Microsoft Releases Blockchain Manager App

Microsoft announced its fully managed Azure Blockchain Service in a press release on May 2. The new blockchain-as-a-service (BaaS) platform will purportedly allow users to build blockchain applications on preconfigured network.  According to Microsoft’s head of corporate communications, Frank Shaw, this service “simplifies the formation, management, and governance of consortium blockchain networks.” Shaw further noted that Azure Blockchain Service can create a new consortium network “in a few simple clicks,” or let the user perform basic operations like adding new members to the network. Quorum, an open source blockchain platform…

Former CFTC Chair Gary Gensler Says Crypto Market Needs Regulation in Order to Grow

Former chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Gary Gensler said that the cryptocurrency market needs regulation in order to grow, because consumers must be protected. Gensler shared his views with Cointelegraph at the Business of Blockchain event at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on May 2. Speaking about the perspective on such services and products as custody and bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded funds (ETFs), Gensler argued that for the market to prosper and potentially grow, investors should know that they have both investor and consumer protection embodied in the…

Upgraded Hyperledger Fabric Sees 7-Fold Increase in Transaction Speed

Researchers have re-engineered the Hyperledger Fabric to support almost seven times more transactions per second (TPS), according to a May 2 news release from Canada’s University of Waterloo. A new series of optimizations increased the volume of data that the blockchain — used by financial institutions, IT giants and engineering companies — can process. Where it formerly maxed out around 3,000 TPS, the researchers claim they managed to achieve 20,000 TPS. The university’s work focused on improving “end-to-end transaction throughput” by redesigning Fabric’s ordering service, transaction service and data management…

US District Attorney Seeks to Retain Defendant in Crypto Shadow Banking Case

The United States Attorney for the District of Arizona (DA) is seeking to retain a defendant in custody in a case of alleged shadow banking for cryptocurrency companies. In a court filing released on May 1, the DA states that they are concerned the accused will flee. The filing follows the official announcement published by the Southern District of New York Attorney in April, ordering to charge an Arizona citizen Reginald Fowler and Israeli woman Ravid Yosef for allegedly operating an unlicensed money transferring business and bank fraud. The recent…

True Ranking of Crypto Exchanges According to Blockchain Data

“During a gold rush, it’s a good time to be in the pick and shovel business.” - As the business adage goes, many new cryptocurrency exchanges have popped up in the past year to take advantage of the gold rush in cryptocurrency markets.  Surprisingly, several newcomers appear to be overtaking incumbent players in terms of reported trading volume. Many new exchanges - including BitMax, Fcoin, Coinbene, ZB.com, Fatbtc, LBank, and Bibox -have all reported trading volumes greater than established players such as Binance, Kraken, and Bitfinex. However there are good reasons to be skeptical…

Bitcoin Generation Claps Back at SEC Over ‘Reckless’ Trading Suspension

By CCN: Following the suspension of trading in Bitcoin Generation (BTGN), a regulated exchange based in Oklahoma whose stock trades in the OTC market, the company has responded. SEC “Highly Prejudicial,” Says Bitcoin Generation The company says the U.S. SEC did not even inquire with them before freezing trading. CEO Deniz Hadjiev wrote this reporter saying, in part: “We welcome regulators involvement into the crypto industry, but what we don’t accept is a unilateral decision to suspend our stock without even a request for information and this is not only reckless…

Bitcoin Generation Claps Back at SEC Over ‘Reckless’ Trading Suspension

By CCN: Following the suspension of trading in Bitcoin Generation (BTGN), a regulated exchange based in Oklahoma whose stock trades in the OTC market, the company has responded. SEC “Highly Prejudicial,” Says Bitcoin Generation The company says the U.S. SEC did not even inquire with them before freezing trading. CEO Deniz Hadjiev wrote this reporter saying, in part: “We welcome regulators involvement into the crypto industry, but what we don’t accept is a unilateral decision to suspend our stock without even a request for information and this is not only reckless…

New Zealand Churches Deny Affiliation With Crypto Ponzi Scheme OneCoin

A New Zealand church accused of colluding with a cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme in targeting the congregation, has denied knowingly participating in illegal activity in a Facebook statement on May 2. The Samoan Independent Seventh Day Adventist Church (SISDAC) is one of two places of worship accused of having links to OneCoin, which raised hundreds of millions of dollars worldwide by luring investors with the promise of huge returns. According to RadioNZ, the scam specifically targeted New Zealand’s Samoan community — with OneCoin workers using SISDAC and the Samoa Worship Center “to reach a vast network…

Indian Tech Firm Tech Mahindra to Combat Spam Phone Calls With Blockchain

Indian technology company Tech Mahindra will be implementing an anti-spam call solution powered by blockchain, Indian business daily Business Today reports on May 2. This solution will allow phone companies to comply with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)’s regulations to protect mobile phone subscribers from unsolicited Commercial Communication (UCC), which will come into effect in the last week of May. Rajesh Dhuddu, Global Practice Leader of Blockchain at Tech Mahindra said that the TRAI regulations will affect 800 million subscribers. The solution uses blockchain tech to save and…

Coinbase Wallet Adds Support for Dogecoin to Wallet App

American major cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has added support for Dogecoin (DOGE) to its crypto wallet service Coinbase Wallet, according to an announcement published on May 1. The announcement states that users can now store DOGE directly in the Coinbase Wallet app. The coin thus joined other digital currencies —  bitcoin (BTC), ethereum (ETH), bitcoin cash (BCH), ethereum classic (ETC), Ripple (XRP), Stellar Lumens (XLM) —  already supported by the wallet. The wallet also supports the DOGE Testnet. DOGE was initially invented in 2013 as a joke currency, the logo of…