Bitter Bitcoin

​​🔥 Good afternoon
Date:07.12.2018

✔️ Buffett Bet 2.0: Asset Manager Wagers Crypto Fund Will Beat S&P 500

Cryptocurrency asset manager Morgan Creek Digital is betting $1 million that its crypto fund will outperform the S&P 500, calling the challenge Buffett Bet 2.0 to mimic the billionaire investor’s famous bet. The wager is expected to be taken by “someone who is bullish on the S&P 500, or someone who thinks cryptocurrencies are worthless or overvalued.”

🚩 Chinese Miners Short BTC Markets to Hedge Against Falling Prices

The price of bitcoin core (BTC) has dropped considerably over the past few months, significantly affecting individuals and organizations that mine the cryptocurrency. According to recent reports, many miners in China are now short selling bitcoins to hedge against falling digital asset prices.

💰 Bithumb Overtook Binance as Largest Spot Exchange by Daily Volumes in November

Cryptocompare, the cryptocurrency market data aggregator, has published its monthly exchange review for November 2018, offering insights about the latest changes in the global market using transaction data from over 70 trading venues.

☝🏼 What Grin and Mimblewimble Mean for the Future of Bitcoin Privacy

In a little over a month, one of the most eagerly anticipated cryptocurrency projects in recent times will launch. There will be no ICO or premine, and, like the transactions themselves, the project team are highly private. Grin, the first network to utilize Mimblewimble cryptography, has wide-ranging implications for privacy that could ultimately shape the future of the Bitcoin network.

🌵 Troubled Crypto Exchange Wex Finds New Owner

Cryptocurrency exchange Wex, successor of the infamous BTC-e, has a new owner. Dmitry Havchenko, a former Ukrainian entrepreneur turned separatist fighter, has reportedly bought the coin trading platform through a family member. He now wants to restore it and also to track down the lost “Vinnik’s treasure.”

​​❗️Good afternoon
Date:06.12.2018

🌐 Bitwise Launches Bitcoin Fund, Driven by Client Interest

Bitwise Asset Management has launched two new cryptocurrency funds, one of which only invests in BTC. The launch “is driven by inbound client interest and investor dissatisfaction with existing options,” the company says. The market downturn has also given investors “a unique opportunity to enter the market at prices many thought we’d never see again.”

💠 Coinmarketbook Gauges Cryptocurrencies by Buy Support Rather Than Market Cap

A lot of cryptocurrency enthusiasts and market observers reference websites that measure the digital asset economy by market capitalization. Now there’s a new data website, Coinmarketbook.cc, that calculates a cryptocurrency’s buy support based on order books held on various exchanges.

⛓ Cryptocurrencies Are Still Blood Red

As 2018 nears an end, cryptocurrency prices are dipping once again, having seen significant losses since the start of the year. This Wednesday, Dec. 5, the entire digital asset economy is valued at roughly $120 billion and most of the top 10 coins have lost 6-15% in value over the last 24 hours and 15-35% in the last week.

⭐️ Chat Bot Advises Crypto Startups and Investors

Three Ukrainian companies have developed an English-language chat bot that provides consulting services to businesses and investors in the crypto industry. The AI-based platform, Ailo, offers a range of automated services but it can also deal with cases that require human intervention and professional legal advice.

🔸 Venezuelans Remain Skeptical After President Maduro Raises Petro’s Value

Nicolas Maduro’s move to increase the price of the petro, the country’s oil-backed cryptocurrency designed to counter inflation, has sparked intense debate. Experts and tech-savvy Venezuelans alike are less than enthusiastic about the Venezuelan president’s decision.

​​🌋 Good afternoon
Date:05.12.2018

🇯🇵 Japan’s Money Forward Announces Details of Upcoming Crypto Exchange

Japanese public company Money Forward, operator of a personal budgeting app with 7 million users, is preparing to launch a crypto exchange. Three cryptocurrencies will be supported.

🗯 Political Decentralization: Freeing the Internet From Monopolists With Crypto-Tech

The internet was born from an ideal for information to be shared by all, with all, and was seen as the archetypal decentralized system. Today, however, commercialization by monopolistic and powerful actors has created a system in which we are shown information paid for by the highest bidders, and can only access what the wealthy and powerful permit.

🆚 Bitfinex Adds Four Stablecoins Including GUSD and USDC

Bitfinex, together with its sister exchange Ethfinex, has announced the introduction of four new stablecoins. The additions take the platforms’ total number of dollar-pegged tokens to six and provide a reassuring range of tether alternatives for traders. Trustless, Ethfinex’s decentralized exchange (DEX), will also be listing all six, including the Gemini dollar (GUSD) and Circle’s USD Coin (USDC).

✏️ Vertcoin Network Suffers 300-Block Reorg Following 51% Attacks

Vertcoin (VTC) is currently struggling with a series of 51 percent attacks and a number of blockchain reorganizations. According to recently published data, the vertcoin chain has experienced over 22 reorgs and has lost more than $100,000 due to the attacks, with the last reorg clocking in at over 300 blocks deep.

🛍 Chinese Government-Backed Company to Launch Stablecoin by February

Grandshores Technology Group is a public company affiliated with a 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion) fund backed by the government of Hangzhou, the capital of China’s Zhejiang Province. It is known to be developing a new stablecoin, which is now expected to hit the market by February 2019.

​​💎 Good afternoon
Date:04.12.2018

⛓ Swiss Crypto Valley Association Leadership Steps Down After Governance Review

More than half of the members of Switzerland’s Crypto Valley Association (CVA) board have announced their decision to step down in January. The news comes after reports about governance issues and allegations of conflicts of interest in the leadership of the growing organization.

🔥 November Volume Rankings: Bearish Momentum Drives Surge in Trade

The significant bearish momentum experienced across cryptocurrencies throughout November drove a significant increase in monthly trade volume among the leading markets.

🔗 US Law Enforcement Wants Blockchain Surveillance Tools for Privacy Coins

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has published its 2019 fiscal year pre-solicitation document. Throughout the 27-page letter, the organization explains that it wants to dedicate resources toward creating blockchain forensic applications that can analyze privacy-centric digital asset movements. Prior efforts have addressed bitcoin analytics and now the agency wants surveillance tools for cryptocurrencies like monero and zcash.

☝§g Former Israeli Prime Minister Calls Cryptocurrencies a ‘Ponzi Scheme’

Ehud Barak served as the prime minister of Israel from 1999 to 2001. These days he makes a lot of money as an investor and co-founder of startup companies in such fields as cyber espionage and cannabis. However, he seems to think that investing in cryptocurrency is less legitimate.

§h A Cashless Society – Utopia or Dystopia?

From Stockholm to New York, major global hubs are ditching cash for cards. As contactless payment devices including smartphones and smartwatches proliferate, hard currency is falling out of favor. But for all the convenience that touch payments bring, the cashless transition has major ramifications for the most underserved segments of society.

​​🗓 Good afternoon
Date:03.12.2018

🆕 New Software Copernicus Has Mined Its First Bitcoin Cash Block

On Saturday, Dec. 1, the Copernicus project announced the launch of its full node implementation pre-release written in the programming language Golang (Go). Following the release, the client was used to generate the first Golang version of a Bitcoin Cash block mined at height 558847.

⚜️ Maduro Orders Price of Venezuela’s ‘Cryptocurrency’ to More Than Double

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has announced that the price of the petro, his country’s national “cryptocurrency,” has been increased from 3,600 sovereign bolivars to 9,000. While the wallet for the petro is still unavailable, the Venezuelan government continues to sell the digital currency and issue certificates of purchase to buyers.

🔎 G20 Leaders Declare Commitment to Regulate Crypto Assets

While some countries have taken the lead to regulate various aspects of using cryptocurrencies, many have left the matter completely up in the air. This might soon change as pressure is mounting on governments to develop standards for crypto regulations, as evident by the latest G20 meeting of top politicians from around the world.

📘 Intel Awarded a Patent for an Energy Efficient Bitcoin Mining Process

On Nov. 27, the world’s second-largest semiconductor chip maker, Intel, was granted a patent for a processing system that mines Bitcoin but utilizes more “energy-efficient hardware accelerators.” According to the patent called the “Optimized SHA256 Datapath,” the newly invented “high-performance” Bitcoin mining process could reduce overall power consumption by 15 percent.

🎌 Japanese Crypto Exchange to Relaunch as Part of Huobi After Buyout

A regulated Japanese cryptocurrency exchange is shutting down to relaunch as part of the Huobi family. The new exchange will support six cryptocurrencies and 11 trading pairs. Existing Bittrade customers need to open new accounts, complete KYC verification, and transfer their assets to the new platform.

​​🗓 Good afternoon
Date:30.11.2018

🖇 Bloxroute Joins the Block Size Debate With New Block Propagation Service

Over the last few weeks, the Bitcoin Cash (BCH) community has been discussing how miners and nodes will handle bigger blocks in the future to encourage mass adoption. A company called Bloxroute has been coming up a lot lately, as it aims to resolve the block propagation bottleneck.

🔗 LCX Now Licensed to Provide Crypto Trading Services in Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein cryptocurrency exchange LCX has been granted a license to provide crypto trading services for utility and payment tokens. The exchange will be offering four main crypto services including a custody service and a fiat-to-crypto exchange in partnership with Binance.

🔎 Research Exposes Anti-Bitcoin Bias in Mainstream Media

Recent research on the tone and frequency of cryptocurrency coverage in the mainstream media over the past five years suggests that some news outlets appear to be much more biased against Bitcoin than the norm. The results also indicate that overall sentiment has become more negative with time.

📌 Honoring Satoshi’s Vision: Toward a Better Crypto User Experience

Satoshi Nakamoto’s Bitcoin whitepaper laid out an intoxicating vision for a “purely peer-to-peer version of electronic cash” — free of involvement and interference from third-party intermediaries.

🇧🇾 Binance Terminates Services for Users in Belarus

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has informed Belarusian customers that its services will no longer be available in their country. The announcement follows reports of similar restrictions for residents of other nations under economic sanctions, such as the Islamic Republic of Iran and Zimbabwe.

​​🗓 Good afternoon
Date:29.11.2018

⚖️ Court Drops Charges Against Alleged Btc-e Operator Alexander Vinnik

The lawsuit against alleged Btc-e operator Alexander Vinnik for “fraud, money laundering, and other grave crimes” filed in Cyprus has reportedly been dropped. His lawyer says the case “fell apart at the very early stage” at the initiative of the plaintiffs themselves.

💷 Korean Lawmaker Introduces Bill to Promote Crypto Trading

A South Korean lawmaker has reportedly introduced a bill to promote cryptocurrency trading and the development of crypto exchanges. In addition to requirements such as capital, manpower, and internal systems, the bill proposes establishing a committee to promote and support crypto trading.

🔜 🆕 What’s New and What’s Next

It’s been two weeks since the Bitcoin Cash (BCH) hard fork that upgraded the BCH chain and resulted in a blockchain split. But although many people have been focusing on the birth of Bitcoin SV, a number of BCH proponents are already moving forward and discussing the network’s latest upgrades, as well as the next hard fork scheduled for May.

🏧 Outrage Over Union Bank of Nigeria’s Threat to Close Crypto-Related Accounts

Nigerian digital asset owners have reacted angrily to Union Bank’s threat to close all cryptocurrency-linked accounts. Investors have accused the local banking system of hypocrisy, asserting that banks are “unfit” and “scammers” that continue to steal from the poor through spurious charges such as ATM maintenance fees and SMS alerts.

🐃 Bull Trap or Reversal? Traders Question the Recent Crypto Spike

Three days ago the crypto-economy suffered deep losses, with digital asset prices at their lowest across the board since September 2017. But on Wednesday the digital asset ecosystem started showing a slight recovery, as the entire market capitalization of all 2000+ coins gained $14 billion.

​​🗓 Good afternoon
Date:28.11.2018

🉐 China Revises Crypto Ranking — BTC Upgraded

China’s Center for Information and Industry Development has updated its crypto project ranking for this month, moving BTC up several places while still favoring EOS and Ethereum. The center explains its evaluation model and outlines future projects.

💍 Fine Jewelry Dealer Birks Group Now Accepts Bitcoin

On Tuesday, Canadian company Birks Group, a fine jewelry operation since 1879, announced its plan to accept bitcoin for products and services at eight select locations. Birks Group and its retail stores will accept cryptocurrencies through a partnership with Bitpay. The collaboration marks the first major implementation of Bitpay’s point-of-sale solution for brick-and-mortar locations within the Canadian region.

🏦 Nigeria’s Union Bank Threatens to Shut Down Cryptocurrency-Related Accounts

A large commercial bank in Nigeria has threatened to shut down an undisclosed number of cryptocurrency-related accounts without explanation. Lagos-based Union Bank claims that any decision to do so would be in line with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) past warnings about cryptocurrency trading.

🌋 BCH-Powered Bitcoin Files Project Adds IPFS Support

Last October, the developers of the Bitcoin Cash-powered Bitcoin Files project launched the first iteration of its censorship-resistant file sharing software. At the time, the platform allowed users to upload files of 5kb or less to the blockchain. Now, the latest Bitcoin Files release supports the decentralized Inter-Planetary File System (IPFS), allows users to upload much larger file sizes, and gives the ability to preview files before downloading.

🔋Tether Reopens Fiat-USDT Redemption Platform

Tether is back in business. Its stablecoin platform, which has lain dormant since last year, is to reopen for fiat deposits and tether (USDT) redemption. The move, described by Tether as a “new vision,” ought to return its stablecoin to the parameters it was originally designed to meet. With a minimum fiat deposit of $100,000, however, Tether’s service will be off-limits to retail investors.

​​💎 Good afternoon
Date:27.11.2018

🔹 Sweden Expects to Attract Norwegian Bitcoin Miners After Brutal Tax Hike

With Norway set to revoke electricity subsidies for cryptocurrency miners from January 2019 onward, Swedish data centers are anticipating a wave of inquiries from mining companies seeking to domicile in Sweden.

🔸 Philippine Crypto Valley to Attract Companies From Japan, Korea and Australia

The Philippine government-owned Cagayan Economic Zone Authority has unveiled a plan to attract Japanese, Korean and Australian companies to its “Crypto Valley of Asia.” The authority is also cracking down on crypto companies operating within its economic zone without a license.

📣 Eight Historic Bitcoin Transactions

There’s nothing particularly special about a bitcoin transaction. Every day, 300,000 of them occur on the BTC and BCH networks without fanfare. But occasionally, a perfunctory transaction will attain historical significance. These bitcoin transfers can be viewed in any blockchain explorer, where they have been immortalized by the public ledger and mythologized by the public.

☘️ Petition to Free Ross Ulbricht Gathers 100,000 Signatures

Over the last few months, a petition aimed at freeing Ross Ulbricht from prison has garnered 100,000 signatures. The request addressed to U.S. president Donald Trump and hosted on Change.org explains that Ulbricht deserves clemency because his investigation, trial, and sentencing were rife with abuse.

🔗 US State of Ohio Accepts Bitcoin for 23 Types of Taxes

The U.S. state of Ohio has set up a cryptocurrency payment portal and reportedly starts accepting payments in bitcoin for 23 types of taxes this week. “Ohio has become the first state in the United States, and one of the first governments in the world, to accept cryptocurrency,” the Treasurer’s Office wrote.

​​📈 Good afternoon
Date:26.11.2018

🚩 Thai SEC Warns Against 14 Unauthorized Cryptocurrency Operators

Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has warned the public against 14 websites whose operators have been soliciting customers to buy and sell cryptocurrencies and related products. The regulator says these operators are not authorized to conduct crypto business in the country. Currently, only seven companies are temporarily approved for crypto operations.

📍 Universities in New York, Tokyo and Luxembourg Support Crypto Development

Academic institutions from all corners of the world are offering classes on cryptocurrencies and supporting research initiatives in this burgeoning sector. From New York to Tokyo, universities are spearheading a plethora of crypto-themed courses.

📡 BTC-e Operator Alexander Vinnik to Go on Hunger Strike, Lawyer Says

Alexander Vinnik, the suspected operator of the infamous BTC-e exchange, plans to start a hunger strike on Monday, days before his next court hearing. The Russian, who has been accused by U.S. authorities of laundering billions of dollars through the now-defunct crypto trading platform, fears he is not going to receive a fair trial.

☝🏼 Snowden: “Large Population” Believes in Bitcoin as Means of Exchange

In a recent interview, former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) employee and National Security Agency (NSA) subcontractor turned whistleblower, Edward Snowden, argued that the price and value of bitcoin is an expression of the “large population” that believes in its “usefulness” as a means of exchange.

🔥 Silk Road Fake Murder Mystery May Be Solved

Rather than round up a series of stories from the deep web, this week we’re focusing on just the one. The tale, concerning Silk Road’s most enduring mystery, is so labyrinthine it warrants recounting in full.

​​☘️ Good afternoon
Date:23.11.2018

⚡️ US State Takes Action Against Crypto Operation Imitating a Bank

The U.S. state of North Dakota has issued a cease and desist order against a cryptocurrency operation imitating a fully licensed bank in Liechtenstein. This operation goes by the same name as the token announced by the bank. Its website mirrors the bank’s website and its crypto announcement was identical to the bank’s, including a plan to issue a Swiss franc-backed stablecoin.

💰 Cryptocurrency Exchange Bitex Launches in the UAE

Bitex has officially launched as the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) newest digital asset exchange. The Dubai-based trading platform will initially support bitcoin core, bitcoin cash, ethereum and litecoin. Bitex also announced the launch of a cryptocurrency wallet that offers an additional cash deposit service, according to media reports.

📣 BTC-e Successor Wex Loses .nz Domain

Wex, the digital asset trading platform that inherited the now-defunct BTC-e exchange, has lost its wex.nz domain. According to New Zealand’s Domain Name Commission (DNC), the internet address was registered with fake contact details. Wex users have complained that they are unable to withdraw their funds from the platform.

🌐 Norway Revokes Subsidies, Bitmain Opens Washington Facility

In mining news, Norway will revoke electricity subsidies currently available to cryptocurrency miners at the start of next year. Also, Bitmain has opened a 12 megawatt data center in East Wenatchee, Washington, and Bitfury has announced new additions to its advisory board and board of directors.

📡 Rosenstein Targets ICOs, FEC May Permit Political Donations Through Crypto Mining

In recent regulatory news, the U.S. deputy attorney general has called for international cooperation on cryptocurrency regulation. Separately, the U.S. Federal Election Commission (FEC) has prepared a draft advisory that could allow political donations in the form of mining power, while the Alabama Securities Commission has estimated that the state has brought forward 20 percent of all active cease-and-desist orders against crypto companies in the U.S.

​​🗓 Good afternoon
Date:22.11.2018

🔱 Survey Finds John McAfee Is the Most Influential Crypto Trading Figure

Often controversial but always entertaining, John McAfee is without a doubt one of the loudest voices in crypto on social media. And a recent study has found that the old master shill is in fact the most influential figure when it comes to trading coins.

🔆 Israeli Firm Launches Three Cryptocurrency Investment Funds

An Israeli investment firm has launched two cryptocurrency funds, with a third on the way. The company’s CEO explained the funds’ three investment strategies. These funds are Cayman Islands-registered, available to institutional and accredited investors.

✅ Spain Monitors 15,000 Cryptocurrency Investors to Curb Tax Evasion

Spain’s Ministry of the Treasury has identified 15,000 cryptocurrency investors it will monitor to prevent tax evasion and money laundering, according to local media reports. The ministry has vowed to ensure that the investors pay taxes on capital gains from digital currency transactions and that they declare any other benefits accrued from trading.

☑️ Italian Securities Regulator Warns Against Three Unlicensed Cryptocurrency Companies

Italy’s financial regulator, the National Commission for Companies and the Stock Exchange (CONSOB), has warned against three cryptocurrency companies engaged in schemes to promote cryptocurrency mining and investments. CONSOB said the companies were neither licensed nor authorized to provide the services they promised.

✔️ BCH Community Evaluates Six Days of Battle

The Bitcoin Cash (BCH) blockchain split on Nov. 15 and the community are still discussing the subject at great length. Since the chain splintered into two separate networks, additional trading platforms like Coinbase and Bitstamp have re-established BCH markets by choosing to list the ABC chain with the exchange ticker “BCH.”

​​♦️ Good afternoon
Date:21.11.2018

🀄️ Crypto Detectives Project Rates and Investigates Suspicious ICOs

An online platform created in Russia has set a noble goal of making the cryptocurrency industry safer for investors. The project investigates initial coin offerings (ICOs) that have raised suspicions and performs the due diligence for free. A report about each ICO is then published containing а summary of the findings and a conclusion about the project’s nature.

🌐 Indian Government Expects to Finalize Crypto Bill Next Month

The Indian government has reportedly filed an affidavit with the country’s supreme court detailing its progress on cryptocurrency regulations. “Serious efforts are going on” to prepare the draft crypto bill and report, the government explained. The two are expected to be discussed by the inter-ministerial committee by next month.

✴️ KPMG: Institutional Investment Key to Cryptoassets Growth

Auditors KPMG have published a report stressing the need for institutional investors to join the cryptocurrency industry. The report outlines the importance of cryptoassets as an investment alternative and how institutional investors can take part in the process.

✔️ Zimbabweans Use BTC to Pay for Food Hampers Amid Foreign Currency Crisis

Study263, a Zimbabwean-owned fintech startup operating from South Africa, has opened an online store allowing Zimbabweans to buy food hampers that are delivered directly to their homes. Shoppers have the option to pay for items like cooking oil and baked beans in BTC, Paypal or Ecocash, a local mobile money payment system.

〰 Cryptocurrencies Shed Billions in Bloody Sell-Off

Cryptocurrency enthusiasts have been glued to the price charts over the last 48 hours as digital assets across the entire crypto-economy have plunged significantly. Since our last markets update two days ago, the digital currency ecosystem has lost over $30 billion and the overall market capitalization of all 2,000+ coins now sits at around $159 billion.

​​🗓 Good afternoon
Date:20.11.2018

⏱ Swiss Crypto Exchange-Traded Product Launching Nov. 21, but It’s Not an ETF

The exchange-traded product tracking an index of five leading cryptocurrencies will start trading on Switzerland’s principal stock exchange on Nov. 21. The exchange has also confirmed that this product is not an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The country’s financial regulator, Finma, explains the differences.

🗡 Hash Wars: A Successful BCH Upgrade and a ‘High Risk’ Exchange Listing

It’s been close to four days since the Bitcoin Cash upgrade and the blockchain split that occurred on Nov. 15. Since the acrimonious fork, a lot has happened within the BCH ecosystem including a few exchanges listing both chains as separate coins.

💰 Singapore Finalizes Regulatory Framework for Cryptocurrency Payment Services

The central bank of Singapore has finalized the country’s new regulatory framework for payment services, which now includes cryptocurrency. Crypto payment service providers, which fall outside of the current regulatory framework, will need to be licensed under the new regime.

⚖️ Greek Court Accused of Violating the Rights of Alleged Btc-e Operator, Postpones Hearing

The judges at the Greek supreme court have been accused of violating Alexander Vinnik’s rights. The alleged Btc-e operator has been detained in Greece since July last year. The hearing against his extradition to France has also reportedly been postponed.

🖇 Fear, Loathing and Opportunity: How Crypto Traders Are Handling the Drop

The last 24 hours have been the worst the cryptocurrency markets have seen since the 24 hours prior. Things have been looking grim for weeks in fact, but on Nov. 19 the situation went from bad to critical as BTC fell below $4,500, dragging the rest of the market down with it. While some investors used this latest blow to bow out, others have used it as an opportunity to re-up on cheap coins.

​​🗓 Good afternoon
Date:19.11.2018

💰 Major Venezuelan Department Store Chain Accepts Cryptocurrency

The people of Venezuela have been forced to cope with an increasingly difficult economic situation in recent years. This has led to a loss of trust in government-issued fiat by the population in a way that many believe exemplifies the need for cryptocurrency. This may account for why a major Venezuelan department store chain accepts cryptocurrency, something which is a rarity to see in more prospering economies.

📉 Cryptocurrency Markets Consolidate Near 2018 Low

The drama surrounding the recent Bitcoin Cash fork has comprised the catalyst for significant action across the cryptocurrency market, with both BCH and BTC posting new lows for 2018 on Nov. 15. Meanwhile, XRP has again overtaken ETH to rank as the second largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization.

🛒 Smart Contract Developers May Be Held Liable by the SEC

Nick Szabo invented them but has reservations about what they’ve become. Vitalik Buterin adopted them but now regrets using their name. Dangerous when coded badly, and powerful when used intelligently, smart contracts have become a critical component of the cryptoconomy. Their code serves as the bond that glues the tokenized ecosystem together. Now, just to add further complexity, the SEC has begun monitoring smart contracts and their creators closely.

📊 Markets Update: Traders Expecting Major BCH Action When Exchanges Open

It’s been a pretty hectic week for cryptocurrency enthusiasts as the infamous Bitcoin Cash hash war has unfolded. Overall, the cryptocurrency economy has lost billions since our last markets update, with the entire market worth roughly $188 billion on Sunday, Nov. 18.

🎉 Cryptocurrency Memes: The Only Assets That Can Survive a Bear Market

If there are two things a bear market’s good for, it’s building and memeing. Your portfolio might be down, but if you’re anything like crypto Twitter, your meme bank will be filled to overflowing with riches. Bloody markets make for marvelous memes.

​​⭐️ Good afternoon
Date:16.11.2018

☝🏼 Web Giants Censor Bitchute and Bloom

Another week, another slew of projects banned by major web platforms. Paypal has ejected Bitchute, a Youtube competitor that champions free speech, while Facebook has banned ad campaigns by Bloom that promoted a rival service. The deplatforming of these projects has reinforced the case for censorship-resistant platforms.

🔤 ABC Chain Leaps More Than 50 Blocks Ahead

All eyes were on the Bitcoin Cash network today as the blockchain split into two after the last common block was found on the chain at height 556766. So far both chains have been chugging along, but at the time of writing, the ABC side is well over 50 blocks ahead of the SV chain.

☑️ Stablecoins Demand More Trust than Fiat Currency

Stablecoins — digital coins which peg their value rigidly to the dollar, the euro, or a collage of national currencies — are all the rage right now. Tether, in particular, is on everyone’s lips. In fact, it’s one of the most heavily traded cryptos in the market right now.

🗼 French Financial Markets Regulator Estimates ICOs Have Raised $21.9B Globally

France’s financial markets regulator, the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF), has published a report examining trends relating to initial coin offerings. The AMF describes ICOs as a “marginal” method of financing, estimating that the global ICO industry has raised €19.4 billion ($21.9 billion) since 2014.

§h Japanese Regulator Unveils Plan to Regulate Wallet Services

Japan’s top financial regulator, the Financial Services Agency, has unveiled a plan to regulate cryptocurrency wallet services. The regulator has put forward a number of regulatory measures as well as proposing how to implement them.

​​💎 Good afternoon
Date:15.11.2018

💰 Bitcoin ATMs Most Common Scam Payment Method in Australia

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has warned taxpayers to be “on high alert” for phone scammers demanding payment through bitcoin ATMs. It said payments via BTC cash machines have now overtaken iTunes vouchers as the most common method of scam payment reported to the tax authority.

💠 Stablecoins Fetch a Premium as BTC Hits Year Low

Officially, Wednesday, Nov. 14 will go down as the worst trading day of the year, as BTC sunk to record lows. Unofficially, there were still green shoots to be found if you knew where to look — mostly to the stablecoin sector. These dollar-pegged assets, normally so resistant to volatility, have been trading at a premium as investors seek sanctuary from the storm.

🔹Russian Developers to Help Iran Build Its Crypto-Economy

Experts from Russia will provide support for the development of Iran’s crypto-economy. The cooperation is part of an agreement reached by representatives of leading industry organizations from the two countries, both subjected to western sanctions.

🔸 Kucoin Exchange Raises $20 Million in Series A Funding Round

Singapore-based cryptocurrency exchange Kucoin has announced it has raised a combined total of $20 million in series A funding. Taking part in the Kucoin founding round were IDG Capital, Matrix Partners and Neo Global Capital.

🌠 Disputed Consensus and an Abundance of Game Theory

In less than 24 hours the Bitcoin Cash (BCH) network will be facing a hard fork involving consensus changes that are currently disputed and may lead to a blockchain split. Two development teams have proposed different paths for the Nov. 15 upgrade and the clashing BCH reference implementations will be incompatible with each other after the fork commences.

​​🔥 Good afternoon
Date:14.11.2018

🚩 Chinese Mining Farms Undergo Tax Inspection, Michigan Bans Campaign Donations in Cryptocurrency

In recent regulatory news, we report on an authorized mining company in China that has had its operations temporarily halted for tax inspection and implementation of real-name registration processes. We also look at the Michigan Secretary of State’s ban on crypto-based political donations, as well as the recent certification of X8’s stablecoin for Shariah compliance. In addition, we focus on the operator of a fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme who has been punished for misappropriating $601,000 in BTC and LTC from his employer.

♻️ GMO Postpones Shipments of 7nm Bitcoin Equipment

Japan’s GMO Internet has postponed the shipments of its two lines of 7nm bitcoin mining rigs. A representative of the company has clarified the situation, noting that some refunds have already been issued. In addition, the company is planning to relocate its mining operations.

💰 Bitcoin Group SE Buys Investment Bank Tremmel

Bitcoin Group SE has bought 100 percent shares of investment bank Tremmel for an undisclosed amount. This is the German digital currency exchange operator’s second acquisition in 2018. Bitcoin Group, which holds current assets of $40 million, said Tremmel allows it to issue its own cryptocurrency-related products, conduct proprietary trading and operate bitcoin ATMs.

🔗 Bitcoin Cash Price Rally Stalls but Trade Volume Spikes Hard

There are less than two days left until the Bitcoin Cash (BCH) network faces a contentious hard fork and BCH markets are showing some unusual activity. They are being driven by heavy trading volumes that have doubled in the last two days, while BCH/USD short positions on Bitfinex have touched an all-time high. At the moment, bitcoin cash is trading for $529 per coin with more than $900 million worth of global swaps in the last 24 hours.

☘️ Digital Bank Revolut Surpasses 3 Million Customers

U.K. startup Revolut has announced that its customer base has surpassed three million users. The fintech platform, which has quickly become a viable online alternative to traditional banking, was established in 2015. It currently offers payment and exchange services for a growing number of fiat currencies and cryptocurrencies.

​​💡 Good afternoon
Date:13.11.2018

⚠️ Venezuela: Petro Can Be Converted Into Any Cryptocurrency If Bought This Year

The Venezuelan government has announced that its national digital currency, the petro, can be exchanged into any cryptocurrency if purchased this year. However, the wallet for the petro is still not available and petro buyers receive certificates of purchase.

🏧 Cryptocurrency ATM Growth Spikes Exponentially to 4,000 Machines Worldwide

According to global statistics provided by Coinatmradar.com, there are now close to 4,000 cryptocurrency automated teller machines (ATMs). Moreover, there’s been a huge influx of bitcoin cash ATMs over the past year as there are now 1,200 BCH dispensing devices located around the world.

❌ Namibian Bitcoin Trading Platform BTN Perseveres Despite Partial Crypto Ban

Bitcoin Trade Namibia (BTN), an emerging bitcoin marketplace, is trying to make things work for Namibians keen on investing in digital assets, even though it could take up to three days before buy orders are settled. However, in an industry where government forces crave control, the delay looks like it should be worth the wait.

♻️ GMO Internet Reports Cryptocurrency Exchange Profit Rose Over 34% in Q3 2018

GMO Internet, the Japanese technology and online finance conglomerate, presented its results for the third quarter of fiscal 2018 on Nov. 12. The presentation included new details about the performance of the Tokyo-listed group’s cryptocurrency-related businesses.

🔰 Bitcoin Cash Association Bounty Spreads Merchant Adoption in Latin America

The Bitcoin Cash Association (BCA) and Spendbch.io recently started a bounty to spread bitcoin cash (BCH) merchant acceptance in several Latin American countries. On Nov. 11, the BCA announced that more than 250 new businesses in Venezuela and Colombia are now being on-boarded to accept bitcoin cash.

​​🔥 Good afternoon
Date:12.11.2018

🚩 South Korea’s Upbit to Launch Crypto Exchanges in Thailand and Indonesia

South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Upbit has reportedly started marketing new crypto exchanges in Thailand and Indonesia as part of its global expansion plans. The company recently launched an exchange in Singapore. Over 130 coins and 240 trading pairs will be offered on both of the new Upbit exchanges, according to their websites.

✅ Vietnam at Crossroads on Cryptocurrency Regulations

Vietnamese authorities are still considering their approach to regulating the cryptocurrency space. The Ministry of Justice has put forward several alternative solutions and the Ministry of Industry and Trade has expressed its opposition to the ban on imports of mining equipment.

💹 All Eyes on Bitcoin Cash Prices Before the Pending Fork

Bitcoin cash markets touched a high of $638 on Wednesday, Nov. 7, but now prices are hovering around $544 per BCH on Sunday, Nov. 11.

🔸 Binance ‘Very Healthy’ Despite Volume Drop, Gate.io Breached

Binance’s CEO has described the exchange as “very healthy” despite the dramatic reduction in trade volume compared with early 2018, and Gate.io was recently breached via a malicious script added to web analytics provider Statcounter. Also, a South Korean ICO raising money for a crypto exchange desk appears to have pulled a $2.73 million exit scam.

🔹 Iran Completes Development of Rial-Supported National Cryptocurrency

Iran has finalized the development of its national cryptocurrency, which is backed by the local fiat unit, the rial. Once the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) approves its use, the yet-to-be-named digital currency will then be issued to banking institutions for testing in payments, internal and interbank settlements according to local media reports.