Day: July 3, 2017

The post 2017’s Best Bitcoin Desktop Wallets – 4 Wallets Reviewed (Mac, Windows, Linux) appeared first on 99 Bitcoins.

Today’s post is about the best Desktop wallets available for storing your Bitcoins. Desktop wallets are wallets that store the private key for your Bitcoins on your hard drive. By nature, desktop wallets are more secure than mobile wallets (since they’re harder to steal). If you’re new to the world of Bitcoin and wallets please […]

The largest bitcoin and Ether exchange in South Korea by volume, Bithumb, was recently hacked. Monetary losses from compromised accounts have started to surface, and are quickly reaching into the Billions of won.

Hello and welcome to News BTC’s Market Outlook July 4. ETH/USD Ethereum went back and forth during the day on Monday, testing the $275 level. There is a significant amount of support just below though, so I think that we will eventually see buyers jump into this market, pushing Ethereum towards the $300 level, and … Continue reading ETH/USD and ETH/BTC Technical Analysis July 4, 2017

The post ETH/USD and ETH/BTC Technical Analysis July 4, 2017 appeared first on NEWSBTC.

Three months after Recruit Lifestyle partnered with Japanese bitcoin exchange Coincheck to enable over 260,000 retail stores to accept bitcoin, the company has finally announced on Monday that its point-of-sale app is now bitcoin-ready. Immediately, a chain of 334 eyeglasses stores using the app announced that it will accept the cryptocurrency starting July 10.

Also read: Bitcoin to Be Accepted at 260,000 Stores in Japan by This Summer

Air Regi Starts Handling Bitcoin Payments

Bitcoin.com reported in April about Recruit Lifestyle Co., Ltd. partnering with Japanese bitcoin exchange Coincheck for its point-of-sale (POS) app called “Mobile Payment for Air Regi” to accept bitcoin payments.

On Monday, almost three months later, Recruit Lifestyle finally announced that the Air Regi app now offers a bitcoin payment option starting on July 3. The announcement came two days after the law that removes the 8% consumption tax on bitcoin went into effect in Japan.

Currently, about 260,000 commercial facilities, food establishments, drugstores and other retail locations nationwide use this tablet-based POS system. Coincheck said in April that by this summer, bitcoin will become a payment option at all of these shops that use this proprietary app. The exchange explained:

Customer holding bitcoins can pay with bitcoin simply by scanning the barcode displayed on ‘Mobile payment for Air Regi’ app.

First Roll Out – 334 Eyeglasses Stores

On Monday, a chain of eyeglasses stores with 334 locations across Japan also announced that all of its stores will start accepting bitcoin beginning July 10. The chain is called Megane Super and it uses the Air Regi app.

The company expects its user base to increase, especially from Europe and the U.S., since the new form of payment will improve convenience, Kabutan reported. In addition, it believes adding the bitcoin payment option will attract tourists to the stores which already accept Alipay and Line Pay through Air Regi.

More than 260,000 Stores Coming

Kagayaki Kawabata, Coincheck International Business Developer, confirmed to Bitcoin.com that the eyeglasses stores are the first of the 260,000+ stores that will start accepting bitcoin using the Air Regi app. He added:

Some other stores are also preparing Air Regi bitcoin payments…Also, adding to existing 260,000 stores that already use Air Regi, we will cooperate with Recruit Lifestyle to expand the stores that accept bitcoin.

In addition to working with Recruit Lifestyle, Coincheck has also been busy signing up merchants to accept bitcoin directly. Recent additions to the exchange’s list of 5000+ bitcoin-accepting stores include popular capsule hotels, a property management company in Akihabara, and Kai Corporation which owns five unique restaurants in Japan.

Do you think Japanese consumers will start using bitcoin more with all these new shops accepting it? Let us know in the comments section below.

Images courtesy of Shutterstock, Recruit Lifestyle, Megane Super, Air Regi, Coincheck

Need to calculate your bitcoin holdings? Check our tools section.

The post Rollout of 260,000+ Bitcoin-Accepting Stores in Japan Begins appeared first on Bitcoin News.

Hello and welcome to News BTC’s Market Outlook July 4. BTC/USD The Bitcoin market rallied against the United States dollar, reaching towards the $2600 level. A break above there would be very bullish, as we are forming a bit of a wedge. I do believe in the uptrend, so once we break above that level … Continue reading BTC/USD and BTC/JPY Technical Analysis July 4, 2017

The post BTC/USD and BTC/JPY Technical Analysis July 4, 2017 appeared first on NEWSBTC.

A2B Direct recently announced the news of their upcoming Ethereum-backed ICO. The crowdsale is set to go live on July 12, 2017 and will run for a month. The campaign seeks to raise €500,000 to €3,000,000. The logistics company currently operating in Eastern Europe was first introduced in late 2016, and has since become widely … Continue reading A2B Direct Announces the Launch of Blockchain Platform and ICO

The post A2B Direct Announces the Launch of Blockchain Platform and ICO appeared first on NEWSBTC.

Key Highlights ETH price remained in the bullish zone above $255 against the US Dollar, and looks set for more gains. There is a major bullish trend line forming with support at $268 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD (data feed via SimpleFX). The pair is gaining pace and may soon break the $287 resistance … Continue reading Ethereum Price Technical Analysis – ETH/USD to Trade Higher

The post Ethereum Price Technical Analysis – ETH/USD to Trade Higher appeared first on NEWSBTC.

Bitcoin price made an upside break from its triangle consolidation pattern to show that bulls are getting the upper hand.

The post Bitcoin Price Technical Analysis for 07/04/2017 – Bulls Are Back! appeared first on NEWSBTC.

Key Highlights Dash price started an upside move from the $155 low versus the US Dollar, and moved higher. There is a decent bullish trend line formed with support at $177 on the hourly chart of DASH/USD (data feed from Poloniex). The price is currently attempting to break a major resistance area near $184-185. Dash … Continue reading Dash Price Technical Analysis – Can DASH/USD Break $185?

The post Dash Price Technical Analysis – Can DASH/USD Break $185? appeared first on NEWSBTC.

Delaware has passed a bill that legally recognizes the trading of stocks using blockchain technology. Although the state has sought to promote itself as a bastion for blockchain investment, the bill is extremely limited in its scope – leading many to view Delaware’s government as attempting to cash in on bitcoin’s recent boom.

Also Read: Bitwage Officially Launches UK Bitcoin Payroll Services

Delaware’s Blockchain Bill Has Been Championed by Blockchain Start-Up Symbiont

Recent reports have announced the near unanimous passing of a bill in the US state of Delaware that will explicitly recognize the right to trade stocks using a blockchain. The chair of the Delaware bar association’s corporate law section describing the vote as “keep[ing] Delaware at the forefront of corporate law and in the lead in terms of enabling the use of ‘distributed ledger shares’.” The bill is expected to be signed into law by Delaware’s governor, John Carney, before the end of July.

Delaware’s blockchain bill has been championed by blockchain start-up Symbiont, who has partnered with Hong Kong-based Privatemarket.io to build an “alternative investment marketplace for closed-end funds” that is built using Symbiont’s smart-contract software. The bill was developed under close legal guidance from Marco Santori of Cooley LLP and Symbiont’s Caitlin Long – suggesting that Symbiont will be among the early high-profile blockchain businesses seeking to operate within Delaware. When announcing the partnership with Privatemarket to offer stock trading via blockchain technology, Symbiont stated “We see blockchain technology having a significant positive impact on the investment world, and it starts with the fact that the foundational document for any investment — the registration of a company — will likely soon be possible to do on a blockchain in Delaware”.

The Bill Draws Attention to the Absence of Legal Consensus Pertaining to Blockchain Technology

Although the passing of the bill is positive step toward permissive bitcoin regulation, many see the bill having been custom tailored to the desires of Symbiont’s legal team – with the recognition of stock trading via blockchain comprises a very limited step toward blockchain regulation – especially when contrasted with recent moves by Japan, South Korea and Australia in recognizing bitcoin as a legal form of payment.

The passing of the bill draws attention to the absence of clear legal definitions and apparatus pertaining to blockchain technology. The lack of federal legal consensus regarding basic bitcoin and blockchain technology suggests that some the problems within the regulatory framework dealing with cannabis-based businesses could potentially emerge within bitcoin, such as overlapping or contradicting federal laws. It is entirely possible that particular states may seek to become early bastions of blockchain investment, seeking to capitalize on a nascent booming industry in the same fashion as Colorado or Seattle with regards to the cannabis industry.

Although the positive ramifications from further government embracement of bitcoin and blockchain technology are undeniable, the risk of hastily rushed state legislations running afoul of future federal regulations is very real – especially given the absence of legal consensus on the definition of fundamental terminology such as ‘blockchain’. In the case of Delaware, it is entirely possible that future federal laws may not recognize stock trading via blockchain technology, creating potential future legal and logistical challenges for businesses that seek to build their operations according to the laws of a single state.

Do you think that Delaware passing a bill recognizing stock trading via blockchain technology is a significant step toward cryptocurrency regulations? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

Images courtesy of shutterstock

Need to calculate your bitcoin holdings? Check our tools section.

The post Delaware Passes Bill Recognizing Stock Trading via Blockchain Technology appeared first on Bitcoin News.

Leading investment banking institution Goldman Sachs set up a microsite dedicated to explaining benefits of Blockchain technology.

Considering that Reddit is one of the most popular websites in the world, it is no surprise that many cryptocurrency communities reside and thrive there. Each of them have their own subreddit, some of them even have more than one. Here are ten of the most popular cryptocurrency subreddits ranked by their number of subscribers.

1. /r/Bitcoin – 254,076 Subscribers

This is the most popular cryptocurrency subreddit and for good reason. It is a place where many bitcoin enthusiasts, miners, traders, and newcomers all come together and discuss Bitcoin related matters. Often you find it features articles about popular Bitcoin news and technical discussion regarding the asset’s future.

2. r/DarkNetMarkets – 142,978 Subscribers

While we at The Merkle do not promote any illegal activity, one cannot ignore the second largest cryptocurrency subreddit. This sub is dedicated to discussion anything and everything related to darknet markets. On any given day you might find posts about someone getting busted for ordering drugs online, complaints about various markets, discussions relating to placing orders and so called “shitposts” which are meant to humor you with ridiculous stories.

3.  /r/Ethereum – 83,945 Subscribers

Ethereum has been making waves throughout the cryptocurrency markets and communities, and its subreddit is proud of this. It is extremely active, especially in light of the price surges and declines recently. Tweets, news, and text posts are all commonly seen here, many of which focus on Ethereum potentially taking Bitcoin’s crown one day.

4. /r/Dogecoin – 77,685 Subscribers

Dogecoin is currently going through a period of intense revival. The coin itself has seen an impressive pump in value, and the subreddit is teeming with life now. This fun loving and easy going community has silly and serious posts alike and is always friendly. They often tip one another with their new tipbot and encourage everyone to participate. Much wow, very tip!

5. /r/Cryptocurrency – 67,386 Subscribers

This subreddit is kind of a catch all for anything cryptocurrency related. Unlike many subreddits which have rules barring discussion of other coins, /r/cryptocurrency welcomes any thoughts and quality posts.

6. /r/btc – 43,228 Subscribers

This is the second most popular bitcoin subreddit. It was created after some members of /r/bitcoin felt they were being censored and moved their discussions elsewhere. This subreddit advocates for free and open discussion about Bitcoin above all else.

7. /r/Litecoin – 38,245 Subscribers

Litecoin’s performance this past year has been truly staggering, and part of this is due to its community’s ability to coordinate well. This subreddit discusses all things Litecoin and also has a running tipbot. It is fairly active and welcoming to members of any discussion.

8. r/BitcoinMarkets – 36,401 Subscribers

As you might have guessed by its name, this subreddit tailors to Bitcoin traders looking for discussion about the cryptocurrency’s price movement. It features daily price discussions where people speculate about the market. The rest of the sub is usually focused around exchanges and sometimes includes info about altcoins.

9. /r/Reddcoin – 23,803 Subscribers

The most recent cryptocurreny wave has benefited many coins, and Reddcoin is no exception. This subreddit is all about the social currency and lives up to its principals of trying to make digital currencies easy and fun for everyone to use.

10. /r/Ripple – 14,520 Subscribers

Ripple has been receiving a lot of attention lately, and this is reflected in its subreddit. The sub has daily discussion threads to keep its subscribers engaged and also has a steady stream of new posts.

Did we miss your favorite crypto subreddit? Give it a shout out in the comment section.

If you liked this article, follow us on Twitter @themerklenews and make sure to subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest bitcoin, cryptocurrency, and technology news.

A new cryptocurrency is set to hit the market soon but in a limited number. It is created and named in honor of the three hundred Spartan warriors who were part of the Battle of Thermopylae. Staying true to the name, the supply is limited only to 300 tokens, most of which will soon be … Continue reading “300 Token” Honors the Spartans with 300 Crypto-tokens

The post “300 Token” Honors the Spartans with 300 Crypto-tokens appeared first on NEWSBTC.