Day: October 8, 2017

Philadelphia, PA – 9 October 2017 – BlockRx has announced the launch of its groundbreaking BlockRx Token ICO fundraising campaign, which opened to the public on September 21, 2017. Part of the premier Dubai ICO Crypto Bazar Event, BlockRx has been garnering attention and commitments from major Global investors, including representatives from the UAE Central … Continue reading The First Pharmaceutical ICO by BlockRx™ Garners Attention from Key Investors in Dubai

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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced a new initiative that it says will address “cyber-based threats and protect retail investors”. Branding its new division the Cyber Unit, the SEC says it will focus on offenses related to misconduct using the dark web and violations involving distributed ledger technology and initial coin offerings

A 38-year-old Frenchman suspected of selling drugs via the dark web has been arrested at Atlanta international airport after arriving in the United States to attend the World Beard and Moustache Championships, according to a recently released court document. Gal Vallerius AKA ‘Magnificent Redbeard’, is accused of working as an administrator and vendor on Dream Market – an anonymous free market facilitating the sale of narcotics via the deep web.

Also Read: Ross Ulbricht’s 144,336 Bitcoins

A French Beard Enthusiast Has Been Arrested for Involvement With the Dream Market Anonymous Free Marketplace

Gal Vallerius was arrested by United States authorities at Atlanta international airport on August 31. U.S agents suspected that the 38-year-old was working as an administrator for Dream Market – an anonymous free market operating via the dark web – in addition to distributing controlled substances Oxycontin and Ritalin through the platform.

It has been reported that analysis of Vallerius’ laptop has confirmed that Vallerius was operating under the pseudonym of “OxyMonster” as “an Administrator, Senior Moderator, and Vendor on Dream Market.” Law enforcement also discovered approximately $500,000 USD worth of bitcoin on the laptop. Vallerius has been transferred to Miami where he faces charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, following an initial hearing at a Georgia federal court. Vallerius’ arrest is part of a major multi-agency investigation into Dream Market first initiated in February 2016. The investigations saw officials target numerous online narcotics vendors through conducting undercover purchases.

A DEA affidavit has described Dream Market as a website “specifically designed to facilitate illegal commerce by working to ensure the anonymity of its administrators, as well as the buyers and sellers who participate in commerce on the website.” The release states that “OxyMonster knowingly participated in the Dream Market conspiracy not only as a vendor, but also in a leadership and organizational role as a senior moderator and administrator.” The investigations have involved collaboration between the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

The Arrest Was Made Possible by a Multi-Agency Investigation Into Dream Market

Vallerius was arrested whilst returning home from the World Beard and Moustache Championships, where he was expected to compete in the “full bear 30.1-45cm” category. “I don’t know anything about what other stuff he did, but as far as his beard goes, it’s really awesome, long and bright red,” states MJ Johnson, a winner at this year’s World Beard and Moustache Championship. Johnson had first met Vallerius at the 2015 championships in Austria, and described Vallerius as a “fun, carefree person.”

U.S. agents ascertained OxyMonster’s true identity by “conduct[ing] analysis of the incoming and outgoing transactions from [one of OxyMonster’s] bitcoin address[es] and learned that 15 out of 17 outgoing transactions… went to multiple wallets controlled by French national” Gal Vallerius. The agents then compared the prosaic tendencies of OxyMonster to the prose published on the social media accounts of Vallerius. The affidavit states that “agents discovered many similarities in the use of words and punctuation, including: the word ‘cheers,’ double exclamation marks, frequent use of quotation marks, and intermittent French posts.” Vallerius did not dispute his identity and detention during the initial court hearing in Atlanta.

Do you think that U.S. authorities will be able to make a significant impact on anonymous free markets? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

Images courtesy of Shutterstock, Instagram/Vallerius

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Bitcoin as risky as Internet in 1990s and as strong against rivals as Facebook now. Find out more about the opinion of the former Goldman Sachs VP.

One of the developers of CIV-20 index Oleg Naumovich shared why the cryptocurrency market is in need for a new milestone, who and how makes up the index and how it can be used in practice. Q: Oleg, you are a professional broker with extensive experience of active stock market management. Tell the truth, do … Continue reading Crypto Market Is Offered the First Professional Benchmark, Announces ICO

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Cryptomania is conquering the world. While governments are trying to figure out what to do (surprisingly, there has not been any extraordinary international conference yet), investors actively switch to the new crypto reality. By the way, these are not institutional, but incidental, single investors: entrepreneurs with some spare assets, youngsters longing for something new, people … Continue reading ETF: Sign Language for Crypto Medium

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The BMCHAIN team reported on the successful completion of negotiations with one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world. Recently, HitBTC officially announced plans to add BMT in its listings already in October. It is stated that the token will be traded in pairs with BTC and ETH. HitBTC is included in the Top Exchanges … Continue reading BMCHAIN Will Hit the Exchange after the ICO, Which Ends Today

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The Chinese government appears to be preparing for resumed cryptocurrency trading in the near future through the implementation of licensing programs and anti-money laundering (AML) systems.

China state news agency Xinhua recently issued a statement denouncing cryptocurrency, labeling it a tool used by members of criminal organizations to facilitate illegal activities. The state-endorsed editorial piece by reporter Pan Ye advocates a “zero tolerance” approach to cryptocurrency-related crime, but includes a list of regulatory suggestions that indicate an impending crypto exchange licensure apparatus.

The Chinese government last month imposed a nationwide ban on cryptocurrency exchanges, causing the price of Bitcoin to plummet. As part of an ongoing effort to regulate the troublesome ICO environment, China banned all initial coin offerings and mandated the closure of all but two China-based exchanges. The Bitcoin market has consequently endured a major restructuring, with trading volumes moving from China to nearby South Korea and Japan.

Terence Tsang, the CEO of Hong Kong-based exchange TideBit, commented as follows on the impact of the mainland shutdown of cryptocurrency trade:

“The ban did not stop them [Chinese investors] from buying cryptocurrencies… In the last few weeks, we have seen a lot of mainland customers opening up accounts at TideBit. They still want to play the game. I see a growing need in that they will come to Hong Kong or Singapore to buy cryptocurrency.”

Xinhua has stated that the Chinese government is not unaware of crypto traders using foreign trading platforms to circumvent the current regulations, acknowledging the existence of “regulatory vacuums” that require immediate attention:

“There are still many regulatory vacuums in the field of virtual currency, which require governments and central banks to give enough attention to the regulation as soon as possible.”

The article concludes that incorporating cryptocurrencies into the law necessitates the establishment of a “regulatory framework for virtual currency”, recommending that the central government integrate targeted regulatory measures such as licensing, filing management, anti-money laundering systems and Know Your Customer protocols.

Given the close association Xinhua has with the Chinese government — President Cai Mingzhao currently sits on the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee — it’s possible that the editorial piece is indicative of larger regulatory changes.

While there is no concrete evidence that the Chinese government is gearing up to license cryptocurrency, the Xinhua article closely follows the expected “General Principles of the Civil Law of the People’s Republic of China” legislation, which was slated to come into effect on October 1st.

Chinese media outlet Jinse reported last month that the legislation would see cryptocurrencies treated as “virtual property” under Chinese law. If enacted, this legislation could potentially establish OKCoin and Huobi, the only two exchanges currently permitted to operate in China, as components of a select, stringently controlled cryptocurrency oligopoly.

Technology enthusiasts may recall that Google has been experimenting with a concept known as Project Loon. This initiative would effectively bring internet connectivity to rural regions of the world through the use of hot air balloons. It now appears this technology will be used in Puerto Rico as a way to restore cell phone services after the recent hurricane that hit the island. It’s an interesting development, even though it took a natural disaster before regulators saw the merit in this concept.

Project Loon Gets a Real-World use Case

While it sounds pretty ambitious to use balloons for any form of communication service these days, Google is fairly confident it can successfully do so. Project Loon was initially designed several years ago as a way to provide internet connectivity to rural areas where access to the internet is expensive.  Ever since that time, not much had been heard about the project, until earlier this week.

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has received regulatory approval to deploy Project Loon balloons in Puerto Rico. Rather than provide internet service itself, the company will focus on restoring cell phone services in the country. Due to the significant damage caused by Hurricane Maria, cell phone service has been spotty at best in Puerto Rico. This is where Google’s balloons come into the picture.

Google recently filed an application with the US Federal Communications Commission to provide this much-needed service to Puerto Ricans. A decision was rendered relatively quickly, and the outcome was positive. With 83% of all cell phone service in Puerto Rico still out due to the hurricane, a solution is direly needed, to say the least. Tech companies are leading the charge so far when it comes to rolling out temporary services.

What makes the Project Loon balloons so intriguing is how they are completely solar-powered. These high-altitude balloons can provide services to remote regions with relative ease and can remain in operation for quite some time. It is unclear how long these balloons will remain in operation to provide cell phone services in Puerto Rico, although rebuilding the damaged infrastructure will take a fair amount of time, to say the least.

A coordinated and comprehensive approach to supporting the rebuilding of communication service is the number one priority for Puerto Rico right now. Although the Trump administration seemingly had no plan in this regard, Google is coming through for the community in their own way. This will also serve as an experiment to see how well Project Loon operates in the face of adversity. It seems Elon Musk will also provide some sort of a relief effort in Puerto Rico, although specific details are still difficult to come by right now.

All this goes to show that technology companies should be focusing on the issues which matter most. If a country or region is struggling, companies need to help come up with solutions to address these problems first and foremost. To that end, Project Loon could prove to be an invaluable service in the long run.

BLOCKv.io is introducing a system where cryptos will not only just remain virtual in nature, but can also adopt values in the form of collectibles, coupons, loyalty programs, gift cards and more.

Recently, Puerto Rico was hit by a devastating hurricane. The natural disaster crippled the island’s infrastructure, and relief efforts have not been able to respond quickly enough. Even weeks on from the actual storm, many are still without potable water, homes, and electricity. Entrepreneur and visionary Elon Musk recently floated the idea of helping the US territory get back on its feet by revamping the island’s power grid.

Musk and Puerto Rico

“Let’s talk.” That was Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello’s response after Musk publicly stated that Tesla, his company, could possibly help Puerto Rico recover by helping rebuild its electrical infrastructure. If the two work out some sort of deal, this would be huge for Puerto Rico and a great opportunity for Tesla.

Not only would the beleaguered island recover more quickly, but it also might leapfrog many US states in becoming more reliant on renewable energy. In his tweets, Musk suggested that Tesla’s solar and battery systems could be scaled to better fit Puerto Rico’s needs. His comment that there “is no scalability limit” means that the likelihood of a real impact is huge.

Less reliance on non-renewable resources for power will improve the quality of life for Puerto Ricans, and may also end up being cheaper in the long run. Solar and wind power is becoming increasingly cheaper overall, and cheaper access to clean resources will undoubtedly benefit all of the island. This could potentially also bring in sorely-needed jobs, as solar panels and batteries do not install or maintain themselves.

What About Another Storm?

While this all sounds great, there is one thing that weighs on my mind: what if another storm happens? As 2017 has shown us, the world’s climate is bringing increasingly worse and frequent catastrophic weather events. Puerto Rico is unfortunately very prone to the kind of storm that so recently decimated it. Therefore, my worry is that the island will invest in Tesla’s new infrastructure only to have it destroyed by the next hurricane that comes along.

I am unable to know how weather-resilient Tesla’s equipment is, but after seeing the destruction wrought by Hurricane Maria, I do not know if anything would withstand that. I could be wrong, though, and I do hope I am. Otherwise, there seems little hope for providing Puerto Rico with long-term, renewable sustainability. I suppose the argument that this equipment may get destroyed is unproductive because any infrastructure could be destroyed given sufficient force.

Regardless, the installation of a renewable energy power grid may be the silver lining in this tragedy for Puerto Rico. When we survive disaster and destruction, we have to rebuild. This provides ample opportunity to improve the system that was just torn down.

We hope for Puerto Rico’s expedited relief.

KSS introduces a consumption-based token framework that allows application developers to monetize any functional component, in any application, running on any platform. A consumption-based monetization model removes the adoption obstacles inherent in one-time fee and subscription licensing, thus freeing the developer to focus on application functionality.

With KSS, monetization increases alongside usage, incentivizing application developers to create a compelling user experience. An API interface allows for rapid integration of monetization, while payment gateways and banking relationships are unnecessary as users pay for application usage with KSS tokens, while developers are paid in KSS tokens. Our first apps utilizing the Krosscoin Platform is the patent pending Pipdroid app family. Pipdroid provides mobile execution and management of cloud-based (crypto) trading bots.

The Krosscoin team is driven by innovation. Ribbon is also one of the in-house products in beta. Ribbon converges text/voice/video communication with gifting using a cryptocurrency wallet. Ribbon enhances vital communications among teams, groups and family. Charity and non-profit organizations can utilize Ribbon for anonymous fundraising. Embedded GPS navigation allows for in-person meet-ups for social or cash to crypto transactions. Social network integration can publish “ribbons” to inspire others to contribute. Ribbon can also send signed pdf/word documents and is embedded with Google Translate.

The Krosscoin Project will begin their ITO on December 1 2017 through Feb 1 2018 in 3 ITO phases, after which KSS will be listed and traded on several exchanges as an ERC20 standard token. Pipdroid Optima is the crowning product of the Pipdroid family. This is an innovative, revolutionary cross trading brokerage/exchange platform. Pipdroid Optima allows for forex, stocks and cryptocurrency trading in the same environment. Traders can transact across multiple exchanges simultaneously, conduct rate arbitrage, or simply optimize buying or selling price. An embedded chat platform enables group coordination and knowledge sharing. Optima introduces the idea of “social trading” or “follow the expert,” where profitable portfolios can be copied, and owners of these profitable portfolios can earn KSS from their subscribers. This development requires approximately $2m to meet development, regulatory and compliance requirements. Pipdroid Optima will usher in a new level of trading for multiple markets. The Pearl and Petal product members are a precursor for what is to come.

The Krosscoin monetization platform is an open platform that will enable distribution and monetization of any application utilizing Krosscoin. The Kross Monetization Platform can also reward inventors of ideas by partnering ideas with developers and enforcing the share in revenue distribution. Further, application economies in developing countries, where distribution is limited to locally and revenue entails currency volatility, can leverage the platform for global distribution and reduced currency risk.

Full details of the Krosscoin development scope can be found in the whitepaper link on the website Krosscoin.io. The Krosscoin team is made up of a highly diverse and accomplished team comprising of people with in depth knowledge in innovation, product development, information and computer technology, asset management, project management, cyber security, business development, blockchain technology,  and investment banking. Our core value is wrapped in this statement; ‘’Let’s make good happen.’’

This is a sponsored press release and does not necessarily reflect the opinions or views held by any employees of The Merkle. This is not investment, trading, or gambling advice. Always conduct your own independent research.