‘We Need 30 Different Words for Censorship”, Feat. Andreas M. Antonopoulos

The rallying cry of the totalitarian is "He farted first", but if both systems have produced similar outcomes, is there much of a difference? Today's wide-ranging discussion features Stephanie Murphy, Jonathan Mohan, Adam B. Levine and Andreas M. Antonopoulos

Why Family Offices Should Consider Digital Assets for Their Portfolios

While institutional capital remains on the digital assets sidelines, family offices have shown willingness to diversify into crypto, says Constantin Kogan of BitBull Capital.

Stablecoins Are the Bridge From Central Banks to Consumer Payments

Stablecoins can mediate between central bank digital currencies and the consumer payments universe, says Sila's Alex Lipton.

Market Wrap: Bitcoin Slides, Stocks Tread Water on Trump China Comments

Stocks across Asia and Europe took a dip Friday and so did bitcoin in anticipation of Trump’s comments on “deeply troubling situations” in Hong Kong.

Amazon Patents Blockchain-Based Product Authenticator

Amazon has patented a distributed ledger-based system for proving the authenticity of consumer goods.

The Battle for the Future of Money, Feat. Lawrence Summers, CZ, Michelle Phan, the Winklevoss Brothers, The Chainsmokers and More

As the current economic crisis comes into clearer focus, how leading voices from pop culture to crypto including Carlota Perez, The Chainsmokers, Ray Yousseff and many others are reimaging money.

To Get Serious About Decentralization, We Need to Measure It

Blockchains aim to democratize influence and control, broadening access to capital and data. But we lack metrics to whether projects achieve decentralization.

Behind ‘Prime Broker’ Buzzword Lies a Complex Strategy Game for Crypto Firms

Coinbase, BitGo and Genesis all announced plans to become prime brokers this month. Here's what the trend reveals about the state of the industry.

Money Reimagined: What CoinDesk’s Style Debate Says About Crypto as Public Tech

Blockchains are flexible new forms of public infrastructure, says Michael Casey. Plus: with China rushing in, Africa is a prime battleground for the future of money.

Blockchain Bites: Magic’s Raise, Compound’s Distribution and Trump’s Twitter War

In the war between Trump and Twitter, decentralized systems may win.

Russia Is About to Drop the Crypto ‘Iron Curtain,’ Industry Warns

Russia's crypto community is pushing back against a set of bills that could impose onerous restrictions on startups and individuals in the country.

Bitcoin News Roundup for May 29, 2020

With bitcoin and many traditional markets down on the day, CoinDesk's Markets Daily is back!

In Trump Versus Twitter, Decentralized Tech May Win

Campaigners against Section 230 said Trump’s intervention might derail their cause, but it could offer an opportunity for decentralized tech.

Discovery Science to Premier Crypto-Funded TV Series About… Dragonchain?

A new TV series tracking the story of Disney-linked blockchain firm Dragonchain was fully funded in cryptocurrency. It's scheduled to go live July 4 on Discovery Science.

‘Passwordless Login’ Startup Magic Raises $4M From Naval Ravikant, Placeholder

Ethereum startup Magic just raised $4 million from investors like Naval Ravikant, SV Angel, Placeholder and Volt Capital to make passwords less of a pain.

Digital Dollar Project Calls for 2-Tiered Distribution System in First White Paper for US CBDC

The Digital Dollar Project's first white paper describes how a two-tiered system underpinning a tokenized dollar could modernize the U.S. financial system.

First Mover: Bitcoin Rally Shows Traders Don’t Care That Goldman Hates Their Asset Class

Traders can also gloat over how much better bitcoin is performing in 2020 than Goldman Sachs shares.

Bitcoin Rally Falters as Stocks Drop Ahead of Trump’s China Speech

Bitcoin's bulls are taking a breather as the traditional markets get the jitters over rising tensions between the U.S. and China.

GSX Group’s New Digital Securities Venue Tokenizes First Client Shares

Gibraltar Stock Exchange Group's recently launched GRID venue has tokenized the shares of adtech firm tribeOS.

Blockchain ID Solution Aims to Tackle Spike in Delivery Fraud Amid Coronavirus Measures

Nuggets, a digital identity and payments platform, has developed a way to accept deliveries without needing a physical signature to combat a spike in fraud during the coronavirus pandemic.

It’s Tough Getting Approved in Gibraltar, Says Green-Lighted Crypto Derivatives Exchange

It's tough getting regulated on "the Rock," says crypto derivatives exchange, ZUBR.

Telegram CEO Donates 10 BTC to Pandemic Relief Effort

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov reportedly donated about $90,000 worth of bitcoin to help alleviate the financial burden of COVID-19 pandemic in Russia.

The Geopolitical Implications of a Too-Strong Dollar, Feat. Brent Johnson

A macro expert joins to discuss why the U.S. dollar and economy are more broadly poised to suck the liquidity from the entire global economy.

New York Man Charged With Trafficking Credit Card Info, Using Bitcoin to Launder Proceeds

Vitalii Antonenko, 28, has been indicted for allegedly stealing and selling reams of payment card data, the proceeds of which he laundered in bitcoin.

Blockchain Bites: BlockTower’s Returns, Minecraft Goes Blockchain, ID2020 Shakeup

BlockTower Capital investors have seen 73% returns over the hedge fund's lifetime.

What Goldman Gets Wrong About Bitcoin (From Someone Who Used to Work There)

Goldman's bitcoin research is wrong in key respects. But, as with J.K Rowling, the fault may lie with bitcoiners for not communicating clearly, says an ex-GS staffer.

Enigma Blockchain Has a New Name and a Privacy Boost in the Works

The Enigma mainnet was rebranded the Secret Network after an on-chain proposal by the community unanimously passed on May 17.

Stellar Throws SatoshiPay a $550K Lifeline After Coronavirus Knocks Out Series A

Stellar's Foundation converted its commitment into a loan to help SatoshiPay get through the next year.

Libra Payments Can Boost Facebook’s Ads Business, Zuckerberg Says

Libra can make it easier for Facebook's users to buy goods advertised on its platform, which would incentivize businesses to buy more ads, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Wednesday.

Coinbase Extends Tezos Staking Rewards to 4 European Countries

Coinbase is rolling out its Tezos staking service to the U.K., Spain, France and the Netherlands.

Compound’s Approach to DeFi Governance Starts With Giving Away COMP Tokens

Users of the Compound lending platform will begin earning COMP governance tokens in mid-June.

Bitcoin News Roundup for May 28, 2020

Goldman talks down cryptocurrencies while Minecraft boots up tokenized assets. It's another episode of Markets Daily from CoinDesk!

US Court Freezes Assets Linked to Alleged $9M ICO Scam

A federal court has frozen assets raised from investors in the Meta 1 Coin token sale.

Bitcoin Price Tests $9.4K as Demand for Put Options Drops

Put options – a bet on bitcoin's price – are declining alongside a rise in the leading cryptocurrency by market cap's price.

VeChain to Develop Drug-Tracing Platform for Pharma Giant Bayer

Bayer China is tapping VeChain to help it track clinical trial drugs along the blockchain.

Bank of Russia Wants to Put Mortgage Issuance on a Blockchain

Russia's is eyeing use cases for blockchain even as proposed legislation will clamp down on crypto.

Genesis Hires Ex-Galaxy Digital Staffer to Run New Derivatives Trading Desk

The derivatives desk will expand the company’s suite of products as it aims to attract more institutional clients to its newly acquired prime brokerage arm.

Torus Goes Blockchain-Agnostic With New DirectAuth Dapp Login Tool

Seamless login for the decentralized apps (dapps) of any blockchain. That’s the vision for Torus Labs’ new identity solution, DirectAuth.

Handshake Domains Bring in $10M as Race for Censorship-Resistant Websites Heats Up

During the coronavirus crisis, Handshake may be the leading free-speech-oriented crypto project. But is it just beginner’s luck?

First Mover: Chainlink ‘Marines’ Are HODLing and Here’s Why You Should Care

Chainlink, the blockchain oracle provider, apparently has not only a devoted group of backers known as "LINK Marines," but a surprisingly committed crew of long-term investors. Here's why.

Gemini First US Exchange to Integrate With Samsung’s Blockchain Wallet

Samsung Blockchain users in the U.S. and Canada can now connect to Gemini’s mobile app to buy, sell and trade crypto.

$103M Bailout Denied for Coronavirus-Hit Firms in Switzerland’s ‘Crypto Valley’

The finance director of Switzerland's "Crypto Valley" has been denied a request for extra assistance for blockchain and crypto startups affected by coronavirus funding drought.

Enjin’s New Minecraft Plugin Lets Players Spawn Blockchain Assets

Players can now drop blockchain assets into their Minecraft servers, enabling ownership over in-game items and currencies.

Defying Corona Crash, BlockTower Crypto Fund Stretches 30% Total Return to 73%

When coronavirus shutdowns roiled financial markets, BlockTower Capital more than doubled its cryptocurrency hedge fund's previously so-so returns.

South Korean Electronics Giant LG Joins Hedera Hashgraph Council

Electronics giant LG joined the Hedera Hashgraph governing council Wednesday. Its the council's first home appliance manufacturer and second Asia-based member.

Resignation at Identity Initiative Raises Doubts About Immunity Passes

Prominent researcher Elizabeth Renieris said ID2020 was moving too fast to adopt unproven technology, including distributed ledgers, for immunity passes.

Market Wrap: Bullish Traders Push Bitcoin Over $9,100, Returning to Halving Levels

Traders were feeling good about bitcoin’s upward trend and pushed it over $9,100 Wednesday.

38 Questions for Quantum’s Mati Greenspan

CoinDesk Confessionals explores the inner psyche of blockchain's leading professionals. Crypto analyst Mati Greenspan discusses missing Y2K and his biggest anti-hero.

Why Innovation Matters (and How Not to Screw It Up), Feat. Matt Ridley

The “Rational Optimist” author gives his take on the economic history and possible futures of prosperity’s most important driver: innovation

Goldman Sachs: Cryptocurrencies ‘Are Not an Asset Class’

Goldman Sachs held an investor call Wednesday to discuss current policies for bitcoin, gold and inflation. The stalwart investment bank is still no fan of bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies.

The $10B Stablecoin Industry Has a Fraud Problem It’s Not Addressing

If stablecoins are used for apparently illegal activity, should issuers step in to stop it? So far, they've been reluctant to do so, says our columnist.

Blockchain Bites: Google Validates Theta, Coinbase and BitGo Eye Crypto Prime Brokerage

Polkadot launched the blockchain of blockchains while an IMF official said CBDCs could spur financial innovation.

Bitcoin Transaction Fees Decline as Network Congestion Eases

After facing a heavy load of transactions earlier this month, bitcoin's network has returned to a more normal level, recent developments suggest.

Bitcoin News Roundup for May 27, 2020

While the yuan weakens against the U.S. dollar, Coinbase makes an acquisition to grow its institutional trading infrastructure. It's another episode of CoinDesk's the Markets Daily podcast.

CryptoKitties Creator Debuts NBA Game on Its Own Blockchain

Blockchain meets basketball in the newest game from Dapper Labs, the developers of CryptoKitties.

Number of Bitcoins on Crypto Exchanges Hits 18-Month Low

The total amount of bitcoins held in cryptocurrency exchanges wallets dropped to an 18-month low just above 2.3 million on Monday, according to data estimates from Glassnode.

Google Signs On as Network Validator for Blockchain Video Network Theta

Theta Labs also plans to further collaborate with Google’s artificial intelligence, machine learning and big data initiatives.

Kingdom Trust Partners With Kraken to Offer Hybrid Crypto-Fiat Retirement Accounts

South Dakota's Kingdom Trust is teaming with Kraken to offer a retirement savings platform where users can manage stocks, ETFs and crypto in one account.

First Mover: EOS Has Still to Prove Itself After Spiraling Down This Past Year

Nearly two years after EOS first launched, the so-called "ethereum killer" has been able to surmount some of the problems that have previously hamstrung it. But is that enough?

Coinbase Buys Tagomi as ‘Foundation’ of Institutional Trading Arm

Crypto exchange Coinbase is finally acquiring Tagomi, a prime brokerage platform specializing in digital asset trading for institutional clients.

Crypto Custodian BitGo Joins Race to Provide Prime Brokerage Services

BitGo is entering the prime brokerage space following the launch of its lending business, announcing a new entity to serve institutional traders.

Slipping Yuan May be Good for Bitcoin Price, Past Data Suggests

With historical data suggesting an intermittent correlation, bitcoin traders may do well to keep an eye on the ongoing slide in the yuan, analysts say.

TradeLens to Digitize India’s Largest Private Port Operator

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone is set to utilize the IBM-Maersk platform to speed up processes after COVID-19 highlighted issues with the existing system.

Brazilian Retailer Eyes Services for the Unbanked With Acquisition of FinTech Firm Airfox

Via Varejo snapped up the Boston-based firm to further its aim of providing financial services to millions of unbanked Brazilians.

Private Firms Can Boost Central Bank Digital Currencies, IMF Official Says

Synthetic CBDCs could let the private sector manage digital currencies backed by central banks, says the IMF's Tommaso Mancini-Griffoli.

Market Wrap: Bitcoin Can’t Stick to $9,000 While Stocks Rally

While bitcoin has been trending lower, Tuesday’s big winner in the markets are equities.

Deglobalization and Other Narrative Violations, Feat. Geoff Lewis

In a world where conventional wisdom has never been more up for grabs, one VC explains why there is opportunity in alternative narratives.

Look to Design, Not Laws, to Protect Privacy in the Surveillance Age

In the smart home era, we need to take privacy protection into our own hands, says the co-founder of IoTeX. Privacy laws won't help us.

Polkadot Goes Live as Web3 Foundation Pushes Prospective Mainnet

Polkadot is now live, following the launch of its first “chain candidate” (CC1).

Blockchain Bites: Facebook’s Calibra Facelift and Tencent’s ‘New Infrastructure’ Investments

Facebook's digital wallet subsidiary has rebranded as Novi while a series of bitcoin transactions cast doubt on Craig Wright's claims.

To See Libra’s Potential, Look at the Philippines, Not the US

Some have written off Libra as a watered-down project. But you can see its potential in places where Facebook use is high and payment standards are low.

Bitcoin News Roundup for May 26, 2020

Remember that time you claimed to be Satoshi Nakamoto? It's the inevitable return of CoinDesk's Markets Daily Bitcoin News Roundup.

ErisX Releases API for Bulk Trading of Bitcoin, Ether

ErisX has released a block trading API for futures contracts and spot market trades to help large traders.

India’s Central Bank Removes Lingering Confusion Over Banking for Crypto Firms

India's commercial banks can indeed provide banking services to traders and firms dealing in cryptocurrencies, the RBI has clarified.

Facebook’s Calibra Rebrands to Novi, Details Wallet Tie-Up With WhatsApp

In the run-up to launch, libra's digital wallet subsidiary has been given a new look and a new name: Novi, which means "new way."

Bitwage Rolls Out Bitcoin 401(k) Plan With Help From Gemini

The crypto payroll provider claims its "world's first" bitcoin 401(k) plan can help U.S. companies cross the crucial 75% threshold with their small business loans.

First Mover: Bitcoin Could Get a Boost From Central Bank Digital Currencies

CBDCs might seem to be anathema to the mission statement of bitcoin, but they may prove to be a valuable on-ramp for new investors.

Bitcoin Bounce Stalls at $9K Amid 2% Rise in S&P 500 Futures

Bitcoin briefly crossed back above $9,000 earlier on Tuesday amid signs of an improved risk appetite in the traditional markets.

VideoCoin Adds Cash Payments and Rewards in Bid to Take On AWS

Halsey Minor’s VideoCoin platform launches Wednesday with fiat payment rails that aim to move the project beyond the limited sphere of crypto.

Tencent Is Pouring $70B Into New Tech Including Blockchain

The web giant is earmarking funding for emerging technologies as it seeks to grow after the COVID-19 epidemic.

Crypto World Wide - Where the crypto journey begins!

From 2017 to 2020, the total market capitalization of cryptocurrency has increased 10 times, from about $25 billion to over$ 250 billion, with a boom in the number of coins and tokens up to 5,500 (types). The 24h volume has reached 130 billion USD, which shows the continuous and strong movement of this market. The steady development of cryptocurrency markets requires constant statistics and accurate information updates, which is why Cryptoworldwide was established.

CryptoWorldWide presents users with detailed information about any coin, such as 24-hour trading volume, 24-hour change in value, the total number of coins in circulation, official website, total market capitalization, social network channels, etc. Before deciding to invest in a coin, it is recommended that you check if it is on CryptoWorldWide or not. If not, you should consider carefully before investing. The reason is that CryptoWorldWide always carefully reviews the criteria of a coin before listing it.

CryptoWorldWide has many highlighted features. The Charts feature helps you keep track of a coin's fluctuation rate, which can be adjusted by day, month or all time. The Market feature will show you all exchanges in which the coin is traded, currency pairs, the 24-hour trading volume, the price of coins on that exchange + the change of rate in %. If you want to see the coin's historical price, market capitalization and trading volume, you can access Historical Data. In addition, there are many other features that help you to filter information effectively.

Based on multiple sources of information, CryptoWorldWide is able to rank the coins so that users can update and keep track of which coins are the top popular, thereby providing a broader view and more effective investment direction. 

CryptoWorldWide is no doubt the most trusted place to go for capturing information of all coins circulating in the market. With just one click on CryptoWorldWide, you will immediately have a general, objective overview to explore the world of cryptocurrency as well as a safe assessment of opportunities for investment in this market.

CryptoWorldWide - where the crypto journey begins!

Thailand Turns to Blockchain to Boost Renewable Energy Push

A Thailand public-private joint venture has inked a deal with blockchain startup Power Ledger to encourage renewables trading and uptake.

Indian Crypto Exchange CoinDCX Raises $2.5M From Polychain Capital, Coinbase Ventures

India's largest crypto exchange, CoinDCX, has secured a $2.5 million strategic investment led by Polychain Capital with support from Coinbase Ventures.

Zcash’s First Halving May Solve Its Inflation Problem

Zcash (ZEC) is due for its first mining reward halving later this year. The event could solve a major problem for the privacy-focused cryptocurrency.

Craig Wright Called ‘Fraud’ in Message Signed With Bitcoin Addresses He Claims to Own

Bitcoin keys from coins Wright claims to own were used to sign a message calling him a "fraud."

As Bitcoin Falls to 2-Week Lows, Small Investors Look to Be Buying

While bitcoin is losing altitude, small investors look to be gaining exposure to the top cryptocurrency, data suggests.

Telegram Quits Court Fight With SEC Over TON Blockchain Project

Telegram has thrown in the towel in its court battle against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and will no longer be appealing the ban on its blockchain token project.

Binance CEO Says Steem Too Centralized but Exchange Must Support Controversial Hard Fork

Binance is forced to "technically" support last week's hard fork of the Steem blockchain, according to the exchange's CEO, Changpeng Zhao.

Crypto Long & Short: Innovation Cycles, Crypto Venture Funds and Institutional Investors

With so much attention on institutional involvement in crypto asset markets, we overlook that they are already here through VC investments – less fast-paced, perhaps, but important to keep an eye on for what they reveal about cycles.

Spiritual Reflections on the Bitcoin Halving

The Bitcoin halving was like New Year's Eve with no time differences and everyone committed to a nonviolent revolution against financial tyranny.

Central Bank Digital Currencies Need Decentralization

To reap the full benefits of digital currencies, central bankers need to consider decentralizing some authority, say the authors of a new report.

BITHERA WILL LAUNCH THE CRYPTOCURRENCY EXCHANGE AND START BHC STAKING PROGRAM ON MAY 30TH, 2020

Bithera.com is a cryptocurrency exchange designed and built from 2018 with the contribution of nearly 100 software engineers. BitHera has always followed the development of the global cryptocurrency market and the development of information technology. In June 2020, Bithera will launch and announce to the global market. With the company’s Singapore-based headquarters, BitHera desires to become one of the leading cryptocurrency exchanges in the world. BitHera offers a powerful trading platform, fast execution as well as futures trading, margin trading, crypto loan and crypto staking. We have a perfect marketing plan on the global market for this platform. BitHera will be the perfect trusted trading place for storing and exchanging your digital assets.

BitHera has launched the BitHera cryptocurrency, which is the main currency that helps you solve the transaction costs with the lowest fees. At the same time, it acts as an asset that you can hold for investing in the long term.

We have a long-term plan to develop BitHera chains and a coin burning plan to promote the scarcity of BitHera coins. Meanwhile, staking always plays a role in boosting the scarcity and promoting the value of BitHera coins to grow in the long run. We support the growth of BitHera coin, and the coin will act as a substitute for payment and currency exchange for businesses and individuals with the largest amount and the lowest cost.

The staking plan will be implemented at the same time BitHera.com is launched globally. With an average profit of 200% of BitHera coins after each staking cycle, this will be a perfect investment channel for you.

BitHera is looking for a global partnership with the reward for each excellent developer from 10,000,000 to 200,000,000 BHC ($0.001 per coin) for each country. Become BitHera’s partner, you will not only have an impressive income but also be entitled to multiple benefits.

Stay tuned for more information starting from the launch of BitHera on May 30th, 2020.

BitHera – Unleash your trading potential!

Company: BitHera PTE Ltd

Website: https://bithera.com/

Contact: contact@bithera.com

Telegram channel: https://t.me/bitheraofficialchannel

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BitHera-112889373479880/

The Shadow of Satoshi’s Ghost: Why Bitcoin Mythology Matters

How the myth-making around Satoshi reinforces what makes bitcoin unique in the landscape of global monies.

Louisiana State Senate to Consider Crypto Business Licensing Bill

The Louisiana State House of Representatives passed a bill on Wednesday to regulate and license virtual currency businesses. A Senate committee will now evaluate the proposal.

Blockchain Bites: Iran and Russia Revisit Crypto Regulations, Bitcoin Pizza Day 10 Years Later

Ten years ago today someone spent 10,000 bitcoin on about $30 worth of pizza. Today, nations are redrafting crypto regulation and crypto firms report millions in revenues.

Money Reimagined: Designer Money for a Machine-Run Post-COVID World

The pandemic is likely to accelerate a shift to automation, putting people out of work and raising the need for new types of money.

Binance, Eosfinex Join EOSDT Stablecoin Governance Board

Binance and eosfinex are joining the oversight team for Equilibrium, the decentralized finance group behind the EOSDT stablecoin.

10 Years After Laszlo Hanyecz Bought Pizza With 10K Bitcoin, He Has No Regrets

Laszo Hanyecz's 10,000 BTC pizza buy 10 years ago has a special place in bitcoin folklore, highlighting, however expensively, that participation is necessary for network success.

Fed Up With Its Fork of Stellar, Kin Is Looking to Move Onto Solana

The Kin Foundation is seeking to move the kin cryptocurrency onto the Solana blockchain, according to a proposal shared with CoinDesk.

RenBTC Quietly Goes Live in Latest Bid to Bring Bitcoin Into Ethereum

RenBTC, the latest implementation of bitcoin on the Ethereum blockchain, quietly went live this week, though the general public can't yet mint thier own tokens.

Canaan Reports $5.6M Loss in Q1 Despite Bitcoin Miner Price Cut

The China-based manufacturer had cut the pricing for its bitcoin miners by half during the first three months.

Colombia, Deloitte, ConsenSys Sign On to WEF’s ‘Blockchain Bill of Rights’

The cryptocurrency industry just gained an organized structure for collaborating with world leaders, thanks to the World Economic Forum.

Iranian President Calls for National Crypto Mining Strategy

Iran's President has ordered officials to develop a new approach to cryptocurrency mining.

Market Wrap: Traders ‘Buy the Dip’ as Bitcoin Hovers at $9,000

Bitcoin fell for a second day as sentiment grew bearish, though some traders say they’ll buy the dip.

Finance and the Real Economy Can’t Stay Out of Sync Forever

While Main Street is shut down, the financial world keeps moving as quickly as ever. That's not a sustainable situation, says our columnist.

Crypto ‘Gray’ Markets Could Be Unintended Consequence of FATF Travel Rule

Clean bitcoin, dirty bitcoin. Could FATF regulations lead to a bifurcation of the crypto space, one where certain digital assets trade at lower prices?

Chinese Government Advisers Propose Regional Stablecoin for 4 Asian Countries

The stablecoin would help facilitate trade among four Asian countries, which is key to economic recovery in the region after coronavirus, proponents said.

Kin Foundation Publishes First Transparency Report Amid SEC Court Fight

The Kin Foundation is offering a peek under the hood of its operations with a new transparency report published with Messari.

‘Dismantle the Euro to Save Europe’ Feat. Tuomas Malinen

The coronavirus pandemic is putting more pressure than ever before on the already structurally weakened European economic and political landscape.

Blockchain Bites: Satoshi’s Sword of Damocles

Yesterday 50 BTC moved from a long-dormant wallet. Today we look at a theory rethinking bitcoin's total supply.

Crypto Custodian Anchorage Teases Growth Plan With 2 Executive Hires

Anchorage now has six executives in its C-suite, hiring a head of finance and head of sales with experience in both tech and Wall Street.

What I Learned the First Time I Lost a Million Dollars

It doesn't take long to learn how to trade, but it takes a lifetime to learn how to manage risk, says Jeff Dorman, CIO at Arca.

Bitcoin News Roundup for May 21, 2020

Spoooky! BTC saw a ghost Wednesday and scared the markets. It's CoinDesk's Markets Daily podcast.

Russia Considering Draconian Rules for Illegal Crypto Operations

Harsh new rules for using and issuing digital assets without a license might soon become law in Russia.

Caught Up in Steem Squabble, Bittrex to Return Tokens Diverted in Hard Fork

Bittrex says it will return all confiscated steem tokens that got "rescued" soon after yesterday's hard fork.

Why Kyber Network Tokens Tripled to $100M Despite the Coronavirus Recession

Here's why Kyber Network's KNC is this season's hottest token across decentralized cryptocurrency markets.

Genesis Trading Buys Crypto Custodian Vo1t in Bid to Become Prime Broker

Digital currency trader and lender Genesis Global Trading is moving toward full-service prime brokerage with the acquisition of crypto custodian Vo1t.

First Mover: Bitcoin Rattled By Transfer of Satoshi Coins That Might Not Be Satoshi’s

Rumor spread Bitcoin's mysterious founder, Satoshi Nakamoto, was moving early-mined bitcoin.

Bitcoin Drops Over 3% Despite Golden Cross and Bank Calls for More US Stimulus

Bitcoin is struggling to gather upside traction despite positive developments on the macro and technical fronts.

Block.one Will Now Vote for EOS Candidates, But Wants Their Locations First

Block.one has issued its own set of criteria it will use when voting for EOS block producers, perhaps controversially including where they are based.

After Lawsuits and Delays, Overstock Hands Shareholders Digital Dividend

The online retailer has finally handed out its digital dividend to shareholders after delays hit last year's planned distribution.

IBM Takes 7% Stake in Trade-Finance Blockchain Network We.Trade

IBM has become a shareholder in we.trade, the blockchain-based trade-finance platform jointly owned by 12 European banks.

UMA Project Creates Its First Synthetic Coin, Matching ETH Against BTC

Want to bet the price of ether is rising relative to the price of bitcoin? There's now a token for precisely that.

Why a Strong Dollar Is Bad for the US and Bad for the World, Feat. Lyn Alden

Despite the specter of inflation from money printing, the dollar has gained strength. Here’s why that’s a problem - for everyone.

Price Drops 7% in an Hour After Bitcoin Sees a Ghost

Bitcoin tumbled 6% in the span of an hour on Wednesday, bringing a quick end to a four-day rally.

Citizen App’s New Contact Tracing Feature Raises Privacy Red Flags

The Citizen app, which normally fights crime, is now tracing coronavirus cases. Is your data safe with a powerful private company?

50 BTC Just Moved for First Time Since 2009 – But It Doesn’t Look Like Satoshi

50 bitcoin held in an inactive wallet since 2009 were moved Wednesday, but there's little to support the belief that creator Satoshi Nakamoto mined those coins.

Blockchain Bites: Bitcoin’s Difficulty Adjustment and More

Big Tech firms outlined the dangers of letting the US fall behind in strategic blockchain initiatives while a former Coinbase lawyer is moving to a top government seat.

Bitcoin News Roundup for May 20, 2020

Bitcoin's halving busted a lot of miners while Samsung adds blockchain e-gaming. It's CoinDesk's Markets Daily podcast.

Brazil to Rule on Probe Into Banks’ Rejection of Crypto Firms

Brazil’s national competition regulator is about to decide the fate of its investigation of whether some of the largest banks in the country illegally refused to bank local crypto brokers.

Steem Hard Fork Confiscates $6.3M, Community Immediately Takes It Back

The Steem hard fork nabbed the tokens of dissenting community members. Soon after, though, the tokens were said to have been diverted.

Facebook’s Toothless Oversight Board Has Lessons for Blockchain

Facebook's new "oversight" board includes impressive names, but its formal powers are necessarily limited. There are learnings for blockchain governance.

US Military Is Falling Behind China, Russia in Blockchain Arms Race: IBM, Accenture

The U.S. Department of Defense can’t afford to lose the global military blockchain race to Russia and China, warns a new private sector whitepaper.

Blockchain Sleuthing Firm Elliptic Adds 87 Crypto Assets in Arms Race With Chainalysis

Crypto sleuthing firm Elliptic has added 87 new tokens to its analytics offering, expanding its reach to 97% of digital assets by trading volume.

Bitcoin Options: Deribit Exchange Sees Record Open Interest of $1B

Open interest in bitcoin options listed on the Panama-based exchange jumped to a record $1 billion Tuesday, according to data from Skew.

Staking Will Turn Ethereum Into a Functional Store of Value

With staking and a surge of demand for stablecoins, Ethereum has everything it needs to become a viable store-of-value network.

First Mover: Bitcoin Just Got Easier to Mine, But for How Long?

Bitcoin's mining "difficulty" just fell 6%, giving small-scale miners a reprieve. But this is only a small dip before an even steeper ascent.

Tokensoft Distributes $4M in Equity to Investors Using Ethereum Blockchain

Investors in Tokensoft's $4 million series seed round received a digital form of their equity using Ethereum.

Blockchain E-Sports TV App to Ship on Samsung S20 Phones in US

THETA.tv will soon be available on Samsung's flagship Galaxy S20 smartphones shipped to the U.S.

Aeternity Blockchain Launches P2P Content Tipping Project ‘Superhero’

A new platform dubbed Superhero will allow users to increase exposure to their content and receive tips in the form of tokens without sharing personal data with third parties.

Bitcoin-Backed Ethereum Token tBTC Paused Due to Poorly Tested Redemption Code

A bug in tBTC meant the dapp couldn't tell different bitcoin addresses apart, the team has disclosed.

This Bitcoin Documentary From Africa Is Streaming on Amazon Prime

A new documentary – “Banking on Africa: The Bitcoin Revolution” – explores the role of cryptocurrencies in African economies.

Square Unveils Bitcoin Auto Payments Tool

Jack Dorsey's mobile payments company Square allows users to set up automatic bitcoin payments.

Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Drops by 6% In First Adjustment After Halving

The Bitcoin network just fine-tuned a key parameter to coax back miners who quit after last week's halving hammered their profits.

A Former Coinbase Lawyer Is About to Become Acting Head of US Bank Regulator

Brian Brooks, a former Coinbase lawyer and the No. 2 at a U.S. banking regulator, may soon take the top job – at least, temporarily.

Market Wrap: Here’s Why Ether’s Price Has Jumped 65% So Far This Year

Ether is outperforming bitcoin in 2020 but has lower liquidity and different technical dynamics than the world’s largest cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin’s Halving Is Nothing Like Quantitative Tightening

The halving could both increase the rate at which bitcoin’s price rises and bring forward the point at which it crashes, says our columnist.

‘Minsky Moments’ and the Financial History of Pandemics

As a wobbly recovery tries to take hold, was the coronavirus pandemic simply the pinprick on a larger economic bubble?

This Metric Shows Bitcoin Is Undervalued Even After 150% Price Rally

The Puell Multiple has turned bullish on bitcoin, showing it has room to run.

Iran Moves to Restrict Crypto Exchanges Under ‘Currency Smuggling’ Laws

Legislation proposed this week would make it increasingly difficult, and risky, for cryptocurrency exchanges to sell bitcoin in Iran.

Ukraine Arrests Hacker Accused of Selling Personal Data, Crypto Wallet Info

Ukrainian police have arrested a hacker who allegedly sold 773 million email addresses, along with passwords, bank PIN codes and cryptocurrency wallets.

PTJ on BTC: Bitcoin Is Now the Macro Big Bet

When a famed macro investor like Paul Tudor Jones invests in Bitcoin, you know it's a serious play. Next step: central banks buying crypto too.

Blockchain Bites: BlockFi Hacked, Block.one Sued, BitMEX Down

A SIM swapping exploit revealed BlockFi customer names and addresses while BitMEX is hit with RICO accusations.

Base Layer Blockchain Harmony Adds Staking to Open Up Validator Set

Harmony announced Tuesday that its mainnet has incorporated staking, allowing users to earn ONE tokens for locking in their current holdings.

Bitcoin News Roundup for May 19, 2020

BTC hits a golden cross while hackers break into COVID-19 researching supercomputers. It's CoinDesk's Markets Daily podcast.

The Last Word on Bitcoin’s Energy Consumption

What people fail to consider when they criticize Bitcoin's electricity footprint, according to our columnist.

BlockFi Says Hacker SIM-Swapped Employee’s Phone, No Funds Were Lost

The hacker compromised an employee's phone and gained access to users' personal information, including their names and addresses, but BlockFi says no funds were affected.

Libra Taps Another Former FinCEN Official as General Counsel

Robert Werner is the second former FinCEN staffer to join the Libra Association this month.

Hybrid Blockchain Maker Kadena Adds Chainlink Price Feeds

The former JPMorgan blockchain leads at Kadena have inked a deal to use Chainlink’s oracles for pricing crypto assets on Kadena's high-throughput network.

BitMEX Trading Engine Goes Offline, Company ‘Investigating’

The trading engine for BitMEX, formerly the largest bitcoin derivatives exchange measured by open interest, is offline at press time.

Block.one Failed to Decentralize EOS, Argues New Securities Fraud Lawsuit

The plaintiffs – a crypto fund and an individual investor – are seeking compensatory damages from Block.one and other defendants.

Ex-CFTC Chair Chris Giancarlo Joins Swiss Effort to Fund COVID Relief Projects

Led by Swiss crypto exchange Lykke, a $200,000 initiative to fund tech-driven COVID-19 relief projects has tapped ex-CFTC chair Chris Giancarlo as its advisor.

First Mover: Bitcoin Difficulty Adjustment Feels Like Post-Halving Easing Party

Bitcoin mining is set to get easier, as the network undergoes an expected difficulty adjustment on Tuesday – the first since last week's reward halving.

Bitcoin’s Impending Golden Cross May Bolster Bulls: Analysts

Bitcoin's price uptrend could gather pace following the confirmation of the golden crossover in the next few days.

Nvidia Disguised $1B in ‘Fickle’ Crypto Mining Sales as Gaming Revenue, Lawsuit Claims

An amended lawsuit accuses the chip maker of concealing $1 billion in graphics processing unit sales to crypto miners to downplay risk to long-term profits.

EU Supercomputers Hijacked From COVID-19 Research to Mine Cryptocurrency

A number of supercomputers programmed to search for a vaccine for the coronavirus were remotely hijacked last week using stolen credentials.

DTCC Considers DLT Use in Securities Trading With 2 New Studies

DTCC, the plumber to capital markets’ quadrillion-dollar pipes, is wondering if DLT can boost securities processing

Vitalik Buterin: Blockchains Will Discourage Monopolies, Not Create Them

Antitrust agencies should reconsider blockchains as they can help them fight monopolies, Vitalik Buterin and Thibault Schrepel argue in a new paper.

Developers of Ethereum Privacy Tool Tornado Cash Smash Their Keys

Developers of ether mixer Tornado Cash have destroyed their admin keys, turning the privacy tool into permissionless code.

Market Wrap: Bitcoin Stuck in High $9K Range as Stocks Soar on Powell Comments

Bitcoin treaded water in the high $9,000 range Monday as stocks rallied and traders wondered when the cryptocurrency would break five digits again.

Company That Sued FTX and Ripple Now Sets Its Sights on BitMEX

BMA LLC, which two weeks ago sued Ripple, has now accused crypto derivatives exchange BitMEX of orchestrating the largest financial crime in U.S. history.

USV’s Albert Wenger on the World After Capital

A blueprint for redesigning society as the world shifts from the Industrial Age to the Knowledge Age.

Bitcoin Demand Pushes Tether Below $1 for Longest Stretch Since March

Tether, the oldest and largest stablecoin tied to the U.S dollar, has fallen below par value for the longest stretch since bitcoin dropped to 12-month lows in March.

Uniswap V2 Launches With More Token-Swap Pairs, Oracle Service, Flash Loans

The headline feature of the new Uniswap will be the ability for anyone to create any pool pair they want, so long as it exists on Ethereum.

Bug Forces Shutdown of Bitcoin-Backed Ethereum Token tBTC

Thesis shut down tBTC after two days on due to a bug, and plans to release details once all users have withdrawn their funds.

Blockchain Bites: a16z’s Cyclic Crypto Thinking and Grin’s Grim Outlook

FalconX brought in an equivalent to Facebook's 2005 Series A while Grin flounders and a16z asks if crypto's on the cusp of a boom period.

The American Empire Is in Decline. Time for a New Economic System

From debt to inequality, the U.S. economy looks like a 1930s disaster waiting to happen. No wonder gold-bugs and Bitcoiners are feeling vindicated.

Bitcoin News Roundup for May 18, 2020

BTC can't seem to break $10K while JK Rowling gets an earful. It's CoinDesk's Markets Daily Podcast.

Winners and Losers in the US’ $1,200 Check Blitz

Wealth and age determine when and how 250 million Americans get their stimulus payments, says our columnist J.P. Koning.

Andreessen Horowitz Forecasts Fourth Crypto Bull Cycle

a16z says high quality projects in the past cycle (some being startups in its own portfolio) will drive growth in the next.

Bakkt Announces New Insurance Coverage, Claims More Than 70 Custody Clients

Bakkt has onboarded 70 clients to its custody services, and signed a deal with insurance broker Marsh to provide customers with an optional extra $500 million of coverage.

First Mover: Bitcoin Rally Sends Message to Capitalists as Despair on Wall Street Grows

Bitcoin's recent price rally and industry optimism contrast with the downbeat tone in the U.S. stock market. Even Visa's CEO says digital currencies could be "additive to the payments ecosystem."

Bitcoin Battles for $10K as Gold Prints Over 7-Year High

Bitcoin's upward move looks to have stalled amid gold's rally to 7.5-year highs. But analysts think it's only a matter of time before bitcoin begins drawing stronger haven demand.

Accel, Coinbase Join $17M Pre-Seed Round for Institutional Crypto Trading Firm FalconX

The crypto trading firm pitched investors on the basis that its best trade execution platform offers institutions a solution to the wash trading that is rife in the space.

Crypto Long & Short: Mining Derivatives Point to Growing Sophistication

Noelle Acheson picks apart trends in global interest and trust in crypto asset technology, and revisits the growing financialization of bitcoin mining.

18 Months In, Few People Use, Mine or Buy Privacy Coin Grin

Despite launching with considerable fanfare in early 2019, grin, the first cryptocurrency to test privacy protocol MimbleWimble, is showing no signs of life.

Trading Contest on Synthetix Aims to Showcase Speed of New DEX Tech

Synthetix is putting over $40,000 in crypto on the line to entice users to try out the faster beta of its decentralized exchange (DEX).

Blockchain Bites: Last Day of Consensus, Will Crypto Save the Internet?

It broke J.K. Rowling's Time Line.

JK Rowling Asks About Bitcoin. Accursed Crypto Twitter Scares Her Off

It took only three (3) hours for Crypto Twitter to scare JK Rowling away from bitcoin.

Market Wrap: Bitcoin Dips as Stock Markets Close Lower on the Week

Bitcoin attempted to recover from a price dip on Friday as global stock indexes end the week lower.

Where Bitcoin Fits in the New Monetary Order

The third part of The Breakdown’s Money Reimagined series looks at the role of bitcoin and USD stablecoins in the new global monetary order.

37 Questions for Cosmos’ Sunny Aggarwal

Tendermint and Cosmos developer (and part-time pirate) Sunny Aggarwal is the latest intriguing soul to take the CoinDesk Confesssional questionnaire.

Money Reimagined: No, Secretary Summers, Money Privacy Is a Vital Freedom

Responding to Larry Summers at Consensus: Distributed this week, Michael Casey argues that money needs more privacy, not less, and that, ultimately, our rights as financial citizens are at stake.

Crypto.com Rolls Out Visa Card to 31 European Nations

Crypto.com is now shipping its crypto-to-fiat card, the MCO Visa, across the European Union.

Bitcoin News Roundup for May 15, 2020

BTC hovers at $9K while Australia knocks out Bitcoin sales. This is CoinDesk's Markets Daily Podcast.

Central Banks Mull Creating a CBDC, but Not on a Blockchain: Survey

Forty-six central banks would consider a broader form of distributed ledger technology for a CBDC but aren't crazy about putting it on a blockchain.

CZ’s Twitter Feed Swayed New CoinMarketCap Ranking That Put Binance on Top

CoinMarketCap's new exchange ranking gives its new owner Binance a perfect score. The site's CEO said the decision was in part based on the Twitter "presence and feed" of the exchange's CEO.

Blockchain Bites: What You Need to Know About the Last Day of Consensus: Distributed

From bitcoin mining workshops to VR meetings about VR meetings, everything you need to know for the last day of Consensus: Distributed.

Visa Patent Filing Would Allow Central Banks to Mint Digital Fiat Currencies Using Blockchain

The filing details a way for fiat currencies, like the U.S. dollar, to be turned into a central bank digital currency.

CoinDesk 50: Bakkt – Financializing Bitcoin

Bakkt's eagerly awaited debut offers new ways for institutions to get exposure to bitcoin. And it's just getting started.

First Mover: Bitcoin’s Hot Again, and Crypto Miners Are Hoarding – Or Are They?

Bitcoin is rallying again, and some analysts are taking a closer look at data extracted from the underlying blockchain for signals on whether cryptocurrency miners are buying or selling. Or if they're HODLing.

Bitcoin Options Trading at CME Surged to New Highs in Halving Week

Investor interest in bitcoin options listed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange peaked to record highs in the days after Monday's halving event.

50-Year-Old Australian Woman Charged With Unlawfully Exchanging Over $3M in Bitcoin

The woman is believed to be involved in a crypto money-laundering syndicate, according to a report.

BitGo Now Providing Custody for India’s Largest Crypto Exchange

One of the oldest crypto custodians, BitGo has started securing crypto assets at India's largest exchange by trade volume, CoinDCX.

Pantera Capital’s Crypto Hedge Funds Are Losing Double Digits, But Its Bitcoin Fund Is Up 10,000% to Date

Internal documents show that Pantera Capital's bitcoin fund is vastly outperforming its more exotic crypto-asset fund counterparts.

First Sovereign Wealth Fund Joins Libra Association

One of the Singapore government’s two sovereign wealth funds, Temasek, is joining the Libra Association, alongside Paradigm and Slow Ventures in the latest round of additions to the stablecoin project.

Blockchain Bites: Will Enterprise Blockchain Find a ‘Killer App’ or Be Killed?

IBM, We.Trade and Microsoft executives spoke about the trials and tribulations of capitalizing on enterprise-grade blockchain at Consensus: Distributed.

Aggrieved Investors Mull Suing Telegram Over Canceled TON Blockchain Project

Some backers of the now-shelved TON blockchain project are in talks to sue Telegram over their refund structure.

Market Wrap: Bitcoin’s Price Up 12% Since the Halving

Bitcoin has seen double-digit gains in price since the halving. Institutional investors doing more trading in crypto options on CME is a sign of continued interest.

Meltem Demirors, Caffeine and Curiosity

CoinShares' Demirors on her legacy: "My memoir will be short and sweet - 'Meltem. She had a good time.'"

Surveying the Carnage: Movies, Sports and Education in Crisis

As the COVID-19 crisis grows, some industries will recover quickly, but some won’t recover at all. In this episode we help you understand which is which.

Copper Claims New Tool Removes Credit Risk From Crypto Trading

Copper's ClearLoop tool lets two parties finalize all details of a trade before transferring the seller's assets to the buyer's possession, rather than force the seller to store these assets on an exchange.

Bequant Launches Crypto Prime Brokerage to Compete for Institutional Money

London-based Bequant becomes one of only a few companies in crypto to offer a full range of prime brokerage services for hedge funds.

Bitcoin News Roundup for May 14, 2020

Ether whales are headed to bitcoin while Reddit rolls out Community Points. It's CoinDesk's Markets Daily Podcast.

Polymath Eyes June Testnet Launch for New Blockchain Designed for Security Tokens

The firm is soon to launch the first test network for its new blockchain designed to bring new safeguards for financial institutions working with security tokens.

Staying Alive: Why the World of Enterprise Blockchain Has Turned to Collaborations

Enterprise blockchain isn’t dead, but survival has meant more collaboration and some smart pivots. A dispatch from this week’s Consensus: Distributed.

Telegram’s TON Was Built on Sand. Its Failure Isn’t All Bad For Crypto

Telegram's Pavel Durov rails against the SEC's "ossification." But his TON project was always on shaky ground legally-speaking, says Preston Byrne.

Blockchain Bites: Capitalizing on Enterprise Blockchain and Reading Coin Metrics

Today at Consensus: Distributed you'll hear from IBM, EY and ING Bank executives on enterprise blockchain profitability and Nic Carter on coin metrics.

Industry Group Led by Polychain, Coinbase Seeks to Get Ahead on Staking Regulations

The Proof of Stake Alliance has released a set of recommendations for entities securing a proof-of-stake network to avoid drawing the ire of regulators.

Ledn Launches USDC Stablecoin Savings Accounts With Focus on Latin America

Ledn is now offering USDC stablecoin savings accounts through a partnership with the crypto lending and trading conglomerate Genesis.

CoinDesk 50: Silvergate – The Bank That Wasn’t Scared

Silvergate was among the first U.S. financial institutions to embrace the crypto industry, and it's not letting go.

First Mover: As Fed Swats Down Negative Rates, Bitcoiners Wonder What If

Even as Fed Chair Jerome Powell says negative interest rates are not on the cards, the remaining possibility might be rekindling traders' spirits – or at least refocusing attention on bitcoin as a hedge against inflation.

Bitcoin’s Price Has Bounced But Miners May Still Be Switching Off Post-Halving

While bitcoin is fast reversing its pre-halving price drop, hash-rate data suggests miners are still leaving the network.

Binance Quashes Upbit Hackers’ Attempt to Launder Stolen Funds

Binance managed to see an alert and freeze the stolen funds in little more than half an hour.

Overstock Files to Dismiss ‘Meritless’ Fraud Lawsuit Over Its Digital Dividend

The e-commerce giant is hoping to persuade a judge in the Utah District Court to throw out a class-action securities fraud lawsuit relating to the firm's digital dividend and its effect on short sellers.

Reddit Rolls Out ‘Community Points’ on Ethereum to Incentivize Positive Behavior

Reddit has unveiled its "community points" offering members a way to earn a "piece of their favorite communities," built right on top of the blockchain.

1.4% of FinCEN’s Suspicious Activity Reports Since 2013 Mentioned Crypto

More than 70,000 crypto-related SARs had been filed with FinCEN since 2013, director Kenneth Blanco said Wednesday.

Popular BTC Derivatives Product Goes Live on DeFi’s dYdX

Andreessen Horowitz-backed dYdX released its Bitcoin Perpetual Contract out of private alpha on Wednesday, bringing a key BTC derivatives product to DeFi.

Exchange Run by Ex-Morgan Stanley Team Drops Trading Fees for Subscription Model

The subscription model offers smaller frequent traders a flat fee monthly, something normally only major clients get.

Blockchain Bites: FATF, Financial Inclusion and Banking Without Banks: A Look Ahead at Consensus, Day 3

Your guide to Consensus: Distributed, Day 3: FATF, DeFi and why Bitcoin is still king.

Standard Chartered Claims First Yuan-Based Letter of Credit Issued on a Blockchain

The bank said the blockchain letter-of-credit transaction – between mining giant Rio Tinto and Chinese firm Baosteel – was the first to be denominated in yuan.

Generation C: Tamara Frankel – The Investor

“It’s not a total coincidence that all of us who saw the potential of crypto also saw the potential of coronavirus to exponentially grow.”

Generation C: Ameen Soleimani – The Entrepreneur

“Eventually the old people will die, the rules will go with them, and newer generations will set the cultural norms. As entrepreneurs, it’s part of our role to bring those new concepts into the world.”

Generation C: Phu Styles – The Decentralized Lifestyle Guru

"A lot of people call it digital nomadism, but it’s more than just that. [It’s about] wanting to build communities all over the world."

Generation C: Adriana Belotti – The Bitcoin Evangelist

Adriana Belotti is the person at the party who can stop talking about bitcoin.

Generation C: Jesse Grushack – The Burner

The co-founder of Ujo Music, the Ethereal festival and an organizer of Node Republik, a Burning Man camp for ConsenSys workers and Ethereum enthusiasts.

Generation C: Shanga Mbuli – The Community Currency User

There’s another upside to using Sarafu over Kenya Shillings during the Covid-19 outbreak – users don’t have to touch it.

Generation C: Tyrone Ross Jr – The Financial Advisor

“Digital everything is going to become a thing, and the only thing that’s missing right now is a true global money that’s run on the internet.”

Generation C: Preston Byrne – The Libertarian

"This really makes the libertarian case... our world fell apart all around us, and the only thing that really mattered was whether you yourself were ready."

Generation Crypto

Not defined by age, country or class, Generation C is bound by a willingness to question mainstream narratives.

CoinDesk 50: Why Bitcoin Is Still King

Bitcoin is the reason why we're writing these words and you’re reading them now. The first crypto still dominates the industry.

First Mover: Derivatives May Have Blunted the Halving’s Volatility Spike

The anemic price action surrounding bitcoin's third halving has led to head-scratching over why the cryptocurrency didn't moon. One possibility: Derivatives are bringing more price discovery.

Accredited Investors on CoinList Pour $10M Into Celo Token Sale in Roughly 12 Hours

Silicon Valley blockchain startup cLabs just raised $10 million for the Celo project through a token sale to accredited investors on CoinList.

Bitcoin Steady Near $9K as Trump Touts ‘Gift’ of Negative Interest Rates

Bitcoin is hovering close to $9,000 amid rising speculation the U.S. could ultimately adopt negative interest rates.

Crypto Scams Targeting Pacific Communities on the Rise, Say New Zealand Regulators

A rise in cryptocurrency and coronavirus investment scams in New Zealand's Pacific islands has prompted authorities to launch awareness campaign.

Blockchain Firm Partners Indian Government to Boost Earnings for Farmers

Agtech startup Agri10x is working with India's government to better connect small-scale farmers to global buyers, using blockchain to cut out the middleman.

IRS Solicits Contractors to Help Examine Crypto Traders’ Tax Returns

The IRS is emailing crypto startups with an offer to "assist our Revenue Agents in calculating taxpayers' gains or losses as a result of their transactions involving virtual currency."

Blockchain Bites: Will Crypto See Any of the CBDC Action?

The world is growing comfortable with digital assets: JP Morgan banks crypto, England discusses CBDCs and Sheila Warren a place for privacy coins.

Vitalik Buterin Clarifies Remarks on Expected Launch Date of Eth 2.0

Ethereum’s Vitalik Buterin: “I defer to the client devs on timelines and if they are now saying ‘Q3’ more broadly then I believe them.”

Market Wrap: Bitcoin’s Price Is Rising Despite a Dull Halving

Based on the rise of daily active bitcoin addresses, the highest number since 2018, interest could continue now that the halving is complete.

17,000 People Have Filed Claims for Refunds From QuadrigaCX, Auditor EY Says

Close to 17,000 have made a claim for defunct crypto exchange QuadrigaCX's assets, its bankruptcy monitor reported Tuesday.

Stablecoin Supply Breaks $10B as Traders Demand Dollars Over Bitcoin

The value of assets for all stablecoins surpassed $10 billion as more cryptocurrency traders prefer alternative cryptocurrencies using dollar-backed digital tokens instead of bitcoin, according to Coin Metrics data.

How We Future Now – Live With Kathleen Breitman, Caitlin Long and More From Consensus: Distributed

From gaming and entertainment to the future of the banking industry, live interviews at the Consensus: Distributed virtual summit.

R3 Corda Partners With Kaleido After Ethereum Startup Spins Out of ConsenSys

R3, the company behind the Corda blockchain, is edging ever closer to Ethereum, with news of a partnership with enterprise software startup Kaleido.

Bank of England: No Compromise on Our Principles for Any Future CBDC

The Bank of England will not budge on its design principles for any future CBDC.

Telegram Abandons TON Blockchain Project After Court Fight With SEC

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov says the company is abandoning its TON blockchain project after losing an initial court fight with the SEC.

Bitcoin News Roundup for May 12, 2020

With the third Bitcoin halving in the rear view mirror, Markets Daily is with your bitcoin news roundup for look at price movements, problematic privacy and more...

CipherTrace Wants to Guide Central Banks on Their Digital Currency Projects

The blockchain analytics firm is launching an initiative to pitch itself to central banks as both a tech partner and a guiding influence on future digital currency projects.

Mauritius Central Banker Confirms Island’s Digital Currency Plans

The Bank of Mauritius is inching closer to issuing a retail-focused central bank digital currency (CBDC), its governor confirmed Tuesday.

FireBlocks CEO Pours Cold Water on Libra Excitement

FireBlocks' CEO was quick to dampen enthusiasm for libra.

Blockchain Bites: Your Ultimate Guide to Consensus Distributed, Day 2

Here's the rundown on what not to miss.

JPMorgan Bank Takes on Coinbase, Gemini as Its First Crypto Exchange Customers

The U.S. banking giant is providing deposit and withdrawal transactions for the exchanges' U.S. users, as well as other services.

Crypto Under Corona

How's the global crypto community coping during the COVID-19 crisis? Jeff Wilser checks in with groups in seven locations.

First Mover: Dull Bitcoin Halving Salvaged By Satoshi Tribute in Block 629,999

A coded-in message on the blockchain harked back the the genesis of the original cryptocurrency.

Third Halving Turns Out to Be Non-Event for Bitcoin’s Price

Bitcoin's price volatility has declined following the network's third mining reward halving event on Monday.

CoinDesk 50: Besu, the Marriage of Ethereum and Hyperledger

Bringing big business to the Ethereum's public blockchain is key to reaching "world computer" status, and Besu may be the project to do it.

Binance Invests in Regulated Indonesian Crypto Exchange

Binance is betting on Indonesia as a promising market for cryptocurrency trading.

UAE Bank Opens Bangladesh Remittance Corridor using Ripple’s Blockchain Tech

RAKBank aims to speed up remittances for Bangladeshi expats after integrating with RippleNet.

IBM Blockchain to Offer Decentralized Smart Contract Option

IBM is implementing the Hyperledger Fabric 2.0 base layer to support smart contract governance on its blockchain platform.

Trust No Dapp: Chainlink Launches Oracle for Provable Randomness

Chainlink may be solving part of the problem that first drove Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin’s interest in decentralized applications.

The Brooklyn Nets’ Spencer Dinwiddie Makes the Bull Case for Tokenizing Entertainers

"I envision a world where a Kevin Hart token can trade for a Lebron James token can trade for a Serena Williams token," Spencer Dinwiddie said.

Blockchain Bites: Making Sense of the Halving, Consensus Distributed’s First Day

Get all the news from the first day of Consensus: Distributed, including the latest on Bitcoin's third halving. (And, who had the best Zoom backgrounds?)

Hut 8 Mining Revenue Continues Decline in Q1

Hut 8's Q1 2020 earnings fell, pulled lower by falling revenue, decreased EBITDA and increased collateral requirements.

Market Wrap: Where Does Bitcoin Go After the Halving?

With the highly anticipated bitcoin halving reducing new mining supply, what are crypto traders thinking about upcoming market behavior?

Bitcoin Halving Arrives: Mining Rewards Drop for Third Time in History

Bitcoin's third halving, a once-every-four-years occurrence and the most anticipated event this year in the cryptocurrency industry, has finally happened.

The Great Monetary Inflation: Paul Tudor Jones’ Complete Case for Bitcoin

The story behind the soundbite: why one of the world’s most famous investors is betting on bitcoin as a hedge against a new inflation era.

Donate to Help Fight COVID-19 With CoinDesk and NY Blockchain Week

During Consensus: Distributed, CoinDesk is raising money for COVID-19 relief using an innovative method called quadratic funding.

Scams, Schemes and Crypto Privacy, Feat. Preston Byrne

“There’s no easy answers” for bitcoin companies, says lawyer Preston Byrne.

The CoinDesk 50: Bitmain, the Behemoth of Bitcoin Mining

Bitmain remains at the center of the crypto economy. But, in China, "mining avengers" are racing to catch up.

Michelle Phan: The Beauty of Bitcoin

Why beauty mogul Michelle Phan says her 8.9 million YouTube subscribers are ready for bitcoin: "They want to know how to protect their purchasing power."

Telegram Agrees to Give SEC Bank Records, Communications in Ongoing TON Lawsuit

Telegram will fork over bank records and communications with its investors in an agreement with the SEC as part of the agency's ongoing lawsuit.

3 Straight Record Days Drive CME Bitcoin Futures Open Interest to All-Time High

Open interest for CME bitcoin futures made a new all-time high of just under $500 million on Friday. CME’s bitcoin futures market are growing faster than nearly every other bitcoin futures market on a percentage and real growth basis.

New Zealand’s Central Bank Is Hiring a Money Futurist

New Zealand’s central bank is looking for a Head of Money and Cash to focus "on the future of money” and be a "thought leader" for digital currency.

Most Bitcoin Buyers Are in the Money Ahead of the Halving, Data Suggests

Nearly 85% — or 25.79 million — of addresses holding bitcoin are now “in-the-money.”

The Global Contenders Trying to Displace the Dollar

Could the dollar be replaced by a single new dominant currency like China’s DCEP, or is a multipolar currency world more likely?

Blockchain Bites: Paul Tudor Jones, Open Options and Why Bitcoin Looks Strong Heading to the Halving

Bixin is launching a $66M fund, Massive Adoption's Jacob Kostecki is getting sued and Filecoin is delivering physical hard drives.

Money Reimagined: Picasso Up, Main Street Down

The Fed is handing Wall Street an asset inflation payoff while Main Street stares down the barrel of deflation. But bitcoin may benefit.

Binance Doesn’t Have a Headquarters Because Bitcoin Doesn’t, Says CEO

"Wherever I sit, is going to be the Binance office," says Changpeng "CZ" Zhao.

Bitcoin News Roundup for May 8, 2020

Bitcoin bumps against six figures while a cancelled crypto event draws legal ire. It's CoinDesk's Markets Daily podcast.

How the COVID-19 Crisis Revived the Digital Dollar Debate

Some Americans are still waiting for stimulus support. Would a digital dollar have helped disburse funds? Here's a breakdown of the debate.

Bitcoin in Emerging Markets: Latin America

Crypto adoption is up from Argentina to Venezuela, especially bitcoin and stablecoins like dai. But each market is unique.

The CoinDesk 50: Brave Browser Delivered and BAT’s a DeFi Darling

Taking on powerful forces in the surveillance economy was never going to be easy. But Brendan Eich and Brave are making a good fist of it.

PegaSys Ethereum Suite Now Available on Microsoft’s Azure Marketplace

Developers can now access the tools needed to manage a full-scale Enterprise Ethereum network through Microsoft's tech marketplace.

Bitfinex Now Has a Derivatives Contract Offering Exposure to Bitcoin Dominance

Bitfinex says the perpetual swap provides investors with a less volatile form of exposure compared to a plain-vanilla bitcoin futures contract.

Open Positions on Bitcoin Options Pass $1B for First Time

Open contracts on bitcoin options rose to record highs on Thursday as the cryptocurrency’s price rose into five figures. It's not necessarily a bullish sign, though.

The Men Who Stare at Charts

The crypto markets are in a permanent state of flux. Meet the traders who know how to read the room.

First Mover: Search Interest in Bitcoin’s Halving Reaches Fever Pitch as Price Hits $10K

Google Trends, a barometer for gauging interest in trending topics, shows searches for "halving" or "bitcoin halving" are far higher than for the same event in 2016.

Vietnam’s HDBank Taps Blockchain Network to Streamline Bank Credit for Corporates

The bank has signed up to a blockchain-based trade finance network from Contour with the aim of bringing corporate settlements into the digital realm.

Internal Struggle at Bitcoin Mining Giant Bitmain Escalates to Physical Confrontation

After Micree Ketuan Zhan, the exiled co-founder of Bitmain, moved to reinstate his position after another partial legal victory over his former employer, tensions reportedly escalated into a physical brawl.

‘Massive Adoption’ Conference Organizer Sued After Refund Delays

A lawsuit filed by David Silver on behalf of Massive Adoption attendees alleges fraud, unjust enrichment and breach of contract on the part of organizer Jacob Kostecki after they did not receive refunds for the canceled crypto conference.

Coinstar Plans Massive Expansion of Coinme Bitcoin ATMs as Usage Spikes 40%

Coinstar, the coin counting kiosk maker hosting 3,500 Coinme bitcoin ATMs, is considering doubling that count after a surge in usage amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

California Assembly Considers Exempting Some Digital Assets From State Securities Law

A key lawmaker in the California Assembly has proposed exempting some digital assets from the state’s definition of corporate securities.

One of Bitcoin’s Earliest Miners Is Dedicating $66M in Crypto to a Fund of Funds

Bixin, one of the earliest bitcoin miner operators and wallet startups, is dedicating 6600 bitcoin, worth $66 million, to a new fund of funds.

Bitcoin Breaches $10K for First Time Since February

Bitcoin's price has broken the $10,000 barrier just days before its next halving.

9 Reasons Why Bitcoin Has Never Been Stronger Going Into a Halving

From surging price and all-time-high hash rates, to Paul Tudor Jones and narrative relevance, a look at the strength of BTC heading into next week’s halving.

Tradeshift Proposes Plan to Protect Denmark’s Supply Chains From COVID-19 Crisis

Tradeshift wants the Danish government to try out a supply-chain relief plan that involves the fintech unicorn's blockchain-based trade finance platform.

Hedge Fund Pioneer Turns Bullish on Bitcoin Amid ‘Unprecedented’ Monetary Inflation

Paul Tudor Jones, a pioneer of the modern hedge fund industry, is reportedly betting on bitcoin’s price as an inflation hedge. Exactly how is unclear.

Zoom Seeks to Deflect Privacy, Security Concerns With Keybase Buy

Zoom, the popular-by-necessity video conferencing service, has acquired Keybase in a bid to bring end-to-end encryption to its paying customers.

The Changemaker: Glen Weyl Puts His Radical Ideas Into Action

RadicalxChange, the civics network founded by polymath economist Glen Weyl, isn't left or right exactly, but it is radical. Now governments are starting to adopt its ideas.

Securitize Builds Digital ID Service in Hopes of Creating Industry Standard

Securitize is rolling out a digital ID service so issuers, investors and other players in the security token market don't have to keep sending the same documents to every company they deal with.

Schlesi Testnet Is Latest Step in Long Road Toward Eth 2.0

Ethereum clients are beginning to sync and validate a new Eth 2.0 testnet, Schlesi, ahead of the network's prospective launch in July.

Blockchain Bites: Introducing the CoinDesk 50 and a Roadmap to Consensus: Distributed

In the news: a new blockchain voting proposal, Cash App's bitcoin profits and why we're sooner having a halving.

Bitcoin News Roundup for May 7, 2020

BTC could hit $10K while mining ramps up. This is CoinDesk's Markets Daily podcast.

What the FATF: The Deadline for Complying With New Crypto Exchange Rules Is Coming

A whirlwind journey through a new set of rules governing crypto exchanges created by a powerful intergovernmental organization.

How We’re Raising the Virtual Bar at Consensus: Distributed

Over 10,000 attendees worldwide have registered for our marquee event, which goes fully virtual next week.

Sidestepping Telegram, Devs and Validators Launch Fork of TON Blockchain

TON Labs, a startup that helped Telegram run the test network for its blockchain network, launched its own version called Free TON Thursday, with the support of professional validators.

The CoinDesk 50: Binance Eyes the Whole Pie

Binance, #1 on the new CoinDesk 50 list, continues to move aggressively after the biggest opportunities in crypto.

The CoinDesk 50: Cosmos and the Dream of Anti-Maximalism

In an industry known for tribalism and infighting, Cosmos is banking on everyone else’s success. That's why it's on the new CoinDesk 50 list.

How We Chose the CoinDesk 50

The CoinDesk 50 is an annual selection of the most innovative, consequential and viable projects in the crypto-blockchain industry.

The CoinDesk 50

The CoinDesk 50 is an annual selection of the most innovative and consequential projects in the crypto-blockchain industry.

Bitcoin Outperforming Gold and Stocks so Far This Month

Bitcoin looks to have decoupled from traditional markets as investors refocus on the network's imminent mining reward halving.

First Mover: Bitcoin’s ‘Halving’ Is Coming Even Sooner Than You Realize

More activity on the bitcoin blockchain means the blockheight, which triggers the halving event, is probably coming faster than anticipated.

Ex-Bakkt CEO Kelly Loeffler Got $9M Payout as She Left for US Senate: Report

Senator Kelly Loeffler received the hefty payout from her husband's company, Intercontinental Exchange, as she left bitcoin company Bakkt to take up her political position.

Stellar Enterprise Fund Invests $5M in Crypto App Abra Ahead of Blockchain Integration

The $5 million capital allocation precedes Abra's integration with the Stellar blockchain.

Crypto Firms Establish Messaging Standard to Deal With FATF Travel Rule

The standard defines a uniform model for data that must be exchanged by crypto firms alongside transactions.

Cambridge University Releases New Tool for Tracking Global Bitcoin Mining Power

Cambridge University's Centre for Alternative Finance has released a bitcoin mining map, showing where bitcoin miners are located worldwide.

Crypto Exchange OSL to Establish ‘Digital Asset Powerhouse’ in Asia, US Region

The partnership between OSL and Monsoon is seeking to cement a leadership position in the Asia and U.S. regions.

Bitcoin Revenues in Square’s Cash App Top Fiat Revenues for First Time in Q1

Bitcoin profit through Square’s Cash App was $7 million in the first quarter of 2020. It earned $8 million in bitcoin profit through the whole of 2019.

Market Wrap: Derivatives May Reduce Miner Selling Pressure After Bitcoin Halving

The crypto derivatives market is helping to hedge the uncertainty on which way the bitcoin market will go when miners have less revenue post-halving.

Surveying the Carnage: How Real Estate, Travel and Music Are Faring During the Crisis

One hundred million jobs lost and $2.7 trillion in GDP evaporates. NLW looks at the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on key industries.

Bitcoin Node Count Falls to 3-Year Low Despite Price Surge

The number of Bitcoin nodes fell to its lowest level in almost three years, according to data calculated by one prominent Bitcoin developer.

‘Black Thursday’ Distortion Makes Bitcoin Options Look Cheaper

With a key metric declining to record lows, bitcoin’s options market may be underpricing the cryptocurrency’s future volatility.

‘Very Near Launch’: Polkadot Founder Gavin Wood Details Network Rollout

Polkadot founder Gavin Wood outlined the “five or six” steps the network will be taking as it moves to a full launch, some four years after first being conceived, during his Ready Layer One presentation.

Ohio Lawmakers Propose Blockchain Voting in Elections Overhaul Bill

Ohio lawmakers have proposed the launch of a blockchain voting pilot in spite of security experts' repeated warnings against any internet-based elections system.

Libra Association Names HSBC Chief Legal Officer as First CEO

The Libra Association has just named HSBC Chief Legal Officer and former U.S. Under Secretary of the Treasury Stuart Levey as its new CEO. Levey will take the reins later this year.

Blockchain Bites: Coinbase and BlockFi Do Some Major Hiring, Tron Gets Coronavirus Relief

It's all about labor. Tron applies for employment protection while Dutch officials tell crypto companies to comply or die.

Bitcoin News Roundup for May 6, 2020

BTC stays above $9K while some new startups wrestle for market share. It's CoinDesk's Markets Daily Podcast.

ErisX Becomes Latest Crypto Firm to Receive New York’s BitLicense

Eris Clearing, the clearing and settlement arm of ErisX, has been awarded the hard-to-come-by Virtual Currency License from New York's Department of Financial Services.

TokenSoft Expands Security Token Services to Europe With New Swiss Entity

Security token platform TokenSoft is expanding its services to Europe using a new Swiss entity, licensing its software through a local partner.

Irish Crypto Firms Squeezed by Bank Account Closures, Regulatory Delays

A delay in transposing the EU's 5AMLD into local law has given crypto companies no recourse after Irish banks closed their accounts.

University College London Joins Hedera Hashgraph as Council Member, Research Partner

UCL will be the first university and 13th member of the Hedera Hashgraph governing council, whose members run nodes and vote on software updates.

Bitcoin Can Boost Portfolio Returns, Even if Bought at All-Time High: Bitwise Study

Bitwise found that bitcoin acts as a useful counterweight to a traditional portfolio if managed in the right way.

First Mover: U.S. Arms of Binance, FTX Push Into Margin Trading, But Likely Not at 100x

Binance.US and the soon-to-launch U.S. unit of FTX aim to offer cryptocurrency margin trading in the American market, but won't be able to provide leverage to the degree offered by overseas competitors.

Bitcoin Breaches $9.2K as Open Positions on CME Futures Hit 10-Month High

Bitcoin is quickly gathering upward momentum alongside a surge in open positions on CME futures.

Why Binance and Akon Are Betting on Africa for Crypto Adoption

Demand for bitcoin is surging in Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya, attracting investment from the cryptocurrency exchange Binance and a token project by Akon.

Amun Launches Token Tracking the Inverse of Bitcoin’s Price

The Swiss ETP provider's new token lets traders make gains whenever bitcoin’s price falls.

ChromaWay Expands Effort to Put Latin American Land Records on the Blockchain

The Swedish startup is working with the IDB and local agencies to make land ownership more transparent in Latin America and the Caribbean.

ASX Accused of Trying to ‘Crush’ Rival Blockchain Trading System

iSignThis, claimed the Australian Securities Exchange suspended its shares to prevent iSignThis's DLT trading system from launching on a rival securities platform.

Nervos Aims to Spur Blockchain Development With New Incubator Headed by Industry Vet

Open network Nervos has launched an incubator for early-stage startups that build user-centric decentralized applications.

Market Wrap: Bitcoin Volatility Higher Than S&P 500 Again but Lower Than Oil

Bitcoin volatility has risen a bit, higher than the S&P 500 ahead of its expected halving next week - but it’s nowhere close to the rocky ride oil has been on.

BitMEX Is Making Bitcoin Network More Expensive for Everyone, Researcher Finds

Average fees paid by bitcoin users spike at a certain time every day due to the actions of one firm, derivatives exchange BitMEX, a researcher found.

Crypto Forensics Firm TokenAnalyst Shuts Down, Some Employees Hired by Coinbase

TokenAnalyst is shutting down after 2.5 years of operations, with some employees moving on to new roles at Coinbase.

As Pandemic Decimates Startups, Privacy Industry Holds Strong

As remote work become the norm, privacy-focused startups see COVID-19 as an opportunity to expand.

Why Crypto Matters for Financial Inclusion, Feat. Celo’s Marek Olszewski

In a world of centralized mobile money solutions, do decentralized, permissionless currencies matter?

Dutch Central Bank to Crypto Firms: Register in 2 Weeks or Shut Down

Dutch crypto companies must register with the Netherlands’ central bank by May 18 or cease operations immediately as the country enforces new anti-money laundering regulations required by the European Union.

Blockchain Bites: Hyperledger Makes Inroads, Bitcoin Gets ‘Harder’ and Buffett’s Not ‘Halving’ It

Bitcoin's difficulty has increased ahead of the halving event as more retail investors pour in. Warren Buffett has yet to be enticed.

Bitcoin News Roundup for May 5, 2020

BTC is showing some impressive transaction numbers as the market heats up before the halving. It's CoinDesk's Markets Daily podcast.

BlockFi Hires Credit Suisse, Prudential Execs to Drive Global Expansion

Crypto lender BlockFi has hired two execs from traditional finance to help launch a bitcoin rewards card and build out business teams in Europe and Asia.

As Tether Supply Hits Record Highs, It Moves Away From Original Home

Tether growth is hitting new all-time highs across multiple blockchains, but the first protocol to support Tether is being left behind.

4 Ways COVID-19 Will Bring Banks and Regulators to Crypto

Consensus:Distributed speaker and CoinDesk columnist Ajit Tripathi argues the pandemic will normalize the use of CBDCs and cryptocurrencies.

Mysterious Company Files New Lawsuit Over Ripple’s $1.1B XRP Sale

The lawsuit alleging Ripple violated U.S. securities laws comes from a company that previously accused FTX of price manipulation.

The Man Who Forecast a Currency Cold War

David Birch's book "The Currency Cold War" foresees a world of competing digital currencies. COVID-19 brings that future closer, he says.

First Mover: Amid Economic Meltdown, Bitcoin Is Winning as ‘No Value’ Buffett Eats Crow

Bitcoin is beating stocks this year, but it's also crushing the shares of Berkshire Hathaway, whose billionaire CEO said in February that the cryptocurrency had "no value."

Bitcoin Fails at $9K Hurdle Again, But Data Suggests Investors Are Bullish

The cryptocurrency has again failed to keep gains above $9,000 even as active bitcoin addresses spike to 11-month highs.

IBM, Mastercard Join Digital Identity Project Building ‘Ecosystems of Trust’

Mastercard, IBM and the provincial government of British Columbia are among the founding members of the Trust over IP (ToIP) Foundation.

IBM Teams With 3 European Power Grids to Build Green Energy Blockchain Platform

IBM has created a new blockchain consortium with power grid operators TenneT, Swissgrid and Terna to help facilitate the transition to renewable energy.

Iran Issues License for Nation’s Biggest Bitcoin Mining Operation

A Turkish firm has been granted a license to operate a data center with up to 6,000 bitcoin mining machines.

Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Nears All-Time High in Final Adjustment Before Halving

Bitcoin mining difficulty increased to 16.10 trillion (T) on Tuesday, close to the network’s all-time high of 16.55 T recorded in March.

Telegram Withdraws Offer to Repay Investors With Gram Tokens

Telegram says it won't be repaying investors in its 2018 TON token sale in gram tokens, one week after saying it could do so once the network launches.

IBM, Merck Declare FDA-Backed Drug Tracing Blockchain a Success

IBM, Merck, Walmart and KPMG’s drug-tracing blockchain pilot exceeded the interoperability benchmarks set by the Food and Drug Administration, the group said.

Market Wrap: Bitcoin Dips to $8.8K but Optimism Seen Continuing Ahead of Halving

After a flurry of trading late last week, bitcoin dipped on lower volume.

Why Warren Buffett’s Bearishness Should End V-Shaped Recovery Talk

NLW unpacks a meaningful shift as the famously optimistic Warren Buffett struck a more sober note at Berkshire Hathaway’s first virtual annual meeting.

Stablecoins Push Ethereum’s Transaction Count to Highest Since July 2019

Ethereum’s transaction counts have surged by 72% since mid-February

Blockchain Bites: Bitfinex Sues, Miners Prepare, Congress Considers

The U.S. Senate is considering blockchain voting during the COVID-19 crisis, while crypto becomes a mainstay in the Middle East.

Bitcoin News Roundup for May 4, 2020

May the BTC be with you. It's CoinDesk's Markets Daily podcast.

NEAR Protocol Launches Following $21M Token Sale Led by Andreessen Horowitz

NEAR announced Monday the closing of a $21.6 million token sale involving a16z, Pantera and others. It also revealed the stealth-mode launch of the NEAR mainnet on April 22.

Marketing Ethereum 2.0 and Herding Cats With Hudson Jameson

CoinDesk's Nolan Baurle speaks with the Ethereum Foundation's Hudson Jameson about private transactions, client improvements, dealing with FUD on Ethereum and more.

Hackers Plant Crypto Miners By Exploiting Flaw in Popular Server Framework Salt

Hackers have exploited a critical flaw in infrastructure management tool Salt and, in one case planted crypto mining software.

Kyber to Offer Delegated Token Staking After Coming Network Upgrade

A new partnership with StakeWith.US will allow community members to delegate staking if they don't have time or knowledge to get directly involved in governance, said Kyber.

The Stablecoin Surge Is Built on Smoke and Mirrors

Are stablecoins fully backed by reserves? Are they FDIC-insured? Stablecoins may be too good to be true, says our columnist.

First Mover: Capitalism’s Biggest Crisis Isn’t Driving People to Bitcoin – It’s the Volatility

The post-Bretton Woods system is on the ropes, but what's driving interest into bitcoin is price volatility and the upcoming halving event.

Bitcoin in Emerging Markets: The Middle East

Regions with weak states and educated diasporas are seeing a rising demand for cryptocurrencies, stablecoins and decentralized applications.

Bitcoin Price May Drop After Halving, Historical Data Shows

Bitcoin has again rallied sharply in the weeks leading up to the impending halving event, but if historic patterns are anything to go by, the cryptocurrency could suffer a temporary price pullback following the event.

US Court Dismisses Lawsuit Over Riot Blockchain’s Crypto Pivot

A U.S. judge has dismissed a lawsuit alleging the firm changed its name to include "blockchain" in 2017 to boost its share price.

US Senate Staffers Float Blockchain Voting if Chamber Goes Remote

U.S. Senate staffers, hunting for tech to keep their chamber legislating through crises, floated blockchain voting in an April 30 continuity of Senate memo.

BitMEX Restricts Access to Japanese Residents, Citing Changes to Local Law

New BitMEX users in Japan will be unable to open positions after the exchange restricted some accounts in accordance with new regulations.

Crypto Long & Short: Why Bitcoin’s Big Rally Is a Sign of Its Economic Resilience

Bitcoin's underlying technology and monetary system make it one of the few investable assets that is immune to the economic fluctuations we have ahead.

Enterprise Blockchains: Walled Off Yet Vulnerable

Private enterprise blockchains are prone to insider attacks and don’t benefit from constant testing by an open community, experts at Kaspersky and EY say.

Bitcoin Halving 2020: How the World’s Largest Mining Pool Is Helping Miners ‘De-Risk’

F2Pool, the largest bitcoin mining pool in the world, controls 20% of the network's hashrate. F2Pool's Thomas Heller explains the economics of mining.

Digital Dollars Give the State Too Much Control Over Money

Arming the Federal Reserve with a digital dollar would harm the free market, says Max Raskin, an NYU adjunct professor of law.

Bitfinex, Tether Seek Subpoenas Across US in Hunt for Missing $800M

Bitfinex and Tether’s parent company wants to question employees of at least three U.S. banks about Crypto Capital – Bitfinex’s payment processor – accounts and holdings in an effort to recover more than $800 million.

Bitcoin Miners Usually Create 6 Blocks per Hour. They Just Banged Out 16

In a significant deviation from the norm, bitcoin miners just produced 16 blocks in 63 minutes.

Blockfolio Quietly Patches Years-Old Security Hole That Exposed Source Code

The security vulnerability, which appeared in older versions of its application, could have allowed a bad actor to steal closed source code and possibly inject their own code into Blockfolio’s Github repository and, from there, into the app itself.

Market Wrap: May Opens With Equities Lower While Bitcoin Steady at $8.7K

Traditional markets continue to get whalloped on terrible economic numbers while bitcoin holds ground ahead of the halving.

Interest in Gold-Backed Token Trading Grows Amid Supply Disruptions

On Thursday, hourly trading volume in Tether Gold climbed to over $13 million, up from roughly $1 million the day before.

Why the Dollar Has Never Been Stronger or More Set Up to Fail

With trillions in money printing, the dollar should be getting weaker. Instead, it’s stronger than ever. What gives? The first of a four-part microseries on the battle for the future of money.

What We Can Learn From Telegram’s Token Troubles

Telegram's success blinded investors to the risks inherent in building blockchains and raising a token sale.

Blockchain Bites: Bitcoin Whales and American Buyers May Be Driving This Rally

Amid this market rally, Bitcoin wallet startups report an uptick in users and profits. Get the latest bite-sized news here.

Money Reimagined: COVID-19’s Lessons in Innovation

Though its impacts are deadly, the coronavirus is a product of an advanced innovation ecosystem. We can learn from its ability to mutate and adapt.

Bitcoin News Roundup for May 1, 2020

Bitcoin beats the markets while wallet demand rises. It's CoinDesk's Markets Daily podcast.

American Buyers Are Fueling Bitcoin’s Rally, Data Suggests

Spot and futures markets reflect the strong bullish sentiment of American investors.

Overstock Wants to Trade Traditional Stocks on tZERO Crypto App

tZERO Crypto wants to become the first platform approved to trade crypto, digital securities and traditional stocks on a single app.

First Mover: Tezos Led Crypto Market With Twice Bitcoin’s Gains in April

Tezos is outstripping the usual crypto leaders on the outside track, possibly down to an increase in the number of exchanges offering staking as a service.

Bitcoin Rises Back to $8.8K Even as Futures on U.S. Stocks Drop

While bitcoin is rising so far on Friday, the price rally looks overstretched and gains may be transient.

Argo Blockchain Sees Revenues Soar 11x After Mining 1,300 Bitcoin in 2019

Bitcoin mining firm Argo Blockchain said an 11-fold increase in revenues shows pivoting away from mining-as-a-service was a good move for the company.

Why Crypto Exchange OKCoin Jumped Through Hoops to Get Licensed in Japan

While Japan is known for its retail market, crypto exchange OKCoin believes the country’s strict licensing regime will attract institutional investors.