Bitcoin

Facebook has reportedly acquired blockchain startup Chainspace in what is its first blockchain-related acquisition. The news was first reported by Cheddar earlier today. According to sources, the deal is primarily an “acquihire” — an acquisition whose main purpose is to bring on the staff of the acquired company, as opposed to their technology, or their core business. Indeed, four of …

Here are some of the more interesting news items we came across from the wider cryptosphere. Wikipedia Traffic Reveals that Crypto Market Cap has no Correlation with Public Interest According to data sampled by Wikipedia, cryptocurrency market caps are not related to public interest. In one month between December 24th and January 24th, the Bitcoin Wikipedia page was visited more …

Iran Releases New Cryptocurrency Regulations The Central Bank of Iran recently released a draft of crypto laws, dismantling its earlier crypto ban. The regulations were announced during the Electronic Banking and Payment Systems conference in Tehran. The regulations map out guidelines for trader and crypto businesses. The draft recognizes Bitcoin and Ethereum; however, Iranians are not yet able to spend …

Crypto Trader makes over $100,000 on Augur The cryptocurrency industry has not had the greatest of starts to 2019. With markets remaining bearish, Bitcoin and other altcoins dipped and posted losses for the last few weeks in a row. Most crypto investors have lost significant amounts of capital. However, one pseudonymous crypto trader netted a six-figure profit despite all of …

Cryptojacking is the unauthorized use of someone else’s computer or hardware to mine cryptocurrency. According to a report released by Checkpoint, Crypto mining malware has topped the list of 2018’s biggest threats. The report further goes to explain that cryptojacking is the most common threat at the moment. It also lists Coinhive as the world’s leading cryptojacking device. For context, …

Blockchain technology and the cryptocurrencies that run on it are incredibly transformative technologies. However, just like all technologies that preceded them, generating widespread adoption is a challenge. A recent survey by Deloitte revealed that people are growing tired of hearing about blockchain every day. However, that is not what is slowing cryptocurrency adoption. The main obstacle standing in the way …

Bitcoin must move away from proof-of-work, according to a 31-page report published today by the Bank for International Settlement (BIS) entitled, “Beyond the doomsday economics of “proof-of-work in cryptocurrencies.” The Bank for International Settlements is a bank for central banks — 60 to be exact, which reportedly account for 95 percent of the world’s GDP. Founded in 1930, it is …

CEO, president, and chairman of the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) Ed Tilly has claimed that, in order for Wall Street and other large institutional investors to enter the crypto markets, there must be Bitcoin exchange-traded notes (ETNs). Business Insider initially reported on Tilly’s remarks on January 18th. In the Business Insider article, Tilly stated: “The growth of Bitcoin in …

The total value of Bitcoin sent to darknet markets increased by 70% last year, according to a report published yesterday by Chainalysis. The darknet uses IP addresses that cannot be tracked or traced and cannot be discovered by most search engines. As such, it largely operates outside of the watch of governments and other regulatory bodies. The report notes that …