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Survey Shows Over Half of Bitcoin Investors Have Also Held Other Cryptos

TheMerkle Bitcoin Survey part @Not too long ago, we published an article on the findings of a recent Bitcoin survey. Those findings were quite interesting, as most people intended to hold Bitcoin for the long haul, by the look of things. However, there are some other points from this study which deserve to be highlighted as well. It is evident things are looking quite good for the world’s leading cryptocurrency, and there is a lot of positive sentiment in the market right now. US Bitcoin Investor Survey Part II While it is good to see most US-based Bitcoin investors hold onto their BTC holdings for the long term,

TheMerkle Bitcoin Survey part @

Not too long ago, we published an article on the findings of a recent Bitcoin survey. Those findings were quite interesting, as most people intended to hold Bitcoin for the long haul, by the look of things. However, there are some other points from this study which deserve to be highlighted as well. It is evident things are looking quite good for the world’s leading cryptocurrency, and there is a lot of positive sentiment in the market right now.

US Bitcoin Investor Survey Part II

While it is good to see most US-based Bitcoin investors hold onto their BTC holdings for the long term, there are a lot of other questions which need to be answered. One of the obvious ones is whether people mainly hold Bitcoin or pay attention to prominent altcoins as well. After all, it is important to diversify one’s portfolio and never go all-in on one particular currency. At the same time, Bitcoin makes a much stronger investment case than most altcoins, despite the latter possibly having more growth potential.

According to the LendEDU November Bitcoin investor survey, 51.6% of Bitcoin investors have also invested in alternative cryptocurrencies. That is a rather interesting number, as most people might expect it to be a lot lower. It seems the main currencies of interest to investors are Ethereum, Ripple, and “others”. It is unclear which others those might be, although it is safe to say the top 10 cryptocurrencies are the most likely culprits. This means over 48% of the people surveyed only hold Bitcoin, which may be a bit of a risky strategy in the long run.

That is not the only remarkable trend in this survey to take note of, though. Nearly half of the respondents are quite interested in obtaining Bitcoin exposure through an exchange-traded fund. While there have been attempts at creating a licensed Bitcoin ETF, they have all fallen short. It is doubtful the SEC will ever approve such an investment vehicle unless the US suddenly decides to regulate this market in a proper and open manner. Guidelines are being drafted as we speak, but it remains to be seen if anything will come of those efforts.

Futures contracts are also quite popular among the surveyed investors, which is equally as surprising. There is still a fair amount of uncertainty regarding this investment tool, as it is not exactly something that people can manage without actively keeping tabs on how the markets evolve. One thing is certain: a lot of people are confident that Bitcoin will remain the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization in the next five years. That is only normal, as presently no other currency comes even close to threatening Bitcoin in this regard.

Perhaps the biggest concern brought up in this survey is that nearly 55% of respondents do not use physical devices to store their Bitcoin. This means they may not be using hardware wallets, computer clients, mobile apps, or even USB sticks to store their Bitcoin balances. It is evident a lot of investors will gladly keep their funds on an exchange, even though that has never been an advisable course of action whatsoever. Now would be a good time to look into more secure ways of storing one’s cryptocurrency.

Last but not least, the increasing interest from financial institutions in the Bitcoin world is perceived as a positive trend. We see banks such as Goldman Sachs embrace vehicles to expose clients to the Bitcoin price. In time, this will have a positive effect on the Bitcoin price, according to the people surveyed. Only 23.6% of respondents see this as a negative development, whereas 23.4% are on the fence. There is a very interesting future ahead for Bitcoin, and things will look very different in five years from now.

US finance leaders are least likely to embrace bitcoin, and some see a fraud: CFO survey – CNBC

CNBCUS finance leaders are least likely to embrace bitcoin, and some see a fraud: CFO surveyCNBCBitcoin could very well be the investing story of 2017, with its meteoric rise in price (up more than 1,100 percent year-over-year, according to Coinbase). …


CNBC

US finance leaders are least likely to embrace bitcoin, and some see a fraud: CFO survey
CNBC
Bitcoin could very well be the investing story of 2017, with its meteoric rise in price (up more than 1,100 percent year-over-year, according to Coinbase). Comments from billionaires and business barons who have called it a bubble — including Jamie ...

Goldea Launches the First Phased ICO on a Progress Basis From the Real Sector

goldea logoGold mining provides a unique opportunity to own an asset ’’which has never failed’’ in value for 5,000 years history of humans. GOLDEA CHALLENGE About 2,500 tons of gold is mined per year globally. The gold industry reached more than $1 trillion in revenue in 2016 and is booming, but, due to archaic funding methods, only 0.5% of people worldwide have an opportunity to make a profit from investing in gold mining. In 2016 the global production grew by 2% but still 99.,5% of gold audience worldwide cannot participate in gold mining investing. The main problem is unavailability of a secured,

goldea logo

Gold mining provides a unique opportunity to own an asset ’’which has never failed’’ in value for 5,000 years history of humans.

GOLDEA CHALLENGE

About 2,500 tons of gold is mined per year globally. The gold industry reached more than $1 trillion in revenue in 2016 and is booming, but, due to archaic funding methods, only 0.5% of people worldwide have an opportunity to make a profit from investing in gold mining. In 2016 the global production grew by 2% but still 99.,5% of gold audience worldwide cannot participate in gold mining investing. The main problem is unavailability of a secured, global and flexible entry investment system which serves the interests of all participants and not just investment giants.

SOLUTION CONCEPT

GOLDEA (Gold Exploitation Asset) solves this problem with a revolutionary gold mining platform, based on the blockchain technology, created to neutralize worldwide inaccessibility, eliminate intermediary costs, and reduce the overall risk of investing in gold mining.  Smart contracts connect participants with the project during funding, construction and production stages without any third party presence and with 100% security. This removes all existing barriers and establishes full transparency mode. Also, it enables ’’tokenized’’ automatic profit distribution from gold sales to all GEA token holders.

FIRST PHASED ICO ON A PROGRESS BASIS

By tokenizing gold production, GOLDEA will unlock gold mining’s potential for millions of investors across the globe and create new gold mining ecosystem worth over $500 billion. The first project to realize is located in the Republic of Mali with 10 tons gold reserves and is scheduled in four ICO rounds over a four-month period. During each round, video progress reports with relevant documents securing token value during the construction of the gold mine will be published. The limited number of GEA tokens couple with unlimited production expansion potential is what will make the token value grow over time.

Taking part in the GOLDEA community gives everyone the possibility of owning a crypto-asset of which its value can never be zero. GOLDEA aims to democratize the gold mining industry, hedge from the crypto volatility, and contribute to fighting against the poverty as part of proceeds is reserved for charity programs within the local community.

The first stage of the ICO begins on December 1, 2017, and will run through December 31, 2017. For more information about GOLDEA, please visit goldea.io and download the project white paper.

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.

Bitcoin is a vehicle for fraudsters, warns Goldman Sachs boss – The Guardian


The Guardian

Bitcoin is a vehicle for fraudsters, warns Goldman Sachs boss
The Guardian
Shares. 0. 0. Angela Monaghan. Thursday 30 November 2017 13.25 EST Last modified on Thursday 30 November 2017 14.53 EST. The boss of Goldman Sachs became the latest high-profile critic of bitcoin, claiming it was a vehicle to commit fraud as the value
Blankfein Says It’s Too Soon for a Bitcoin StrategyBloomberg

all 13 news articles »


The Guardian

Bitcoin is a vehicle for fraudsters, warns Goldman Sachs boss
The Guardian
Shares. 0. 0. Angela Monaghan. Thursday 30 November 2017 13.25 EST Last modified on Thursday 30 November 2017 14.53 EST. The boss of Goldman Sachs became the latest high-profile critic of bitcoin, claiming it was a vehicle to commit fraud as the value ...
Blankfein Says It's Too Soon for a Bitcoin StrategyBloomberg

all 13 news articles »

Fed’s Quarles warns that digital currencies like bitcoin pose ‘serious financial stability issues’ as they grow – CNBC


CNBC

Fed’s Quarles warns that digital currencies like bitcoin pose ‘serious financial stability issues’ as they grow
CNBC
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies pose greater danger to the financial system as they become more popular, new Federal Reserve Governor Randal Quarles warned in a speech Thursday. On the same day bitcoin prices plunged after a massive rally, the

and more »


CNBC

Fed's Quarles warns that digital currencies like bitcoin pose 'serious financial stability issues' as they grow
CNBC
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies pose greater danger to the financial system as they become more popular, new Federal Reserve Governor Randal Quarles warned in a speech Thursday. On the same day bitcoin prices plunged after a massive rally, the ...

and more »

VLB can make your car repair more reliable using the blockchain

The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) lists a number of scams and frauds that are rife in the automotive repair industry. These frauds transcend dangerous and life-threatening issues such as Airbag fraud, windshield glass fraud to bandit tow trucks that transport your vehicle to dodgy repair shops. There is no shortage of problems in the … Continue reading VLB can make your car repair more reliable using the blockchain

The post VLB can make your car repair more reliable using the blockchain appeared first on NEWSBTC.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) lists a number of scams and frauds that are rife in the automotive repair industry. These frauds transcend dangerous and life-threatening issues such as Airbag fraud, windshield glass fraud to bandit tow trucks that transport your vehicle to dodgy repair shops. There is no shortage of problems in the automotive universe, whether it is related to auto repair shops, auto-insurance or the supply-chain for parts and spares. One of the reasons that customers are suffering is the fragmented nature of the vehicle-related industries. All of the players involved operate in isolation and the customer and the industries themselves are subject to practices that have remained in place for years. An integrated system that acts as a link and binds the whole automotive experience in a chain has been missing, until now. The Vehicle Lifecycle Blockchain (VLB) claims to be the ‘ultimate blockchain fuel for the Vehicle Lifecycle Industry.’

What is Vehicle Lifecycle Blockchain (VLB)

Imagine an automotive ecosystem that encompasses everything from the time a vehicle rolls off the production line to the time it is junked in a yard. VLB aims to bring transparency and clarity to separate components in the automotive sector like manufacturers, repair shops, insurers, financiers and other operating participants. The blockchain will bind these participants and remove corrupt practices ensuring that customers get a fair deal. CarFix, which has a fully operational business in Russia and has serviced 250,000 customers with its reach of 500 repair shops are the force behind VLB, thus elevating it beyond just a ‘concept’. CarFix have earned the trust of major fleet owners like Uber and Fleetcor as well as a major car manufacturer. CarFix are also planning to extend their business model to the United States. The blockchain will ride on the shoulders of real-world customers and business owners, CarFix will be able to use their domain experience to carry out sales and marketing to help the system get a foothold till a point where it becomes self-propagating. CarFix’s business development team is working in this direction and is headed by the former head of supply at Uber. The blockchain will create a whole economic ecosphere which will be fueled by the VLB token.

VLB token as a fuel for automotive industry

The VLB token, which is based on Ethereum ERC-20 standard  is a utility token. This token will be necessary for various participants and users of VLB to get access to products and services. Paying participants would be able to use the VLB token to record transactions in the VLB as an example car owners would be able to record car purchase transactions or can access VLB records for ownership data. They can also track car maintenance and repair records. Similarly car repair shops can use these tokens to record car repair. There is a whole lot of use cases for the VLB token that have been clearly elaborated in a whitepaper that has been issued by them, which run the entire gamut of the automotive industry.The premise of VLB token is that the information in Vehicle Lifecycle Blockchain would be written through VLB tokens and eventually the entire industry would require this token to conduct routine transactions. VLB would first be deployed within CarFix’s own network and then move beyond it.

Ongoing VLB Token ICO

VLB tokens are being sold through an initial coin offering (ICO), which is ongoing at the time of the writing of this article. The ICO’s last date is December 17, 2017 and there are plans to raise 300,000 ETH through the token sale. 200 million tokens are up for sale during the ICO. Any unsold tokens will be liquidated. The token sale would be used to raise funds for the development of the Vehicle Lifecycle Blockchain. Bonuses are available for investors during different phases of the ICO and till December 2, 2017 there is a bonus of 195 VLB on purchase of 1 ETH worth of tokens. This means that instead of getting 650 VLB for 1 ETH,  an investor will get 845 VLB.

VLB

Instructions on how to participate in the ICO are available on the VLB website.

VLB token value driver for investor interest

As the blockchain system’s deployment picks up pace, the number of participants will increase. Each participant is obliged to spend at least 1 VLB token on every transaction they do on the system. According to the estimates made by CarFix, there are at least an average of 3.5 paying participants per each transaction and they project that demand for VLB tokens would rise by 16+ times in the next 5 years to 4.4 bln per year. This could potentially lead to appreciative forces on the token. The benefits of the blockchain itself are numerous and can potentially lead to revolutionising an entire sector with the emergence of a decentralised, trustless system in place. As an example insurance companies would be able to trust records and offer better claim management costs. They would also be able to offer cross-market services to other users of VLB. Manufacturers would be able to offer reliable maintenance records and make the warranty process more transparent and effective. Repair shops stand to gain as well as they get access to the blockchain and CarFix’s franchise network. VLB has the scope and the potential to bring a new age of trust in the automotive sector, where it has been eroded due to years of disconnect between the participants and malpractices that have disenchanted customers.

The post VLB can make your car repair more reliable using the blockchain appeared first on NEWSBTC.

Australian Scientist Unveils the Sarco Capsule Suicide Machine

TheMerkle Sarco CapsuleDevelopments in the technology sector will always fill people with a certain amount of dread. This only becomes more apparent when those creations have to do with death, or more specifically, killing oneself. Australian scientist Philip Nitschke has come up with something called the Sarco capsule. It is an interesting machine which lets anyone commit suicide at any given time in a humane manner. The Sarco Capsule is Quite Eerie Euthanasia has always been a topic of substantial conversation. There are many opponents, but equally as many proponents of this form of assisted suicide. If there is no way to live

TheMerkle Sarco Capsule

Developments in the technology sector will always fill people with a certain amount of dread. This only becomes more apparent when those creations have to do with death, or more specifically, killing oneself. Australian scientist Philip Nitschke has come up with something called the Sarco capsule. It is an interesting machine which lets anyone commit suicide at any given time in a humane manner.

The Sarco Capsule is Quite Eerie

Euthanasia has always been a topic of substantial conversation. There are many opponents, but equally as many proponents of this form of assisted suicide. If there is no way to live comfortably, euthanasia becomes the only option left for a lot of people. However, there are ethical questions as to when and how this suicide method should be available. Every country around the world has its very own sets of guidelines on this front, which isn’t surprising by any means.

One of the biggest proponents of euthanasia in Australia goes by the name of Philip Nitschke. Dr. Nitschke has developed a device allowing anyone to commit suicide whenever and wherever they please. All they need is to obtain a Sarco capsule, which requires an access key to be used. Once inside the machine, the user can end his or her life with the touch of a button. Since this product can be fully 3D-printed and assembled at any location in the world, it simply puts a new spin on the concept of euthanasia as a whole.

Users gain access to such a capsule after filling out an online questionnaire which provides them with the required access code. After this code is entered, the Sarco capsule will fill up with liquid nitrogen to remove any remaining oxygen in the device. Death will then automatically set in after a few minutes. It doesn’t require the involvement of a third party, nor is there any doctor involved in the final stage. While this is a novel development in the world of technology, it also raises a lot of questions which can’t be answered all that easily.

If that weren’t enough to make most people uncomfortable, the Sarco capsule also has some hidden “features” to take into account. The capsule itself can be detached from the main machine and be used as a coffin. Additionally, the machine base can be reused by someone else. Furthermore, the Sarco’s design criteria will be put on the internet for anyone to access. It is evident a lot of thought was put into this particular project, but it is not necessarily something most people will give a second thought to due to the touchy nature of this subject. 

One of the first questions that come to mind is whether or not the Sarco capsule is even legal. That question can’t be answered with a simple yes or no, as it heavily depends on existing euthanasia regulation in each country where it is used. Right now, it is doubtful most countries have any laws on the books preventing people from using this technology, although that may come to change very soon. This concept seems almost unthinkable, yet it is a very real project developed by an actual doctor.

Moreover, it remains to be seen if such products will ever be commercialized. Just because a prototype exists doesn’t mean it will ever be suited for “mass consumption”, so to speak. There are a lot more questions than answers when it comes to the Sarco capsule; that much is certain. Rest assured this is not the last time we will hear about this project, or about Dr. Philip Nitschke for that matter.

Court Ruling Grants the IRS Personal Data of 14,000 Coinbase Users

Court Ruling Grants the IRS Personal Data of 14,000 Coinbase UsersAmerica’s Internal Revenue Service has gone fishing. Its target? Every single Coinbase user who ever placed a $20,000 trade. The huge dragnet exercise, spanning 2013-2015 and incorporating over 14,000 users, was awarded by a court yesterday, November 29. This is despite the best efforts of America’s largest bitcoin broker, which has fought back against what […]

The post Court Ruling Grants the IRS Personal Data of 14,000 Coinbase Users appeared first on Bitcoin News.

Court Ruling Grants the IRS Personal Data of 14,000 Coinbase Users

America’s Internal Revenue Service has gone fishing. Its target? Every single Coinbase user who ever placed a $20,000 trade. The huge dragnet exercise, spanning 2013-2015 and incorporating over 14,000 users, was awarded by a court yesterday, November 29. This is despite the best efforts of America’s largest bitcoin broker, which has fought back against what it sees as a shameless data grab and privacy violation. In a bid to save face, Coinbase has claimed a “partial victory” in its running battle with the IRS.

Also read: Nasdaq to Debut Bitcoin Futures by Mid 2018

Deep Sea Fishing on a Taxpayer Mission

Court Ruling Grants the IRS Personal Data of 14,000 Coinbase UsersThere’s no such thing as a quiet day in bitcoin. The last 24 hours has witnessed record-breaking trading volume, widespread exchange outages, all-time-highs, the largest red candle ever witnessed on a BTC chart and the fastest recovery in dollar terms ever seen. Much of that drama circled around Coinbase, a broker which dominates the bitcoin market, both in the U.S. and abroad.

Whilst dealing with unprecedented demand, with traffic levels hitting 8x their peak from June, the platform – whose iOS app has surged into the top ten, passing Netflix and Spotify – has had its hands full fighting an ongoing dispute with the IRS. Coinbase has been pushing back against what it believes to be an unjustified investigation into the actions of hundreds of thousands of its users.

 

A Pyrrhic Victory for Coinbase

In a blogpost filed November 29, Coinbase claimed a “partial victory” over the IRS, though many commenters would be less charitable, and award the latest round to the taxman. Coinbase was nevertheless keen to stress reasons to be happy, noting:

Thanks to Coinbase’s efforts, more than 480,000 customers’ records were preserved from disclosure. This is a 97% reduction in the number of customers impacted by this summons. Second, the quantity of data we must produce for the approximately 14,000 customers who remain in scope has been significantly reduced.

In what could be interpreted as sarcasm, CEO Brian Armstrong tweeted the following:

Court Ruling Grants the IRS Personal Data of 14,000 Coinbase Users

The Coinbase case stems from tax authorities realizing there was a woefully low number of tax returns being filed that included gains due on virtual currencies, despite their soaring popularity. To atone for this reporting black hole, the IRS took it upon itself to do some digging, and by digging read: investigate the finances of half a million Coinbase customers. In defense of the exchange and its customers, cryptocurrencies, as an emerging asset class, were vaguely defined at the time, and it would be unrealistic to have expected Americans to include them in their tax returns en masse.

The latest Narrow Summons request now pertains to 14,355 account holders who bought, sold, sent, or received more than $20,000 between 2013 and 2015. The IRS filing specifies “far fewer, but still more than 10,000, Coinbase account holders.”

Gross Governmental Overreach

Court Ruling Grants the IRS Personal Data of 14,000 Coinbase UsersYesterday, a California court ruled in the IRS’ favor, almost a year after the case was first filed. While Coinbase has tried to spin the ruling as a victory, it may prove to be a pyrrhic one that will leave the bitcoin broker licking its wounds and counting the cost. Financially Coinbase is fine, with record customer numbers, trading volume, traffic, and every other metric that constitutes a thriving business.

The greatest loss the company faces however is one of trust. Despite Coinbase struggling valiantly against the IRS, it will now be forced to hand over a swathe of customer data. Had a similar request been granted spanning the present day, it would have effectively included every single customer who ever bought or sold more than 2 BTC at a time. Despite being accused of gross overreach, the IRS has remained undaunted. The court ruling sends out a clear warning to U.S. customers: buy or sell even moderate quantities of cryptocurrency, and the authorities will be watching.

Do you think the IRS has any right to demand the details of thousands of Coinbase customers? Let us know in the comments section below.


Images courtesy of Shutterstock.


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The post Court Ruling Grants the IRS Personal Data of 14,000 Coinbase Users appeared first on Bitcoin News.

Get ready for a wave of Bitcoin forks – Ars Technica

Ars TechnicaGet ready for a wave of Bitcoin forksArs TechnicaOn August 1, a dissident faction of the Bitcoin community created a new payment network called Bitcoin Cash. There are lots of Bitcoin-derived spinoff currencies, of course, but this was unus…


Ars Technica

Get ready for a wave of Bitcoin forks
Ars Technica
On August 1, a dissident faction of the Bitcoin community created a new payment network called Bitcoin Cash. There are lots of Bitcoin-derived spinoff currencies, of course, but this was unusual because it branched off from the existing Bitcoin ...

and more »

Fintech Innovator Humaniq and Regtech Leader Coinfirm Partner to Bring Financial Transparency and Inclusion to Developing Economies With Blockchain

coinfirm humaniqLondon, United Kingdom – November 30, 2017 – Humaniq and Coinfirm have partnered to build a more advanced and secure digital experience for users of Humaniq applications featuring cutting-edge anti-money-laundering (AML) solutions. Humaniq and Coinfirm both provide complete solutions for the world’s unbanked and enable financial inclusion for emerging economies through joint initiatives globally. Coinfirm, a recognized Blockchain regtech leader known for its AML/CTF Platform, will integrate its platform across the Humaniq ecosystem to provide a new level of transparency and security. Humaniq will benefit from enhanced security, protecting transactions made in its native HMQ token from uncontrolled misuse. The

coinfirm humaniq

London, United Kingdom – November 30, 2017Humaniq and Coinfirm have partnered to build a more advanced and secure digital experience for users of Humaniq applications featuring cutting-edge anti-money-laundering (AML) solutions. Humaniq and Coinfirm both provide complete solutions for the world’s unbanked and enable financial inclusion for emerging economies through joint initiatives globally.

Coinfirm, a recognized Blockchain regtech leader known for its AML/CTF Platform, will integrate its platform across the Humaniq ecosystem to provide a new level of transparency and security. Humaniq will benefit from enhanced security, protecting transactions made in its native HMQ token from uncontrolled misuse.

The partnership will provide Coinfirm with access to all white-labelled HMQ wallets created on the Humaniq network. This will be used by Coinfirm to provide information regarding registered secure wallets and facilitate safe participation in the global economy.

Through their respective commitments both Humaniq and Coinfirm today lay the foundation for a new standard of safety and compliance that encourages the wider participation in global markets. This will both increase the efficiency of transactions and also improve trust for new and existing members in those markets.

“Coinfirm is not only a unique player in the regtech space but is also guiding the blockchain industry in the area of fintech through innovative anti-money laundering solutions that provide added legitimacy to digital currencies and various digital asset classes. The Coinfirm partnership helps push the Humaniq mission forward and provide a new level of transparency, access and security to cryptocurrencies and blockchain overall.” said Hazem Danny Al-Nakib, CIO of Humaniq.

Humaniq utilizes a mixture of Blockchain technology, biometrics and a mobile application to enable access to financial services. Its founders have focused on holistic solutions as they have grappled with the challenges of providing the unbanked with financial inclusion, from a lack of access to service providers and technology, to sparse formal identification mechanisms to low literacy levels. Estimates show that if Humaniq achieves its aim of successfully global financial inclusion process it would also free up approximately USD 4.2 trillion dollars of capital for investments and market growth of the world’s poorest countries.

“Humaniq and Coinfirm share many of the same values when it comes to making the financial system more safe, transparent, effective, and accessible for emerging economies and individuals around the world. We are happy that the two of us have come together to further build our missions and bring the benefits of blockchain and cryptocurrencies to the world.” added Pawel Kuskowski, CEO and Co Founder of Coinfirm.

Coinfirm has built its presence in the sphere through innovative solutions and partnerships with major players from both the crypto and traditional financial sectors for almost two years, including virtual currency leaders Dash and RSK (Rootstock), and international asset management funds such as SEI. The company also helped to establish the first Blockchain lab in Africa in Nigeria as part of an overarching vision to enable the worldwide adoption of Blockchain benefits — to be extended in partnership with Humaniq with a series of pilots around financial services for the unbanked.

Coinfirm is also set to release AMLT, the token of compliance, to bring a new level of transparency and democratization to the financial system by actively involving market participants in risk determination. AMLT Token will also fuel transactions on the Coinfirm platform, enabling risk management and creating a network for safe and transparent value exchange.

About Humaniq

Humaniq is a London-based Fintech firm that provides next generation financial services using its Blockchain-based mobile application to the unbanked and underprivileged in emerging economies globally. Humaniq is focused on worldwide financial inclusion by providing access to global markets, greater opportunities, and novel financial solutions using repurposed technologies for those gaining exposure to financial services for the first time.

For more information on Humaniq, visit: http://humaniq.com

About Coinfirm 

Coinfirm is a recognized leader in their field,  ranked among the most influential blockchain and regtech companies and serves as a foundation for the safe adoption and use of blockchain. The Coinfirm AML/CTF Platform uses proprietary algorithms and big data analysis to provide structured actionable data that increases efficiency, reduces costs and streamlines compliance to near automation. The blockchain agnostic platform benefits companies operating around blockchain as well as major financial institutions, asset management companies and BI companies. www.coinfirm.io

For more information on Coinfirm’s AMLT Token visit: https://amlt.coinfirm.io

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.

2017 Was The Year When Everyone (Finally) Learned Bitcoin Isn’t Controlled By Miners – Forbes


Forbes

2017 Was The Year When Everyone (Finally) Learned Bitcoin Isn’t Controlled By Miners
Forbes
For Blockstream CEO Adam Back and the vast majority of individuals involved in the Bitcoin protocol development process, this was the culmination of a years long debate. At a recent Bitcoin conference in Latvia, Back commented on the perceived notion


Forbes

2017 Was The Year When Everyone (Finally) Learned Bitcoin Isn't Controlled By Miners
Forbes
For Blockstream CEO Adam Back and the vast majority of individuals involved in the Bitcoin protocol development process, this was the culmination of a years long debate. At a recent Bitcoin conference in Latvia, Back commented on the perceived notion ...

Max Keiser: Bitcoin Cash Plagiarized the Bitcoin Brand

TheMerkle Max Keiser Bitcoin Cash plagiarismMax Keiser has always been a remarkable person in the world of finance. Not only is he anti-establishment in nature, but he is also incredibly bullish on cryptocurrency in general. According to the broadcaster, Bitcoin is a gift to humanity and will help us overcome the financial mess we find ourselves in. He has no doubt that Bitcoin will remain the top cryptocurrency for many years to come. It’s a bold train of thought, but it’s not entirely unwarranted either. Max Keiser Sees a Bright Future for Bitcoin No one can deny that the year 2017 has been pretty spectacular for Bitcoin and all other

TheMerkle Max Keiser Bitcoin Cash plagiarism

Max Keiser has always been a remarkable person in the world of finance. Not only is he anti-establishment in nature, but he is also incredibly bullish on cryptocurrency in general. According to the broadcaster, Bitcoin is a gift to humanity and will help us overcome the financial mess we find ourselves in. He has no doubt that Bitcoin will remain the top cryptocurrency for many years to come. It’s a bold train of thought, but it’s not entirely unwarranted either.

Max Keiser Sees a Bright Future for Bitcoin

No one can deny that the year 2017 has been pretty spectacular for Bitcoin and all other top cryptocurrencies. With so much new money pouring into cryptocurrency, a lot of records have been obliterated this year. While it may seem as if there is a lot of money involved in this industry right now, it’s still a drop of water in the ocean we know as the financial industry. Cryptocurrencies represent a fringe market at best, and their value may explode in the years to come. Whether or not that will happen is a different matter altogether.

For his part, Max Keiser is pretty confident that this is only the beginning for Bitcoin. He told RT that Bitcoin will be the lead crypto going forward, and that he considers it to be a “gift from God”. The latter point will certainly make a lot of headlines, although it is evident Bitcoin is a gift in many different ways. It allows the average person on the street to be in full control of his or her financial situation for the first time in as long as people can remember. With no bank or government capable of regulation, issuing, controlling, or banning cryptocurrencies, a new paradigm in finance is upon us.

If Keiser’s price prediction comes true, the value of Bitcoin will explode to US$100,000 in the next few years. Moreover, he is bullish on the top 20 altcoins, as those are the ones which will eventually succeed as well. Everything else is just an afterthought at this point, as a lot of currencies exist without having any real purpose whatsoever.

This may indicate that we will see a lot of money flowing out of ICO tokens and other altcoins as the top 20 simply fortify their positions in the marketplace moving forward. Of these, there are over a dozen currencies with market caps of over US$1 billion. Any currency not among these may have a very difficult time ahead.

Surprisingly, Max Keiser is not a big fan of Bitcoin Cash. While the latter is the world’s third-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, he feels the currency is mainly riding Bitcoin’s coattails. In his opinion, BCH is a plagiarized currency, which doesn’t adhere to acceptable business practices. Rest assured there will be some backlash over this comment, although it remains to be seen if there will be any repercussions for using the Bitcoin name. It’s not a trademark or copyright, and anyone is free to use it however they like.

While Keiser’s bullish sentiment on Bitcoin is commendable, there is also a very real risk of things falling apart. The meteoric rise of Bitcoin will not go unpunished in the form of a major correction sooner or later. When that will happen is anybody’s guess right now. Rest assured any future correction will not entail a decline of US$500 either, but rather one in the thousands. An interesting future lies ahead for Bitcoin, but things will get ugly at some point.

Envion is Bringing Mining to the Source in Mobile Containers

Energy costs vary so much across the globe that mining can either be super profitable, or a total waste of time. On top of that, the primary energy that is being used, especially when it comes to cheap energy, is dirty. Moreso, there are issues when it comes to harvesting that electricity, and additional tariffs … Continue reading Envion is Bringing Mining to the Source in Mobile Containers

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Energy costs vary so much across the globe that mining can either be super profitable, or a total waste of time. On top of that, the primary energy that is being used, especially when it comes to cheap energy, is dirty.

Moreso, there are issues when it comes to harvesting that electricity, and additional tariffs to pay for mining operations, cutting down already slim profit margins. Those who are also in the business already are almost re-centralizing the decentralized mining ecosystem.

However, Envion is aiming to change all that by taking mining operations to the source. By harvesting locally available clean energy right at the source, Envion hopes to be able to operate at a lower cost than other mining set ups, and at the same time reduce the CO2 footprint of the blockchain industry.

Cutting the carbon footprint

With the furore and excitement around cryptocurrencies at the moment, the ecosystem is expanding at a monstrous rate. This is great for the technology and its disruptive nature, in order to revolutionize the global sectors – but not great for the globe itself.

The Guardian has stated back in July that a single Bitcoin transaction “devours as much energy as what powers 1.57 US households for a day — roughly 5,000 times more energy-hungry than a typical credit card payment”.

If Blockchain technology and the digital tokens that come with them are to be accepted as normal, they need to start adhering to the green revolution that is sweeping the planet.

To this end, there are companies, such as Envion who are looking to make the mining of Cryptocurrencies a green operation.

Mobile mining units

Rather than stating that they will be using green energy and hoping that is the end of it, Envion is taking it a whole lot further. Envion has developed a fully automatized, mobile mining unit inside standardized intermodal shipping containers that can be shipped to any location in the world within days or weeks.

These containers are thus able to be set up alongside green energy sources, such as solar panel plants, and hydroelectric dams, and as such, they can utilize energy that is not only green, but also a lot cheaper.

Cutting the costs on all fronts

It makes huge sense logically for mining operations to be situated alongside green power sources. Not only does it allow help the power sources ship some of their excess energy, it also aids in the decentralization of the mining operation.

These mobile rigs can be profitable in any situation with the cost cutting methods, meaning there is no need to mine primarily in Russia or China any more.

Also, Envion developed a new, self-regulating cooling system, specifically for Blockchain mining, which is up to forty-times more energy-efficient and cost-effective than conventional, AC cooling units.

Envion further promotes environmental friendliness by recycling the energy produced from mining with the strategic placement of the mining units, close to objects and buildings that need heating, including warehouses and greenhouses. This enables them to reduce their energy costs even further.

An ICO with hardware

There are hundreds of ICOs that have nothing more than a whitepaper to their names, but with Envion, the mobile containers are already in operation, thus the EVN Token has some real world backing and value.

The EVN token will be on sale for 31 days from Dec. 1, 2017, with a max cap of 150 mln.

Once invested, token holders will have the right to dividends from the mining operations including 100 percent from proprietary mining operations (75 percent immediately and 25 percent reinvested to boost future payouts) and 35 percent from non-proprietary operations.

Finally, token holders will also get a say in company strategy by voting on decisions.

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