In Its First Public Acquisition, Binance Buys Decentralized Trust Wallet

Leading crypto exchange Binance has made its first strategic acquisition, buying Ethereum token mobile wallet Trust Wallet


Source: Cointelegraph.com
Original Post: In Its First Public Acquisition, Binance Buys Decentralized Trust Wallet

Former President Bill Clinton Set to Keynote Ripple Conference

The annual Swell by Ripple conference invites global leaders from the policy, payments, and technology fields to come together and discuss how blockchain can be used to benefit society at large. According to a tweet from Ripple, former U.S. President Bill Clinton is set to keynote this year’s edition. Ripple noted in a news release

The post Former President Bill Clinton Set to Keynote Ripple Conference appeared first on CCN


Source: CCN.com
Original Post: Former President Bill Clinton Set to Keynote Ripple Conference

Paul Krugman is Wrong Again

Paul Krugman is Wrong About Bitcoin (Again)

Paul Krugman, the famed economist who’s made a career out of being wrong about things, is wrong again. That in itself is no more surprising than the fact that his latest op-ed takes aim at his favorite bête noire – bitcoin. The surprising part is that Krugman has resorted to the same hackneyed arguments he always uses to attack cryptocurrency. It’s an odd decision from such a learned scholar when there are far more lethal lines of attack for a crypto sceptic to take.

Also read: Japanese Bitcoin Exchanges Planning Several Trading Restrictions: Report

Krugman Swings and Misses

Paul Krugman Is Excited to See Bitcoin Have Issues

In 1998 Paul Krugman famously predicted: “By 2005 or so, it will become clear that the Internet’s impact on the economy has been no greater than the fax machine’s.” On the rise of communication networks (read social media) he said they’ll fail because: most people have nothing to say to each other”. Now he is at it again, but with Bitcoin.

“Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster,” Nietzsche warned, “for when you gaze long into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.” Bitcoin is Paul Krugman’s monster, and despite having swung at it repeatedly over the years, he’s yet to strike a meaningful blow. In an op-ed published in the NYT today, Krugman outlines, for the umpteenth time, why he’s a crypto cynic.

Cynics, for all their doom and gloom, are a welcome antidote to the mindless euphoria, shilling, and moon predictions that pervade the crypto space. Paul Krugman, therefore, is perfectly entitled to take issue with bitcoin. But why has he chosen to attack the very things that make bitcoin so appealing? It’s astonishing how many times someone can be wrong in the course of a single article – and one penned by a Distinguished Professor of Economics, no less. Either Paul Krugman is the world’s subtlest troll or he’s the world’s most benighted professor of economics.

Paul Krugman vs Reality

Here’s a sample of what Paul Krugman has to say during the course of his NYT op-ed:

PK: “Instead of near-frictionless transactions [with fiat], we have high costs of doing business, because transferring a Bitcoin or other cryptocurrency unit requires providing a complete history of past transactions.”

Reality: Er…no it doesn’t. If anyone cares to look up past transactions using a blockchain explorer they’re welcome to, but that has no bearing on doing business with bitcoin, and has zero correlation with the cost of sending bitcoin.

Paul Krugman is Wrong About Bitcoin (Again)PK: “You’re supposed to be sure that a Bitcoin is real without knowing who issued it, so you need the digital equivalent of biting a gold coin to be sure it’s the real deal.”

Reality: The same could be said of everything digital. Have you ever seen a Facebook in real life? Or squeezed a YouTube video to see if it was ripe? Have you ever fondled a tweet in the palm of your hand or tripped over a computer virus on the way down the stairs? And as for knowing who issued a bitcoin, that is no more relevant than knowing who printed those benjamins in your wallet or that diamond around your beloved’s ring finger. Or, if you want to get really meta, we still don’t know who issued planet earth and all life upon it, and yet here we are, muddling along just fine.

PK: “If speculators were to have a collective moment of doubt, suddenly fearing that Bitcoins were worthless, well, Bitcoins would become worthless.”

Reality: The same argument can be applied to such incongruous things as ancient fossils; Renaissance art; peace treaties; and the earning power of celebrities. In other words, the market pays what the market is willing to pay for an asset, be it a product endorsement from Kim Kardashian or one unit of magical internet money.

If You’re Gonna Pick a Fight with Bitcoin, Go for the Achilles

Time will tell whether Paul Krugman’s position on cryptocurrencies – that they will ultimately collapse and go to zero – is vindicated. In the meantime, if he wants to be taken seriously and to land some painful blows on bitcoin, he would do well to rein in the cheap shots and aim for bitcoin’s achilles instead. There are plenty of criticisms that could be made against crypto; the way it’s primarily benefited the privileged rather than the impoverished; the internal in-fighting over block sizes and arcane politics; the lack of privacy by default with bitcoin transactions; the fact that cryptocurrency is still somewhat unsuited to the tech illiterate. While none of these weaknesses constitutes a fatal flaw in bitcoin’s design, they are all reasonable grounds for attack.

Bitcoin Millionaire Erik Finman Challenges Jamie Dimon to a Boxing Match

A man of Paul Krugman’s wisdom and reputation ought to be capable of launching much more erudite attacks on bitcoin, but instead he resorts to recycling the same old cliches, while completely missing the astonishing properties that bitcoin provides over regular money, like the ability to transact with anyone without seeking permission from some higher power, and the ability to retain full custody of your wealth, with 100% uptime and 0% asset freezing. Krugman could pen another 100 salty op-eds about bitcoin (and he probably will), but no matter how wrong he’s shown to be, and no matter how high bitcoin climbs, his failure to recognize the second greatest invention of the 21st century won’t be his epitaph. Instead, his obituary shall be determined by his inability to recognize the first:

“By 2005 or so, it will become clear that the Internet’s impact on the economy has been no greater than the fax machine’s.” – Paul Krugman.

What do you make of Paul Krugman’s latest pronouncement on bitcoin? Let us know in the comments section below.


Images courtesy of Shutterstock.


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The post Paul Krugman is Wrong Again appeared first on Bitcoin News.


Source: Bitcoin.com
Original Post: Paul Krugman is Wrong Again

Asset Management Firm Northern Trust to Start Crypto Custody Business

129-year-old asset management firm Northern Trust Corp. is looking to start a custody service for digital assets such as cryptocurrencies


Source: Cointelegraph.com
Original Post: Asset Management Firm Northern Trust to Start Crypto Custody Business

Bitcoin [BTC] payments accepted by Fundstrat through Bitpay

In a press release earlier today, Fundstrat Global Advisors announced that they will be accepting Bitcoin [BTC] from clients for payment through BitPay. This is to ensure a worldwide reach for payments to Fundstrat through the “largest global blockchain payments provider” BitPay.

In the current space, Fundstrat remains among the few macro research firms at the industry level to follow the cryptocurrency markets. Fundstrat’s Managing Partner Thomas Lee has appeared on CNBC countless times to offer advice or make predictions for the Bitcoin market. Keeping in mind the recent move, Lee stated:

“Fundstrat found that accepting payments via BitPay is considerably simpler, faster and less expensive than bank wires. Bitcoin payments make it easier for our clients, particularly those outside the US, by offering more options to pay for our research services without having to deal with the hassles of currency translation.”

The release also stated that those that are looking to pay the research firm in Bitcoin should reach out to the Client Manager division of Fundstrat. This indicated that the feature is already ready for use by clients. Moreover, Fundstrat stated:

“Fundstrat clients can skip costly, complicated cross-border wire transfers and receive or send international payments with BitPay with complete accuracy, zero fraud risk, and quick bank settlement. Bitcoin payments dramatically reduce the friction, cost, and time of cross-border business to business payments.”

Bitpay is a global payment service that allows businesses to accept payments in Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash [BCH]. Bitpay’s clients include big names such as Microsoft, Neteller, Newegg, Virgin, and Zynga. They also allow their users to turn digital assets into dollars with their Visa card.

On partnering with Fundstrat, Sonny Singh, the Chief Commercial Officer of Bitpay, stated:

“Bitcoin payments for businesses are making cross-border transactions easier as Fundstrat is able to accept payments from clients in Asia, Africa, and Latin America that would have been nearly impossible before. Fundstrat has a reputation of being innovative and being the first research firm to accept bitcoin only reinforces their reputation.”

The post Bitcoin [BTC] payments accepted by Fundstrat through Bitpay appeared first on AMBCrypto.


Source: AMBcrypto
Original Post: Bitcoin [BTC] payments accepted by Fundstrat through Bitpay

Coinbase Taps BNY Mellon Vet to Head Global Compliance Efforts

Cryptocurrency exchange and brokerage giant Coinbase has poached a BNY Mellon veteran to head the firm’s global compliance efforts as it seeks to ramp up its international operations and expand the range of assets supported on its platforms. The San Francisco-based Coinbase on Tuesday announced that it had appointed Jeff Horowitz as its chief compliance

The post Coinbase Taps BNY Mellon Vet to Head Global Compliance Efforts appeared first on CCN


Source: CCN.com
Original Post: Coinbase Taps BNY Mellon Vet to Head Global Compliance Efforts

The First Tokenization Of a YouTube Channel is Completed Successfully With BANKEX MediaToken

Trending YouTube channel TechHives, dedicated to infotainment about tech for non-tech people, has become the first tokenized YouTube account.…

The post The First Tokenization Of a YouTube Channel is Completed Successfully With BANKEX MediaToken appeared first on Invest In Blockchain.


Source: Investinblockchain.com
Original Post: The First Tokenization Of a YouTube Channel is Completed Successfully With BANKEX MediaToken

Why Tokenization Is Still a Chimera: Expert Take

Let’s talk about on-chain tokenization, off-chain tokenization and how we should use them.


Source: Cointelegraph.com
Original Post: Why Tokenization Is Still a Chimera: Expert Take

Bitcoin Cash Fans Celebrate Independence Day One Year Later

Bitcoin Cash Fans Celebrate Independence Day One Year Later

Today is the one-year anniversary of the ‘Bitcoin Independence Day’ that took place on August 1 2017. Since that day the Bitcoin Cash (BCH) network and community have had a very productive year as the decentralized cryptocurrency has celebrated a ton of milestones including successful network upgrades, massive merchant adoption, and a wide variety of applications built using the BCH chain.

Also Read: Interest in Philippines Economic Zone Crypto License Spikes – 17 Firms Paid in Full

August 1 2017, Bitcoin Independence Day

A year ago today Bitcoin proponents celebrated independence from the scaling debate stagnation that took place within the Bitcoin community for far too long. On August 1, 2017, after block 478,558 was found, the Bitcoin blockchain effectively split as miners began processing blocks from two protocols — Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Bitcoin Core (BTC). While many Bitcoin Core supporters didn’t think BCH would survive after the split, the BCH network proved them wrong by continuing to grow stronger every day that followed the event on August 1. During the first week of August, the BCH chain’s hashpower steadily grew more powerful and the currency’s value went through a small period of price discovery.

Bitcoin Cash Fans Celebrate Independence Day One Year Later

Bitcoin Cash Gains 145% in One Year

On August 13, 2017 the Bitcoin Cash spot price closed the day at $310 USD per BCH and the currency is today priced at $760 per coin which represents a solid gain of +145.16 percent since last year. Additionally, much like many of the other digital assets that touched all-time highs (ATH) this past December, bitcoin cash prices reached an ATH of $3,000 per BCH and even $4,000 per BCH on a few international exchanges. Because of the growing demand and high prices, BCH proponents often laugh at Bitfury’s George Kikvadze who sold his bitcoin cash at $668 per coin and thanked all the “fools” who purchased them.

Bitcoin Cash Fans Celebrate Independence Day One Year Later

November’s Successful DAA Upgrade

During its first few months, the BCH network and its participants gathered lots of support from infrastructure services like wallets and exchanges, while at the same time BCH accumulated a massive amount of merchants. A few months later on November 13, 2017 the decentralized protocol completed a successful upgrade which saw the BCH network’s Difficulty Adjustment Algorithm (DAA) change to a more stable system of operation. That day, at approximately 4 pm EDT, at block height 504031 the consensus rules upgraded the DAA and mining profitability between both the BTC and BCH chains has remained consistent ever since the fork.

Bitcoin Cash Fans Celebrate Independence Day One Year Later

Exponential Hashrate Growth and Remarkable Commitment to Innovation

Since August 1, BCH miners have processed close to 63,000 blocks and the network is over 6,800 blocks ahead of BTC. On August 4, 2017, the BCH network’s absolute hashrate was 339 Petahash per second. Now, thanks to the past year of growth, the BCH hashrate has gradually increased to 4-5.5 Exahash per second. At the moment there are eight known miners who process BCH blocks, and three unknown mining pools as well. Known BCH miners include Coingeek, Bitcoin.com, Viabtc, BTC.com, Antpool, SBI Crypto, Rawpool, and BTC.top. One of the mining pool operators, Alejandro de la Torre from BTC.com, a pool that typically commands 12-14 percent of the BCH hashrate, thinks the Bitcoin Cash network has had an amazing year so far.

Bitcoin Cash Fans Celebrate Independence Day One Year Later“Bitcoin Cash has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to innovate upon community engagement with applications like on-chain social network — Memo, and a smart contract protocol layer called Wormhole that is built using Omni Layer, the token-issuance protocol that is the same technical basis for tether (USDT),” Alejandro details. “We think these community-driven networks can be very effective at moving the needle in the adoption of Bitcoin Cash as a medium-of-exchange, which is the primary reason it was forked and developed.”

One year after its creation, BCH has continued to expand onto 19 different services, e.g. Bitpay, Coingate, Viabtc, Coinpayments, Coindance. Bitcoin Cash is also involved in fourteen different projects, e.g., Openbazaar, Joystream, and Counterparty, and tradable on 41 different exchanges. Now entering its second year, BTC.com is poised to help the Bitcoin Cash community shift focus from investment, thinking only in terms of storing of value, to cash, thinking as a medium of exchange for merchants and consumers.

A Fourfold Block Size Increase, and Re-enabled Satoshi Opcodes

Bitcoin Cash Fans Celebrate Independence Day One Year LaterAfter the successful upgrade in November that fixed the protocol’s DAA, the BCH network upgraded once again a few months later on May 15, 2018. The Bitcoin Cash protocol extended the 8MB block size fourfold to a 32MB block size cap. The consensus change was one of the largest block size increases in the history of blockchain and the upgrade also re-enabled a few old Satoshi OP_Codes and increased the network’s data carrier size. The data carrier size upgrade and the OP_Codes unleashed a plethora of innovation from developers building social media apps, trustless betting protocols, and tokenization and smart contract mechanisms.

Transactions & Merchant Adoption

In just one year, the BCH protocol and its network participants have been able to push adoption, create a wide variety of applications, and do all of these feats in the face of trolling, skepticism, and negative criticism. Every aspect of the protocol has seen exceptional increases including price, hashrate, merchant adoption, daily transactions, and new applications. Over time, BCH on-chain transactions continue to grow despite the opinion of naysayers. For instance, from August 1 to October 22, 2017, Bitcoin Cash transactions (tx) averaged between 6,000-12,000 tx per day. From October 22, 2017 to February 7, 2018, BCH transactions averaged 20,000 to 60,000 tx per day. From February 7 until June 30, 2018, BCH transactions averaged 20,000 tx per day. The recent stress test has increased daily BCH transaction volume to 25,000 to 85,000 tx per day.

Bitcoin Cash Fans Celebrate Independence Day One Year Later

Moreover, as far as merchant adoption, BCH has gathered nearly every merchant that the BTC chain has and no other cryptocurrency in existence has experienced such a rapid network effect. This includes merchant acceptance from Bitpay and Purse.io, and the wide variety of stores that accept BCH that can be found on the Accept Bitcoin Cash initiative and Marco Coino.  

Bitcoin Cash fans have a lot to celebrate this year and the next 12 months should be just as exciting as proponents look forward to everything that lies ahead.

What do you think about the Bitcoin Cash one-year anniversary? Let us know in the comments below. 


Images via Shutterstock, Coindance, Bitinfocharts, Pixabay, and Satoshi Pulse.


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The post Bitcoin Cash Fans Celebrate Independence Day One Year Later appeared first on Bitcoin News.


Source: Bitcoin.com
Original Post: Bitcoin Cash Fans Celebrate Independence Day One Year Later

ICO Research Firms in South Korea Are Gaining Popularity

ICO Research Firms in South Korea Are Gaining Popularity

The rising threat of frauds and blatant exit-scams from ICO firms and token issuers is set to slow down in the months to come, as several cryptocurrency-centric security firms have set up shop to fight against the nuisance, reported Business Korea on July 30, 2018.

Cryptocurrency Trading Sector

Analysts from the private equity and security sector are increasingly joining or opening their own, cryptocurrency research firms aimed at providing detailed market reports and trading targets for the cryptocurrency market.

Interestingly, the businesses are aimed at serious institutional and retail investors, instead of the casual trader without prior knowledge of trading markets. Most importantly, these research labs help identify strong ICO projects from the myriad of fraudulent ones.

The reported pointed out the businesses activities of Chain Partners Inc., touted as the first “blockchain company builder” in South Korea. Chain is currently hiring employees with a minimum of five years work experience in an investment bank for its research team, led by Han Dae-hoon, a former analyst at Shinhan Investment Corp.

Daily Trading Reports

Chain publishes a daily report that analyses the cryptocurrency market, both local and abroad, for its large group of subscribers. In addition, the company was Korea’s first to introduce a cryptocurrency index: A price tracker for the largest and most traded digital assets.

The research lab is further preparing a framework to develop a price trend and transactional tracker for cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ether, similar to the Bloomberg Galaxy Crypto Index (BGCI).

Formed by Bloomberg and billionaire Mike Novogratz, the BGCI is based on the price action of the top three cryptocurrencies.

Exchange Firms Extending Services

Coinone, South Korea’s third-largest cryptocurrency exchange, opened a research center in June 2018 to provide weekly analytics of the cryptocurrency market to interested parties for a small fee.

Similarly, Binance, the world’s largest exchange by daily trading volume, is working on the Binance info application, primarily aimed at investors and financial decision makers. The mobile app is currently available in beta-test for interested developers. The application is touted to provide information about 1,200 cryptocurrencies on a daily basis.

Meanwhile, as ICOs continue to face the wrath of governments and investors across the world, a few jurisdictions are creating strict legal frameworks to control the volatile sector. As reported by BTCManager in July 2018, South Korean authorities are building regulations on digital currencies and develop optimal policies to support the burgeoning industry.

The post ICO Research Firms in South Korea Are Gaining Popularity appeared first on BTCMANAGER.


Source: BTCManager.com
Original Post: ICO Research Firms in South Korea Are Gaining Popularity

Commonwealth Bank Boasting Blockchain-Enabled Global Trade Platform

In-house blockchain technology solutions continued to permeate supply chains as Australia’s Commonwealth Banks has successfully conducted a high-profile shipping experiment.


‘Agile, Efficient and Transparent’

Australia’s Commonwealth Bank has successfully shipped and tracked seventeen tonnes of almonds in a blockchain-based collaboration with five domestic and international supply chain leaders. The platform used purportedly utilizes distributed ledger technology, smart contracts, and the internet of things (IoT).

Stated Chris Scougall, Managing Director of Industrials and Logistics in Client Coverage, CBA:

Our blockchain-enabled global trade platform experiment brought to life the idea of a modern global supply chain that is agile, efficient and transparent. We believe that blockchain can help our partners reduce the burden of administration on their businesses and enable them to deliver best-in-class services to their customers.

CBA’s supply chain partners included Olam Orchards Australia Pty Ltd, Pacific National, Port of Melbourne, Patrick Terminals, and OOCL Limited. Additionally, hardware and software support came from LX Group.

Alex Toone, CBA Managing Director of Global Commodities and Trade, stated:

By bringing together partners from across the end to end supply chain and developing a new platform underpinned by emerging technology, blockchain and IoT, we were able to prove a concept to modernise global trade.

The almonds were shipped from Victoria, Australia to Hamburg, Germany. The “operations, documentation and finance” portions of the shipment all took place on a platform which makes use of a purpose-built blockchain.

Specifically, partners were able to track not only the shipment’s location but the temperature and humidity inside the container. Documentation, meanwhile, was streamlined via the blockchain technology used.

Melissa Poon, General Manager for Trade and Development at the Port of Melbourne, stated:

Emerging blockchain technology creates the potential for multi-beneficial productivity gains to Australia’s supply-chain. Through understanding volume loads and shipments coming down the supply chain, we are able to prepare strategies to meet the trade demands of the future. We are excited to be involved in such a ground-breaking project.

Earlier this year, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) came under fire after an investigation accused it of helping the Italian mafia launder money.

What do you think about major international banks utilizing in-house blockchain-enabled solutions? Let us know in the comments below! 


Images courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post Commonwealth Bank Boasting Blockchain-Enabled Global Trade Platform appeared first on Bitcoinist.com.


Source: Bitcoinist.com
Original Post: Commonwealth Bank Boasting Blockchain-Enabled Global Trade Platform

Stellar Month: July's Top Performing Crypto Asset Saw 40% Gains

Stellar (XLM) was the best performing cryptocurrency amongst the 25 largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization during the month of July.
Source: Coindesk
Original Post: Stellar Month: July's Top Performing Crypto Asset Saw 40% Gains

OTC is Much Larger Than Bitcoin Exchange Volume: Where Real Whales Trade

TABB Group, an international research company, has disclosed in its extensive analytical report that the over-the-counter (OTC) market of bitcoin is significantly larger than the global bitcoin exchange market. OTC Versus Exchanges: Whales Against Retail Traders For many years, the majority of bitcoin analysts predicted billions of dollars to be traded on a regular basis

The post OTC is Much Larger Than Bitcoin Exchange Volume: Where Real Whales Trade appeared first on CCN


Source: CCN.com
Original Post: OTC is Much Larger Than Bitcoin Exchange Volume: Where Real Whales Trade

Crypto News Flash: Bitcoin (BTC), Litecoin (LTC), Tron (TRX), Cardano (ADA), NEO, EOS

From Bitcoin’s cinematic debut in Thailand to a big smart phone play for Litecoin, here’s a look at some of the stories breaking in the world of crypto.

Bitcoin (BTC)

Thailand’s biggest movie theater chain says it will accept Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. The chain has partnered with Swiss fintech developer RapidzPay to install point-of-sale (PoS) machines in its theaters.

Litecoin (LTC)

HTC’s Exodus blockchain phone will include native support for Litecoin. The phone will be dedicated to decentralized applications and security. The release is planned for sometime this fall, with a supply of 100 million blockchain phones reportedly being built.

Cardano (ADA)

Cardano has released the testnet for its virtual machine IELE, which will allow developers to launch smart contracts on the platform. The release gives developers the chance “to play around with the smart contracts technology that will eventually be offered as part of Cardano, and to provide their feedback, which we look forward to receiving over the coming months.”

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NEO

NEO’s research and development director is recommending the platform add transaction fees to avoid malicious transactions. Peter Lin reviewed his concerns on Medium, and says “in general, 1 satoshi gas will be enough.”

Tron (TRX)

Tron founder Justin Sun says he plans to expand the platform’s presence in India. According to the South China Morning Post, the company is gearing up to open an office in the country on the heels of its recent expansion in Beijing.

EOS

Crypto exchange Poloniex is gearing up to add EOS. The US-based platform says EOS deposits and withdrawals are now live, and trading is set for August 1st.


Disclaimer: Opinions expressed at The Daily Hodl are not investment advice. Investors should do their due diligence before making any high-risk investments in Bitcoin or cryptocurrency. Your transfers and trades are at your own risk. Any losses you may incur are your responsibility. Please note that The Daily Hodl participates in affiliate marketing.

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The post Crypto News Flash: Bitcoin (BTC), Litecoin (LTC), Tron (TRX), Cardano (ADA), NEO, EOS appeared first on The Daily Hodl.


Source: Daily HODL
Original Post: Crypto News Flash: Bitcoin (BTC), Litecoin (LTC), Tron (TRX), Cardano (ADA), NEO, EOS

Coinbase Announces Gift Card Service For Europe & Australia

US-based cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has partnered with WeGift to launch a gift card service that will enable users to withdraw and spend digital currencies directly with ease. A report on their blog confirmed the latest partnership with the London-based company and revealed further details about what users could do with the e-gift card service.

Customers can now spend their cryptocurrency balances on the Coinbase exchange while purchasing from retailers like Nike, Tesco, Uber, Google Play, Ticketmaster, Zalando, and many more. For instance, users could convert their Bitcoin into Uber credits or their Ether into a Nike shopping spree, allowing them to live the cryptocurrency era by using the digital currencies on a daily basis. WeGift cards are currently accepted in over 120 retail stores and this cooperation surely will promote cryptocurrency usage to purchase a varieties of tangible products. 

To attract its broad customer base to the new service model, Coinbase announced “zero withdrawal fees and bonuses” for users who purchase the e-gift cards or buy selected e-gifts on offer by the retail companies. While the exchange company has promised to increase the number of retailers and markets on which the e-gift cards can be spent within the next three months, it also hopes to roll out the new service to users in other countries soon after.

For the time being, only Coinbase users in the UK, Spain, France, Italy, Netherlands, and Australia can enjoy the newly launched e-gift card service. However, this is not the first time that Coinbase introduces a cooperation with an online gift card service. In 2013 the top-ranked exchange rolled out a cryptocurrency gift card program in partnership with eGifter, another online gift card platform based in New York.

The new service stands out, since it is the first time in the cryptocurrency industry that an exchange offers “direct withdrawals into e-gift cards.” Its adoption will undoubtedly increase mainstream recognition for cryptocurrencies.

 

Featured Image via BigStock.


Source: Crypto News (.net)
Original Post: Coinbase Announces Gift Card Service For Europe & Australia

Binance announces its first-ever acquisition – Trust Wallet

On 31st July, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, Binance announced the acquisition of the Trust Wallet and brought its customer-base an increased amount of control over their digital assets. Trust Wallet is an Ethereum-based mobile wallet for Ethereum, ERC20 and ERC223 tokens.

According to the Founder and CEO of Binance, Changpeng Zhao “CZ”, Trust Wallet is not as huge a product as several other wallets such as Blockfolio or Delta but is a ‘diamond in the dirt’. He was also found stating in an interview that the wallet app will not undergo too many changes but will be enhanced with a few new features.

Trust Wallet is not even a year young and was launched only in November, last year. Binance also conveyed that Trust Wallet provides a crypto-wallet along with a decentralized application browser that does not collect an intensive amount of data. CZ also said:

“Now we have both a decentralized and centralized solution for custody.”

In another statement, it was also mentioned by CZ that the two platforms, Binance and Trust Wallet app are compatible and will complement each other and the requirements of their customer base. Moreover, the two share the same values.

The wallet app is also known for its technical excellence. Earlier, Trust Wallet planned to raise funds through an ICO. Surprisingly enough, they returned all the money to their investors about a month back.

The CEO of Trust Wallet, Viktor Radchenko, in an interview, said that he is primarily a problem solver and more interested in enhancing the product and developing it. He added:

“I never liked dealing with investors and money people, it is so much hassle.”

Earlier, Binance’s CEO had also expressed that his firm’s development via the acquisition of companies was always an idea but was unable to find the right fit. He further explained that Binance has ‘very specific requirements’, such as speed or even better, an ‘ultra-fast blockchain’.

The post Binance announces its first-ever acquisition – Trust Wallet appeared first on AMBCrypto.


Source: AMBcrypto
Original Post: Binance announces its first-ever acquisition – Trust Wallet

The Return of Sirius

Spanish bank giant BBVA can't hold crypto – and that's a problem.

-AND-

The NFL is the latest sports league to enter the world of crypto as the players union announced a deal with a blockchain startup.

-ALSO-

Martti 'Sirius' Malmi, also known as the first coder to work alongside bitcoin's pseudonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, is launching a new cryptocurrency with ambitious goals.


-DON’T MISS-

CoinDesk’s Sam Ouimet joins host Stan Higgins to discuss BTC's price drop.

Recorded July 31, 2018 in New York, NY.

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Late Confirmation is a CoinDesk production made in collaboration with The Podglomerate.

For more information, visit www.CoinDesk.com


Source: Coindesk
Original Post: The Return of Sirius

Taking Back Control of the Web Browsing Experience: Blockchain Startup Decenternet Returns Power to the User

This is a paid-for submitted press release. CCN does not endorse, nor is responsible for any material included below and isn’t responsible for any damages or losses connected with any products or services mentioned in the press release. CCN urges readers to conduct their own research with due diligence into the company, product or service mentioned

The post Taking Back Control of the Web Browsing Experience: Blockchain Startup Decenternet Returns Power to the User appeared first on CCN


Source: CCN.com
Original Post: Taking Back Control of the Web Browsing Experience: Blockchain Startup Decenternet Returns Power to the User