roadrunner

Ever since Reddit pulled the plug on r/darknetmarkets, deep web users have been starved of real time information on trustworthy sites and vendors. Deep Dot Web is one of the few remaining clearnet portals where information on darknet markets (DNMs) can be found. DNMs were bitcoin’s first “killer app”, and to this day provide one of the most tangible uses for cryptocurrency. Also read: Six Alternatives to Telegram for Cryptocurrency Communities Without the Darknet We Probably Wouldn’t Be Here It is no exaggeration to say that were it not for deep web marketplaces, and specifically Silk Road, there’s a chance that bitcoin might never have taken off. At the very least, its adoption would have been hindered. VCs courting crypto funds; entrepreneurs seeking to tokenize the world; startups putting improbable things on the blockchain; ICOs amassing ether: none of these things would exist had a twenty-something dropout named Ross Ulbricht not decided to sell psychedelic mushrooms and accept payment in bitcoin. Silk Road is long gone, but the legacy Ross Ulbricht laid lives on through its successors. Deep Dot Web’s comparison chart contains a breakdown of no less than 10 DNMs, detailing the commission they take and listing features such as multisig, 2FA, and forced PGP. The deep web’s most popular markets have made it to the top on account of their longevity, range of wares, and generally positive reviews. For those inclined to enter the deep web, the following marketplaces may be of interest. Dream Market The deep web’s oldest marketplace, Dream has been standing since 2013, which is aeons in darknet terms. Exit scams and LE busts usually put paid to DNMs in less than 12 months. The fact that Dream is still standing attests to its robustness. It accepts bitcoin core, bitcoin cash, and monero and boasts 50,000 digital goods and 63,000 drugs listings. Its “Other” category contains designer watches, retro Air Jordan sneakers, €500 notes, credit card numbers, and hentai porn subscriptions. There’s also a “Services” section where you can purchase fake IDs or order Youtube dislikes on a video you particularly hate. For 0.8 BTC you can disappear completely before emerging with an entirely new identity. Wall Street Wall Street Riddled with vice and double-dealing, Wall Street is a den of iniquity. Its deep web namesake, on the other hand, is highly regarded. The site claims to have almost 3,000 vendors and 400,000 customers and accepts BTC and XMR. Wall Street has less wares then Dream but more categories including “Security & Hosting” which can be found alongside “Fraud”. Not everything that can be bought on the deep web is illicit – just most things. Point Marketplace Point, formerly Tochka, is a Russian DNM that’s been running since 2015. It has a number of innovative features including dead drops, enabling vendors to leave goods at a location where the buyer can later collect it. The site has less uptime than Wall Street and Dream (90% versus 97% and 98% respectively), and has been offline for the past couple of days. Otherwise, Point’s customer service is highly rated, and the site stocks all the usual goodies you’d expect to find on the deep web. A sample listing from Dream Anyone considering checking out Point, Wall Street, Dream, or any of the many other darknet marketplaces – plus P2P marketplace Open Bazaar – should take precautions to preserve their anonymity. Buyers should also note that certain items may be illegal to purchase in their country. Other risks include the possibility of law enforcement surreptitiously taking over a site and using it as a honeypot to collect user information, as happened with Hansa. For cryptocurrency users who have no desire to transact on the deep web, visiting DNMs serves as a sort of pilgrimage: a reminder of where bitcoin came from, and an acknowledgment that it was vice that brought us here. Everyone involved in the cryptocurrency space today owes a debt to Ross Ulbricht, Silk Road, and the darknet markets it spawned. Do you think darknet markets were pivotal in making bitcoin go mainstream? Let us know in the comments section below. Images courtesy of Shutterstock, Dream, and Wall Street. Disclaimer: Bitcoin.com does not endorse nor support these products/services. Readers should do their own due diligence before taking any actions related to the mentioned companies or any of their 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 this article. The post These Are the Most Popular Darknet Marketplaces Right Now appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article

There’s a constant feud these days between Bitcoin Core (BTC) supporters and Bitcoin Cash (BCH) proponents right down to the nitty-gritty of nearly every topic in the space, and the arguments continue to this day, relentlessly. One such example is the Bitcoin Cash article hosted on Wiki has been page protected for a couple weeks now for “vandalism.” Also Read: Hong Kong Alcohol Company Buys 51% of Bitcoin Miner for $60 Million Bitcoin Cash Wiki Article Gets Locked Down Due to Constant Vandalism The Wikipedia website is a collaborative effort that allows anyone to edit and contribute additions to Wiki articles for the sake of documenting history online. So often times subjects are edited by anyone online but, if the subject is contentious, an ‘editing war’ can erupt. This means editors argue about the neutrality of the article and Wiki’s dispute resolution services come into play. Right now this is taking place at the Bitcoin Cash article found on Wiki and the page displays a warning about the contention. “The neutrality of this article is disputed — Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page — Please do not remove this message until conditions to do so are met,” explains Wiki when you visit the page. Further investigation directs readers and editors to the talk section which states: There have been attempts to recruit editors of specific viewpoints to this article. If you’ve come here in response to such recruitment, please review the relevant Wikipedia policy on recruitment of editors, as well as the neutral point of view policy. Disputes on Wikipedia are resolved by consensus, not by majority vote. Most of the Edit Wars Are ‘Bcash’ Related Going down the rabbit hole further points to an ugly situation where editors are battling about neutrality, and members of the general public are ‘vandalizing’ the page. For instance looking at the discussion on the editor’s ‘talk page’ and the Bitcoin Cash article’s revisions page many of the arguments and edits revolve around calling the cryptocurrency ‘Bcash.’ On April 20th a Wikipedia editor named ‘Foxyjim’ tried to change the name to ‘Bcash’ and argued the name was acceptable for the BCH-focused article and Wikipedia standards. ‘Bcash’ considered a derogatory term by a great majority of the BCH community, and many believe the term is used as an attempt to confuse people. On one occasion an editor and another contributor named ‘Toomuchtalk’ reverted an edit that was attempted by the user Foxyjim. “Foxyjim obviously doesn’t understand what Wikipedia is — Just because a disagreeing faction created a derogatory name in an effort to obscure the truthful Bitcoin history and are upset that they are using the name Bitcoin does not make the use of Bcash a legitimate historical fact,” the editor explains. In no way would a supporter of Bitcoin Cash supporter be ok with this! The New Cypherpunks The ‘Bcash edit is a common attack made regularly on the article and disputed in Wiki edit warring discussions. Other issues with the page stem from reliable sources, arguments on how the fork was initiated, and debates regarding the Segregated Witness protocol. Throughout the revisions page, there are multiple debated edits every single day. Moreover, the neutrality template on the Bitcoin Cash article has been added and removed a few times over the past few months as well. Last week the lead developer of the BCH client Bitcoin ABC, Amaury Séchet, noticed the neutrality template on the article and made a remark about it to his followers on Twitter, stating: Bitcoin Cash Wikipedia is now protected due to repeated vandalism — ‘Cypherpunks do Orwellian shit’ is the new ‘Cypherpunk Write Code.’ What do you think about the Bitcoin Cash Wikipedia being vandalized and suffering from edit warring? Let us know your thoughts on this subject in the comments below. Images via Shutterstock, Wikipedia, and Bitcoin Cash At news.Bitcoin.com all comments containing links are automatically held up for moderation in the Disqus system. That means an editor has to take a look at the comment to approve it. This is due to the many, repetitive, spam and scam links people post under our articles. We do not censor any comment content based on politics or personal opinions. So, please be patient. Your comment will be published. The post Bitcoin Cash Wiki Article Suffers From Edit Warring and Vandalism appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article

Japanese brokers already dominate the global online retail FX and CFD market by trading volumes. And it now looks like they will try to leverage their country’s receptive regulatory environment to expand internationally with crypto too. The latest example is an app in the UK created by two groups headquartered in Tokyo. Also Read: Bitcoin in Brief Tuesday: IOTA Ditched, Bitcoin Taking Over Popular Culture Pipster Z.com Trade, the international brand of Japanese forex giant GMO, has announced it will launch a new FX and cryptocurrency mobile trading application in partnership with Finatext UK. Named “Pipster,” the app is expected to be released for Android and iOS in the coming months. The developers say that the concept behind Pipster is to provide simplified, smarter trading platform to a new generation of traders. It is said to include price indicators based on technical analysis, upcoming events, news and social sentiment. The app will also focus on building a community and offer a range of learning materials including videos, interactive quizzes and diagrams designed to easily explain the basics of trading. “With Z.com Trade’s capacity to provide the best trading technology for retail FX traders, the Pipster app will be able to provide a simplified and smarter trading experience that we believe is essential to engage a new generation of traders,” said Rob Brockington, CEO of Finatext UK. Japanese Collaboration Z.com Trade is a member of the GMO Internet Group (TYO:9449), of which its internet securities provider GMO CLICK Securities Inc., is considered as one the world’s largest online retail forex providers by trading volume. The group has offices in London, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Bangkok, and offers FX, CFD and securities trading services worldwide. Earlier this year it announced the expansion of its cryptocurrency business with a new cloud mining service. Finatext UK is the British branch of Finatext Ltd., a Tokyo based fintech firm, specializing in financial education apps, customized big data services and ‘Brokerage-As-a-Service’ solutions. It is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under registration number 806585. “I believe that this collaborative initiative, with a reputable fintech firm such as Finatext, is a stepping stone that will enable us to extend our trading services to a wider audience,” said Masahiro Funada, CEO of Z.com Trade. Are Japanese companies eventually going to dominate regulated crypto trading volumes? Share your thoughts in the comments section below. Images courtesy of Shutterstock, Pipster. Make sure you do not miss any important Bitcoin-related news! Follow our news feed any which way you prefer; via Twitter, Facebook, Telegram, RSS or email (scroll down to the bottom of this page to subscribe). We’ve got daily, weekly and quarterly summaries in newsletter form. Bitcoin never sleeps. Neither do we. The post Japanese Forex Giant GMO to Launch New UK Crypto Trading App appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article

The meteoric price rally by bitcoin in 2017 has made a lot of people very rich, and perhaps no one more than the owners of the trading venues themselves. Coinbase, which was valued at around $1.6 billion less than a year ago, is now priced at $8 billion by its investors. Also Read: Bitcoin in Brief Tuesday: IOTA Ditched, Bitcoin Taking Over Popular Culture The $8 Billion Unicorn San Francisco-based cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has reportedly seen its market valuation skyrocket to as high as $8 billion. To help put this figure into perspective, Nasdaq Inc., which operates the NASDAQ market and eight European stock exchanges, only has a market cap of less than $15 billion. Last summer, before the bitcoin trading mania reached its peak around the end of 2017, Coinbase was priced by VC investors at an approximated $1.6 billion. Unsurprisingly, the incredible revenues that period, when the price of bitcoin was at its height, brought to cryptocurrency exchanges across the world made their owners reevaluate such low previous offers, as was recently reported in the case of Binance. Earn Deal Details Last month the company acquired Earn.com (formerly known as 21 Inc), a service that allows senders to pay users in cryptocurrency to reply to emails and complete tasks. New details from the negotiations by the two sides about that deal reveal that the management of Coinbase valued their exchange at $8 billion. The acquisition was valued at $100 million, and at least part of the sum was offered to the founders and investors of Earn in the shape of Coinbase stock. As the company’s shares are not traded on a public stock exchange, the offer was based on the self estimation of Coinbase for its worth, from which the $8 billion figure comes. And the incredible rise in the valuation of the company isn’t just internally-based. Brokers have reportedly turned to Coinbase stock owners in recent weeks with offers to buy existing shares at a price that will place the total value of the exchange between $4.5 billion and $6 billion, according to people familiar with the offers cited by Silicon Valley media Recode. Do you think $8 billion is a fair valuation of Coinbase? Share your thoughts in the comments section below. Images courtesy of Shutterstock. Make sure you do not miss any important Bitcoin-related news! Follow our news feed any which way you prefer; via Twitter, Facebook, Telegram, RSS or email (scroll down to the bottom of this page to subscribe). We’ve got daily, weekly and quarterly summaries in newsletter form. Bitcoin never sleeps. Neither do we. The post Coinbase Valuation Jumps from $1.6 Billion to as High as $8 Billion appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article

A few months ago the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) charged a Staten Island-based company called Cabbage Tech with ‘fraud and misappropriation’ of funds based in Bitcoin and Litecoin. According to the CFTC, it revealed it had charged Patrick McDonnell and his company Cabbage Tech for crimes associated with allegedly promising big returns on trading advice, and lifetime trading advice memberships. The CFTC is looking for restitution of all of the funds solicited, and the case may also see a jury trial. This week news.Bitcoin.com spoke with Patrick McDonnell about the charges against him, and he told us the entire case is “politically motivated” and the charges against him have been “fabricated.” Also read: Japan’s SBI Unveils New Plans to Start an Exchange for Major Cryptocurrencies One Man Against the CFTC and CME Group Earlier this week news.Bitcoin.com spoke with Patrick McDonnell about his company Cabbage Tech and the charges made against his company this year stemming from the U.S. regulator the CFTC. McDonnell claims his innocence, and believes the charges against his company are falsified and he is being used as a scapegoat to bolster certain regulatory policy such as the approval of CME’s recent futures markets. McDonnell says that CME is very much involved with the case against him, and he was even contacted by CME Group lawyers asking him to define bitcoin and virtual currencies as a ‘commodity’ over the telephone. McDonnell refused to say bitcoin is a commodity and the CFTC’s definition of virtual currencies is one of his main arguments against the financial charges against him. Bitcoin.com (BC): Earlier this year Cabbage Tech (CTC) was charged with fraud and claimed to provide “300% returns in a week,” according to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) statements. What can you tell our readers about yourself and this case? Patrick McDonnell (PM): Cabbage Tech, Corp. “CTC” was not a digital currency company as described in the media; it accepted cryptocurrency as an alternative means of membership/subscription payment. CTC was a diversified membership-based, subscription type, informational service offering investment reporting and alerts on an array of traditional markets outside of cryptocurrency. At certain times many CTC cryptocurrency reports and alerts may have well exceeded 300%+ returns which is typical in this sector during altcoin season. Myself? I was a newsletter operator. BC: What does CME Group and Bitcoin futures markets have to do with this case? PM: My ‘Defendant Statement’ filed with the Court on April 25, 2018, explains the CME’s involvement and motivation to join the CFTC in their deceptive plan to regulate bitcoin futures at any/all costs. The court documents can be read here, and more information can be read here. Basically in my letter I write that in a strategic move to limit company/investor liability and correct their mistake of relying on the CFTC’s 2015 claim that Bitcoin and Virtual Currencies fall under their scope. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (“CME”) was financially motivated to join the case on March 05, 2018 filing a MOTION for Leave to File Letter as Amicus Curiae by Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. per Jonathan L. Marcus a CME attorney. The CME in its correspondence/filings with the Court stated in desperation things such as: Warns the Court of the grave consequences if Bitcoin and its likes do not have the status of commodities under the CEA. If the Court rules that a virtual currency such as bitcoin is not a commodity, this would put in jeopardy CME’s and its market participants’ expectation to rely on the CEA and the CFTC’s regulatory protections for commodity derivatives contracts based on virtual currencies. This legal uncertainty would substantially disrupt the settled expectations of CME and numerous market participants who are trading bitcoin futures for purposes of hedging cash market exposures or making a market in bitcoin futures by offering liquidity, in addition to market professionals that clear, broker or manage virtual currency futures trading activity BC: According to reports, you and the firm Cabbage Tech are being charged by the CFTC with ‘fraud and misappropriation in connection with purchases and trading of Bitcoin and Litecoin.’ How are you confronting the CFTC, and CME over the treatment of bitcoin? PM: I believe the landmark decision that “Bitcoin and virtual currencies are commodities” appears to be flawed. The CFTC had ‘no cause or authority’ in the first place to file this trumped-up case, more or less, and build a body of digital law on me. All cryptocurrencies are not commodities which will be proven in the CFTC’s case against My Big Coin. This case is not about a company or myself, this case is about controlling regulation first in an innovative sector that will surely redefine our world. Yet, you cannot control a globe of people dead set on decentralization for such reason. CTC again accepted cryptocurrency as an alternative means of payment – not for investment or trading. Severe monetary reasons lurk behind CFTC/CME recent actions which I will prove 100%. BC: Do you feel your case is politically motivated or that you are being used as a scapegoat for some reason? PM: It is not my reason, it is the factual truth. The CFTC was grandstanding in Washington just weeks later of the complaint asking for a budget increase and pointing at their most recent ‘cryptocurrency’ enforcement. Much of this will come to light throughout the trial and you will see the CFTC was reckless in an attempt to force regulation. They needed something to point at. BC: What’s your opinion on the other probes and investigations taking place nationwide being led by the IRS, the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) and the CFTC? PM: I have no problem with the government regulation of cryptocurrency, it is definitely needed. In regards to my case, what good is regulation if put in place employing unjust means or methods? BC: How are you funding this case and is there anyone helping you with the litigation process? PM: I am representing myself ‘Pro-Se’ fighting 5-6 CFTC attorneys on a regular basis. I have the aid of the Federal Pro Bono Clinic but that is very limited. I am finding out how to launch a defense fund within the rules of court-ordered injunction to possibly raise monies for the legal fight. This case has forced me into bankruptcy as of April 27, 2018, rendering me unemployable with the online assassination of my name. However, I will fight for my innocence without any money. BC: Your case was highly publicized on mainstream media outlets. Have you contacted any of them and to explain your side and how you believe the CFTC’s case was fabricated? PM: I have attempted to no avail; those who did speak with me were already biased based off public opinion. Unfortunately, I am being forced to do all of this to reclaim my good name from tarnish. BC: You were not the only one charged that week by the CFTC. What is your opinion of Dillon Michael Dean from Colorado, who was also charged roughly at the same time as Cabbage Tech., with fraud by soliciting over a million dollars worth of bitcoin to the public? PM: I really don’t know much about him but he is running from the CFTC. Where I come from guilty people run and honest stand their ground. An honest mind has no worries and Mr. Dean seems concerned. Yet, I stand alone in these courtrooms, an innocent labeled a fraud by the CFTC. I do not know if is he is guilty or not guilty but he should man up and face the claims if innocent. BC: You sent us a picture of the CME lawyers calling you. Can you describe what that is about? PM: That picture says a billion words. The CME relied heavily on the CFTC’s 2015 claim that bitcoin was a commodity under their regulatory scope. Late December 2017, the CME and major market participants launched a bitcoin futures product on CFTC claims investing millions, if not billions of dollars. These institutions are why Bitcoin suddenly topped over $20,000 USD and somewhere during that period it hit! CME attorneys recognized the huge liability they were bearing relying on the CFTC claim. In turn, we see CFTC enforcements in January, CFTC budget increase request for cryptocurrency enforcement in February, and a ruling in CFTC’s favor that “Bitcoin is a commodity” in March. This is a staged set and you have to be the victim of it to see clearly what was done. So no more liability for CME and the CFTC is the new sheriff in crypto town. On May 05, 2018, the day before my hearing, I received a phone call from a CME attorney named Jonathan L. Marcus out of Washington, DC. He was calling on behalf of his client who had invested a lot of money into a bitcoin-related product and asked me in a few different ways if I believed bitcoin was a commodity as I rebutted him. “It was of extreme importance that he knows because his client based their investment on the CFTC’s 2015 claim.” He was very evasive and finally told me his client was the “CME”. He further stated, “he would be filing some documents on the case at times using the courts’ name, my case number, etc.” I asked him ‘How can you do that?’ He asked again, ‘Do I believe bitcoin is a commodity?’ I objected 5x at the top of my lungs then hung up. However, as stated in my filing I asked the court if they knew of this information filed and they said they did not. Yet many CME ECF dockets were filed May 05, 2018 and my hearing was held May 06, 2018? Odd. Both the CFTC/CME had a lot to lose monetarily if bitcoin was not declared a commodity on March 06, 2018 in the CME’S own wording to the court. A jury of peers will see it through clear unbiased eyes. BC: What would you like to tell the cryptocurrency community on your behalf in regard to this case? What should other crypto-based businesses know about this matter going forward? PM: I would ask the cryptocurrency community to base their opinion of me on facts not fabricated FUD. Any/all participants in cryptocurrency should tread lightly until regulation is fully imposed. Many U.S. crypto individuals/outfits will soon be affected by the March 06, 2018 bitcoin ruling. Everyone is vulnerable in unchartered territory. What do you think about Patrick McDonnell’s case? Do you think he has a chance of beating the CFTC’s charges and changing classifications? Let us know your thoughts on the subject in the comments below. Images via Shutterstock, Pixabay, CNBC, Wiki Commons, CME Group logo, and the CFTC logos. The Bitcoin universe is vast. So is Bitcoin.com. Check our Wiki, where you can learn everything you were afraid to ask. Or read our news coverage to stay up to date on the latest. Or delve into statistics on our helpful tools page. The post This Guy Is Fighting a Legal Battle with the CFTC over Bitcoin Classification appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article

United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) commissioner, Robert Jackson, has expressed his belief that initial coin offerings (ICOs) will be legitimized under existing securities legislation. Despite the optimistic outlook, the commissioner has criticized the current state of the ICO industry. Also Read: Taxis Take BCH, Stores Sell BTC in the Russian City of Rostov SEC Commissioner Expects ICOs Have Legitimate Future In an interview with CNBC, SEC commissioner, Robert Jackson, recently expressed cautious optimism regarding ICOs – predicting that initial coin offerings will be conformed to the rubric of existing securities regulations in future. “Down the road, I think we will be thinking about ways to make those investments work consistent with our securities laws,” Robert Jackson said. Commissioner Claims ICO Market Currently Resembles Wild West Despite the commissioner’s optimism surrounding the future prospects of the ICO industry, Robert Jackson offered a highly critical appraisal of the current state of initial coin offerings. Mr. Jackson stated “Investors are having a hard time telling the difference between investments and fraud […] “If you want to know what our markets would look like with no securities regulation, what it would look like if the SEC didn’t do its job? The answer is the ICO market.” Mr. Jackson also stated that the cryptocurrency sphere had yielded a number of “troubling developments,” adding “Right now we are focused on protecting investors who are getting hurt in this market.” SEC Official Discusses Cryptocurrencies During Recent Congressional Hearing Mr. Jackson’s remarks come less than a week after a U.S. house of representatives hearing entitled “Oversight of the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance” saw William Hinman, the director of the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance, claim that the SEC is seeking to develop a “balanced” framework for the regulation of cryptocurrencies. “We are striving for a balanced approach, and one that ensures capital formation while maintaining a strong focus on investor protection,” Mr. Hinman said. In response to a question from Committee member Bill Huizenga regarding whether ICOs could potentially comprise a solution to the recent decline in initial public offerings (IPOs) launched in America, Mr. Hinman stated: “in theory, there is a time when a coin may achieve a decentralized utility in the marketplace.” Committee member Brad Sherman objected the suggestion that ICOs may comprise an appropriate alternative to IPOs, claiming that an IPO “provides jobs in the real economy,” whereas ICOs do “the opposite.” Do you think that the ICO industry spells the demise of IPOs? Share your thoughts in the comments section below! Images courtesy of Shutterstock At news.Bitcoin.com all comments containing links are automatically held up for moderation in the Disqus system. That means an editor has to take a look at the comment to approve it. This is due to the many, repetitive, spam and scam links people post under our articles. We do not censor any comment content based on politics or personal opinions. So, please be patient. Your comment will be published. The post SEC Official Criticizes State of ICO Industry, Open to Regulated Future appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article

London Block Exchange has listed Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Ethereum Classic (ETC) among its cryptocurrency offerings. The platform dedicated to the UK market now trades six cryptocurrencies against the GBP. LBX opened with OTC trades in November and promised to add multiple new coins in the future. The exchange also offers on-shore UK banking. Also read: Bitcoin Cash Adoption Continues: Crypto Cafebar, Gold Vendor, Concealed-Carry Clothing London Block Exchange Now Trades Six Cryptos London-based cryptocurrency exchange LBX has added support for Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Ethereum Classic (ETC) trading against the British pound. London Block Exchange claims to be the only UK crypto platform currently offering GBP pairing with BCH and ETC. It also provides its clients with on-shore banking services and access to the Faster Payments system. The multi-coin exchange dedicated to the UK market now lists six cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Litecoin (LTC). Its management has promised to regularly add new cryptos. The decision to introduce Bitcoin Cash and Ethereum Classic comes weeks after the centralized Ripple (XRP) was added. “We are excited to announce that we have an addition to our blossoming selection of cryptocurrencies. Our customers will now be able to buy, sell, send, and receive Ethereum Classic (ETC) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH),” the company said in a post on its website. According to the press release, the cryptocurrencies will be tradable with the following pairs: BCH-GBP, BCH-BTC, ETC-GBP, and ETC-BTC. “As we open our doors to UK crypto enthusiasts, we’re listening and acting on what the community wants – and that’s an array of good quality coin options to trade, all backed by a reliable, comprehensive and user-friendly service that they can trust,” LBX founder and CEO Benjamin Dives stated. LBX Offers On-Shore Accounts for Its Clients LBX is based in London’s Canary Wharf commercial district. The multi-cryptocurrency platform provides crypto-exchange services to both consumers and institutional investors via its online platform and through a mobile app. It follows strict know-your-customer and anti-money-laundering procedures. London Block Exchange is also an e-wallet services provider registered with the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority. In March, it announced it will offer its members access to the Faster Payments system. The platform also introduced on-shore accounts for its clients. The price of Bitcoin Cash has spiked in recent weeks amidst strong demand for BCH. Its market value is currently hovering around $1,300 per coin. The surge was accompanied by more positive news. Revolut, a European startup offering alternative banking services, has recently announced it will be adding support for Bitcoin Cash, as news.Bitcoin.com reported. Meanwhile, an increasing number of businesses have started accepting Bitcoin Cash (BCH). A recently conducted poll detected growing awareness about cryptocurrencies among British people. More than 90 percent of the interviewed said they had heard of bitcoin. The survey also found that many Britons, a third of the respondents, would be more likely to invest in cryptos if they were regulated. At the same time, 60 percent said they would not support a state-controlled cryptocurrency issued by the Bank of England. UK-based professional investors are even more bullish. A poll among 150 financial services professionals and retail investors found that 54 percent of them expect the prices of cryptocurrencies to rise this year. More than half of the surveyed declared intentions to acquire more digital money and a third said they would retain their crypto holdings or sell only a part of them. Do you think cryptocurrency trade will develop in Britain, whose capital city is a global center for traditional finances? Tell us in the comments section below. Images courtesy of Shutterstock, Coinatmradar, Vkontakte, BBFpro. Need to calculate your bitcoin holdings? Check our tools section. The post London-Based LBX Exchange Adds Bitcoin Cash to Its Offerings appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article

A crypto mining company has sent a balloon into the stratosphere to mine bitcoin on the edge of space, reaching over 35,000 meters in altitude. The company also shared the results of its survey on what the price of bitcoin would be this year. Also read: Yahoo! Japan Confirms Entrance Into the Crypto Space Space Launch PR Stunt Miner One launched a “high-altitude balloon with bitcoin mining equipment” on Monday which it calls “Space Miner One (SMO).” The organization describes itself as neither a pool nor a cloud, but “a community of people who want to mine cryptocurrency profitability.” The group is “so bullish on bitcoin” that it hopes this PR stunt will be seen as “a symbol that [the price of] bitcoin will go to 35,000 and beyond.” The large latex balloon filled with helium has a parachute attached. It carries ASIC mining equipment, including two ASIC USB Block Erupters, connected to “a Raspberry Pi 3 microcomputer, a battery, and a satellite phone” which “are all placed inside the carbon fibre SMO capsule … along with a souvenir metal ‘bitcoin’ for one lucky winner of the Miner One Sweepstakes,” the group detailed. It also carries “navigation and tracking equipment with an independent power supply, thermoinsulation and a thermoregulator protecting it from temperature extremes,” Miner One explained and described the launch sequence as: Space Miner One passes through the troposphere; the ASIC is activated and linked via satellite transmitter to the Internet…As Space Miner One enters the stratosphere, falling air pressure causes the balloon to expand from 2.2 m to 10+ m in diameter – large enough to be seen from the ground. Prior to descending, “The Balloon is detonated, the parachute deployed, and Space Miner One begins its journey back to Earth,” the group explained, adding that the duration of the trip was roughly 2 hours and 30 minutes. “After rising to more than 35,000 metres [~21.75 miles] while mining bitcoin, Space Miner One descends back to Earth and is successfully recovered in an open field in Lithuania,” the group posted on its Facebook page. Space Miner One in the Stratosphere As Space X and other spaceflight companies bring down the price of launching commercial satellites into space, the prospect of mining bitcoin from above the atmosphere grows more appealing to venture capitalists and mining companies. Space X’s Falcon 9 project. The abundant solar energy and freezing temperatures in space both offer major benefits to the mining process that may become commonly used one day. The third benefit of space mining, as Bitcoin developer Peter Todd pointed out in August of last year, is that it may be the only economically relevant way to use energy generated in orbit. It is “a lot cheaper to beam solar power collected in space back to Earth in the form of blocks than as electricity,” he claimed. While Space Miner One’s mission did not include any solar panels, it could take advantage of the low temperatures in the stratosphere and communicate with the ground using the satellite phone during the mining process. Given the 2.5-hour mission time and the Block Erupter mining hashrate of only 330 Mh/s, Space Miner One was unlikely to have generated a whole satoshi. However, the mission could still be seen as a proof of concept for mining bitcoins in space. Bullish on Bitcoin The CEO of Miner One, Pranas Slusnys, elaborated: We are bullish on bitcoin because it remains the world’s most popular and proven application of blockchain technology. And we see growing interest and adoption, despite recent market doldrums. The company has also conducted a survey of more than 1,500 community members. “More than 31% believe bitcoin will go higher than $15,000 this year, 26% say higher than $25,000, and 10% – higher than $35,000,” Miner One shared. What do you think of Miner One’s PR stunt and the concept of bitcoin mining in space? Let us know in the comments section below. Images courtesy of Shutterstock and Miner One. Need to calculate your bitcoin holdings? Check our tools section. The post Crypto Company Sends Bitcoin Mining Into the Stratosphere appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article

Telegram is great…when it works. Unfortunately, the crypto world’s favorite messaging app is prone to periodically going down due to technical failures and what seems like repeated attempts by the Russian security services to meddle. Over-reliance on Telegram is a classic case of over-centralization. For cryptocurrency projects seeking a fallback alternative, the following options are worth a look. Also read: Japan’s SBI Unveils New Plans to Start an Exchange for Major Cryptocurrencies Telegram’s Centralized Tech Can’t Be Trusted Telegram CEO Pavel Durov embodies many of the qualities that cryptocurrency users espouse. In addition to being passionate about bitcoin, he’s defiant against governments that seek to backdoor or shut down his encrypted messaging app, refusing to be cowed. Durov is only one man though, and for political and technical reasons, his network is prone to sporadic outages. Pavel Durov might be trustworthy, but Telegram is obviously not. When the network is knocked offline, it tends to affect specific regions, leaving members of some Telegram groups talking to themselves and others unable to connect. From cryptocurrency projects launching ICOs to bitcoin news teams working remotely, Telegram forms a vital hub. The next time that hub becomes temporarily unavailable, the following platforms can serve as substitutes – or even as permanent replacements. Six Telegram Alternatives to Try Slack: Slack is what everyone was using before Telegram. Crypto communities left en masse however when the phishing and spammy links got too much, and haven’t returned since. Slack’s still fine for keeping small communities and crypto teams in the loop, but for hosting open groups, such as ICOs, it’s unsuitable. Discord: Discord is basically Slack for gamers, but even if you’ve never blasted your way through PUBG and don’t know your L2 from your R1, the platform is easy to master. It doesn’t scale as well as Telegram so large groups can get unwieldy, but at least it isn’t prone to tapping out without warning. Among the cons to consider is the fact that Discord is less private than Telegram, and does not employ end-to-end encryption. Keybase: Basically an open-source Slack with end-to-end encryption, Keybase looks very crypto-friendly and privacy-oriented. It has yet to be stress-tested at scale, but the signs are promising. Keybase also allows teams to securely store and share files. Wire: Wire is more enterprise-oriented, but has end-to-end encryption, secure file sharing, screen sharing and a bunch of other useful features. Its group chats are limited to 128 users though, so don’t expect to be able to migrate your 50k Telegram group over. Wire subscriptions start at €4 per month. Viber: Popular in Russian and privacy-focused territories, Viber encrypts everything and claims not to store user data on its servers. Group chats are capped at 250, so again it’s not a Telegram killer, but for smaller crypto communities it’s more than up to the task. Signal: Arguably the most private messaging platform on this list, endorsed by such figures as Edward Snowden, Bruce Schneier, and cryptographer Matt Green, Signal carries some clout. There’s no limit on group sizes, but the platform is designed as more of a closed messaging system than an open network like Telegram in which anyone can enter a group at will. For the privacy-conscious though, Signal is about as good as it gets. Decentralize Everything This list is by no means exhaustive; messaging apps such as Whatsapp and Wechat also serve as Telegram surrogates. One of the reasons why Telegram has become the crypto community’s go-to platform is because it does big and small very well: it’s as adept at one-to-one messaging as it is at following large groups where the discourse moves fast. Regardless, crypto communities that are reliant on Telegram would do well to establish a backup they can default to, so that the next time it goes down, business can continue elsewhere. We are also seeing the beginnings of next-generation decentralized messaging platforms in Memo.cash – a messaging solution based on the blockchain of Bitcoin Cash, where users can interact in certain ways. It’s still far off from competing with Telegram and its likes, but some day soon it or another decentralized app will offer real competition. Decentralization is a sliding scale, not a switch. The cryptocurrency community can’t control external forces that might threaten their ability to interact. But they can certainly do their best to ensure that no entity, including messaging applications, gains undue control. Through diversification, bitcoin, and the cryptosphere it supports, become stronger. What other messaging platforms do you recommend aside from Telegram? Let us know in the comments section below. Images courtesy of Shutterstock. Need to calculate your bitcoin holdings? Check our tools section. The post Six Alternatives to Telegram for Cryptocurrency Communities appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article

From hit TV shows to viral ads, the bitcoin revolution is inspiring the creative minds who shape modern pop culture. Two recent examples come from HBO’s Silicon Valley and the Oscar Mayer meat company which created its own “bacon-backed cryptocurrency”. These stories and more are in today’s edition of Bitcoin in Brief. Also Read: Binance to Invest $15 Million in Bermuda as Crypto Regulations Advance Bacoin Oscar Mayer, the meat brand owned by the world’s fifth-largest food and beverage conglomerate Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ: KHC), has announced it launched the “first-ever cryptocurrency backed by bacon.” Fans are invited to “mine” Bacoin by participating in a promotion and pump the value by shilling for it on social media. The company is known for its ads targeting kids, and this publicity stunt showcases how marketers are turning to cryptocurrency hype to tap into a younger demographic. “Oscar Mayer is the gold standard of bacon because of our dedication to hand-selecting the best cuts and then naturally sugar curing and naturally hardwood smoking our bacon,” said Matt Riezman, brand manager for Oscar Mayer. “Add to that our proven expertise in the bacon-tech space, Bacoin is poised to deliciously revolutionize the cryptocurrency market.” Silicon Valley to Reality HBO’s comedy series Silicon Valley, which parodies startup culture, has recently featured bitcoin as part of an episode. A charterer of the show created a price alert that blasts out the death metal song “You Suffer” by Napalm Death when the exchange rate fluctuates. And, of course, someone has now quickly turned that gag into a reality, as The Verge reports. UCL Dumps IOTA The blockchain research center at UCL (University College London) has announced it cut all its ties with the IOTA Foundation, the group behind the 11th most valuable cryptocurrency in the world by market cap (MIOTA). The rational for the move was the IOTA team’s repeated threats against critics that reviewed its technology. The Financial Times covered the topic last week, and the bad press must have proven too much for UCL. The academic institution’s website now reads: “UCL Centre for Blockchain Technologies is no longer associated with the IOTA Foundation. In relation to recent news report, we reaffirm our support for open security research, as a prerequisite for understanding the assurances provided by any blockchain technology. It is inappropriate for security researchers to be subject to threats of legal action for disclosing their results.” Wikimédia France to Accept Crypto Donations Wikimédia France, the French branch of the global internet movement, has recently announced it will soon begin accepting donations in cryptocurrencies through a partnership with the Request Network Foundation. “Blockchain technology has been a hot topic of late, and its adoption is exponential. Its decentralized nature, coupled with its security and transparency, makes it possible for unprecedented applications for NGOs, particularly in the management of donations, both on the part of the donor and the recipient. Thanks to the blockchain, Wikimedia France becomes one of the first organizations that will soon allow its donors to support projects with any digital currency.” What other developments in the cryptoshpere caught your attention today? Share your thoughts in the comments section below. Images courtesy of Shutterstock. Make sure you do not miss any important Bitcoin-related news! Follow our news feed any which way you prefer; via Twitter, Facebook, Telegram, RSS or email (scroll down to the bottom of this page to subscribe). We’ve got daily, weekly and quarterly summaries in newsletter form. Bitcoin never sleeps. Neither do we. The post Bitcoin in Brief Tuesday: IOTA Ditched, Bitcoin Taking Over Popular Culture appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article

The Japanese financial regulator has confirmed that so far eight companies have expressed the intention to withdraw their applications to operate cryptocurrency exchanges. Meanwhile, about 100 more companies are seeking to enter the market. Also read: Yahoo! Japan Confirms Entrance Into the Crypto Space FSA Confirms Eight Want Out The Japanese Financial Services Agency (FSA) held a study group to discuss the state of cryptocurrencies in Japan last week. Among observers of the meeting were representatives from the Bank of Japan, the Ministry of Justice, the Consumer Affairs Agency, and the Ministry of Finance. In addition, Taizen Okuyama, President of the newly formed self-regulatory organization and of foreign exchange platform provider Money Partners Group, was also present. The agency confirmed that eight “deemed dealers” intend to withdraw their applications to operate cryptocurrency exchanges. Under the Revised Fund Settlement law, deemed dealers are allowed to operate crypto exchanges while their applications are being reviewed by the agency. The FSA wrote: Eight deemed virtual currency exchange companies announce the intention to withdraw registration applications…One company confirms that it does not fall under the virtual currency exchange industry as a result of grasping the actual situation in detail. Seven of them will completely withdraw their applications – Tokyo Gateway, Mr. Exchange, Raimu, Bitexpress, Bit Station, Campfire, and Payward Japan which operates Kraken exchange. In addition, Debit will also withdraw its application as a deemed dealer as it does not fall under this classification, the FSA revealed. Furthermore, the agency confirmed that approximately 100 companies have declared their intention to enter the crypto space, stating that “Various companies intend to newly enter [the crypto space] (About 100 companies).” Strict Measures The financial watchdog also detailed the number of administrative penalties that have been issued so far. Five crypto exchanges have received business suspension orders while seven business improvement orders, excluding Coincheck. A total of 14 orders have been issued: one on January 29, seven on March 8, three on April 6, one on April 11, one on April 13, and one on April 25. Coincheck and FSHO received two orders. Among the 100 companies wanting to enter the space was Cyberagent which operates the Internet TV station “Abema TV” and the Internet advertisement business, which boasts the largest market share in Japan. Last year, the company established a subsidiary called Cyberagent Bitcoin and planned to open a crypto exchange in the spring. However, president and CEO Susumu Fujita said last week that in light of the Coincheck hack, “There are risks that we should not undertake when compared with other projects,” Itmedia quoted him. He elaborated: Entry [into the crypto space] is slow in the first place. The examination by the Financial Services Agency is becoming severe. The CEO added that the company will develop its own system to reduce risks so its entry into the crypto space will be delayed. According to the news outlet, Cyberagent is, however, considering issuing its own cryptocurrency. What do you think of the turnover of crypto exchanges in Japan? Let us know in the comments section below. Images courtesy of Shutterstock, Nikkei, and Cyberagent. Need to calculate your bitcoin holdings? Check our tools section. The post Japanese Regulator Confirms 8 Crypto Exchanges Want Out, 100 Want In appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article

Residents of Rostov, the Russian port city on the Don River, are enjoying a growing number of bitcoin-related services. Some crypto-savvy taxi drivers have started accepting Bitcoin Cash (BCH), and several BTC teller machines have been installed in supermarkets. All that happens while officials in Moscow are still mulling over the legislation needed to regulate cryptocurrencies. Also read: Russians Owe 13% Tax on Their Crypto Incomes Taxis Taking Bitcoin Cash Taxi drivers in Rostov on Don are obviously among those Russians who don’t want to wait for a permission to take advantage of the opportunities offered by cryptocurrencies. A youngster recently shared on a local social media channel a picture proving that taxi rides in the Southern Russian city can now be paid with cryptocurrency. The photo published on the Vkontakte page “Rostov Glavniy” shows a sticker on a car’s dashboard reading “Принимаю оплату в Биткоин (КЭШ)”, or “Accepting payments in Bitcoin Cash”. “People should no longer complain they live in a backward city. Taxis now take cryptocurrency,” the author of the post wrote. The clever business decision is a proof that even taxi drivers now know this and that about peer-to-peer payment systems. And, as with any other hot topic, they will be happy to tell you everything about cryptocurrencies, before you reach your destination. If you want to know more about how cryptographic methods work, get a cab in Russia. A survey conducted earlier this year showed that more than half of Russians have some knowledge about bitcoin. Awareness is higher among young people, and in big cities. „Биткоин“ (Bitcoin) was declared the most popular word in Russian social media in another study. Bitcoin ATMs Installed in Supermarkets Not only crypto payments are doing well in Rostov, but also bitcoin teller services. At least three BTC ATMs are currently operational in the stores of the Russian supermarket chain Assorti. All of them are in the downtown area of the city. The automated teller machines accept fiat cash, rubles, and a number of electronic payment methods popular in Russia, such as MTC, Мегафон (Megaphone), Tele2, Yota, and Билайн (Beeline). The operator charges 6 percent commission on the purchases and issues receipts, both on paper and through email. The ATMs have been installed by the Russian company BBFpro which maintains a network of bitcoin terminals across the vast country. All three machines in the largest city in Southern Russia are working 24/7. They are located on 57 “40th Line” Street, 144 “Socialisticheskaya” Street, and 99 “Lenin” Boulevard. Regulation Still Pending Russian authorities have not yet adopted the long-awaited legislation aimed at regulating the growing crypto sector. The State Duma has accepted two drafts – the bill “On digital financial assets”, which legalizes crypto-related activities like mining and token sales, and another text amending the country’s civil code in order to allow digital currency payments. Recently, the Cabinet of Ministers in Moscow expressed concerns about different aspects of the draft law “On digital financial assets”. The Russian government also suggested a number of amendments to the bill, as news.Bitcoin.com reported. Both pieces of legislation should be adopted by early summer, when Russia will be hosting this year’s FIFA World Cup. The country expects $2 billion dollars of revenues from the football championship. Guests are likely to spend some cryptocurrency, if such option is available. Hotels in Kaliningrad are accepting bitcoin, and a new street exchange in Moscow sells bitcoins for cash. Crypto debit cards are available again in Europe. Do you agree that people and businesses don’t necessarily need government regulations to adopt cryptocurrencies? Share your thoughts in the comments section below. Images courtesy of Shutterstock, Coinatmradar, Vkontakte, BBFpro. Bitcoin News is growing fast. To reach our global audience, send us a news tip or submit a press release. Let’s work together to help inform the citizens of Earth (and beyond) about this new, important and amazing information network that is Bitcoin. The post Taxis Take BCH, Stores Sell BTC in the Russian City of Rostov appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article

India’s cryptocurrency exchange Coinsecure has announced that it cannot repay customers their stolen bitcoins at this time. The exchange claims that while investigations are underway, permissions are needed from the authorities to start the claims process which it has not yet received. Also read: Yahoo! Japan Confirms Entrance Into the Crypto Space Repayment Delayed Indian exchange Coinsecure has updated users regarding the disbursement of funds due to stolen bitcoins. The exchange previously confirmed that 438.31859715 BTC were stolen on April 8, worth approximately Rs 20 crore or US$3,067,220. The exchange revealed on April 21 that it had started working on the claims process. “We are hoping that by the following weekend [April 28-29], we should get started and you should be able to submit your claims withdrawals requests.” However, that deadline has passed and the exchange is now saying “there has been a delay on that front,” elaborating: When investigations are underway, we don’t have much of a say and do need permission from the authorities to start the compensation process, which we are yet to receive. “There will be new contracts rolled out to all our users who held a balance on Coinsecure (INR and bitcoin),” the exchange added. Working With Authorities Coinsecure has been cooperating with the authorities to recover its lost BTC. The exchange suspects its Chief Security Office, Dr. Amitabh Saxena, was behind the theft. A complaint was filed with the Cyber Crime Cell of the Delhi Police on April 10. The authorities advised the exchange to “confiscate [the suspect’s] system for further investigation,” which it followed and collected Saxena’s laptop. In a letter to the authorities, Coinsecure’s CEO Mohit Kalra wrote, “as the private keys are kept with Dr. Amitabh Saxena, we feel that he is making a false story to divert our attention and he might have a role to play in this entire incident.” If all the stolen bitcoins are recovered, Coinsecure said that all customers’ bitcoin holdings will be repaid per balance on April 9. Otherwise, the exchange explained: We will apply the lock in rates as of the 9th of April, 2018. 10% of the coin holding balance will be refunded in BTC and 90% will be returned in INR. To help with the recovery of lost coins, the exchange has also appealed to the community for help and has put up a 10% bounty. Even amid the turmoil surrounding Coinsecure, Venezuela announced last week that the Indian exchange has been certified to operate in Venezuela in hopes that it will list the country’s new currency, the Petro. What do you think of Coinsecure needing permission from the authorities to repay customers? Let us know in the comments section below. Images courtesy of Shutterstock, Coinsecure, and Cyber Crime Cell. Need to calculate your bitcoin holdings? Check our tools section. The post Indian Exchange Postpones Repaying Stolen Bitcoins – No Permission From Authorities appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article

While some governments say they see the potential future benefits of a local cryptocurrency hub, more proactive jurisdictions are already reaping the rewards. The latest example comes from Bermuda, which is rapidly advancing its receptive crypto regulations and strengthening the local economy. Also Read: Hong Kong Alcohol Company Buys 51% of Bitcoin Miner for $60 Million Binance Brings Jobs, Education and Investment The Premier of Bermuda, Edward David Burt, announced on Friday his government’s new partnership with cryptocurrency exchange Binance. Under the signed agreement, the company is to establish a Global Compliance Centre in the country creating forty jobs. Binance will also invest $10 million in education for local residents, and $5 million in Bermuda-based blockchain companies. While far from Binance’s Asian roots, Bermuda is an ideal choice for a global compliance department. The official language is English, it is an established offshore financial hub and as a self-governing British Overseas Territory offers a legal system similar to those in other commonwealth countries such as Australia and Canada. Additionally, the local government is advancing a welcoming regulatory environment for cryptocurrency firms. Proud to announce @BdaGovernment’s partnership with @binance to establish a Global Compliance Centre in #Bermuda creating 40 jobs. Binance will invest $10 million in education for #Bermudians, and $5 million in #Bermuda based blockchain companies. pic.twitter.com/UxKmNdRPUM — Premier David Burt (@BermudaPremier) April 27, 2018 Bermuda Sets Up Legal Framework Also on Friday, Bermuda’s Virtual Currency Business Act passed through the House of Commons in the UK. The bill is expected to pass the Senate this week, and as we reported earlier, seeks to foster the development of the local cryptocurrency industry. It covers the issuing and selling of cryptocurrencies, ICOs, exchanges, wallets and other services. “When you look at other current jurisdictions, they have either not been banking hubs traditionally, do not have the best track record when it comes to KYC/AML, or are in developing countries that aren’t presently suitable to support rapid growth of a technology or financial system. Bermuda does,” commented Joseph Weinberg, Chairman of blockchain KYC/AML solution Shyft. “Along with that, Bermuda also has a highly skilled workforce that is experienced in regulation and compliance and securities laws. The island also has a rich entrepreneurial history and a willingness to learn and adapt quickly. This made for an incredible working relation in building out regulation for the crypto community.” What other governments should follow the example of Bermuda next? Share your thoughts in the comments section below. Images courtesy of Shutterstock. Do you agree with us that Bitcoin is the best invention since sliced bread? Thought so. That’s why we are building this online universe revolving around anything and everything Bitcoin. We have a store. And a forum. And a casino, a pool and real-time price statistics. The post Binance to Invest $15 Million in Bermuda as Crypto Regulations Advance appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article

Iran has been developing its own cryptocurrency, a project which has yielded an experimental local crypto, despite the country’s central bank banning banks from dealing with cryptocurrencies. Iran’s Information and Communications Technology Minister has shed light on the project, commented on its alleged use to evade sanctions, and clarified the central bank’s action. Also read: Yahoo! Japan Confirms Entrance Into the Crypto Space Iran’s Crypto Project Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi. Iran’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Minister, Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi, revealed on Saturday that “Iran has developed an experimental local cryptocurrency,” Reuters reported him saying. “Last week, at a joint meeting to review the progress of the (local cryptocurrency) project, it was announced that the experimental model was ready.” His statement follows the ban by the Central Bank of Iran (CBI), prohibiting banks and financial institutions from dealing with cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin. The minister clarified that the ban will not affect Iran’s cryptocurrency efforts. The news outlet conveyed: Iran cryptocurrency project [is] on track despite cenbank ban. Iran’s central bank. Azari-Jahromi is the country’s youngest minister and is known as an innovator. He tweeted in February that Post Bank of Iran, a subsidiary of his ministry that has 400 branches and 14,500 offices across the country, had been working with local experts on an experimental cryptocurrency model that would be presented to the country’s banks for review and approval. The research department of the ICT Ministry and the monetary and financial research institute of the central bank have been collaborating in order to examine and create the legal framework for fintech, Eranico publication reported Azari-Jahromi explaining. He further noted, “To date the results of this cooperation is good and the pilot sample is being implemented,” adding that “The virtual national currency would be backed up.” Significant Impact The ICT Mister was quoted by the news outlet: I believe that cryptocurrencies can have a significant impact on the country’s financial exchange model…However, first of all, research needs to be done in order to introduce this technology to the authorities. He also commented on foreign media’s reporting of Iran developing national cryptocurrency to circumvent sanctions. Citing “Decentralization and lack of supervision of any financial regulatory institution on virtual currencies, including the characteristics of digital currency,” he said, “All cryptocurrencies have the ability to circumvent sanctions because they are not under the supervision of the US financial regulator.” The central bank’s ban comes at a tenuous time for the Iranian economy. Between now and May 12, both the EU and the US are expected to decide on a new round of economic sanctions targeting Tehran. This could restore the harsh international controls on Iran that were lifted in the 2015 nuclear treaty between Iran and six major powers, including the US. Central Bank’s Ban Referring to the ban by the central bank, Azari-Jahromi said, “the ban on trading virtual currencies and bitcoin by the central bank as the financial and currency regulator of the country is due to preventing foreign currency from exiting in the current state of the country.” IRNA news agency further quoted him emphasizing: The central bank’s (ban) does not mean the prohibition or restriction of the use of the digital currency in domestic development. What do you think of Iran developing its own crypto despite the ban on banks by the central bank? Let us know in the comments section below. Images courtesy of Shutterstock and Rfe/Rl. Need to calculate your bitcoin holdings? Check our tools section. The post Iran Continues to Develop State Cryptocurrency Despite Central Bank Ban appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article

The Localbitcoins markets of several nations have produced significant spikes in recent weeks, with the peer-to-peer (P2P) markets of Hungary, Peru, and Venezuela establishing new all-time highs for volume when measuring in trade in fiat currency. Also Read: Bitcoin in Brief Monday: Outage Downs Telegram, Bitcoin Shines on a Bank P2P Markets of Latin America Surge The P2P trading volume of numerous South American markets have shown considerable strength in recent weeks, with many markets producing among the strongest weeks of trading in recent history when measuring volume in fiat currency. Peru set a new record for weekly volume for the second week in a row when measuring against fiat currency, with 1,944,396 PEN (nearly $600,000 USD) worth of bitcoin exchanging hands this past week – an approximately 14% increase from last week’s record of 1,705,992 PEN. When measuring volume in BTC, the last two weeks both posted approximately 71 bitcoins – the second largest number of BTC traded in a single week for Peru’s P2P markets since the 80 bitcoins traded during the week of the 19th of December 2017. The Brazilian Localbitcoins markets produced a spike in volume during the week of the 14th of April, with trade volume reaching 3,158,258 BRL (approximately $905,000 USD), comprising the third largest weekly volume candle in the history of Brazilian P2P trade. Argentinian and Venezuelan Peer-to-Peer Markets Rally Argentina’s P2P markets also rallied during the week of the 14th of April, spiking to comprise the fourth most traded week in the history of Argentinian Localbitcoins trade. The week of the 14th posted a trading volume of 4,506,932 (almost $220,000 USD). When measuring volume in bitcoins, the 29 BTC traded during the 14th comprises the largest number of bitcoin traded in a single week since August 2017; however, it is dwarfed by the more than 150 BTC regularly traded on a weekly basis via Argentina’s P2P markets during 2015. Venezuela’s Localbitcoins markets have produced a new record for weekly trade volume when measuring trade in Venezuelan Bolivars for the seventh time in eight weeks. When measuring trade in bitcoins, volume has actually declined for two weeks in a row – despite both weeks producing new all-time volume highs when measuring in Bolivars. Hungarian Localbitcoins Trade Produces New Volume Record During the week of the 14th of April, Hungary’s P2P markets produced record trading volume of 7,473,600 HUF (approximately $28,800 USD). Despite comprising a record when measured in fiat currency, only 4 bitcoins changed hands during the week of the 14th of April – a relatively small weekly volume when compared to Hungarian P2P trade in 2015. Still, the 4 BTC was the most bitcoin traded in a single week since July 2017. Swedish trading on Localbitcoins also surged during the week of the 14th of April, posting 14,189,350 SEK (approximately $1,618,600 USD) worth of trade – the fourth largest volume candle posted in the history of Sweden’s P2P markets. When measuring trade in BTC, the 231 bitcoins that exchanged hands is the highest in a single week since November 2017, however, is dwarfed by the volume consistently produced by the Swedish bitcoin markets between 2015 and 2016. Canada’s P2P markets have continued to produce substantial trading volume – posting the third largest weekly volume candle of 7,784,463 CAD (almost $6,075,000 USD) this week. When measuring in BTC, this past week’s volume of 893 bitcoins is the third largest in history. The most recent four weeks of trade currently comprises the four largest weeks for Canadian Localbitcoins trading. Do you trade using the P2P markets? Discuss your trading preferences in the comments section below! Images courtesy of Shutterstock, Coin.Dance Want to create your own secure cold storage paper wallet? Check our tools section. The post Hungarian and Peruvian Localbitcoins Markets Post Record Volume appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article

Japan’s Financial Services Agency, tasked with monitoring the country’s cryptocurrency exchanges, has quietly been pressuring platforms to delist privacy coins. Coincheck has already done so in the wake of the $400 million NEM hack. If fellow exchanges follow suit, it could signal the beginning of the end for privacy coins such as zcash and monero on Japanese and possibly even global exchanges. Also read: Bitcoin Cash Adoption Continues: Crypto Cafebar, Gold Vendor, Concealed-Carry Clothing FSA Gives Privacy Coins the Thumbs Down Japan’s FSA is reportedly urging exchanges to move away from privacy coins, which it associates with money laundering, drug dealing and other nefarious activities. Coins such as monero, zcash, and dash all fall into this category, even though the latter two provide opt-in privacy only, a feature that most users don’t enable. Forbes reports sources close to the FSA as confirming that the regulator is clamping down on anonymous currencies because they are difficult to trace. The news, while not surprising, is nevertheless concerning. Many of crypto’s most passionate advocates were attracted to the technology in the first place for its ability to provide a measure of anonymity on an increasingly surveilled and privacy-free internet. Without optional anonymity, or at least pseudonymity, cryptocurrencies lose much of their appeal, and individuals lose their right to send payment to their peers without broadcasting their intentions to the world. “Problematic” Monero Gets the Heave-Ho If there’s one privacy coin that unites global lawmakers and regulators in their condemnation, it’s monero. At a meeting on April 10, Forbes reports that “Monero and Dash were both mentioned as highly problematic virtual currencies”. If true, the FSA appears to view privacy coins the way law enforcement forces view encryption: they don’t like it because it works – all of the time, and for all the people, be they good or bad. In response to this news, monero lead developer Riccardo Spagni tweeted a popular anti-censorship quote: The jocular “Fluffypony” has a point. Japan’s crackdown on privacy coins could be the thin end of the wedge, presaging a global ban enforced by compliant exchanges. This isn’t as far-fetched as it might sound. It’s already widely assumed, for example, that Coinbase will never list a privacy coin for fear of irking the regulators it has spent years cozying up to. While no exchange wants to be accused of complicity in criminality, Coinbase has a particular aversion to anything that could be remotely associated with vice – which, rightly or wrongly, means any coin with privacy built in. Due to its dominant position in the cryptoconomy, where Japan leads other nations tend to follow. If privacy coins were to be delisted, first in Japan, and then globally, it risks creating a two-state crypto economy: one highway for the compliant, regulated and fully KYC’d, and a darker lane for the privacy lovers, who buy they coins on unregulated exchanges and are tarred with the same brush as terrorists and money launderers. Do you think privacy coins are in danger of being delisted en masse by global exchanges? Let us know in the comments section below. Images courtesy of Shutterstock, and Twitter. Need to calculate your bitcoin holdings? Check our tools section. The post Japanese Regulator Pressures Exchanges to Drop Privacy Coins appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article

This is a paid press release, which contains forward looking statements, and should be treated as advertising or promotional material. Bitcoin.com does not endorse nor support this product/service. Bitcoin.com is not responsible for or liable for any content, accuracy or quality within the press release. Roger Ver, founder of Bitcoin.com, and Mate Tokay join the advisory board of BlockChainWarehouse (BCW). To bring their insight and resources to help grow BCW and the companies that move through its’ accelerator program. BlockChainWarehouse is an accelerator that helps take companies from an idea to their Token Sale. While providing legal counsel, access to expert advisors, marketing services, token sale platforms and aid with KYC/AML compliance. They want to change the way the world thinks about Blockchain, by ushering in a new era of companies adhering to a higher quality standard than the typical ICO. Companies submit their idea on the BCW website and are automatically vetted through their proprietary valuation algorithm. After determining where the companies need support, BCW organizes and maintains all the necessities for the TGE, including driving interest to the TGE itself. BCW has built a top-tier Board of Advisors: with the likes of Peter Levchenko (Megalodon Capital), Brian Kang (FactBlock), and now—Roger Ver and Mate Tokay. Towards the goal of bringing insight from the best and brightest in Blockchain to its clients. Adrian Guttridge, CEO of BCW, expresses his excitement about the partnership with Ver and Tokay, “I am delighted that Roger and Mate have chosen to join BlockChainWarehouse as advisors. I know they have many many projects to choose from, and so it is fantastic that they recognize the value that we can bring to this marketplace, a market that is evolving at warp speed”. BlockChainWarehouse has already helped generate $$$ millions for its clients and has several Token Sales launching throughout 2018. Contact Email Address rej@blockchainwarehouse.com Supporting Link www.blockchainwarehouse.com This is a paid 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. The post PR: Roger Ver Joins Blockchain Accelerator BlockChainWarehouse appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article

According to Le Monde, France’s State Council of taxation has announced a severe lowering of financial penalties on gains from cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin. The agency is signaling crypto tax will plummet from its current 45% to an across the board flat 19%. It’s a dramatic change in orientation from the government. Could it be France is ready for a decentralized, digital financial future? Also read: Telegram Urges Paper Airplane Protest, Pussy Riot Activist Arrested France Lowers Crypto Tax It has been an active year so far for La République. Bruno Le Maire, Minister of Finance, argued a month ago how, “A revolution is underway, of which bitcoin was only the precursor. The blockchain will offer new opportunities to our startups, for example with the Initial Coin Offerings (ICO) that will allow them to raise funds through ‘tokens,’ crypto-actives or not. It promises to create a network of trust without intermediaries, to offer increased traceability of transactions and, overall, to make the economy more efficient,” setting off a wave of enthusiasm from bitcoiners. Mr. Macron with a Ledger Blue For at least four years, however, the Republic of France has kept taxation on bitcoin core and cryptocurrency capital gains in general at nearly half. There appears to be a softening in this regard, as regulators responded to pushback by enthusiasts, and have pledged to bottom the current rate, 45%, by more than half, to 19%. Good news started, perhaps, back in early 2017 after France elected the very young Emmanuel Macron, then 39. While the ecosystem has no political affiliation or loyalty, Mr. Macron gave an encouraging sign by allowing himself to be photographed with a cold storage wallet. It would later be revealed as a publicity stunt prior to his run. But, nevertheless, he at least seemed familiar with the technology. An Active First Quarter Again, during the first quarter of this year France has expended more political calories on the issue of crypto. Beginning with an appointment of an industry “Mission Leader,” France was particularly vocal about carrying forth some kind of world consensus on laws governing crypto (to no avail) ahead of the G20 meeting in Argentina. Shortly after, French minders cracked down upon crypto derivatives, and would a month later publish warnings about 15 “unauthorized” exchanges and platforms. Around the same time as comments from the Minister of Finance and various regulatory activity, local bitcoiners took their case to the High Administrative Court. The court then ordered cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin be reclassified as property, thus leaving room for lower taxation. Profits derived from mining, however, are to remain under the banner of capital gains, as they’re considered purely commercial activities. Do you think this will start a trend among EU countries? Let us know in the comments section below. Images courtesy of Shutterstock. Need to calculate your bitcoin holdings? Check our tools section. The post Vive la France! Bitcoin Tax Slashed by Republic appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article

This week the website Bitcoin.com, the go-to web portal for all things Bitcoin, has launched ‘Satoshi Pulse’ a cryptocurrency market capitalization page that shows total digital asset market valuations, current prices, hourly – daily – weekly percentages, charts and more. Just like the rest of the informative resources and tools hosted on our website, with Satoshi Pulse, cryptocurrency enthusiasts can get their favorite digital currency’s data in real-time in one easy to find place. Also read: Steps towards Self-Regulation in Croatia and Slovenia Satoshi Pulse: 500 Digital Currency Market Caps The cryptocurrency economy has grown exponentially over the past year and a half, and digital asset proponents are very fond of checking price tickers regularly. Further, some enthusiasts like to view the entire cryptocurrency ecosystem that has more than 1,500 different cryptocurrencies in order to see the value of the asset, and its market performance. There are a few market capitalization sites out there that aggregate data across the digital currency economy, but lots of them can be confusing and filled with unfavorable advertisements. Instead of 1,500 digital currencies, Bitcoin.com’s Satoshi Pulse evaluates only the top 500 cryptocurrencies making navigation a bit easier. The Satoshi Pulse User Interface Satoshi Pulse shows cryptocurrency statistics for top currencies such as Bitcoin Core (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Ripple (XRP), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), and more. Users can choose a set of favorites to watch, and filter just the coins they appreciate, rather than a whole list of coins they don’t care about. In order to add a bunch of favorites simply choose the heart symbol next to each coin then press filter and your own customized list of digital assets will appear. Additionally, Satoshi Pulse aggregates digital currency price increases or losses throughout hourly, daily, and weekly time frames. When a user directly clicks a specific cryptocurrency it will direct them to a page that shows the digital asset’s price chart which can be toggled to show daily, weekly, one month, six months, and a year’s worth of price plots. The page will also show the cryptocurrency’s statistics such as capitalization rank, the current spot price, market capitalization, and 24-hour trade volume. Moreover, Satoshi Pulse features data like the coin’s consensus algorithm, the current number of coins in circulation, and the cryptocurrency’s maximum supply. Bringing Our Users Continued Improvements to This Already Robust Platform The first angel investor in Bitcoin technology and the CEO of Bitcoin.com, Roger Ver, is thrilled to add Satoshi Pulse to the wide range of services and resources offered by our web portal. Ver stated during the webpage launch: Satoshi Pulse offers a beautiful, interactive way to visualize the cryptocurrency marketplace. The service offers real-time as well as historical stats for the top cryptocurrencies — We look forward to bringing our users continued improvements to this already robust platform. Bitcoin.com continues to grow, and our site has many more cool features coming this year. Already the Bitcoin-focused web portal has an uncensored forum, games, a newsdesk, a Wiki, block explorer, a robust wallet for every operating system, podcasts, widgets, merchants solutions, educational resources and so much more. Alongside this, the Satoshi Pulse development team says there will be a slew of new additions on the way. Bitcoin.com looks forward to offering top of the line resources to billions of people across the planet, and we hope cryptocurrency enthusiasts enjoy the new Satoshi Pulse service as much as we do. What do you think about Satoshi Pulse? Let us know your thoughts about the market cap web page in the comments below. Images via Shutterstock, and Satoshi Pulse. Bitcoin News is growing fast. To reach our global audience, send us a news tip or submit a press release. Let’s work together to help inform the citizens of Earth (and beyond) about this new, important and amazing information network that is Bitcoin. The post Meet Bitcoin.com’s Cryptocurrency Market Cap Aggregator — Satoshi Pulse appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article

Technical Issues, blockchain plans, and bitcoin pranks – we’ve got a colorful selection of news in today’s Bitcoin in Brief. The popular messaging app Telegram was down for some users in Europe and the Middle East over the weekend, but the problem has been resolved. Also, a bitcoin logo appeared on the facade of the Swiss National Bank building in Zurich. Do you want to know who’s behind the idea? Also read: This Week in Bitcoin: Amazon Wants to Track You and TD Ameritrade Plants a Flag Telegram Cut Off by a Power Outage in Amsterdam The messaging platform Telegram, popular with the crypto community, has experienced some issues over the weekend that hindered communication across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, Russia and the CIS countries. According to messages posted on social media by its representatives, the interruptions are due to technical reasons. In recent weeks, the company has also faced difficulties following its conflict with Russian regulators. Roskomnadzor has been trying to restrict access to the messenger after its refusal to hand over its decryption keys to security services. “Massive overheating in one of the Telegram server clusters may cause some connection issues for European users within the next couple of hours,” Telegram’s founder Pavel Durov tweeted on Saturday, apologizing for the inconvenience. “The problem is being solved,” he assured users. In Europe, the glitch was fixed on Sunday. Before that the company posted another tweet with details about the problem. “Repairs are ongoing after a massive power outage in the Amsterdam region that affected many services,” it said. The app was up and running again around noon, Central European Time. Bitcoin Logo on a Bank’s Facade in Switzerland A photo shared recently on Twitter shows a huge Bitcoin logo shining on the facade of the Swiss National Bank in Zurich. The picture posted by Johannes Gees was accompanied by the following comment: “Is that a #bitcoin on the @snb […] Trustsquare rules.” Trust Square is a new blockchain hub launched this month. Its offices are right across the street from SNB’s headquarters and it is probably behind the idea to project the logo. The R&D center aims to facilitate the exploration of blockchain applications, the implementation of related business models and the development of blockchain ventures, according to the local Fintechnews. It offers space for 200 workstations for startups, researchers and investors working on various applications of blockchain technology. Switzerland is considered a crypto-friendly jurisdiction. A number of crypto businesses and blockchain companies are headquartered or represented in the Alpine confederation. It has become one of the first countries to establish a crypto valley, located in the Canton of Zug. The Chinese mining giant Bitmain has opened a branch there, and one of Russia’s largest banks, Gazprombank, has announced plans to test cryptocurrency deals in Switzerland. More recently, a high-ranking representative of the Swiss National Bank took a stance that might have surprised many colleagues. Andrea Maechler, member of the central bank’s governing board, said that private digital currencies were better than any state-issued version. She also thinks decentralized cryptos are less risky. Blockchain Undertakings Major Korean companies have turned their attention to blockchain technologies in search of new growth engines for their businesses. Their attempts may change the landscape in the blockchain sector that has been mostly dominated by small startups. The serious financial and human capital controlled by these large corporations may accelerate the development of such technologies. South Korea’s leading mobile carrier, SK Telecom, has recently announced a plan to launch a new asset management platform powered by blockchain technology, the Korean Times reports. The company hopes to increase customer convenience with the service which would allow users to manage their bank accounts, credit cards and mileage points, as well as cryptocurrency, at the same time. The telecom also intends to launch a project designed to support blockchain startups called “Token Exchange Hub”. Samsung SDS, the IT branch of Samsung Group, has also targeted the blockchain industry. It has developed a platform that would allow users of mobile devices to gain access to various financial services through encryption of biometric certification information. With Nexledger they will be able to deal with a large number of transactions in real time and utilize a smart contract function that bolsters security and convenience, its developers said. In Germany, the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority, Bafin, has authorized the first hybrid fund that will deal with both cryptocurrency and real estate. The Munich-based BITREAL Capital GmbH will operate the BITREAL Real Estate Blockchain Opportunities Fund 1. BREBCO 1 will invest in blockchain technologies through established cryptos and tokens, and also in commercial real estate in the leading regions of Germany. Its operations will be partly financed by bank loans in order to minimize crypto-related investment risks while providing high returns. Do you think blockchain technologies have a future separate from the cryptocurrencies they were invented for? Share your thoughts in the comments section below. Images courtesy of Shutterstock, Johannes Gees. Bitcoin News is growing fast. To reach our global audience, send us a news tip or submit a press release. Let’s work together to help inform the citizens of Earth (and beyond) about this new, important and amazing information network that is Bitcoin. The post Bitcoin in Brief Monday: Outage Downs Telegram, Bitcoin Shines on a Bank appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article

This is a paid press release, which contains forward looking statements, and should be treated as advertising or promotional material. Bitcoin.com does not endorse nor support this product/service. Bitcoin.com is not responsible for or liable for any content, accuracy or quality within the press release. Cupertino, CA – Ubex is looking to drastically change the digital marketing global industry which earned $229 billion in 2017 and will reach a stunning $335 billion in 2020. They will do so using a innovate new technology called blockchain. In recent years the digital marketing industry turned its eye to blockchain technology that can potentially alleviate or solve many of the issues present in the space today. The blockchain is currently taking the financial sector by storm. 14% of financial market institutions plan to implement blockchain-based services, and these rates are expected to reach 65% by 2020. Digital marketing will follow the financial sector, and Ubex, who utilizes unique blockchain technology and artificial intelligence to provide innovative solutions for advertisers, publishers, and consumers will be at the forefront of the revolution. Ubex solves many of the problems in the digital marketing space today. One of these issues is targeting. The Ubex platform utilizes a programmatic approach to user data to improve targeting. Behavioral and socio-demographic data of users is analyzed to conduct a transaction. This allows for improvement of targeting, and will let advertisers buy slots for demographics instead of website locations. The potential of programmatic algorithms is immense. At the same time, this potential cannot be realized fully without the introduction of blockchain technologies and neural networks. Therefore, the emergence of Ubex will be a catalyst for the growth of the software market and digital-advertising in general With blockchain technology developed by Ubex, consumer data will be better protected because of the added security incorporated into blockchain technology. Blockchain allows different parties to enter into a transaction without confiding in one another by using a consensus mechanism. As each block is added to the next an irreversible chain is created, showing each action from beginning to end transparently and securely. Additionally, this technology allows for smart contracts to be executed by the Ubex blockchain technology. For instance, it could prohibit disclosure of geographic information about the user without authorization if it is stipulated by the system. Moreover, customers may sell their personal information to interested companies. This can address the privacy issues brought up in the Facebook trials. The blockchain can help effectively switch to a model of payment for targeted actions. Blockchain allows the implementation of: (1) tracking of target actions and their saving in a database transparent for all participants, (2) creating a trusted reputation rating (3) creating mechanisms for guaranteeing mutual settlements, (4) tokenization of ad slots for publishers and factoring centers for advertisers, (5) distributed data mining for consumer-related information. Click fraud is a type of fraud which is widely spread in pay-per-click (PPC) online advertising. The publishers that post the ads are paid based on how many visitors to the sites click on the ads. Fraud occurs when a fake user imitates a real visitor by clicking on an ad just to increase the click through rate. Advertising networks are the ultimate beneficiaries of this type of fraud. Ubex solves the fraud problem by applying blockchain technology and pay-per-action model to track down different actions starting from a website user registration, leaving contact information and finishing with purchasing products. Under the cost per action model, advertisers do not pay publishers for any activities other than those required by the smart contract. The publisher is not motivated to participate in fraud schemes. Ubex tracks all user actions on the publisher’s and advertiser’s site and saves all data on the blockchain. Ubex’s blockchain model is transparent and encrypted. Companies can easily identify if the people viewing their ads are members of their targeted audience. Blockchain technology marks a new era in digital marketing that will bring efficiency, less risk and more trust among players. Those players who are incorporating Ubex blockchain solutions in their digital marketing supply chain will outperform their competitors by a mile. Through tokenization and AI, Ubex is one of the most exciting new projects in the blockchain ecosystem. Contact Email Address abhinavagrawal988@gmail.com Supporting Link ubex.com This is a paid 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. The post PR: How Ubex Uses Blockchain to Disrupt the Advertising Market appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article

An increasing number of stores have started accepting bitcoin cash (BCH) and a few other cryptocurrencies. This bitcoin cash adoption roundup features five vendors that recently started accepting the digital currency including a brand new cafebar dedicated to 15 cryptocurrencies. Also read: Yahoo! Japan Confirms Entrance Into the Crypto Space Coins Crypto Cafebar Japan is a leader when it comes to the number of merchants accepting cryptocurrencies since its Payment Services Act, which went into effect in April of last year, legalizes cryptocurrency as a means of payment. A new cafebar inspired by cryptocurrencies is gearing up to open in Osaka, Japan. Coins cryptocurrency cafe and bar announced earlier this week that its grand opening will be on May 12. There will also be pre-opening events prior to that date. The address of the establishment is Osaka prefecture Osaka-shi Naniwa-ku Nihonbashi 4-7-26 Wonder 3 Building 3F. The cafebar has 23 seats, giving it a spacious feel “where many people can talk face to face,” the company described. “We have a large selection of foods and original goods” based on “15 kinds of [crypto]currencies, and all of the staff have names of virtual currencies,” Coins elaborated, adding that: It is a space where you can use virtual currencies in real life. In addition to fiat and credit cards, the cafebar currently lists the following payment options on its website: “BTC (bitcoin), BCH (bitcoin cash), ETH (ether), MONA (monacoin), LSK (lisk), XEM (nem), [and] LTC (litecoin).” Coins cryptocurrency cafebar’s uniform. Safecast Safecast is an international, volunteer-centered organization devoted to open citizen science for the environment. Co-founder and Director of Global Operations, Sean Bonner, shared with news.Bitcoin.com: We design hardware and software for specific environmental monitoring…we design the hardware and make the designs open, and then our partner distributors build the kits and sell them. Kithub is our primary global distributor. On the organization’s website, there are links to products, such as the Safecast environmental monitoring devices including the Bgeigie nano geiger counter kit and the Safecast air quality monitoring kit, that are hosted on Kithub’s website. Kithub accepts BCH and BTC through Bitpay. Undertech Undertech sells concealed-carry clothing such as shirts, shorts, jackets, vests, legging, purses, holsters, safes, belly bands, and other concealment items. The company recently integrated Coinbase Commerce as a checkout option on the Undertechundercover website, allowing customers to pay with BCH, BTC, ETH, and LTC. Goldsilver Goldsilver is a website that sells precious metals, founded by Mike Maloney, a precious metals advisor and author. The site sells gold bars, gold coins, gold jewelry, silver bars, and silver coins. The company recently started accepting BCH and BTC via Bitpay. Furthermore, “Bitcoin and bitcoin cash orders receive a 3% cash discount on all purchases,” the company detailed. Rebecca Z Japanese Jewelry site Rebecca Z, which sells “everyday jewelry for working women”, is now accepting BCH and BTC via Bitpay. “We decided to introduce bitcoin payments to simplify payment procedures,” the company explained, adding that this method will allow them to cope with the need to exchange different currencies on e-commerce sites. What do you think of the adoption rate of BCH and other cryptocurrencies? Let us know in the comments section below. Images courtesy of Shutterstock, Coins cafebar, Safecast, Undertech, Goldsilver, and Rebecca Z. Need to calculate your bitcoin holdings? Check our tools section. The post Bitcoin Cash Adoption Continues: Crypto Cafebar, Gold Vendor, Concealed-Carry Clothing appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article

The president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, has announced the end of the pre-sale for the Petro, the country’s “cryptocurrency”. He claims it has raised the equivalent of over 3 billion dollars. Maduro has also certified 16 crypto exchanges he hopes will start listing his country’s new currency. Also read: Yahoo! Japan Confirms Entrance Into the Crypto Space 16 Crypto Exchanges Certified According to Venezuelan newspaper with government backing Correo del Orinoco, Maduro has “authorized the certification of 16 exchange houses for cryptocurrencies,” which will facilitate Petro transactions in the international market. Maduro was quoted saying during the inauguration of Venezuela Power Expo 2018 in Caracas: The certification of these 16 exchanges is a demonstration of confidence in the system of the Petro, as a cryptocurrency, and will allow liquidity and solid transactional volume. The news follows the announcement of Venezuela’s major crackdown on crypto exchanges and remittance businesses dubbed Operation Paper Hands. Maduro talking at Venezuela Power Expo 2018. The certified 16 exchanges are “Criptoexchainge, Criptocapital, Asesoría Financiaera CA, Italcambio, Amberes Coin, Cave Blockchainge, Valoratta Casa de Bolsa, Coinsecure.ve, Critiaechainge, Criptolago, Criptoventraige CA, Criptoactivo Menets CA, Criptoactivo Bancar CA, Criptomundo Casa de Intercambio CA, Inversiones Financieras 1444 CA, [and] Criptoactivo Criptoes,” the publication detailed. However, there is no confirmation that any of them have agreed to list the Petro at the time of this writing. Coinsecure’s Comments India’s Coinsecure is on the list of exchanges certified by Venezuela. CEO Mohit Kalra said that “Venezuela wanted to add Petro as a cryptocurrency on Coinseure, so they can trade Petro against bitcoin and the rupee,” Business Standard reported on Saturday. Venezuela has reportedly offered India a 30% discount on crude oil purchases if India uses the Petro, the news outlet added and quoted Kalra saying: The offer that they have given to the Indian government is: you buy Petro and we will give you a 30 percent discount. Maduro Claims $3.3 Billion Raised So Far Maduro announced on Thursday the official closing of the Petro presale. He claimed that “To date, the pre-sale of El Petro has obtained 3,338 million dollars,” elaborating: I have to report on the closing of El Petro’s first pre-sale. We closed with an amount of $3,338 million. An economic miracle. Boot The Petro! During his speech, Maduro held up a presentation showing that the Petro has raised the equivalent of 2.744 billion euros, 208.337 billion rubles, and 21.118 billion yuan. He also announced that he will deliver inject $1 billion into the economy obtained from the Petro. Furthermore, the president promised that he will continue promoting the new currency. In addition to announcing that fuel will be sold to all national and international airlines for Petro, he declared that he has signed the paperwork “to create an Industrial and Economic Investment Fund in Petro and I have already contributed, for now 8.5 million Petro equivalent of $510 million for credit loans.” What do you think of Maduro’s strategy for the Petro? Do you think the exchanges will list the Petro? Let us know in the comments section below. Images courtesy of Shutterstock, Coinsecure, and the Venezuelan government. Need to calculate your bitcoin holdings? Check our tools section. The post Venezuela Certifies 16 Cryptocurrency Exchanges appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article

Japan’s SBI Holdings has reportedly unveiled new plans for its cryptocurrency exchange. The company has set a target launch date and is preparing to list major cryptocurrencies. The group’s CEO expects the new exchange to “be number one in the blink of an eye.” Also read: Yahoo! Japan Confirms Entrance Into the Crypto Space Revised Launch Date SBI Holdings has updated its plans to fully launch a cryptocurrency exchange. The company had planned for SBI Virtual Currencies to launch “in the autumn of 2017 and at the latest the beginning of 2018,” Minkabu publication recalled. However, the plan was postponed following Coincheck’s hack and the trouble with its capital and business alliance agreement with China’s Huobi Group. These circumstances led the company to refrain from fully launching the exchange even though it had already received a license from the Japanese Financial Services Agency (FSA) in September of last year. Yoshitaka Kitao. President and CEO Yoshitaka Kitao said at a press conference this week that the company is planning to officially start the crypto exchange business in the summer, the news outlet conveyed, adding that the exchange “is not a white label of other exchanges but a self-developed” one. SBI Virtual Currencies has, however, been offering a limited service to a few customers since January 30, according to Business Insider Japan. As for which cryptocurrencies will be supported when the full launch comes, Kitao said that “it is assumed to be major virtual currencies, [including] bitcoin (BTC), bitcoin cash (BCH), ethereum (ETH), [and] ripple (XRP),” the news outlet detailed. Expecting to Rise to the Top The company has been carefully considering the timing of its exchange’s full launch based on the hack of Coincheck and the subsequent change in the business environment. The publication quoted Kitao exclaiming: When we do it, it will be number one in the blink of an eye so quickly, so even if a tremendous number of customers come, we can build a system that can bear [the workload]. One factor that will differentiate SBI’s exchange from others is that “We set the spread to the industry minimum,” he described. The CEO is confident that this will propel his exchange to be the industry leader. “Given that the SBIFX trading spread of the group’s FX company is at the industry’s narrowest level, this is to be expected,” Minkabu commented. SBI already owns one of the largest security brokerages in Japan. “There are a total of 8.5 million accounts of financial affiliates such as SBI Securities Co. Ltd.,” the publication pointed out. Kitao also emphasized the importance of building trust in the crypto community. To that effect, he recently assumed office as a director of the new self-regulating organization, the Japan Virtual Currency Exchange Association, which was recently established by 16 fully-licensed exchanges. Do you think SBI’s crypto exchange will quickly become the number one exchange in Japan? Let us know in the comments section below. Images courtesy of Shutterstock and SBI Holdings. Need to calculate your bitcoin holdings? Check our tools section. The post Japan’s SBI Unveils New Plans to Start an Exchange for Major Cryptocurrencies appeared first on Bitcoin News. View the full article