Month: September 2019

Global negative-yielding debt is now over $17 trillion, making investors extremely nervous. And it is forcing them to focus on non-traditional assets, like bitcoin. Investing in Debt and Holding it to Maturity Guarantees a Loss Investors are becoming increasingly fearful as they see that the soaring negative-yielding debt is altering the global economy. According to Bloomberg, “The global stock of negative-yielding debt is now in excess of $17 trillion as rising market volatility lends extra force to this year’s unprecedented Read more …

Last week, Big Four firm Deloitte unveiled a mobile platform designed to host blockchain networks on a small scale for demonstration purposes. The product is “based on client interest in understanding blockchain capabilities in live interactions,” as per the press release.  With this move, the Big Four companies — comprised of Deloitte, PwC, Ernst & Young (EY) and KPMG — continue their expansion into the field of blockchain. Combined, the firms brought in over $148 billion in revenue last year, Read more …

With increased scalability and compatibility options, does Telegram’s TON blockchain threaten to take over from Ethereum? | Source: Shutterstock. Image Edited by CCN. With just over a month left until the TON blockchain officially launches, Telegram’s debut cryptocurrency project is shaping up to be one of Ethereum’s biggest threats to date. Numerous would-be assassins have lined up to close out the contract on the world’s largest blockchain platform in recent years – all with little success. But with Ethereum compatibility Read more …

The long-awaited Bakkt platform will start accepting depositс of funds in the Bakkt Warehouse starting Sep. 6. The futures platform will launch on Sep. 23 and is expected to attract institutional investors because the settlement will be in Bitcoin (BTC) and the platform will offer the same cyber and physical security protections as the New York Stock Exchange.  Telegram Open Network’s (TON) blockchain public testing is expected to start on Sep. 1, according to sources. The blockchain will be integrated Read more …

It has been almost a decade since Dan Senor and Saul Singer penned “Start-Up Nation,” their ode to the Israeli tech sector. The book, which chronicles much of Israel’s success as a small but potent innovation force that spans countless industries, highlights the immense technological knowhow and seemingly fearless energy that supports the country’s thriving startup culture. Nearly a decade later, Israel has not missed a beat in terms of capitalizing on the biggest trends in technology.  From cybersecurity to artificial intelligence and machine learning, Read more …

Over the past few months, analysts across the board — from Bitcoin (BTC) lovers to Wall Street’s bulls — have been charting an impending recession. This has left many investors with one pressing question: what should they buy to hedge their risk? According to one prominent economist and former Wall Streeter, Bitcoin is one of the leading hedges, as it may play a backbone in the future financial system that may not be fiat-based as it is today. Raoul Pal Read more …

North Korea is denying accusations of obtaining $2 billion through hacking banks and cryptocurrency exchanges. North Korea accuses the United States of spreading rumours On Sept. 1, the country’s official state media, the Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) denied allegations of massive theft by North Korean agents.  As Cointelegraph previously reported, the United Nations Security Council North Korea sanctions committee said that “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea cyber actors were raising money for its WMD (weapons of mass destruction) programs, Read more …

In the crypto space in Asia last week, new data concerning Bitcoin (BTC) use in Hong Kong shows that residents are using crypto to hedge against the possibility of capital restraints, while the Japanese Financial Services Agency (FSA) is undertaking new regulatory actions. Here is the past week of crypto and blockchain news in review, as originally reported by Cointelegraph Japan. Hong Kong bitcoiner explains local BTC demand On Aug. 31, Cointelegraph Japan reported that Leo Wies, chairman of the Read more …

Bitcoin (BTC) turned 10 years old recently, and if someone were to tell its founder, Satoshi Nakamoto, in 2008 that the new decentralized currency would still be thriving in 2019, he/she/they may assume that the experiment succeeded. However, an idea like Bitcoin is capable of existing even if it isn’t very effective at delivering on its promises, and it just so happens that a decade later, everyone is still knocking their heads against the very first criticism made in response to its Read more …

Electric Coin Company (ECC), the firm behind privacy-centric cryptocurrency Zcash (ZEC), reported financial losses in Q1 2019. According to the Q3 2019 report published on Aug. 29, the firm operated at an average monthly deficit of $186,000 during the first quarter of the year. Operating at a loss The company reportedly was receiving 6,157 ZEC per month and 2,000 ZEC for employee compensation. Considering the average coin price during that time frame, it is equivalent to about $449,000. The firm’s Read more …

There are several countries around the world that are developing national blockchain-based digital currencies — such as Venezuela and its state-owned Petro (PTR), China and its plans to issue a government-backed digital currency, etc. We reached out to experts in the crypto and blockchain industries, central bank officials and researchers to answer whether or not we need a blockchain-based national digital currency if decentralized cryptocurrencies already exist. Related: Central Bank-Issued Digital Currencies: Why Governments May (or May Not) Need Them Read more …