roadrunner

During the Second 421 Wet Season Festival and Mining Ecology Conference the Chairman of the Bitdeer Group and cofounder of Bitmain, Jihan Wu spoke about institutions flocking to cryptocurrency mining. During the event Bitdeer outlined the company’s computing partnerships and its plans to make digital currency mining greener. Bitmain’s Cofounder Jihan Wu Is Optimistic About the Future of Cryptocurrencies and Mining Two weeks ago, Bitdeer Group, the corporate organization behind the web portal bitdeer.com, announced the firm has been granted funding for $12 million from the Hong Kong subsidiary of Genimous Technology, Genimous Investment. The funding aims to be allotted toward the development of Bitdeer’s cloud mining services. Bitdeer was founded by Jihan Wu and is backed by Sequoia Capital, IDG, and other financial institutions. At the Second 421 Wet Season Festival and Mining Ecology Conference, Jihan Wu, spoke to the crowd about institutions stepping into the digital currency mining realm. Wu said at the conference: In the long run, the blockchain industry is bullish and is the biggest opportunity. The innovations in this industry may even surpass the Internet itself. ‘Creating Credible Value’ The Bitmain cofounder stressed at the event that well known firms entering the crypto space would continue and he expects the crypto economy to swell. While talking about a lot of positives in the cryptocurrency space, Wu said there will be some challenges and emphasized the industry needs to build “credible value.” Wu further explained that digital assets are not fringe anymore and have become recognized by the world’s financial powers. “This is good for the industry as it indicates that it’s being increasingly recognized by mainstream finance,” Wu remarked during his presentation. “Be it as a new operational direction for the company or as a new type of financial investment, I believe that more and more big-name companies will continue to enter this industry in the future.” The event also featured Bitdeer’s Matt Kong, Ye Jiejie, Liang Baoqing, and Matrixport’s Ge Yuesheng, vice president at Bit Mining Meng Xiaoni and the CEO of Btc.top Jiang Zhuoer. “Bitdeer Group has made preparations in order to adapt to the mining industry trends and market changes head-on,” Matt Kong, Bitdeer Group’s CEO said during the conference. What do you think about the statements Jihan Wu made at the conference? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

The American billionaire entrepreneur and television personality, Mark Cuban, has waged a bet with Creative Planning’s founder Peter Mallouk over the performance of cryptocurrencies versus the S&P 500. Cuban said on Twitter that the two should put $1 million into a stablecoin-based smart contract, in order to place a bet over the return performance of either ethereum or bitcoin in ten years against the Standard and Poor’s 500 index. Mark Cuban Backs His Statements With a $1 Million Bet With Peter Mallouk One of the investors on the ABC reality television series Shark Tank, Mark Cuban has been talking about cryptocurrencies a lot lately, and recently the billionaire told Ellen Degeneres about the potential of dogecoin (DOGE). Being the owner of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Dallas Mavericks, Cuban now has the Mavs accepting digital currencies for goods and services. Just recently, however, Peter Mallouk the founder of Creative Planning, a financial management group, said that people listening to Cuban’s dogecoin tweets are not too intelligent. “So many people are going to lose so much money listening to this. Straight out of Dumb and Dumber,” Mallouk stressed in his tweet. “If you buy a hundred stocks, odds are most go up. If you buy a hundred cryptocurrencies, most will go to zero. Big difference,” the Creative Planning founder added. Cuban then replied to Mallouk’s tweet saying: Only a fool would buy 100 stocks or 100 crypto assets. But let me ask a question. What rights do you have as a shareholder in any public company stock you have bought? ‘Only a Fool Would Invest in 100 Stocks’ From this point on, the Twitter conversation started turning into a friendly wager. “How about this,” Cuban wrote to Mallouk. “We set up an ETH smart contract. You put in $1m in a stablecoin. I put up $1m in a stablecoin. We write the contract to pay you if the increase in the S&P 500 is higher at the end date than the increase in YOUR choice of BTC or ETH. You can pick the custodian,” Cuban further remarked. The conversation seemed to have invoked a bet and Mallouk seemed interested in participating. “The probability of a diversified portfolio beating someone picking a handful of stocks is very high,” Mallouk said, trying to convince Cuban. “Only a fool would bet on a few stocks. Over the next 10 years, I’ll take the SP 500 return against any group of stocks you want to pick and feel very good about it. I’m in on putting our money behind the debate. Mark Cuban you can choose the amount and proceeds go to charity of choice of the winner. I’ll take the SP500. You can pick and trade any stocks any time,” Mallouk emphasized. After Cuban tweeted about leveraging a stablecoin-based smart contract held by a custodian, Mallouk again said he was interested. “This is interesting. This started with you promoting Doge. I’ll take the S&P 500 and you can take Doge. Loser of 10-year return donates $1m to winners charity. But, if you aren’t confident Doge will prevail,” Mallouk said. “Then we can move onto the next thing we disagreed on,” the Creative Planning founder added. “You mentioned ‘only a fool’ would invest in 100 stocks. I’ll take a 100 stock index or 100 stocks and you can pick whatever stocks you want. I feel pretty good about this too based on your market calls.” What do you think about Mark Cuban’s wager with Creative Planning’s founder Peter Mallouk? Do you think this bet will transpire? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

Actress Mila Kunis has revealed that she and her husband, Ashton Kutcher, started investing in bitcoin more than eight years ago. She initially thought that investing in bitcoin was “a horrible idea.” However, now she is using cryptocurrencies and said she has never been happier to be wrong. Mila Kunis Is Happy to Be Wrong About Bitcoin Famous film and TV actress Mila Kunis, who is married to actor Ashton Kutcher, talked about bitcoin on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Thursday. She explained that before making an investment, Kutcher would run them by her. “The best part about him is he is really smart about including me in everything and making sure that I am aware of everything that is happening,” Kunis shared. She started dating Kutcher in 2012 and the pair married in July 2015. “He is also really smart at knowing that, sometimes, you shouldn’t listen to your wife,” she opined. “Early into our dating, two things came up,” Kunis described. They were Uber and Bitcoin. After listening to him explaining that Uber is “like a cab company but anybody can drive the cab,” Kunis said, “That’s the worst idea ever.” When he asked her to try the service out, she panicked. “I was like, ‘You’re going to put me in a car with a stranger? What is wrong with you?’ I was furious at him,” she recalled. When he pitched the idea of bitcoin to her, Kunis said: “He sat me down and was like, ‘Hey, babe, I got to explain this thing to you, tell me if I’m crazy.’ He’s like, ‘There’s this thing, it’s like mining for money. It’s called cryptocurrency. And there’s this company’— this is eight-plus years ago — ‘It’s called Bitcoin.'” She continued: I was like, ‘Well, I think this is a horrible idea,’ and he went, ‘Cool, we’re investing in it.’ So, he didn’t listen to me. I mean, this happens all the time. The actress confirmed that she and Kutcher went into bitcoin more than eight years ago, admitting that initially, she was concerned that bitcoin was not FDIC-insured even though Kutcher tried to convince her that was the point. She further shared that Kutcher would talk about what seemed “so ludicrous” to her. For example, she said, “Why would I want to sleep on someone’s couch and pay for it?” exclaiming: It’s ludicrous and yet here we are. And, I Airbnb everything, I Uber everywhere, and I use cryptocurrencies. So guess what, I’ve never been happier to be wrong. What do you think about Mila Kunis’ comments about bitcoin and cryptocurrencies? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

Bitcoin use cases in African countries continue to expand with the latest one being its use as an alternative source of retirement income. On a continent plagued by high inflation and unstable currencies, bitcoin, which is decentralized and censorship-resistant, is seen “as a safer source to contribute to for retirement.” According to a local report, this shift towards bitcoin is more profound in countries like South Africa where traditional pension funds “have historically had issues of fraud and instability.” The report, which relied on an analysis by a crypto startup, Yellow Card, explained: This has been especially noted in countries such as South Africa, where a high number of users reported utilising Bitcoin savings as a safer source to contribute to for retirement. Nevertheless, the report still notes that bitcoin is yet to be proven a reliable investment for a long-term horizon. Consequently, the report cautions long-term savers to consider all the possible scenarios and options when planning for retirement. Meanwhile, the findings of the analysis by Yellow Card reaffirmed bitcoin’s status as “a cheaper alternative for sales and remittance payments.” Similarly, the analysis also found that many users see “bitcoin as a viable investment and see trading as a way to build a supplementary income.” According to the analysis, it is such use cases that help to explain the “unprecedented surge in cryptocurrency purchase and usage on the African continent.” Do you agree that bitcoin has now become an alternative source of retirement income? Tell us what you think in the comments section below. View the full article

Russian authorities have recently labeled one of the leading independent media outlets in the country as a “foreign agent.” Such a maneuver led Meduza to set up a fiat and crypto fundraiser to survive the consequences of labeling. Fund Will Accept Donations in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Binance Coin According to an editorial statement published by the outlet, the Russian Justice Ministry added Meduza on April 23 to its “foreign agent” media list. It implies that every news piece or social post they do should be accompanied by a message, notifying their readers about its new status. However, the Meduza team says that Kremlin considers them an “enemy of the state” with such labeling. It will make the journalistic routines more complicated, such as looking for sources or reporting any news, the statement added. Afterward, advertisers stopped their business ties with the news outlet, which cut a financial flow that keeps alive to the outlet, and they expect a further loss of a “significant number of our advertisers in the coming weeks.” That said, Ivan Kolpakov, Meduza’s editor-in-chief, announced the launching of a fundraiser to accept donations via bank card payments, Paypal, or digital currencies such as bitcoin (BTC), ethereum (ETH), and binance coin (BNB). Per the “foreign agent” legislation adopted in 2012, Russia requires nongovernmental organizations that receive “foreign assistance” and that are “engaged in political activities” should be registered with such label, as well as being audited by the authorities, including their financial activities. Meduza was on the top-10 most quoted Russian-speaking internet sources ranking in 2020. Can the Journalists Be Paid in Cryptocurrencies to Bypass Future Sanctions? But there could be more dangerous implications in terms of financing the media outlet. In fact, the editorial statement pointed out the following in regards to the journalists’ compensations after the “foreign agent” designation granted to Meduza: (…) the writers who receive salaries from Meduza are now at risk of being designated as individual foreign agents. Should this happen (and there are already precedents), they would be forced to report all their income and expenses to Russia’s Justice Ministry, just as Meduza is now required to do. Any reporting errors could lead to fines and even felony charges and imprisonment, making it easier than ever to exert pressure on our reporters. However, the outlet didn’t mention further plans on how they will proceed, aside from setting up the fund. What do you think about crypto fundraisers helping media outlets as an alternative source of income? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

PRESS RELEASE. AscendEX, formerly BitMax, an industry-leading digital asset trading platform built by Wall Street quant trading veterans, has announced the listing of the DefiDollar Token (DFD) under the pair USDT/DFD on Apr 29 at 1:00 p.m. UTC. DefiDollar is a DeFi lab that aims to bring mass adoption to DeFi with a wide-ranging product suite. The first product offering to go live will be the stablecoin index – DUSD, with ibBTC and optionCoin currently in development. DefiDollar (DUSD) aspires to be a risk-insured stablecoin layer for DeFi. It is designed to provide a safe and stable way for users to hold their assets with DUSD being optimized for peg safety, yield, and diversification. DefiDollar uses DeFi primitives to stay close to the dollar mark. DUSD provides an avenue for diversifying stablecoin holdings to hedge against an event where the underlying stablecoins like Tether or DAI deviate from their peg. DUSD is collateralized by Curve Finance LP tokens. DFD is the native token of the DefiDollar protocol and serves two primary functions, governance and as a protocol backstop in case of a black swan event. The DeFiDollar team is also working on a range of additional utilities for the ecosystem, including synthetics, indices, and options products. The next product to be released by DefiDollar will be ibBTC, a BTC index launched in collaboration with Badger DAO. DefiDollar brings together a team with exceptional experience, from Google to Y-Combinator backed startups and India’s first Crypto Unicorn – Polygon. About AscendEX Originally founded in 2018 as BitMax.io, AscendEx is a leading crypto and digital asset financial platform catering to both professional and retail traders. The venue offers spot, futures, margin trading and staking products and incorporates key elements from the DeFi space to foster a unique market structure for users. AscendEx is led by a team of Wall Street veterans who have applied traditional markets’ rigor to create a robust, secure, and reliable experience for all participants; and a consistent source of liquidity for primary offerings. For more information and updates, please visit: Website: https://ascendex.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/AscendEX_Global Telegram: https://t.me/AscendEXEnglish Medium: https://medium.com/ascendex About DefiDollar DefiDollar is a DeFi lab that aims to bring mass adoption to DeFi. DefiDollar brings together a team with exceptional experience from Google to Y-Combinator backed startups and India’s first Crypto Unicorn – Polygon. For more information and updates, please visit: Website: https://dusd.finance/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/defidollar?s=20 Telegram: https://t.me/defidollar_community Blog: https://medium.com/defidollar/ 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

A group of South African investors recently confessed to losing money to a brazen scammer after he convinced them to buy and hold nearly worthless physical coins. The coins, which are denominated in the Bostwana pula currency, were initially sold to a group of South African women back in 2019 when bitcoin was only worth $3,500. However, according to a report, this con only came to light when one member of the group, who is only known as Lizet, attempted to cash out after she lost her job. Lizet explained: I lost my job and decided to sell one bitcoin since it had doubled in price (and that is when) I found out I had bought two 5 pula coins for $6,988 (100,000 rands) and now the Nigerian man who scammed us is no where to be found. Meanwhile, Lizet adds that before the women realised they were being conned, the scammer would tell them that what they were “doing is what investors call hodl” and that “when the price is right people will be fighting to purchase the coins from us.” It was this reassurance that convinced Lizet, who was waiting patiently to become a millionaire, to take out a loan which she used to buy the coins. In the meantime, the report quotes an unnamed spokesperson of the country’s police also confirming that the physical coins in question were in fact Botswana Pula coins. The police also revealed that “information (has been) filed off and the letters BTC (are now) engraved on them.” What do you think of this story? You can share your views in the comments section below. View the full article

Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary, also known as Mr. Wonderful, says “Bitcoin will always be the gold,” outperforming other cryptocurrencies, such as ethereum, in the long run. He said “there are interests being brought out of all kinds of institutions” for bitcoin. Kevin O’Leary Bullish on Bitcoin Kevin O’Leary shared his thoughts about bitcoin and ether in an interview with CNBC Wednesday. While acknowledging that ether has been performing well lately, O’Leary insisted: Bitcoin will always be the gold. The chairman of O’Shares ETFs added that “Ethereum will always be the silver,” but emphasized, “that’s not a bad thing necessarily.” He did not mention other cryptocurrencies by name. While noting that there is potential upside for Ethereum as it shifts to a new model, the Shark Tank star believes that Ethereum is primarily “going to be used as a form of tracking and payment system.” O’Leary pointed out, however, that Ethereum 2.0 has the potential to be “far more green in terms of how much energy it takes to create it.” Nonetheless, he insisted that it will never overtake bitcoin. “Will it ever take bitcoin? No,” he affirmed. O’Leary revealed in February that he had allocated 3% of his portfolio to bitcoin after Canadian regulators approved bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). He explained that bitcoin proponents view the cryptocurrency as digital gold and a hedge against inflation that will appreciate over time. Mr. Wonderful elaborated: Now, bitcoin hitting new highs almost every week is proving that there are interests being brought out of all kinds of institutions now trying to figure out: Is it a currency? Is it an asset? Is a property? … That gives you an idea of the institutional and individual interest. Early this month, O’Leary said that he is only interested in buying “clean” bitcoins that are mined sustainably in countries that use clean energy, not “blood coins” from China. Do you agree with Kevin O’Leary? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

A cryptocurrency exchange with about 2 million users worldwide announced that it has “suffered a serious cyber attack.” A number of basic services are paralyzed and the attacker tried to access the exchange’s wallets. Consequently, the platform has shut down, stating that it needs to perform a “comprehensive inspection” which is expected to last one to two weeks. Hotbit Says It ‘Suffered a Serious Cyber Attack’ Crypto exchange Hotbit announced Friday: Hotbit just suffered a serious cyber attack starting around 08:00 PM UTC, April 29,2021, which led to the paralyzation of a number of some basic services. The announcement adds that “the attackers also tried to hack into Hotbit’s wallets,” but the exchange claims that “the attempt was identified and stopped by our risk control system.” The exchange says that it is “about to exceed 2 million registered users and has a huge service system architecture of more than 200 servers online, in order to ensure security, Hotbit team will completely rebuild all servers.” While insisting that all customers’ assets are “safe and secure,” the exchange announced: Hotbit team has shut down all services for inspection and restoration immediately. Regarding the recovery period, the exchange expects it to take about 7-14 days, emphasizing that it “is expected to be no less than 7 days.” Furthermore, “The estimated time of recovery will be more as all things going on.” Following the hack announcement, crypto transfers were spotted from Hotbit’s addresses. The exchange claims that the transfers resulted from them “creating new cold wallet.” The exchange explained that the attacker deleted the user database after failing to obtain assets. It also warned that “The attacker has already gained access to the database,” so users’ “registered phone number, email address and asset data” may have been leaked. While stating that the database is backed up, the company says, “we are still uncertain whether the attacker has polluted data or not before the attack,” justifying the need for “a comprehensive inspection.” What do you think about this Hotbit hack? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

Authorities in Beijing have been conducting checks on cryptocurrency mining datacenters to assess and understand its energy consumption and thus the impact on the electric infrastructure. Although it was reported as a rumor by international media outlets, Chinese state media confirmed it. Authorities Sent an ‘Emergency Note’ to Three Biggest Telecom Operators As first reported by Reuters, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology was the entity that ordered the checks on the city’s data centers. In the first instance, they wanted to verify if these companies are involved in bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptocurrency mining businesses by sending an “Emergency Notice Concerning the Data Center Involving Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrency Mining Businesses in Our City’s Data Centers.” According to an unnamed source cited by Reuters, the notice also targeted three of the biggest telecommunications operators in China. The measure took place on Tuesday, and then state media Pengpai confirmed the news on Thursday. Furthermore, the bureau wants to get reports on the amount of power consumed and share by crypto asset mining. Although the information specifies that the notice was issued in Beijing, there is no official confirmation on whether the checks are being conducted across the country or not. Was China’s Carbon Neutral Stance One of the Reasons Behind the Checks? Also, there are not more details on the reasons that drove Beijing authorities to conduct such checks. However, Reuters suggests the measure could come in the wake of the latest shut down of digital currency mining projects in the Chinese region of Inner Mongolia, as the country seeks to improve energy efficiency. Moreover, as Bitcoin.com reported recently, China’s carbon-neutral stance adds weight to bitcoin miners’ backs. Following a recent hashrate drop in the province of Xinjiang, a regional report notes that people leveraging electricity in Sichuan may see an electrical cost increase. In fact, a local financial columnist said that Sichuan electricity powered by carbon materials will increase by 150% this year adding to the demand for renewable hydro power. What are your thoughts on the measure taken by the Beijing government? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

PRESS RELEASE. Peer-to-peer internet ThreeFold integrates with several popular blockchain ecosystems in an effort to increase adoption for the world’s largest such network 29th April 2021, Dubai, United Arab Emirates – ThreeFold plans to integrate its peer-to-peer internet platform with three of the leading blockchain ecosystems in the decentralized finance (DeFi) space; Binance Smart Chain (BSC), Ethereum, and Huobi’s ECO Chain. ThreeFold is set to integrate BSC in the next couple of weeks, with Ethereum and Huobi’s ECO Chain following shortly later on in Q2. These integrations will provide the ThreeFold ecosystem access to a wide array of DeFi applications. In turn, this will allow ThreeFold to be more accessible to the DeFi world and provide ThreeFold Farmers and users with more platforms to exchange TFT. ThreeFold’s bold move comes while the wider cryptocurrency market is booming. The total value of all cryptocurrency-related or blockchain-based projects has surpassed $2.1 trillion in recent weeks, as market leaders, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, set new all-time highs. Accordingly, interest in blockchain technology is soaring as the number of active projects in the space nears 9,000. Moreover, in an environment in which internet use for all aspects of life is soaring owing to COVID-19 restrictions, ThreeFold’s main value proposition – a truly peer-to-peer internet platform – is gaining traction. ThreeFold sees the sustainability of internet services in the long-run and its decentralization as inseparable. Democratizing the Internet But why is this needed? The internet today is hosted by a small group of well-resourced companies that are responsible for the maintenance of data centres which provide the server and storage space for the vast quantity of content on the internet. In addition, these same companies are finding a way to monopolize the network connections that allow data to flow around the globe. As a result, decisions made by these companies have the power to entirely change the landscape of the internet unilaterally, without contest. Given the fact that the internet is now integral to much of the world’s industry, as well as many ways of life, the disproportionate power that these companies wield make them the de facto governors of the future of humanity’s development. Just as Satoshi Nakamoto envisioned the democratization of the financial system through decentralization, ThreeFold is on a similar quest to democratize the internet with a unique combination of autonomous and blockchain technology. The benefits would be clear. More internet users would benefit from a neutral peer-to-peer platform on which to store their data and run their applications privately and securely.. Moreover, decentralization removes the internet’s singular potential points of failure which could seriously disrupt the global Internet and Cloud industry. A Multichain Future ThreeFold’s upcoming integration with BSC, Ethereum and Huobi’s ECO Chain is a critical part of continuing to grow and cultivate the world’s largest peer-to-peer internet platform. Ethereum is the number one platform for decentralized applications (dApps) in the cryptocurrency and blockchain space as of today. Accordingly, ThreeFold’s platform will be put on the radar of the vast number of Ethereum users who could quite effortlessly become the much-needed nodes in its vision of a decentralized internet. Furthermore, there is a wealth of decentralized development expertise concentrated in the Ethereum-sphere, as well as in both Binance’s and Huobi’s blockchain ecosystems. In addition to improving compatibility with these platforms, ThreeFold will be able to tap into these development skills, inviting experienced dApp developers to build their applications on top of the ThreeFold Grid. Comparatively, ThreeFold’s ambitious integration plans put it far ahead of similar projects in the decentralized internet space, who are traditionally Ethereum-based. However, with the increasing cost of Ethereum-based development and its slower than required scalability updates, ThreeFold’s peer-to-peer Internet will remain affordable, scaleable and simple for developers. About ThreeFold ThreeFold is developing a peer-to-peer internet platform that aims to liberalize what it labels as a centralized and unequally distributed internet. Its platform, called the ThreeFold Grid, comprises over +600 servers in 25+ different countries around the world, delivering approximately 80 PB in storage and over 16,000 CPU cores worldwide, making it the largest storage and compute peer-to-peer internet network in the world. See ThreeFold Grid’s statistics in more detail using their explorer here. Each server runs ThreeFold’s stateless and lightweight open-source operating system, Zero-OS, and is set up and operated by independent individuals and organisations called Farmers. Farmers earn rewards in TFT – the platform’s native token – for their participation. TFT is the currency of the ThreeFold Grid, with each token representing a unit of storage and compute on the platform. Grid users can use these tokens to reserve the storage and compute they need to store, build and share on the platform’s internet network. ThreeFold’s ultimate vision is to be part of the movement to fully democratize the internet worldwide. To learn more about how ThreeFold plans to democratize the internet, visit their website here. For more information on TFT and how it fits into ThreeFold’s overall plans, see this page. Follow ThreeFold on Twitter: https://twitter.com/threefold_io Read ThreeFold’s documentation on Github: https://github.com/threefoldfoundation Like ThreeFold’s page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/threefold.io Media Contact Details Contact Name: Amazix Press Team Contact Email: press@amazix.com THREEFOLD is the source of this content. This Press Release is for informational purposes only. The information does not constitute investment advice or an offer to invest. 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

The biggest e-commerce store in Latin America is the latest major company in the region to join the crypto adoption movement. Mercado Libre is now allowing its customers to buy a selected number of properties from real estate agencies with bitcoin. Properties Listed Don’t Offer Alternative Payment Methods Aside From Bitcoin According to the announcement, the firm created 20 years ago offers 75 properties on sale from seven agencies that accept bitcoin (BTC) as the only payment method. The houses, apartments, lands, among others, are located in several Argentinean cities, such as Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, and Cordoba. Mercado Libre believes that cryptocurrencies are an “innovative value haven,” as their traceability, speediness, and security make it a proper way to arrange payments. In fact, the e-commerce store offered a webinar where it provided further information on cryptos targeting over 300 real estate agencies. Juan Manuel Carretero, commercial manager of Vehicles, Real Estate and Free Market Services at Mercado Libre, praised bitcoin’s role in the way that people are paying for goods nowadays: We are always attentive to the changes that occur in the market. Bitcoin offers multiple advantages for real estate operations, both for the buyer and for the seller. Today we launch the crypto section within Mercado Libre Inmuebles, and in a few hours, there are already 75 properties available. We expect many more as the days go by because far from being a fashion, we see that it is a trend that will consolidate over time. The process to acquire a property with BTC is simple – said the company, as the interested people should choose its preferred one, listed in fiat increments, then reach out to the agency and agree upon the bitcoin payment at the exchange price of the day. Mercado Libre CEO’s Interest on Bitcoin The interest of Mercado Libre in cryptocurrencies goes in line with comments from its CEO early this year. Marcos Galpering, Argentine billionaire and CEO of the e-commerce platform, said bitcoin is a better store of value than gold. However, the billionaire believes the current dominant cryptocurrency will not replace fiat currency due to what he terms the high “energy cost required to process its transfers.” What do you think about Mercado Libre’s announcement? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

In its foray into Africa, Input Output, a research and development product engineering company, says it will partner with World Mobile Group in a new initiative aimed at bringing sustainable internet connectivity to users in Zanzibar and Tanzania. According to the partnership agreement, the Cardano blockchain infrastructure will be used to provide affordable network nodes to local business owners. Partnership to Open New World According to a statement that shares some details about this working arrangement, subscribers to these networks will be able to access Input Output’s digital identity solution, Atala PRISM. The identity solution “will allow them to use services such as digital banking, healthcare, and education.” Meanwhile, in his remarks following the announcement of the partnership agreement, the CEO of World Mobile Chain, Micky Watkins laments on how years of neglect left some parts of the world behind technologically. Nevertheless, Watkins still expresses his belief that World Mobile’s “symbiotic partnership” with Input Output “will open a new world.” Similarly, Charles Hoskinson, the CEO of Input Out praises the agreement and says it a demonstration of his company’s “long-term commitment to the African continent.” As part of the agreement, Input Output now owns a 10% equity stake in World Mobile Group. Inadequate Infrastructure In the meantime, in their joint statement, the companies share some of the reasons that prodded them into starting this partnership. For instance, the statement points to the fact that “more than 700 million people in Africa are not connected to the internet.” This state of affairs is blamed on the mobile network operators’ failure to invest adequately in infrastructure. This lack of investment, in turn, leads to the “exclusion of Africans from accessing basic services such as education, banking, or healthcare.” However, this perennial lack of investment could yet work in the African continent’s favour, according to Hoskinson. The Input Output CEO explained: That lack of deeply embedded legacy infrastructure makes the transition to blockchain-based infrastructure a relatively low friction process, with the potential for developing countries to ‘leapfrog’ advanced industrialized economies by adopting next-generation infrastructure. Hoskinson also believes that after many years of “nascent promise”, the blockchain technology is “finally mature enough to get them there.” Do you agree that this partnership agreement will hasten the adoption of blockchain technology in Africa? Tell us what you think in the comments section below. View the full article

The European Investment Bank (EIB), the investment bank owned by the EU Member States, has announced the issuance of the organization’s first-ever digital bond built on a public blockchain. The bond was issued using Ethereum and the issuance invoked $121 million two-year bonds placed with key market investors. EIB Issues Digital Bonds Built With Ethereum Technology The EIB, a not-for-profit organization and lending arm of the European Union announced on Wednesday that the bank has issued a new type of digital bond built using blockchain technology. On April 28, 2021, the EIB explained that the bank had also worked on the digital bond project with the financial institutions Goldman Sachs, Santander, and Societe Generale. The EIB also disclosed that the Banque de France participated and said “the payment of the issue monies from the underwriters to the EIB has been represented on the blockchain in the form of CBDC.” “Innovation at the EIB goes beyond the projects we are supporting. As a global leader in the green and sustainability bond markets, the EIB is clearly well‑placed to lead the way now in the issuance of digital bonds on [a] blockchain,” EIB Vice President Mourinho Félix remarked during the announcement. “These digital bonds will play a role in giving the Bank a quicker and more streamlined access to alternative sources of finance to boost finance for projects across the globe.” The EIB is considered one of the largest backers of green finance in the world. The financial institution thinks that the digitalization of capital markets will benefit market participants in the future. Benefits include the reduction of third-party costs, transparency, and “faster settlement speed.” A person familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that “the notes have a zero percent coupon and will be registered in the public Ethereum blockchain network after pricing.” The EIB announcement further notes: Similar to the EIB’s role in green bonds or risk-free rates, the new digital bond issuance may pave the way for market players to adopt blockchain technology for the issuance of financial securities. Blockchain to Help the Bank’s Position in Capital Markets’ Innovation The Director-General Finance at the EIB, Bertrand de Mazières, believes this is a milestone for the European lender and thinks it cements the bank’s “position in capital markets’ innovation.” The EIB Director thinks the steps taken by the bank will pioneer more blockchain innovation when it comes to issuing financial securities. “By helping to create a framework for a new market ecosystem, the EIB believes this will bring value added for both issuers and investors, while contributing to an innovative, efficient and secure market infrastructure,” the EIB Director’s statement concluded. What do you think about the European Investment Bank issuing blockchain bonds via Ethereum’s technology? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

PRESS RELEASE. UnoRe, the first decentralized reinsurance platform, is now allowing retail users to invest in risk. This opportunity is a part of the project’s vision to revolutionize the reinsurance industry, one that has been traditionally gatekept, preventing any significant innovation in hundreds of years. UnoRe aims to take steps towards alleviating the extreme global wealth gap – a typical millennial now holds 41% less wealth than a similarly aged adult in 1989. In contrast, the world’s richest 1% currently have more than twice as much wealth as 6.9 billion people combined. That’s over 90% of everyone else! The inaccessibility to wealth-generating tools such as reinsurance is a contributing factor to this enormous inequality – reinsurance as an industry has always been one exclusive to the wealthiest factions of society and out of reach for regular investors. Those with significant capital have leveraged this reliable asset class in order to balloon their already-inflated net worth. In today’s world of overpriced assets and stocks, reinsurance portfolios are among the very few avenues that still follow value investing. This approach, championed by billionaire investor Warren Buffet, involves investing in commodities that appear undervalued using fundamental analysis of returns rather than speculating. Yet, due to the large capital and regulatory requirements, the profit potential of the industry remains largely untapped. UnoRe aims to do away with these absurd investment prerequisites and make the reinsurance industry accessible to all users on UnoRe’s platform for investors. Being the first reinsurance platform of its kind, UnoRe will revolutionize the reinsurance industry by allowing access to an already reliable system. How the platform works: On the UnoRe for investors platform, the total required risk capital of any particular insurance product is divided into three risk pools based on risk exposure and returns: R1, R2, and R3 — these pools are then made available on UnoRe’s vertical for investors to stake their capital into. The riskiest/most profitable pool, R1, has an APY (annual percentage yield) much higher than the safest/least returns pool, R3; however, the probability of the pool being dipped into is less than 5%. This means that even whilst investing into the riskiest pool, the actual risk to the investor remains minute. Initially building on Ethereum (soon to be migrated to PolkaDot!), the platform will be to reinsurance what stock market apps were to the offline stock market of the 90s; UnoRe plans to transform ‘risk’ into a commodity that retail investors can invest into and earn significant profits from. “My experience within this sector made it apparent to me how Reinsurance as an investment is a severely untapped industry – UnoRe was born as a vision to allow retail investors entry into this impervious market and enable them to leverage it to its fullest monetary potential.“ – Jaskanwar Singh, CEO of UnoRe UnoRe is set to have its IDO on the 28th of April, and with it, the crypto community will be open to taking advantage of the first decentralised reinsurance platform in the crypto ecosystem! Read more about the whitelist here. 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

In a policy meeting on Wednesday, the U.S. Federal Reserve told the public that monetary easing will continue and the benchmark interest rate will be kept near zero. Just like previous statements from Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) members, the committee within the central bank is not concerned about inflation and says that it should only have “transitory effects” on the American economy. Inflation to Have ‘Transitory Effects,’ While ‘Recovery Is Uneven and Far From Complete’ The most recent FOMC meeting held on Wednesday was no different than the past number of committee gatherings which explained that the central bank is still dealing with pressure from the pandemic. A press release that followed the meeting highlighted that the “pandemic is causing tremendous human and economic hardship across the United States and around the world.” The Federal Reserve, however, has seen indicators that “economic activity and employment have strengthened,” but Fed Chairman Jerome Powell stressed the recovery is “uneven and far from complete.” The press release also admits that inflation has increased and states: The sectors most adversely affected by the pandemic remain weak but have shown improvement. Inflation has risen, largely reflecting transitory factors. “Some asset prices are high. You are seeing things in the capital markets that are a bit frothy. That’s a fact. I won’t say it has nothing to do with monetary policy, but it also has a tremendous amount to do with vaccination and reopening of the economy,” Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said during a press conference held after the FOMC announcement. The National Association of Home Builders has said that since April 2020, lumber costs have spiked 180%. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) spiked 0.2% from February of this year to March 2021 and was 3.3% more than March 2020 statistics. The FOMC summary notes that financial conditions have stayed “accommodative” because of the measures the central bank has taken. The policies, the Fed believes, have allowed the “flow of credit to U.S. households and businesses.” Powell also noted that inflation could spike in the future and said these “one-time increases in prices are likely to only have transitory effects on inflation.” “It will take some time before we see substantial further progress,” Powell insisted. The Wall Street Mega Banks So-Called ‘Strength’ Meanwhile, investigative journalists, Pam and Russ Martens from Wall Street on Parade, published damning evidence against the Fed misleading the public when it comes to the Wall Street mega banks’ so-called “strength.” The Martens say that the scheme the Fed has been pulling in 2020 and into 2021, is the same as the “horror” mega banks pulled in 2008. As Bitcoin.com News has reported in the past, well before Covid-19 made headlines, central banks worldwide invoked massive monetary easing policy changes. The Federal Reserve led the monetary easing movement and Powell stressed before Congress in 2020 that the mega banks were “a source of strength” to the American economy. “What caused the Wall Street bank stocks to tank so much worse than the broader market in March 2020 is the same thing that caused the banks to tank much worse than the broader market in 2008 – interconnectivity via derivatives and leverage,” the Martens scathing report details. The Martens’ data shows that financial incumbents like JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley saw heavy losses from the start of 2020 upwards of 40 to 50%. Citigroup had seen losses upwards of 56% and by March 23, 2020. “These five banks are highly interconnected via derivatives because they have exposure to the same counterparties (the entities on the other side of their trillions of dollars in derivative trades),” the report highlights. “Sophisticated traders on Wall Street understand these risks and want to run from these banks in any crisis situation.” Fed Will Continue Large-Scale Securities Purchases, Hold Down Near Zero Rates The U.S. central bank’s FOMC press release further reveals that the bond purchasing will continue alongside the near-zero percent benchmark interest rate. Further, the Fed is sticking to the typical 2% inflation mark as a target to watch closely, and the bank knows it will exceed that rate for a transitory period. “[The FOMC] decided to keep the target range for the federal funds rate at 0 to 1/4 percent and expects it will be appropriate to maintain this target range,” the Fed announcement specifications note. The Fed will also increase the amount of Treasury securities the central bank holds. “In addition, the Federal Reserve will continue to increase its holdings of Treasury securities by at least $80 billion per month and of agency mortgage‑backed securities by at least $40 billion per month until substantial further progress has been made toward the Committee’s maximum employment and price stability goals,” the FOMC press release concludes. What do you think about Fed Chairman Jerome Powell’s recent statements and the FOMC announcement concerning rates and bond purchases? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below. View the full article

Venezuela’s government-backed cryptocurrency is not having the acceptance its cabinet expected, as the latest reports suggest. The petro’s creator, who now lives in exile, wants to build another crypto that gets the adoption its original creation did not in the nation. Jiménez Believed the Petro Could Have Given Venezuelans a ‘Measure of Freedom’ Per a report published by Deutsche Welle, Gabriel Jimenez, a 31-year-old-programmer, is looking to pursue a “cryptocurrency revolution” in Venezuela with Reserve, a brand-new token he created. Jimenez – now residing in the United States – is not a stranger to the crypto community, nor Nicolás Maduro’s government, as he was once commissioned to create the state-backed petro (PTR). Interestingly, he wasn’t a fan of the government, as he actively participated in the street protests against Maduro. However, Jiménez thought that creating the petro token was an excellent idea to give Venezuelans “a measure of freedom” by bypassing U.S. financial sanctions. But Jiménez’s expectations on oil-backed petro turned out to be wrong. He commented: I was naive at the time, and it’s still hurting me to see how the petro is being misused as a political weapon by the government. Moreover, Deutsche Welle quoted reports that state officials are even using petro for money laundering purposes. That said, the 31-year-old-programmer firmly believes creating the digital asset was a mistake. Maduro Keeps Promising to Make Petro a Widely Accepted Token Venezuelan government’s efforts in making its crypto accessible and widely accepted by the people have been making the headlines since last year. In fact, despite the controversy, Venezuela was the first nation-state to deploy a central bank digital currency (CBDC) in the wild. In August 2020, Bitcoin.com News reported that the Bolivarian Council of Mayors signed Venezuela’s National Tax Harmonization Agreement on Sunday, placing the cryptocurrency petro as the unit of account for the payment of taxes and fines in 305 municipalities. Still, the government doesn’t give up on the petro project. In fact, during an annual speech at the National Assembly in January 2021, Maduro talked about a “revival” for the PTR, promising to boost a “100% national digital economy” agenda through a “complete digitalization process.” What do you think about this story? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

As part of its ongoing efforts to make the decentralized finance ecosystem more accessible through infrastructure development, this layer2 scaling solution has introduced a $100 million fund designed to lower the barriers to entry for yield farming and lending. #Defiforall to Support Development Over Next 2-3 Years Decentralized finance (defi) has emerged as one of the most explosive blockchain developments over the past year as new products and services offer a new means for token holders to monetize their crypto holdings. The push has been so extreme that the total value locked (TVL) in defi protocols has crossed back above $60 billion, trending just shy of the record amount reached mere weeks ago. Yet, defi remains one of the most complex areas of the blockchain universe for newcomers as the steep learning curve and high capital requirements push more minor participants to the fringes. Enter Polygon, an Ethereum scaling and infrastructure development solution. Formerly known as Matic, Polygon intends to transform Ethereum into a multi-chain ecosystem, or internet of blockchains, through its novel ability to construct and connect Layer 2 chains and sidechains. Polygon already plays an instrumental role in defi thanks to its role as a sidechain launchpad for Aave and Curve. Now, Polygon aims to promote defi adoption by lowering the accompanying barriers. Its newly launched $100 million #Defiforall Fund intends to do just that by supporting the defi protocols endeavoring to reach this very goal. According to Polygon Cofounder and COO Sandeep Nailwal, Polygon is committed to making defi accessible to the next million users and we hope to achieve this through the #Defiforall Fund. We want to see support for the top defi protocols on Ethereum scale and grow with Polygon. Through the next two to three years, the fund will attempt to drive more mass-market adoption of defi protocols. Polygon has already demonstrated that defi doesn’t have to be as capital-intensive after protocols launched on its sidechain experienced exponential user adoption rates. Aave and Curve, in particular, have very successfully attracted participation from investors with smaller amounts of capital. Accordingly, with its long-term fund in place, the appeal of defi will likely continue to expand as the area’s accessibility improves with Polygon’s support. Do you find that defi has a “steep learning curve” that deters small-time investors? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

South African property developer, New Age Properties, says it has partnered with Sun Exchange, an online leasing platform, as part of an effort to bring cheap and clean energy to low-income earners. Bitcoin for Solar Cells According to the two companies’ working arrangement, Sun Exchange, which also accepts payment in BTC form, will enable buyers of solar cells to lease electricity to Watergate Estate, one of South Africa’s first low-cost gated community housing project. Meanwhile, a local news report explains how the consummation of this partnership will represent a key milestone for the South African property developer, Anver Essop. In addition to fulfilling his desire to bring to “green, safe and cheap homes across South Africa”, the arrangement with Sun Exchange also helps Essop realize his objective of bringing the perks or benefits associated with South Africa’s affluent gated communities to low-income earners. “We thought, why don’t we give people the same product we build in wealthier areas and uplift them to improve their own lives,” explained Essop. According to the report, Sun Exchange cells can be bought with cash or bitcoin for $6 (90 rands) each. The owners can then “lease the electricity generated to Watergate at a pre-agreed price, saving them nearly 40% in electricity costs over 20 years.” Once that point is reached, the project will be decommissioned or Watergate will have the option to purchase the solar power system outright. Using Crypto to Offset Carbon Footprint In the meantime, the report also quotes Sun Exchange founder Abe Cambridge explaining how the online leasing platform is using bitcoin to power clean energy. Cambridge said: By combining cryptocurrency and energy, you end up with someone sitting in London getting an income from selling green energy where it is needed and offsetting their carbon footprint. The online marketplace founder also reveals that “about 470 people across the world bought solar cells for Watergate, and of the 39 Sun Exchange projects launched so far, it is the first being used to power affordable housing.” While the energy produced by the cells will initially be linked to the national grid, Cambridge said he “hopes to add a battery that can store solar power to protect residents from blackouts.” Meanwhile, the report states that Sun Exchange has plans to expand into other parts of Southern Africa through “a partnership announced last year with one of Zimbabwe’s biggest fruit and tobacco producers, Nhimbe Fresh.” There are also plans to make the online marketplace a global platform in Latin America and Southeast Asia, where there are similar energy challenges are experienced. What are your thoughts on this partnership between Sun Exchange and New Age Properties? Tell us what you think in the comments section below. View the full article

Leading cryptocurrency exchange Gate.io was established back in 2013 and is now celebrating its eighth anniversary. This is an impressive milestone in the ever changing crypto landscape, but the company isn’t resting on its laurels. Gate.io keeps taking the initiative to innovate and offer many new services for traders of digital assets and DeFi startups. A Veteran Crypto Exchange You Can Trust In a world where so many new services pop-up every day, Gate.io marking 8 years of operation is a major sign of durability and commitment. While other platforms collapsed or just disappeared overnight, Gate.io endured for so long and always focused on offering a safe, secure and reliable service to its users. This has brought it a loyal fan base that stuck with it over the years, and the respect of being able to call themselves veterans in the field. Gate.io, as one of the world’s long-lasting trading platforms with the largest transaction volume, deeply understands the importance of blockchain asset security, and always puts user asset security in the first place. Through both centralization and decentralization, Gate.io has launched a variety of safe fund storage solutions. It not only guarantees the convenience of transactions, but also guarantees the safe storage of funds. Users who are familiar with Gate.io know that security is embodied in all aspects of the platform: GateChain secure DeFi ecosystem, secure hardware fingerprint wallet Wallet S1, contract security audit and the most innovative secure smart public chain, and so on. The principle of “security always comes first” has been thoroughly integrated into Gate.io’s business philosophy. Even Gate’s crypto-pedia is always sending out the message that users should always use security equipment to protect their digital assets. In CoinGecko’s Trust Score 2.0 scoring system list, Gate.io ranks among the top five in the world, with a trust score of 10 points, which is one of only 8 exchanges that have obtained a perfect score of 10 out of nearly 400 exchanges in the world. Furthermore, in May 2020, Gate.io also established a collateral system to provide 100% collateral for each user in order to ensure the safety of user assets – which fundamentally eliminates runs and insolvency. A Great Platform for Crypto and DeFi Startups The cryptocurrency market has changed a lot since 2013 and Gate.io had to offer new services to keep up with client demands and other challenges. A great example of this is the success of the company’s platform for launching new crypto projects. Gate Startup helped with the launches of some great DeFi projects such as DAO, HAPI, WOO, KAI, and it’s first-launch project yield rate ranks third in the world according to statistics from CryptoRank. Gate.io Startup aims to help the development of the blockchain industry and technological innovation. In fact, since 2020, Gate trading platform has also upgraded its Startup platform, and has made more stringent auditing and standards for projects and investors selections. Gate Startup provides more than just fundraising for high-quality projects around the world, but also adds more flexible and diversified services. The Startup platform continues to launch high-quality projects and discounted purchases of BTC and ETH, injecting new vitality into the IEO method. Gate gradually receives verification and recognition from the market and users. On the other hand, Gate has also given enough market enthusiasm and focus for the high-quality projects on the Startup platform, supplemented by funds and community driving forces and gradually forming a virtuous and positive market cycle. While attracting more high-quality projects to the platform, Gate.io Startup also raises the barriers to entry and created multiple protections for investment users. In order to ensure the reputation of Startup, Gate.io announced an unprecedented rule: if the project breaks within one year, the platform will redeem the user’s currency at 65% of the issue price. This was the first time ever for something like this in the industry, showcasing Gate.io’s determination to be responsible for the security of its users. Gate.io Keeps Taking the Initiative to Innovate Gate.io has also kept developing new investment products and assets for its traders. In August 2019, it launched Wealth Management; In February 2020, leveraged ETF to provided users with medium and high-risk preferences with more trading options; In July 2020, the pro version of the trading interface launched to meet the operational needs of high-end users; In July 2020, Gate.io launched short-term options trading, which supports the buying of short-term (1 hour, 4 hours, and 1 day) expiration option transactions. In August 2020, the grid trading function was launched, allowing users to generate certain profits even in a volatile market. In addition to these, Gate.io has also had major developments on the DeFi side. In June 2020, the GateChain mainnet 1.0 was released. In January 2021, GateChain’s EVM test chain Meteora (supporting smart contracts) was launched. In February 2021, the smart contract DeFi ecology and cross-link diagram were released. At present, GateChain’s TPS exceeds 2000, which can support more than one thousand nodes and has laid a solid foundation for its subsequent ecological construction. And at the DEX level, Gate.io established a DEX HipoSwap based on GateChain. HipoSwap refers to the automatic market maker AMM mechanism. At the same time, based on a constant product market maker, Gate introduces two single currency market price Maker pools to provide Makers with a way to place market orders and earn commissions, while greatly increasing system liquidity, effectively reducing Taker’s transaction price slippage. This innovative mechanism solves the long-term bottleneck problems of Uniswap and other DEXs such as high transaction slippage, large transaction losses, and low automatic market makers’ income, as well as satisfies the pursuit of trading operations by users and market makers. After deploying the public chain and DEX, the creation of the DeFi ecosystem was also encouraged. Gate.io also launched the Gate.io Labs incubator program. On February 9, 2021, Gate.io announced that Gate Labs will invest $50 million (in equivalent cryptocurrency) to set up seed funds ranging from tens of thousands to millions of US dollars and support project development to promote more high-quality projects to join the GateChain ecosystem. Gate.io Labs uses the best resources and services to support outstanding start-up teams to launch their projects and assist them create innovative products and quality services that meet the market needs. Excellent start-up projects can further be launched at Gate.io Startup, and will be given priority to access the GateChain ecosystem. To learn more about all the services offered by the exchange and sign up visit Gate.io today. This is a sponsored post. Learn how to reach our audience here. Read disclaimer below. View the full article

Although recent studies have been showing a slowdown in cryptojacking activities, especially the ones related to mining privacy coins, Intel remains on the hunt to crackdown on such activities. The tech giant has partnered with Microsoft to deploy a campaign that strengthens cryptojacking detection with new technologies. Tool Could Trigger Multiple Detectors to Halt Any Cryptojacking Threat According to the announcement, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint integrated a threat detection tool – known as Intel Threat Detection Technology (Intel TDT) – designed by Intel to launch an endpoint detection of cryptojacking threats before it hits a system. The technology can activate central processing unit (CPU) based cryptomining machine learning detection without compromising users’ computers whatsoever, said the companies in a joint announcement. Frank Dickson, program vice president of Security and Trust at International Data Corporation (IDC), gave his thoughts on the detection tool: The silicon-level telemetry and functionality enable the hardware computer platform to play an active role in threat defense against ‘above-the-OS’ attacks. Clearly, the goal is to empower Intel-based systems of today and tomorrow to be fundamentally more secure and have lower malware infection rates than AMD, Apple, and other ARM-based processor systems. Overall, what the tool makes is to send a high-fidelity signal that triggers multiple detectors across the corporate fleet without reducing systems’ resources. Cryptojacking Attacks Have Been Losing Momentum Cryptojacking is a malicious cyberattack where threat actors install crypto-mining apps into computers belonging to individuals or businesses, aiming to mine cryptos illicitly by taking resources from the systems. Such actions significantly reduce the performance of the affected computers, and some malware and some cryptojacking attacks have enough capabilities to extend their arms onto a whole network of computers. Still, Bitcoin.com News reported early in April that cryptojacking attacks related to mine monero (XMR) have been decreasing for the first time since 2018. Threat actors in cryptojacking attacks mainly mine the privacy cryptocurrency, which has been well-document in other intelligence firms’ research. What are your thoughts on the announcement made by Intel and Microsoft? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

After vowing to never buy bitcoin again, stock trader Dave Portnoy has sold all of his dogecoins, which he bought when the price was at a record high, to buy one bitcoin. Having been called “paper hands,” Portnoy now says will never sell his one bitcoin. Dave Portnoy Now a Proud Bitcoin Owner American day trader and founder of Barstool Sports blog, Dave Portnoy, has finally bought bitcoin. He posted a video on Twitter Monday revealing: “I did buy one bitcoin when it was at $48,000. That’s all I can afford.” He tweeted: I am the proud owner of 1 bitcoin. After learning that Elon Musk’s Tesla sold some of its bitcoins, Portnoy said he will not sell his BTC. “I am holding 100% of my bitcoin,” he emphasized. He then said on Tuesday that his bitcoin is up from the price he bought it at, stating, “I’m way up on it since I bought it.” He also started calling himself “the barron of bitcoin.” Regarding his mini dialogue with Elon Musk about Tesla selling some of its bitcoins, Portnoy said: “Elon and I did not fight. As a true believer in bitcoin and proud owner of 1 bitcoin. It’s my duty to defend against all lettuce handed threats no matter big or small, real or perceived.” Out of Dogecoin Into Bitcoin Prior to buying bitcoin, he was fascinated with dogecoin when the price was hitting all-time highs. On April 16, he posted a video stating that he will log into his Blockfolio account and see how to get involved in dogecoin which he called a “Ponzi scheme.” On April 20, Doge Day, he posted a video saying that he bought $25,000 of dogecoin. However, Portnoy confirmed on Monday that he has sold all his dogecoins, but he claims that he did not sell at a loss. He clarified: I don’t own any DOGE. I sold DOGE … I bought it high and when dogecoin didn’t go I sold it and moved on. He is also selling his first NFT — a pizza review. “If you want to own a piece of history and a piece of my soul, here is your chance,” he said. Portnoy first learned about bitcoin when the Winklevoss twins went to his home in August last year to show him personally how to buy bitcoin via their cryptocurrency exchange Gemini. Besides investing $200K in BTC, he also invested in chainlink (LINK) and orchid (OXT) at the time. However, as crypto prices fluctuated, Portnoy sold all of his coins and got out of cryptocurrencies altogether. “I’m out on crypto because coins don’t always go up. Stocks on the other hand continue to always go up,” he said at the time. As the price of bitcoin continued to increase, Portnoy regretted selling his coins. He posted a video in February saying that he will never buy bitcoin again. Admitting that BTC was the only investment that kept on rising, he said, “I know I’m an idiot with bitcoin. But I refuse to be the poorest man on the ship. I won’t swab the decks.” What do you think about Dave Portnoy selling dogecoins and buying one bitcoin? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

The CEO of payments giant Paypal, Dan Schulman, has revealed that the demand for cryptocurrencies has been “multiple-fold” of his company’s initial expectations. Paypal’s Venmo recently began rolling out cryptocurrency features to enable Venmo users to buy, sell and hold cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin. Demand for Cryptocurrencies Exceeds Paypal’s Expectations Paypal CEO Dan Schulman talked about cryptocurrency, particularly bitcoin, in an interview with Time Magazine, published Sunday. Paypal is present in more than 200 countries and deals in more than 100 currencies. Last year, the company processed 15.4 billion payments, with a value of $936 billion. The company has about 30 million merchants in its network. Schulman began by sharing his story of how he used Paypal’s crypto service to buy boots and paid for them with bitcoin. Noting that it only took a few clicks and a few seconds to buy with the cryptocurrency, he said that “It was pretty cool.” A big initiative of his company is “helping move digital currency into the mainstream, by adding cryptocurrency services,” the CEO described. One of the questions he was asked during the interview was “What does this pending shift to digital currencies mean for the financial system as we know it?” Schulman replied, “In the next five to 10 years, you’re going to see more change in the financial system than you have over the past 10 to 20 years,” adding: Demand on the crypto side has been multiple-fold to what we initially expected. There’s a lot of excitement. Schulman also explained that Paypal has “been looking at digital forms of currency and DLT for six years or so.” However, he noted: “But I thought it was early, and I thought the cryptocurrencies at the time were much more assets than they were currency. They were too volatile to be a viable currency. And it was still a little bit too much of people not really understanding what they were going to get into, and what we really wanted to do is make sure that it became a little more mainstream so that we would work hand-in-hand with regulators before we put anything out into the market.” Paypal launched its crypto service for U.S. customers in November last year. The company then established a business unit dedicated to cryptocurrency in February and enabled crypto payments at millions of stores with the “checkout with crypto” launch in late March. Last week, Venmo started rolling out crypto trading for its 70 million users to buy, sell, and hold cryptocurrencies. What do you think about the Paypal CEO’s comments about bitcoin and cryptocurrencies? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

A leading Venezuelan aviation academy announced its inception into cryptocurrency adoption after enabling bitcoin payments. Caracas Air is now accepting crypto payments for those who want to take any of their courses. Academy Started Its Operations in 2015 According to the announcement made by its CEO, Oliver Laufer, the academy will also offer discounts and financing plans for those who opt to pay with bitcoin (BTC). Overall, Caracas Air is known as the most prominent emerging and certified aviation academy in Venezuela. On its customer base, the firm teaches almost 900 students per year, whose study programs are certified by the Venezuelan aeronautical authority (INAC). Laufer founded the academy with his brother in 2015 after acquiring a Cessna 172 Skyhawk plane to run the school. Those who earn certification from Caracas Air can obtain a license authorized by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), becoming the first ICAO-certified aviation academy in Venezuela to offer BTC payments. Among the programs that students could pay via cryptos also include those who opt to become cabin crew, flight dispatchers, professional teaching induction courses, safety management systems (SMS), reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM), and performance-based navigation (PBN). However, the company didn’t disclose the discounts’ percentages to which people are entitled when they pay with bitcoin. Crypto Adoption Keeps Riding a Bullish Trend in Venezuela Amid the Crisis The announcement follows the string of similar ones made in different sectors across the country. As Bitcoin.com reported in March 2021, Venezuelan customers from the biggest satellite TV provider in the country are now able to pay their monthly bills via cryptocurrencies. Simple TV announced it had enabled the feature to its over four million users, whose company was the replacement of Directv. Also, crypto-friendly freelance solutions appear in Venezuela to deal with the difficulties of arranging payments with foreign fiat, such as Venezuela Workers, a Venezuelan freelancing platform that connects local freelancers with global employers who are seeking to pursue some project or performing a specific task. What are your thoughts on the announcement made by Caracas Air? Let us know in the comments section below. View the full article

PRESS RELEASE. AscendEX, formerly BitMax, an industry-leading digital asset trading platform built by Wall Street quant trading veterans, has announced the listing of the Unmarshal Token (MARSH) under the pair USDT/MARSH on Apr 26 at 1:00 p.m. UTC. Unmarshal is a Chain-Agnostic blockchain protocol consisting of a network of blockchain indexes to curate customizable data for DeFi applications. Synergistically built with the support of Binance Smart Chain, Polkadot Network, and Solana, Unmarshal intends to revitalize data collection, distribution, and interpretation to propel the DeFi economy forward. It is an advanced solution that aims at transforming raw and unstructured blockchain data into a meaningful form to ease the integration of real-time blockchain data into decentralized applications, thus unmarshalling the potential of DApps. Compared to other data providers in the Crypto Market, Unamrshal stands out by providing simplified and structured data in multiple formats like APIs, graphQl, websockets, and notifications for users. Unmarshal does all the heavy lifting for Dapps by decoding the on-chain data, including NFTs, and providing simplified data. MARSH, the Unmarshal utility token, will be required for staking services on Unmarshal. MARSH tokens will incentivize network contributors for their contributions to the network. Unmarshal aims to become the go-to destination for any digital asset on-chain data across multiple chains. About AscendEX Originally founded in 2018 as BitMax.io, AscendEx is a leading crypto and digital asset financial platform catering to both professional and retail traders. Our venue offers spot, futures, margin trading and staking products and incorporates key elements from the DeFi space to foster a unique market structure for users. AscendEx is led by a team of Wall Street veterans who have applied traditional markets’ rigor to create a robust, secure, and reliable experience for all participants; and a consistent source of liquidity for primary offerings. For more information and updates, please visit: Website: https://ascendex.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/AscendEX_Global Telegram: https://t.me/AscendEXEnglish Medium: https://medium.com/ascendex About Unmarshal Unmarshal is a Chain-Agnostic blockchain protocol consisting of a network of blockchain indexes to curate customizable data for DeFi applications. Synergistically built with the support of Binance Smart Chain, Polkadot Network and Solana, Unmarshal intends to revitalize data collection, distribution, and interpretation to propel the DeFi economy forward. For more information and updates, please visit: Website: https://unmarshal.io Twitter: https://twitter.com/unmarshal Telegram: https://t.me/Unmarshal_Chat 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