Tom Shaughnessy and Jordan Clifford on Layer 1 Wars, Token Economics and a Shift to Applications

The big story of 2019 was "quiet" building. When it comes to 2020, however, watch out for fireworks.

MARKETS DAILY HOLIDAYS: DeFi?

On today’s holiday episode, we’ll define and demystify the blockchain term “DeFi.”

In Race for 2030 Currency Supremacy, the Dollar Is Its Own Worst Enemy

As the roaring '20s begin, the U.S. dollar looks as strong as ever. But signs of decline are on the horizon.

Inside the Osaka Conference Where Crypto Got Serious About FATF’s ‘Travel Rule’

Held in June, the V20 Summit was a chance for the industry to respond to a highly controversial set of recommendations handed down by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

What Is a Cryptocurrency? We Need Clearer Definitions

In the wake of Libra and CBDCs, we need better definitions for what is and isn't a cryptocurrency.

Katherine Wu on DeFi and the Inevitability of the Digital Yuan

How DeFi found its footing in 2019 and what it means that 2020 will see the launch of a Chinese digital yuan.

Virgil Griffith to be Released on Bail to Alabama

Virgil Griffith is slated to be released to his parents home in Alabama pending some pre-release conditions, after a ruling by the Hon. Vernon Broderick in in New York Monday. “Laws in this country are not suggestions,” Judge Broderick told the accused Ethereum Foundation developer as the hearing began, according to a tweet thread from […]

MARKETS DAILY HOLIDAYS: Hot Wallets and Cold Storage?

On today’s holiday episode, we’ll define and demystify the blockchain concepts of “Hot Wallets” and “Cold Storage”

IOTA Fixes ‘Minor’ Network Bug Following 15-Hour Mainnet Downtime

The IOTA Foundation said it has resolved a software bug that prevented transactions from confirming on the IOTA network for 15 hours.

Thanks to Better UX, This Year Dapps Will Go Mainstream

While thinking big is admirable, new technologies must first identify real problems and offer solutions people can use.

AI For Everyone: Super-Smart Systems That Reward Data Creators

Combing AI and blockchain enables sophisticated data processing while respecting personal data privacy.

Korea’s Tax Agency to Withhold $70M From Crypto Exchange Bithumb

South Korea's National Tax Service will withhold tax worth $70 million from the country's largest crypto exchange Bithumb.

Huobi Indonesia Adds Fiat-to-Crypto Gateway in Bid for Global Expansion

Huobi's local partner in Indonesia got a fiat-to-crypto onramp to facilitate trading in 250 cryptocurrencies.

China May Soon Have Its First Blockchain Exchange-Traded Fund

China Securities Regulatory Commission has recently received an application for listing a blockchain-based exchange-traded fund.

Data Creators Should Share in the Profits From Big Data

If data is the new oil, we need new business models allowing creators to share in the profits.

Blockchain Projects Are Just Entering the Netscape Phase

People who claim “nothing has happened yet,” or that digital assets and blockchains only have limited use cases, only see patches of the quilt.

Camila Russo and David Hoffman on the 2020 DeFi Outlook

Why the undisputed narrative of 2019 was the rise of DeFi and why 2020 promises even more exciting developments.

Treadway Commission to Issue Blockchain Security Guidance in 2020

The influential Treadway Commission plans to issue security guidance for companies using blockchain.

Sovereign Powers Could Be Key To Mass Crypto Adoption

A statist approach to blockchain development, like other industrial policies in the past, might yet prove successful in this market.

South Korean Central Bank to Organize a CDBC Task Force

South Korea's central bank plans to hire additional experts as it studies digital currencies and blockchain technology.

MARKETS DAILY HOLIDAYS: Smart Contracts?

On today’s holiday episode, we’ll quickly define and demystify the blockchain term “smart contract.”

Ethereum’s ‘Bazaar’ Development Model Will Pay Off in 2020

2020 is Ethereum 2.0’s year of delivery. We just have to trust in the community's unusual model of development, says ConsenSys's Eth2 adviser.

Twitter Bug Exposed Millions of User Phone Numbers

A bug in Twitter's Android app let users connect random phone numbers to real Twitter handles.

Marty Bent on the Macro Fires on the Horizon

From a trade war tweeting president to protests in Hong Kong, 2019 saw global instability (and in turn, the raison d’etre for bitcoin) increase.

YouTube Calls Crypto Purge a Mistake But Many Videos Still Missing

YouTube shut down dozens of crypto videos in a move that it admits was a mistake.

Holiday Spending up 14.6% as E-Commerce Beats Brick-and-Mortar

Holiday spending rose this year as e-commerce overtook brick-and-mortar sales again this year.

Crypto Custodians Grapple With Germany’s New Rules

While a grandfather clause allows crypto custodians to keep serving German customers without being penalized, those same companies are waiting on financial regulator BaFin to release final regulations around the law.

The Bahamas Will Launch a Digital Currency Pilot Tomorrow

A new “digital fiat currency” for the Bahamas could turn the island nation in to a crypto testbed.

Crypto Firms Can Now Apply for a License in France

The license is optional for crypto firms operating in France, but firms can use the license in marketing themselves to institutional clients.

MARKETS DAILY HOLIDAYS: HODL?

On today’s holiday episode of Markets Daily, we’ll define and demystify the blockchain term “ HODL”

Binance Blockade of Wasabi Wallet Could Point to a Crypto Crack-Up

2020 may see crypto’s most consequential fork yet: A split between the worlds of regulated exchanges and privacy-focused users.

The View From Tel Aviv: Ouriel Ohayon

Tel Aviv is a hotspot for crypto development. ZenGo CEO Ouriel Ohayon puts us on the ground there.

The Ethereum Community Is No Longer Fighting With Itself

Ethereum's infighting in 2016 and 2017 has been replaced by co-operation and alliance-building, says a veteran member of the community.

Rob ‘Crypto Bobby’ Paone and Preethi Kasireddy on Fundraising, Halvings, and the Long Steady Slog of Crypto

Why 2019 was a long, steady slog of behind the scenes building and why 2020 promises more of the same.

MARKETS DAILY HOLIDAYS: It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Bitcoin

On today's holiday episode of Markets Daily, we are joined by Santa Clause for a bitcoin holiday classic.

American Cancer Society Now Accepting Bitcoin Donations Through BitPay

“Our mission is urgent and in order to accomplish it, we need to engage donors where they are.”

Meltem Demirors on Government Digital Currencies and Why ‘The Halvening’ Gets Weird

Why the narrative of 2019 was the emergencies of Central Bank Digital Currencies and why the halvening won’t go as people expect

Paraguay Audits Local Crypto Industry to Prepare for FATF-Style Regulations

Paraguay has conducted a mass audit of local cryptocurrency businesses, paving the way for the country’s first virtual asset regulations in 2020.

MARKETS DAILY HOLIDAYS: Get Yourself a Little Bit of Bitcoin

On today's holiday episode of Markets Daily, we're joined by John Barrett for a holiday classic.

Bomb Threats Demanding Bitcoin Force Evacuations Across Russia

Someone has been sending bomb threats across Russia for a month, demanding $870,000 worth of bitcoin supposedly stolen from the defunct cryptocurrency exchange WEX.

Amir Taaki’s Ongoing Crypto Revolution

An early bitcoin pioneer discusses the delisting of privacy coins, ethereum's "capture," and why Brexit and Steve Bannon are "good things."

Hedera Hashgraph Asks Investors to Wait Longer for Tokens After Price Crash

Hedera Hashgraph, the company behind the blockchain-like Hedera network, is asking investors to wait longer for tokens they paid for, in order to stabilize their cratering price.

Chinese Internet Giant Tencent to Launch Digital Currency Research Team

Tencent, the Chinese internet giant and owner of WeChat, is reportedly forming a team to explore possible new use cases for cryptocurrencies.

Looking Backward to Build the Future: How Academia Is Shifting Its Blockchain Focus

Reuben Youngblom interviews academics working to educate the next generation of crypto designers and developers.

Out of the Ashes: Four Trends to Shape Crypto in 2020

The evolution of digital asset markets over the past year has gone far towards consolidating mainstream foundations.

Peter McCormack on a Defiant New Era For Bitcoin

Why the narrative of 2019 was protest and dissent and why 2020 will see bloodletting in the alt markets.

Ethereum Network Draws Developer Ire After Scheduling New Year’s Day Upgrade

The organization behind ether, the world's second-largest cryptocurrency, is drawing criticism from developers after scheduling an upgrade on New Year's Day - a work holiday in most countries.

MARKETS DAILY HOLIDAYS: What’s a ‘Satoshi’?

On today's holiday episode of Markets Daily, we take a look at the term "Satoshi", it's origin, what it means and why it matters.

Unlike Libra, Digital Yuan Will Not Need Currency Reserves To Support Value: PBOC Official

PBOC wants to distinguish its own digital currency from rival private initiatives.

Poloniex Drops KYC for Withdrawals Below $10,000 Following US Exit

The new KYC requirements come a week after Poloniex completed its U.S. exit.

Into The Ether: 90% of All ETH Wallets Now ‘Out-of-The-Money’

Ether is down significantly from record highs and the majority of its holders are losing money on their investments.

Corporations Need Bitcoin. They Just Don’t Know It Yet

Bitcoin could be the basis for a new corporate operating system, writes Iterative Capital managing partner Chris Dannen.

Bitcoin Futures Provider Bakkt Names Mike Blandina as New Head

Bitcoin warehouse and Intercontinental Exchange subsidiary Bakkt officially has a new head.

2020 Vision: 7 Trends Bringing Blockchain Into Focus in the Year Ahead

As the blockchain industry moves from experimentation to implementation, futurist David Shrier is following these seven bellwethers.

Smashing Through Surveillance Capitalism With Blockchain

The founders of RadicalxChange argue that we need to focus on the political economy if we want technologies like blockchain to produce better social outcomes.

Why the SEC Asked Blockforce Capital to Pull a Bitcoin ETF Proposal as Soon as It Was Filed

Reality Shares ETF Trust, a branch of Blockforce Capital, filed an ETF proposal under the condition that it would pull the proposal after one day.

Lawsuit Shows How a Public Firm’s $80M Bet on Bitcoin Miners Went Terribly Wrong

The legal dispute between bitcoin miner Ebang and Chinese public firm Wholeasy reflects the prolonged magnitude of last year's market sell-off.

Regulatory Issues Need More Clarity in 2020

In this state of regulatory uncertainty, blockchain conferences help to find common ground between founders, developers and regulators.

Beyond Storage: How Custody Is Evolving to Meet Institutional Needs

Crypto's second wave of custody solutions will be trained on satisfying the needs of institutions, writes Anchorage's Diogo Monica.

Crypto Needs More Lighthouse Customers

Crypto needs users willing to take on the risk of trying new products. The lack of "lighthouses" is a glaring problem for the industry.

Institutional Investment in Crypto: Top 10 Takeaways of 2019

The industry is currently segmented into two main categories: bitcoin and everything else.

Hanukkah Reflections on My Year of Toying With Bitcoin

‘Tis the season for introspection. And this year, my thoughts are on bitcoin.

For Quick Wins, Focus on Decentralization Within Existing Businesses

Instead of creating new solutions to replace existing businesses with decentralized ones, startups should focus on improving existing businesses using decentralization.

3 Under-the-Radar Product Trends for 2020

Here's what 1confirmation partner Richard Chen is expecting to pop in the new year.

An Identity Layer for the Web Would Identify Us Everywhere

With the digital subsuming our reality, an identity layer for the web would be an identity layer for our lives.

2019 Set the Stage for DeFi to Go Mainstream

DeFi's biggest strength is the ability to recreate itself and scale endlessly without regulatory approval.

‘Multi-Part’ Payments Could Bring Bigger Bitcoin Sums to Lightning Network

With its latest "major release," bitcoin tech startup Blockstream said its c-lightning software team is the first to release a working version of "multi-part payments."

Art Haus Ethereum Meets Bitcoin Financialization

NLW discusses two ends of the crypto spectrum: the emergence of bitcoin derivatives as a key 2019 trend vs. a new bonding-curve powered fashion DAO

Alibaba Patents Would Secure, Accelerate Its Consortium Blockchain

Chinese internet giant Alibaba Group has won two U.S. patents designed to make its blockchain network safer and faster.

A Decade of Quantitative Easing Has Paved the Way for the Age of Digital Currency

Ten years of central bank quantitative easing have fostered big distortions in the global financial system, setting it up for a major architectural shift.

CipherTrace to Tackle ‘Modern-Day Slavery’ With Crypto Analytics

The blockchain security firm has partnered with the Anti-Human Trafficking Intelligence Initiative (ATII) to fight human trafficking.

US Lawmakers Ask IRS to Clarify Crypto Tax Rules Around Airdrops, Forks in New Letter

Congressmen are again asking the IRS for clarity on its recent cryptocurrency tax guidance.

Crypto Must Embrace the Fringe to Win Over the Mainstream

Leaders should ask who is under-served by the current financial system and how blockchain addresses those needs.

MARKETS DAILY: Defeating the ‘Domination’ of the US Dollar

With bitcoin seemingly back to 'normal', we take a moment to look at historical adoption at the fringe and how it might apply to national cryptocurrencies. It's CoinDesk's Markets Daily.

New Ransomware Tactic: Pay Us or the World Sees Your Keys

A new malware technique makes a company's files public if it refuses to pay ransom.

With So Much Debt Around, Investors Need Bitcoin As a Reflation Hedge

Market prices don't reflect rational decisions and central banks can hardly manage inflation. That's where bitcoin comes in.

Facebook’s Social Media Platforms May Give Libra Unfair Advantage, Says ECB’s Lagarde

Facebook could leverage its social media platform to block out competitors, according to Christine Lagarde.

The Central Bank Business Model Is Under Attack

Libra spurred central banks into action on digital currency projects this year.

Alleged BTC-e Operator Alexander Vinnik to Be Extradited to France: Reports

Alleged BTC-e exchange operator and money launderer Alexander Vinnik is finally being extradited to France, say reports.

French Financial Watchdog Approves First ICO Under New ‘Visa’ Scheme

The approved ICO issuer can now legally market and host their sale until the beginning of June 2020.

Charlie Shrem: What I Still Love About Crypto

A early pioneer in the crypto space reflects on the past year.

Ripple Raises $200M in Series-C Round Led By Tetragon

Blockchain-based payments firm Ripple has raised $200 million in a Series-C funding round led by alternative asset investment firm Tetragon.

Bitcoin Price Set to Outshine Gold and Stocks By Big Margin in 2019

Despite the downtrend in the latter half of 2019, bitcoin is on track to significantly outperform gold and stocks.

Investment Giant Fortress Issues New Buyout Offer for Mt Gox Creditor Claims

Creditors have until December 31 to accept the offer.

German Stock Exchange Plans International Digital Asset ‘Ecosystem’ Through New Partnership With SBI

German stock exchange owner Boerse Stuttgart Group and Japanese financial giant SBI Group are teaming up on a joint initiative to expand their digital assets businesses internationally.

Blockstream’s ‘Watchtowers’ Will Bring a New Justice System to the Lightning Network

Watchtowers, a semi-trusted payment channel sheriff, is designed to keep the peace among lightning nodes.

Meet the Decentralized Fashion House Bringing Overpriced T-Shirts to Ethereum

Saint Fame, a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), is part fashion house, part ethereum subculture.

Alleged ‘Dark Overlord’ Hacker Gang Member Extradited to US

A British national has been extradited to the U.S. for his alleged participation in “The Dark Overlord” hacking group that stole data from several Missouri companies and demanded ransom paid in bitcoin.

Binance Invests Undisclosed Sum in Crypto Derivatives Platform FTX

Crypto exchange Binance has invested in derivatives platform FTX as part of a strategic partnership between the firms.

GSR Partners With Canaan-Backed Startup to Offer Crypto Miners Derivatives

GSR and Interhash want to help crypto miners hedge their costs with a new series of derivatives products.

Fowler May Change ‘Not Guilty’ Plea in Crypto Capital Laundering Case

Crypto Capital principal Reginald Fowler is expected to plead guilty to at least one charge stemming from allegations he ran an unlicensed money services business.

Blockchain.com’s New GBP Gateway Creates a Crypto-Hedge Against Brexit Uncertainty

Blockchain.com is adding a British pound gateway to its cryptocurrency exchange as it bets on more Brexit chaos.

Iran President: We Need a Muslim Cryptocurrency to Fight the US Dollar

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says the Muslim world needs its own cryptocurrency to fight American economic domination in international trade and cut reliance on the dollar.

Should the Government Have a Say in Where You Can Invest?

NLW discusses forthcoming changes to US accredited investor laws and looks at a trend of DeFi companies looking to become more decentralized in 2020.

Dragonfly Capital, Paradigm Buy $27.5M Stake in Governing MakerDAO’s Future

Combined, the VCs have the second largest private stake in the MKR ecosystem.

MARKETS DAILY: Bullish Bitcoin Dreams and a 2019 to Remember

Bitcoin's up more than 10%, but will it last? It's CoinDesk's Markets Daily.

How Decentralized Tech Can End the Privacy Crisis in 2020

If we’re not careful, blockchain will be remembered for perfecting the surveillance economy.

James Ferguson on Decentralized Gaming’s Next Moves

James Ferguson, CEO of Immutable, doesn't think all games need to be on the blockchain, but it wouldn't hurt if they were decentralized.

Is Blockchain the Shot in the Arm Healthcare Needs?

Alex Cahana asks whether blockchain can make the medicine go down, in looking for solutions to today's healthcare industry.

Coinbase CEO Armstrong Wins Patent for Tech Allowing Users to Email Bitcoin

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has been granted a U.S. patent for an invention that makes sending bitcoin as easy as email, literally.

Fidelity Exec Predicts Crypto Custodians Will White-Label Their Services

Fidelity Digital Assets envisions a future where custodians work behind the scenes to store cryptocurrency for other firms’ clients, an exec said.

Fidelity-backed Fireblocks In Talks With Potential Wall Street Clients Following EY Accreditation

Enterprise-focused crypto transaction platform Fireblocks has passed an EY data security audit. Now it can seek clients in traditional finance.

EY Open-Sources Tech It Says Slashes Cost of Private Ethereum Transactions

Lowering the costs of private transactions in this way makes the public ethereum blockchain more competitive with private chains, EY says.

Mind-Bending Narrative Shifts in 2019

When it comes to crypto, narrative shifts represent shifts in mindshare. The most significant narrative of 2019? Digital currency wars.

Bitcoin Price Jumps 10%, But Bull Reversal Still $700 Away

Bitcoin logged its biggest daily gain in seven weeks on Wednesday, neutralizing the bearish scenario.

BitGo Warns Users to Withdraw Bitcoin SV Over Hard Fork Threat to Wallets

A major code update for the cryptocurrency bitcoin SV will render some features of BitGo's wallets useless, the crypto custodian says.

Snowball: The Effort to Bring Privacy to Every Bitcoin Wallet

A new Bluetooth-based tech could snowball into a way to create truly private transactions, its creator says.

Blockchain of Things Pays SEC $250,000 to Settle Unregistered ICO

Internet startup Blockchain of Things has agreed to pay $250,000 to settle with the SEC over its $13 million ICO.

Libra Lacks Clarity on ‘Opaque’ Currency Basket, Says Fed Reserve Governor

Federal Reserve governor Lael Brainard has warned that the Facebook-led Libra project faces stiff regulatory challenges and that there's a question mark over one of its core concepts.

Whiplash: Bitcoin Slides Below $6,500, Surges Above $7,100 in 8-Hour Span

Bitcoin traders might need a neck brace from watching Wednesday's price action.

Presenting CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2019

Chosen by CoinDesk staff and readers, Most Influential is a selection of people who did exceptional blockchain-y things in 2019.

‘Stacking Sats’ vs. ‘ETH is Money’ – The Memes That Shaped 2019

NLW breaks down ten memes and narratives that dominated the crypto conversation in 2019.

The Year of the Patient Builder and the Persistent Bully

Trent Larson, Principal Software Developer for Medici Ventures, thinks regulators should let the builders build.

It’s Not Just the Money, It’s the People in Bitcoin: Anil Lulla

Credible brands are making long-term investments in this technology, says Anil Lulla, co-founder of Delphi Digital, a research boutique.

SEC Proposal Would Broaden ‘Accredited Investor’ Definition

The SEC's proposed amendment would allow more investors access to private capital markets.

‘TurboTax’ for Crypto: Accounting Firm Lukka Debuts Tax Tool for Retail Investors

Lukka, one of the first accounting firms for digital assets, is offering tax preparation services to retail crypto investors starting on Jan. 15.

MARKETS DAILY: Crypto Bears Circle While Hackers Rethink Their Malware Strategy

No lions or tigers, just bears. Here's CoinDesk Markets Daily with Adam B. Levine and Brad Keoun.

A Year of Careful, Prosaic, BUIDLing

The debate isn't bitcoin or blockchain, it's about separating real ROIs from the noise-makers, says the executive director of Hyperledger.

Bitcoin ‘UTXOs in Loss’ at Record Highs Amid Price Sell-Off

A key metric is hovering at record highs, suggesting investors are likely holding bitcoins even when deep in the red.

10 Events to Look Out for in 2020

The halving. Central bank currencies. Telegram vs the SEC. There's lots to look forward to in 2020. CoinDesk's research team previews.

Monero’s ‘Fluffypony’ Steps Down as Lead Maintainer of Privacy Coin Project

Riccardo Spagni, better known as "Fluffypony," will relinquish his day-to-day leadership role in the privacy coin project.

Tradeshift Says It’s Slashed Cross-Border Transaction Costs Using Ethereum

Supply chain fintech startup Tradeshift, which boasts two million firms on its platform, says it's slashed the cost of cross-border transactions between buyers and suppliers using the public ethereum blockchain.

Kyber Network Aims to Improve DeFi Liquidity With ‘Katalyst’ Protocol Upgrade

Kyber Network, the ethereum-based protocol focused on aggregating liquidity and facilitating swaps for ERC-20 tokens, is about to launch a major upgrade.

EY Launches Token and Smart Contract Testing Service in Open Beta

Now in public beta, EY's new review service assesses code quality and checks for malware.

Ex-Kraken Employee Alleges ‘Unethical and Illegal Tactics’ in Discrimination Lawsuit

The cryptocurrency exchange is being sued by an ex-employee who alleges the company unfairly fired him for raising serious issues with its business practices.

Bitcoin Drops Below Major Price Support For First Time Since May

Having found acceptance under a key long-term price support, bitcoin risks dropping to seven-month lows below $6,500.

HTC to Increase Focus on Blockchain Phones, AI After New Staff Cuts

The Taiwanese tech firm said the downsize will allow it to retain an edge in an increasingly competitive space.

Crypto-Mining Attacks Fell Sharply in 2019 but Ransomware Is Trending: Kaspersky

In the cat-and-mouse game between hackers and users, less-lucrative crypto-mining malware fell out of favor this year.

Circle Pivots to Stablecoin Platform as More Execs, Teams Depart

Circle will focus on its stablecoin business next year, following the sale of its OTC desk to Kraken and the departure of its chief financial and legal officers.

Canaan’s Post-IPO Stock Plunge Reveals Sales Slump, Price War With Bitmain

Cryptocurrency mining computer-maker Canaan Inc. may have picked the worst time for its initial public stock offering.

As We Hunger for Viability, Let’s Stay True to Our Values

Sometimes we are so in fear of external attack that we risk morphing into something technically the same but fundamentally different.

Hong Kong Blockchain VC Hires Former NEO Exec to Launch Shanghai Office

Former NEO general manager Zhao Chen joins Hong Kong-based venture capital firm CMCC Global to lead blockchain equity investments in mainland China at a new Shanghai office.

The Productization of Bitcoin Maximalism

NLW discusses the rise in bitcoin only businesses and “blockchain not crypto” in China vs. “digital assets not blockchain” in US financial firms.

ErisX Takes on Bakkt With Launch of Physically-Settled US Bitcoin Futures

ErisX plans to work with futures commission merchants and brokerages starting next year, allowing investors hoping to trade its physically-settled bitcoin futures an alternative to Bakkt

Block.One’s Venture Arm to Dole Out $50K Grants to Promising EOS Projects

EOS VC is looking for "world-conquerors and local heroes" for its new grants program.

‘Anonymity Vouchers’ Could Bring Limited Privacy to CBDCs: ECB Report

Europe's central bankers have developed an "anonymity voucher" to give prospective CBDC users limited privacy in their retail transactions.

MARKETS DAILY: Another Chainalysis Bombshell, Plus a Long Squeeze?

After a brief overnight recovery, bitcoin is getting battered along with the rest of the sector, but how much lower can we go? It's CoinDesk's Markets Daily.

Fidelity to Expand Institutional Crypto Business to Europe

Fidelity Investment, one of the world's largest asset managers, is setting up a new entity to serve European institutional investors in digital assets.

Jake Chervinsky: I’m Surprised There Haven’t Been More Enforcement Actions This Year

Chervinsky, counsel at Compound, discusses crypto's regulatory issues and growing pains.

UN to Use Blockchain to Tackle Exploitation of Migrant Workers in Hong Kong

The new initiative will help ensure migrant workers aren’t charged unethical fees.

UK’s Oldest Crypto Exchange to Delist Ethereum and Focus Solely on Bitcoin

Coinfloor, the U.K.’s longest-running cryptocurrency exchange, plans to delist ethereum and bitcoin cash next month to focus solely on bitcoin.

What Bitcoin Means for Athletes Like Me

To Russell Okung, the Los Angeles Chargers' left tackle, bitcoin means economic sovereignty and self-empowerment.

State Street Teams up With Winklevoss-Founded Gemini Exchange for Digital Assets Trial

Boston-based State Street Corp. announced Tuesday that it's partnering with cryptocurrency exchange and custodian Gemini Trust on a new trial that examines reporting scenarios for digital assets.

Bitcoin Price Hits 3-Week Low Even as Investor Bets on a Bull Move Surge

Bitcoin has dropped to three-week lows and risks a deeper slide, but longs are being placed in record numbers on Bitfinex.

We Made No Progress, Other Than All the Progress We Made

Billions have gone into making the distribution of financial products easier. Nothing real has changed in the making of financial instruments, until now, says ConsenSys' Lex Sokolin.

Blockchain Startup Conflux to Get Shanghai Government Funding for Research Institute

Shanghai will open a blockchain incubation center by the end of December with substantial investment, even as China’s government continues to crack down on crypto-related businesses.

Accenture Will Board Corporates Onto Marco Polo Shipping Blockchain

Accenture plans to help TradeIX create new use cases beyond banking for buyers and sellers within trade finance after backing the Marco Polo tech partner.

Chainalysis Report on PlusToken ‘Scammers’ Blamed for Monday’s Crypto Selloff

As bitcoin and ether prices fell below technically significant levels, some traders are citing fear emanating from a report about the alleged PlusToken Ponzi scheme as the reason for the plunge

2 Russian Nationals Charged With Mining Crypto on State Computers

Two Russian nationals are being prosecuted for allegedly crypto mining on Russian government-owned computer systems, state news agency TASS reported Monday.

Authoritarian Airdop: Maduro ‘Gifts’ Petros to Venezuelans for Christmas

Discussing new trials of an LN point-of-sale app; updates in consumer & institutional crypto derivatives, and Venezuelan petros as holiday bonuses.

What Do Women Want? More Educational Materials Before Investing in Bitcoin

There would be more women investing in bitcoin if they had more educational materials to help them, a new report found.

Chinese City Warns Investors: Crypto Isn’t Blockchain

One Chinese city has a stern warning for investors: make sure you are not investing in crypto masquerading as blockchain.

Top 10 US Retail Banks Unknowingly Serve Crypto Startups, CipherTrace Claims

CipherTrace revealed research Monday showing that the top 10 retail banks by assets managed in the U.S. worked with unregistered crypto money services businesses by transmitting funds on their payment networks.

This Year’s Top Ten Crypto Narratives

From “The Revolution Needs Rules” to “Unbank the Banked,” 2019 was full of resonant phrases. Selkis, CEO of Messari, makes sense of them.

Bitcoin-Savvy Retailers to Experiment With Point-of-Sale Lightning App in 2020

Iterative Capital is working with Breez on a point-of-sale app for bitcoin lightning payments. Some retailers are already testing the beta version.

Blockchain Projects Work Better When Everyone Collaborates

To reach its potential, blockchain needs to support inclusion and avoid power consolidation, says the head of blockchain at the World Economic Forum.

MARKETS DAILY: Weird News Out of Canada and a Predicted Bull Run

Blockchain goes to court in China and we get expert predictions for 2020. It's CoinDesk's Markets Daily.

Musicians Want to Break Free of Big Tech

Decentralized platforms are the best means to solve equity problems in creative industries, says Roneil Rumburg, co-founder and CEO of Audius.

Venezuela’s Maduro Says He Will Airdrop Half a Petro Each to Nation’s Civilians

Venezuelans including public sector workers, retirees and the military are set to receive a petro token handout this Christmas, so long as they register for the state's crypto payments platform.

Bitcoin Has Got Society to Think About the Nature of Money

2020 may be the year we see the value of infrastructure built in response to bitcoin and the energy around blockchain.

Tata’s IT Arm Says Its New Toolkit Will Enable Faster Blockchain App Development

Tata Consultancy Services has launched a new blockchain developers' kit that it claims will make building apps 40 percent faster.

A Year After Bottoming Out at $3,100, Bitcoin is Up 127%

Bitcoin bears have dominated the second half of this year, but the cryptocurrency is still up 127% year on year.

Bitmain’s Miner Manufacturing Subsidiary Had $680k in Assets Frozen in a Contract Dispute

In the latest contract dispute to hit the firm, $680,000 belonging to a fully owned subsidiary of bitcoin mining giant Bitmain has been frozen by a Chinese court.

R3 Completes Trade Finance Blockchain Trial With More Than 70 Organizations

The trade finance blockchain consortium claims that it completed more than 700 funding requests with around 340 participants.

Bitmain Rival MicroBT’s Founder Arrested in China for Alleged Embezzlement

The arrest, noted by the Shenzhen Nanshan District Prosecutor on Dec. 12 and reported by business publication Caixin on Sunday, comes amid ongoing battles between mining giant Bitmain and MicroBT, which has been a rising competitor this year challenging Bitmain's market dominance.

Dissidents and Activists Have a lot to Gain From Bitcoin, if Only They Knew It

Bitcoin is working as Satoshi intended and already helps people facing repression. The problem is, many others don’t know about it yet.

How DeFi Goes Mainstream in 2020: Focus on Usability

DeFi and cryptocurrencies can go mainstream, but they need to be as easy to use as Facebook or Google.

Stone Bitcoins and Echoes From the Past

The best Sundays are for long reads and deep conversations. This time we're reflecting on the past and taking a deeper look at one of the most interesting blockchain allegories that doesn't involve technology at all…

In 2019, Students Demanded Blockchain Education. In 2020, It’s Coming

Student blockchain groups are popping up across the country, but student enthusiasm is not always backed by institutional buy-in.

Even if a Thousand Projects Don’t Make It, Blockchain Is Still a Change Catalyst

While we wait for crypto/blockchain success stories, it's already apparent that Satoshi's innovation is a change agent.

At a Refugee Camp in Iraq, a 16-Year-Old Syrian Is Teaching Crypto Basics

Here's what an unbanked refugee really thinks about crypto.

The Great Crypto Experiment Continues

It wasn't a year for regulatory clarity, huge investments or mass adoption. Yet crypto still progressed.

Change Won’t Happen With Chairman Clayton Around: Kristin Smith

A lobbyist surveys current attitudes towards blockchain in Washington D.C.

Change Won’t Happen With Chairman Clayton Around: Kristin Smith

A lobbyist surveys current attitudes towards blockchain in Washington D.C.

Lessons From the First Digital Gold Boom

Long before crypto, there was digital gold. The boom of the mid-1990s has echoes for today.

Meet Crypto’s New Best Friend: Fiat

Fiat and crypto are not enemies. They are complementary in any effective trading ecosystem.

Myths and Realities: Sentiment Analysis for Crypto Assets

Jesus Rodriguez, CTO of IntoTheBlock and chief scientist of AI firm Invector Labs, delves into the complications and nuances of crypto sentiment analysis.

75% of IoT Firms Want to Add Blockchain: Survey

A majority of those companies using Internet of Things technology has adopted, or is considering adopting, blockchain.

Stellar Tried to Give Away 2B XLM Tokens on Keybase. Then the Spammers Came

What was advertised to be a $120 million giveaway will now be much less. Here's why.

Accenture Picked to Build Sweden’s E-Krona Digital Currency Pilot

Sweden has picked Accenture to handle its e-krona digital currency pilot.

Highest in 2 Years: 65% of Bitcoin Hash Power Is in China, Report Finds

For all of bitcoin’s promise of being the world’s first decentralized, peer-to-peer cryptocurrency, 65 percent of the total hash power resides in China, according to a recent report by CoinShares Research.

Why the ECB Is Getting in on the Stablecoin Game

Discussing the ECB's recent stablecoin comments, the resurfacing of some prominent 2017 token projects and a debate: Is crypto for criminals?

VeChain Foundation Hacked for $6.5M in VET Token Theft

A VeChain buyback wallet containing 1.1 billion VET was compromised by an unknown hacker, the firm said Friday.

Bitcoin App Bottle Pay Shuts Down Over Impending EU Money-Laundering Laws

Bottle Pay is shutting down, citing the EU's new AML rules, which could compel crypto wallet providers to collect KYC info from users starting next month.

It’s Time to Walk-the-Talk on Decentralized Governance

Truly decentralized governance needs to take input from all stakeholders, which requires strong personalities to share the podium.

‘Request for Exhumation’: QuadrigaCX Creditors Ask for Proof That Cotten Is Dead

Creditors of QuadrigaCX have asked the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to exhume and conduct an autopsy of the failed exchange’s founder, Gerald Cotten.

MARKETS DAILY: Russian Drugs and The Most Illegal ICO Ever?

With bitcoin recovering after four straight days of decline we're talking about what may be the most illegal ICO ever, tokens for Mongolian taxi fares, Bitmain’s Texas hedge and one "suicidal" startups surprising success...

German Bank Launches Digital Assets Unit to Offer Custody Products

Berlin-based solarisBank has opened a subsidiary to offer a white-labeled custody product to nonbanks interested in offering crypto products.

Can ‘Dogfooding’ Altcoins Find Real Users in 2020?

Dogfooding - or using your own product - is normal among crypto startups. Is it indicative of a lack of real demand?

New York Attorney General Calls Bitfinex’s Legal Stance ‘Deeply Perverse’ in New Filing

In a sharply worded brief, the New York Attorney General's Office has criticized the exchange's tactics in its case involving the Tether stablecoin's backing.

What DeFi Needs Next Year: Three Priorities

DeFi took off this year but it remains a small deal in the scheme of things. Here's how that changes.

‘New Risks’: Swiss Government Skeptical on Central Bank Digital Currency

A digital Swiss franc would do more harm than good and bring financial risks, according to the nation's government.

Bitcoin’s Best Ally Is Just Time: Pompliano

Pomp talks Libra, why bank-issued coins are scary, and why this time is both different and not different.

Bitcoin Risks Deeper Drop After Shallow Price Bounce

Bitcoin is again looking weak, having charted a lackluster bounce from two-week lows in the last 24 hours.

This Token Project Offered to Shut Down. Its Market Cap Shot Up $10M

Should DigixDAO completely dissolve its treasury or keep making grants to enhance the ecosystem? That's the question for token holders to decide.

Stablecoin Startup Terra Expands to Mongolia With Taxi Payment Service

Terra is partnering with a Mongolian taxi company to let residents pay for rides using a stablecoin.

US Authorities Allege SIM Swapping Thief Bought Music Royalties, Jewelry, With Crypto

Court documents allege that Pennsylvania resident Anthony Faulk hijacked a crypto company executive's phone, stealing crypto and using the proceeds for an expensive watch, music royalties, jewelry and a house.

Cryptocurrency Is Still the World’s Best Performing Asset Class This Year

Large-cap cryptocurrencies had a phenomenal year and remain one of the greatest investment success stories of the decade.

Russia’s Largest Darknet Market Is Hawking an ICO to Fund Global Expansion

Here’s one token sale that’s almost certainly illegal, and not just under securities laws.

PODCAST: Introducing ’The Breakdown’ With Nathaniel Whittemore

In the debut episode, Nathaniel discusses recent regulatory action, DeFi project on bitcoin, and a new social media protocol initiative from Twitter.

Crypto Custody Firm Trustology Cuts Staff as Banks Delay on Digital Assets

Digital asset custody firm Trustology has cut seven of its 18 staffers as the big banks it courted are taking longer than expected to jump into crypto.

Mining Giant Glencore to Trace Cobalt Using ‘Responsible Sourcing’ Blockchain Consortium

Glencore, one of the world’s largest cobalt producers, will use a Hyperledger Fabric blockchain to responsibly source its supply chain.

Kraken Job Ad Hints at Plan to Build Special-Purpose Wyoming Bank

The cryptocurrency exchange has opened up a position for someone to oversee operations for the firm’s future Wyoming SPDI bank charter.

Development Group: Southeast Asian Consumers Too Bullish on Crypto?

Many southeast Asians consumers are interested in establishing or increasing their crypto investments, according to the OECD, but also admit to not really understanding them.

Decentralizing the Web Is More Necessary Than Ever

Galen Wolfe-Pauley says the bear market gives developers time and space to do what they do best.

Hold Tight, Here Come the Blockchain Wars

Prepare for a shakeout of blockchain projects in 2020 and the start of network-on-network conflict.

Ride ‘Em, Cowboy: Bitmain’s Marketing Gambit Ups Its Texas-Sized Position on Bitcoin

Bitmain's new strategy of giving put options on bitcoin to buyers of its miners amounts to a "Texas hedge" – doubling down on risk, not offsetting it.

Security Token Offerings Are (Finally) Set for Takeoff in 2020

After teething problems in 2018 and 2019, the market for security token offerings is ready for growth in 2020.

TokenSoft Scores SEC Transfer Agent Registration to Build ‘Automated Investment Bank’

Crypto startup TokenSoft has obtained a key regulatory seal of approval as it seeks to build an investment bank for the age of tokenization.

MARKETS DAILY: Billion Dollar Returns Removed From Libra White Paper

With markets continuing their decline, we're hunting for billion dollar returns and the Libra Investment Token in a major revision to the Libra white paper.

Planned $1.1B Sale of .Org Angers Many Open Source Crypto Developers

The potential sale of the .org top-level domain could mean higher costs for open source crypto projects.

2019: The Inflection Point for Data Privacy

Americans have had enough of companies monetizing our personal data. Smart companies will react.

Bitcoiners Are Building a Sidechain Version of Ethereum’s MakerDAO

The bitcoin community may soon have its own version of ethereum’s flagship decentralized finance (DeFi) platform.

Equilibrium’s Stablecoin Now Has $17.5M in Insurance That Pays Out Automatically

Equilibrium will hold 6.5 million EOS tokens in reserve as an insurance policy for users should its stablecoin lose its peg.

Dutch Bank ING Reportedly Working on Crypto Custody Tech

Netherlands-based banking multinational ING is developing technology for the custody of crypto assets, according to Reuters sources.

Binance Adds 167 Fiat Payment Options Through Integration With P2P Exchange Paxful

Binance has teamed up with peer-to-peer bitcoin exchange Paxful to enable users to purchase bitcoin with 167 fiat currencies.

Bitcoin Eyes Minor Price Bounce After Hitting Two-Week Low

Bitcoin has potential for a small price bounce after hitting two-week lows early on Thursday.

Cryptopia’s Liquidator Claws Back $7.2M, But Identifying Crypo Ownership a ‘Mammoth Task’

The liquidator for the collapsed New Zealand-based crypto exchange Cryptopia now has $7.2 million on balance for potential user refunds. Finding out who's owed what, though, is proving a tough task.

Volcker Might Have Said Yes to a Digital Dollar – If He Knew What It Was

What would the late former Federal Reserve Chair Paul Volcker have thought about digital currencies issued by central banks?

Netherlands Plans to Punish Crypto Scammers With Up to 6 Years in Jail

The Dutch government is about to get tougher with fraudulent schemes involving banking apps and cryptocurrencies.

Circle Confirms New Round of Layoffs Following Co-CEO Departure

Circle laid off about 10 employees in its latest effort to cut costs. The move follows a round of 30 layoffs in May.

SEC Charges Shopin CEO With Fraud Over Unregistered $42M ICO

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged Shopin and its founder Eran Eyal with fraud after a $42 million initial coin offering. The SEC announced Wednesday that Eyal had been charged with defrauding investors by selling unregistered securities in the form of Shopin Tokens. While Eyal was supposed to develop a platform which […]

Jack Dorsey Announces New Twitter Team: Square Crypto, but for Social Media

It could be a harbinger of a radical shift in social media infrastructure, depending on the execution.

The Year in Crypto Journalism: Truth Will Always Be Human

The crypto-sphere shows disdain for journalism, believing that technology is better at revealing truth. It isn't.

Kraken: $75 Device Will Get You Into Crypto Hardware Wallet KeepKey

Kraken Security Labs said crypto hardware wallet KeepKey is not doing enough to protect customers from physical attacks, saying it was able to get into the system using a $75 device.

Square Crypto Bankrolls Star Lightning Developer Known as ‘ZmnSCPxj’

Keeping in the cypherpunk spirit, Square Crypto has issued a grant to pseudonymous developer ZmnSCPxj for Lightning and bitcoin research.

MARKET DAILY: Nike and the ECB are Thinking with Tokens

With markets continuing their slide, today we're looking at NIke's recent tokenized shoe patent and the ECB's digital currency discussions. Later, we're joined by CoinDesk analyst Galen Moore for some insight into exchange fees, token listings and more...

D-Wave and NEC Partner to Create ‘Hybrid’ Quantum Applications

Supercomputer giant NEC is teaming up with a quantum computer manufacturer to create practical applications for the cutting-edge tech.

Ethereum Builder ConsenSys Shutters India and Philippines Operations

Consensys, the ethereum blockchain development company with hubs around the globe, has shut down key operations in India and the Philippines.

What the Wild History of Digital Currency Tells Us About The Future

An interview with Finn Brunton, the author of two books about the cultural history of digital currencies.

Never Mind Adoption, This was a Year of Steady Infrastructural Progress

As the blockchain stack matures, we’ll look back on 2019 as the start of the blockchain adoption journey.

New York Regulator Details Changes to Contentious BitLicense

The New York Department of Financial Services has outlined a new approach to approving what coins crypto exchanges can list in the Empire State.

Bitfury Invests in Shyft Network to Build Decentralized Identity Products

The Bitfury Group has made what it calls a “strategic acquisition” in decentralized credential provider Shyft Network as it prepares to build out government-facing identity products.

Australia’s Stock Exchange Backs $35M Round for DLT Survivor Digital Asset

Digital Asset has raised $35 million in Series C funding, signaling a comeback for the seminal enterprise blockchain startup.

2019 Saw the End of Blockchain Tourism

2019 saw a shift from dabbling in blockchain (just to make the trip) to applying the technology to solve problems.

SEC Taking ‘Measured’ Approach to Digital Asset Regulation, Jay Clayton Tells Senate Committee

The chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Jay Clayton, says his agency is taking a "measured" regulatory stance on "promising" blockchain tech.

This Year Proved Asia Is Ahead in Crypto-Blockchain Adoption

From mobile payments to regulation, Asia was quicker to take advantage of fintech technology.

Bitcoin Is Closing on Historically Strong Price Support

Battered bitcoin may soon see solid support from a historically strong moving average price support. That could attract technical buyers.

Here’s a New Banking Tool for Vetting Crypto Exchanges

The blockchain forensics firm is now offering banks a product that aims to provide up-to-date risk profiles of more than 200 of the largest crypto exchanges around the world.

China’s SEC May Soon Have a Crypto-Savvy Department Chief: Report

China's securities watchdog is reported to be hiring Yao Qian, the former head of the central bank's digital currency initiative, as the chief of its new tech regulation bureau.

Is Greece Cracking Down on Tax Evasion or Taxing Anonymity?

Credit cards and bank transfers – and their incumbent surveillance features – are no longer payment options for Greek citizens, they are obligations.

France’s New ‘Napoleon Bitcoin Fund’ Is Tied to CME’s Cash-Settled Futures

French asset management firm Napoleon AM has launched a new fund tied to CME's cash-settled bitcoin futures.

Ripple’s Revamped Xpring Platform Looks to Boost XRP Development

Developers using the platform now have a place to manage and monitor transactions.

FinCEN Sees Jump in Crypto-Related Suspicious Activity Reports

Crypto companies have filed 7,100 Suspicious Activity Reports since May, America’s anti-money-laundering chief said at a banking conference Tuesday.

Blockchain Faces Big Challenges But the Opportunity Is Enormous

Western economies can lead the world by embracing decentralization and the Internet-of-Value.

Russia’s Power Grid Company Tests Blockhain for Power Meter Data

Russia’s national power grid company Rosseti is testing a system for electricity bill payments based on a distributed ledger by Waves.

US Arrests 3 in Alleged Crypto Mining Pool Fraud Scheme

U.S. authorities have arrested three members of BitClub Network, alleging the mining pool is a long-running Ponzi scheme.

UK Court Orders US Judge to Depose Telegram’s Advisor About Token Sale

U.S. District Court Judge P. Kevin Castel in New York signed an order to Britain's High Court to depose John Hyman, Telegram's chief investment officer.

Cryptocurrency Is Most Useful for Breaking Laws and Social Constructs

Decentralized systems forsake scale, speed and cost in favor of one key feature: censorship resistance. Get used to it.

Implosion: MATIC Erases Four-Week Rally in Just Two Days

The Matic Network cryptocurrency (MATIC) plunged significantly in the past 48 hours, erasing a four-week rally.

2019: The Year Washington, Silicon Valley and Beijing Faced Off Over Crypto

Hacks, futures, settlements, flippenings, geopolitical conflict -- 2019 had it all.

JPMorgan Blockchain Payments Network Eyes January Japan Launch

JPMorgan's Interbank Information Network will expand to Japan early next year, according to its executive director.

MARKETS DAILY: How Bitcoin Diversification Is Helping Traditional Portfolios

With the market set for another down day, we're talking new data on Bitcoin diversification for traditional portfolios, taking a look at shifting tactics in the mining hardware industry, traditional bonds issued, then redeemed on the Ethereum blockchain, and more...

Tencent’s WeBank to Provide Infrastructure for China’s National Blockchain Consortium

WeBank has become the first technical infrastructure provider for Chin’s blockchain network.

2019 in Review: Nic Carter on Quadriga, Libra and Other Suspect Projects

VC Nic Carter discusses Quadriga, Libra, and why bitcoin mattered more than ever this year.

Danish Tax Agency Sends Warning Letters to Suspected Crypto Tax Evaders

Denmark's tax authority, the Skattestyrelsen, has been sending letters to cryptocurrency users it suspects of tax avoidance, demanding a range of information about their trading activities.

Santander Exec Claims Blockchain Success as Bank Redeems Ethereum-Issued Bond

"This unequivocally proves that a debt security can be managed through its full lifecycle," said an exec.

State-Owned Chinese Bank to Finance Small Businesses With Blockchain Tech

The China Construction Bank will help finance small businesses using a blockchain platform.

Bitcoin Looks South After Strong Rejection Above $7,600

Are bitcoin sellers back in control? The cryptocurrency is flashing red after a strong rejection above $7,600.

Saga Stablecoin Goes Live Backed By Basket of Fiat Currencies

Saga Monetary Technologies has finally launched its SGA stablecoin, and it's already planning to break away from its pegged basket of currencies.

Bitcoin Halving Could Leave Price at $20K-$50K, Hedge Fund Manager Says

Bitcoin's mining-reward halving in May 2020 could leave prices for the cryptocurrency in a range between $20,000 and $50,000, according to a new estimate.

Swiss Startup Amun Wins Regulatory Approval to Sell Crypto-ETPs to EU Retailers

Swiss startup Anum has won a regulatory approval to widen its offerings of crypto-based financial products to retail investors in the European Union.

Bitmain Shifts Miner Sales Tactics, Betting Big on Bitcoin Halving Pump

Bitmain has retooled its strategy for selling bitcoin miners, betting big that the cryptocurrency’s price will rally with next year's halving.

Nayuta Claims Its Android Lightning Wallet Is the First to Build in a Bitcoin Full Node

Japan-based startup Nayuta has released what it says is the first lightning network wallet with a built-in bitcoin "full node."

Telegram Investor Documents Say BNY Mellon, Credit Suisse Helped Process $1.7B ICO

Telegram told investors it was using BNY Mellon and Credit Suisse, to move and store fiat raised in last year’s token sale, court filings indicate.

BTSE Exchange Plans $50M Token Raise on Blockstream’s Ethereum Rival Liquid

If successful, the offering could help put bitcoin sidechains back on the map as an alternative to ethereum for launching assets.

New Mac Malware Hides in Memory and Masquerades as a Crypto App

A new form of malware is almost invisible to anti-virus software.

LedgerX Places Founders on Administrative Leave After Tussle With CFTC

LedgerX CEO and COO Paul and Juthica Chou have been "placed on administrative leave" by the company, with DTCC vice chairman Larry Thompson filling in.

Cryptojacking Malware Devs Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison

Two members of Romanian hacker gang Bayrob Group were sentenced to two decades in prison after their malware mined crypto on 400,000 infected computers.

MARKETS DAILY: 2020 Could See First Central Bank Digital Currencies

With today's markets mostly down, we’re talking bitcoin’s first golden cross in more than three years, "Central Bank Digital Currencies", and a behind the scenes look at troubled chat ICO Telegram, courtesy of the SEC.

Nvidia Battles Shareholders in Lawsuit Over Crypto Miner Claims

Chip making giant Nvidia has been making its case for why a court should dismiss a lawsuit alleging it misled investors over the demand for its graphics cards from cryptocurrency miners.

Huobi US Is Abruptly Halting Exchange Operations

HBUS says customers should withdraw all funds by Jan. 31, 2020.

Developer Flags Big-Money Loophole for Stealing All the ETH in MakerDAO

An ethereum developer has flagged an attack on MakerDAO that could turn $20 million of MKR into $300 million of ETH.

Bakkt Goes Live With Options, Cash-Settled Futures Products

Bakkt’s new options and cash-settled bitcoin futures products have just gone live, joining its three-month-old physical futures contracts.

Brazilian Police Bust Alleged Crypto Fraud That Cost Investors $360M

Brazilian police have shut down a purported bitcoin investment scheme they allege stole 1.5 billion Brazilian reals.

The Safello Story: Smaller Crypto Exchanges Must Partner to Survive

In the dog-eat-dog world of cryptocurrency exchanges, smaller startups that don’t attract the volume of megaliths like Binance, Coinbase and Kraken must band together to survive turbulent market cycles.

Crypto Exchange OKEx Launching Options Trading Later This Month

The Malta-based exchange is adding cryptocurrency options to its existing offerings during the winter holiday.

Bitcoin Charts First Weekly Golden Cross in 3.5 Years

Bitcoin’s weekly chart is flashing a golden cross for the first time since May 2016.

China’s Central Bank Likely to Pilot Digital Currency in Cities of Shenzhen and Suzhou: Report

The People's Bank of China is said to be preparing to launch pilots for its digital currency in Shenzhen and Suzhou from the end of the year.

Stellar’s Version of Bitcoin’s Lightning Torch Has Been Burning Quietly Since June

The Stellar blockchain has been running its own version of bitcoin's Lightning Torch since the summer.

A Bitcoin Wallet Is Hurtling Toward the International Space Station

Bitcoin is flying (super) high thanks to SpaceChain's new space-based wallet.

DISCUSSION: How Can Public Blockchains Have Privacy?

On today's show, we discuss the idea of true privacy on public, transparent blockchains and some of the ways it's working (or not) in Bitcoin or related projects right now.

Decentralized Liquidity Is the Backbone of DeFi

How decentralized liquidity venues govern the health of DeFi.

Ethereum’s Istanbul Hard Fork Is Now Live

Hitting at block number 9,069,000, the systemwide upgrade is the network’s third in 2019.

Bitcoin Volatility Is Up, Liquidity Stagnant

If stability and liquidity are part of bitcoin's road to becoming a mature asset, 2019 has been a period of arrested development.

SEC Reveals Telegram’s Communications With Investors, Seeks to Question Advisor

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) wants Telegram’s former chief investment advisor to testify and hand over documents related to the company's $1.7 billion 2018 token sale.

State Street: 38% of Clients Will Put More Money into Digital Assets in 2020

The majority of asset managers that bank with State Street are interested in digital assets, but none have asked the global custodian to store them yet.

Bank of China Issues $2.8B in Bonds to Small Businesses Using Blockchain Tech

Bank of China has issued 20 billion yuan, or about $2.8 billion, in blockchain-based bonds to small businesses.

MARKETS DAILY: Planning a Run on ‘Bitcoin Banks’?

With markets mixed but mostly down, we're looking at Deutche Bank's 2030 crypto call, the movement encouraging an annual bitcoin exchange "bank run", and Enjin’s Microsoft-fueled rally

Asset Manager Secures SEC Approval to Create Novel Bitcoin Futures Fund

NYDIG plans to raise $25 million for an SEC-approved investment fund focused entirely on cash-settled bitcoin futures.

Key Bitcoin Price Indicator Turns Bearish, But It May Not Be Bad News

The widely followed monthly MACD has turned bearish for the first time since May. However, it likely just reflects recent months of price downturn.

Microsoft Collaboration News Fuels 50% Rally for Enjin’s Cryptocurrency

Microsoft’s collaboration with blockchain gaming startup Enjin has prompted a roughly 50 percent surge in the project's native token over a two-day period.

Mnuchin ‘Fine’ With Libra Launch, But Crypto Project Must ‘Fully’ Comply With AML Rules

Steven Mnuchin, secretary of the U.S. Treasury, has no issue with the launch of the Facebook-led Libra project – as long as financial rules are followed to the letter.

Microsoft Is Using Blockchain to Help Firms Trust AI

Microsoft is pitching blockchain technology as a way to make artificial intelligence less scary for its corporate customers.

Four Insights on Crypto Liquidity From Binance US and FTX

Missed our webinar on crypto exchanges? Read the takeaways from CoinDesk Research's chat with Binance US CEO Catherine Coley and FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried.

Kadena Blockchain Taps Healthcare Data Firm to Track Medical Cannabis Product

The first application on Kadena's public blockchain is a tracking platform for CBD oil.

Multicoin Capital Hires Principal in Asia as Crypto VCs Look East

Mable Jiang, formerly of Nirvana Capital, will spearhead the venture firm's hunt for new deals in Asia.

Former eToro Analyst to Provide Crypto-Trading Course for Cointelligence

"Crypto has to be seen from a macro perspective," Mati Greenspan says.

Ripple Files Last Bid to Dismiss XRP Securities Lawsuit Before Court Meeting

Even if XRP were a security, the investors suing Ripple brought their case far too late for it to proceed, the company said in a new filing.

Ethereum’s Top DEX Is Relaunching to Tap Istanbul’s Lower Gas Fees

IDEX is launching a new DEX built on a layer 2 scalibility protocol made possible through Ethereum's Istanbul hard fork.

MARKETS DAILY: Casualties Ahead in the Cryptocurrency Mining Arms Race

On another down day, we're talking U.S. warnings on digital assets, a brief history of troubled but systemically important stablecoin "Tether", and a look at the arms-race in blockchain mining technology.

Stack Overflow VP Joins Crypto Lending Firm as Chief Product Officer

Crypto lending firm Unchained Capital has hired Will Cole of the Wyoming Blockchain Task Force as its new chief product officer.

Crypto Lender BlockFi Rolls Out Zero-Fee Trading for Bitcoin, Ether, GUSD

BlockFi, the cryptocurrency lending service, is expanding into trading with an unusual, zero-fee model.

Pompliano Joins Board of Blockchain-Based Lending Firm After $103M Raise

Blockchain-based consumer lender Figure added Morgan Creek Digital’s Anthony “Pomp” Pompliano to its board following a $103 million funding round.

Matter Labs Unveils Layer-2 Scaling Solution for Ethereum Payments

Matter Labs released Thursday the testnet of ZK-Sync, a privacy-minded scaling tool meant to help blockchains boost transaction speeds.

Microsoft Teams up With Enjin to Offer Crypto Collectible Rewards

Do good work, earn a "badger." That's the idea behind a new incentives scheme launched by Microsoft in partnership with blockchain gaming project Enjin.

Ex-Morgan Stanley Executives Launch Crypto Derivatives Platform in Singapore

A team of Morgan Stanley veterans have launched a crypto derivatives trading platform, claiming it is faster and more secure than some of the market’s biggest players.

Bitcoin’s Rejection at Key Price Hurdle Puts Short-Term Bull Trend at Risk

Bitcoin sharp rejection at resistance around $7,800 has weakened the short-term bullish outlook.

Canadian Government-Assisted Bitcoin Miner Files for Bankruptcy Owing Millions

Great North Data, a firm that ran bitcoin mining and AI processing data centers in Canada, has filed for bankruptcy. According to bankruptcy filings late in November, the firm has just 4.6 million Canadian dollars (US$3.5 million) in assets, but owes creditors CA$13.2 million (US$10 million), CBC News reported Wednesday. Having run centers in Labrador […]

ChromaWay Doubles Down on Gaming With Antler Interactive Acquistion

ChromaWay will add Antler's game catalog to its own Chromia blockchain with the acquisition.

Top US Financial Regulators Urge Monitoring of Digital Assets, Stablecoins

A panel of top U.S. financial regulators urged federal and state officials to monitor risks from digital assets like bitcoin.

Circle Co-Founder Sean Neville Steps Down as Co-CEO

Sean Neville, co-founder of Circle, is stepping down as co-CEO six years after founding the crypto trading and payments startup with Jeremy Allaire.

What Twitter Meme Wars Say About Crypto’s Reliance on Figureheads

Cryptocurrency has strayed from its anonymous roots. Today, cults of personality and public histrionics define the sector.

MARKETS DAILY: Is Bitcoin Market Manipulation Profitable?

With markets recovering, we take a look at Bitcoins' recent behavior and wonder whether it's still a safe haven? Later, we're joined by Galen Moore for quick discussion on alleged bitcoin market manipulation...

Litecoin’s Mining Power Tanks to Lowest in Year Following Price Plunge

Litecoin’s price plunge in recent months has whittled away the profitability of mining the cryptocurrency, leading to a shakeout among operators.

Georgia Governor Appoints Bakkt CEO Loeffler as New US Senator

It is unclear who will helm Bakkt after CEO Kelly Loeffler joins the U.S. Senate on Jan. 1.

Chinese Insurance Giant Ping An’s Blockchain Arm Reveals Terms for $468M IPO

OneConnect Financial, the blockchain and AI subsidiary of China’s top insurance company Ping An Insurance, has set the terms for its planned NYSE listing.

Bear Trap? Bitcoin Slips to One-Week Low Amid Low Volumes

Bitcoin's recent $780 pullback lacks volume support from sellers and may be short-lived.

North Korean Hacking Group May Be Behind Malware-Laden Fake Crypto Site

A new and hard-to-detect macOS malware variant has been discovered lurking on a fake cryptocurrency trading site.

MUFG Teaming up With Indeed.com Owner to Launch Digital Currency for Payments: Report

Japan's MUFG Bank and Recruit Holdings are reportedly launching a digital currency as part of a new payments venture.

Bitcoin No Longer Looks Like ‘Digital Gold’ by One Measure

If "digital gold" means "assets where investors park money during financial market turmoil," then bitcoin doesn't fit the bill as well as it used to.

Gemini Hires Former Starling Bank Founder as Managing Director of Europe

The exchange hired Julian Sawyer, former co-founder and chief operating officer of a U.K. digital bank, to shape the exchange’s strategy in the region and manage European hiring.

State Street Slashes DLT Developer Team as Bank Rethinks Blockchain Strategy

State Street Bank has cut over 100 blockchain developer jobs as part of a pivot from transforming its plumbing with DLT to supporting digital assets.

Freedom Fighter or Fool? Jury’s Out on Arrested Ethereum Developer Virgil Griffith

The case offers a litmus test of sorts: Was Griffith's appearance in North Korea a brazen violation of economic sanctions or a noble act of spreading ethereum's gospel of global reinvention?

Ethereum Devs Reconsider ‘Difficulty Bomb’ Timing as Hard Forks Loom

Developers may punt a network feature two years down the road to avoid complicating ethereum's transition to proof-of-stake (PoS).

Global Android Vulnerability Could Grab Wallet and Banking Data

A newly-discovered exploit could hijack banking and wallet apps on your Android phone.

Placeholder Leads $2 Million Seed Round for DeFi Services Provider Zerion

DeFi services provider Zerion has raised $2 million from Placeholder, Blockchain and others to build out its team.

MARKETS DAILY: China Picking Winners While Traders Wonder

This time we're talking winners and losers in China's increasingly top-down crypto industry, the implications behind former CFTC chairman Giancarlo's just-announced move to white-shoe law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher, and more.

Student Lender SoFI Gets NY BitLicense, Clearing Way to Offer Crypto Trading

SoFi has been granted a BitLicense by NYDFS, allowing it to provide crypto trading services to New Yorkers.

China’s Internet Firewall Has Blocked Access to Ethereum Block Explorer Etherscan.io

China's Great Firewall, used by the government to regulate access to foreign internet sites, has blocked one of the most popular sources of ethereum blockchain data.

Court Backs Nordea Bank Bid to Block Staff From Trading Crypto

Nordea Bank has won a court battle in Denmark over its bid to bar employees from buying and selling cryptocurrencies outside of work.

Zcash Foundation Funds App Mixing Private Messaging and Payments

Meet Cwtch, a zcash-fueled messaging app with more decentralization than Telegram or Signal.

WisdomTree Launches Physically Backed Bitcoin ETP on SIX Swiss Exchange

A new bitcoin exchange traded product has just listed on the Swiss stock exchange SIX, and it's physically backed by the underlying crypto.

Bitcoin to See Return of Bull Cross That Marked Onset of 2016-17 Price Rally

A bitcoin price indicator that marked the beginning of the 2016-17 bull market is about to make another appearance.

Institutions Are Showing Interest in ETP Tied to Binance Coin, Amun Says

Swiss crypto finance firm Amun says it’s received significant institutional interest in its exchange-traded product tied to Binance Coin (BNB).

The SEC Has a New Chief Crypto Cop

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has appointed a new head of the cyber unit that tackles crypto firms breaking the law.

Sanctions Weren’t Discussed at North Korea Crypto Conference, Attendee Says

The U.S. government's charges against Virgil Griffith are overblown, says one attendee of the North Korean conference that led to the ethereum developer's arrest.

Binance Acquires Beijing-Based Blockchain Data Startup DappReview

The DappReview acquisition will help Binance further develop its existing dapps.

Ethereum Developer Virgil Griffith Has Been Released From Jail Pending Trial

Virgil Griffith has been released from jail pending trial, attorney Brian Klein tells CoinDesk.

Ex-CFTC Chair Giancarlo to Push for Digital Dollar in New Role at White-Shoe Law Firm

Christopher Giancarlo has joined law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher as its new senior counsel, where the former CFTC chief intends to continue advocating for a digital dollar and other policies.

Huobi Says It’s Joining a Chinese Government-Led Blockchain Alliance

Huobi China has joined a blockchain consortium backed by a powerful state-sponsored entity.

MARKETS DAILY: A North Korean Conspiracy and Top Hacks of 2019

This time we're talking crypto and traditional market, an ethereum developer in hot water after alleged sanction busting, and a look at this years biggest exchange hacks.

Sri Lanka’s Central Bank Calls for Blockchain-Based KYC Proposals

Sri Lanka's Central Bank wants to use a blockchain system for local banks' "know-your-customer" protocols.

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Top Ten Profitable Proof of Stake Coins You Should Invest in 2019

Proof-of-Stake (PoS) in the cryptocurrency market has been a successful alternative in the market beside Proof-of-Work. The consensus algorithm was created to tackle inherent issues in the latter. The appealing Return of investment in proof of stake cryptocurrency plays a part in this achievement. Users are provided with a wide range of options such as Masternodes, staking coins and stackable wallets, etc. for economical and technical profits. The PoS small account holder can also gain rewards from just being a participant in the network. Distributed consensus are gained at low prices and these processes are also environmentally friendly. 

Here are the top ten Proof of Stake cryptocurrencies in the cryptocurrency market.

1. NAVCOIN (NAV)
This privacy based cryptocurrency is open-source blockchain technology. Being first of its kind to provide dual blockchain for private transactions, and fully functional. NAV COIN has been in the market since 2014 and it is based on Bitcoin’s core code.
The currency provides faster transactions (around 30 seconds), PoS staking rewards for their users, optional privacy and it has a low cost. The currency also has cold staking feature. The coin offers a ROI of 5% annually and is available to purchase at Binance.
Reasons to invest in NAV are:
- It is fast.
- It is cheap.
- It provides excellent privacy.

2. Neo (NEO)
Previously known as AntShares, NEO is very much popular in the cryptocurrency market. The blockchain of Neo has crypto token named ‘GAS’, which is used for transactions and rewards. Each time a node finds a new block, the NEO users get a share of 7 GAS tokens and this gets distributed automatically and equally among the users. If a user takes more NEO tokens then they will receive a larger share from the reward. The annual ROI is 2.5%, available at Binance,eToro, Kucoin, OKEx, and Bit-Z. The pros of currency are:
- It is a smart economy.
- The identities and certificates are digital.
- Large range of dApps and easy to use.

3. VeChain (VET)
VeChain is another very popular PoS in the cryptocurrency community. It is also very much like NEO and it provides smart transactions of payment. The blockchain of VET is now more focused on its supply chain industry. This year the currency’s blockchain program has allied with Walmart China and Amazon Web Services.
It has similar blockchain as PoS, it has Proof of Authority blockchain coin and it has a different model of consensus. In return, you get VTHO for staking your VETs. The VTHO is also used in transactions and the ROI is around 2% and more. The users get extra with the levels of the different nodes, X-nodes, economic and it is easy to use.
The ROI of the currency is 2–6% annually and the traders can buy it at Binance and Kucoin. The pros of VET are:
- It is easy to use.
- It has a nice range of partnerships.
- It has other bonuses and nodes too.

4. PIVX
PIVX stands for Private Instant Verified Transactions is also one of the important Proof of stake virtual currency. The currency is mainly focused on the security of their users and their privacy during transactions. Also, the DASH fork has helped the users to get a nice return.
The block reward among the users differentiates based on who discovered the block. The rewards are received by the users in PIV and z-PIV tokens. The transactions are fast, cheap and secure on PIVX.
The ROI of PIVX is 10% annually and the coin is purchased at Binance. The main features of PIVX are:
- Secure and high privacy transaction.
- Cheap and Fast.
- The system is self-govern.

5. ARK
ARK coin is backed by a whole ecosystem. Especially with the help of its smart “SmartBridge” technology, the currency targets to associate different blockchain with each other. It gives fast and expandable services and the platform in usage doesn’t matter. It depends on its holders as voters and the users on the ARK vote for 51 delegates and then they discover new blocks. The chosen delegates are responsible to authenticate the transaction and getting the reward. The rewards are distributed among the users based on voting.
ARK partners with competition within the industry and focuses on providing better services.
The ROI of ARK is 10% annually and traders can buy the currency at Bit-z, Binance, and OKEx. The main pros of ARK are:
- It is one button blockchain technology.
- It does very fast transactions.
- It has very excellent SmartBridge feature.

6. Lisk
Similar to ARK, the blockchain program of Lisk is very easy to use and very handy for developers, businesses and virtual currencies assignments. The developers can create dApps just using JavaScript and it is very adaptable. Similar to ARK, it also uses a Delegated PoS system. In Lisk, only top 101 delegates can discover the blocks and get the rewards.
The other users vote for delegates and stake LSK, then at the time of receiving the reward delegates shares it with the voters. The voting and staking are done on the Nano Wallet.
The ROI of the currency is 4% and the traders can buy the currency at Binance, OKEx, Bit-z, and Kucoin. The pros of Lisk are:
- Expandability is not an issue.
- The sidechain and main Lisk Blockchain interoperability.
- Easy to use and handy.

7. Neblio (NEBL)
This is modern next-generation blockchain technology, focusing on making it fast, easy and safe. It has Proof of Stake consensus model enabled by NEBL to secure the blockchain or DLT database.
Clients can very easily create and run dApps for different purposes. The staking of NEBL is also easy and the rewards will get higher if your coins are in the wallet for a longer period.
The ROI of the cryptocurrency is 10% annually and the traders can buy it at Kucoin and Binance. The pros of Neblio are:
- Easy to use and aimed for enterprise use.
- Nice ROI returns.
- Fast, easy and safe.

8. Ontology (ONT)
The blockchain of Ontology is also focused on enterprise usage just as Neblio and the blockchain of ONT also assist other blockchain technologies too. The blockchain provides better accessibility and flexibility to others and users can store their data completely safe and private in private and public sectors.
The co-founders of the NEO blockchain, Da Hongfei and Erik Zhang have founded the Ontology blockchain. Whereas, NEO is open source and it is enterprise based.
The ROI of the ONT is 5% and depends on the other bonuses and nodes. The traders can buy it at Binance, Bit-z, OKEz and Kucoin. The pros of ONT are:
- Created by an experienced team.
- Enterprise focused
- Good services all over and smart contracts.

9. Komodo (KMD)
This also an easy and handy blockchain platform and they are creating the full-service blockchain solutions for their users. It is trying to become a blockchain ecosystem and they want every service to give such decentralized exchanges and full range functions and products. They are also planning to provide their users decentralized ICO fundraising stage.
The blockchain has features such as atomic swaps, cross-chain, bridging, and excellent security. The users use KMD coin for staking.
The ROI of the cryptocurrency is 5% and the traders can buy it at Binance. The pros KMD has are:
- Privacy and high-level security.
- Atomic Swaps helps in interoperability for blockchain.
- The ICO crowdfunding and exchange is greatly decentralized adding to the blockchain.

10. Stratis (STRAT)
This blockchain technology helps in business and for the corporation, it acts as a turnkey solution for introducing their dApps. The blockchain helps the businesses to create their blockchain structure. The most amazing features it has such as app development utilizing C# and sidechain hosted transactions. It provides fast and easy transactions.
Previously it begun as PoW but later changed to a PoS project. For staking a local copy of Stratis Staking Wallet Client is necessary.
The ROI of STRAT is 1.46% and traders can buy it at Binance. The pros of Stratis are:
- Secure for businesses.
- One-click deployment and easy to use.
- It can also record medical records of a person and fin-tech use.

The list of Staking and Passive Income cryptocurrencies is not limited to this, but these top 10 staking and dividend-paying cryptocurrencies have been chosen as the best staking cryptocurrencies to hold/invest in 2019. If you believe in the stable growth of those Proof-of-Stake coins and eager for an investment, you might want to start with CryptoStake - a safe investment platform allowing users to stake their coins for rewards. 

Getting started is simple and easy, no hard work needed, but the ROI is appealing. After 10 months, you’ll receive fully 150% of initial capital. Bonus and commission are applied for referral members. CryptoStake is the best place for your cryptocurrency.

Start Investing and Earning with CryptoStake today!

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