the U.S. government.

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Bitcoin’s Uptrend At Short-Term Risk After High-Volume Price Dump

Bitcoin nosedived yesterday, clouding the interim bullish outlook and a deeper drop could unfold if the key support near $3,700 is breached.

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A Group of 30 Global Central Securities Depositories Is Exploring Crypto Custody

A group of central securities depositories (CSDs) is seriously looking at how they might custody digital assets.

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South Korean Crypto Exchange Declares Bankruptcy Citing Embezzlement

South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Coinbin has declared bankruptcy, in part due to claimed embezzlement by a former exec.

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Sunday, 24 February 2019

Reddit Co-Founder Says Crypto Hype Is Gone – And That’s a Good Thing

Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian has said crypto hype is gone and that’s a good thing for the industry.

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Long-Term Price Indicator Tuns Bearish, Suggesting Bitcoin May Have Finally Bottomed Out

Bitcoin likely bottomed out in December and could begin a new bull run this year, as a lagging indicator has turned bearish for the first time in four years.

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Validators Create New Attack Vectors for Decentralized Systems

Bounty0x CMO Pascal Thellman discusses some of the potential security and incentives issues with validators on proof-of-stake networks.

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Bitcoin Has a Florida Problem

Jurisdictions that lack clear guidance or take a hostile view of blockchain and crypto hurt the industry. Florida is doing both.

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Saturday, 23 February 2019

Back Above $4k: Bitcoin’s Price Jumps to a Two-Month High

Bitcoin's price returned above $4,000 on Saturday for the first time in over a over eight weeks as the broader cryptocurrency market flashed green.

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The First Car Purchased With Bitcoin Is Now the World’s Most Expensive Prius

CoinDesk takes a ride in the first car ever purchased with bitcoin – a Prius paid for with 1,000 BTC.

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51% Attacks for Rent : The Trouble with a Liquid Mining Market

As the global pool of hashing power grows more liquid, arbitrageurs may see a financial incentive in "rent-a-miner" attacks.

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Old Meets Young: Pension Funds and Crypto Investment

Are pension funds poised to invest in crypto assets? Not yet, argues Noelle Acheson – but a shift has started.

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Friday, 22 February 2019

CasperLabs Is Building a PoS Blockchain With Help from Ethereum’s Vlad Zamfir

A new blockchain startup was launched today called CasperLabs. Aiming to build a proof-of-stake blockchain based upon the seminal work of Ethereum Foundation researcher Vlad Zamfir, CasperLabs has announced Zamfir as lead consensus protocol architect to the project.

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Crypto Exchange ShapeShift Is Looking for a New CFO

ShapeShift is looking for a new chief financial officer to succeed Justin Blincoe, who is taking on a new "senior finance" role at the company.

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Hands-On Preview of Samsung’s Galaxy S10 Phone Reveals New Crypto Details

A hands-on preview of Samsung's just-unveiled flagship phone, the Galaxy S10, reveals new details of the device's upcoming crypto features.

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Thailand Green Lights Issuance and Trading of Blockchain Securities

The Thai National Legislative Assembly has approved changes to the law allowing tokenized securities to be issued and traded in the country.

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Bitcoin Remains On Hunt For $4.2K Despite Price Consolidation

Bitcoin's three-day price consolidation looks to be a bull breather before a continuation of the recent rally to above $4,000.

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FBI Seeking Potential Victims of BitConnect to Assist Investigation

The FBI is reaching out to those who invested in the now-worthless BCC token offered by the defunct crypto exchange BitConnect.

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Andreas M. Antonopoulos Warns Against Ethereum Community In-Fighting

In an address to the ethereum community, the blockchain expert warns against fragmentation and in-fighting as a result of market pressures.

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Thursday, 21 February 2019

University of Michigan Plans Further Investment in a16z’s Crypto Fund

The University of Michigan’s endowment that is worth about $12 billion is looking to further invest in Andreessen Horowitz’s crypto fund a16z.

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Overstock CEO Predicts Late 2019 Boost in tZERO Token Trading

Overstock's CEO says he expects volumes on the recently launched tZERO platform to soar after the market opens to retail investors in August.

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Don’t Expect Bitcoin’s Supply to Change, Says Core Maintainer Wlad van der Laan

In a new interview, bitcoin's lead maintainer, Wlad van der Laan, argues any change to the cryptocurrency's supply would erode its utility and value.

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Digital Asset’s Europe Head Is Latest to Leave Enterprise Blockchain Startup

The upheaval continues at Digital Asset, with the news that Gavin Wells will step down as head of Europe.

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AngelList Spin-Off CoinList Announces First Crypto Token Sale of 2019

Token launch platform CoinList is rolling out its first offering of 2019. Announced Thursday, Ocean Protocol, a decentralized data-sharing protocol, is aiming to raise $8 million at 25 cents a token. Registration for the sale opens March 1. It’s the first token sale on CoinList since July 2018, when Origin Protocol set out to raise […]

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Brazilian Bank Aims to Raise $15 Million Through Security Token Offering

Brazilian investment bank BTG Pactual is planning to raise millions of dollars through the offering of a security token tied to property assets.

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$430K in Confiscated Crypto to Be Sold Off by Irish Auction House

Cryptocurrencies seized by Belgian law enforcement from online drug dealers are set to be sold off by an Ireland-based auction house.

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Spanish Telecom Giant to Trial Blockchain Consumer Data Marketplace

Telefonica is set to trial consumer data verification on a platform that lets users sell their personal information.

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QuadrigaCX Has Sent All Its Bitcoin and Ether to ‘Big Four’ Auditor EY

QuadrigaCX's "hot" wallets for bitcoin and ether have been nearly emptied with the funds sent to court-appointed monitor EY.

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LA Kings Now Let Fans Verify Merchandise Using a Blockchain App

The U.S. ice hockey team has launched a blockchain-based app allowing fans to ensure their merchandise and memorabilia are the real deal.

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Sequoia India Leads $3 Million Round for Token Startup Tackling ‘Fake News’

Sequoia India has led a $3 million seed round for Band Protocol, a startup that incentivizes reliable content producers with token rewards and staking.

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Bitcoin Price ‘Bull Cross’ Points to Positive Market Shift

A much-followed bitcoin price indicator has turned bullish for the first time in seven months, indicating a trend change in the market.

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Pantera Has Already Raised $125 Million for Its Third Crypto Fund

A slide deck obtained by CoinDesk shows Pantera has secured the majority of its third venture fund, though the bear market has slowed progress.

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Ohio Eyes Potential Blockchain Benefits in Real Estate Transactions

County auditors in the U.S. state of Ohio have launched a study of the improvements blockchain might bring to property transfers.

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Wednesday, 20 February 2019

Ether Outlook Improves as Price Pushes Above Key Moving Averages

The world’s second largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization has seen a stronger showing from the bulls after rising 36.77 percent in February so far.

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Overstock CEO Electrifies at Investment Bank Oppenheimer’s Blockchain Event

Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne electrified a buttoned-down crowd of institutional investors with his well-honed stump speech for blockchain's transformative potential.

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A DIY Bitcoin Lightning Node Project Just Hit Its 1.0 Milestone

A project aiming to empower people to build nodes that can send and route payments on bitcoin’s in-development lightning network has officially released version 1.0 of its code. Announced this week, RaspiBlitz has published finalized instructions for building a lightning node on a tiny hobbyist computer called a raspberry pi. Often used for custom tech […]

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Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg Sees Pros and Cons in Blockchain Authentication

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says he's seriously evaluating blockchain's potential for decentralized single logins.

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Samsung Confirms Galaxy S10 Will Include Private Crypto Key Storage

The Samsung Galaxy S10 will feature a secure storage system to hold private crypto keys.

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A David vs. Goliath Battle Is Brewing in Ethereum Decentralized Exchange Race

Data provided to CoinDesk shows that one of the biggest ICOs ever isn't guaranteeing success for Bancor. For two days last week, the three-month-old Uniswap saw more volume.

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Global Cryptocurrency Trading Volumes Jump to 300-Day Highs

The total trading volume in the cryptocurrency market recorded yesterday reached a its highest amount since April 25, 2018.

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SEC Settles Unregistered Securities Charges Against ICO Issuer Gladius

Gladius Network will refund investors and register its tokens as securities after settling "unregistered ICO" charges with the SEC.

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Galaxy Digital Backs $15 Million Raise for Crypto Analytics Firm CipherTrace

Blockchain and crypto security firm CipherTrace has raised $15 million in funding from investors including Mike Novogratz's Galaxy Digital.

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Goldman Sachs Veterans Raise $3 Million to Fight Crypto Manipulation

A U.S.-based crypto market surveillance startup led by former Goldman Sachs fintech engineers has raised $3 million in seed funding.

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Sparkpool to Freeze Mysterious 2,100 Ether Mining Payout for Now

Mining pool Sparkpool says it's temporarily freezing an unusually high mining payout worth $300,000 in case it was sent in error.

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Bitcoin Price Looks North As Trading Volumes Hit 9-Month Highs

Bitcoin could revisit December highs above $4,200 in the near-term as the recent rally is backed by a surge in trading volumes.

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US Advocacy Group Calls for National Action Plan on Blockchain

The Chamber of Digital Commerce has called for the U.S. government to implement a national strategy for blockchain technology.

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The SEC Is Now Reviewing 2 Bitcoin ETF Proposals

There are two bitcoin ETFs under review by the SEC, after the VanEck/SolidX proposal was published in the Federal Register Wednesday.

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Cryptos ‘Not a Substitute’ for the Yellow Metal, Says World Gold Council

Cryptocurrencies can't match gold on stability and volume, and are not a direct competitor, says the World Gold Council.

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Wyoming Lawmakers Pass Three Bills in Boost for State’s Crypto Industry

The U.S. state of Wyoming has passed several bills aimed to make the state a top destination for cryptocurrency and blockchain businesses.

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Binance Launches Public Testing for Decentralized Crypto Exchange

Binance has just revealed the sites for testing its new decentralized crypto exchange and the testnet explorer for its own Binance Chain network.

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Tuesday, 19 February 2019

Elon Musk Calls Bitcoin ‘Brilliant,’ Better Than Paper Money for Value Transfer

Elon Musk, founder and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has officially gone public with his belief cryptocurrency offers an improved alternative to conventional money.

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Countdown Restarts Tomorrow for SEC Decision on CBOE/VanEck Bitcoin ETF

The VanEck/SolidX bitcoin ETF proposal is slated for publication in the Federal Register tomorrow, giving the SEC 45 days to approve, reject or extend a decision on it.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2twvSBm

Bets on Declining Bitcoin Price Drop to 6-Month Low

The amount of money in bitcoin short positions on Bitfinex dropped 28 percent since yesterday to reach a 6-month low.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2V9gh6N

Judge Appoints Law Firms to Represent QuadrigaCX Customers

Law firms Miller Thomson and Cox & Palmer will represent 115,000 QuadrigaCX customers as the exchange seeks to recoup the $196 million it owes them.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2T1FDpD

Ethereum Mining Pool Receives Mysterious $300K Blockchain Payout

Cryptocurrency mining pool Sparkpool received a payout today of over $300,000 for mining one block on the ethereum blockchain.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2EkuEzL

BitGo Offering $100 Million in Crypto Insurance Through Lloyd’s of London

BitGo is providing $100 million of cover against theft of digital assets or the loss of cryptographic keys via Lloyd’s of London.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2V7IZFa

2 Crypto Startups Unveil Security Token Issuance and Trading Service

Securitize and OTCXN aim to streamline the process of issuing and trading security tokens with their new all-in-one solution.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Ire4Ca

Crypto Trader Cumberland Upgrades from Skype to Wall Street Interface

Crypto market maker Cumberland is upgrading from trading by Skype to modern-day Wall Street-style screen-based interactions.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Nijr5C

Crypto Startup TrueDigital Hires CEO from World’s Largest Hedge Fund

The startup that helped Signature Bank beat JPMorgan to the punch is hiring a former Bridgewater Associates manager as its new CEO.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Sc8Z04

South Korean Capital to Invest Over $1 Billion in Fintech, Blockchain Startups

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has committed over $1 billion to invest in innovative startups by 2022, including blockchain firms.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2XehICX

Coinbase Acquires Blockchain-Tracking Startup Neutrino for Undisclosed Price

Coinbase has acquired blockchain analytics startup Neutrino as part of a push to offer more diverse crypto assets.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2DWPuU3

Bitcoin Price Crosses Key Long-Term Hurdle For First Time in 9 Months

Bitcoin has broken the 100-day moving average for the first time in 272 days, briefly passing $3,900 overnight.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Ip8Kz6

Germany Seeking Industry Feedback for National Blockchain Strategy

The German government is soliciting industry feedback ahead of developing a blockchain strategy for the nation, according to Reuters.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Sc0WAi

Monday, 18 February 2019

Mining Giant Bitmain Posts $500 Million Loss in IPO Financial Filing

Cryptocurrency mining and manufacturing giant Bitmain lost about $500 million in the third quarter of 2018, CoinDesk has learned.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2S7WwdS

Privacy Crypto Beam Gets Funding from ‘Japanese LinkedIn’ Recruit

Privacy-oriented crypto Beam has secured an undisclosed amount of funding from “Japan’s equivalent to LinkedIn” Recruit Co., Ltd.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2GPqvFj

Blockstream Releases Test Code for Bitcoin Tech Upgrade Schnorr

Schnorr signatures, a code change likely to be one of the biggest coming upgrades to bitcoin, have now gone from a theoretical idea to real code courtesy of technology startup Blockstream. Announced Monday, Blockstream has added a technology known as “MuSig” to its test cryptographic library, making it possible for developers to tinker with the […]

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2EhecAb

Bullish Sentiment for Bitcoin As Long Bets Near 11-Month Highs

Bullish bets on bitcoin, the world's largest cryptocurrency by value, reached 11-month highs on Monday.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2S7SySp

You Can Now Send Bitcoin Tips Over Lightning on Twitter

When "liking" your favorite tweet isn't enough, you can now send small bitcoin tips via the lightning network.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2IljYoo

Will the Crypto Community Torch Jamie Dimon?

The $156 in bitcoin being passed via the "Lighting Torch" is a bigger deal than trillions in JPM Coins would be, writes Michael J. Casey.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2tueb5M

Bitmain Announces New, More Efficient 7nm Bitcoin Mining Chip

Bitmain Technologies has announced a new 7nm bitcoin mining processor that it says offers a big boost in energy efficiency.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2BImHSW

Indonesia Passes Rules for Trading of Cryptocurrency Futures

An Indonesian financial watchdog has set out new regulations for the trading of crypto assets on futures exchanges in the country.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2BHyXmH

Bitcoin Price Passes $3,700 to Hit One-Month High

Bitcoin's high-volume move to one-month highs could be the start of a stronger rally to above key resistance near $3,760.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2V89o5N

Craig Wright Claims to Be Satoshi in Critical Response to CFTC on Ethereum

In a response to the CFTC, nChain chief scientist Craig Wright has criticized ethereum and restated his claim to be Satoshi Nakamoto.

from CoinDesk https://www.coindesk.com/craig-wright-claims-to-be-satoshi-in-critical-response-to-cftc-on-ethereum

Ethereum Scaling Tech Monoplasma Wants to Let Dapps Broadcast Crypto

A new ethereum scaling solution called Monoplasma was announced today by blockchain data platform Streamr.

from CoinDesk https://www.coindesk.com/ethereum-scaling-tech-monoplasma-wants-to-let-dapps-broadcast-crypto

Sunday, 17 February 2019

Brock Pierce, Mark Karpeles and the War of Words Over Mt Gox’s Future

Much has been made of a new attempt to launch the failed Mt. Gox exchange. What's true? CoinDesk's Nik De examines the details.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2GTfov0

Ethereum Core Developer Quits Social Media Over ‘Conflict of Interest’ Attacks

A long-time contributor to the ethereum codebase is taking a step back from social media after tweeting contentious remarks. 

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SbBNWC

Crypto Securities Are Years Away from Mainstream, Technologists Say

Panelists at ETHDenver agree that despite projections, crypto securities lack the current infrastructure to go mainstream.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2TRnqIA

ConsenSys-Backed Rhombus Reveals New Products for Ethereum Developers

Connecting blockchain with real-world data, Consensys-backed ethereum startup Rhombus announces exclusive new tools for developers at hackathon ETHDenver.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SF6Uiw

Rethink, Renew: ShapeShift CEO Erik Voorhees to Rebrand Crypto Exchange

In a panel discussion on leadership at ethereum hackathon ETHDenver, Erik Voorhees – founder of cryptocurrency exchange platform ShapeShift –spoke frankly about the tough decisions both he and his team have made in recent months.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Itj4pI

Mayer Multiples: The Metric That Helps Call Bitcoin Bubbles and Bottoms

Identifying speculative bubbles or bearish exhaustion may be possible through the use of a fairly new metric known as the Mayer Multiple.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2BPAQhx

Saturday, 16 February 2019

Bitcoin Is… Bitcoin Just Is What?

What is bitcoin? 40 experts show that 10 years later, it's still a question with a variety of answers.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2TSQ4Ji

Maker’s MKR Crypto Outperforms in February with 37% Gains

Ethereum-based cryptocurrency Maker is outperforming the broader markets with a 37 percent gain on a month-to-date basis.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2EdrvkZ

Metrics May Point to Ether Being Undervalued

There is a dichotomy between theory and practice of what fundamental demand indicators should be driving the price of ether.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2EcVbyB

Friday, 15 February 2019

Decentralized Finance Emerges as Banner Topic at Ethereum Denver Conference

ETHDenver kicked off with an address by Aave CEO Stani Kulechov about a hot new wave of decentralized finance applications.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2TQicgb

Apple Hints at Behind-the-Scenes Blockchain Work in New SEC Filing

A new SEC filing from Apple offers a few clues about the tech company's work with blockchain, specifically in the supply chain area.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SDmzyM

tZERO Is Live, But Volume Is Light and Its Token’s Price Is Down Sharply

Daily trading volume on the recently launched tZERO platform is less than 1% the total supply of the only listed security token.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2BEOzrk

NYSE Arca Filing Kicks Off Countdown for New Bitcoin ETF

The clock just started on the latest effort to launch a bitcoin ETF from NYSE Arca and Bitwise Asset Management.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Ib8zr4

What QuadrigaCX Says About Institutional Crypto Investment

Noelle Acheson looks at the lessons learned for the crypto market following the collapse of the QuadrigaCX exchange.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2N8y3Ep

8 Illicit Crypto-Mining Windows Apps Removed From Microsoft Store

Eight apps have been removed from Microsoft's app store after Symantec found they could illicitly mine cryptocurrency.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2V0vk2y

Luxembourg Passes Bill to Give Blockchain Securities Legal Status

Securities issued on blockchains in Luxembourg now have the same legal status as traditional securities, after the passing of a new bill.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2DKjQcz

Bitcoin’s Sideways Drift Has Shifted Price Recovery Target to $3.7K

Bitcoin's six days in the doldrums has weakened the bull case in the short term, leaving a target of $3,700 for a resumed rally.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2V65rP5

Nvidia Says Crypto Drop-Off Help Drive ‘Disappointing’ Fourth Quarter

Graphics card maker Nvidia has said the downturn in sales to crypto miners drove a "disappointing" fourth quarter, despite a record year overall.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2GK4Mif

Coinsquare Acquires Decentralized Cryptocurrency Exchange StellarX

Canada-based cryptocurrency exchange Coinsquare has acquired decentralized exchange StellarX.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2DGvkOk

How SABRE Tech Can Stop Hackers From Splitting Bitcoin Into Two

If hackers felt like it, they could attack bitcoin with a flood of data, but researchers say they have a solution in the form of a relay network called SABRE.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Ifki8c

Thursday, 14 February 2019

‘Make Bitcoin Fun Again’: New Lightning App Lets You Buy Pizza With BTC

Using the Lightning Network, more than 150 people bought Domino's pizza with bitcoin this week.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2TLMpgA

‘Already Live’: Signature Bank Is Moving Millions on a JPMorgan-Like Private, Dollar-Backed Cryptocurrency

While crypto-land is abuzz about JPMorgan’s plan to move dollars via blockchain, a smaller New York bank is already doing this.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2GqUNii

Judge Hits Crypto Startup With Injunction In Reversal of Past Court Order

The move came after the same judge denied an SEC request for a preliminary injunction in November.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2DK8e9A

Coinbase Exchange Users Can Now Withdraw Bitcoin Cash Fork BSV

The largest US-based cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has allowed its users to withdraw BSV three months after the hard fork.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SxqT2k

Judge Delays Decision On Legal Representation for Quadriga Creditors

A Canadian judge will appoint a legal team to represent QuadrigaCX's customers in the coming week.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2IfHP8Q

Fairfax County Invests Total of $21 Million in Blockchain VC Fund

Fairfax County Retirement Systems has released details about its investment in a blockchain fund, apparently to quell fears about it.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2TKfk4u

Iran’s Government Is Using Crypto Startups as Part of Its Blockchain Embrace

Sources in Iran say the country's financial sector is taking clear steps toward a state-backed token economy.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2tjVp0P

Baidu Launches Plug and Play Blockchain Platform for Dapps

Chinese search giant Baidu has launched a plug-and-play blockchain platform aimed to simplify commercial deployment of decentralized apps.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2N7zNOb

State of Blockchains: Bitcoin (BTC) Fees

Transaction fees make the bitcoin blockchain go round. The miners are compensated for their efforts, not only through inflationary block rewards, but also through fees charged to users for adding their transaction to blocks. While fees on average make up about 4% of the total miner revenue per day, with the lion’s share coming from […]

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2tjHYOr

HSBC Exec Says Using Blockchain Slashed Forex Trading Costs by 25%

An HSBC executive has told Reuters that using blockchain slashed the costs of settling foreign exchange trades by a quarter.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2S35bya

Latest XRP Ledger Release Boosts Censorship Resistance and More

Blockchain payments firm Ripple has announced the latest release of XRP Ledger, including code that toughens its resistance to alteration.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SzpmZN

JPMorgan Moving Its In-House Crypto to Real-World Trials: Report

JPMorgan's in-house crypto token is moving to real-world trials in "a few months," according to a CNBC report.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2IbO11N

Long-Term Indicator Suggests Bitcoin Price May Be Nearing Bottom

A long-term price indicator validates a growing consensus among investors that bitcoin is close to bottoming out.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2GG61Pr

Ethereum’s Blockchain Is Once Again Feeling the ‘Difficulty Bomb’ Effect

Ethereum is being affected by the "difficulty bomb" embedded in the code, but this month's hard fork will ease the issue – for now.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2GLQptT

Coinbase Just Paid a $30K Bounty for the Discovery of Critical Bug

San Francisco-based crypto exchange desk Coinbase has just forked out a $30,000 bounty to the finder of a critical bug in its systems.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SOfYAD

Wednesday, 13 February 2019

The Race to Represent QuadrigaCX’s Creditors May Be Decided Today

Law firms jockeying to represent users of QuadrigaCX will appear before a Canadian court Thursday to see which teams get the nod.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2DCQ6yb

Blockchain Analysis Ties 5 Bitcoin Addresses to QuadrigaCX Exchange

Researchers have identified a group of bitcoin addresses that likely belonged to the cold wallets of failed exchange QuadrigaCX.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2DAmdi2

ETF Tied to Bitcoin Futures Withdrawn After SEC Staff Request

The withdrawal of a proposed ETF that would have had exposure to bitcoin futures comes just days after its submission to the SEC.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2RZIBGT

Digital Asset Loses Second CTO in 6 Months as Startup Shake-up Continues

James Powell, CIO and CTO of engineering at Digital Asset, has left the enterprise blockchain startup after just six months.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SShEsQ

Status Launches a ‘Tap-to-Pay’ Crypto Hardware Wallet

Ethereum startup Status has just announced a brand new cryptocurrency hardware wallet the size of your credit card.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SzdqqQ

Coinbase Wallet to Feature Private Key Backup on Google Drive, iCloud

Coinbase's Wallet app will soon allow users to back up their private keys on personal cloud storage platforms Google Drive and iCloud.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Byc4ST

Nasdaq to Add Bitcoin and Ethereum Indices to Global Data Service

Nasdaq, the second-largest stock exchange in the world, is adding bitcoin and ethereum indices to its global data service later this month.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2N2J0Hp

Enterprise Ethereum Alliance Is Forming a ‘Token Task Force’

The Enterprise Ethereum Alliance is forming a task force to create business-grade standards for tokenized assets.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2I9uPlh

These Cryptofunds Say ‘Generalized Mining’ Is the New Way to Invest

A new initiative from venture firm CoinFund looks to get investors directly involved in the networks they invest in.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2GpLJKK

Bitcoin Making Little Headway as Resistance Caps Price Gains

Bitcoin's struggle to cross a key moving average lined up above $3,600 is a cause of concern for the bulls.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Sx1ohO

Japan’s Biggest Bank Launching Blockchain Payments Network in 2020

Japanese banking giant Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group is launching a high-throughput blockchain-based payments network next year.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2GmQa9d

Pharma Giant Trials IBM Blockchain in Bid to Improve Clinical Trials

Pharma giant Boehringer Ingelheim is set to trial IBM blockchain in Canada to raise the quality of processes and records in clinical trials.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SrB5JI

Tuesday, 12 February 2019

GMO Internet’s Crypto Business Reports $12 Million Loss in 2018

Japanese IT giant GMO Internet has just reported an operating loss of nearly $12 million for its cryptocurrency business in 2018.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Gkwcvy

QuadrigaCX ‘Inadvertently’ Sent BTC to Dead CEO’s Cold Wallet: EY Report

QuadrigaCX lost another 100 bitcoin after transferring them to a cold wallet it previously said it cannot access.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2BBFTBT

Litecoin’s Halving Is Months Away, But Traders May Already Be Pricing It In

Traders may already be pricing in litecoin's upcoming block reward halving.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2E6kAtP

Co-Founder Quits Avalon Mining Chip Maker Canaan Over ‘Differences’

Xiangfu Liu has left the board and management team of Canaan Creative, maker of the Avalon crypto miner.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2N33H6n

Take Two: Ethereum Is Getting Ready for the Constantinople Hard Fork Redo

The world's second largest blockchain by market capitalization is gearing up for a hard fork its tried to activate before called Constantinople. This time, developers are confident it will work.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2RXMRGw

Barclays, Ripple Back $1.7 Million Round for Remittance Firm Using XRP

Barclays, Ripple and others have backed a $1.7 million round for a new remittance startup that will use XRP to move funds internationally.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2UTa3rp

Blockchain Sleuthing Startup Chainalysis Raises $30 Million Series B

The Series B funding was led by seasoned VC firm Accel and included investment from Benchmark, which led the firm's $16m Series A.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2USJzqb

Oracle’s First Dozen Cloud Blockchain Applications Are Now Live

The software giant now has up to a dozen enterprise customers using live blockchain applications.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2N331h9

Binance’s Decentralized Exchange Is About to Launch for Public Testing

In less than two weeks, Binance will launch its decentralized exchange, Binance DEX, for public testing.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2RXijok

Bitcoin Price Pattern Hints at Short-Term Rally to $4K

Bitcoin's pullback from three-week highs hit on Friday doesn't mean the rally is over.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2N3cIMK

Two Public Pensions Anchor Morgan Creek’s New $40 Million Venture Fund

In a potential first for the crypto investment sector, two U.S. public pension funds are dipping their toes in Morgan Creek's latest vehicle.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2E6KYE8

Bithumb Kicks Off Middle East Expansion With UAE Crypto Exchange

South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb plans to expand in the Middle East, starting with a licensed exchange in the UAE.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SPGJ88

Cryptos Could Challenge ‘Any Financial Framework’: New FSB Chair

The new chair of the Financial Stability Board has said cryptocurrencies are a challenge to his agency's work.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2tiKZi3

Monday, 11 February 2019

GM Financial Partners With Blockchain Startup to Fight Identity Fraud

General Motors Financial has partnered with blockchain startup Spring Labs on solutions for identity verification.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2MZINon

Cory Johnson Out As Ripple’s Chief Market Strategist

Ripple's chief market strategist, Cory Johnson, is no longer with the company, the startup confirmed Monday.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2MYAyJe

Square CEO Jack Dorsey Says Bitcoin’s Lightning Is Coming to Cash App

Lightning Network projects are booming, thanks in part to the buzz surrounding bitcoin bull Jack Dorsey.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2DxfPI6

Ripple Offered Multimillion-Dollar XRP Bonuses to Lure Top Tech Talent

Ripple may be offering XRP bonuses worth up to $6 million in a bid to attract engineering talent.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SJvyO7

Binance’s BNB Token Hits All-Time High in Bitcoin Value

BinanceCoin (BNB) has extended its recent gains to set a new all-time high in bitcoin-denominated value.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Dvy4hm

New Proposed ETF Would Mix Bitcoin Futures With Sovereign Debt

An ETF proposal filed Monday would invest in bitcoin futures and the sovereign debt of several developed countries.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SrRSfX

Two Remittance Firms Go Live With Ripple-Based Payments to Thailand

Remittance firms UAE Exchange and Unimoni now offer blockchain-based payments to Thailand using RippleNet.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2TJWY3t

Fake MetaMask App on Google Play Store Hosted Crypto Malware

Ethereum dapp service MetaMask was targeted by crypto-stealing malware found on Google's Play Store.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Sr1NST

IBM Blockchain Assists Groundwater Pilot in Drought-Prone California

IBM and two other organizations will marry blockchain and IoT to help manage groundwater usage in an "at-risk" Californian aquifer.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2GA3jLi

Bitcoin Eyes $3.8K After High-Volume Price Breakout

Bitcoin saw a high-volume bullish move Friday that may have opened the doors for a rally above $3,800.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2E5DYHD

SEC Commissioner Peirce Confirms Guidance on Crypto Tokens Is Coming

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission plans to clarify when securities laws might apply to crypto token sales, an official said Friday.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2N6FagN

NYSE Parent ICE Anticipates Over $20 Million Spend on Bakkt This Year

NYSE parent firm Intercontinental Exchange is likely to spend over $20 million building its bitcoin futures trading platform Bakkt in 2019.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2RWjQeJ

The Fallacy That Blockchain Is Stuck in One Place

Blockchain skeptics wrongly assume that the technology is in stasis, writes Michael J. Casey.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2GlvGxE

Sunday, 10 February 2019

Most Crypto Hedge Funds Aren’t Really Hedge Funds

CryptoLux Capital's co-founder Sina Nader and Pactum Capital's CEO Daniel Cawrey explained why most crypto hedge funds aren't really hedge funds.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SzwHb5

What to Know Tron’s BitTorrent Token Airdrop This Week

Starting Monday, Tron embarks on one of the longest airdrop experiments in history, with BTT token giveaways happening monthly into 2025.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2DqWLeG

What We’re Missing About Institutional Investment in Crypto Winter

Institutional investment in crypto is not as divorced from retail sentiment as many believe, writes Noelle Acheson.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2te0vvh

Saturday, 9 February 2019

WATCH: Inside the Museum of Bitcoin: An Interactive Tour of Crypto’s History

We took a tour of the Museum of Bitcoin, a pop-up installation at The North American Bitcoin Conference 2019. It was a trip down memory lane.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2WQZYNz

High School Team Places Third in Barclays Blockchain Challenge Event

A U.K. school won third place in a blockchain interoperability hackathon hosted by Clearmatics at the Barclays Rise fintech hub in London.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2TD6PrS

The Security Token Market Needs Better Lingo

“STO” was coined to distinguish a compliant token offering from ICOs, but the term fails to capture all the types of security tokens.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2teUgr9

Friday, 8 February 2019

Crypto Tax Bill Clears First Hurdle in New Hampshire Legislature

A New Hampshire bill to let the state accept taxes in the form of cryptocurrency has passed its first legislative hurdle.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2RM9ttz

Funds Were Moving From QuadrigaCX Right Before Its Collapse

Nearly $1 million worth of ether left QuadrigaCX's hot wallet for other cryptocurrency exchanges in December, the same month its CEO reportedly died.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SE8sbw

Bitcoin Pops Above $3,700 As Crypto Market Flashes Green

The broader cryptocurrency market picked up strong bid during Friday's trading session with litecoin (LTC) leading the charge.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2UKYXEU

TCR Party: The #CryptoTwitter Popularity Contest Everyone’s Talking About

ConsenSys is experimenting with token models to see what could work for enterprise consulting clients.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2WPjkTk

QuadrigaCX’s Creditors Are Fighting Over Who Should Be Paid Back First

QuadrigaCX customers who had fiat currency balances say they should be repaid before crypto holders.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Dk2Eu3

Mauritius to License Crypto Custodians Starting in March

Mauritius will soon license digital asset custodians as part of its plan to create a fintech hub "in and for" Africa.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Gfilqp

SEC Commissioner Says Bitcoin ETF Will Be Approved ‘Eventually’

A U.S. SEC commissioner, Robert J. Jackson Jr. has said he believes a bitcoin exchange-traded fund will ultimately be approved.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2BpwRYs

Canadian Watchdog Says It Doesn’t Regulate QuadrigaCX Exchange

British Columbia's securities watchdog has said that it has no remit to regulate troubled crypto exchange QuadrigaCX.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2RSe4L6

Bitcoin Price Still Trading Flat While Litecoin Hits 7-Month High

Bitcoin, which continues to languish near seven-week lows, is being outshone by a surge in price for litecoin.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Dp80oa

Bithumb Exchange Launches OTC Trading Desk for Digital Assets

South Korea-based crypto exchange Bithumb has launched a global OTC trading desk for digital assets.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2I1CDFs

Credit Suisse Arm Sees Blockchain Benefits After Fund Distribution Trial

A Credit Suisse subsidiary has completed a blockchain trial for fund transactions, concluding the tech offers "considerable benefits."

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SihZWC

Latest Lightning Code Release Trolls With a ‘Block Size’ Increase

The latest code version for the lightning network, often trumpeted as the future of bitcoin payments, includes a "block size increase."

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2BqL0Vz

Thursday, 7 February 2019

Winklevoss Brothers Ordered to Pay $45K Worth of Charlie Shrem’s Legal Fees

Investors Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss have been ordered to pay back $45,000 in legal fees incurred by entrepreneur Charlie Shrem as part of an ongoing lawsuit that alleges he failed to broker a series of promised cryptocurrency purchases on their behalf. In the order, filed in the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of […]

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2MTRnoK

Blockchain Analysis Links Hamas Fundraising to Coinbase Bitcoin Account

Hamas is soliciting bitcoin donations for its military operations, but so far has only garnered a few thousand dollars.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2RJko7j

Someone Is Impersonating Bitcoin Futures Platfom Bakkt to Raise Money

There's a website out there masquerading as Bakkt in an apparent attempt to bilk people out of their bitcoin.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Gdxk49

Ripple Teams With 10 New Universities for Blockchain Research Initiative

Ripple has partnered another 10 top universities for its international blockchain research program, bringing the total to 29.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2UFTtLA

Crypto Futures Platform ErisX Hires Execs From Barclays and YouTube

Crypto trading firm ErisX has hired a COO from megabank Barclays and a head of infrastructure from YouTube.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2WWhZu2

Crypto Broker Led by Uber and E*Trade Alums Is Going Public

Voyager, a crypto brokerage founded by Uber and E*Trade alums, is going public via a $60 million reverse merger.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SwVZqd

Korean Central Bank Study: Issuing Digital Currency Poses Financial Risk

A Bank of Korea study concluded that a central bank digital currency could adversely affect commercial banks and ultimately financial stability.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2WMurfH

Little Relief in Sight as Bitcoin Price Closes at 7.5-Week Low

With bitcoin closing yesterday at the lowest level in 7.5 weeks, the gradual sell-off is showing no signs of abating.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2HWGB25

QuadrigaCX: Indian Hospital Releases Details About CEO’s Death

Private hospital Fortis Escorts has released details on the death of Gerald Cotten, CEO of Canadian cryptocurrency exchange QuadrigaCX.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2RL8Z6V

Swiss Stock Exchange SIX Plans Blockchain Platform in H2

Switzerland's top stock exchange, SIX, aims to roll out a blockchain platform to speed up trading later this year.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2TB6mqn

Ethereum Foundation Weighs $15 Million Bid to Build ‘Randomness’ Tech

The Ethereum Foundation may spend $15 million on a project implementing randomness tech called "Verifiable Delay Functions."

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2DgNpCa

Wednesday, 6 February 2019

The Collapse of QuadrigaCX: What We Know (And What We Don’t)

The growing scandal around the QuadrigaCX crypto exchange has numerous angles – and raises many questions.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2GsGMA3

Is ConsenSys Startup Token Foundry Dead or Doing Something Different?

Since losing its founder in August, sources say ICO platform Token Foundry is alive in name only.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2I5Mf1U

Circle’s Head of Partnerships Joins Blockchain Startup Celo

Chuck Kimble, who helped develop the USDC stablecoin for Circle, has joined blockchain startup Celo as head of strategic partnerships.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2WG97IR

Opera Adds Crypto Buying Service to Android Wallet

Opera has teamed up with crypto brokerage Safello to let users buy ether directly from its Android browser-based wallet.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2GrMIcA

Abra’s Blockchain App to Let Users Make Small Stock, ETF Investments

Abra is adding a new feature to its blockchain-based app that will allow global users to invest in fractions of stocks and ETFs.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SuB86R

Cypherpunk Valentine: Why Shoppers Spend Bitcoin on Lingerie

Lingerie purchasing as a bitcoin use case is much less far-fetched than you might imagine.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2BpddMe

Little-Known Resistance May Hold Key to Bitcoin Price Bounce

Bitcoin price gains may be capped by a key moving average that has been acting as stiff resistance since mid-January.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2GsCOHK

Coinbase’s Wallet App Is Getting Bitcoin Support This Week

Coinbase users will be able to directly control their bitcoin holdings from the firm’s Wallet app after a coming update.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2RMt8da

Bitcoin Is Becoming More Decentralized, Indicates New Research

Bitcoin's hashrate distribution has become more decentralized, according to a research report from Canaccord Genuity Group.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SuCkHf

Coinbase Extends PayPal Withdrawal Option to 32 European Countries

Coinbase customers in the EU and European Free Trade Association countries can now make withdrawals into their PayPal accounts.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2TzGbQK

Tuesday, 5 February 2019

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey Becomes Latest to Take Bitcoin’s ‘Lightning Torch’

Bitcoin's "lightning torch" saw none other than Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey snatch up the ongoing payment experiment and pass it on Tuesday.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2UFVVlf

LedgerX Unveils Betting Market for 2020’s Bitcoin Block Reward Halving

The bitcoin block reward will be cut in half next year – and soon, market watchers can place bets on exactly when the subsidy halving will happen.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2WM9mBU

Zcash Team Reveals It Fixed a Catastrophic Coin Counterfeiting Bug

The company behind the privacy-minded cryptocurrency zcash said Tuesday that it moved last year to fix a catastrophic bug that could have been used to print infinite coins.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2GpS5c4

Why Google Data Scientists Are Interested in Ethereum Classic

Google just added BigQuery support for Ethereum Classic because startups are investing in use cases.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Gn4WMc

Winklevoss Exchange Gemini Shuts Down Accounts Over Stablecoin Redemptions

OTC traders tell CoinDesk that crypto exchange Gemini is limiting access to redemptions of its GUSD stablecoin.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SbcsRt

Judge Moves to Block Potential Lawsuits Against QuadrigaCX Exchange

A judge in Canada has ruled in favor of a creditor protection petition filed last week by Canadian crypto exchange QuadrigaCX.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SpCcch

Government Death Certificate Says QuadrigaCX CEO Died in India

An Indian government-issued death certificate corroborates the passing of QuadrigaCX CEO Gerald Cotten in early December.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Gqkfny

Dharma Labs Raises $7 Million From Green Visor, Coinbase and Polychain

Offering a trustless lending product that "simply 'can't be evil,'" Dharma Labs just raised $7 million from some big-name investors.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2D7dzHv

East to West: Huobi Launches US Dollar Gateway for Global Crypto Traders

Crypto exchange Huobi is launching its first crypto-to-fiat trading pairs and looking to add more U.S.-based financial services.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2GcuH2F

Ex-Tether Exec Joins Venture Launching Stablecoin Clearinghouse

A former Bitfinex and Tether exec and crypto finance firm XBTO are launching a Bermuda-based clearinghouse for stablecoins.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2GpLNZW

Gold-Backed Cryptocurrency Launched by Iranian Banks: Report

Four Iranian banks have reportedly teamed up with a blockchain startup to launch a gold-backed cryptocurrency called “PayMon.”

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2DTPwxa

Bitcoin’s Daily Price Range Hits Three-Month Low

The current calm in the bitcoin market is reminiscent of the lackluster trading witnessed in October

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SbKrcz

$312 Million in Mt Gox Cryptos Possibly Sold Via BitPoint Exchange

Leaked bank documents suggest that $312.5 million in crypto from defunct bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox was sold via the BitPoint exchange.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SuBaeS

Bitcoin’s ‘Lightning Torch’ Has Blazed Through 37 Countries So Far

The bitcoin community is currently immersed in an experiment called the “lightning torch," and it's reached 37 countries so far.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2WCnKNj

Monday, 4 February 2019

A Court Date for QuadrigaCX: What to Expect at Tomorrow’s Hearing

QuadrigaCX is expected to receive a stay of litigation during a hearing before the Nova Scotia Supreme Court tomorrow.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2HPRBi0

Facebook Beefs Up Its Blockchain Efforts With Startup Hires

Facebook appears to be doubling down on its blockchain efforts with the hiring staffers from smart-contract startup Chainspace.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2GstiUG

BitTorrent Token Is Already Nearly 6 Times Its ICO Price

The price of BitTorrent Token (BTT) is up nearly 600 percent from its Initial Coin Offering (ICO) which took place just one week ago.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2ULyjMn

Overstock’s Medici Inks Deal for Local Land Registry in Mexico

Medici Land Governance has signed a memorandum of understanding with a local government in Mexico to create a digital land records system.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2S6ep1z

Venezuela’s Crypto Exchanges, Miners Must Register Under New Rules

Venezuela has activated new regulations for crypto service providers in the country, including exchange platforms and miners.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Suaqew

State of Blockchains: Community Perspectives

Every quarter, CoinDesk Research surfaces the key data, trends, and events with its State of Blockchains reports. As our research efforts evolve and expand, we hope to provide amplification to perspectives within the crypto community. We asked reached out to analysts, builders, and lawyers to understand the industry from their unique vantage point. Let’s dive […]

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2DRVkYe

Binance’s Crypto Winter Strategy: Build and Beef Up Partnerships

Binance is playing the long-game – investing in infrastructure and collaboration across the crypto ecosystem.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Sp1RSl

Kraken Acquires Regulated Futures Startup In Deal Worth At Least $100 Million

Kraken has inked a “nine-figure" deal that now makes it the only crypto exchange to offer regulated futures trading in Europe.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2GkNWGs

Alleged SIM-Swap Crypto Thief Indicted for Hacking Over 50 US Victims

A 20-year-old man has been formally charged in a U.S. supreme court indictment over 52 cases of SIM-swap identity and crypto theft.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2DQM7Q3

Bitcoin Price Charts Offer Glimmer of Hope to Struggling Bulls

The slow drip bitcoin price sell-off seen over the last six weeks has produced a bullish pattern on the daily chart.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Gkhuny

Bitfury Partners to Launch Bitcoin Mining Centers in Paraguay

Bitfury has teamed up with a South Korean firm to mine bitcoin using cheap, clean hydro power in Paraguay.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2BikNIC

US SEC Seeking Big Data Tool for Major Blockchains

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is seeking detailed blockchain data from vendors in order to improve crypto compliance.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2t3Uykw

The Crypto-Surveillance Capitalism Connection

If blockchain is to be a force for good, rather than a vehicle of subjugation, advocates must contend with the backlash against Big Tech.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2WCuLxr

Sunday, 3 February 2019

The Art of Cutting Losers and Letting Winners Run in Crypto Trading

One of the most important rules for trading in financial markets is cutting losing trades quickly and letting winners run.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2BjfvMT

Token Issuers Must Stop Paying for Market Making

It's time for the crypto world to adopt the best practices of the traditional public securities exchanges, including rules on ethics and fair dealing.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Tr4Bf6

Saturday, 2 February 2019

Security Tokens vs. Tokenized Securities: It’s More Than Semantics

Security tokens and tokenized securities are not the same thing – it's important that we recognize the difference, argues Noelle Acheson.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2S7eMZR

Don’t Believe the FUD: Ethereum Can Scale

The narrative that ethereum can't scale is being actively disproved in production environments on a daily basis.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2D4F4l6

Friday, 1 February 2019

Bitcoin Is Now Officially In Its Longest Bear Market Ever

Bitcoin's price has officially continued to print lower price highs for the longest amount of time in the cryptocurrency's 10 year history.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2S52BN6

Coinbase’s Director of Data Science and Risk Leaves to ‘Build From Scratch’

Soups Ranjan, who worked at Coinbase since 2015 as director of data analysis and fraud prevention, has left the crypto exchange to start something new.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SkTO90

QuadrigaCX Owes Customers $190 Million, Court Filing Shows

“Quadriga’s inventory of cryptocurrency has become unavailable and some of it may be lost," the founder's widow said in documents obtained by CoinDesk.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2GmT5Or

Ethereum Developers Delay Mining Algorithm Change for Code Audit

During a public call Friday, a tentative decision on whether to implement the ethereum network's ProgPoW update was postponed.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Sqvjre

Wall Street Crypto Products May Have to Wait as US Regulators Confront Backlog

The SEC and CFTC have five weeks of work to catch up on, and crypto advocates have no illusions that bitcoin ETFs and the like are a priority.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SqbxMw

New Malware Targets Apple Mac Computers to Steal and Mine Cryptos

A recently discovered form of malware steals browser cookies and other information on Apple Mac computers to steal cryptocurrencies.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2t0wrDC

Smart Contract Auditor Cuts 80% of Staff in Crypto Winter Cutbacks

After an initial boom, smart contract auditing firm Hosho went from from 37 employees to seven after business slowed in 2018.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2S0aNOy

SatoshiPay Integrates Blockchain Payments for Major European Publisher

Micropayments startup SatoshiPay has partnered with Europe's largest digital publisher to integrate blockchain payments for content.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2S3EjCU

Ethereum Startup Aragon Weighs Launching a Second Network on Polkadot

Ethereum startup Aragon is investigating the use of Parity Technologies' Polkadot Network to launch a smart contract framework.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2CYQ9Ek

Bitcoin’s Price Logs Record 6-Month Losing Streak

Bitcoin's price fell for a record sixth time in January, after an early bounce to $4,000 failed to entice mass buying.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2Ux9gwo

UK Firm Gets Regulatory Green Light to Offer Crypto Derivatives

London-based OTC firm B2C2 has just been authorized by the U.K.'s financial watchdog to offer cryptocurrency contracts for difference (CFDs).

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2S6PsDm

Casa Is Open Sourcing Its Lightning-Enabled Hardware Bitcoin Node

Casa is open sourcing aspects of its lighting network-enabled bitcoin node and launching a browser extension for direct control of the device.

from CoinDesk http://bit.ly/2SkL7eO