Day: December 24, 2017

Since December 2017, the clients of brokerage firm NordFX have been enjoying the unprecedented opportunity of trading the most popular cryptocurrencies – bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum – with a leverage ratio of 1:1000. This is tens and even hundreds of times the size of the leverage offered by the firm’s competitors.

Cryptocurrency transactions can now be made on Pro and Zero accounts. This gives NordFX traders a new hedging ability, as they can now conduct simultaneous deals with conventional currency pairs, silver and gold, all with interbank spreads starting at 0 points.

The significant reduction of spread sizes and the rising speed of trade execution have been made possible due to a whole roster of leading global banks, including Citibank and Deutsche Bank, as well as the largest brokers (such as FXCM, LMAX and others), all acting as new liquidity providers.

NordFX introduces yet another innovation:  the most popular cryptocurrency, bitcoin, can now be used alongside the US dollar as a deposit currency. Thus, traders can fund their accounts with bitcoins and use them to store assets, withdraw profits and, utilizing leverage of up to 1:1000, transact deals with cryptocurrencies, as well as several dozen other currency pairs and precious metals.

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.

He’s not your lawyer, but he’s giving you advice. Avid pocaster and legal expert Jason Seibert enjoys a last laugh on ICOs.

People who have paid attention to the Bitcoin network issues will know that companies have been forced to make unpopular decisions. For instance, BitPay began charging a second fee on top of regular mining costs to process Bitcoin payments. HitBTC is now charging all users a Bitcoin deposit fee, which is a very surprising turn of events. It is certainly something most people will not be too happy with, but until Bitcoin’s network issues are resolved, this situation will remain unchanged.

HitBTC Demands a Bitcoin Deposit Fee

Anyone who has ever used a cryptocurrency exchange will be aware of the most common fees. There’s a miner fee to include in your transaction when moving money to an exchange. When you attempt to withdraw funds, there’s typically another fee to be taken into account. Conducting trades on such platforms is usually subject to maker and taker fees as well. It is not the cheapest experience by any means, but things can always get worse.

More specifically, the HitBTC exchange has made a change which most people won’t appreciate all that much. Users are now forced to pay a Bitcoin deposit fee. While it is understandable that the company is introducing such a thing, it will lose a lot of customers because of it regardless. The fixed fee for all Bitcoin deposits is a problem not just because it is an additional cost, but also because it is in place for the foreseeable future.

Right now, this fee is 0.0003 BTC. It is unclear if it will remain fixed or change depending on the price of Bitcoin. At current Bitcoin prices, this means users will pay US$4 for every Bitcoin deposit they make to HitBTC. This is a very controversial business decision which hopefully won’t make its way to other exchanges in the future. After all, users already pay a miner fee when sending money, and anything on top of that just seems excessive.

Considering that HitBTC’s users were warned less than 24 hours in advance of the change, it is obvious a lot of users will not be too happy about this decision. It is evident that HitBTC is going through some changes right now, and most of them are not positive by any means. For now, these deposit fees will be deducted from incoming BTC amounts. Any deposit lower than the fee will be used to pay the fee and not be refunded to customers.

If other cryptocurrency exchanges were to implement similar practices, moving money to exchanges would quickly become far too expensive for most people. After all, the regular miner fee is already in the double digits right now. Sending US$50 worth of Bitcoin to HitBTC, for example, is now subject to at least US$14 in fees. It is a very expensive way of moving money around the world, and something will need to change to alleviate this problem in the future.

For its part, the company claims this decision was made to strengthen all Bitcoin processes on the HitBTC platform. Moreover, the company aims to “provide stability in the functioning of the major cryptocurrency.” Nevertheless, it is likely we will see people move away from HitBTC moving forward, as its withdrawal fees have been quite high in the past few weeks. Adding Bitcoin deposit fees on top of it all will not do them any favors whatsoever.

On 8 December 2017, ChronoBank gave the first insights into its flagship LaborX platform. The ChronoBank team would now like to invite everybody to test the general flow and user experience of the interface and to help discover potential bugs. A bounty of 200 TIME (around $3,600) is being offered, which can be claimed by e-mailing feedback and suggestions to [email protected].

LaborX, the heart of the ChronoBank ecosystem, is a decentralized peer-to-peer labor exchange built on Ethereum to the 0x protocol standard. Users can trade work for payment, and will ultimately be able to exchange any token of payment against any other.

Because LaborX is fully decentralized, it cannot be shut down and thus work opportunities will always be available. Building it to the 0x protocol standard means that it is interoperable with other decentralized exchanges, achieving greater orderbook depth and liquidity.

The idea behind LaborX is to create a fast, secure labor hire market, running on reliable and immutable blockchain mechanisms. Whilst its primary function is to pair businesses with providers of work, it will finally become a fully-fledged decentralized exchange, not only for ChronoBank stakeholders but for any other trader, too.

The advantages LaborX will have are fundamental to the ChronoBank model and will be attractive beyond its immediate ecosystem. For example LH tokens, backed by recruiting firms and ChronoBank itself (and therefore having stable value) can be used as a way to ‘park’ funds without the risks usually inherent in leaving funds on regular exchanges. Additionally, a peer-to-peer exchange doesn’t suffer from the same kinds of outages, maintenance downtime and hacks that are becoming ever increasing problems in the crypto world.

The mainnet release of LaborX is planned for early 2018 and by this point, all services that ChronoBank initially committed to build at its ICO will be in place. It will then be a question of building on this foundation by engaging businesses and freelancers to use the platform, as well as optimizing the software in response to market feedback.

In the meantime, there are some interesting events for ChronoBank stakeholders to keep in mind. Recently, ChronoBank, in partnership with the NEM foundation, announced a community reward asset named MINUTES, which will be distributed to all $TIME and most $XEM holders. More information about this will follow soon.

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.

Israel is considering offering a national cryptocurrency – a digital shekel – which would correspond in value to physical shekels

From a cybersecurity point of view, 2017 has not been the best of years. In fact, there have been so many new threats, there’s genuine reason to be afraid. The rise of hidden Monero mining scripts is one of those problems people shouldn’t overlook. It seems a new variant, known as Digimine, is spreading through Facebook Messenger. Criminals will continue to use methods like these to make money until people start taking device security more seriously.

Digimine Targets Facebook Messenger Users

Truth be told, it was only a matter of time until we saw the next evolution of Monero mining scripts. We know these scripts have been embedded on a lot of websites this year, either by design or through some malicious meddling by hackers. So far, most of these scripts have not caused any major harm in the end, but that could change pretty quickly. That’s especially the case now that cybercriminals are looking for new ways to mine Monero with other people’s computer resources.

A cryptocurrency miner known as Digimine was identified by Trend Micro earlier this week. It seems this bot spreads through Facebook Messenger, which has quickly become one of the world’s most prominent chatting and instant messaging tools. Addressing any issues affecting this popular messaging platform will not be easy whatsoever. With hundreds of millions of people using Facebook Messenger, it is evident there is plenty of reason to be concerned about Digimine.

This Monero mining bot was first discovered in South Korea, which isn’t surprising. After all, we have seen North Korean hackers successfully attack and harass their South Korean counterparts in connection with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies on multiple occasions. However, Digimine is not just a problem in South Korea, as it has shown up in other parts of the world as well.

Reports relating to the Digimine bot have surfaced in Vietnam, the Philippines, Ukraine, and even Venezuela. It is not entirely surprising to see this mining bot spread so quickly, considering that it is distributed through one of the most popular instant messaging applications in the world today. Considering that Facebook Messenger works across computers and mobile devices alike, there are a lot of potential victims out there.

Digimine’s victims will see this malware as a normal video file, which has been a common method of attack for quite some time now. Opening the video will run an automatic script. Facebook accounts set to log in automatically will see the Digimine malware being distributed to their friends and contacts as well. Although no Facebook accounts are hijacked in the process, it may only be a matter of time until that changes.

So far, it doesn’t appear as though any of the existing anti-virus solutions are capable of getting rid of Digimine just yet. As a result, the malware will remain active on one’s system for an extended period of time, which could have all sorts of consequences in the long run. It seems the mining code is a slightly altered version of XMRig, which is an open-source Monero mining solution. It does rely on a command & control server, which means it’s only a matter of time until it is shut down completely.

Trusted and reputable crytocurrency platform, BeConnect, set to launch in 2018 with scheduled initial coin offering and several earning opportunities for members.

BeConnect is a trusted and reputable cryptocurrency platform designed to allow users lend, stake, mine and trade and become an affiliate. BeConnect is set to commence its initial coin offering in February 2018 and will run till 1st March, 2018. The sale of the BeConnect token, the BCT will allow the public to be a part of this revolutionary move in the cryptocurrency space.

Based in Switzerland, the platform will offer faster transaction processing, more reduced transaction risk and higher security cover without room for any third parties. Users of the coin will also enjoy flexibility and financial freedom, while investors enjoy a different level of financial liberty.

BeConnect is not coming as just any other digital currency, especially as it offers an opportunity to earn in several ways and benefit from the inherent opportunities in the world of digital currency. The trading and lending features will be available in March 2018, allowing users to trade BCT on major exchanges like LiveCoin and Coinexchange, while investors also profit from the BeConnect trading bot.

Users of the BeConnect platform will also be able to access the staking feature in April, allowing them to receive a daily interest on the coins they have on the platform. Like other major coins, BCT will be available for mining from August 2018, allowing users to undermine, earn and resell or follow any of the investment plans available on the platform.

The total expected supply of BCT is 30 million, with 7 million BCTs available for the initial coin offering, while 6 million will be available for mining.

While the platform is scheduled to launch in 2018 with 9 international languages supported, more information about BCT and Beconnect can be found by subscribing to the newsletter, with 3 BCTs given at subscription. There is also a telegram channel set up to provide interested persons with the latest information about BCT.

Site: https://beconnect.net

Facebook: https://facebook.com/BeConnect

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeConnectCoin

Telegram: https://t.me/BeConnectCoin

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.

It’s a well-known secret that the Securities and Exchange Commission has been cracking down on initial coin offerings. These developments took some people by surprise, as they had assumed cryptocurrencies in general would face additional scrutiny as well. So far, that has not happened, although it seems to be only a matter of time until this situation changes. Former SEC chairman Harvey Pitt claims we can expect “major regulatory responses” as early as 2018.

What Does the SEC Have in Store for Bitcoin?

We have seen a fair few interesting cryptocurrency-related trends in 2017. The rejection of Bitcoin ETFs was a big blow to the community, although it never impacted the trajectory of the Bitcoin price whatsoever. In fact, it may have unintentionally allowed the value of the world’s leading cryptocurrency to soar to new heights. There’s also the ICO crackdown by the SEC to take into account. This method of raising funds from non-accredited investors cannot be allowed without proper supervision, it seems.

At the same time, people have been wondering when we would see regulation that applied to cryptocurrencies. That hasn’t happened so far, even though several US states have introduced their own guidelines and licensing requirements for service providers. At a higher level, the SEC has remained virtually silent when it comes to cryptocurrencies, although it dislikes the lack of actual cryptocurrency regulation as well. Someone will have to make the tough decisions in this regard, yet it remains unclear who that may be in the end.

If former SEC Chairman Harvey Pitt is to be believed, the lack of cryptocurrency regulation won’t be a hindrance for much longer. In fact, the SEC will, in his opinion, continue to crack down on suspicious cryptocurrency activity. This means the government agency may ultimately come up with cryptocurrency-wide regulation as well, although nothing of the sort has been officially confirmed. Pitt claims the regulatory response by the SEC will become apparent “soon”, possibly as early as January.

With so many people investing in cryptocurrency and the media paying more attention to it now than ever before, it is evident something will need to change. There is no real education on cryptocurrency and the potential risks such investments entail. At the same time, most people who invest in traditional vehicles don’t know those risks either, let alone what those products entail. Cryptocurrencies are very different from those other investment types, mainly because they are not issued or controlled by a central bank or government.

It seems Harvey Pitt is concerned about ICOs more so than actual cryptocurrencies, though. Since most ICO projects issue tokens as securities without adhering to legal guidelines, they are the biggest problem to tackle right now. Cryptocurrencies themselves are not without risk, but it has become a lot easier to cull the wheat from the chaff. At the same time, the current top 25 cryptos ranked by market capitalization still contain a few projects which raise more questions than answers. Cracking down on such creations will be extremely difficult, even for the SEC.

For the time being, it remains unclear what the SEC has planned for the cryptocurrency industry as a whole. Any sort of regulation will further legitimize this industry, which can only be considered a good thing. The big question is what we will have to give up in exchange for the “legalization” of cryptocurrencies. In most cases, the US government doesn’t take kindly to innovative forms of money, especially ones it can’t control. 

Many traders are finding that the technological advances or even basic trading needs found on traditional investment exchanges are utterly lacking on crypto exchanges.What are the problems and challenges of existing crypto markets? #OP-ED

Purchasers can experience the world’s first cryptocurrency exchange with built-in portfolio management, atomic swaps, dual blockchain order book system, research, analytics, social integration and token generation capabilities

Sioux Falls, SD (December 18, 2017) – CoinLion (Token Name/Symbol: LION), a simple, powerful, and secure digital asset management platform, has officially launched the sale of their native LION token. The sale will run starting today through February 25, 2018. The sale includes a series of distribution periods offering a range of bonuses based on the time in which purchasers participate. For more information or to participate in the sale, please visit https://coinlion.com/ and review CoinLion’s Token Sale Guide.

“Managing cryptocurrencies and digital assets is a complicated and confusing process,” said Joshua DeWitt, CEO and Co-Founder at CoinLion. “We are building a powerful trading platform that makes managing digital assets easy and efficient. CoinLion contains a unique portfolio management tool and public profile system that rewards users for sharing portfolios, strategies, and information relating to the management of digital assets.”

The CoinLion platform is designed to address the challenges crypto investors face in the currently fragmented management and trading environment:  

• Existing exchanges and platforms have failed to deliver a powerful, secure, user-friendly platform that provides the tools, research, and education needed for the beginner, and advanced alike, to effectively manage digital assets.
• Currently, there is a disconnect between the tools, research, and analytics that exist in the modern financial world and those that are available in the cryptocurrency and digital asset space to properly manage portfolios and execute strategies. This has created a cumbersome and confusing user experience, especially for the beginner.
• Trading platforms today are also riddled with security issues that have caused a significant barrier to entry for a large percentage of the population. There is no trusted platform that provides crypto traders a community to learn, build, and grow their crypto holdings using simple and powerful tools.

The CoinLion platform consists of three main components working together to maximize the users trading experience. The first is a cryptocurrency exchange focused on giving users the best trading experience possible. The second component is a portfolio management tool that allows for the creation and management of cryptocurrency portfolios. The third component is a public profile system that rewards users who create and share portfolios, strategies, and information with other users. For more information about the platform and its features, please review CoinLion’s Whitepaper.

LION is a native token that interacts within the platform helping users learn, build, and grow. LION will create an ecosystem that rewards and incentivizes users to share and create portfolios, strategies and research related to the management of digital assets. Within the platform users can spend and earn LION in the following ways:

Spend LION:

• Track and duplicate portfolios
• Trade for FREE within the LION Market
• Discounted trading when holding LION
• Create and manage multiple portfolios with the Portfolio Management Tool
• Access research and analytics within the CoinLion Library
• Access to ICOs launched on the platform at a discounted rate
• Advertise portfolios and promote your content on CoinLion and other platforms

Earn LION:

• Allow users to track your portfolios
• Create and share content related to the management of cryptocurrencies
• Create and share research
• Create and share strategies with other users
• Allow advertising on your public profile
• Earn LION for being a top performer or researcher
• Create research for the CoinLion library

The Token Sale has a minimum goal of 2,000 ETH ($900,000 USD), a base exchange rate of 1 ETH = 2,500 LION + PRO RATA, and a hard cap set at $18,000,000 USD. LION tokens are distributed to purchasers in a two-step process. First, according to the bonus schedule. Second, according to the PRO RATA tokens available in the distribution period. This method ensures equal opportunity for purchasers, sustainability of the platform, and wide distribution of the LION token. The PRO RATA distribution of 22 Million LION will be sent from the CoinLion treasury upon completion of the Token Sale.

For more information about CoinLion’s Token Sale, please review their Token Sale Guide and visit https://coinlion.com. For a preview of the CoinLion Platform and Exchange, please visit https://demo.coinlion.com/.

About CoinLion

CoinLion is dedicated to bringing leadership, stability, and simplicity to digital asset investing through a single, trusted interface. Through our compliant, user-friendly portfolio management platform, CoinLion enables users to purchase and trade with confidence. CoinLion users join a community of cryptocurrency experts, which empowers and incentivizes its members to create and share portfolios, offer trade strategies, and share research they need to make highly informed decisions. This ensures the sustained health and strength of the community and platform as it continues to grow. A native token, LION, can be earned and spent within the platform, based on member contributions and needs within the community. LION will be used as the currency that rewards and incentivizes member contributions to the community and serves as the payment to access these valuable assets. For more information, please visit https://coinlion.com. Connect with us @coin_lion on Twitter, Facebook, Medium, YouTube, and LinkedIn.  

Media Contact:
Seth Menacker
TallGrass Public Relations
(201) 638-7561
[email protected]

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.

How to make everything simple for the community? Cointelegraph talked to Orioncoin Founder Woanjen Tang. #BLOCKSHOW