Day: January 16, 2019

2019 a Year of Accumulation For Bitcoin, Recovery by Year’s End

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Bitcoin could see a recovery by the end of 2019. | Source: Shutterstock In the past 24 hours, the crypto market has recovered from $120 to $123 billion as the Bitcoin price avoided a further drop below the $3,600 mark. The bitcoin price avoided a further drop below $3,600. Ethereum has also been able to rebound relatively quickly from the delay of the Constantinople hard fork, which initially caused a 10 percent drop from $130 to $116. Slow Grind Up For Bitcoin Expected in 2019 Due to the intensity of…

Blockchain Consortium R3 Launches Corda Network and Independent Governance Foundation

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Enterprise blockchain software firm R3 has announced the launch of its Corda Network, which will be operated and overseen by a newly created not-for-profit organization, the Corda Network Foundation. The announcement was made in an R3 press release published on Jan. 16. R3 has to date reportedly gathered over 300 partners from across multiple industries — both the private and public sector —  to collaborate on developing Corda, its open-source blockchain platform, as well as its business-oriented offshoot Corda Enterprise. The Corda Network will reportedly serve as a base layer…

Leading Ethereum Researcher Vlad Zamfir to Collaborate with Casper Labs to Speed Up CBC Upgrade

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If you are an Ethereum aficionado, you know that one of their lead researchers, Vlad Zamfir, has been an integral part of the blockchain team since 2014. He is now primed to collaborate with the VC-based startup Casper Labs to speed up the Casper upgrade, although Ethereum will be partially funding his research. Casper Labs has raised in the region of $20 million and are in the throes of creating a “fully scalable blockchain”. As Zamfir was helping Ethereum with their scalability issues, his new role with Casper Labs makes sense.…

Only XRP Private Keys That Used Software From Before August 2015 Are Vulnerable

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Ripple (XRP) software libraries published before August 2015 potentially rendered private keys which signed multiple transactions vulnerable, Ripple announced in a statement released on Jan 16. Recent research jointly conducted by the DFINITY Foundation and the University of California revealed that a portion of Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and Ripple addresses are vulnerable. As is known among cryptographers, the security of Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithms (ECDAs) employed by the aforementioned cryptocurrencies is highly dependent on random data, which are known as nonces. The research further explains: “It is well…

Bitcoin ETF Approval Could Ease EU Regulators Concerns About Crypto

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Since the birth of Bitcoin, crypto assets have been in a regulatory grey zone. And for years on end, regulators across the globe left this industry’s constituents alone, seemingly deeming that cryptocurrencies weren’t a bonafide threat to society. However, following the advent of the Silk Road, Mt. Gox, and 2017’s monumental rally, governmental incumbents have sought to crack down on this space en-masse. While efforts are being made, many entities are still determining what’s shortcomings cryptocurrencies fall victim to, creating a harsh environment for innovators and forward-thinkers. European Authority Concerned About…

Platform Launched in Belarus to Allow Users Buy Traditional Assets with Bitcoin

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VP Capital and Larnabel Ventures, two information technology-focused venture firms in crypto-friendly Belarus have launched a platform that makes it possible for users to buy tokenized traditional assets such as gold, oil, shares of companies and more, using bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, reported Reuters on January 15, 2019.   Belarusians Now Buying Shares and Gold with Bitcoin Cryptocurrency investors in Belarus can now invest in traditional assets like shares of global firms, precious metals, foreign exchange and more using bitcoin and other digital assets. Launched by two IT-centric companies, VP Capital…

Cryptopia Exchange Goes Offline After Hack

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A New Zealand-based crypto-currency trading company went offline after it was hacked at the weekend. Cryptopia, based in Christchurch, announced on Twitter that on January 14, it suffered a security breach that resulted in significant losses. “Once identified, the exchange was put into maintenance while we assessed damages,” it added. The exchange has not disclosed the value of the losses, the tokens and currencies affected or any measures to refund users. But Whale Alert, which tracks large crypto transactions, reported that 19,391 ether (ETH) tokens worth nearly $2.44 million, and…

Following Bankruptcy Filing, Mining Firm Giga Watt Reportedly Closes Day-to-Day Operations

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Major crypto mining and blockchain firm Giga Watt has reportedly closed access and power to its facilities and stopped day-to-day operations, according to a note to clients reposted in a Telegram group on Jan. 15. Following its bankruptcy filing in November 2018, the former top-five crypto mining firm reportedly notified its clients that any cryptocurrency remaining in customer wallets will be available for withdrawal until March via the Giga Watt dashboard. As for mining equipment, Telegram user JP reposted in the customer support Telegram channel an email purportedly from the…

Bear Market Is Not a Reason to Bury Cryptocurrencies

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The massive 2018 bear market is not a reason to bury crypto, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev claimed in a speech at the Gaidar forum. Russian news agency TASS reported on Medvedev’s comments yesterday, Jan. 15. Medvedev outlined the current crypto market situation as one of the main questions on the world community’s agenda, along with other challenges such as shifts in traditional markets, a rise in protectionism and social inequalities, and the speed and scope of global digital transformation. Speaking at the annual international scientific conference on the economy,…

Will Bitcoin’s Price Extend Its Four-Year January Losing Streak?

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Bitcoin (BTC) has reported losses in January for the last four years, and a fifth now looks on the cards. The leading cryptocurrency by market value fell 32 percent, 14.6 percent, 0.10 percent and 26.64 percent in the first month of 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, respectively, according to CoinDesk’s Bitcoin Price Index. Notably, the odds are stacked in favor of BTC extending the four-year January losing streak this year. BTC fell 13 percent last week, signaling an end of the corrective bounce from the December low of $3,122. The…