Day: December 9, 2019

Blockchain and DLT in International Trade

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Distributed ledger technology, colloquially termed “blockchain,” is making a bold promise to help bring the trade industry into the digital age. To help shed light on the intricate workings of the technology and the role that it is playing in the international trade industry, Trade Finance Global partnered up with the World Trade Organization earlier this month to produce a 56-page report titled “Blockchain & DLT in Trade: A Reality Check,” endorsed by the International Chamber of Commerce. David Bischof, deputy director at the ICC’s finance for development hub, shared…

US SEC Seeks to Reopen Case Against Bitcoin Fraudster, Seeks Penalties

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The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed to reopen a case against Bitcoin (BTC) fraudster Renwick Haddow as he has not resolved the regulator’s claims for monetary relief against him. On Dec. 6, The agency submitted a letter to Judge Lorna G. Schofield of the New York Southern District Court requesting to reopen the case against Haddow. Last year, the SEC accused Haddow of defrauding Bitcoin investors out of over $37 million. The court found him guilty in June of 2019. Claims against Haddow In the letter,…

Bitcoin Eyes Crash Towards $6K as Market’s Distress Grows

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Bitcoin opened on a faint note this Monday as the market showed a lack of sense of direction owing to low volatility. The world’s leading cryptocurrency was trading at around $7,575.27 as of 1429 UTC after rising by 0.8 percent since the market open. The move upside brought the asset’s net month-to-date gains up by 0.4 percent. It additionally revealed traders’ fear of making big moves after bitcoin established its seven-month low in November, followed by an alarming pump-and-dump behavior on spot exchanges in the first week of December. The…

Bitcoin Eyes Crash Towards $6K as Market’s Distress Grows

boss

Bitcoin opened on a faint note this Monday as the market showed a lack of sense of direction owing to low volatility. The world’s leading cryptocurrency was trading at around $7,575.27 as of 1429 UTC after rising by 0.8 percent since the market open. The move upside brought the asset’s net month-to-date gains up by 0.4 percent. It additionally revealed traders’ fear of making big moves after bitcoin established its seven-month low in November, followed by an alarming pump-and-dump behavior on spot exchanges in the first week of December. The…

Huobi US Is Abruptly Halting Exchange Operations

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The company said in a notice that it would shut down trading services on Dec. 15, 2019. Customers have until Jan. 31, 2020 to withdraw all of their assets. Any customers who have insufficient balances to meet the minimum withdrawal requirements “are encouraged” to convert their assets into another crypto or fiat to see if they can meet alternative minimum requirements, according to an FAQ. Source

Bakkt Launches 1st Regulated BTC Options as CEO Enters US Senate

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The Intercontinental Exchange (ICE)’s digital asset platform Bakkt has launched the first regulated Bitcoin (BTC) options and cash-settled futures in the United States. According to an announcement on Dec. 9, Bakkt is now using its physically settled Bitcoin contracts as a benchmark to build complementary products. Bakkt’s monthly futures contract will be a benchmark for other new products The news was announced in a blog post by Bakkt COO Adam White. The post reads: “By starting with the physically delivered Bakkt Bitcoin (USD) Monthly Futures, we have a benchmark contract…

Ethereum Completes Istanbul Hard Fork: Aiming for 3K Transactions Per Second

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A big congratulations to the Ethereum (ETH)trade community and the global crypto industry at large. The long expected Ethereum’s hard fork tagged ‘Istanbul’ is finally here and over. Okay, not entirely over as two other networks are expected to go live in the first quarter of 2020. Notwithstanding, the just-concluded upgrade of the second-largest cryptocurrency (by market capitalization) was a total success and it poses great hope for the future of crypto. The hard fork, which took place at block number 9,069,000, saw a successful upgrade at six different stages.…

Lithuanian Central Bank Announces Blockchain Collector Coin

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The Bank of Lithuania announced that it will release a digital, blockchain-based collector coin in the spring of 2020, according to a press release on Dec. 9. The coin is dedicated to the Act of Independence of Lithuania on Feb. 16, 1918, and its 20 signatories. In homage to the year of the act, the coin will bear a denomination of 19.18 euros, while its size and form will resemble a credit card. Bank of Lithuania board member Marius Jurgilas said they chose the theme because of the significant role…

Bakkt Launches Bitcoin Options and Cash-Settled Futures

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As Bakkt has announced in its blog post, Bitcoin monthly options and cash-settled futures are now available. The recent post provides more details on these new offerings. Bakkt Bitcoin (USD) monthly options are based on the benchmark Bakkt Bitcoin (USD) Monthly Futures contract. It is the first CFTC regulated product of this kind. These options will offer new opportunities for trading and earning for traders from all over the world. Bakkt Bitcoin (USD) cash-settled futures are now available, as expected, on ICE Futures Singapore. This product is aimed at though market…