Month: February 2018

A new Blockchain app seeking to introduce Lightning Network compatibility for Coinbase users has debuted its alpha demo. Could Coinbase Users Get Lightning? Lightning Ramp acts as a middleman service, allowing users of major exchanges to benefit from Lightning Network improvements in transaction fees and faster processing times. As Lightning gains huge mainnet traction among the Bitcoin community, currently operating almost 2000 channels, demand from users for better transaction experiences on Coinbase in particular also continues to grow. While the largest US exchange and wallet provider promised SegWit functionality will…

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If you’re prone to running ad-blocking software, don’t be surprised to hear your computer’s fans start kicking it up a notch. Major websites like Salon are now looking to start borrowing your computational power in exchange for an ad-free browsing experience. Ad-blockers have been hurting websites’ ad revenue for years now, but they may have found a solution. On Monday, media website Salon began testing a new paradigm, in which it uses ad-blocking readers’ computer power to mine cryptocurrency. Explained one spokesperson: For our beta program, we’ll start by applying…

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Instant cryptocurrency conversion platform ShapeShift was forced to apologize Tuesday after it referred to Bitcoin as “Bitcoin Core.” Voorhees: ‘It Was A Mistake’ The mislabelling, which repeated across ShapeShift’s social media suite, came as it announced a partnership with Roger Ver’s Bitcoin.com to enable the resource’s wallet users to switch between Bitcoin (BTC) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH). The rivalry between Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash proponents has continued in 2018, with the latter, in particular Bitcoin.com CEO Ver, claiming the hard fork to be the ‘real’ Bitcoin. Bitcoinist reported Tuesday that…

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Forks are now commonplace in the crypto industry. Bitcoin has had more of them than an Italian restaurant in recent months. While they may cause confusion to those new to the scene, they are essentially just another version of the original blockchain. Well most of them are anyway; a new fork of Litecoin may not be all that it seems. It has been reported this week that Litecoin founder Charlie Lee is actively warning people not to trust or invest in Litecoin Cash. The new version apparently has nothing to…

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JPMorgan now recognizes the fantastic potential that a Bitcoin-based ETF can offer. When communicating with its clients about the multiple benefits of such a financial product, the megabank refers to it as the “holy grail for owners and investors.” This proclamation occurs when the total cryptocurrency market cap surpasses JPMorgan’s. The Many Benefits of Bitcoin ETFs Business Insider reports that on February 9, 2018, JPMorgan informed its clients of the benefits that Bitcoin ETFs would bring, underlining the following: Easier access: “Investors need wallets to trade the physical Bitcoins today,…

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Seven of the biggest crypto companies have joined forces this week to form the first UK trade body for the industry, as reported by The Telegraph. Pre-empting the ever-looming threat of the financial authorities,  they have produced a code-of-conduct, which they hope will form the basis of any future regulation. Industry-wide Self-Regulation CryptoUK will represent the interests of the entire cryptocurrency sector, and its founder members reflect this diversity. Initially, the body covers exchanges, trading platforms and comparison sites for buyers and sellers of tokens. Also represented are intermediaries and merchants, those who…

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The European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) have issued a press release alerting consumers to the risks associated with buying cryptocurrency. The release follows previous statements issued that warned investors of the risks associated with participating in ICOs and trading digital assets.  Lack of Regulation and a ‘Pricing Bubble’ Just yesterday, the ESAs issued a statement to consumers, warning them of the risks associated with cryptocurrency due to their non-regulated status. Their main concern for investors deals with the potential for a cryptocurrency exchange to be hacked or shut down, and the inability…

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