Category: Uncategorized

The South Korean prime minister has emphasized that closing down cryptocurrency exchanges is not a serious consideration. His statement clears up any remaining confusion in the market regarding whether the Korean regulators are still considering this option. Also read: Japan’s DMM Bitcoin Exchange Opens for Business With 7 Cryptocurrencies Closing Down Exchanges Not Serious Consideration Lee Nak-yeon. South Korea’s prime minister, Lee Nak-yeon, responded to questions from opposition parties on Tuesday regarding the government’s policies on cryptocurrencies at the National Assembly meeting, local media report. “There has been a harsh criticism…

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Online shopping is an immense industry in China, with hundreds of millions of users and worth over $670 billion last year. Some of the largest e-commerce markets on the planet are targeted at Chinese consumers, and their spending power is growing. Payment convenience is a key component of the success of online marketplaces, and Ripple intends to facilitate that with new partnerships in the country. In an announcement on the Ripple company blog yesterday, the San Francisco-based blockchain firm stated that it was entering into partnership with a leading Chinese…

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Ogling the fortunes of the filthy rich is a popular pastime with the poorer segments of society. It’s been that way for centuries, with 1849 marking the debut of Who’s Who, a 250-page guide “of living noteworthy and influential individuals, from all walks of life, worldwide.” In more recent years, Forbes has picked up the baton with its annual Rich List which reveals how the 1% are faring. Predictably, the U.S. publication has now launched its own crypto edition for the community to pore over. One name who doesn’t make…

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The Monetary Authority of Singapore has been studying cryptocurrency developments and there is no strong case to ban crypto trading, a high-ranking government official told lawmakers. The adoption of regulations in other countries in the region has increased pressure on authorities in the city-state to clarify their stance on bitcoin, as more crypto companies in Asia are seeking friendlier business environments. Also Read: Thailand Taking Steps to Regulate ICOs It Is Too Early To Say… “The number and different forms of cryptocurrencies is growing internationally”, Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore…

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General Manager of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), Agustín Carstens, gave a talk at Goethe University in its House of Finance, Tuesday, 6 February in Frankfurt. Titled Money in the Digital Age: What Role for Central Banks?, the talk saw Mr. Carstens acknowledge “We have seen a bit of a shift, to issues at the very heart of central banking. This shift is driven by developments at the cutting edge of technology. While it has been bubbling under the surface for years, the meteoric rise of bitcoin and other…

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Bitcoin and cryptocurrency markets have been extremely bearish over the past six weeks straight, and many investors are waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel. Last year around this time we reported on a variety of cryptocurrency dignitaries, pundits, and bigwigs and they revealed to us that their outlook for 2017 was exceedingly bullish. Now even after the long run of recent bitcoin market dips many blockchain industry luminaries and outside investors are still remarkably optimistic about cryptocurrency markets in 2018. Also Read: UNICEF Asks Gamers to…

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Government officials can’t seem to make their minds up about bitcoin. Politicians like the underlying technology, they are prone to insist, but aren’t sure about the cryptocurrency itself, which is used by criminals to launder money, they reiterate. In as many weeks, European Commission-affiliated groups have issued two seemingly contradictory statements on the matter. Either bitcoin and its accompanying blockchain are tools for money laundering or they are tools for providing accountability and auditability. Which is true? Also read: Cryptocurrency Is Harder to Launder Than Fiat Currency Blockchain Good, Bitcoin Bad…

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Singapore doesn’t view Bitcoin as a threat and claims there is no reason to ban cryptocurrency trading within the city-state. Why so Serious? As China steps up its efforts to eradicate Bitcoin buying and cryptocurrency trading from within its borders, Singapore sees no reason to ban “experimental” cryptocurrency trading in the city-state. The news comes after an extensive review from Singapore’s central bank, who has been conducting studies on cryptocurrencies and their potential risks. Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam says: Cryptocurrencies are an experiment. The number and different forms of cryptocurrencies…

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Mining Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is a costly endeavor, burning through resources and racking up sky high electricity bills. Savvy miners, however, are both cutting Bitcoin mining costs and reducing their carbon footprint by going green. Powered by Nature As cryptocurrency miners seek more computing power to handle increasingly difficult computations, many are turning to renewable energy to help reduce the environmental and economic costs associated with the business. According to reports, big-time miners like Bitmain Technologies, HIVE Blockchain Technologies, and Bitfury Group are hoping to attract investors by utilizing…

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Just in time for what some savvy investors might construe as a 60%-off Bitcoin sale, VISA and Mastercard have decided to make buying cryptocurrency more expensive than ever. Bitcoin is “Cash”  Now? At some point during the last week, both VISA and Mastercard decided to reclassify Bitcoin transactions as “cash advances” – as opposed to purchases. According to a spokesperson from Mastercard: Over the past few weeks, we have clarified to acquirers – or the merchant’s bank – the right transaction or merchant category code to use for these type…

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