Day: December 7, 2017

Such is the demand for an AI token that provider SingularityNET has extended its sale period.

The bill also differentiates electronic firearm tracking technologies against the official law enforcement tracking systems such as the Missouri Uniform Law Enforcement System (MULES) database.

Scans of a Bittrex support email on KYC verification appear to show passports and photos of other users in attachments.

Bitcoin has had an amazing run in 2017 and looks set to breach 12K before the year is out. How do you actually buy and trade bitcoin though? As a beginner, buying and trading your first Bitcoin can be a rather daunting task. Thankfully though, with Bitcoin quickly gaining more and more mainstream attention, it is now easier than ever to get started trading Bitcoin with a CFD provider.

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Fiat to crypto in seconds

Despite Bitcoin being around for some time now, most traditional Bitcoin exchanges can’t seem to work out how to open a bank account. Whether this is due to the banking industry’s feelings towards Bitcoin, the crypto industry’s disdain for fiat banking, or perhaps a little of both; the end result is the same: it is difficult and expensive to buy Bitcoin with fiat currency.

When you trade Bitcoin CFDs on the other hand, this problem disappears right away. CFD providers have long-standing relationships with banking providers and will generally let you fund your account instantly with zero fees. Even if you are lucky enough to have access to a Bitcoin exchange with banking facilities in place, they generally charge deposit and credit-card fees or mark up the price of their coins to cover these expenses.

No hidden fees and commissions

One of the biggest problems with trading Bitcoin at a traditional exchange is the commission fees. Though the spreads on the BTCUSD pair at a big Bitcoin exchange might look really tight, what isn’t so obvious is the fact you are paying 0.2% to open a trade and 0.2% to close a trade. Unlike the MT4 platform, where fees are readily visible for all of your trades, Bitcoin exchanges tend to hide this information away in account menus.

0.2% might not sound like much, but it’s actually 0.4% by the time you close the position. That means if Bitcoin is trading at $9000, it’s going to cost you $36 to open and close a trade! That’s on top of the banking fees the exchange just charged you to fund your account as well. When you trade Bitcoin with a CFD provider, the $10-$15 spread might seem a little high at first, but the lack of trading commissions and deposit fees make CFD trading cheaper by a long short.

Don’t forget the traditional Bitcoin exchange is going to try and screw you on the withdrawal too!

Automated trading made easy

Automated trading is a hassle with a traditional Bitcoin exchange due to a relative lack of seamless integration when compared to the MT4 platform. MetaTrader 4 was built from the ground up with automated trading in mind and has proprietary coding and backtesting functionality built right into the platform. Existing forex bots can even be quickly modified to trading Bitcoin and other Crypto contracts and a well designed bot may just get away with an optimization run.

Someone with very little coding experience can begin designing bots with MT4, but trying to talk to an API is going to be a real struggle. In fact, you don’t even need to learn code to make automated systems for the MT4 platform as there is a range of third party modular interfaces. Building automated systems for MT4 is like playing with lego.

There’s a lot to be said for a little regulation

One of the biggest problems with the Bitcoin industry is the lack of regulation. If you are an entrepreneur trying to start a business, a lack of regulation is great, but not so much if you are a consumer who’s just been fleeced. There have already been quite a few high profile thefts and scams in the Bitcoin industry where consumers have been hung out to dry with no avenue of recourse.

CFD brokers on the other hand generally operate in well regulated jurisdictions and are subject to strict regulatory oversight regarding management of client funds. The best CFD brokers keep client fund separate from company funds in segregated accounts at AAA rated banks. The chance of your CFD broker or their bank being robbed by hackers is virtually nil. If your broker or bank did happen to get robbed and refused or was unable to reimburse you, you would have a range of avenues for recourse.

Bitcoin trading made easy

CFDs take the hassle and cost out of Bitcoin trading. Free fiat deposit and withdrawal options, transparent fees and accessible automated trading make CFDs the smart option for savvy traders.

The post Quant Network Launches Overledger for Cross-Blockchain Data Interoperability appeared first on Bitcoin Magazine.

OpenBazaar is a project of great interest to many cryptocurrency users all over the world. This decentralized peer-to-peer marketplace solution opens up a lot of opportunities. OpenBazaar’s developers are always looking to make their product more appealing. Introducing native tokens and smart contracts are two ways of doing exactly that.

More big Features Come to OpenBazaar

No one can deny that OpenBazaar is the marketplace of the future. Although it may only be used by a select few users right now, there are some interesting aspects of this platform which will make it even more appealing to the masses in the coming years. For now, OpenBazaar only supports Bitcoin, but this situation will change in the near future, as altcoin support is coming to this platform.

That is not all OpenBazaar users have to look forward to. There will also be an official OpenBazaar token, known as OBT. This will be the native currency for smart contracts, which are also coming to this peer-to-peer protocol. As most people know by now, all of these smart contracts will run on top of the Ethereum ecosystem. The OBT tokens, however, will be used to embed data pointers for content hosted on the OpenBazaar network.

As a result, OBT tokens can be used to monetize channels, which serve as curated lists of content. These tokens can be used to pay for premium ad space on these channels. Anyone who runs a store on the OpenBazaar network will want to pay attention to this new feature, as it is very similar to a premium listing on auction sites such as eBay. It will be interesting to see how the community responds to this option, as it is something to look forward to.

According to the OpenBazaar team, the OBT token will add value to this peer-to-peer protocol, and is not a gatekeeper of the protocol nor a threat to its stability whatsoever. OBT can also be used to create decentralized channels suited for arranging content. Additionally, the Ethereum smart contracts are independent of OBT, which gives the entire system a lot more flexibility than one would expect.

It is the first time we have seen a peer-to-peer protocol embrace the concept of decentralized ad space. It is evident a protocol such as OpenBazaar can genuinely benefit from this idea moving forward. Anyone who sells goods or services on OpenBazaar wants to attract as many customers as possible, and using advertising to reach a bigger audience is a smart decision. Having such a powerful option at one’s disposal can only be considered a good thing.

Although OpenBazaar has a lot of potential, it is evident there is still some sort of a discovery problem. With so many people trying to sell their goods and services on this platform, it is hard to give everyone the attention they rightfully deserve. Third-party services will be required to make these stores and listings more apparent over time. User-driven curation is also an option worth exploring in this regard, as it will drive both attention and sales. The OBT token is designed to make this more of an incentive over time.

As the western world wakes up to the potential of blockchain technology and more institutions recognize it, the countries of Asia remain skeptical. The Asian trading session is always a good indicator of how the rest of the day is going and today BTC surpassed $14,000 for the first time. Many nations of Asia including Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Thailand fully support and embrace Bitcoin and cryptocurrency. However, there are some that have opposing stances. China and Vietnam have clamped down on it and the latest to join them is Indonesia.

According to the Jakarta Post, Bank of Indonesia plans to regulate and prohibit Bitcoin transactions from 2018. Head of the transformation at the bank, Onny Widjanarko, said that e-currency regulation would be issued in the near future. “Currently, there is no single regulation for those who carry out transactions using Bitcoin,” he stated to the local press.

The central bank, which wields the power over the island nation’s financial affairs, is currently conducting a review to determine the status of digital currencies. The result would decide whether Bitcoin comes under existing e-money regulations or a separate system of legislation.

Widjanarko appealed to vendors and merchants not to accept Bitcoin transactions stating that it would not be held responsible for any losses incurred. He went on to state that Bitcoin could potentially be used to violate existing regulations on terrorism, money laundering, prostitution, and drug trafficking.

Indonesia joins the ranks of China, Russia, and Vietnam which have all regulated or banned Bitcoin completely. China’s now infamous September ICO ban caused the biggest crash in cryptocurrency this year. A number of exchanges were forced to close and investors had to find alternative methods to get their crypto-fix. Recently the People’s Republic has warmed a little and may re-open the gates for trading in digital assets, albeit highly regulated.

Russia also strives for more control and recently issued a warning to investors from its central bank claiming that cryptocurrencies are inherently risky. The rumor is that they are working on their own digital currency or crypto-ruble.

Many of the nations of Asia are traditionally autocratic and strive for control over democratic freedom. Indonesia’s decision, like that of Vietnam, sends a message to the population; we are in control. Thailand conversely, while still in the clutches of a draconian military dictatorship, remains open to cryptocurrencies and is even working with altcoin developers towards smart contract and blockchain solutions.

The post Indonesia to Ban Bitcoin transactions; Price Remains Unaffected appeared first on NEWSBTC.

Having leapt up to fourth place in the cryptocurrency rankings, IOTA’s prices are today witnessing what is a likely short-term slump.

block.one, a leader in developing blockchain software solutions, announced that the EOS.IO Single Threaded Application Testnet (“EOS STAT”) is ready for release. This development is a major milestone for block.one, putting development ahead of schedule. With this development coming out early, the internal team will be free to work with the development community from now until the release of the EOS.IO Multi-threaded Testnet in 2018.

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EOS STAT will be a simulation of the EOS setting, including features that allow developers to evaluate, build, and test decentralized applications in a public environment, including the ability for potential Block Producers to evaluate EOS.IO. This will include twenty one block producing nodes with one node per host which will have a one second block time. This is cut down from the prior three second block time.

“We are continually working to improve EOS.IO features and performance and are excited to release this testnet for feedback and collaboration with the developer community.”  said Daniel Larimer, CTO of block.one. “Even on the single-threaded testnet, EOS.IO is now capable of over a thousand of transactions per second (TPS), making it one of the fastest smart contract environments available.”.

Additionally, EOS STAT’s P2P code will feature a better node sync, and its developer API will have a standardized coding style. A wallet will also be available for those that use the API.

What’s more, EOS STAT will have a Github page with library of tutorials, code, documentation, and sample Smart Contracts. It will feature contract security and authorization, a rate and database limiting, and a Genesis block for EOS token holders. There will also be a free faucet for those without tokens.

In the next few months the team, led by Dan Larimer, is planning the EOS.IO Multi-threaded Application Testnet (“EOS MAT”). This project is available under the GitHub name “eos:noon”. This combined with EOS STAT will come with significant refactoring, code cleanup, and inter-blockchain communication.

The block.one team running test and trial is currently looking at setting up a testing rig of twenty one block producers and different business scenarios for a range of applications. Expect another report in February on these qualities.
Progress can be viewed on GitHub. For more information on the EOS.IO software, please visit www.eos.io.

DASH/USD

DASH continued to grind a bit lower during the trading session on Thursday, as we have reached towards the $650 level. Currently, I think it’s only a matter of time before we rally though, and a break above the $700 level would be a bullish sign. Until then, I will allow the market to simply build a bit of a base, and patiently await the buying signal as I have no interest in shorting.

LTC/USD

Litecoin dipped a bit during the trading session on Thursday, but seems to have a bit of a floor underneath it. A break above the $102 level would be a very bullish sign. Until then, look at dips as opportunities to build a larger position for the longer-term move. $90 should offer a significant support level.

Thanks for watching, I’ll see you tomorrow.

The post DASH and Litecoin Analysis December 8, 2017 appeared first on NEWSBTC.

ETH/USD

Ethereum fell during most of the trading session on Thursday, but found the $400 level to be supportive enough to cause a bounce. By looking at the chart, I see a cluster of trading activity near the $430 handle, so move above there has been bullish of Ethereum again, looking to reach towards the $470 level, possibly even the $480 level. A breakdown below $400 would be very negative.

ETH/BTC

With Bitcoin making a new high every couple of hours, it’s not a surprise that this pair continues to fall. Simply put, every time this market rallies, it’s time to start selling again. The 0.03 level should be massive resistance, and at this point I don’t know where the bottom is.

Thanks for watching, I’ll be back tomorrow.

The post Ethereum Analysis December 8, 2017 appeared first on NEWSBTC.

With so many people using tablets and smartphones these days, there is a real chance that laptops will become obsolete in the future. If it is up to Microsoft and Qualcomm, that will not happen anytime soon. More specifically, both companies announced their Always Connected line of personal computers. It is an interesting spin on things, although it remains to be seen whether or not there is even a market for such devices.

Always Connected PCs are an Interesting Development

While it may be convenient to use a smartphone or tablet for productivity purposes, they will never truly replace laptops. The one downside most laptops have is that their battery life is abysmal, and getting online without a WiFi hotspot can be very cumbersome. There are always ways to circumvent these problems, but for the average consumer, they are massive drawbacks. Microsoft and Qualcomm acknowledge that something will need to change in this regard as well.

Their new line of personal computers is known as the Always Connected series. These devices run Windows 10, can be turned on in mere seconds, and will always have an LTE connection ready to be used. More importantly, their battery life is measured in days, rather than hours. On the surface, there is nothing to dislike about these devices, as they seem to check a lot of the right boxes for people who travel often. Moreover, some of the largest manufacturers of computers will start building hardware for this new line of products, which should introduce some competition in this market.

At the same time, it feels as if this has been tried before. Microsoft attempted to introduce people to ARM devices running Windows through its Surface RT tablets. Sadly, those tablets never amounted to much, as they were expensive and didn’t offer the solutions most people were looking for. It is commendable to see Microsoft make another run at this market without creating tablets this time around. Instead, the Always Connected PCs look and feel like small laptops, which is a good start.

Powering a Windows 10 computer with a Qualcomm chipset is not a new idea either. Microsoft hinted at such a development over a year ago, although not much news had come of it. The only major development was a demo with Win32 apps running on this hardware, but things went pretty quiet afterward. Although the new devices are still not production-ready, they will come to market during the spring of 2018. Prices have not been announced at this time, which is only to be expected.

According to Microsoft, the devices’ selling points include the screen, which turns on instantly. This seems to confirm these devices lack a sleep mode, yet that shouldn’t impact battery life in a negative manner. Having built-in LTE is also interesting, although it remains to be seen if this is a feature consumers will readily use. Moreover, charging these devices once a week should be more than enough. All of these points sound great, but we will have to await real-life tests to make sure the devices can deliver on their promise.

As the devices will natively support Win32 apps, most users should have no issues running their favorite tools. They have support for Paint, Office, Minecraft, and pretty much anything else one can think of. The default browser is Edge, although most people will probably replace it with something else in the future. The initial operating system will be Windows 10 S, although an upgrade to Windows 10 Pro will be offered free of charge. That’s a nice gesture by Microsoft, as Windows 10 S will be far too limited in its appeal for a lot of people.

BTC/USD

Bitcoin touched $15,000 during the trading session on Thursday and some exchanges, and when I look at this chart the first thing I think is how overbought it is. Another thing that concerns me is that the highest volume bars recently have all been negative. Because of this, I believe that we are approaching an area that will probably cause a significant pullback. If you already own Bitcoin, that’s one thing, but getting in now would be completely reckless. Wait for a pullback, probably several thousand dollars, before you can initiate a new position. Stop losses should be moved towards the $14,000 handle for those who are traders, and not investors.

BTC/JPY

Bitcoin of course has done essentially the same thing against the Japanese yen, touching ¥1.8 million during the trading session on Thursday. Currently, we are overbought by almost any metric you measure, so wait for a significant pullback, perhaps to the ¥1.65 million level before increasing your position, or starting a new one. In the meantime, if you are out of the market, that’s where you should stay.

Thanks for watching, I’ll be back tomorrow.

The post Bitcoin Analysis December 8, 2017 appeared first on NEWSBTC.