Day: February 23, 2018

Turkey, Iran consider their own state-backed cryptocurrencies, following Maduro’s Petro pre-sale. #NEWS

Ethereum is facing what might be its biggest tech crisis in some time, with developers split over whether software changes should recover lost funds.

Earlier this year, nearly every device with an Intel CPU was affected by the Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities. The two vulnerabilities allowed hackers and malicious actors to steal passwords and sensitive information from devices, by accessing the memory and secrets of programs on the operating system of devices.

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Meltdown, easier to exploit than Spectre, breaks the basic isolation between user applications and the operating system of devices, leaving memory and private data vulnerable to attacks. Spectre, more difficult to exploit but also harder to detect, allows malicious actors to trick error-free programs to leak secrets, leading sensitive data to be released.

In January, Oleg Andreev, the protocol architect at blockchain company Chain, stated that proof-of-stake (PoS) is an “incompetent” idea because when major vulnerabilities like Meltdown and Spectre are exploited, private keys stored locally in memory are retrievable. When private keys are lost, attackers can easily reallocate massive amounts of funds, getting ahold of the stake and obtaining the ability to attack the PoS blockchain.

“Meltdown/Spectre is why Proof-of-Stake is an incompetent idea: PoS authors ask for an unforgivable amount of money to sit in the online wallets that actively generate signatures,” said Andreev.

Last month, almost immediately after Meltdown / Spectre were discovered and utilized to exploit devices, Particl introduced its Cold Staking safeguards, that prevent locally stored private keys of being vulnerable to attacks.

“Particl Cold Staking safeguards your wallet’s private keys, and thus your PART, by using a script (contract) between an online staking node and an offline wallet. Both wallets have unique private keys, meaning that if/when the online staking node is exploited by Meltdown/Spectre with a memory leak only the private keys of the node are stolen. If setup properly, the staking node should have 0 PART — thereby eliminating the threat of theft and protecting the PART in your wallet kept offline and secure,” explained the Particl development team.

If Particl Cold Staking safeguards are activated and integrated, even when Meltdown / Spectre exploits successfully leave the operating system of devices vulnerable to attacks and the private key from memory is obtained, attackers cannot steal or reallocate funds because staking nodes carry a 0 PART balance. Which means, even if hackers gain access to the locally stored private keys, funds cannot be stolen and remain safe.

“If the Meltdown/Spectre exploit is used on a machine running a Particl Staking Node an attacker could retrieve the private key from memory but it would be of no use since staking nodes typically carry a 0 PART balance,” the Particl development team added.

The Particl Cold Staking also prevents quantum computer attacks, disallowing attackers with a quantum computer to obtain a private key from a public key, due to the integration of multiple quantum-resistant one-way hash functions.

Conclusively, the security in Particl prevent two major attacks in Meltdown / Spectre and quantum computer attacks from affecting a PoS blockchain.

• ALAX’s token-based technology will provide access to tens of millions of ‘unbanked’ customers worldwide
• ALAX TGE set to commence on April 17th 2018, with the platform scheduled to be available immediately following its conclusion.

ALAX, a new venture between blockchain technology company DECENT and games distribution platform Dragonfly, has today released a white paper outlining further details of its token structure and confirming that it’s TGE will commence on April 17th, 2018.

A number of intended partnerships are set to be announced in the coming days, which will see the platform preinstalled on millions of smartphones, particularly in the fast-growing South-East Asian and South Asian mobile markets.

Access to millions of ‘unbanked’ consumers

The token-based ALAX platform will give developers access to tens of millions of game and app consumers who do not use credit or debit cards (the World Bank Global Finance Index 2014 identified 2 billion ‘unbanked’ adults worldwide), yet do have relatively easy access to cash and 3G/LTE smartphones.

With the ALAX platform, customers will be able to purchase ALA tokens in cash through the existing Dragonfly retailer network. ALA tokens are then used in-app to purchase games and apps direct from the developer. Not only does this quicken the transaction, and reduce the price of content, it also opens gaming and app purchases to customers without access to traditional methods of payment.

The platform will also represent a fairer deal for developers: DECENT estimates that traditional purchase methods result in game developers currently receiving a maximum of 70% profit from an app, with payments often taking 3-6 months to be processed. In contrast, ALA token payments will be made directly to the developer, and can then be exchanged for a FIAT currency (USD, EUR, THB, PH, etc) at any time.

Mobile games revenue in Southeast Asia is predicted to reach $2.4 billion by 2021 and, with other intended partnerships also in the pipeline, ALAX is set to provide app and game developers with access to millions of new consumers in emerging markets.

TGE to commence on April 17th 2018

The ALAX Token Generation Event (TGE) is set to commence on April 17th, and will last 6 days. 1 billion ALX tokens will be issued, and these tokens can be used to acquire ALA tokens (tied to FIAT and used for in-platform purchases) on the one-way ALX/ALA exchange at a 20% discount, with full details available in a published one pager.

The ALAX platform will be immediately available to consumers and developers following the TGE’s conclusion.

About ALAX

ALAX is a Mobile Game Distribution Platform, based on blockchain technology, which is set to transform the gaming industry around the world. It is a joint venture from blockchain technology business DECENT and app and game distribution platform Dragonfly, and aims to provide a platform for content creators and gamers alike, including ‘unbanked’ consumers worldwide.

The post Blockchain-Based Distribution Platform ALAX to Allow App and Game Developers to Reach Tens of Millions of ‘Unbanked’ Consumers appeared first on NewsBTC.

The SEC investor’s site published a light-hearted article for new crypto investors, telling them to not invest more money than they can afford to lose. #NEWS

Several multinational telecoms firms have joined the Carrier Blockchain Study Group to advance blockchain use cases in the industry.

With all cryptocurrency markets suddenly turning green again over the past 24 hours, the coming weekend may prove to be rather interesting for a lot of currencies. The Ethereum Classic price is certainly on the right track to make big things happen, thanks to its solid 10.71% gain overnight. As of right now, the Ethereum Classic price hovers near $37, and may very well push to $40 again.

Ethereum Classic Price Mounts a Strong Comeback

Even though ETC tends to note strong gains on a regular basis, it just doesn’t seem to hold onto that for very long. Not that long ago, we were discussing how the Ethereum Classic price would surpass $40, which it did. Right now, that same ETC is worth just under $37 even though the Ethereum Classic price has increased by 10.71%. Volatility is the name of the game as far as this altcoin is concerned.

More specifically, the Ethereum Classic noted this strong 10.71% gain during a time where most other currencies were struggling for momentum. Even so, ETC itself did not see much positive momentum these past few days either, despite the price rising to $42 earlier this week. That strong rise was quickly followed by a steep decline to $31.47. Ever since that time, the Ethereum Classic price has started to move up again in rather spectacular fashion.

With such strong gains in quick succession, it almost seems to be a matter of time until the Ethereum Classic price comes down once again. Whether on not that will happen before ETC can hit $40 again, is difficult to predict as of right now. There is some negative pressure forming on the ETC chart already, but no sudden $7 jump will go unpunished as far this altcoin is concerned. Taking profits is always better than holding a bag.

With nearly $1.1bn in 24-hour trading volume, it has become apparent ETC is in much higher demand than most top altcoins right now. It is uncanny how so many markets suffer from a lack of trading volume, whereas ETC seemingly has an abundance of trades taking place. This strong trading volume may help propel the Ethereum Classic price to $40 in the coming hours, depending on how bearish the overall sentiment will be in the long run.

There is one caveat to this higher ETC trading volume, though. Nearly half of all trades come from Bithumb and Upbit, two exchanges which cannot be used properly by people who live outside of South Korea. OKEx is in third and fourth place, followed by Bitfinex. There are three actual fiat currency pairs in the top 5, and one USDT pair as well. This seems to indicate a lot of fresh capital is entering the ETC ecosystem as we speak.

For the time being, it remains to be seen how long this current Ethereum Classic price pump-and-dump cycle lasts. Although the current has some merit to it, speculators are just toying with the price whenever they want to, creating cycles of increases and steep declines. For the longevity of this currency, the current trend is not all that great, but for speculators, it is one of hottest markets around.

Two board members voluntarily left the Tezos Foundation, signalling a possible end of infighting for the company, whose ICO was the second largest in history. #NEWS

Just as decentralized economies have reduced the obligations of customers towards monopolistic central banking conglomerates; a new contender has similarly emerged in the ‘Search engine’ field that may just change Data Services and the Digital Advertising sector entirely.

It’s called Bitclave, and it’s a decentralized blockchain based platform with integrated tools which allow businesses to market directly to potential customers.

Read more about their groundbreaking new token economy and search platform over at their website, by reading their whitepaper, or on their Facebook and Twitter. You can also check out the latest trade prices for their CAT coin over at Coinmarketcap.com.

Here are a few problems which Bitclave’s unique system is set to successfully resolve;

#1: A Lack of Objectivity, Transparency

Problem: The accuracy and objectivity of information presented upon using ‘search engines’ and ‘social media’ platforms are somewhat disputed.

Facebook has drawn the attention of many crypto enthusiasts due to their decision to outright ban cryptocurrency ICO ads in late January, due to the risk of scams. Due diligence is always encouraged when investing; however, it’s simply ignorant to cast a blanket ban, on account of bad actors who do not represent the whole community.

It also brings into question whether there are other influencers of this decision, such as existing corporate relationships or vested interests.

The Bitclave Solution

• Blockchain verification: all information logged and sent is viewable publicly (whilst maintaining the privacy of user information).
• Information can be replaced, but never removed entirely from the blockchain; consistency and transparency are maintained throughout all operations.
• All paying store partners who are advertising on the system are verified; customers will not have to be afraid of sharing their data with potentially malicious parties.

#2: Disproportionate Value Proposition of Ad Services for Businesses

Problem: The current customer segmentation tools which have been put in place by the market leaders have proven themselves to be fairly ineffective at best. They charge a large amount of money on a “pay-per-click” or “pay-per-reaction” basis, however business owners have expressed doubt over the veracity of their Facebook-ad traffic.

Worst of all is the extortionate levies imposed against business owners who seek to use such platforms for advertising. These sites inflate their ad prices greatly, based on an inappropriate value system prioritizing the supply/demand of advertisers – rather than that of users.

These companies prioritize their own profits but sacrifice the interests of both the advertisers who fund them and their service users.

The Bitclave Solution

• A static fee charged to advertisers for their usage of various services; not based on how many advertisers are competing for the same group.
• Advertisers can present direct offers to specific users – and determine rates of compensation for the users who view them in their searches.
• The transparency and anonymity of data afforded by the use of a public blockchain strongly discourages bad practice

#3: Customer Confidence, and Opt-In Data Privacy

Problem: Google and Facebook cultivate and maintain the majority of their intrinsic value through their ability to gather, interpret, organise, and represent large amounts of data; for their partners, users, and clients.

A controversial phenomenon has been the use of devices and software services in performing more invasive tracking. Due to their ubiquity, however, many users feel that the value these platforms bring overrides the ethical concerns that such processes otherwise bring.

The use of this data is often used to predict user interests and purchasing decisions through dynamic algorithms. Poor algorithms mean that users are shown adverts they do not wish to see; but conversely, algorithms which are too good can be perceived as “creepy”.

Invasive behavior can result in a decrease in trust on behalf of the service users, which itself results in a decrease in overall consumer confidence.

The Bitclave Solution:

• Advertisers enter a mutual (smart) contract with the search user; who can opt-in to sharing their personal data in return for a financial reward in the form of CAT tokens.
• This helps to drive customer satisfaction and confidence, and the nature of the platform distances service quality from the vested interests of its creators.

#4 Quantity over Quality

Much of the valuable information gathered and distributed by the ‘Ad-Tech’ sector comes from a combination of public or anonymous data (also known as “metadata”).

The ease with which these companies can amass such data comes from the fact that it is legally obtainable and codified in user agreements, and therefore can be obtained without directly asking for the users’ permission.

At the same time metadata, by its nature, is anonymous – and relations between various causes and effects of user browsing have to be assumed by algorithms based on correlations.

The value of the data, as such, comes from quantity rather than quality; as the more instances of actions which are tracked – the greater the evidence for speculative assumptions and trend predictions.

Customers are identified through targeting of identified audience segments, based on these assumptions; and the companies pay the advert sellers based on how many people click through – rather than on who clicks through. Clicks do not always result in conversions, which further supports our previous claim that these adverts offer a poor value proposition to many business owners.

The Bitclave Solution:

• Qualitative data gathered from users and distributed upon their permission.
• Compensation for users based on how much data they wish to share, directly from the advertising businesses.
• Direct user targeting by advertisers: whilst restoring a direct connection between the two parties.

The post Decentralization to Drive Advertising Benefits for Businesses & Users appeared first on NewsBTC.

Bank of China has filed a patent application for a process it says is better able to scale blockchain systems.

“In Sharing We Trust”

— Anton Solodikov, CEO of Sharpay.io

Sharpay is a new share and multi-share button for websites with blockchain-based rewards of content promotion for users. Multisharing is an opportunity to share content on several social networks with one click. Users receive rewards for sharing or visits of other users via the shared links. This means conversion growth for sites and comfortable sharing for users.

There are about 1 bln sites in the world and its number is growing every day. Only 3% (30 mln) of them have a sharing button. More than 3 bln people use social networks,  and approximately 10% of them are active users.

Sharpay, the new SMM tool is capable of helping the websites generate a multiple-fold increase in traffic and sales. In addition, the platform also helps socially active users monetize their popularity by earning cryptocurrency. 

Sharpay is a high-tech, yet simple sharing button solution with no analogues. By installing the button on their website, owners encourage users to share and gain rewards for their actions. 

Sharpay’s “blockchain profit for content sharing and multi-sharing”  is an innovative concept with both the options together in a single package. It is a unique project based on technology that has the Eurasian international patent priority. 

Project facts:

• The Project is in the MVP alpha testing stage, but more than 150 sites have already installed  the Sharpay button.
• Sharpay has 4.7/5 rating given by independent experts of ICObench, it is one of TOP 5 worldwide evaluated projects.
• Sharpay team completed Presale in advance and achieved its maximum sale target (80 mln tokens for 2400 ETH)
• The main Token Sale stage starts 1/03/2018 with a 40% WhiteList Bonus

Just by its appearance, Sharpay improves the whole market. It makes easy for various economic agents to find and cooperate with each other to ensure that the goods, products, and services are distributed faster than ever.

The growing blockchain popularization and tokenization of old technologies fosters Sharpay’s development and success.

More information about Sharpay — the share button with blockchain profit is available at www.sharpay.io.

Note: The above information is for informational purposes only. Sharpay tokens can be purchased if it’s legally allowed. The participation in Sharpay Token Sale is prohibited for residents of those countries, where participation is directly/partly restricted or prohibited (USA, Singapore, Vietnam, etc). Sharpay is not responsible for Token Sale participants violating the laws, even if the violation is due to ignorance.

The post Sharpay Share Buttons Successfully Raised 2400 ETH in Presale and Announcing Token Sale appeared first on NewsBTC.