Bitcoin stumbles out of 2018 starting blocks
Bitcoin is already having a bad year. For the first time since 2015, the cryptocurrency began a new year by tumbling, extending its slide from a record $US19,511 reached on December 18. The virtual coin traded at $US13,150 as of 12.58pm in New York, down 8.1 per cent from Friday, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. That’s also a fall from the $US14,156 it hit Sunday, according to coinmarketcap.com, which tracks daily prices. Bitcoin got off to a much stronger start last year, and then kept that momentum going, eventually creating a global frenzy for cryptocurrencies. In a sign of its phenomenal price gain in 2017, it rose 3.6 per cent […]
Ripple’s 53 per cent surge makes it the 2nd-biggest cryptocurrency
A new contender has moved into second place in the race to catch bitcoin. Ripple, a cryptocurrency that first surfaced in 2013, surged 53 per cent in 24 hours to surpass ethereum and take the title of the world’s second-most valuable digital coin by market cap on Saturday US time. Ripple’s market value rocketed to $US86 billion ($110 billion), making ether No.3 at $US73 billion. Bitcoin’s market cap is near $US250 billion. It’s the latest twist in the crypto saga known as the “flippening”. That’s what ether enthusiasts call the coin’s anticipated rise to the most valuable by market cap. Rather than catching up to bitcoin, though, ether has fallen […]
Is bitcoin back? Cryptocurrency passes $US16,000 as rebound begins
Bitcoin rallied past $US16,000 ($20,705) on Tuesday US time as traders of the world’s biggest digital currency sought to draw a line under its rollercoaster five-day slump. The tokens rose 16 per cent to as much as $US16,132.09, the biggest gain on a closing basis in more than two weeks and the first in six days. It traded higher by 14 per cent to $US15,659.9 as of 1.36pm in New York. Rival currencies litecoin and ethereum were up 4.4 per cent and 2.6 per cent, respectively, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. High trading volumes at Coinbase, one of the biggest exchanges, forced the company to issue a warning on its website that […]
Cryptocurrency wallet temporarily restricts Australian dollar deposits
Popular cryptocurrency wallet CoinSpot has stopped accepting deposits in Australian dollars, blaming local banks for being “unwilling to work” together. In a blog post updated this morning, CoinSpot said the restriction on all forms of AUD deposits will remain in effect until at least the first week of the new year. “We assure you we are just as unhappy with the situation as you,” the platform writes on its blog. “But unfortunately Australian banks have been so far unwilling to work with the digital currency industry which leads to frequent account closures and strict limits on accounts whilst they remain operational, in effect debanking our industry.” The digital wallet service […]
Australian startups share tips on how to raise early stage funding
The early stage funding could be challenging for several startups, including those from Australia. Some Australian startups admitted they did not have the expertise or knowledge of how to raise funds, a new survey has found. The new Startup Muster, a poll of the Australian startup ecosystem, showed that 12.9 percent said they did not possess the expertise to raise funds. SafetyCulture CEO and founder Luke Anear offered an advice, saying startups must not go to an investor meeting and ask for cash. Anear said the approach should be like in dating. A startup needs to know the investor first before accepting an investment. “You don’t get married on your […]
Australian fintech company BRICKX has had a 2017 to remember
It’s been a BIG year for Australian fintech company BRICKX. In the last 12 months BRICKX has: Helped more than 6,000 people access property investment Expanded our portfolio to 14 properties across three States Grown to 15 dedicated team members Attracted investment from the Westpac backed venture capital firm Reinventure BRICKX also won a swag of awards including: REA’s Excellence Award for Game Changer of the Year CANSTAR’s Innovation Excellence Award Talent Unleashed’s Best Startup for Tech or Digital Innovation Fintech Australia’s FINNIE for Excellence in Establishing Market Presence Fintech Business Award for Platform Innovator of the Year FinTECH Award for Best FinTech Communications Campaign What’s next? By […]
The time is now for financial advisers to embrace fintechs
Advisers need to think about fintech services as more than just potential competitors for their market and start thinking about how to capitalise on the sectors’ strengths, writes Sharesight’s Douglas Morris. Recently, the Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) released a white paper on fintech titled Mapping Fintech to the Financial Planning Process – Why Fintech is Not a Threat. “Not a threat” meaning fintech provides an opportunity for financial advisers as opposed to eating a financial planner’s lunch. The FPA has done a commendable job assessing the landscape, asking the right questions and separating out what really should concern financial advisers. Disruptive moments are paired with opportunity and they’ve […]
Traders brace for volatile bitcoin futures launch
The newest way to bet on bitcoin will arrive when futures of the cryptocurrency that has taken Wall Street by a storm begin trading. The first bitcoin future trades are set to kick off at 6pm New York time on Sunday (10AM AEDT Monday) on CBOE Global Markets Inc’s CBOE Futures Exchange. This has given an extra kick to the cryptocurrency’s scorching run this year. Bitcoin’s price soared so far this month, but it has made sharp moves in both directions in recent days, falling by almost a fifth on Friday after surging more than 40 per cent in the previous 48 hours. On Sunday, bitcoin was up about 3 […]
