New Twitter Investor May Remove Bitcoin Advocate Jack Dorsey as CEO

An activist investor owned by billionaire Paul Singer reportedly has plans to shake up the management at Twitter after taking a big stake in the firm.

Crypto Firms Tout Dispersed Workforces as Coronavirus Contingency Plan

They don’t need to shut their headquarters; they don’t have headquarters.

Chinese Crypto and Blockchain Firms Grapple With Coronavirus Outbreak

The outbreak has complicated tech upgrades, product development, logistics and business travel at crypto exchanges and other blockchain firms in China.

Yemen’s Civil War Shows the Dangers of Crypto

The ongoing civil war in Yemen highlights the contradictions underlying bitcoin adoption.

As Fed Contemplates Coronavirus-Prompted Easing, Bitcoin Traders Bet on Halving

Investors are betting the Fed will quickly slash rates amid coronavirus jitters. Whether they turn to bitcoin as a crisis hedge remains to be seen.

Understanding This Week’s Market Whiplash, Featuring Scott Melker

What one of the worst weeks in recent history can teach us about market fundamentals, featuring prominent crypto trader Scott Melker.

Ex-Employee Steals User Data From Derivatives Exchange Digitex

Digitex has claimed that only email addresses were stolen in a data breach earlier this month.

Coronavirus Is Changing How Crypto Markets Are Trading

Cryptocurrency traders are contending with volatile markets due to the coronavirus).

How to Contact CoinDesk’s Editors and Reporters (the Right Way)

We've made it a lot easier to reach us. Our new masthead lists all CoinDesk reporters and editors, their beats and verified contact information.

Bitcoin News Roundup for Feb. 28, 2020

Bitcoin in the dumps along with the Dow, top miners are racing to the halving, and Microsoft kills crypto jackers. It's the Markets Daily Podcast from CoinDesk.

Ethereum’s DAOs Continue to Gain Momentum

Ethereum’s largest hackathon in North America, ETHDenver, showcased DAOs for event management and more.

Microsoft Updates Edge Browser to Protect Against Illicit Crypto Miners

Later versions of Edge can now be set to block downloads of malicious mining apps.

Third-Party Cryptos Could Launch on XRP Ledger, Says Ripple’s David Schwartz

Schwartz said a feature is being developed to allow asset-backed tokens to be minted on the platform.

ICE’s New Intel Program Used in Every Homeland Security Crypto Investigation

ICE’s recently-revealed “Cryptocurrency Intelligence Program” is deployed in all crypto-facing Homeland Security investigations, says the agent whose unit built the tool.

Coinbase Is Testing Clearview’s Controversial Facial Recognition Technology

A Coinbase spokesperson said customer data had not been used in its trial of the tech.

Bitcoin Closes on First February Price Loss Since 2014

The cryptocurrency risks ending the second month on a negative note for the first time in years and could suffer deeper declines in the short-term.

Major Crypto Exchanges Bitfinex and OKEx Hit by Service Denial Attacks

Both cryptocurrency exchanges have reported distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks on their systems in the last 24 hours.

US House Committee to Hold Hearing on Blockchain Benefits for Small Businesses

The Committee on Small Business will discuss how blockchain technology can help startups in March.

Human Resources Giant Randstad Explores Blockchain to Quickly Match Talent With Recruiters

The world's largest HR firm has begun using a combination of the Cypherium blockchain and Google Cloud to match talent to corporate needs more efficiently and securely.

Coronavirus Hits US Stocks, Bitcoin Climbs, Haven Status Unclear

The spreading coronavirus sowed a new bout of fear among investors, triggering a stock market sell-off and flight to safe-haven assets like gold and U.S. Treasury bonds.

Ether Futures Volume on FTX Hit Record Highs

Hong Kong-based crypto derivatives exchange FTX saw record volumes in ether futures on Wednesday amid sell-off in cryptocurrency’s price.

A 101 Guide to Ethereum’s ProgPOW Controversy

Why the ProgPoW debate is really about process, power, and the threat contentious hard forks pose to DeFi.

Draper-Backed Exchange in Lockdown Following ‘Sophisticated’ Attack

Coinhako has restricted user accounts since last Friday following an "attack," but has not released many details around the incident.

Fake Horses, Real Bets: Unikrn Is Putting Racetrack NFTs on Ethereum

The Unikrn esports platform is partnering with ZED RUN to bring horse betting to the ethereum blockchain.

The DeFi ‘Flash Loan’ Attack That Changed Everything

Flash loan attacks are here to stay and are likely to get more serious. DeFi needs to adapt, says a leading crypto VC.

Dusk Network Plans to Tokenize Equity for Thousands of Dutch Companies

Dusk Network has partnered with Firm24, one of the Benelux region's largest shareholder registries, for the tokenization initiative.

Bitcoin News Roundup for Feb. 27, 2020

With the price of bitcoin falling sharply, Markets Daily is back with another time-saving news roundup.

Startup Tokenizes $2.2B in Commercial Real Estate Through Polymath

Currently, the tokens are only available in pre-sale. Red Swan is holding investors’ funds in escrow and plans to distribute shares in April.

Binance Throws Weight Behind Shyft Network in ‘Travel Rule’ Standards Race

Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange group, has chosen the Shyft Network to help address a looming regulatory requirement.

Steven Segal Settles Token-Touting Charges With SEC Over 2018 ICO

Martial artist and actor Steven Seagal was charged with not declaring payments related to his promotion of a token launched by Bitcoiin2Gen.

Stellar Invests in Security Token Platform Targeting Developing Markets

The investment will help DSTOQ fund new technology and expansion into local markets.

World’s Top Crypto Miners Race to Roll Out Top-of-Line Machines Ahead of Bitcoin Halving

Bitcoin miner manufacturers Bitmain and MicroBT are racing to bring top-of-the-line machines to market ahead of bitcoin's halving event.

Bitcoin Sees Corrective Price Bounce After Hitting One-Month Lows

Bitcoin's recovery from four-week lows could be extended to $9,000. However, the risk of deeper declines will persist as long as prices are below $9,400.

Ukraine Justice System Employee Caught Mining Crypto at Work

The IT staffer is alleged to have illegally mined cryptocurrency and run websites from court administration servers.

Ex-Microsoft Engineer Used Bitcoin to Help Embezzle Millions From Tech Giant

The software engineer used bitcoin mixers to help obfuscate the source of the stolen funds.

Money Sender Azimo to Use Ripple Tech and XRP for Philippines Remittance Corridor

European money transfer service Azimo is tapping Ripple's On-Demand Liquidity and XRP to speed up remittances to the Southeast Asian nation.

WATCH: Zcash Foundation Explains ‘Compromise’ Path to Funding ZEC Development

We asked the Zcash Foundation's Josh Cincinnati about finding sustainable ways to fund the development of zcash, a privacy-preserving cryptocurrency some view as a public good.

Cut the Consensus: You Can’t Run a Business Like a Blockchain

What works for the technical realm of blockchains does not automatically translate to the running of businesses or social organizations.

Hong Kong to Consider Additional FATF-Style Regulations for Crypto Exchanges

Hong Kong may soon bolster its policing of the cryptocurrency sector to better conform with international anti-money-laundering norms.

Iranian General Advocates Crypto Use for Skirting Sanctions: Report

Iranian general Saeed Mohammed is calling for the use of crypto to help Iran evade sanctions designed to isolate it from the global financial system, according to Coinit.ir.

Over $190 Million Bitcoin Liquidated on BitMEX Amid Crypto Market Sell-Off

The crypto markets were shaken yesterday amid a flurry of selling that saw more than $190 million worth of longs and shorts liquidated on BitMEX.

Ripple Class-Action Lawsuit Can Proceed, Judge Rules

A lawsuit claiming Ripple violated U.S. securities laws will be allowed to move forward – though with a caveat favorable to the San Francisco-based payments firm.

Bitcoin Drove Half of Square’s Cash App Revenue in the 4th Quarter

Square reported bitcoin revenues of $178 between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, 2019, with profits of $3 million, up 50 percent over the prior two quarters.

Tokenized US T-Bond Fund Seeks Foothold in $17T Market

The crypto industry is taking aim at one of Wall Street’s oldest redoubts: investing in the $17 trillion market for U.S. Treasury bonds.

SEC Rejects Latest Bitcoin ETF Bid

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rejected Wilshire Phoenix's bid for a bitcoin-based exchange-traded fund (ETF).

Is Bitcoin a Safe Haven or ‘Schmuck Insurance’?

Canada decides a CBDC is unnecessary while the Twitterati debate BTC as a safe haven and the 6-year anniversary of Mt. Gox brings reflection.

Prime Broker Tagomi Becomes 22nd Member of Facebook’s Libra Association

Tagomi is joining the Libra Association.

The 3 Factors Fueling Ether’s 2020 Rally

Several factors could explain ether’s spectacular gains and determine whether they will continue.

February Gains Disappear as Bitcoin Drops Below $9k

Crossing below the $9,000 price level is a new low for February 2020. Bitcoin has not traded below the $9,000 threshold since January 27, when it began a march to new highs in the $10,500 range.

CoinDesk Explains SIM Jacking

In the pantheon of crypto hacks, “SIM jacking” is one of the worst. We break it down for you.

Software Ate the World, Here’s How It Eats Finance

Real disruption in financial services means creating new plumbing for transactions, not nicer apps on top of existing rails, says CoinDesk columnist Lex Sokolin.

Compound Extends DeFi Ethos to Itself, Launches Governance Token

DeFi platform Compound is launching the testnet of a new platform today for decentralizing the site's governance.

Australian Soccer Club Calls Off Purchase Deal With Controversial Crypto Company

Perth glory FC owner Tony Sage reportedly called off the deal after a due diligence trip to London last week.

Swiss Stock Exchange Invests in Institutional Trading Platform for Digital Assets

SIX said the partnership will provide an important gateway into the digital asset space.

Coinbase Wallet Adds Short, Customizable Addresses to Simplify Sending Cryptos

The new support also includes an integration with the Ethereum Name Service), allowing Coinbase Wallet users to send cryptocurrencies to .eth addresses.

Crypto Investor’s Case Against AT&T Over $24M SIM Hack Can Proceed, Judge Rules

AT&T's motion to dismiss Michael Terpin's case was largely dismissed by a California court on Monday.

Bitcoin Erases 38% of 2020 Price Rally as Bears Gain Strength

The stage looks set for a further drop to below $9,000, albeit after a minor bounce.

Finnish Authorities Have $15M in Seized Bitcoin But Don’t Want to Sell It

The confiscated horde is now worth more than $15 million.

Malta’s Financial Watchdog Highlights Obstacles to Security Tokens After Industry Consultation

The Malta Financial Services Authority released a statement on Tuesday, unveiling industry recommendations on security token offerings within the country.

Error or Plunder? Report Suggests FCoin Purposely Moved Customer Bitcoin Since 2019

A recent report from Silicon Valley-based Anchain AI wonders out loud whether funds were purposely pilfered by insiders, challenging FCoin’s official line claiming a data error was to blame.

MoneyGram Got Another $11M From Ripple to Use Its Cross-Border Payments Tech

Payments firm Ripple has given MoneyGram over $11 million dollars in the past half year, according to regulatory filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

IOTA Being Shut Off Is the Latest Chapter in an Absurdist History

IOTA's 12-day outage shows the crypto markets aren't rational, at least not yet.

Bank of Canada Won’t Issue Its Own Crypto Unless Libra Succeeds: Deputy Governor

The Bank of Canada does not see the need to create a central bank digital currency unless a competitor – like Libra – starts dethroning the existing fiat.

6 Explanations for Crypto’s Fascination With Coronavirus

Is it about self-sovereignty? About BTC as a reserve asset? Or are we just Chicken Little prophets of doom?

Crypto News Roundup for Feb. 25, 2020

Bitcoin fights to rise above $10K while a new crypto bank rises in Wyoming. It's Markets Daily from CoinDesk.

Revolut Bank Valued at $5.5B in $500M Funding Round

Revolut raised $500 million, but did not specify if any of the funding will go toward improving its cryptocurrency offering.

US Commerce Dept. Wants to Survey Firms on Cross-Border Crypto Usage

The Bureau of Economic Analysis plans to ask financial institutions whether they conducted any crypto trades with foreigners in 2019.

Securities Law Helped Build Modern Capitalism. Crypto Should Embrace It

Crypto should work within the existing regulatory structure around securities, rather than reinvent a whole new system.

‘Short Bitcoin’ ETP Available to Investors on Germany’s Second-Largest Exchange

The new listing makes inverse trackers widely accessible to European retail investors.

Polkadot to Use Chainlink Oracles for Interoperability Network

Polkadot will be the first non-ethereum blockchain to integrate Chainlink.

Binance-Backed FTX Exchange Seeks Billion-Dollar Valuation in Equity Token Sale

FTX claims its high-growth rate justifies its billion-dollar valuation.

New Zealand Plans to Drop ‘Unfavorable’ Sales Tax Treatment of Cryptocurrencies

The Inland Revenue Department is considering how best to change its tax regimen so that cryptocurrencies aren't at a disadvantage.

Diginex Steps Closer to Backdoor Nasdaq Listing as SEC Approves Merger

Diginex aims to merge with publicly traded firm 8i Enterprises, clearing the path for a backdoor listing on Nasdaq.

Bitcoin Faces Further Losses if Bulls Can’t Disrupt Bearish Chart Pattern

Bitcoin has formed a bearish head-and-shoulders pattern with neckline support at $9,400.

Russian Smelting Giant Nornickel Launches Metal Tokenization Platform for Testing

The Russian mining and smelting giant will issue metal-backed tokens on Atomyze, a Hyperledger-based blockchain platform.

Singapore’s Court of Appeals Rules Against Quoine Exchange in Landmark Crypto Case

The digital currency exchange had unlawfully reversed seven trades after its system erroneously allowed a trader to sell ether at an inflated price, the court decided.

Lightning Solves Bitcoin’s Speed Problem, But Watch Out for Fraudsters

Lightning-based fiat-bitcoin systems could popularize crypto payments, as long as fraud and bitcoin's non-reversibility don't get in the way.

Crypto Exchanges Need Common Messaging to Comply With Travel Rule

From ATMs to cargo containers, standards make global commerce work. The same goes for crypto, which needs standards to comply with anti-money laundering rules.

CoolBitX Raises $16.7M to Make Crypto More Bank-Friendly

In 2020, the startup’s focus is on new products and features that comply with new rules from the Financial Action Task Force.

Justin Sun Bought Steemit. Steem Moved to Limit His Power

The people who run the Steem blockchain executed a reversible soft fork Sunday, over concerns about Steemit's new owner.

Secretive Digital Fiat Project Emerges With New Partner as CBDC Chatter Grows

Fnality, a high-profile digital fiat project backed by 14 big-name financial institutions, is teaming with the ConsenSys-backed Adhara.

Bitcoin’s Coronavirus Selloff Throws Cold Water on Safe-Haven Argument

As U.S. stocks tumbled on Monday by the most in six months amid renewed coronavirus fears, bitcoin barely budged - at least in terms of the notoriously volatile cryptocurrency’s trading history.

Caitlin Long on Coronavirus, Crypto Custody and Building a Bank

A new crypto bank tries to address some of the most fundamental issues for institutions who want to get into the space.

New Jersey Lawmaker Wants to Create a Crypto License

New Jersey Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez has introduced a licensing regime for crypto businesses, authorizing the state banking regulator to oversee the space.

CME Bitcoin Futures Daily Trading Volume Hits 2020 Low – That’s a Bullish Sign

Daily trading volume in bitcoin (BTC) futures listed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) dropped to year-to-date lows on Friday.

Crypto News Roundup for Feb. 24, 2020

With the price of bitcoin repeatedly breaching and then retreating from the psychologically important $10,000 level, Markets Daily is back with another time crypto news roundup.

G20 Urges Countries to Adopt Tough FATF Rules on Cryptocurrencies

FATF's guidance compels crypto exchanges to share user data with one another.

Blockchain Pioneer Caitlin Long to Build Crypto Bank in Wyoming

A Wyoming corporation founded by Caitlin Long is preparing to apply for a special purpose depository institution (SPDI) charter with the state’s division of banking.

SEC to Decide the Fate of Another Bitcoin ETF Proposal This Week

The SEC is poised to rule on another bitcoin ETF application this week. Wilshire Phoenix is hoping its novel fund structure might help it succeed where others have not.

How to Protect Bitcoin for Your Heirs With the Push of a ‘Dead Man’s Button’

What happens to your bitcoin after you die? Lightning developers think a "dead man's button" could be a new tool to passing your crypto to your heirs.

Blockchain Can Help UK Savers Recover $48B in Unclaimed Pensions, Says R3

Blockchain solutions based on R3's tech will make it easier for users to verify their identities and claim lost pensions, the firm says.

‘Crucial’ for Central Banks to Consider Digital Currencies: Bank of England Exec

Governments need to research digital currencies so they can strike a balance with private issuers, said the BoE's chief cashier.

$10K Proving a Tough Nut to Crack for Bitcoin’s Bulls

Bitcoin needs to break past the session high of $10,028 to revive the immediate bullish setup.

Binance Now Supports Deposits and Withdrawals in Hong-Kong Dollars

The exchange has opened a fiat gateway for Hong Kong dollars, serving a jurisdiction in which banking services for crypto firms are notoriously tough to find.

China Has Many Strategic Reasons To Invest in Blockchain

From stopping double-lending in its credit industry to an escape from dollar hegemony, China has every reason in the world to invest in blockchain.

New Simpsons Episode Features Jim Parsons Giving a Crypto Explainer for the Masses

The latest episode of The Simpsons has tried to break down the complex world of cryptocurrencies, with some success.

How the Ethereum Foundation Got UNICEF to Embrace Blockchain

A donation to UNICEF may be the Ethereum Foundation’s shrewdest investment yet.

In Defense of Justin Sun

People mock Justin Sun and TRON. But, by several metrics, it's a successful business. Time to get over the snobbery, says VC Alexander Blum.

Central Bankers From Canada, Netherlands, Ukraine Call Blockchain Unnecessary for Digital Fiat

Central bank digital currencies have been a hot topic in blockchain circles recently, but central banks are lukewarm about blockchains.

On EOS Blockchain, Vote Buying Is Business as Usual

Buying votes is a big no-no in traditional democracies, but on the world’s eighth-largest blockchain it’s become an accepted way of doing business.

Decentralization Philosophy – Does Crypto Still Need Catalysts?

Andreas M. Antonopoulos joins this week's discussion of catalysts and CEOS in the world of blockchain projects, the organizational and organic structures of decentralization and to wonder whether crypto even needs Satoshi-like catalysts now that the fire of blockchain burns bright.

‘Pandora’s Box, but for Freedom’: Author Isaiah Jackson on Bitcoin’s Impact

Leigh Cuen is joined by author Isaiah Jackson to talk about financial discrimination and the value bitcoin can offer minority communities.

Here’s Why Interest Rates on Cryptocurrencies Could Be a Game-Changer

The growth in crypto lending platforms is giving birth to a new type of valuation metric: interest rates.

When Money Becomes Programmable – Part 1

We may be moving us toward a model of programmable money that incorporates an automated internal governance of common resources and encourages collaboration among communities.

Alleged Crypto Capital Operator Faces New Wire Fraud Charge

Reginald Fowler, an alleged operator of Crypto Capital, was indicted on wire fraud Friday, adding to four previous charges he already faced.

Sweden’s Central Bank Finally Embraces DLT – But Only in Simulation Mode

Riksbank's e-krona pilot will run on distributed ledger tech, but the entire project will be operated as only a simulation through at least 2021.

Why Today’s Crypto Exchange Leaders Are Powerful, but Not Inevitable

As crypto asks why prices shot down, the power and influence of exchanges are at the center of the conversation.

Wikipedia Co-Founder Says Crypto Integration Would be ‘Completely Insane’

Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales said Friday he has not seen a crypto use case convincing enough to integrate one into the platform.

The Internet Is a Luxury Not a Right: 30 Percent of Americans Still Don’t Have it

Ex-FCC senior staffer Gigi Sohn thinks that broadband connection is a right, not a privilege. But that doesn’t mean that she’s on board with all technological advancements.

Bitcoin News Roundup for Feb. 21, 2020

With the price of bitcoin bouncing in a range below $10,000, Markets Daily is back with another time saving crypto news roundup.

FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel: Restore Net Neutrality and Expand Internet to all

Jessica Rosenworcel, one of the five FCC commissioners, is fighting for the restoration of net neutrality and the expansion of broadband access for all those who want it.

‘Bullish’ Comments on Reddit a Potential Bitcoin Signal

Could bullish comments on Reddit serve as a momentum indicator for bitcoin? That’s what a recent graphic by startup ChartStar suggests.

e-Commerce Giant Shopify Joins Libra Association

Shopify is the first major company to join the consortium behind the Libra digital currency since a string of big-name payments brands dropped out.

Binance and Others Are Rushing to Provide Stablecoins to Nigerian Crypto Users

Here's how crypto exchanges are on-boarding unbanked users in Nigeria.

JPEG on the Blockchain: Image Format Creator Believes Tech Can Fight Copyright Theft

A blockchain-based system might better flag fakes and prevent copyright violations, technical committee JPEG says.

The Domain Startups Building an Uncensorable Internet on Top of Ethereum

Last weekend at ETHDenver, decentralized internet alternatives were on display from projects leveraging blockchain’s censorship-resistant nature.

Binance Is Not Under Our Jurisdiction, Says Malta Regulator

The Malta Financial Services Authority has denied reports that Binance has ever fallen under local jurisdiction.

Fidelity International Invests $14M in Hong Kong Crypto Exchange Operator

Fidelity International, a spin-off of the U.S. financial services giant Fidelity Investments, has invested $14 million in Hong Kong-based BC Group, which operates crypto exchange OSL.

Bitcoin Chart Indicator Flips Bearish as Price Sees Weak Bounce From $9.4K

Bitcoin's daily money flow index has turned bearish for the first time since early January, supporting the case for further price losses.

New Settlement Layer to Offer Asian Crypto Institutions Local Alternative to Silvergate Bank

The new settlement layer is intended save Asian institutional traders from taking the "scenic route" via U.S. banking regulations.

Insolvent Exchange FCoin Had Bitcoin Outflow Problems Just Two Months After Launch: Report

The exchange, which revealed its insolvency this week, may have already had issues as early as July 2018.

Riot Blockchain Plans Sale of Crypto Exchange as It Invests More Millions in Bitcoin Mining

The Nasdaq-listed company is installing thousands of new Antminer devices from Bitmain at its Oklahoma facility.

DeFi Insurance Firm Nexus Mutual Makes Its First Payout Following bZx Attacks

Nexus Mutual members voted to pay out two claims following the bZx flash loan attacks – a first for the DeFi insurance pioneer.

Bitcoin’s Lightning Network Is Growing ‘Increasingly Centralized,’ Researchers Find

Bitcoin's lightning network is growing "increasingly centralized," making it more susceptible to attacks, asserts a new paper by security researchers.

Why We Should Stop Thinking of ‘Crypto’ as a Single Industry

Enterprise blockchains, central bank digital currencies, digital collectibles, DeFi, and bitcoin. How much do they really have to do with one another?

WATCH: Vitalik Buterin Explains the New Tech Behind Eth 2.0

Where do things stand with the tech overhaul of the world’s second-largest blockchain? We asked Vitalik at ETHDenver.

Morgan Stanley Buys E*Trade in $13B Deal

Morgan Stanley is acquiring E*Trade for $13 billion, hoping to target its 5.2 million-strong client base.

You Are the Product: A Three-Step Plan to Take Back Control of Personal Data

Personal data is monetized, giving us, the providers, nothing of the pie. Entrepreneur Jennifer Zhu Scott has a three-step plan for taking back control.

Oil Prices Are Now More Volatile Than Bitcoin

For skeptics and traditional market investors, bitcoin is synonymous with extreme bouts of price volatility. However, in recent times, oil has become a relatively risky asset.

$100K in Early Prizes Looks to Lure the NFT-Curious to Decentraland

Decentraland opened for gameplay today, delivering on promises of bringing an NFT-based "metaverse" to ethereum.

Bitcoin News Roundup for Feb. 20, 2020

With the price of bitcoin diving nearly 7 percent in the last 24 hours, Markets Daily is back with another time-saving bitcoin news roundup.

Officials Arrest US Resident for Allegedly Laundering Drug Proceeds With Crypto

A "large-scale" money laundering organization is allegedly using cryptocurrency to wash the proceeds from drug sales, according to a DEA agent's complaint.

Never Mind Hodlers, Crypto Needs More Opportunist Investors

The crypto markets need more investors who come and go and who aren't solely crypto investors, says CoinDesk columnist Jeff Dorman.

Italian Soccer Giant Juventus Inks Deal for Ethereum-Based Player Collectibles

The top Italian soccer team is launching digital collectible "cards" of players via a partnership with blockchain-based game platform Sorare.

Paxos, Credit Suisse Claim First Blockchain-Based Settlement of US Equities

The Paxos Settlement Service has gone live, allowing for the simultaneous exchange of cash and a select number of U.S.-listed securities on the firm's own private version of ethereum.

Norwegian Air May Allow Customers to Pay With Crypto as Soon as Spring

Norwegian would accept cryptocurrency payments via its sister firm, crypto exchange NBX.

Investor Fortress Raises Buyout Offer for Mt. Gox Creditor Claims By 71%

Fortress is now offering creditors a "premium price tier" of $1,300 on every bitcoin held by the defunct exchange's estate.

Bitcoin Traps Buyers With Biggest Daily Price Loss in Three Months

Bitcoin took its biggest daily fall in three months on Wednesday, but prices remain in the bullish zone for now.

National Stock Exchange of Australia Plans DLT Platform to Compete with ASX

National Stock Exchange of Australia owner NSX Ltd. and financial institution iSignthis are forming joint venture to offer a digital securities trading platform.

Brazil’s Central Bank to Launch Near-Instant Payments as a Response to Cryptocurrencies

The PIX payments system is coming to Brazil next winter, promising almost instant transfers for individuals and businesses.

Dutch Authorities Arrest 2 in Million-Euro Crypto Money Laundering Investigations

Dutch tax enforcers with the Netherlands’ Fiscal Intelligence and Investigation Service arrested two men Monday for laundering millions of euros in cryptocurrency.

No, Concentration Among Miners Isn’t Going to Break Bitcoin

Bitcoin's resilience doesn't depend on widely distributed mining power. It just requires self-interested miners, says CoinDesk columnist Hasu.

South Korea’s Central Bank Is Building a New Blockchain System for the Bond Market

The Bank of Korea is reportedly looking to build a blockchain system for the Korean bond market.

Bitcoin Slides Back Below $10K Amid Quick Bearish Sell-Off

Bitcoin has dipped back below the psychological area of support near the $10,000 level amid a 20 minute bearish sell-off.

OpenNode Finds Way for Retailers to Turn Fiat Payments Into Bitcoin (Using Apple Pay)

Bitcoin-loving retailers can now receive BTC from customers paying in fiat.

US Court Tells Telegram and SEC to Focus on ‘Economic Realities’ of Gram Token Sale

In his first public comments on the case, federal judge P. Kevin Castel called on Telegram and the SEC to consider the "economic realities" of the case such as the gram token’s secondary market.

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the DeFi ‘Flash Loan’ Attack

Here's a plain-English breakdown of the bZx attacks and their broader implications for the budding DeFi markets.

Gemcoin Founder Agrees to Plead Guilty to Fraud, Tax Evasion for $147M Scheme

Steve Chen agreed to plead guilty to tax evasion and conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with the $147 million Gemcoin scheme.

On-Chain Activity Suggests Bitcoin Price Volatility Will Continue, Thanks to ‘Whales’

Bitcoin’s price volatility spiked in January and could further increase over the near term because “whales” have begun accumulating coins.

EU Official: We Can’t Regulate Libra Without More Details

The European Union is still trying to figure out what to do about Libra, according to a new memo.

Chainlink’s Sergey Nazarov on What DeFi Can Learn From Early Exchange Hacks

A breakdown of the role of price oracles in the recent DeFi attacks, plus what DeFi can learn from early exchange hacks.

The Flash Loan Attacks Explained (for Everybody)

Today we're breaking down the flash loan attacks that rocked the DeFi community in a way even your grandpa can understand, presented in both audio and full-text format.

Financial Services: The Coming Cataclysm

The next era of financial services will pit Wall Street against Silicon Valley against open protocols, like bitcoin, says author Alex Tapscott.

ICO Project Enigma Settles SEC Charges Over $45M Token Sale

The SEC settled charges with Engima MPC alleging it raised $45 million in an unregistered securities sale with its 2017 ICO. Engima will refund investors and pay a penalty.

Tim Draper Buys 2.5% of Aragon Tokens, Becomes Governance Whale

Venture capitalist Tim Draper now controls about 2.5 percent of ANT, the token behind Aragon Network’s digital court system.

Openfinance Lists New Security Token in Charity Fundraising Effort

Openfinance recently announced that Lottery.com’s LDCC security token is now available to investors.

Blockstation Builds Disclosure Tool for Security Token Issuers on Jamaica Stock Exchange

Blockstation, a digital asset trading systems firm, has built a streamlined disclosures filing tool for companies seeking an STO with the Jamaican Stock Exchange.

Crypto Exchange Binance Suspends Trading Over ‘Systems Messaging Error’

The Binance exchange said an outage was due to system maintenance prompted by a problem with a data feed.

Korean ICO Project Shuts Down, Says ‘Negative Perceptions’ of Crypto Made Business Impossible

Contents Protocol will refund approximately $7.5 million-worth of ether back to investors.

Don’t Obsess Over Crypto End-Users, We Still Need Developers to Build the Back End

It’s not all about the needs of end-users. Let's focus on the wants of the developers and dreamers who build crypto infrastructure.

UK Crypto Exchange Coinfloor Launches ‘No BS’ Service for Bitcoin Beginners

The exchange, which dropped ethereum to focus solely on bitcoin, is launching a simplified buying service for crypto newbies.

Coinbase Becomes First ‘Pure’ Crypto Firm Approved as Visa Principal Member

The San Francisco-based cryptocurrency exchange will have the power to issue payment cards with the new status.

Bitcoin Bulls Back in the Driving Seat as Price Crosses $10K

Bitcoin has crossed into bullish territory above $10,000 alongside gold's rally toward seven-year highs.

Policymakers Shouldn’t Fear Digital Money: So Far It’s Maintaining the Dollar’s Status

U.S. policymakers are worried that CBDCs and crypto will harm the dollar's reserve status. But maybe they have it backwards, writes CoinDesk columnist Nic Carter.

Bitcoin Coders Confront an Old Quandary: How to Upgrade an Entire Network

An old debate is resurfacing in the bitcoin developer community, underscoring one of the critical challenges confronting decentralized systems.

Crypto Industry Lauds Token Safe Harbor, But Warns of Risks

Crypto advocates are praising SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce’s token “safe harbor” proposal, though not without questioning the details.

Samsung Continues Support for Crypto with New Flagship Smartphone

Users will still be able to hold cryptocurrencies on Samsung's newly launched Galaxy S20 range.

The IRS Is Inviting Crypto Firms to a ‘Summit’ in DC Next Month

The IRS will hold a summit to better inform its thinking around taxing cryptocurrencies next month.

Is It Exploitation Season for DeFi?

Are two recent attacks taking advantage of "flashloans," low liquidity and price oracle issues the first of more to come?

CoinDesk’s New Opinion Section: The Future of the Financial System Is Up for Debate

Announcing CoinDesk’s new opinion section, a place for discussion on the future of money and all the interesting questions that surround crypto and blockchain as ideas.

A Safer Harbor: Improving Hester Peirce’s Proposal for Regulating Token Sales

Hester Peirce's safe harbor proposal would benefit from greater protections for token holders, say two law professors.

BitGo Acquires Harbor in Surprise Expansion Beyond Crypto Custody

Digital asset custodian BitGo is building a “full stack” security token services provider by acquiring tokenization platform Harbor, including its broker-dealer and transfer agent.

Crypto News Roundup for Feb. 18, 2020

With the price of bitcoin breaking below last week's critical resistance, Markets Daily is back with another time-saving news roundup.

Crypto Firms Should Get Behind Peirce’s Safe Harbor Proposal, Even if It’s Unlikely to Become Law

Hester Peirce's idea may not be formally considered by the SEC, but it could help refine and define future crypto regulation, say two advisers.

US Presidential Contender Michael Bloomberg Proposes ‘Clear Regulatory Framework’ for Crypto

US presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg said he would clarify tax and securities laws around crypto in a new financial reform plan.

Preston Byrne: Peirce’s Safe Harbor Proposal Would Be Hilarious If It Weren’t So Serious

In his first column for CoinDesk, Preston Byrne responds to Hester Peirce's proposal for a token sale safe harbor.

Hester Peirce: Tell Me How to Improve My Safe Harbor Proposal

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce has proposed a new way to regulate token sales. If there are better alternatives, she wants to hear about them.

DeFi Project bZx Exploited for Second Time in a Week, Loses $630K in Ether

The attacker manipulated price feeds in order to create and profit from an under collateralized loan.

Boerse Stuttgart Subsidiary Launching Institutional Crypto Custody Services

Blocknox, a subsidiary of the second largest German stock exchange, is expanding its crypto custody service to institutional players.

Golden Cross Gives Little Relief as Bitcoin Risks Fall Below 2020 Bullish Trendline

While a long-term price indicator has flipped bullish, the cryptocurrency is struggling to gather upside traction and looks vulnerable near the seven-week rising trendline support.

Enjin Launches Game Development Platform on Ethereum

The Enjin Platform allows devs to integrate crypto tokens into apps and games.

Erik Voorhees: Within Five Years There Will Be a Major Financial Meltdown and Crypto Will Be Ready

When ShapeShift implemented KYC requirements, Erik Voorhees lost 95 percent of his users. But he remains as committed to crypto as ever.

Craig Wright Doubles Down on Satoshi Claim, Says Bitcoin Core Infringes His ‘Database Rights’

The Australian entrepreneur who claims to be the inventor of bitcoin has suggested he might take legal action over claimed infringement of his intellectual property.

Russia’s Central Bank Proposes New Token Framework, But Labels Crypto Transactions ‘Suspicious’

Russia is looking at creating a regulatory distinction between asset tokenization and 'pure' cryptocurrencies.

China’s DCEP Unlikely to Impact Crypto Markets in the Long-term, eToro Analyst Says

China is taking a great leap forward to develop a central bank digital currency, with more than 80 patents filed by the People’s Bank last week.

Derivatives Exchange Deribit Launches Daily Ether Options

The new ETH options will be tradable for just 24 hours before expiry.

Speculation Undermines Crypto Prices and Utility, Says Bank of England Senior Economist

Speculation clogs up blockchains, making them harder to use and ultimately less valuable, a working paper suggests.

Crypto Exchange FCoin Insolvent After Revealing Up to $130M Bitcoin Shortfall

Fcoin, a crypto exchange that adopted the controversial "trans-fee mining" model, has paused trading and withdrawal services after revealing a shortage of crypto assets worth up to $130 million.

How Bitcoin Is Used to Promote Human Rights: Stories From Activists and Refugees

CoinDesk reporter Leigh Cuen is joined by the Human Rights Foundation’s Alex Gladstein and Syrian entrepreneur Moe Ghashim to discuss how cultural context shapes the way people view bitcoin, including stories from the Middle East.

Binance to Offer White-Label Exchange Infrastructure for Local Markets

Binance said Monday it is offering a digital asset trading platform to power smaller exchanges in their local markets.

London-Based Crypto Custodian Copper Raises $8M for Expansion Overseas

Copper uses its "Walled Garden" infrastructure to allow clients to trade crypto assets more securely from custody.

Low-Volume Bitcoin Pullback Stalls at Price Support Near $9.6K

Sunday's "doji" candle weakened the case for a deeper price pullback, however, a positive follow-through is needed to confirm bull revival.

Binance CEO Says Crypto Exchange Has Applied for a Singapore License

The world's top cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume is hoping to get the official green light to operate in Singapore.

Chinese Blockchain Startup Hires VC Exec to Lead North American Expansion

Beijing-based blockchain startup Conflux has hired the former head of crypto at VC firm Outlier Ventures to lead a North American expansion.

Bitcoin Mining Unit Manufacturer MicroBT Nibbles at Bitmain’s Market Share

Bitcoin miner maker MicroBT rapidly expanded market share by selling over half a million units in 2019, chipping away at rival Bitmain's dominance.

Why Bison Trails Is Staying the Course on Libra

"When we joined the Libra Association, it wasn't like, 'Oh, hey, Facebook is doing something let's join.' It's really about the difference we're making in the world," said Bison Trails' Viktor Bunin.

Mainstream Moments and the CompuServe of Crypto, Feat. Andreas M. Antonopoulos

With the price of bitcoin headed up again, the idea of blockchains and digital currencies has never been more palatable to the mainstream. We've seen this cycle before, but could this time be different?

Privacy Laws Are Only as Effective as the Companies Implementing Them

Sometimes the very laws meant to enforce privacy can result in companies sharing it.

Mind the Gap: Why ETH Price and DeFi Adoption Aren’t in Sync

Demand for DeFi lending services built on ethereum shows a pattern of inverse relationship to the price of ETH. When ether prices are falling, the amount of ETH locked in DeFi tends to rise. Most recent data indicate the relationship operates the other way, too.

Exploit During ETHDenver Reveals Experimental Nature of Decentralized Finance

A $350,000 hack casts light on the problem of depending on single price oracles.

Governor: Colorado Startups Have Raised $50 Million in Venture Capital

Governor Jared Polis joined CoinDesk at ETHDenver where he talked about the future of crypto regulation.

We Think 10-Minute Settlement Is Slow but That’s Crazy, Feat. CoinDesk Research’s Noelle Acheson

CoinDesk Head of Research Noelle Acheson joins the Amun State of Crypto crew to discuss the advantages, disadvantages and eccentricities of crypto markets, exchanges, settlement and more.

When Corporations Violate Privacy, They Do Concrete Harm

There are concrete safety implications to consumer privacy violations, says Lindsey Barrett of Georgetown Law.

From Crypto Self-Custody to Music Rights, This Mother-Daughter Dev Team Does It All

Developer Cindy Zimmerman and her mother Judy Katzman are among the cryptocurrency community’s most quietly prolific builders.

CFTC Sues Alleged Crypto Ponzi Scammer for $500K Theft

The CFTC is charging Breonna Clark and Venture Capital Investments with defrauding investors by pretending to run a commodity pool invested in crypto and foreign currency contracts.

For Crypto Miners, Bitcoin’s Halving Could Mean a Doubling in Costs

To the operators of high-speed computers used to mine for bitcoin, the halving looks more like a doubling — of costs.

Hedera’s Token Price Spikes Prematurely After Google Joins the Network’s Governing Council

The cloud services arm of the Silicon Valley tech giant becomes the 11th member to join the council, but has no plans to further endorse the network.

The Top Narratives Driving Crypto Market Growth, feat. Travis Kling

The halving? Coronavirus and volatility? Fed action? Listeners vote on what's driving crypto growth.

IOHK Opens Cardano Research Lab at University of Wyoming Following $500K Donation

The center will feature a new Plutus development facility, providing blockchain developers with an applied laboratory for writing code in cardano's smart-contract language.

TON Developers, Investors Back Telegram in SEC Fight

A new organization composed of TON developers and investors has filed an amicus brief supporting Telegram in its fight against the SEC.

Steemit Sets Up Shop on Tron Network

Steemit, the blockchain-based social media platform, is partnering with the Tron Foundation, introducing Steem dapps and users to the Tron network.

Bitcoin News Roundup for Feb. 14, 2020

With bitcoin holding above $10,000, we're joined by CoinDesk senior reporter Leigh Cuen to discuss developments and implications in the case alleged against Larry Dean Harmon.

Polychain Capital Is Raising a $200M Crypto Venture Fund, Slide Deck Reveals

Polychain Capital, one of the crypto industry's leading venture firms, is targeting $200 million for its second fund.

ASX Sees Industry Benefits Arising From Blockchain Upgrade as July Tests Approach

The chief of the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) has said the company’s approaching shift to blockchain tech could bring opportunities to the wider securities industry. In a results call for H1 2020 Thursday, reported by ZDNet, ASX CEO Dominic Stevens said: “We’re very excited about the long term benefits this can bring to clearing and […]

Coinbase Commerce Integrates Dai Cryptocurrency for Merchant Payments

This is the first new cryptocurrency added by Coinbase Commerce since it added USDC in May 2019.

Crypto Finance Startup Amber Raises $28M in Series A Led By Pantera, Paradigm

Paradigm and Pantera Capital led the round, while Polychain Capital, Blockchain.com, Coinbase Ventures and more also participated.

OKEx Partners With Bain-Backed Crypto Exchange to Launch Leveraged Futures in India

The partnership will see the firms launch a new futures trading platform and provides OKEx with a foothold in a high-potential market.

Blockchain Bills Are Advancing in the New York State Senate – Here’s Why

Now in its second year, the New York State Senate's Internet and Tech Committee has approved two blockchain bills, which now go to the full Senate for a vote.

Bitcoin Closing on Daily Golden Cross That Could Bring Boost to 2020 Price Rally

Bitcoin is closing on a bullish chart pattern not seen in almost 10 months.

Binance Adds 15 Fiat Currencies as Exchange Pushes Global Expansion

The new fiat funding options come via the exchange's integration with Israeli payments processor Simplex.

US Intelligence Officials Are Funding Research on Dollar-Crushing ‘Black Swan’ Events

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence wants to sponsor a post-doc researcher to study what would happen if the U.S. dollar lost its status as the world’s reserve currency.

Nasdaq, Morgan Stanley Trading Vets Build Startup to Unite Crypto Market Price Ranges

A group of trading vets from NASDAQ, Visa and Morgan Stanley say they’ve built a liquidity solution for the world’s disparate cryptocurrency markets.

Trump’s Fed Nominee Judy Shelton Says US Should Be Proactive on Digital Dollar

Judy Shelton, President Trump’s nominee to the Federal Reserve Board, told lawmakers that digitizing the U.S. dollar could help maintain the currency’s ascendancy in global commerce.

MIT Wasn’t Only One Auditing Voatz – Homeland Security Did Too, With Fewer Concerns

A newly declassified DHS cyber audit complicates Thursday’s reports of major security vulnerabilities in the Voatz mobile voting app.

US DOJ Calls Bitcoin Mixing ‘a Crime’ in Arrest of Software Developer

The arrest of Larry Harmon for an alleged connection to AlphaBay raises major questions: Do bitcoiners have a right to build privacy tech?

IOTA Foundation Suspends Network, Probes Fund Theft in Trinity Wallet

The German nonprofit, which supports several decentralized platforms, said it received several reports of fund theft from its Trinity Wallet users and decided to shut off the Coordinator node in the network for further investigation.

Novogratz’s Crypto Investment Firm Galaxy Digital Shrinks Workforce 15%

Galaxy Digital, the crypto merchant bank founded by Michael Novogratz, has laid off 13 people, roughly 15 percent of its workforce, people familiar with the situation said.

Iran Concerns May Be Driving Trump Administration’s Talk of New Crypto Rules

Tensions with Iran may be behind U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s cryptocurrency compliance comments on Wednesday.

B2C2 Teams With SFOX Exchange to Bring Transparency to OTC Trades

B2C2, a London-based over-the-counter (OTC) market maker, is sharing its data and allowing transactions on the Los Angeles-based exchange aggregator SFOX.

The US Government’s Mixed Signals on Digital Currency Privacy

As the Treasury Department prepares for more stringent AML enforcement around cryptos, the Fed says a digital dollar should preserve privacy.

XRP Sees Flash Crash and Quick Rebound on BitMEX

XRP, the native asset of San Francisco-based Ripple’s XRP Ledger, saw a flash crash on Hong Kong-based derivatives exchange BitMEX on Thursday.

EFF Defends Ex-Kraken Employee’s Right to Post Anonymously About Company

The Electronic Frontier Foundation is defending a former Kraken employee embroiled in a lawsuit over an anonymous review of the crypto exchange on Glassdoor.

Binance Hires Ex-Uber Product Lead as VP of Global Expansion

Matt Shroder will help the exchange scale its operations and services, especially in emerging markets.

Crypto News Roundup for Feb. 13, 2020

With bitcoin bouncing off $10,500, Markets Daily is back with another time-saving crypto update.

Ether Futures Volume Highest Since June 2019

As ether’s price rose to seven-month highs on Wednesday, the aggregate daily volume in ether futures exceeded $4.5 billion for the first time since June 27, 2019.

Here’s How to Inspect Bitcoin’s Next (Likely) Major Upgrade Yourself

With bitcoin’s next likely major upgrade in the works, students of the cryptocurrency can inspect the code themselves, helped by core developers.

Torus Launches to Bring One-Click Login to Web 3.0

The move positions Torus among a handful of startups offering simple login solutions for the web’s next, decentralized chapter.

DTCC Calls on Banks and Regulators to Help Address Blockchain Security Issues

A comprehensive framework shared by all participants will negate any risks associated with blockchain, the derivatives repository giant says.

Bitcoin Lender BlockFi Raises $30M in Series B Led by Peter Thiel’s Valar Ventures

Having Hong Kong-based HashKey as an investor will help BlockFi expand into Singapore later this year, said CEO Zac Prince.

Wells Fargo Invests $5M in Startup Connecting Crypto Exchanges and Banks

Banking giant Wells Fargo is backing blockchain forensics firm Elliptic.

Santander Hires Former Apple Pay Exec to Lead P2P Payments

The new hire formerly helped lead the launches of both Apple Card and Apple Pay.

$400 Drop: Bitcoin Faces Correction After Rejection at Price Hurdle

Having rapidly dropped from $10,500 on Thursday, bitcoin could be staring at deeper losses.

Top Soccer Club FC Barcelona Launching Crypto Token for Fan Engagement

The record-breaking soccer club teamed with blockchain firm Chiliz to launch the crypto token seeking greater engagement with fans.

Mastercard and Ripple’s Xpring Join Industry Group to Promote Blockchain Education

Mastercard, the innovation arms of Ripple and Binance and eight other firms joined a group supporting blockchain education in universities worldwide.

Could a Digital Dollar Compete on Privacy? Fed Chairman Powell Hints It Might

Fed Chairman Powell has given financial privacy advocates a glimmer of hope – and hinted at how the U.S. might competitively position a digitized dollar.

IRS Refused to Clarify That Its Crypto Tax Guidance Isn’t Binding, US Watchdog Says

The IRS has refused to clarify that part of its 2019 guidance on tax treatment of cryptocurrencies is not binding, a government watchdog said.

Options Protocol Brings ‘Insurance’ to DeFi Deposits on Compound

A company called Opyn is bringing trustless insurance to the Compound DeFi protocol.

US Financial Crimes Watchdog Preparing ‘Significant’ Crypto Rules, Warns Treasury Secretary Mnuchin

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said FinCEN is preparing "significant new requirements" around cryptocurrencies to tamp down illicit activity.

Puppets, Pundits and Partnerships: Why Crypto Sentiment and Prices Are Soaring

With blockchain puppets (we really mean it) on TV, CNBC pushing the bitcoin-as-gold narrative and The Guardian seeing connections between coronavirus and bitcoin's recent rally, we've got a lot to talk about on today's episode of The Breakdown.

Ohio Resident Charged With Laundering $311M in Bitcoin for AlphaBay

Ohio resident Larry Dean Harmon, 36, has been charged with laundering more than $300 million in bitcoin for darknet marketplace AlphaBay.

Coinbase Revives Margin Trading, With Conservative (for Crypto) 3x Leverage

Coinbase is rolling out margin trading retail and institutional investors in the U.S. and nine other countries, offering a light 3x leverage to traders.

Libra Minus Facebook: Why Celo Is 2020’s Buzzy Token Project

With $30 million from Polychain and a16z, here's how the buzzy Celo plans to rival Libra on financial inclusion.

Circle Founder: Digital Currencies at Key Growth Moment as Governments Take Notice

Jeremy Allaire sees governments and industry finally taking blockchain seriously. That's a big deal.

Bitcoin News Roundup for Feb. 12, 2020

With bitcoin above $10,000 Markets Daily is back with our news roundup, plus a brief interview with CoinDesk senior markets reporter Brad Keoun.

Retail Investors Aren’t Interested in Crypto Derivatives, Says eToro Executive

eToro isn't too worried about a potential U.K. ban on crypto derivatives.

Circle Sells Retail Trading App to Crypto Broker Voyager

Voyager plans to convert 40,000 Circle Invest accounts to its own platform by the end of next month, but promises little disruption to customer experience.

North Korea Is Expanding Its Monero Mining Operations, Says Report

The regime may be boosting its monero mining efforts in order to evade UN-imposed sanctions and avoid being tracked.

Top Australian Soccer Club Acquired By Token-Powered Fan Marketplace

Perth Glory is being acquired by a sports-focused group that says it raised $70 million in a 2018 token offering.

US Military Contractor BAE Systems Wants to Hire ‘Cryptocurrency Exploiters’

The role will require candidates to have experience in working with the intelligence community.

Bitcoin Is Most Overbought in 2 Years After Price Rises Back Above $10K

Bitcoin's rally is looking overstretched and a correction may be seen if prices fail to secure a foothold above resistance at $10,350.

Poloniex Crypto Exchange Forced to Roll Back Trades After Update Error

The cryptocurrency exchange – recently acquired by an investment group including Tron – now says its systems are back to normal.

Tether Stablecoin Taps Chainalysis for Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Tools

Tether is using Chainalysis' "Know Your Transaction" tool to create risk profiles for USDT users and monitor potentially suspicious activity.

LabCFTC Wants to Meet FinTech Startups in New York

LabCFTC, the CFTC's fintech research wing, is visiting New York in April to discuss startups' concerns and projects with their teams.

Bitcoin’s Mining Difficulty Stagnates as Coronavirus Outbreak Delays New Equipment

A key measure of competition among bitcoin miners has stagnated in the past two weeks as the coronavirus outbreak disrupts economic activity in China.

Why Security Token Offerings Are a Big Yawn in Parts of Asia

Security token offerings (STO) were supposed to be the next big blockchain-based investment vehicle. But investors in Thailand and Taiwaan aren't interested.

Bitcoin Hits 5-Month High Following Fed Chair Powell’s Privacy Praise

Bitcoin’s price is trending solidly back above the 5-digit figure mark.

Cryptocurrency Proponent Andrew Yang Ends Presidential Bid

Presidential contender Andrew Yang dropped out of the race Tuesday. He advocated for clear crypto guidelines in the U.S. during his run.

Top Bitcoin Developers Face Off in a Lightning-Powered Boxing Match

The esports smackdown was meant to highlight the power of bitcoin's lightning network – since the cutting-edge payments system is fast, cheap and lets users send tiny payments, even a fraction of a cent.

US Authorities Charge Crypto ‘Trading Club’ Operators With Defrauding 150 Investors

Michael Ackerman and unnamed business partners allegedly defrauded investors of $33M in a crypto-trading scheme targeting doctors.

Why Exchanges List Small-Cap Coins Despite 51% Attacks

It is profitable for exchanges to list low market-cap coins, despite the potential for 51 percent attacks, say two VCs from Dragonfly Capital.

Muneeb Ali Explains Blockstack’s Big Bet on Bitcoin

Blockstack is integrating the security and the incentive of bitcoin to its ecosystem. CEO Muneeb Ali explains the changes.

Monero Hacker Group ‘Outlaw’ Is Back and Targeting American Business: Report

Outlaw, a group specializing in cryptojacking machines to mine monero, has returned after a brief hiatus and is expanding its global reach, according to Trend Micro.

Options Market Sees More Risk in Ether Than Bitcoin in Coming Months

Ether will face more volatility than bitcoin over the next six months, according to how options have been priced in recent weeks. 

Vermont Turns to Home-Grown Blockchain Company to Track Hemp With Ethereum

Vermont state regulators will begin recording the production of hemp – a low-THC cannabis strain popular in textiles – on the ethereum mainnet this year.

Crypto News Roundup for Feb. 11, 2020

With bitcoin dropping below recent highs of $10,000, Markets Daily is back with a slow-day news round-up.

ConsenSys Project Launches ‘Proof-of-Use’ Network to Discourage Speculation

The Activate network requires tokens to reach maturity within three years of the first token sale.

BitPay Launches In-Store Crypto Payments With New POS Partnership

The crypto payments provider is now taking its service into bricks-and-mortar stores with a new point-of-sale partnership.

Dell Among Founding Members of IOTA Working Group

Tangle can prepare Dell for a future where users can earn revenue by selling their data.

See You in Denver This Week

CoinDesk will be on location at ETHDenver this Thursday.

German Bank to Offer Tokenized Securities Based on Stellar

One of the oldest banks in Europe. von der Heydt is developing a euro stablecoin to facilitate private placements in securities tokenized on the Stellar blockchain.

Binance Adds Support for Fee-Free P2P Trading With Russian Rubles

Users can now trade rubles directly with bitcoin, ether, tether and binance coin without any transaction fees.

JPMorgan May Merge Its Blockchain Project With Ethereum Studio Consensys: Report

The banking giant is apparently in talks to merge Quorum with ConsenSys, the ethereum-focused software developer and investor.

Joint Venture Launches Canadian Dollar-Pegged Stablecoin for Financial Services

Canada Stablecorp, a joint venture between Mavennet and 3iQ, has begun issuing its QCAD stablecoin, in a bid to digitize financial services such as international remittances.

Monday’s Price Drop Didn’t Break Bitcoin’s Bullish Trend

The path of least resistance for bitcoin is still to the higher side. In the short-run, though, a deeper pullback may be on the cards.

Coinbase Adds Support for 2 More Cryptocurrencies in New York State

The exchange has now added the privacy-enhancing cryptocurrency zcash and its own USDC stablecoin in New York state.

Childhood Friends Battle Over Ownership of North America’s Largest Bitcoin Mine

Four years ago, two lifelong friends turned a small investment into the largest crypto miner in North America. Now they are warring over the company's future.

Chinese Insurers Tap Blockchain to Speed up Coronavirus Payouts

Blockchain tech is reported to be speeding up insurance claims processing amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Plasma Became Optimism and It Might Just Save Ethereum

The Plasma Group reformed as Optimism and is working to make ethereum's calling card, smart contracts, work above the base layer.

SEC ‘Safe Harbor’ Proposal Lauded by Token Fans, DeFi Builders at 0x Conference

San Francisco's 0xpo conference offered the perfect venue for pondering the token "Safe Harbor" proposed by SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce.

Trump’s 2021 Budget Proposal Seeks to Optimize Crypto Policing

U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed 2021 budget would shift the U.S. Secret Service from the Department of Homeland Security back to the Treasury Department, creating "new efficiencies" in investigations including crypto.

On the Frontlines of the SEC Safe Harbor Proposal With CoinList CEO Andy Bromberg

Will a newly proposed "safe harbor" transform the U.S. regulatory landscape for token projects? CoinList CEO Andy Bromberg discusses.

Inside Chainalysis’ Multimillion-Dollar Relationship With the US Government

Public records show Chainalysis made more than $10 million in five years from the U.S. government and stands to take in more than $14 million, dwarfing its competitors in the blockchain surveillance industry.

Bitcoin News Roundup for Feb. 10, 2020

With bitcoin's move up to $10,000 taking a well earned breather, Markets Daily is back with our bitcoin roundup.

IBM Blockchain VP: Every Dollar Spent on Blockchain Yields $15 on Cloud

Enterprise blockchain is a catalyst for further spending at Big Blue, according to Jerry Cuomo, IBM’s vice president of blockchain technologies.

Digital Banking Startup Targets UK License to Serve Crypto Firms

DAG Global says it's had no "red flags" raised in discussions with British financial regulators.

Seed CX Expands European Presence With Euro-Crypto Order Books

Seed CX is adding eight euro-denominated order books to its spot exchange, including bitcoin, ether and the U.S. dollar.

Custody Provider Vo1t Partners With IBM to Offer Customers Secure Key Storage

The partnership with IBM Hyper Protect ensures that clients’ keys are safe even if Vo1t’s data centers are compromised.

BitGo Grows Crypto Custody Options With New Swiss and Germany Entities

The U.S.-based custodian is expanding its crypto custody service to Europe with the launch of two new entities in Switzerland and Germany.

Ukraine Won’t Regulate Crypto Mining, Government Ministry Says

In a new manifesto, Ukraine's Ministry of Digital Transformation has indicated it won't be creating regulations for the crypto mining sector.

New Crypto Exchange Altsbit Says It Will Close Following Hack

Altsbit says it can only issue partial refunds after the hack and will shut down after that process is complete.

Bitcoin Takes a Dive After the Longest Daily Winning Run Since September

Bitcoin's bulls look to have run out of momentum following a five-day streak of gains.

Chinese Crypto Investment Firm Asked to Remove London Underground Ads

The firm reportedly touted an investment scheme with 5 percent interest but didn't state that it sent the funds back to China using crypto.

Why Cypherpunk Witches Love Bitcoin

Cryptocurrency lets modern-day witches transact beyond the grasp of restrictive e-commerce platforms.

Australian Government Eyes Business Benefits in New National Blockchain Roadmap

The Australian government has unveiled a new push for blockchain innovation in an updated national roadmap released Friday.

Don’t Fall for It: Scammers Are Impersonating CoinDesk Staff on Social Media

Scammers are posing as CoinDesk reporters, offering articles in turn for payment. CoinDesk does not and will never accept payment for coverage. Don't be fooled.

Don’t Fall for It: Scammers Are Impersonating CoinDesk Staff on Social Media

CoinDesk does not and will never accept payment for coverage. Don't be fooled.

DISCUSSION: US Crypto Taxes Are a Nightmare. Could These Proposals Help?

This week, the Let's Talk Bitcoin! Show gathered to discuss the US tax treatment of "Virtual Currencies" and how scams find a home wherever opportunity exists, at least for a while.

Bitcoin Breaks Above $10,000 in Spot Market

For the first time in three months, bitcoin’s price is being quoted in five digits to the left of the decimal.

Coronavirus Checks China’s Blockchain Ambitions

As long as the Coronavirus keeps everyone indoors, China's big, bold blockchain ambitions are on hold.

Why We Need a Federal Privacy Law

Mutale Nkonde, a Harvard researcher, argues the US should pass a privacy law modeled on California's new CCPA.

Why DeFi’s Billion-Dollar Milestone Matters

The DeFi market hitting $1 billion in locked crypto is something even the most fervent ethereum skeptics would have a tough time dismissing as meaningless.

Kraken’s Dan Held on What’s Different About Bitcoin at $10K This Time

As bitcoin inches towards $10,000, @nlw is joined by Kraken’s Dan Held to discuss how the narrative, infrastructure and audience have changed since this price last year.

Appealing to Normies: Advancing Bitcoin Starts With Better UX

At London's Advancing Bitcoin conference, developers discussed user-experience fixes for the world's leading crypto.

New ‘TRUMP’ Token Giving 62% Odds of US President’s Reelection

Crypto traders outside the U.S. now have a way to weigh in on President Trump thanks to a new digital token, the TRUMP.

CFTC Asked to Provide Opinion in SEC Case Against Telegram ICO

A U.S. judge has asked lawyers from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to provide an opinion in the case brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) against Telegram's $1.7 billion token sale.

Now More Than Ever, SEC Is Scrutinizing Unregistered Token Offerings

The frequency of ICO-related enforcement actions has been increasing in the U.S.

FinCEN: Social Media Companies That Tokenize Must Follow the Law

Social networks with crypto aspirations must guard their systems against criminal exploitation, said FinCEN's deputy chief.

Crypto News Roundup for Feb. 7, 2020

With bitcoin meeting new resistance at $9850, Markets Daily is back with our daily news roundup

Above $10K: CME Bitcoin Futures Hit 3.5-Month Highs

Bitcoin futures listed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange rose to multi-month highs, breaking above $10,000 early Friday.

Paystand Raises $20M to Be Blockchain-Based ‘Venmo’ for Commercial Payments

The firm offers a platform using blockchain tech to automate commercial payments.

London Block Exchange Placed into Compulsory Liquidation

The company, known as Dragon Payments since last July, was ordered to be wound up on Jan. 31.

Fearing ‘Currency Struggle,’ Japanese Politicians Want G7 Response to China’s Digital Yuan

The group of lawmakers fears that the digital yuan could create economic disruption if it starts to replace the greenback in international markets.

Bitcoin Has Erased Over 45% of 2019 Sell-Off in Just 7 Weeks

In just seven weeks, bitcoin has recovered over 45 percent of the value lost in the second half of 2019.

Coronavirus Concerns Cause Another Crypto Event to Be Postponed

A crypto conference, planned to be held in Hong Kong in March, has now been pushed back to October over concerns about the coronavirus outbreak.

RSK Launches Interoperability Bridge Between Bitcoin and Ethereum

RSK's tokens can now operate within the ethereum ecosystem using the new token bridge.

Platform Allowing Trading of Crypto in Custody Completes First $100K Transaction

The platform provides a solution that allows trading of digital assets which they remain in secure custody.

Prime Trust to Arrange Banking for Customers of BlockQuake Crypto Exchange

The exchange will use Prime Trust for compliance checks as well as custody for fiat and cold storage for crypto.

China’s Coronavirus Whistleblower Is Now Memorialized on Ethereum

Someone has just created a smart contract on the ethereum blockchain with source codes forming an image of a monument in memorial of Dr. Li Wenliang, the whistleblower of China's coronavirus outbreak who died of the disease.

‘95% Confidence’: Ethereum Developers Pencil In July 2020 for Eth 2.0 Launch

Ethereum’s next system-wide upgrade, Eth 2.0, won’t launch in Q2 2020 as expected, but researchers remain confident the initial network parameters will deploy in 2020. Anything less would be considered a “failure,” they said.

Catalonia Is Moving to Achieve Digital Independence Using Blockchain

Catalonia is exploring digital identity and hopes to leapfrog its way into try digital sovereignty.

The Federal Reserve Has Its ‘Come to Satoshi’ Moment

Shifting a stance of mostly ignoring CBDCs, a Federal Reserve governor says the Fed is now actively studying the possibility of a US digital currency.

How Blockchain Will Track Taxes (and Tax Cheats)

The chairman of the Global Blockchain Business Council is working with others on a way to add transparency and openness to taxes.

Open Positions in Bakkt’s Bitcoin Futures Jump to Record Highs

While bitcoin hit fresh three-month highs on Wednesday, open interest in monthly bitcoin futures on the Intercontinental Exchange's (ICE) Bakkt platform jumped to record highs.

Join Us in Denver Next Week

Join us in Denver for a reader meet and greet.

Bitcoin News Roundup for Feb. 6, 2020

With bitcoin headed back up towards $10,000, Markets Daily is back with a quick, time saving bitcoin-focused news roundup.

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce Proposes 3-Year Safe Harbor Period for Crypto Token Sales

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce has unveiled her proposal to create a safe harbor for crypto startups, allowing them three years to build out their networks before having to address federal securities laws.

Blockstack Nodes Will Be Paid in BTC – Not STX – to Secure the Network

Blockstack is rolling out a new consensus mechanism that presents a fresh use case for the world's most popular cryptocurrency.

Crypto Researcher Hasu Flags Attack That Could Bring ‘Purge’-Style Mayhem to Bitcoin

Like the dystopia of the "Purge" movies, a newly uncovered potential attack on bitcoin would permit users to rob each other for a short period of time.

Zoom’s CIO Sees a Rise in the Decentralized Workforce

The future of work is decentralized. Zoom, with its centralized app, is leading the charge, says CIO Harry Moseley.

ICE CEO: New Acquisition Opens Trillion-Dollar Market for Bakkt

Bakkt's pending acquisition of Bridge2 Solutions, a loyalty program marketplace, will "expand Bakkt's presence across an asset class that today spans over $1 trillion in value," says its parent firm ICE's CEO Jeffrey Sprecher.

Tron’s Justin Sun (Finally) Gets $4.5M Dinner With Warren Buffett

Justin Sun finally had his $4.5 million charity dinner with Berkshire Hathaway chief Warren Buffett last month.

ErisX Hires Capital Markets Veteran as Chief Risk Officer

Vindhu Singh is the firm’s first chief risk officer, and will report to Head of Eris Clearing Liz James.

Fed Reserve Is Researching DLT-Based Digital Dollar, Says Governor

Lael Brainard said in a speech that the Fed had to remain at the forefront of digital currency research and development.

Fidelity’s VC Arm Leads $13M Series A for Blockchain-Based B2B Network Clear

Clear claims it can reduce friction in global trade that amounts to $140 billion every year.

New Central Bank Group to Discuss Digital Currency Benefits at April Meeting: Report

The heads of six major central banks will hold their first meeting on potentially developing their own digital currencies in April, Nikkei says.

Bitcoin’s Uptrend Is Gathering Pace and Many Altcoins Are Surging Too

Bitcoin's rally has gathered pace, setting the stage for a test of $10,000. At the same time, a number of alternative cryptos are even outperforming bitcoin.

Former OKEx Exec to Raise $40M for Crypto Derivative Exchange

The Seychelles-based exchange aims to provide retail crypto investors with futures, options, callable bull/bear contracts, warrant contracts and fixed coupon notes, which are traditionally only available to institutional clients.

CoinFlip Lists Stellar’s XLM on its 450 Crypto ATMs

Crypto ATM startup CoinFlip has added Stellar Lumens (XLM) to its network of 450 machines.

Germany’s BaFin Clarifies Licensing Process for Foreign Crypto Custodians

In its latest guidance released in January, the regulator said firms already custodying digital assets for Germans would not be penalized for not having a license. Instead, they’d be grandfathered into the same protection that crypto custody firms based in Germany already have under the new law.

Bitcoin Rises Above $9,700 to Reach Highest Point in 3 Months

Bitcoin has reached its highest point in over 3 months, above $9,700.

Telegram Drops Technical White Paper for Blockchain SEC Is Trying to Halt

Telegram has revealed more details about its TON blockchain's block validation process, even as it fights the SEC in court over its $1.7 billion token sale.

What All These VC Deals and Acquisitions Say About the State of the Crypto Markets

Three funding announcements and three M&A deals give us a window into understanding what investors in the crypto space are most interested in.

Exchange Deposits in Bitcoin Slide to Lowest Level in 3 Years

The number of bitcoin on-chain deposits has dropped sharply over the last six months, indicating a strong optimistic or “HODLing,” sentiment in the market.

How the Long Tail of the Coronavirus Might Slow Bitcoin’s Hash Power Growth

The shortage of new mining machines caused by the coronavirus outbreak could curb computing power growth from Chinese miners who contribute over 65% of Bitcoin’s hash power.

US Judge Dismisses Bitcoin Cash ‘Hijack’ Lawsuit Against Bitmain, Kraken

A U.S. court has dismissed UnitedCorp's market manipulation lawsuit against Bitmain, Kraken, Bitcoin.com and others without prejudice.

Crypto News Roundup for Feb. 5, 2020

With the price of bitcoin headed back up, Markets Daily is back with another crypto news roundup.

ConsenSys Acquires US Broker-Dealer in Bid to Tokenize Trillion-Dollar ‘Muni’ Bond Market

ConsenSys aims to use its new acquisition to offer tokenized municipal bonds in a market ripe for disruption.

Lightning Labs Raises $10M Series A to Be the ‘Visa’ of Bitcoin

Lightning Labs has raised $10 million in Series A financing as it gears up to launch its first paid service for merchants accepting bitcoin payments.

Libra Vice Chair Not Worried About the Leavers

Libra Vice Chair Dante A. Disparte said some departing Libra partners left the door wide open for an eventual return. They will be welcomed back when they're ready.

ICE Snaps Up Loyalty Program Provider Bridge2 to Boost Bakkt’s Consumer Play

Intercontinental Exchange, Bakkt's parent firm, has acquired loyalty services provider Bridge2 Solutions to boost Bakkt's efforts to build a consumer-focused crypto payments app.

Jill Carlson, Meltem Demirors Back $3.3M Round for Non-Custodial Settlement Protocol Arwen

The funding will help the Boston-based startup expand its non-custodial settlement system, potentially to institutional players.

Binance Now Lets Users Borrow Against Crypto Holdings to Fund Futures Trades

The exchange has added a feature allowing users put up their crypto holdings as collateral to fund futures trading.

Bitcoin Sees Bull Revival as Price Bounces Above $9.4K

Bitcoin has bounced strongly in the last 24 hours, opening the doors for retest of recent highs above $9,600.

Pantera, Square Join $14m Series-A Round for Real-Time Payments Startup Transparent

The Seattle-based startup sets out to bring real-time settlement to financial infrastructure through a cryptographically secured, distributed payment network.

Intermex Partners With Ripple for XRP-Based Remittance Corridor

Intermex has said it will use use RippleNet for its U.S.-Mexican remittance corridor.

Sony VC Fund Joins ‘Over $14M’ Funding Round for Digital Asset Platform Securitize

A venture capital fund under the management of Sony Financial Ventures (SFV) and Global Brain has invested an undisclosed amount in security token issuance platform Securitize.

Galaxy’s Novogratz: XRP Will ‘Underperform Immensely Again This Year’

XRP will have another lackluster year in 2020, Galaxy Digital CEO (and Ripple shareholder) Mike Novogratz told a roomful of financial advisers.

Craig Wright ‘Abusing’ Privilege to Block 11,000 Documents, Kleiman Lawyers Say

The filing says Wright has abused attorney-client privilege to withhold documents from the court.

What Is Going On With Jae Kwon and Cosmos?

Internal tensions at Tendermint, the company building the Cosmos blockchain, have begun to spill out into public view.

Iowa Caucus App Fiasco Shows Need for Open Source Transparency

Iowa's election mess shows the risks of relying on centralized, digital systems and software that lacks transparency.

Handshake’s Uncensorable Web Domains Go Live on Mainnet

Namebase CEO Tieshun Roquerre joins @nlw to talk about why uncensorable web domains matter as Handshake goes live to mainnet.

No, a Blockchain Wouldn’t Have Prevented the Iowa Caucus Debacle

If anything, blockchains add meaningful complexity, which means more ways things could go wrong under imperfect, or real-life conditions.

LISTEN: How Crypto and Porn Go Hand in Hand

Spankchain's Allie Eve Knox talks to CoinDesk's Leigh Cuen about why sex workers need crytpo.

Yes, We’re Talking About Voting on the Blockchain

With Iowa election results still unconfirmed, Markets Daily is back and digging into the question: Would a blockchain have helped?

Ethereum Incubator ConsenSys Slashes Headcount 14% in Latest Strategic Shift

Ethereum venture studio ConsenSys is shifting focus – and downsizing as a result.

Inside the Standards Race for Implementing FATF’s Travel Rule

Crypto businesses are figuring out how to comply with the Financial Action Task Force’s “Travel Rule.” And putting technical solutions in place is proving to be just as tricky as the legal and operational issues involved.

Binance Will Soon Reward Market Makers for Providing Futures Liquidity

The exchange is adjusting its fee structure to incentivize market makers to add liquidity on its futures platform.

Bitcoin SV Sees Minor Split as Blockchain Shifts to ‘Genesis’ Upgrade

The upgrade saw an "inadvertent" split as an unknown entity mined a block on the old chain, the BSV team says.

Winklevoss Twins’ Crypto Exchange Adds TradingView Integration

Gemini users can now execute trades directly through the TradingView interface.

Pullback ahead? Bitcoin Price Indicators Suggest Waning Bull Momentum

Bitcoin's technical charts are indicating temporary bull fatigue and hinting at stronger price pullback ahead.

Southern Indian State to Launch Dedicated Blockchain Incubator

The southern Indian state of Telangana is to launch a dedicated blockchain incubator with assistance from top educational institutions.

Bitspark Fades Out Following COO Maxine Ryan’s Departure

The company, with operations in Hong Kong, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam, will be permanently shuttering its doors on March 4.

Gartner Research: Smart Contract Adoption to Increase Data Quality by 50% Over 3 Years

Research conducted by Gartner is predicting a 50% increase in overall data quality by 2023 for all businesses and organizations using blockchain smart contracts.

When Will We See the Digital Dollar? ‘CryptoDad’ Says Soon

Former CFTC Chris Giancarlo sees the current set of financial systems - the older systems associated with the pre-digital age - as almost hopelessly obsolete.

Deplatforming, Ethereum Marketing and Whether Brexit Matters for Crypto

A look at social media censorship discussion plus ethereum marketing and Brexit reactions with Ledger CEO Pascal Gauthier

Aztec Launches Privacy Network on Ethereum

Users will be able to create private assets using the protocol.

Crypto News Roundup for Feb. 3, 2020

As bitcoin traders gain confidence, Markets Daily is back with news of the day.

US Marshals Will Auction $40M in Bitcoin This Month

The U.S. Marshals Service plans to auction more than 4,000 bitcoin, worth about $37.7 million at press time, later this month.

Minecraft Players Can Win Bitcoin on New Treasure Hunt Server

A new Minecraft server allows players in the blocky universe to compete against one another to find hidden treasure and receive a bitcoin reward.

Prof. Michael Sung Talks About the Rise of the Digital Yuan

The story of the digital Yuan is more complex than we knew and Professor Michael Sung explains why.

PoolTogether DeFi App Announces $1M Investment After No-Loss Lottery Payout Tops $1K

PoolTogether is announcing a $1.05 million investment round as it adds a USDC pool to its DeFi-powered "no-loss lottery."

MIT Develops ‘Spider’ Tech to Enable More Efficient Off-Chain Crypto Transactions

The researchers say their new routing scheme can help avoid congestion on off-chain cryptocurrency networks.

Mastercard Left Libra Association Over Regulatory and Viability Concerns, Says CEO

The credit-card giant pulled out of the Libra Association in October. Now its chief has opened up on why.

US Food Inspectors to Test IBM Blockchain for Export Certifications

The blockchain feasibility assessment will search out efficiencies in a process marred by regulations and often complex documentary requirements.

Bitcoin Price Spikes to Three-Month High as Bull Cross Approaches

Bitcoin printed a three-month high on major exchanges early on Monday with a key indicator eyeing its first bullish turn in 11 months.

Jack Dorsey Enables Bitcoin Emoji on Twitter Posts

Dorsey also appears to be pushing Unicode to introduce the bitcoin emoji in the universal web standard.

Singapore Clears Securities Token Platform iSTOX for Full Trading

Singapore’s central bank, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), has greenlit a blockchain-based platform iSTOX to trade tokenized capital market securities such as equity and bonds.

Bitcoin Usage Among Merchants Is Up, According to Data From Coinbase and BitPay

Although bitcoin adoption may move at a glacial pace, merchants are seeing sustained traction regardless of market dips.

Reginald Fowler Rejects Plea Deal in Crypto ‘Shadow Bank’ Case

Reginald Fowler has rejected a plea deal with the U.S. government in an ongoing case that accuses him of operating "shadow bank" services tied to crypto exchanges.

Winklevoss Patents Tout Use Case for Gemini Stablecoin Tech in Banking

Banks and other "trusted entities" could become licensed issuers of the stablecoin, the patents suggest.

Libre Not Libra – Thinking Critically About Facebook’s Blockchain Project

Years of jokes about “FaceCoin” and “ZuckBucks” have finally come to life – sort of.

Bermuda Is Planning a Comprehensive Crypto Framework

Denis Pitcher, chief fintech advisor to the Premier of Bermuda, talks about the island nation's blockchain plans.

Brexit Divorce Is Advertising Opportunity for Crypto Firms

As the UK left the EU this week, Paris-based hardware firm Ledger and Bitpanda, an exchange in Vienna, started ad campaigns centered on the theme of “exit.”

Hyperledger’s Brian Behlendorf Says Blockchain’s Potential Is “Hitting a Tipping Point”

Hyperledger's Brian Behlendorf talks with Michael Casey about blockchain's "tipping point."

Zcash’s Funding Vote and the Problems With Decentralized Governance

The zcash community has agreed to continue funding the development of its privacy coin after a months-long – and often contentious – campaign to address imminent funding losses.

Stacking Fasts: Inside the Crypto Community’s New Diet Craze

The Bitcoin Fasting Group skips breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s not as bad as it sounds.