What you need to know about Digital Currency security
Last year, the value of the major cryptocurrencies, led by Bitcoin, increased by over 2,000%, leading many investors to believe that digital currencies were truly the investment asset class of the present and future. However, there are many factors which have weighed on the minds of cryptocurrency traders and long-term investors this year such as future regulations, security issues, and real-world applications of digital coins. In fact, many of these factors are what caused the recent meltdown of cryptocurrency value at the beginning of 2018. While many cryptocurrency experts feel that regulation is key to legitimizing the digital currency markets, the security issues still pose a problem for them when […]
Crypto payments slash transaction costs
Cryptocurrency is a lucrative payments option for slashing transaction fees and building a longer-term business savings fund, a Melbourne business owner has claimed. Robert Tadros, founder of Melbourne digital media agency Impress!ve, which has 19 staff and a revenue of $3.5 million in its first two years, began accepting crypto payments for his services around seven months ago. The business accepts four of the main digital currencies: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and Ripple. “A client who is in the online retail space reached out and said: ‘Rob, I buy a lot of my furniture from Overstocked.com, they accept bitcoin as payment; have you considered offering your service for crypto?’,” Mr Tadros […]
Anonymous Bitcoin investor buys $400 million worth of crypto
An anonymous cryptocurrency trader has snapped up $400 million worth of Bitcoin as the digital currency continues to recover the heavy losses experienced in 2018. Recorded on the blockchain, the unknown investor snapped up the inordinate purchase sometime between February 9 and 12. Because every transaction made in Bitcoin is recorded on a digital ledger known as “the blockchain”, no movement of money is invisible – but the parties who make the transactions are still unknown. It’s presumed the mysterious buyer was “buying the dip” by purchasing when Bitcoin was at a two-month low of between $US 8,689 and $US 8,070. Since the purchase, Bitcoin has shot up to its […]
Local cryptocurrency exchange gets certified
As investors and regulators around the world attempt to peer into the deep, dark jungle that is digital currency, one Australian exchange operator hopes it has found a way to shine a bit of light by becoming the first business of its kind to get industry certification. BTC Markets is the first Australian exchange to be certified by the Australian Digital Commerce Association, the industry body for the digital currency sector. The Melbourne-based cryptocurrency exchange demonstrated that “rigorous” standards were achieved in meeting the expectations of multiple Australian regulators, most notably AUSTRAC. Operators of Australian exchanges for Bitcoin and other digital currencies need to register with the country’s anti-money laundering […]
Bitcoin: Westpac, NAB and ANZ hold off on CBA-style credit card ban
ANZ, Westpac and NAB have confirmed they do not currently plan to emulate the Commonwealth Bank’s ban on the use of its credit cards to purchase Bitcoin and similar cryptocurrencies. “Due to the unregulated and highly volatile nature of virtual currencies, customers will no longer be able to use their CommBank credit cards to buy virtual currencies,” CBA announced earlier this week. Bitcoin’s value has swung wildly in recent months, dropping from US$19,000 in late 2017 to close to $6000 earlier this month. Coinmarketcap currently pegs it at just over $10,000. CBA said that customers could still purchase Bitcoin as well as other digital currencies by using their debit cards […]
Is it worth mining bitcoin in Australia?
The fluctuating market for bitcoin and cost of producing coins mean players in the market need to think about whether mining is worth the cost. With the price of bitcoin moving through peaks and troughs almost every week and energy costs on the rise, the question of whether it’s worth mining bitcoin needs to be addressed. It’s possible that trading coins that are already in the market is a better strategy that expending the energy to mine your own coins. Reporting on data collated by Elite Fixtures that was sourced from Blockchain.info and reported by CNBC, bitcoin mining is most expensive in South Korea with Venezuela being the least expensive […]
Crypto hype drives new partnership
An SMSF administrator is teaming up with a cryptocurrency brokerage firm to help investors achieve greater portfolio diversification. A new partnership between Xpress Super and Bitcoin Trader will provide SMSF investors with access to five of the top cryptocurrencies in the market: bitcoin, ethereum, bitcoin cash, DASH and ripple. Xpress Super chief executive Olivia Long said the new partnership is in response to growing investor demand for digital currencies, saying the administrator has been inundated with inquiries from trustees. “Our role as SMSF compliance specialists isn’t to give advice to self-directed investors on whether this is the right investment option for their fund, but to ensure they are compliant if […]
Despite bitcoin crash, initial coin offerings attract Aussies to make money online
Warren Stokes knew nothing about bitcoin until his son began receiving yellow postal bags filled with $50 notes in the mail. The cash was from cryptocurrency trading when his son was still in high school — about seven years ago. “He explained to me he was on a group on reddit — 1,000 people were joining their computers together to mine, and again, honestly, I had no idea what he was talking about.” Mr Stokes, 58, is now a casual “crypto” investor himself. At a recent cryptocurrency meet-up in Sydney, he was there to learn about the latest craze: initial coin offerings (ICOs). An ICO uses blockchain technology to issue […]
