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The digital currency asset manager Valkyrie has applied for an exchange-traded fund (ETF) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund plans invest at least 80% of its net assets into firms that derive at least 50% of their revenue from the bitcoin mining industry. Valkyrie’s Proposed ETF Targets the Bitcoin Mining Industry The crypto asset manager Valkyrie has applied for a new crypto-focused ETF that focuses on the bitcoin mining sector. Valkyrie is well known for launching the second bitcoin futures ETF under the ticker “BTF,” after Proshares launched the first bitcoin futures ETF called “BITO.” According to a filing with the U.S. SEC on January 26, 2022, Valkyrie is proposing to launch a fund that leverages firms that derive revenue from the bitcoin mining industry. The company wants to list the ETF on Nasdaq, the same market the bitcoin futures exchange-traded fund BTF trades on today. “The fund is an actively-managed exchange-traded fund that will invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in securities of companies that derive at least 50% of their revenue or profits from bitcoin mining operations and/or from providing specialized chips, hardware, and software or other services to companies engaged in bitcoin mining,” Valkyrie’s filing explains. Cryptocurrency mining has been very profitable over the last 12 months and today, Bitcoin’s hashrate is hovering just above 180 exahash per second (EH/s). Using current BTC exchange rates, the best performing bitcoin miners with 100 terahash per second (TH/s) or more are getting $14 per day with $0.12 per kWh in electricity costs. Valkyrie’s recent application proposal Form N-1A, also explains the risks involved with bitcoin investments. The application notes that the fund will be “indirectly exposed to the risks of investing in bitcoin” and that bitcoin is a “new and highly speculative investment.” Valkyrie’s BTF Shed 25% Last Month, Funds and Entities With Exposure to Bitcoin Follow Leading Crypto’s Price Patterns Meanwhile, Valkyrie’s BTF climbed 3.41% during the last 24 hours and is trading for $14.87 per share at the time of writing. 30-day statistics indicate BTF shed 25.69% after falling from $20.01 per share a month ago. Five-day metrics show BTF has lost 10.10% after rebounding a few percentages during the course of Wednesday’s trading sessions. Valkyrie’s BTF, Proshares’ BITO, and the Vaneck Bitcoin Strategy ETF (XBTF) have all been following BTC’s market direction closely. Other types of funds and publicly-listed companies that have exposure to BTC are also following bitcoin’s price patterns. What do you think about Valkyrie’s recent ETF filing with the SEC for a bitcoin mining-focused fund? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

There’s been a lot of action in the world of cryptocurrencies over the last 12 months and a myriad of metrics have changed. A recent report from forexsuggest.com shows that dogecoin fees saw the largest increase since January 1, 2021, jumping 4,230% in a year. Ethereum’s transaction fees were the most expensive at the end of 2021, as the average transfer fee was $52.45 per transaction. Dogecoin, XRP, Blackcoin Saw the Highest Transfer Fee Rises in 12 Months Digital currencies saw significant growth last year in terms of value and onchain data. The average cryptocurrency transaction fees in 2021 changed a great deal as well. A study published by forexsuggest.com highlights 15 different crypto assets in order to compare average fees and the growth over 12 months. Some of the assets chosen were relatively unknown and older cryptos such as feathercoin (FTC) and blackcoin (BLK). According to the researchers, dogecoin (DOGE) saw the largest fee increase in the year, spiking 4,230% from $0.01 per transfer to $0.433. Xrp (XRP) saw the second-largest increase in 12 months jumping 3,810% from $0.000166 to $0.00649 per transfer. The third biggest increase over the last 12 months was blackcoin (BLK), with transfer fees increasing 1,886% from $0.00000442 to $0.0000878 per transaction. The most expensive transaction fees occurred on the Ethereum (ETH) network, and ETH was also the fourth largest gainer in terms of 12-month fee increases. ETH transfer fees jumped 1,459% from $3.36 to $52.45 per transaction. The fifth-largest jump in fees stemmed from the Zcash (ZEC) network, as ZEC fees increased 806% in 12 months. ZEC fees on January 1, 2021, were around $0.00000406 and at the end of the year, ZEC transfer fees were $0.0000368. Feathercoin, Monero, Bitcoin Fees Drop Forexsuggest.com’s study shows three crypto assets that saw 12-month network fee decreases. Feathercoin (FTC) saw a 51% decrease in transfer fees, and monero (XMR) saw its transaction fees drop by 29%. Bitcoin (BTC) fees shed 26% during the course of the 12-month span. FTC’s transfer fees on January 1, 2021, were $0.000194 and at the end of the 12-month cycle, FTC fees were $0.0000955. Bitcoin’s transfer fees were $5.55 per transaction at the start of the 12-month time span and at the end, data indicates BTC fees were $4.09 per transfer. The study’s researchers leveraged fee data sources from ycharts.com and bitinfocharts.com, and collected the metrics on the 1st day of every month last year. Cryptocurrencies that offer transaction fees that are around a U.S. penny or less include dash (DASH) $0.0173, bitcoin cash (BCH) $0.00851, xrp (XRP) $0.00649, bitcoin gold (BTG) $0.00545, and ethereum classic (ETC) $0.0039. Below ethereum’s $52.45 per transaction fee were bitcoin fees, followed by binance coin (BNB) at $0.562 per transfer as far as the most expensive transfer fees were concerned. Litecoin (LTC) fees recorded at the end of last year were around $0.0278 per transaction. What do you think about the crypto transfer fee increases last year? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

Ahead of Wednesday’s FOMC meeting, cryptocurrency markets were once again trading higher, with polygon (MATIC) being one of today’s biggest gainers. Despite the top 20 mainly trending upward, some in this list were mainly lower during the course of the session. Biggest Gainers Polygon (MATIC), which was one of the biggest gainers within the top 20, was up by as much as 12% in Wednesday’s session, hitting an intraday high of $1.72 in the process. The move saw MATIC/USD bounce from its support level of $1.49, and attempt to make a run for resistance at $1.77. Today’s rally saw prices rise by their most in 4-days, leading to the RSI moving from 33, to a reading of 37, which is the biggest gain in price strength since January 20th. Although there has historically been increases in price at the current rate, should MATIC/USD find its way to $1.80, market uncertainty could likely increase. Looking at the chart below, there appears to be several bearish candlesticks at this level, which could mean those bulls who entered at $1.49, may likely begin to take profit the closer we get to resistance. Traders will now wait to see how this move plays out as we head to the end of the day. Biggest Losers Although most cryptos in the top 20 were in the green during most of today’s session, there were a few exceptions, with cosmos (ATOM) being one of them. ATOM fell for the second consecutive session, falling by as much as 9%, resulting in it hitting a low of $33.47 in the process. The selloff took place at the $36.25 resistance level, which has been a long-established ceiling in terms of price movement. Looking at the chart, a downward cross between the 10/25-day moving averages has also occurred, which could mean that the current bearish momentum may continue in upcoming days. Could we be headed to support at $29? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. View the full article

On January 26, the crypto asset exchange FTX US revealed it raised $400 million in a Series A financing round stemming from investors like Softbank, Paradigm, and Multicoin Capital. The Series A investment in FTX US brings the U.S.-based trading platform’s post valuation to $8 billion. FTX US Reveals $400 Million Capital Raise, Firm Aims to Expand Staff to ‘100-Strong’ Following parent company FTX raising $420.69 million three months ago, the U.S.-based trading platform FTX US announced it has raised $400 million in a Series A funding round. The Chicago-based FTX US launched in 2020 and over the last year, the exchange says it has seen its user base grow 52% quarter-over-quarter. During the last 24 hours, data shows that FTX US has seen $270.2 million or 7,139 BTC in trade volume. The $400 million investment into FTX US came from investment firms such as Lightspeed Venture Partners, Softbank Vision Fund 2, Temasek Holdings, Multicoin Capital, and Paradigm. “What this raise means to us is that we are officially establishing ourselves on the stage of the largest competitors of cryptocurrency exchanges in the U.S., and signaling to the world that we are going to continue to expand very rapidly,” FTX US president Brett Harrison said in a statement. The exchange’s parent company has been making big moves over the last 12 months with a focus on entertainment and the sports industry. In mid-January, the company launched FTX Ventures in order to bolster blockchain and Web3 adoption with $2 billion in capital. Furthermore, FTX US recently partnered with Monumental Sports Entertainment (MSE) and became MSE’s exclusive crypto exchange and non-fungible token partner. Harrison told the press that the recently acquired $400 million in capital will be used to increase the exchange’s user base and obtain top talent from the industry. The FTX US president said that it is aiming to expand its staff to 100 employees. “By having this capital, we’re able to go out and be competitive and hire the best people,” Harrison concluded in the announcement. What do you think about FTX US raising $400 million and gathering a post valuation of $8 billion? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

Meta, formerly Facebook, is reportedly in talks with investment bankers to sell its assets in the cryptocurrency project Diem, formerly Libra. The diem USD stablecoin was supposed to be issued by Silvergate Bank but it failed to get regulatory approval. Meta Reportedly Seeking Buyers for Diem Crypto Project Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta, formerly Facebook, is trying to sell its assets in the cryptocurrency project Diem, formerly Libra, Bloomberg reported Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. Meta owns about a third of the venture; the rest is owned by other members of the Diem Association, one of the people said. The Diem Association is considering a sale of its assets as a way to return capital to its investor members, the people explained. They added that Diem is in discussions with investment bankers about selling its intellectual property and finding a new home for the project engineers. The association announced a partnership with Silvergate Bank in May last year for the bank to become the exclusive issuer of the Diem USD stablecoin. However, the people noted that the bank’s regulator told Silvergate it was uneasy with the Diem launch plan and could not assure the bank that it would allow that activity. Facebook first unveiled the Libra crypto project in June 2019. Since then, it has faced relentless scrutiny from regulators worldwide, causing some partners to abandon the project, including Visa, Mastercard, and Paypal. Libra later changed its name to Diem. David Marcus, who headed the company’s Diem efforts, resigned at the end of 2021. What do you think about Meta trying to sell its assets in the Diem crypto project? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

Days after falling to a 6-month low, bitcoin rose for a second consecutive session, as prices slowly approached its key level of $40,000. Today’s gain in BTC comes as the global crypto market cap was 4.7% higher from yesterday’s session, as of writing. Bitcoin The world’s largest cryptocurrency hit an intraday high of $38,415.90 on Wednesday, which is its highest level in the last six sessions. Today’s move comes as the 14-day RSI on BTC/USD broke out of its recent resistance level of 30, which typically signifies prices being oversold, and is now tracking at 38. Despite remaining relatively oversold, this short-term bullish momentum has led to the 10-day (red) EMA slowly curving out, with the potential for an upward cross with the 25-day (blue) EMA gradually increasing. If this were to occur, history shows that there could be increased buying pressure, as prices would likely break above the $40,000 ceiling. Which is an area where previous bull runs have started. However, as we approach this level, there looks to be some resistance ahead, with the RSI indicator showing that a ceiling of 41 could pour cold water on the current streak. This, if the recent bullish pressure isn’t enough to overcome the upcoming hurdle. Ethereum ETH prices were trading close to 10% higher during the course of Wednesday’s session, hitting an intraday high of $2,648.49 in the process. Similar to bitcoin, ETH/USD moved past recent lows in its 14-day RSI, and currently tracks slightly above the 34 level. This gain in strength has led to prices hitting a 5-day high, now on the periphery of breaking into the 0.236 Fibonacci level. As you can see from the chart below, this fib level, which is at $2,675.00, has birthed several bull runs in the past. With no clear signs of resistance in volumes, are we set to see more gains in the price of ETH? Leave your thoughts in the comments below. View the full article

Thailand has announced that cryptocurrency will be regulated as a means of payment for goods and services “to avert potential impacts on the country’s financial stability and economic system.” The announcement was issued by the Bank of Thailand, the Thai Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Ministry of Finance. Cryptocurrency Will Be a Means of Payment in Thailand The Bank of Thailand (BOT), the Thai Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the country’s Ministry of Finance (MOF) jointly announced Tuesday their plan to regulate cryptocurrency as a means of payment. The three regulators explained that after reviewing the benefits and risks of crypto assets, they “deem it necessary to regulate the usage of digital assets as a means of payment for goods and services, to avert potential impacts on the country’s financial stability and economic system.” Citing that crypto business operators have been offering services related to the use of cryptocurrencies as a means of payment, including setting up crypto settlement systems, the regulators conceded: This may result in a wider adoption of digital assets as a means of payment, aside from its usage as investment, which could potentially impact financial stability and the overall economic system. The authorities then outlined various crypto-related risks to consumers and businesses, such as “price volatility, cybertheft, personal data leakage, or money laundering, etc.” The announcement further details: “Regulators will consider exercising power in accordance with the relevant legal frameworks to limit the widespread adoption of digital assets as a means of payment for goods and services.” SEC Secretary-General Ruenvadee Suwanmongkol clarified that the SEC, which regulates crypto businesses, has a policy to promote the development of digital asset businesses alongside consumer protection. Bank of Thailand Governor Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput opined: At present, widespread adoption of digital assets as a means of payment for goods and services poses risk to the country’s economic and financial system. Therefore, clear supervision of such activity is needed. “However, technologies and digital assets that do not pose such risks should be supported with appropriate regulatory frameworks to drive innovation and further benefit for the public,” he concluded. What do you think about Thailand regulating cryptocurrency as a means of payment? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has signed a partnership agreement with the Argentinian Soccer Association (AFA), one of the biggest soccer federations in the world, to become its main sponsor. With this deal, Binance will become the main sponsor of all the Argentinian national soccer teams for the next five years and will issue a new fan token. The AFA has previously issued such an asset in partnership with Socios, another fan token platform. Binance Inks Sponsorship Deal With Argentinian Soccer Association Binance, one of the leading cryptocurrency exchanges by volume traded, has signed a sponsorship deal with the Argentinian Soccer Association (AFA), allowing the company to become the main sponsor of all the Argentinian soccer teams on a global scale. The deal is the first one the exchange has inked with a worldwide national team, and will last five years, according to the information shared. The deal seeks to promote the brand with one of the most successful soccer teams, bringing crypto to users and fans that may not have become familiar with these technologies otherwise. Maximiliano Hinz, Director of Binance Latam, stated: Through this agreement, we hope to support Argentine soccer at all levels and introduce Binance, the crypto world and the blockchain to soccer fans across the country and the world. Incoming Fan Token & Legal Actions The signed partnership also includes the development and launch of a new fan token to be released in the near future. However, the Argentinian Soccer Association had already issued a fan token of its own, in partnership with Socios.com, a fan token company. This confused fans of the national team and resulted in an influx of purchases of the previously issued token. The issuance of the new token was criticized by the Socios platform, which issued a press release announcing its stance on this new deal the AFA has signed with Binance. According to sports media, Socios rejected this new deal, made just nine months after they had signed another deal with them that would last three years. Socios.com declared: We will do everything in our power to prevent this and to protect the rights of fans who purchased $ARG Fan Tokens. We are facing a flagrant breach of contract and we will take all the necessary legal measures to guarantee that AFA fulfills the commitments acquired with Socios.com. The first token was launched on June 15 last year, selling more than 400k tokens at that time. What do you think about the deal between the AFA and Binance? Tell us in the comments section below. View the full article

PRESS RELEASE. As the new year gets underway, there has been a lot of speculation and interest regarding what role the metaverse, crypto and VR (Virtual Reality) will play going forward. After all, our society is becoming increasingly digitised and the COVID-19 global pandemic is still very much ongoing. As a result, there is a clear need for everyone to continue to live their lives but in a vastly different way than before, and that is exactly where Ariva Digital comes into play. Understanding Ariva Simply put, Ariva can be thought of as an innovative blockchain platform which intends to solve the inefficiencies of the tourism industry by providing a next-generation blockchain-based ecosystem. It essentially wishes to influence the tourism sector by combining cutting-edge goods, services and products into its ecosystem. This is divided into many important categories, according to the official whitepaper, including Ariva.World, Ariva.Finance, Ariva.Club, and finally the Ariva Metaverse. These are all interconnected too, allowing for improved compatibility and therefore providing tourists with a unique experience facilitated by the smart usage of blockchain technologies. Ariva Wonderland, a new metaverse initiative by Ariva, would provide users with the opportunity to enjoy a fully next-generation and practically limitless tourism experience, allowing them to virtually travel to any place desired. Moreover, the Ariva metaverse project’s purpose is to merge the themes of VR and travelling via the crypto sector to offer a second life suitable for an expanding tourism industry. Due to this, users will be able to enjoy a new age of virtual tourism loaded with all kinds of unlimited future travel experiences. To that end, land sales shall start near the end of this month, and the project had also been listed on Liquid Exchange not too long ago with the ARV/USDT pair and gained a blue tick on BscScan. Arivaman The team has recently produced an NFT series starring ‘Arivaman’, the main character of Ariva Wonderland. Arivaman shall travel to over 24 different countries, including Vietnam, Philippines, Pakistani, Peru, UAE, Egypt, Switzerland, Turkey, Germany, Estonia, Ukraine, France, Italy, Portugal, Russia, USA, UK, Indonesia, Brazil, Korea, Japan, India, China Old and China Modern. Aside from that, there are also 9 different space themed NFTs, namely ‘Moon’, ‘Earth’, ‘Mercury’, ‘Venus’, ‘Saturn’, ‘Uranus’, ‘Mars’, ‘Neptune’, and ‘Sun’. Additionally, there is also ‘Back To The Wonderland’ along with 2 different Arivaman designs. The Arivaman NFT series is now launched. Visit Binance NFT more information. In a nutshell, the concept of Arivaman is that a character had to be created which could accurately represent each aspect of our society, such as gender (the character itself is genderless), music, animals, and of course travelling. Arivaman shall hence go on different journeys in a new, unique and exciting adventure, and the team hopes that this innovative initiative will also help its Ariva Wonderland project. For more information, be sure to follow the official website and social media channels like Facebook, Twitter and Telegram. This is a press release. Readers should do their own due diligence before taking any actions related to the promoted company or any of its affiliates or services. Bitcoin.com is not responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in the press release. View the full article

Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority (OJK) has prohibited financial firms from using, marketing, and/or facilitating crypto trading. The financial regulator also cautioned the public to always beware of fraudulent Ponzi schemes under the guise of crypto. Indonesian Regulator’s Crypto Warning Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority (OJK), the Jakarta-based government agency which regulates the financial services sector, warned Tuesday that financial firms are not allowed to offer or facilitate sales of crypto assets. The warning was conveyed by the chairman of the OJK Board of Commissioners, Wimboh Santoso, on the regulator’s official Instagram account. The OJK was quoted by Reuters as saying: OJK has strictly prohibited financial service institutions from using, marketing, and/or facilitating crypto asset trading. The regulator also cautioned the public when investing in crypto assets. “Crypto assets themselves are a type of commodity that has fluctuations in value which can go up and down at any time, so people must understand the risks,” the OJK stated. However, cryptocurrencies cannot be legally used for payments in Indonesia. In addition, the financial regulator reminded the public to always beware of fraudulent Ponzi schemes under the guise of crypto. The OJK was further quoted as saying: Please beware of allegations of Ponzi scheme scams in crypto investments. The OJK explained that it does not supervise or regulate cryptocurrencies. The regulation and supervision of crypto assets in Indonesia are carried out by the Commodity Futures Trading Authority (CoFTRA) and the Ministry of Trade. The ministry is currently facilitating the set up of a digital asset bourse, called the Digital Futures Exchange, which officials say will be launched in the first quarter. According to crypto payments firm Triple A, it is estimated that over 7.2 million people, or 2.66% of Indonesia’s total population, currently own cryptocurrency. Moreover, data from the Ministry of Trade cited by the media show that crypto transactions reached 859 trillion rupiah ($59.83 billion) last year, a significant increase from 60 trillion rupiah in 2020. What do you think about the Indonesian regulator prohibiting financial firms from facilitating crypto trading? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

The Trump family has threatened legal action over trumpcoin, a cryptocurrency created in 2016 “to honor Donald J. Trump.” Eric Trump said that the crypto has nothing to do with the Trump family. “We do not authorize the use and we are in no way affiliated with this group. Legal action will be taken,” he said. Trump Family Threatens Lawsuit Over Trumpcoin Eric Trump, a son of the former president and a Trump Organization executive, tweeted about cryptocurrency trumpcoin Monday. “Fraud Alert: It has come to our attention that someone is promoting a cryptocurrency called ‘trumpcoin’ (Symbol ‘TRUMP’),” he wrote, adding: This has nothing to do with our family, we do not authorize the use and we are in no way affiliated with this group. Legal action will be taken. According to the Trumpcoin website, the cryptocurrency was created in February 2016 “in order to honor Donald J. Trump.” Trumpcoin has a market cap of about $1.3 million. At the time of writing, its price is about $0.26. The FAQ page for Trumpcoin states that the coin and its website are “not owned, operated, endorsed by or otherwise affiliated” with the Trump brand. At the time of writing, Eric Trump’s tweet has garnered 1.3K comments. It has been retweeted 3.5K times and liked 11.4K times. Some people pointed out that the Trumpcoin website clearly states that the cryptocurrency is not affiliated with the Trump brand in any way. Several others told Eric that the Trump family does not own the word “Trump.” A few mocked the Trump family for noticing a coin that has been around since 2016 for the first time. Former U.S. President Donald Trump has never been a fan of bitcoin or cryptocurrency. In December last year, he said crypto is “very dangerous,” warning of an explosion like we have never seen before. He has repeatedly said that he does not want any other currencies that could hurt the U.S. dollar. What do you think about the Trump family threatening to sue over trumpcoin? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

Tesla CEO Elon Musk says that he will eat a happy meal on television if McDonald’s accepts the meme cryptocurrency dogecoin (DOGE). However, McDonald’s replied, “only if Tesla accepts grimacecoin.” Musk’s statement followed a tweet by McDonald’s asking how crypto Twitter is doing. Elon Musk Tries to Tempt McDonald’s to Accept Dogecoin Tesla and Spacex CEO Elon Musk offered to eat a McDonald’s happy meal on television if the fast-food restaurant chain accepts dogecoin (DOGE) in a tweet Tuesday. At the time of writing, his tweet has been retweeted 34.3K times and liked 229.1K times. Many people expressed their excitement on Twitter, promising that they will eat at McDonald’s more often if the restaurant chain accepts DOGE. Some said they will only pay at McDonald’s with the meme coin if that happens. A few people asked McDonald’s to consider accepting other coins, like shiba inu (SHIB). The price of DOGE pumped slightly after Musk’s tweet. The price of dogecoin was $0.1359 at that time. It quickly popped more than 10% to $0.1496, based on data from Bitcoin.com Markets. However, the meme coin lost some of its gains and fell to $0.1419 at the time of writing. McDonald’s Replies With ‘Grimacecoin’ The official Twitter account for McDonald’s tweeted in reply to Musk. “Only if Tesla accepts grimacecoin,” the fast-food restaurant tweeted to the Tesla boss. Grimace is a fluffy, purple character who tags along with Ronald McDonald in McDonaldland commercials. McDonald’s has also recently been tweeting about cryptocurrency in general. The company has pinned a tweet it made Monday that reads: “how are you doing people who run crypto Twitter accounts.” Many people have been posting memes about McDonald’s and cryptocurrency, particularly when prices fall. Musk, who was recently named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year, has been a longtime supporter of the meme cryptocurrency. He is also known in the crypto community as the Dogefather. He previously said that he personally owns dogecoin and thinks that the meme coin is the people’s crypto. The Tesla boss has said that dogecoin is the best cryptocurrency for transactions. In contrast, he said bitcoin is more suited as a store of value. In addition, his electric car company, Tesla, began accepting dogecoin payments for some merchandise last week. What do you think about Elon Musk saying he will eat a happy meal on TV if McDonald’s accepts dogecoin? And, what you do think about the response by McDonald’s? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

The mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, converted his first paycheck into bitcoin and ether before the price of the cryptocurrencies plummeted. However, the mayor said, “When you are a long-term investor, you don’t keep your eyes on your portfolio.” He added that the purpose of receiving a paycheck in bitcoin is to send a message that New York City is open to technology. NYC Mayor Converted Paycheck Into Bitcoin and Ether Before Prices Tanked New York City Mayor Eric Adams answered some questions in an interview with CNN Sunday about receiving his first paycheck in bitcoin just before the price of the cryptocurrency sank. Adams recently converted his first paycheck into bitcoin and ether via Coinbase. He promised to take his first three paychecks in bitcoin. He was asked if he had any regrets about converting his paycheck into cryptocurrency before prices crashed. The mayor replied: It’s the same when I invested in the stock market in my 401k. We saw a drastic drop during 2018 and at other times. When you are a long-term investor, you don’t keep your eyes on your portfolio. You buy low and, hopefully, you get the recovery that you desire. This was not the first time Adams was asked to comment about getting paid in bitcoin amid falling prices. In early January, he said: “Sometimes the best time to buy is when things go down, so when they go back up, you’ve made a good profit.” The mayor of New York City added: The purpose of the bitcoin is to send a message that New York City is open to technology. Adams further opined: “We want to see a large amount of new technology in the city of New York and encourage our young people to be engaged in these new emerging markets. And I’m excited about the future of this city and I’m excited about bringing my young people who have been historically denied access to new technology.” What do you think about NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ crypto comment? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

Grayscale, the world’s largest crypto asset manager, is considering 25 more crypto assets for investment products. With the latest additions, the company’s list of coins under consideration has grown to 43. “The process of creating an investment product similar to the ones we already offer is a complex, multifaceted process,” said Grayscale. 25 Crypto Assets Added to List of Coins Under Consideration for Grayscale’s Investment Products Grayscale Investments announced Monday that it has updated its list of digital assets under consideration for 2022. Grayscale currently has $30.6 billion in net assets under management. The company explained that the “Assets Under Consideration” list comprises “some digital assets that are not currently included in a Grayscale investment product, but that have come to our attention as part of our exploration of this sector, and that our team has identified as possible candidates for inclusion in a future investment product.” Grayscale detailed: With our most recent update in January 2022, we’ve added one additional asset to our product family column, and 25 assets to our assets under consideration column. Amp (AMP) is the only digital asset added to Grayscale’s product family. The 25 additional assets under consideration are Algorand (ALGO), Arweave (AR), Axie Infinity (AXS), Bancor (BNT), Bittorrent (BTT), Bora (BORA), Convex (CVX), Cosmos (ATOM), Decred (DCR), Elrond (EGLD), Enjin (ENJ), Fantom (FTM), Gala (GALA), Gelato (GEL), Helium (HNT), Holo (HOT), Iota (IOTA), Oasis Network (ROSE), Secret (SCRT), Spell (SPELL), Stacks (STX), The Sandbox (SAND), Universal Market Access (UMA), Vechain (VET), and Yield Guild Games (YGG). Grayscale added: The process of creating an investment product similar to the ones we already offer is a complex, multifaceted process. “It requires significant review and consideration and is subject to our internal controls, custody arrangements, and regulatory considerations, among other things,” the asset management firm elaborated. What do you think about Grayscale considering 43 crypto assets for investment products? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

While the latest news and information about cryptocurrency & NFT projects are better known through Web 2.0 social media companies such as Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube. There aren’t any decentralised social platforms available in the market that allows users to own the NFT while being able to display their NFT or Token assets on the social platforms. The cryptocurrency market is shifting towards a decentralised development of the internet which we called “Web 3.0”. Whereby. In simple terms, it is the idea of implementing the world wide web based on underlying blockchain technology which emphasises on decentralisation and tokenomics which most of the Web 2.0 companies were lacking. Web 3.0 concept can be very crucial towards social platforms as it enhances the authenticity of certain NFT assets or tokens that Crypto or NFT Influencer has, which lead to an introduction of a decentralised social platform which was called “Boom”. Boom, a decentralised crypto community social platform just announced that users and NFT creators are allowed to display their NFT in Boom’s app and platform. While most NFT mobile wallets such as Metamask, Coinbase, and Rainbow allow you to display your NFT, there aren’t any social platforms that allow you to display your NFT on social platforms while testing the authenticity of the NFT for the public to see. With this update, it can be seen that this is an important update towards NFT creators and Web 3.0 development. What is more interesting about Boom is that there are numerous user-friendly functions for NFT creators and users. Coming up with the most important features is that users are able to become a NFT Creator or KOL (Key Opinion Leader) by themselves. Users and creators can create their own channel to share their insights and thoughts about the current NFT or Cryptocurrency market situation while being able to choose as a paid or free channel for viewers to see. Also, while sharing their thoughts and opinions about a specific project, they could display their NFT and Token to give the authenticity of them owning the token with blockchain technology. In addition, Boom also accepts USDT (Tether) and Ethereum Token (ERC20) in their app, allowing users to receive, transfer and withdraw tokens with complete control of their token or NFT assets all the time. Other than that, users are able to browse through the latest news and trending posts created by creators on the platform. On the platform, trending posts are based on the most comments posted within 24 hours, and users are also to select posts from different following creators. While the users enjoy the content produced by the creators, they are able to pay a tip, subscription fees through crypto tokens or NFTs. With all these unique features offered by Boom, the platform aims to create a social space for the community and users to share their knowledge regarding cryptocurrency. By doing so increases the collaboration between communities and generates new crypto ideas. All the features that Boom is creating align with their vision and goal towards a decentralized metaverse socialfi platform whereby users and creators are the key centric of this D’app. Future Direction for Boom As there are more adaptations towards Social Fi D’apps and NFTs, it can be seen that there are unlimited possibilities towards the platform Boom. With the goal and vision of creating more benefits for users and creators, Boom will be implementing lots of updated features in the coming months. Coming up with their recent initiative, Boom has recently launched a $1million Boom creator fund which acts as support towards Boom contributors. Creators or KOL that match the criteria of the campaign are able to share the fund while receiving other support such as marketing support, Influencer NFT reward, partnership signature fee, and display Influencer’s page on Boom website. With all these benefits creators are able to build up their following and enjoy Boom’s benefit at the same time. Within the 2 week launch of Boom, there are already more than 2,000 active users in the platform and also having influencers such as Crypto Stack, Crypto Gems, Winkcrypto, and more participating in the KOL100 campaign. In their coming month’s roadmap there are more features coming up which include Multi-Chain Wallet, Create to Earn, Decentralised Data and Storage, Ranking System, Airdrop, Connect with Web 2.0 Media, and many more. Coming with all these important updates, Boom is way ahead of developing a social and NFT revolution platform that will form an important structure in the upcoming metaverse. About Boom Boom was registered in Miami, Florida. The company was founded by a group of cyberpunk enthusiasts spreading across the United States, France, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Malaysia. The founding members of Boom have different backgrounds but came together voluntarily out of common interest and vision. Download BOOM For iOS users, click here to download TestFlight and install BOOM. For Android users, click here to download BOOM. This is a sponsored post. Learn how to reach our audience here. Read disclaimer below. View the full article

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has been very critical of cryptocurrencies and according to a report on Tuesday, the IMF’s board has “urged” El Salvador to discontinue its bitcoin tender status. A few members of the IMF’s board said the country’s decision to leverage bitcoin within its financial system could pose risks. IMF Report Attempts to Persuade El Salvador to Drop Bitcoin Legal Tender Status, Director’s Are Concerned About Bitcoin Bonds and Chivo Wallet’s Regulatory Oversight According to a report published by the IMF, a global financial institution that promotes financial stability and economic growth, the organization believes El Salvador should end its relationship with bitcoin (BTC). The report notes that El Salvador is being “urged” by the IMF board directors to do away with the bitcoin law as soon as possible. IMF board members have “urged the authorities to narrow the scope of the Bitcoin law by removing bitcoin’s legal tender status,” the report detailed on Tuesday. The news follows a blog post published two weeks ago by IMF economists which stressed: “[cryptocurrencies] could soon pose risks to financial stability especially in countries with widespread crypto adoption.” The IMF director’s report also noted that some members of the IMF are “expressed concern over the risks associated with issuing bitcoin-backed bonds..” During the first week of January, the Salvadoran government introduced 20 bills to provide a legal framework for its upcoming bitcoin bonds. El Salvador has been headstrong about integrating bitcoin (BTC) into its economy, and Salvadoran president Nayib Bukele revealed a bitcoin mining operation powered by volcanic energy at the end of September. This month Bukele explained El Salvador was making investments in order to bolster the country’s geothermal energy production. The president of El Salvador has been buying bitcoin and adding it to the country’s treasury, according to his announcements on Twitter. The president of El Salvador said the country purchased 410 bitcoin last week, and the country has a total stash of ​​1,801 bitcoins. In addition to the IMF’s statements about the bitcoin tender law and bitcoin-backed bonds, the global financial institution criticized the Chivo e-wallet. “Directors agreed on the importance of boosting financial inclusion and noted that digital means of payment—such as the Chivo e-wallet—could play this role,” the IMF report concludes. “However, they emphasized the need for strict regulation and oversight of the new ecosystem of Chivo and Bitcoin.” What do you think about the IMF’s opinion that El Salvador should drop its bitcoin tender law? What do you think about the financial institution’s opinion about bitcoin-backed bonds and Chivo e-wallet? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

Meme coins were higher on Tuesday, as the global cryptocurrency marketplace rebounded from recent declines in price. Both DOGE and SHIB were trading close to 7% higher during the session. In addition to the meme coins, there were several other gainers on Tuesday, as both traders and long-term investors bought the crypto dip. Biggest gainers One of today’s biggest gainers in the crypto top 20 was avalanche (AVAX), which was up by as much as 15% during the session. AVAX hit an intraday high of $68.03 on Tuesday, climbing from yesterday’s low of $59.59. Today’s rally comes 3-days after prices briefly fell below support of $59.70, dropping to a low of $53,47 over the weekend. This false breakout saw prices hit their lowest level since October 18th, before rallying to a now all-time high (ATH) slightly above $146.00. Looking at the chart below, the trendline shows that there has been long-term buying pressure, which is evident by the ascending triangle, as a result of continuous higher highs in price action. This momentum has been somewhat halted by the recent short-term bearish pressure, which resulted in the descending triangle, which led to the recent breakout. Since said breakout, prices found an interim floor around $59, and this has captured the imagination of bulls who bought at the same range in October. Could history be set to repeat itself, with a similar rally at this current level. Biggest Losers It was not all rosy in the top 20, as some cryptos continued to trade in the red, despite today’s rebound in prices. Terra (Luna) was one of the only cryptocurrencies in this list to trade lower during Tuesday’s rally, as bears opted to remain active in this market. The price of luna fell to an intraday low of $62.88 in the session, and was down just over 1% as of writing. Looking at the chart, this luna has been trading in a streak of lower lows in recent weeks, which led to a breakout of its $59 floor last week. Since then, Its price has continued to consolidate at this level, with the RSI remaining closer to oversold territory. Is terra (Luna) currently undervalued? What do you think about the meme coin market action? Let us know what you think in the comments section below. View the full article

Spellfire is gaining momentum. The legend is back better than ever. Chase the $SPELLFIRE on the most prestigious launchpads – 25th @Daomaker and on the 26th @GameFi. Right after the launchpads, Spellfire is listing on Huobi Primelist on the 27th, one of the world’s leading crypto exchanges. Gaining a Prime List on Huobi ensures that Spellfire continues building on its exceptional reputation whilst gaining new levels of visibility for the project. Huobi is the industry’s leading digital asset exchange in both liquidity and real-trading volume. Their partnership boosts Spellfire’s profile as one of the most anticipated blockchain games of 2022. Spellfire’s listing on Huobi will introduce the project to a huge new audience of potential players and investors. In addition to providing our community an easy way to access the $SPELLFIRE token, it will also support its long-term value. This news arrives shortly after the announced conclusion of funding rounds. To date, the project has raised a staggering $3.8 million and is backed by industry-leaders DAO Maker and Shima Capital amongst others. Spellfire Re-Master the Magic is a brand new take on one of the most historically significant collectible card games (CCG) of the ’90s. Backed by the modern design implementations of the blockchain, NFTs, and Play-to-Earn, Spellfire is ready to re-enter the market at the opportune moment. Key features The game is among the first to introduce touchable NFT cards to the market. In addition to each NFT having a physical and digital form, they can be fully upgraded and are highly collectible. Original NFT card owners can expect to earn up to 10x return on investment in passive income. Exclusive Augmented-Reality cards create new levels of interaction with voice and gesture-controlled cards. Players have the unique prospect of customizing and minting their own NFT cards. Members of the community and real-life landmarks can be reinterpreted for the Spellfire world. Multi chain NFTs are planned in the next steps to feature epic cross-chain battle tournaments. The unique mix of past and future As it stands, Spellfire is a comprehensive package that manages to pack 30 years of history into a Collectible Card Game (CCG) fit for the gamers of today, regardless of whether they feel most comfortable at a tabletop or in front of a monitor. Players immerse themselves into Spellfire’s magical world to fight powerful monsters, wage epic wars, and become the ruler of some of the greatest realms in the land. The nostalgic feeling many fans get from physical cards is an essential part of the experience, so the game has been designed to seamlessly blend real-world printed cards with their digital equivalents. Spellfire gives ownership back to its players, in the form of NFT-based cards. The players will be able to own a part of the game they love whilst profiting from its success! Re-master the Magic @Spellfire.com Social Media Discord I Telegram I Medium I Twitter This is a sponsored post. Learn how to reach our audience here. Read disclaimer below. View the full article

Authorities in the Middle Eastern state of Oman have asked specialized companies, interested in helping the country set up a regulatory framework for virtual assets, to submit their proposals. Interested companies need to submit their proposals no later than March 23, 2022. Process Divided Into Two Phases The Oman financial regulator, the Capital Markets Authority (CMA), recently invited companies interested in helping it set up a regulatory framework for virtual assets to participate in a tender process. According to a report by Unlock Media, this process of creating the regulatory framework will be divided into two phases. The first part will identify and set out the legislative and regulatory framework required for the regulation of virtual assets. It will also establish the proper safeguards for investors. The next phase, according to the report, will involve training and technical support for the CMA as well as creating the work manuals forms. Meanwhile, in a screenshot of the tender advertisement shared by a Twitter user, the CMA asks “specialized” companies that wish to participate in the tender process to pay a tender and to submit the required documents which include a copy of the commercial registration certificate. Crypto Taskforce The CMA’s floating of the tender comes several months after the country’s central bank warned Oman residents of the risks of cryptocurrency trading. The tender invitation also comes nearly four months after the central bank’s launch of a task force mandated with studying the pros and cons of authorizing the use of cryptocurrencies. According to the tender advertisement, interested companies need to file their proposals on or before March 23, 2022. What are your thoughts on this story? Tell us what you think in the comments section below. View the full article

The software behemoth Google has reportedly started a new blockchain-based division inside its Labs group. The division will also deal with other distributed computing and data storage technologies. While the company has been wary of associating with any form of cryptocurrency, Bill Ready, Google’s president of commerce, stated on January 19 they were paying a lot of attention to the area. Google Goes Blockchain Google, one of the biggest software companies in the world, is reportedly launching a new blockchain division as part of its Labs group. The blockchain division will be led by Shivakumar Venkataraman, an engineering vice president for Google. The division will focus on “blockchain and other next-gen distributed computing and data storage technologies,” according to an email obtained by Bloomberg. While the company has been involved in certain blockchain projects, it has been very wary of being associated with any cryptocurrency in particular. The new blockchain division will be directed to the experimentation with these decentralized technologies under the umbrella of the Labs group. Labs is an experimental division that groups all the AR and VR efforts, and other potential projects in the tech area. The new Google Labs group also includes an in-house incubator for projects called Area 120. This development is seen by some analysts as a response to how other companies like Meta (formerly Facebook) are growing to include more of these new developments into their business model. Closer to Crypto The company, whose stance on crypto was delicate, even banned all cryptocurrency-related advertising including initial coin offerings, crypto exchanges, cryptocurrency wallets, and cryptocurrency trading advice from its platform, has changed. Since then, it completed a partnership with Coinbase and Bitpay, two cryptocurrency exchanges, to include allowing customers to store cryptocurrency in digital cards. However, the company is still not accepting cryptocurrency transactions. Also, last year, the company also inked a partnership with Bakkt, a digital platform, to allow users to spend cryptocurrencies using its card on the Google Pay platform. Google’s president of commerce, Bill Ready, commented on the vision that the company has on cryptocurrencies and their possible uses. At the time, Ready stated: Crypto is something we pay a lot of attention to. As user demand and merchant demand evolves, we’ll evolve with it. The company also announced recently it was hiring a former Paypal executive, Arnold Goldberg, as a part of a push to include new services in its platform, including cryptocurrencies. What do you think about the launch of Google’s blockchain division? Tell us in the comments section below. View the full article

PRESS RELEASE. INTERNET CITY, DUBAI, Jan. 25 2022 – LBank Exchange, a global digital asset trading platform, will list ADENE (ADEN) on January 27, 2022. For all users of LBank Exchange, the ADEN/USDT trading pair will be officially available for trading at 18:00 (UTC+8) on January 27, 2022. The gambling industry has become an empire that is owned by some powerful bodies (centralized casino system) who are solely making profits only for themselves. As the first fully decentralized game system of the 4th generation, ADENE (ADEN) is here to disrupt the gambling culture, end this monopoly, and create its own realm of gambling to bring back equality and justice to the gambling industry. Its utility token ADEN will be listed on LBank Exchange at 18:00 (UTC+8) on January 27, 2022, to further expand its global reach and help it achieve its vision. Introducing ADENE As the first fully decentralized gambling system of the 4th generation, ADENE gives its community access to possibilities previously exclusively owned by the game monopoly. Thanks to the use of NFTs, users are now becoming operators. ADENE innovations begin where ordinary gaming platforms end. For the first time in the millennia-old history of gambling, users and operators are becoming one. ADENE users can practically construct their own casino business with low barriers to entry. Starting one’s own business creatively has never been easier. ADENE is the first platform to ever create NFTs out of slot machines. Slot machines are NFTs created by the users and made available to the community of ADENE, so each slot machine is unique. NFTs should not only be static digital assets, but assets that have feasible business use cases to sustain the circular economy of ADEN tokens. If users purchase any NFT games, they can upload them on the ADENE NFT Marketplace, provide sufficient liquidity in ADEN tokens, and operate the game. ADENE platform also allows users to mint their customized slot machines. A decentralized gambling platform with fairer, more transparent and ethical games for both the operators and the players is provided by ADENE. Thanks to the peer-to-peer gaming system, games in ADENE are not rigged by a centralized entity. The games of chance are not owned by the casinos, but by users, so that the win/loss ratio of the games will be fairer for both users than in real-life casinos. And by utilizing ADEN tokens, ADENE reimagines the future of the gambling system. About ADEN Token ADEN is a BEP20 token based on BSC. It is created to support cheaper and faster transactions. ADEN tokens issuer is separate from Adene.io who is only supporting ADEN tokens as the utility token because of the efficiency. ADEN tokens use case ecosystems and networks are expanding fast and are currently co-operating with organization in NFT sports and charities. The total supply of ADEN is 1 billion (i.e. 1,000,000,000), 29% of it is provided for liquidity, 10% is for pre-sales, 2% is allocated to advisors, another 2% is for private investment, 5% is provided for operation and marketing, 10% is for seed investment, 8% is for product development, 15% is for community development, and the rest 19% is allocated to founders and team. The ADEN token will be listed on LBank Exchange at 18:00 (UTC+8) on January 27, 2022, investors who are interested in ADENE investment can easily buy and sell ADEN on LBank Exchange by then. The listing of ADEN on LBank Exchange will undoubtedly help it further expand its business and draw more attention in the market. Learn More about ADEN Token: Official Website: https://adene.io/ Telegram: https://t.me/AdeneNetwork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AdeneNetwork Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AdeneNetwork About LBank Exchange LBank Exchange, founded in 2015, is an innovative global trading platform for various crypto assets. LBank Exchange provides its users with safe crypto trading, specialized financial derivatives, and professional asset management services. It has become one of the most popular and trusted crypto trading platforms with over 6.4 million users from now more than 210 regions around the world. Start Trading Now: lbank.info Community & Social Media: l Telegram l Twitter l Facebook l Linkedin Contact Details: LBK Blockchain Co. Limited LBank Exchange media@lbank.info This is a press release. Readers should do their own due diligence before taking any actions related to the promoted company or any of its affiliates or services. Bitcoin.com is not responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in the press release. View the full article

Myanmar’s military-ruled government is proposing to enact laws that will see users of virtual private networks (VPN) and digital currencies being jailed for up to three years. In addition, offenders will be made to pay fines of up to $2,800. Draft Bill Open for Comments Myanmar’s military-ruled government is proposing to enact a law that outlaws the use of virtual private networks (VPN) and digital currencies in that country. Once enacted, violators of the new law not only face jail time but will be made to pay a fine. According to a report published by The Register, individuals caught using VPNs will face a possible jail sentence of between one and three years. In addition, offenders may also be asked to pay a fine of $2,800 or five million Myanmar Kyats. Digital currency users, on the other hand, face a minimum jail term of six months and a maximum of up to one year. They will also be liable to pay fines of up to $2,800. Besides targeting digital currency and VPN users, the military government’s proposed regulations will compel service providers to provide the personal information of users when requested to do so by authorities. A draft bill signed by Soe Thein, the permanent secretary of the Military’s Transport and Communications Ministry, is currently open for comments. As suggested in the report, citizens will be allowed to comment on the draft until January 28. Proposed Law Criticized Reacting to the proposals, Alp Toker, the director of Netblocks — an internet monitoring company — is quoted in the report criticising the military government’s attempts to include provisions that were previously rejected by industry and civil society. The director said: The proposed bill is draconian, even by the standards of the Burmese [Myanmar] military. The first version of the bill proposed in February 2021 was dropped after industry and civil society united to push back, but the military has been set on getting its way. Toker argued that VPNs have been one of the ways Myanmar has stayed in touch with the rest of the world after the country’s military rulers that took power in February 2021, blocked social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. While Myanmar military rulers are likely to succeed in enacting the proposed laws The Register report quotes Toker warning that this decision is likely to backfire on the government. “These are certain to have a chilling effect on political speech and human rights, but ultimately this is only going to turn public sentiment further against military rule.” What are your thoughts on this story? Tell us what you think in the comments section below. View the full article

Global investment bank Goldman Sachs has predicted that the metaverse could be an $8 trillion opportunity. Several others have similarly predicted that the metaverse is a multitrillion-dollar market. Goldman Sachs Says the Metaverse Could Be an $8 Trillion Opportunity Global investment bank Goldman Sachs has predicted that the metaverse could be an $8 trillion opportunity. Goldman Sachs’ analyst Eric Sheridan explained the bank’s metaverse prediction in a recent “Exchanges at Goldman Sachs” episode, titled “Understanding the metaverse and web 3.0.” He was asked about the evolution of the metaverse ahead and how big the potential opportunity could be. The analyst replied: We think this could be as much as an $8 trillion opportunity on the revenue and monetization side. “We look at the digital economy today, which is roughly about 20%, 25% of the global economy … We see the digital economy continuing to grow, and on top of that we see a virtual economy that will grow within and alongside this digital economy,” the analyst described. “That’s how we came up with the number for various outcomes of anywhere from $2 trillion to $12 trillion, with $8 trillion at the midpoint of all potential outcomes,” he clarified. Several people have estimated the potential size of the metaverse. Rival investment bank Morgan Stanley similarly predicted in November last year that the metaverse is an $8 trillion market opportunity. In December, Bank of America’s strategist, Haim Israel, said that the metaverse is a massive opportunity where cryptocurrencies will be widely used as currencies. “I definitely believe this is a massive, massive opportunity,” he stressed. Meanwhile, the CEO of Ark Investment Management, Cathie Wood, said the metaverse will be a multitrillion-dollar market, and crypto-asset manager Grayscale Investments said the metaverse is a potential $1 trillion business opportunity. Do you agree with Goldman Sachs about the metaverse? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

The author of the best-selling book Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki, says he will buy more bitcoin if and when the price of the cryptocurrency tests $20K. He noted that bitcoin’s price crashing is “great news,” adding that the “Time to get richer is coming.” Robert Kiyosaki Plans to Buy More Bitcoin Robert Kiyosaki, the author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, tweeted Sunday about the price of bitcoin and when he will buy more BTC. Rich Dad Poor Dad is a 1997 book co-authored by Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter. It has been on the New York Times Best Seller List for over six years. More than 32 million copies of the book have been sold in over 51 languages across more than 109 countries. Kiyosaki wrote: Price of bitcoin [is] crashing. Great news. I bought BTC at $6K and $9K. I will buy more if and when BTC tests $20K. Time to get richer is coming. He added that silver is the best bargain today, emphasizing, “Silver [is] still 50% below high.” Kiyosaki has been warning about a major crash for many months. In December, he said: “Crash and depression [are] coming. Gold, silver, bitcoin, real estate will crash too.” In November, he warned about inflation, adding that he plans to buy “more gold, silver, bitcoin, ethereum, rental real estate, and oil.” The famed Rich Dad Poor Dad author said in June last year that the largest bubble in the world’s history is getting bigger, tweeting: “Biggest crash in world history [is] coming … Waiting for bitcoin to drop to $24K.” In October, he advised investors to prepare for a giant crash followed by a depression, adding: “Be smart: Buy, gold, silver, bitcoin.” What do you think about Robert Kiyosaki’s bitcoin comments? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

Since the Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index (CBECI) project updated its mining map in mid-July, the United States has continued to dominate in terms of the amount of hashpower worldwide. Moreover, data shows that Foundry USA has managed to command the top pool position with 755 bitcoin block rewards mined during the last 30 days. The United States Commands a Large Concentration of Bitcoin Miners, 66 Exahash Recorded in the US on January 24 According to chainbulletin.com’s mining map, there is a large concentration of the Bitcoin network’s hashrate located in the United States. At the time of writing, data shows that 66.22 exahash per second (EH/s) or 35.4% of the global hashrate resides in the U.S., while 17.87 EH/s or 9.55% is located in Canada. Between Canada and the United States, the countries command 44.95% of the global hashrate. Pool operators located in the U.S. include Binance USA, Btc.com, SBI Crypto US, Viabtc US, Poolin US, Slushpool US, Antpool US, F2pool USA, and Foundry USA. The 30-day statistics showing hashrate distribution show that the aforementioned pools command the top eight largest mining pools worldwide. Metrics indicate that Foundry USA found 755 blocks and captured the top pool position last month with 16.87% of the hashrate. Following Foundry USA’s 30-day stats was Antpool’s 659 blocks found or 14.72% of the BTC hashrate. F2pool found the same amount of blocks as Antpool last month and captured 14.72% of the network hashrate as well. Binance Pool came in fourth this past month with 11.55% of the hashrate or 517 blocks found. Lastly, the fifth-largest mining pool during the last 30 days was Poolin as it captured 511 block rewards or 11.42% of the global hashrate. Bitcoin Mining Operations Are Located in Florida, New Jersey, California, Virginia, Ohio, Colorado, Washington, Texas Chainbulletin’s mining map shows that F2pool has an operation in Florida and California, Btc.com has operations in Virginia, Colorado, and Washington. SBI Crypto US is located in Oregon and Foundry USA has a pool located in Ohio. Slushpool US has operations in Colorado, California, and New Jersey, while Antpool has operations in Texas. Furthermore, lots of smaller American bitcoin mining facilities are pooled together with larger U.S. mining pools. Many of these companies have bitcoin mining operations overseas as well. For instance, Huobi, Btc.com, and SBI Crypto have operations in Germany. Slushpool and Antpool have operations in Amsterdam and Slushpool and SBI are also operating in Japan. Okex has a bitcoin mining operation in Hong Kong, and Slushpool and Pooling have facilities in Singapore. Slushpool also has a residence in Russia according to Chainbulletin’s mining map data. Despite the increased mining difficulty last week and the significant drop in BTC’s price, bitcoin miners worldwide have managed to keep the tempo high. At the time of writing, the global hashrate is running at 194 exahash per second (EH/s) in terms of computational power. 24-hour metrics show that Foundry USA has an even larger share of hashrate with 22.76% of today’s global hashrate or 42.42 EH/s. What do you think about the concentration of bitcoin miners located in the United States today? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article