Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies plunge as regulation, demand concerns linger
Bitcoin has slumped, dragging down smaller rivals such as ether and litecoin, as concerns that regulators will tighten their grip on the market weigh on the world’s largest cryptocurrency. Regulators in China and South Korea are increasing oversight on cryptocurrency trading and mining, while the US Securities and Exchange Commission late last year started cracking down on some digital token sales, known as ICOs. Coinmarketcap.com’s decision to exclude Korean pricing data for coins helped create the appearance of a large drop in prices, which some traders attributed as playing a part in the selloff. “News on the regulatory front is dragging down cryptos,” said Gabor Gurbacs, director of digital-asset strategy […]
Bitcoin competitor Ripple value climbs, almost beating Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg
The virtual currency boom has gotten so heated that it is throwing the list of the world’s richest people into disarray. Consider what has happened to the founders of an upstart virtual currency known as Ripple, which has seen its value skyrocket in recent weeks. At one point on Thursday, Chris Larsen, a Ripple co-founder who is also the largest holder of Ripple tokens, was worth more than $US59 billion ($75 billion), according to Forbes. That would have briefly vaulted Mr. Larsen ahead of Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg into fifth place on the Forbes list of the world’s richest people. Other top Ripple holders would have also zoomed up […]
Central banks investigate digital currencies following bitcoin boom
No statements, no accounts, no fees, and definitely no waiting for your money to arrive. That could be your financial future in a world where banks have been replaced by a single, unique “key” which would let you directly transfer and receive money instantly from anywhere in the world. It’s something central banks from the UK to Israel and Australia are actively assessing as they consider whether to develop their own cryptocurrencies to mirror the benefits of bitcoin, while minimising the ability to launder money or evade taxes. Head of the Cyber Academy at Edinburgh Napier University, Bill Buchanan said many are now putting their “toe in the water” to […]
Will national cryptocurrencies kill off Bitcoin?
Governments are extremely worried about cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin. These virtual currencies mean you can make payments without involving the banks that most economies and government financial models are built on. People can transfer large amounts of money without the authorities knowing, potentially making it easier to evade tax or launder money. So several countries’ central banks, including the Bank of England and the Bank of Israel, are reportedly planning to launch their own digital currencies. This could help lure people back into using an official system that combines some of the benefits of both traditional and crypto- currencies. But the risks involved may be too great for many typical […]
Truth and fiction in blockchain’s brave new world
Before Christmas, a fascinating new phenomenon began to manifest itself. Companies previously not greatly valued by the stock market were finding that the simple addition of a word to their corporate identities could multiply their worth many times over. The word was “blockchain”. Soft drinks companies and obscure software firms alike were being transformed into potential tech juggernauts. Or so their share performances would have us believe. However, the most interesting thing about all this is not that the stock market is easily dazzled by industry hype. That has been true for a while. It is the way a word can be detached from its original or literal meaning and […]
The complete cryptocurrency list: Every altcoin, its symbol and how to buy it
With over 1370 cryptocurrency coins available for purchase, keeping track of which altcoin matches which code and symbol is no easy task. Until finder’s cryptocurrency list, that is. The whole world is talking about cryptocurrency, and plenty of people are making a lot of money in the process. What started slowly with the single idea of bitcoin has suddenly exploded into a supernova of activity. It’s hard to believe that over 1,370 coins are already on the market, with more expected to arrive in 2018. It’s a volatile, yet exciting, phenomenon that has bought investment and trading to the masses. To help you keep on top of it all, below […]
Coinspot rubbishes liquidity claims, says it is ‘getting closer’ to turning on Australian dollar deposits
Aussie cryptocurrency exchange Coinspot has described warnings of liquidity issues due to too many customers cashing out as “absolute rubbish and untrue”.
Aussie crypto exchange turns attention to new laws
BTC Markets expects delays, fine-tuning. Australian cryptocurrency exchange BTC Markets has warned users to expect deposit and withdrawal delays as it “fine-tunes” transaction monitoring systems to meet new legal obligations. Last month, financial regulator AUSTRAC was handed the authority to monitor local digital currency exchanges under new Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML-CTF) laws. It’s the first time Australia’s digital currency sector has been regulated, and BTC Markets is the first local exchange to detail what that might mean for its operations. The company said it already verified “the identity of our users, their source of funds, and the purpose of their transactions as they occur on our platform … […]
