Taiwan has seen its first Bitcoin robbery as three men stole 18 bitcoins from the victim. Police were later able to apprehend the criminals. It seems that the cryptocurrency world is getting more dangerous. Every week, a new story comes out about an exchange getting hacked or a company getting cryptojacked. However, the buying and selling of bitcoins can lead to physical violence as a number of incidents have recently shown. The latest example of a Bitcoin robbery took place in Taiwan, and it happens that the robbery was the…
Read MoreMonth: February 2018
Russian Authorities Criticized over Proposed Crypto Regulation
Criticism aimed at authorities and the new legislation on “digital financial assets” is mounting in Russia. Local officials have rebuked lawmakers in the capital over slow progress, warning that the country will have to catch up with others. Experts from the crypto sector have expressed concerns about many unresolved issues in the proposed legal framework. Russian deputies are preparing to introduce two drafts on cryptocurrencies and crowdfunding, while more than 50 other digital economy bills are pending in parliament. Also read: Russia’s Longest-Serving Finance Minister Backs Crypto “Self-Regulation” Hurry Up…
Read MoreRoss Ulbricht Denied Post-Conviction Relief Extension
The man convicted of creating the Silk Road marketplace, Ross Ulbricht, has lost yet another appeal to extend his “post-conviction relief.” Judge Katherine Forrest, the judge who sentenced Ulbricht to a double life sentence in 2015, denied the legal team’s attempt to renew the case even if additional circumstantial evidence is found in the future. Also read: 30 People Who Were Really Wrong About Bitcoin The Judge Who Sentenced Ross Ulbricht Throws Down the Hammer Once Again Ross Ulbricht. This month the Judge who handed down two-lifetime prison sentences to Ross…
Read MoreIran Changes Mind, Decides it Doesn’t Actually Like Bitcoin After All
In October 2017, the Iranian government all but decided to implement Bitcoin as a means to completely bypass sanctions, while also allowing citizens to conduct international trades otherwise not possible. Now, however, the Islamic Republic on the Persian coast has changed its mind. A Foolish Inconsistency According to the independent Iranian news site Iran Front Page (via Fortune), the Republic’s central bank claims it never recognized, nor planned on recognizing, Bitcoin as an official currency. It also denies all claims that it was actively facilitating Bitcoin transactions to circumvent sanctions…
Read MoreViberate Partners with Changelly for Mass Token Adoption
Music industry blockchain company Viberate has entered into a partnership with crypto conversion platform Changelly. The move will facilitate the greater adoption of its VIB tokens which are also gaining greater traction on global exchanges. Viberate aims to revolutionize the way musicians are presented and booked by decentralizing the discovery and booking processes with the use of the blockchain technology. Their highly successful token crowdsale raised over $10 million and sold out in less than five minutes. The next stage in the evolution of the live music-oriented digital currency is…
Read More66% of Funding to Stop the AI Apocalypse Comes from Crypto Donors
Have you ever suffered from existential dread about what will happen when the smart contracts will be smarter than you? Or that a blockchain can become self aware and force humans to bend to its will? Or maybe that a super AI will simply repurpose all the molecules on earth to produce paper clips? Well, worry no more because the crypto community is on the case. Also Read: Tesla Hit by Hackers Who Used its Systems to Mine Cryptocurrency Machine Intelligence Research Institute The Machine Intelligence Research Institute, a non-profit…
Read MoreBitcoin Skeptic Dennis Gartman Duped by Dubious Blockchain Investment
‘Commodities King’ Dennis Gartman has been left with a red face and diminished pension fund after investing in a dubious blockchain company. Shares in Riot Blockchain Inc plunged by 30% following a CNBC investigation, leaving Gartman’s fund in a negative balance for the year to date. The trader has previously described bitcoin as being “nothing more than a scam of the first order.” Also read: 30 People Who Were Really Wrong About Bitcoin Gartman Gets Rekt by the Blockchain Meme There was more than a touch of schadenfreude in the crypto…
Read MoreSeveral Factors Are Driving Renewed Bullish Sentiment for Bitcoin
Bullish sentiment for Bitcoin is gaining renewed momentum. Investors and financial experts are suggesting a variety of catalysts to explain Bitcoin’s rally, such as regulatory softening by some governments and new technological developments. Even PayPal’s Chief Financial Officer now predicts that Bitcoin might become a favorite payment method. In the meantime, Coinbase and Bitfinex are implementing SegWit to reduce transaction costs. Several Factors Are Fueling Bitcoin’s Rally Bitcoin’s current rally has many drivers. One of them is regulatory softening towards cryptocurrency. In this regard, CNBC reports, Brian Kelly, the founder…
Read MorePayPal CFO: Bitcoin’s Success is Very Likely
There’s a lot of doubt surrounding Bitcoin’s potential as a viable, real-world currency – but PayPal’s chief financial officer sees only positive things in the dominant cryptocurrency’s future. A ‘Very High Likelihood’ of Success According to John Rainey, PayPal’s chief financial officer, Bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies will one day become a popular method of payment – just not yet. Rainey told The Wall Street Journal: Given the volatility of bitcoin right now, it’s not a reliable currency for transactions because if you’re a merchant and you have a 10% profit margin,…
Read MoreRipple Keeps Making Friends – RippleNet Provides a Gateway to Emerging Markets
There is an ever-growing international need for effective, transparent, and low-cost payments which engage with emerging markets. Ripple appears to be the frontrunner when it comes to providing said service, thanks to a whole slew of new partnerships. Making Waves RippleNet, Ripple’s decentralized global network of banks and payment providers utilizing Ripple’s distributed financial technology, has been garnering all sorts of attention from established financial institutions lately. RippleNet is powered by xCurrent, and provides real-time messaging, clearing and settlement of financial transactions — and many companies are eager to utilize…
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