This week the two popular Bitcoin Cash social media applications, Memo and Blockpress have rolled out a bunch of new features on each platform. Now users on both platforms can upload pictures, video, and even torrent magnets found on the Pirate Bay.

Also Read: Trading Cryptocurrencies Like a Boss Takes Time and Research

 Memo and Blockpress 

So far over the past couple of weeks, Bitcoin Cash (BCH) supporters have been utilizing two specific BCH-powered social media platforms — Blockpress and Memo. The Memo application arrived on the scene first during the second week of April offering BCH users the ability to write 77 character-long phrases using an on-chain method called an OP_Return transaction. Every action on Memo utilizes a transaction and an extremely small fraction of BCH and over the past few weeks; Memo has added a bunch of new features.

At the end of April news.Bitcoin.com reported on Memo adding additional features like replies, emojis, and a counter for typing. The platform was getting a lot of use seeing more than 3,000 transactions in one day when the developers added the ‘reply’ feature. Now the Memo programmers have added a ‘Topics’ section a place where people can discuss specific subjects such as adding a dislike button to Memo, Christianity, BCH price predictions, flat earth conspiracies, and any topic that’s trending on the application.

Memo Images, Video, and Pirate Bay Magnets

Moreover, on May 10, the Memo development team added image and Youtube video support to the platform. This means Memo users can upload a picture or their favorite Youtube video utilizing an on-chain BCH transaction. The very next day a user implemented a live stream video over the BCH chain using Webtorrent, Memo.cash, and Blockpress. Another added a Pirate Bay torrent magnet using Memo as well in hopes the application can be used for an “uncensorable Pirate Bay.”

Blockpress Also Adds Video and Images, and Says More Features to Come After the May 15 BCH Upgrade  

Then on May 2, another on-chain BCH powered social media application was launched called Blockpress. When Blockpress launched, news.Bitcoin.com spoke with the platform’s developer who calls himself ‘Attila’ and is a big believer in the future of BCH. At launch, Blockpress offered a similar Memo-like platform but looked like a Twitter UI and had the ability to add an avatar picture, and profile cover photo. Just like Memo, the Blockpress platform enables the ability to publish 77 characters via the Bitcoin Cash network.

Then three days ago the Blockpress developer added the ability to add images to posts, a notification feed, community topics, and a sidebar of your followed profiles on Blockpress. Just like the Memo application, a bunch of people are testing out the platform’s newest features. Further, Attila says after the May 15 BCH upgrade the Blockpress platform will have the ability to upload much longer content (Tumblr style — via IPFS and also a 220-byte OP_Return update on May 15).

So far on both platforms, there’s a lot of users sharing their thoughts and content with Memo taking the lead on users since it was launched two weeks before Blockpress. Both BCH-based applications seem to be following a competitive path towards adding new features like images and videos. It will be interesting to see what kind of capabilities Memo and Blockpress get after the upgrade next week.

What do you think about the new features on Memo and Blockpress? Have you tested any of these platforms yet? Let us know in the comments below.

Images via Shutterstock, Blockpress, and Memo. 

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The post BCH-Powered Social Media Apps Launch New Features appeared first on Bitcoin News.

A lot of people were surprised when Japan’s GMO Internet confirmed they would venture into the world of Bitcoin mining. Even so, the firm has been doing so successfully for five months now. In its most recent monthly report, the firm indicated that its hash rate has increased significantly, even though Bitcoin Cash mining has come to a complete halt.

An Interesting Month for GMO Internet

Considering the position of GMO Internet in Japan, it is quite interesting to see how the company looks at all aspects of Bitcoin. In particular, GMO Internet’s mining operation has been of great interest to cryptocurrency enthusiasts all over the world. The firm has set up a mining venture focused on both Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash, which is pretty interesting to take note of.

Since last December, the firm has been mining both cryptocurrencies without any major problems. In fact, the overall hash rate has increased from 22 to 241 petahash per second over the course of those five months. This twelve-fold increase should not be underestimated by any means, as it confirms that the firm is quickly expanding its mining operation.

One particularly interesting point is that the company initially mined a lot more Bitcoin Cash compared to Bitcoin. Although that is not necessarily the biggest of surprises, it did set an interesting tone. As such, most people expected GMO Internet to continue down this line, even though the reality turned out to be very different. In January, the firm mined 80% less BCH, while increasing its Bitcoin output by over 400%.

A lot of interesting changes occurred in February, which was a good month for both Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash mining. With 124 BTC and 287 BCH having been generated during the shortest month of the year, GMO Internet saw healthy revenue from their mining efforts. This trend continued for Bitcoin ever since, whereas Bitcoin Cash mining has tapered off significantly in the past two months, for unknown reasons.

Indeed, GMO Internet mined a total of zero BCH during the month of April. In contrast, they mined 373 Bitcoin, compared to 295 BTC in March. Considering that the company’s overall hash rate nearly doubled from March to April, it is evident that they have had far more success mining Bitcoin than Bitcoin Cash.

For now, it’s unclear how this trend will evolve in the months to come. With GMO Internet improving its cryptocurrency mining venture every single month, they have an abundance of options to explore. A dual focus on Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash is still worth looking into, as it seems unlikely the firm will look into other altcoins anytime soon. If things go according to plan, GMO Internet will reach a total hash rate of 3,000 petahash by late 2018.

Cryptocurrency is an intriguing yet confusing industry. Every time positive momentum takes place, something negative happens to counter it.

Despite this volatile nature of Bitcoin and altcoins, Linxus Management CEO Mark Harrington remains bullish. In a recent interview, the multi-million dollar hedge fund manager stated how now is the time to lock in one’s cryptocurrency investments.

The Volatile Nature of Bitcoin and Altcoins

Most people know all too well how price fluctuations work. It is the inherent nature of any financial product or service. Price stability is an alien concept that is very hard to come by. Even the so-called ‘stablecoins’ tend to fluctuate ever so slightly. However, they maintain their pegged value most of the time without any real problems.

In the world of Bitcoin and altcoins, the situation is very different. Price volatility occurs every single day. Money can be earned and lost in the blink of an eye. One of the golden rules in cryptocurrency trading is how not to let one’s emotions guide the trading behavior. Making impulsive decisions can lead to catastrophic outcomes. It is part of the reason why this industry remains somewhat off-limits to most everyday consumers.

Convincing those people to pay attention to cryptocurrency is not easy. Newly created investment vehicles, such as futures contracts, may make this industry more accessible. Circle Invest is also an interesting creation in this regard. According to hedge fund manager Mark Harrington, now is the time to make strategic investments in various cryptocurrencies. It is pertinent speculators never put all of their eggs in the same basket.

Hedge Fund Interest in Cryptocurrencies

Mark Harrington recently told The Cryptograph how ‘the cryptocurrency market is expected to surge in value in the near future.’ That is a very bullish outlook. Harrington acknowledges some projects are ‘inflated,’  but overall growth will lead to a $1tn market cap in late 2018. Combined with ETFs and qualified custodian accounts, the appeal of cryptocurrency is expected to keep growing.

While one can commend this comment by the hedge fund manager, the future isn’t written yet. With regulators all over the world cracking down on cryptocurrency, important decisions loom on the horizon. During the interview, the Linux management CEO states how the U.S. government ‘has been cooperative’ in this regard. A very interesting phrase, although one that also leaves a lot of room for future speculation.

Various hedge fund managers have shared a bullish outlook on Bitcoin and Ethereum. There is also a significant growth in the number of cryptocurrency-related hedge fund offerings on the market today. All of the stars are seemingly aligning for spectacular growth in the cryptocurrency industry. If Mark Harrington is to be believed, the colossal bull run is on the horizon.

Featured image from Shutterstock.

The post Major Hedge Fund: Cryptocurrency Market Surge Imminent, Build Positions appeared first on NewsBTC.

Trading volumes might be up for bitcoin markets, but support wasn’t there in today’s trading session. Prices kept falling, with USD 9,500 levels also being breached in the process.

The Day’s Signals

1. Selling pressure has been the day’s biggest feat in bitcoin markets with large selloffs making the decisive moves through the day.
2. Bitcoin markets are now under a great layer of uncertainty with the revelation that no level of support above USD 8,500 proved reliable.
3. BTC/USD experienced losses greater than 5% through the day, a development that comes to follow trading sessions through which the price was already falling.

GDAX BTC/USD charts are showcasing how the current state of the market came to be. With large sell orders being the driving force behind today’s downward spiral. Support didn’t seem to come up as the price was falling, even dipping below USD 9,400. The lack of support along with the strong selling pressure is something indicating a more dramatic shift in the market’s sentiment. While the outlook for markets wasn’t very positive to begin with, today’s trading session manages to make matters worse.

OKEX BTC/USD weekly futures charts are showcasing how dramatically the take futures traders had on markets was able to change. Futures rates went from maintaining a positive difference between live market prices to going below live rates at times. Today’s trading session managed to cement the sentiment doubting positive movements as no downward pressure appeared to be receiving a notable positive response.

All in all, traders might be looking for prices substantially lower than even the current bottom reached under such a market sentiment. A day of prices falling without any chances of consideration signals a remarkably negative outlook. This is undoubtedly something that changed for the worst through the last few days. At the moment, the best traders could wish for is a halt to the downtrend and ideally some support being established.

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The post Bitcoin Price Analysis, 12th May 2018: $9,500 Breached as BTC/USD Enters Downward Spiral appeared first on BitcoinNews.com.

Blockchain will help “drive this next industrial revolution,” says Federated Investors’ VP Steve Chiavarone

The container shipping industry is one of the biggest parts of the trade sector. It accounts for more than 60 percent of the maritime trade around the world and is a major backbone of the economy. This amazing industry, however has been facing numerous threats including overcapacity, lower freight rates, security threats including piracy and rogue elements and increasing environmental regulations.

Blockshipping, a Global Shared Container Platform or GSCP is the world’s first registry and joint platform for the over 27 million containers involved in the seaborne freight operations around the globe. This GSCP will allow Blockshipping to handle different aspects of container services with transparency and efficiency like no other. Additionally, it is also hoped that the Blockchain-based service will result in overall industry savings of over $5.7 billion annually due to increased efficiency and reduced wastage and emissions.

Token Event Ratings

The Token Generation Event’s rating on different ICO sties is given below:

• TrackICO: 5/5
• Wiser ICO: 5/5

• ICO Calendar: 5/5
• ICO Street: 4.8/5
• Foundico: 7.8/10
• ICO Marks: 8.1/10
• ICO Stock24: 4.2/5 – “Best ICOs – category: Transport & Logistics”
• ICO Bench: 4/5
• ICO Token News: 4.5/5

Blockshipping’s Awareness Campaign

Blockshipping is on a global awareness campaign for its platform and token generation event. The campaign originated from the most progressive countries, Denmark and Sweden, where blockchain startups are involved in a thriving business atmosphere,  gaining widespread recognition that region. Since the beginning of March, over 100 different pieces have been published in different media outlets around the world about the innovative GSCP project of Blockshipping and its immense future potential.

The Blockshipping.io’s telegram channel has close to 10,000 subscribers as of right now and more than 7,600 followers on Twitter and there is a lot of activity going on in other social media circles.

According to Blockshipping CEO Peter Ludvigsen:

“I am extremely proud to say that a few days ago Blockshipping obtained confirmation from a global container carrier that they will join our GSCP platform as our first customer. This is a carrier in the 10-20 global ranking who has also confirmed that they will join our Customer advisory board.”

Blockshipping.io Token Generation Event

The Blockshipping TGE will start  May 14, 2018 and will continue onwards from there. Furthermore, the token event comes on the back of a successful pre-TGE that met its goals, indeed the future is looking quite bright for the startup.

The Blockshipping.io has a different token model than other platforms. It includes two different token models. They are:

• The internal utility token, Container Platform Token – CPT
• The external Revenue Share Token, Container Crypto Coin – CCC

The CCC tokens can be purchased in the Blockshipping Token Generation Event. Backers can purchase these tokens through Ethereum, Bitcoin, bank transfers (USD, EUR, DKK) or via debit or credit card.

To learn more or participate in the token sale visit the Website: www.blockshipping.io

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The post Decentralized Shipping Startup BlockShipping Announces Token Sale from 14th May appeared first on BitcoinNews.com.

At ConsenSys’ Ethereal Summit, the focus was on reaching those people that aren’t already a part of the blockchain space.

Breaking down ERC-20 tokens and its standards

This article originally appeared on Bitcoin Magazine.