Visa, one of the largest and biggest payment systems in the world, is set to acquire one of the world’s largest financial technology (fintech) firms Plaid in a massive $5.3 billion deal. The payment giant, in a press release published two days ago, touted the fintech firm for the crucial roles it plays in the financial markets. As the major link between the financial world and the tech community, Visa looks to provide better customer service via the merge. Plaid is a network that makes it possible to link financial…
Day: January 15, 2020
Bitstamp Crypto Exchange to Pilot Leverage Trading via Bank Partnership
The twelfth-largest cryptocurrency exchange, Bitstamp, partnered with cryptocurrency-friendly Silvergate Bank to pilot Bitcoin (BTC) leveraged trading. According to an announcement on Jan. 14, the exchange will serve as the launch partner for the bank’s Silvergate Exchange Network (SEN) Leverage service. During the pilot stage, the exchange will only offer leveraged trading to select institutional customers. The only collateral currently supported by the service is Bitcoin, which will be custodied by Bitstamp as Silvergate Bank’s first exchange partner. Silvergate Bank’s friendliness towards cryptocurrency businesses is seemingly paying off as it has…
UN Warns Against Attending North Korean Crypto Conference Next Month
The United Nations is warning about the risks of attending North Korea’s cryptocurrency conference in February. Reuters reports Wednesday that going to the event would probably be a violation of international sanctions, according to a confidential report soon to be put before the U.N. Security Council. The news comes after ethereum developer Virgil Griffith was arrested and more recently indicted over attending the conference to give a talk last April. Griffith has been charged with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. North Korea has been accused in…
Interview With Daniel Marco on the State of Blockchain in Catalonia
Several years ago, a blockchain strategy for Catalonia was revealed to the world, presenting a comprehensive outline of how a government — albeit a local one — can in time switch to being an e-government. Such a model would be backed by various blockchain systems that would accommodate the needs of the citizens for digital identities and voting, and could even be used to follow budgetary spending and recycling. It is a brave and ambitious plan — though, not one that many have heard about, likely due to the lack…
Bitcoin Eyes $9K After Biggest Single-Day Rise in a Month
View Bitcoin violated crucial resistance near $8,460 on Tuesday, strengthening the case for a rise to the 200-day average at $9,100. The pullback seen in the last 12 hours or so lacks volume support and could be short-lived. Acceptance under Tuesday’s low of $8,100 would abort the short-term bullish bias. Indicators, however, are reporting strong bullish momentum, so a drop below $8,100 looks unlikely. Bitcoin jumped sharply on Tuesday, violating key resistance and opening the doors for a test of a widely followed technical line above $9,000. The number one…
Bitwise Withdraws Long-Standing Bitcoin ETF Application
A Jan. 14 form with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) confirms that Bitwise Asset Management requested the withdrawal of its application for a Bitcoin (BTC) Exchange Traded Fund (ETF). This is the second major ETF withdrawal in recent months following similar actions by VanEck. Bitwise applied for ETF registration in January 2019. In March of the same year, it had released the Bitwise Report on exchange volume, claiming that 95% of trading volume is fabricated. The finding was used by the company as an argument for the…
Bitcoin Price ‘Cools Off’ at 8.7K After Best January Gains Since 2012
Bitcoin (BTC) calmed its bullish growth after a week of gains on Jan. 15, settling just below its highest levels in two months. Cryptocurrency market daily overview. Source: Coin360 BTC steadies 12% higher Data from Coin360 and Cointelegraph Markets showed BTC/USD hitting local highs of $8,885 on Tuesday, before a slight retracement an area around $8,700. Bitcoin 7-day price chart. Source: Coin360 The repositioning caps a frenetic few days for the largest cryptocurrency, which cemented weekly gains of over 12% in just five days. So far, January 2020 has already…
Top Trader Reveals Actual Reason Behind Bitcoin SV Pump, And Why It’s Unsustainable
The price of Bitcoin SV (BSV) increased by 123 percent on a single day, on January 14. Many factors were discussed as reasons behind its upsurge, but one top crypto trader 5 pointed towards a different factor. Joe007, the best performing trader on Bitfinex, a top three crypto margin trading platform in the global market, said it is the lack of support for BSV on major exchanges that contributed to its overnight spike. Why would lack of support contribute to Bitcoin SV upsurge? One of the main reasons why most…
Top Trader Reveals Actual Reason Behind Bitcoin SV Pump, And Why It’s Unsustainable
The price of Bitcoin SV (BSV) increased by 123 percent on a single day, on January 14. Many factors were discussed as reasons behind its upsurge, but one top crypto trader 5 pointed towards a different factor. Joe007, the best performing trader on Bitfinex, a top three crypto margin trading platform in the global market, said it is the lack of support for BSV on major exchanges that contributed to its overnight spike. Why would lack of support contribute to Bitcoin SV upsurge? One of the main reasons why most…
Bitwise Withdraws Bitcoin ETF Application With the SEC
Bitwise Asset Management has withdrawn its application with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for its proposed bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF). The firm requested the withdrawal in a filing posted with the SEC on Tuesday. While the news may disappoint those in the investment community keen to see the first ever bitcoin ETF in the U.S., the news is unsurprising. The proposal has already been rejected by the SEC in October, although the regulator said soon after that it was reviewing the rejection. The proposal, filed in conjunction with NYSE…